May 16, 2016

IS IT MAKING TIME? OR FINDING TIME?

rug | couch | elephant

Do you ever feel like sometimes the things that are the most important to you are the things that you often let get pushed to the back burner because you know they will always be there? I have had a huge come to life, heart to heart, talk with myself recently and how I am letting the things that matter the most to me get placed on the back burner. Things like my baby, my husband, my family, etc. The things that I knew would always still be there for me if I “didn’t have time” for them today. 

I found myself in this dark place, thinking that it was because I wasn’t doing enough, I wasn’t accomplishing enough in the day, working enough hours as a nurse, dance teacher, blogger, etc. Not having the laundry always caught up, dinner always made, a perfectly clean house, running service gifts or doing acts of service enough, etc., etc., etc. However, when I finally took a step back, evaluated my life, my priorities, what I have always wanted or dreamed for, I realized that those things were being pushed away by trying to make my life “full” enough with the other things.

Being a stay at home mom has always been my dream, something that I have told everyone all growing up. I also wanted to be a nurse, but being a mom was my first priority. Staying home with King was what I had hoped and dreamed for. Even after I drastically pulled back my hours at my nursing job, quit my dance teaching job, I realized that something was still missing. I was going through all the motions, but I found myself constantly distracted by life, my phone, working from home as a blogger, laundry, dinners, etc. My life still wasn’t happy, King was grumpy all the time, not getting enough attention, I was irritated with him all the time, and things were just sad in my home. 

That was the day I realized what had been missing the entire time, what I had been putting on the back burner. I wasn’t truly being a mom. I was being a mom and giving King attention when it was fitting perfectly into my “schedule” and the house was clean, blog posts were written, images perfectly taken, dinner prepared, etc. I was only being a mom when I was “finding” time for it. This is the day that I made myself, King, Zach, everyone in my little family a big promise. I promised that no matter what I would give King 15 minutes of undivided no distraction attention every morning and every afternoon/night. Whether it was playing on the playground, reading a book, stacking blocks, anything, he was my only priority, everything else could wait for those 15 little minutes. 

This moment and little promise have changed our lives, rather than finding the time to be a mom, I am now making the time for it. I truly believe that if it is something important to us, we won’t find the time for it, we will make it. We will move things around, let things wait, turn other things down, etc. Being a mom is something that I am making the time for. I can’t tell you how much my happiness has changed. Those moments chasing King back and forth through my house, hiding from him and scaring him, wagon walks, etc. are my most favorite memories. They are the things that I live for, thrive for, and we both feel so loved for. 

Some of our favorite 15 minute activities that we do together are listed below. Something so important to me though during those 15 minutes is to not have any other distractions at all, we both have full tummies, no diaper leaks, no texts, phone calls, anything. I always put a Huggies Little Snugglers Diaper on King right before our 15 minutes start both times. We always can get all of our wiggles out, go on any adventure, and run, jump, crawl, anything without worrying about leaks. They have an improved pocketed-back waistband so no matter what adventure we go on, I know that he won’t be leaking or anything. We swear by Huggies and honestly they are the only diapers that work for us. The Huggies Little Snugglers go up to size for and we love that they have the softer outer cover so it it gently on King’s skin. You can Click here to save $2 on Huggies Little Snugglers at Kroger now through 5/30, while supplies last!

15 Minute Adventures – 
Play at the playground
Dance around your kitchen
Mix cupcakes, cakes, anything and then let them cook and eat them in the afternoon 15 minutes together
Go for a walk
Wagon rides
Stack blocks
Read Books
Play Hide & Go Seek
Jump on the Bed
Take pictures together
ANYTHING!! 

I don’t think as moms we need to give up everything to be a mom, we still need to be us, have an identity outside of being a mom, live for our dreams, goals passions, etc. but, being a mom is something so big, and being an undistracted invested mom is huge. Strive with me to give your littles some undivided attention every day. Whether you can make time for 5 minutes or 45 minutes, those minutes will change your life, your happiness, and give you so many memories!

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Huggies, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #KrogerLittleSnugglers  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV”