Happiness – Page 6 – Birds of a Feather

An Open Letter to my Baby Bear

November 2, 2017baby bear, Faith, Family, Happiness, infant sleep, Love, Mama Bears, Milestones, Prayer, Special People, Success, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

Sweet Atticus,

It’s hard to believe that a year ago today, the doctor placed your tiny body in my arms. I remember vividly holding you close in those first few moments together and whispering in your ear how much I loved you. My world forever changed that day in ways I could have never imagined. Just thinking about all 5 pounds 15 ounces of you makes my eyes well up with tears. You, Baby Bear, are the greatest thing I’ve ever accomplished, and I will worry about you for the rest of my days on this earth.

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So much happened in your first year of life for both of us. I successfully mastered nursing and still find great joy in being able to spend quality time with you every day rocking you in the rocking chair my own mother once rocked and nursed me in. It truly is amazing how things come full circle! Your little hands and feet have grown and so has your length and weight. You’re now just shy of 20 pounds, and my chiseled arms are from lifting and carrying you around with me all through the house.

There were nights where I wondered if I’d ever sleep through the night again. You would wake up every two to three hours to nurse, and in a zombie like state I would shuffle through the darkness to comfort. But a year later, I can say with gratitude that you my littlest, sleep through the night and for the most part so do I. I find myself waking from time to time if you cough or stir just to check on you as I peer into the monitor. But most nights, that’s just my mommy worry getting the best of me.

Blank stares gave way to first smiles and baby coos of happiness. Tummy time, something you absolutely loathed initially, turned into playtime before I knew it. Rolling over, sitting up, pulling up, and now trying to walk came on so quickly. Leaving you alone for even a split second isn’t possible anymore. You’re in to everything and always require an incredibly watchful eye.

Exploding diapers, runny noses, teething, and drooling all made their mark on numerous occasions. Some of these moments were laughable. Others were downright disgusting and smelly. But even still, I wouldn’t trade a single moment of it for a second.

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You bring so much light to my life- watching you crawl with great curiosity across the hardwood floor or pulling up onto your tippy toes to reach for something you need to know more about. Your smile and belly laugh melt my heart in unimaginable ways. I live for those moments to see you so happy in your father’s arms or underneath your brother’s hug.

The Lord blessed me infinitely when he brought you into my life. I look forward to all of the little and big things your future holds. I ask for continued patience, guidance, and love as I make every effort each and every day to be the absolute best Mama Bear for you and your big brother, Liam.

Happy first birthday, my sweet Atticus. “I will love you forever, love you for always, as long as I’m living, my baby bear you’ll be!”

Rain, a Baby Lamb, & Darth Vader

November 1, 2017November 1, 2017Baby Bears & Little Bears, Family, Happiness, Holiday spirit, Love, Milestones, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

Thankfully the rainy conditions didn’t dampen our Halloween. In lieu of trick or treating outdoors, we opted for a more creative evening of indoor trick or treating. Then we rummaged through the Halloween loot as we watched A Toy Story Terror Halloween movie pushing pause occasionally for the few soggy trick or treaters who rang our doorbell. Atticus sampled his first lollipop, and his sweet smile and sticky fingers proved it was love at first lick!

You might be wondering what in the world indoor trick or treating looks like. It took a little creative ingenuity, but Liam’s grandparents pitched in so Liam could trick or treated through the house to four different rooms. He preceded to bang on doors, shout trick or treat, and relish in the excitement of a pumpkin tote filled to the brim with Twix, Kit Kats, Pirates Booty, Dum Dums, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and a whole mess of other sweet treats.

The rain never dissipated, but Sean decided to brave the weather with Liam so he could trick or treat at a few houses in the neighborhood. The outdoor adventure was short lived, however, because the cooler temperatures and increasing rainfall made for rather unpleasant conditions.

After the sugar rush ended and Darth Vader and our little lamb were tucked in for the night, I decided to venture out myself for a rainy run. I felt like a little kid splashing through ankle deep puddles in the pouring rain. The neighborhood was quiet with few porch lights on and and even less trick or treaters out and about. The pervasive theme as I ran through the dark neighborhood past houses along the lake was the number of televisions I saw on with people gathered around watching the Astros.

This has truly proven to be a unique Halloween, which certainly seems to be the trend for us. It was only last year that I was trick or treating with Liam, Sean and the Rafla’s while I was in labor with Atticus. I can only imagine what next year will have in store for us! The only thing that will make this night even better is a World Series win for the Astros.

Ahoy, Matey!

October 29, 2017Baby Bears & Little Bears, Family, Happiness, Love, Mama Bears, Milestones, Papa Bear, Special People, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

With birthdays just days apart for Atticus and Liam (November 1st and 5th), a combined pirate themed party seemed like the ideal way to celebrate their birthdays with our family and friends.

Pinterest as always proved to be a valuable resource for planning the perfect pirate themed party. Black and red duct tape lined the sidewalk and led guests to the X marks the spot; signaling the beginning of the birthday party fun. A giant inflatable pirate ship bounce house complete with cannons, a lookout post, a parrot, and a skull and cross bones flag brought the theme to life. My parents found a beautiful pirate ship piñata in the Rio Grande Valley to add some hard hitting fun to the mix.

Snacks, birthday cakes, and treasure map party favor bags brought the theme full circle. Guests sampled Pirate’s Gold (cheese slices), Polly’s Crackers (Ritz and Triskets), Cannon Balls (black olives), Shark Bait (multi-colored goldfish), Dead Man’s Fingers (Lil’ Smokies with BBQ sauce), Caribbean Sea Water (blue Powerade with the labels removed).

My Amazon Prime membership proved to be a godsend with personalized birthday shirts, pirates jewels, gold coins, temporary tattoos, and a treasure map. Thankfully Liam’s toy box yielded pirate figurines that made perfect cake toppers for their birthday cakes. Initially Atticus wasn’t quite sure about his cake, but with time realized he preferred the pastry part more than the icing.

Shiver me timbers, this party is in the books, and thankfully no one had to walk the plank. It was wonderful celebrating our baby bears with our friends and family. Thank you for showering the boys with amazing birthday gifts. They’ll be playing with their new toys in the days and weeks to come. We arrrgh so glad you were able to join us!

In my Head

October 27, 2017October 27, 2017Counseling & Wellness, Faith, Happiness, Uncategorized, WorkLeave a Comment

As a counselor, I spend a significant amount of energy encouraging others to approach life with optimism. Our heads and hearts benefit from positive thinking that builds us up and allows us to grow. When we allow negative thinking to permeate our thoughts, it clouds our perspective and ultimately brings us down.

a negative mind will never

But just like everyone else, I am human too. I think and feel deeply about the things I am most passionate about. When my personal emotions set it, oftentimes rational thinking is the first thing to fall apart at the seams.

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A situation at work today with a parent undoubtedly rattled my chains to the core. Behind closed doors, anger gave way to frustration which quickly gave way to tears. As a counselor, there is nothing I value more than my professional integrity and unconditional positive regard for the students, parents, and colleagues I work with. When someone tries to diminish my character or invalidate my intentions, I find it unsettling, degrading, and hurtful.

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Because this situation occurred at the very end of the day, I composed myself enough to open the door to my office and sneak out of the back entrance. On my drive home, I hoped loud, upbeat music would allow my negative feelings to subside. In situations like this, however, the counselor in me goes right out the window. I fixate on the negative, let it marinate for far too long, and eventually find myself completely unable to avoid the thoughts in my head.

the mind is everything

Tonight even after my five mile run underneath a blanket of beautiful stars, I still couldn’t shake the negativity I was carrying. Because I still have to confront this issue again tomorrow, it’s highly unlikely the dust will settle overnight. Going against all of the guidance and insight I offer my students, I’m wallowing in negative thinking and letting it get the best of me.

your mind is a positive

It’s time to kick this pity party to the curve. This Mama Bear may be down, but she’s not broken. I will do my best to tuck away these negative feelings until tomorrow because quite frankly they’ve taken up enough of my afternoon and evening. Perhaps some meditation over the following quotes will help put things in perspective for me. “Worrying does not take away tomorrow’s trouble, [but] it [certainly took] away today’s peace.” Here’s to a new day, the power of positive thinking, and the silver linings in life that bring radiance and light in those darker moments!

A Balancing Act

October 25, 2017Baby Bears & Little Bears, Family, Goal setting, Happiness, Love, Mama Bears, Opportunities, Success, Uncategorized, WorkLeave a Comment

Dr. Seuss put it best with, “So be sure you step, step with great care and tact. And remember that life’s a great balancing act.” (excerpt from Oh the Places You’ll Go). These simple yet poignant words encompass all the hats we Mama Bears wear as wives, mothers, professionals, and dreamers. Finding time to give your spouse the support and love he deserves, showering your children with positive affirmations and hugs, fulfilling your professional obligations with fidelity, and squeezing in tidbits of time for self care prove day in and day out to require incredible time management skills and an uncanny ability to multi task.

