A Happy List for Your Sunday

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I thought about starting out this post by saying "today was one of those days." But actually, today was fine. Not great {Max has had a fever for the past few days, Maggie started having one today, Lucy has gummy eyes and I think I bruised one of her eyelids trying to put drops in and I feel terrible, and all three of them have noses that are running like snot faucets}, but Christian and I have been spared whatever our kids have, at least for now, and I only ever felt frustrated right before nap time, which was extraordinarily convenient.

It was this evening that really did me in.

As I was changing Max's diaper right before I put on his Buzz Lightyear jams, I noticed something not quite right, and I think Max has a double inguinal hernia. Which is just really incredibly frustrating timing, because he JUST had surgery earlier this week. He JUST did, and now I think we're looking at another surgery as soon as we can get it scheduled. And even after I got over my initial "why us??" feelings and gave myself a "you can do this" pep-talk, I've felt emotionally drained. Max in surgery again? Each of my twins having surgery twice before they turn two? WHY? {Okay, so maybe I'm not entirely over my "why us" feelings yet. Give me a few more hours.}

The thing is, I know our family is very blessed, and in order to help me remember that fact, I thought I'd write down a happy list. Right now, in the middle of the night, because I'm certainly not going to fall asleep any time soon. Here are ten things that should be are making me happy:

1. A husband who give me bear hugs because he knows how to help me feel better when I'm stressed.
2. Maggie has started letting me fix her hair on a daily basis. She wants an episode of Yo Gabba Gabba and a packet of fruit snacks in return, but that's okay by me.
3. Mail from friends.
4. A new can of Febreeze air freshener in my bathroom.
5. The Corrections {the book I set a goal to read in February} is so good. Jonathon Franzen is brilliant.
6. This method of soft-boiling eggs is perfect, and I tried some on toast with avocado; it's amazing.
7. Lucy is learning to give kisses. Sometimes, if I ask her about ten times in a row and point to my mouth and purse my lips, she'll lean forward and let her mouth touch mine. I think it's the sweetest.
8. Max has a favorite book, and it's Where the Wild Things Are.
9. These shoes. Christian gave me a pair for Christmas and I love them. {They're so comfortable!}
10. Somehow I got three votes for the Best Family & Kids Blog over on Apartment Therapy's The Homies. It makes me happy because we all know I'm not going to win {I'm not even close to being close to the people who are saying they're not even close}, but a few special people thought it was worth their time to put me up there, anyway. Thanks, friends.

What's making you happy right now?

A Happy List

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I've been feeling recently like our lives are on this {uphill? downhill? How do BOTH of those descriptors somehow end up sounding negative?} good-directioned path, getting easier and calmer day by day. Lucy is growing older and we're into more of a routine with her; Max and Maggie are becoming so incredibly independent, it's amazing. I find that at the end of the day I've accomplished more than I had expected. I look back and think, "today was a good day."

It's an entirely different story in the moment. Catch me at 11:30 in the morning, when Max and Maggie are tired but I'm trying to keep them up just a little bit later before naptime, when all three of my babes are crying at once for I-don't-know-why, and when I haven't eaten or brushed my teeth or put on a bra. Catch me then and I will say to you, "my life is frustrating as $!%@."

Honestly, I don't know what this discrepancy means. Maybe it's is normal? Maybe it's not; maybe I need more patience and better perspective. Maybe I need let go of accomplishing everything I possibly can in one day and just let myself hang out with my children. Maybe it means that I haven't found that magical golden balance of work + kids that so many moms seem to have down, easy.

In any case, I'm trying to have more happiness and less frustration {and a lot less swearing} in my life. And with that segue, it's time for another happy list. Here are ten things that are making me happy right now:

1. Three-at-a-time baby baths in the tub.
2. Maggie has started saying "Bye! Bye!" just so. incredibly. loud every time we drive away from the house. She has to say it about 50 times before it's out of her system, it seems, which is a little bit obnoxious and a lot bit hilarious.
3. I casually mentioned to my sister that some built-in shelves would look awesome in her living room, and now I think she's going to make my idea a reality.
4. Cool mornings and evenings with breezy days in between. Fall in North Carolina, I love you.
5. Giving Lucy zerberts in her neck rolls. Or in her legs rolls. Or really anywhere on her adorably pudgy little squishy body.
6. Max's accidental haircut. I can't rub my hand over the top of his head enough.
7. New cutting boards from Ikea.
8. Planning to take our little family to a pumpkin patch. I think maybe Max and Maggie will love it.
9. This video. 
10. Picturing Maggie and Lucy in their sweet dresses for my brother-in-law's wedding on Saturday. Oh, and also my brother-in-law's wedding on Saturday. I would say I can't wait, but I know two people who are more impatient for the big day than I am. ;)

What's making you happy, readers? I'd love to hear from you.