In the course of day, what we set out to do is nothing short of superhuman. Getting up before the sun rises, getting ourselves and our children dressed, packing lunches and backpacks, inhaling breakfast and downing coffee, dropping the kiddos off at daycare, and zipping off to work and it’s only 7:00 a.m.

The work day kicks off to a running start at 7:30 a.m., and it’s parent meetings, guidance lessons, individual student counseling sessions, lunch duty, academic team meetings, 8th grade tours, college rep visits, and a slew of emails and phone calls are all in a days work. Somewhere in the midst of all of this I manage to pump twice, usually while I’m returning phone calls or emails as I also try to eat lunch.

When 4:00 rolls around, I’m out the door and making a bee line to daycare to pick up the baby bears who I absolutely cannot wait to see. It’s hugs, homework, sharing the best parts of our day, and some playtime all before dinner. During the week, it’s leftovers or low key dinners that simplify life. Then it’s bath time, which is one of my favorite parts of the day because it’s relaxed, there’s lot of laughing, and the splashing and smiles are perfect too.

Then it’s books and bedtime for the boys, and it’s time for a role reversal. I change hats from a mama bear to a runner and head out the door for some sweat, solitude, and reflection. After pounding out a few miles, the hat changes again, and I step into my role as a wife. Sometimes we catch up over a glass of wine or enjoy one of our favorite shows. By this time in the evening, it’s been an incredibly long day for us. Papa Bears, after all, walk their own tight rope every day too.

Through it all, their love keeps me pushing forward. Making the best of every moment, even the less ideal ones. This week, for example, sweet Atticus is contending with a sinus infection and has been feverish. I’ve had to leave work early for the last two days to give him a little extra TLC. Such is the life of a Mama Bear though, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

To all of you Mama Bears out there, balancing your load with beauty and grace, pat yourselves on the back for all of the things you accomplish daily in life. You are a force to be reckoned with. You are a doer, a lover, a mother, and so much more. Take it one day at a time, life each day to the fullest, and remember the words of dear old Dr. Seuss, “life’s a great balancing act.”

The Highs & Lows of a Day

October 22, 2017Baby Bears & Little Bears, Family, Happiness, Love, Mama Bears, Papa Bear, Special People, Uncategorized1 Comment

In the course of day if we isolated all of the little moments that comprise our day, we would easily recognize the highs and lows we experienced. Oftentimes the highs boost us up and help us float above the lower moments. Traditionally, I coast through my day with so many things on my plate that I don’t always pay enough mind to these little moments. Today, however, in reflecting back on my Saturday, I decided to marinate in highs and lows of my day.

This morning, Atticus woke up shortly after 5:00 a.m., bright eyed and bushy tailed. I begrudgingly walked down the hall to the nursery half awake to nurse him in the dark in hopes he would fall back asleep. There are times when wishes do come true, and soon we both were sound asleep. Two blissful hours later, he awoke again but this time I was rested, alert, and ready to take on the day.

Liam awoke shortly after us and the three of us crept into our room to wake up Sean with a plentiful amount of cuddles. We enjoyed breakfast and headed out for our Saturday coffee date. Then my best friend, Anna and her daughter, met up with us to enjoy the sunny outdoors at Howl-o-Ween Fest. We opted to take the shuttle to expedite our trip to the park. Unfortunately after six shuttles passed us up, we decided that walking might be the better alternative. On our way, Paige tripped and fell on the concrete, which resulted in a bloody skin abrasion and an unhappy five year old. This was definitely one of the lows of the day. Thankfully dogs in costumes, bounce houses, and snow cones were just a few of the wonderful things that overshadowed the lower points.

After lunch, Liam had a friend come over to play. Before heading to the nursery to get Atticus ready for his afternoon nap, I advised the boys to play quietly upstairs and that I would be up shortly to check on them. When I ascended the stairs, I was met with a surprise I could have never anticipated. Clearly not using his best judgement, Liam had decided to have a kinetic sand fight with his friend. There was blue sand in every nook and cranny the naked eye could see in the loft- on the carpet, on the table, in between the seat cushions on the couch, …. It took the patience of Job not to come unhinged, especially in front of his friend, but I held it together and employed the boys to help me clean up the mess they made. Thank goodness for the invention of the vacuum cleaner. It undoubtedly saved the day and restored normalcy to the upstairs. Hands down this event would prove to the lowest point of my day.

Thankfully watching the boys play and enjoy each others company quickly helped the negativity I was feeling subside. The rest of the afternoon included plenty of high moments including indulging in a lovely birthday cake truffle, sharing a delicious chili dinner with my family, and enjoying the gift of help as Sean took care of cleaning the kitchen and unloading the dishwasher.

In our day-to-day lives, the high and low moments we experience will vary significantly from one day to the next. Our stress levels and workloads will profoundly impact how easily we can brush off a low moment or expend a profuse amount of energy wallowing in it. In these less than ideal moments if we allow ourselves to take a step back, we can often find the silver lining in the negativity. Because hindsight is 20/20, it might take us longer to recognize the beauty in these seemingly low moments. If we allow ourselves to look at the situation with a different lens, however, we just might realize that our low moment really isn’t as bad as we initially thought it was. Here’s to the highs and lows we endure every day. May your high points far outweigh the low ones!

Cuddles are the Best Medicine

October 20, 2017baby bear, Dinner ideas, Faith, Family, Happiness, Love, Mama Bears, Prayer, Special People, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

The tubal ear procedure went off without a hitch. When they took him to the OR, my poor baby was in tears about having to part ways with me. I have to admit that I fought back my own tears as I walked back to the waiting room without him. Thankfully the procedure was incredibly quick and my sweet boy was back in my arms in less than twenty minutes.

The anesthesia proved to be the most difficult part of the surgical procedure as it made my little baby bear rather lethargic and groggy for a significant part of the day. Otherwise I cannot say enough positive things about Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus. Their staff held by hand through the entire process. They were kind, genuine, and truly experts in their field.

Atticus required extra tender loving care, which I was more than happy to indulge him with. Hugs, kisses, and cuddles undoubtedly proved to be more effective than any other medicine today. By the time dinner rolled around, I decided to err on the side of simplicity. With Sean out of town, I didn’t need to worry about an elaborate meal, so I gathered some of the boy’s favorite foods and voila, dinner was served. For Liam, leftover pizza, cherry tomatoes, sliced mango, and a side of Cheetos and Doritos made for a delicious dinner. Atticus enjoyed peanut butter toast, fresh mango, and mashed potatoes. My dinner included a few samples off of their plates as I prepared dinner. My favorite part was the ice cream sandwich rolled in rainbow sprinkles that I split with Liam.

With the boys tucked in for the night, I’m capitalizing on a husbandless evening of chick flicks coupled with a glass of white wine. With all of the worry and stress I carried around today, this low key evening is exactly what I need.

I would like to extend a special thank you to the family and friends who were kind enough to send me reassuring text messages before his surgery and the follow up calls to see how Atticus was doing. Additionally, faith, prayer, and mindfulness truly played an instrumental role in my well-being today. With Friday on the horizon, I’m looking forward to a wonderful weekend with my family. Wishing you and yours a wonderful one too!

A Child Centered Weekend

October 17, 2017Baby Bears & Little Bears, Family, Happiness, Mama Bears, Papa Bear, Special People, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

For this Mama and Papa Bear, life tends to revolve around our little bears. We think of meaningful ways to spend time with them and watch them flourish in the company of friends and family. This weekend like most was exactly that- playful, fun-filled, and child centered.

It started with morning coffee but we deviated slightly from our typical Saturday morning coffee date at Land of a Thousand Hills. We ordered our coffee to go and enjoyed the sunshine, blue skies, and green space that overlooks Towne Lake. Liam loved running around and climbing on all of the rocky surfaces. Atticus desperately tried to keep up with his big brother as he crawled around on all fours. We commemorated the moment with an adorable candid picture in front of their, “Happy Fall, Y’all” display.

Liam put his handwriting and art skills to work with a homemade birthday card for his friend Calix’s Ninja Turtle themed 5th birthday. He created an amazing Rafael drawing he was incredibly proud of. I can only hope Calix loved it as much as Liam did. That afternoon, we headed to Urban Air Trampoline Park to celebrate the birthday boy with two hours worth of hopping, bouncing, jumping, and climbing. Liam had an absolute blast chasing his friends down the trampoline runway and through the three story obstacle course. The party ended on a high note with a bright green, “Cowabunga, Dude!” birthday cake. Liam and his friends had plenty of green icing around their faces to prove it was a treat they truly enjoyed.

Later that night, Sean and Liam headed over to his elementary school for their annual Boo Bash. To get in the holiday spirit, Liam put on his Batman chest piece and mask. He’s saving his Darth Vader costume until he can trick or treat in it on the 31st. This Halloween themed event included a haunted house, bounce houses, and plenty of Halloween candy to make any child beam from ear to ear. Liam especially got a kick out of pretending to be a statue in the haunted house and scaring students when they walked past him. For a child who absolutely loves Halloween, I can’t think of a better suited opportunity to spook his peers than with this.

On Sunday morning, Liam, Atticus, and I ventured out to H-E-B for our weekly grocery run. Because Liam loves Halloween so much, every year he gets to select an indoor and outdoor decoration to add to our growing collection. After much deliberation at H-E-B, he decided we needed a 4 foot tall inflatable pumpkin, ghost, and bat lawn ornament. This purchase proved to be ideal find at a great price!

All in all, it was the kind of weekend that left this Mama Bear feeling happy and fulfilled because there truly is no greater joy than seeing your children happy. Smile on, Mama Bears!

Friday Night Bites

October 14, 2017Baby Bears & Little Bears, Family, Happiness, Mama Bears, Papa Bear, Shop Local, Special People, Uncategorized, VegetarianLeave a Comment

Tonight we enjoyed a family outing in the neighborhood at Friday Night Bites. Local food trucks, live music, and some great fare provided all the entertainment we needed for an enjoyable evening together.

With an assortment of vendors, choosing the perfect dinner proved to be a difficult task. After some window shopping, we decided on Falacos- a food truck specializing in vegan, gluten free taco balls.

According to their website, falacos are: “Absolutely freakinly delicious falafel balls fried in peanut oil, set on a corn tortilla with an original hummus creation, fresh veggies, and sauces that will blow your mind. Falafel + Taco = Falacos”

After much deliberation, we decided on kimchichi fries. This dish served up a dose of spicy, sweet, salty, and sour with agave pecan hummus, green apple slices, spicy chili sauce atop fried falafels. This delicacy is then topped with sweet hoisin sauce, scallions, and kimchi. All of this deliciousness rested on a bed of perfectly cut french fries. We also enjoyed their Friday the 13th combo: Amazeballs served with hummus and fresh vegetables. Let me just say they absolutely lived up to their name! Quinoa balls topped with fresh hummus, mango chutney, banana peppers, and smoked paprika. So many beautiful flavors in every bite!

We found a shady spot in the grass, laid out a giant beach towel, and plopped down for a picnic. Between bites, Liam enjoyed running around the open field we were sitting in. He ran into one of his classmates and enjoyed playing with her for a bit too.

We closed out the night with N’awlins Sneaux Bawls. Sean surprised us with their three most popular items: Squashed Bullfrog, Dreamsicle, and Bayou Blue. Each sno cone rested on a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The syrup melted into the ice cream creating a beautiful marriage of sweet flavors.

Friday Night Bites offers family fun and great food every 2nd Friday of the month in the Lakeland Village Activity Center. It truly made for the perfect ending to a great work week and was an ideal way to kick off our weekend! If you live in the Cypress area, I highly recommend making a trip out next month.

The Toothless Wonder

October 12, 2017Baby Bears & Little Bears, Family, Happiness, Love, Milestones, Special People, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

This evening Liam joined the ranks of so many children who have came before him with the loss of his first tooth. My little toothless wonder was so excited about the prospect of looking under his pillow to see what the tooth fairy left him.

After posing for some obligatory photos, rinsing the blood out of his mouth, and safely tucking his tooth under the pillow, we settled in for a bedtime story before bed. As the story drew to a close, we exchanged hugs and Liam began peppering me with questions about the tooth fairy.

“How big is the tooth fairy?” he inquired as he pinched his fingers together demonstrating how little he thought she was. Because Sean told him she flew in through the window, I assured him that she was quite small. “How else could she easily come through the window? Of course she has to be at least big enough to pick up your tooth and fly away with it,” I added.

As I tucked him in, he looked me in the eye with a serious furrow in his brow and said, “Mom, I know she’s going to leave me a lot of money because I brushed that tooth extra every night just for her.” I met his gaze with a smile; amused by his statement but not letting on that I found it both adorable and humorous.

I’m eager to see him in the morning, beaming with joy about the loss of his first tooth and the bounty she left him under his pillow. It’s sweet moments like these that make you appreciate how beautiful life is when you allow yourself to approach life through the eyes of a child.