A Happy List

{All is forgiven, Maggie. You are just too adorable.}

Last night was one of those nights when, just as I was ready to get into my bed, Maggie started crying in hers like spiders were crawling all over her.

Christian says that it's not something I need to worry about, our kids being bitten by spiders, but I've been bitten in my sleep on at least six occasions, with multiple bites each time, in at least four different houses. And it seems like maybe I have this je ne sais qua that attracts spiders to me -- perhaps spiders, like dogs, can tell when humans are afraid of them? Only it's not so much that I'm afraid of spiders as that I loathe them like I loathe nothing else. But if I have this characteristic that attracts spiders, and really, I think the evidence is in my favor on this one, then possibly that characteristic is genetic. And in that case, I feel like baby-biting-spiders ARE something to worry about.

But back to last night. I was already frustrated because I had been playing the.worst.game.ever all evening. Also I hadn't {still haven't} gone into labor, and I was pretty tired. And my three frustrations were melding into one big super frustration, much like the three tornadoes in The Day After Tomorrow come together to create a super tornado that destroys downtown LA.

So when I heard Maggie, I hit a wall. {If you remember, this has happened before.} I let myself slide to the floor, I muddled around in a pool of self-pity for a while, then I gathered myself together and went in to comfort her. It took me a while to get her back to sleep, and even after I did, she woke up when I put her back in bed and cried a little more -- just long enough to wake up Max. She woke up again at 3:45, and then she was up for the day at 6:30. Um, it was a rough night. And today is another in a string of cloudy, gloomy days.

All this is to say, I could use some happiness. So here are eleven {bonus!} things that are making me happy right now:

1. Getting my anniversary/birthday/Mother's Day present in the mail yesterday.
2. My new hat {marked down even more in-store} and nail polish {the mint color}, purchased during a spontaneous date-night trip to Urban Outfitters on Friday.
3. Discovering that the bushes in front of our house are gardenias. They are just covered in blossoms, and smell heavenly.
4. One-year-old head smell. It's not the same as newborn head smell, but it's pretty fantastic in its own way.
5. Yesterday Max picked up Maggie's doll and handed it to her when she was fussy; it was the first nice thing I've ever seen him do for her. And then...
6. The fact that after I praised him for being so nice to his sister, Max took the doll away so he could give it to her again.
7. Cookout. Any time, always. It's worth the now 40-minute round trip.
8. Borrowed maxi dresses from my sister-in-law, which have given me a break from my one pair of maternity jeans that still fit.
9. Getting to spend one-on-one time with my babes individually. It's such a treat.
10. Hearing Christian say sweet things about our children {both born and as-yet-unborn}. I find myself falling in love with him over and over again.
11. I can now count on one hand the days left until my due date. We're getting close!

What's making you happy right now?

P.S. You can read more happy lists right here.

10 Happy Things

Some days, even days that aren't as terrible as Monday, end up feeling like I wrestled with a bear for eight hours. And that's okay. It's more than okay; I'd rather feel exhausted at the end of every day because I've been taking care of my sweet angel babes than doing anything else. I thought for today's post I'd make a happy list (something I haven't done for a long while) to help me appreciate all of the wonderful things in my life. So here are ten things that are making me ecstatic right now:

1. Sneaking love notes into my husband's lunch before he wakes up in the morning.
2. Chocolate chip cookies made by my sister, and Max and Maggie's reactions to eating them. (Yum!)
3. Warm and windy weather.
4. Watching Maggie pull up on the ottoman by herself. It's kind of a big deal.
5. Knowing that Community is coming back next week. I'm very excited.
6. Kisses and cuddles from warm little baby bodies.
7. Walking past Max and Maggie's new room and imagining how awesome it's going to look when it's finished.
8. Reading books with a baby on each leg. It fills up my heart in a special way to share books with them.
9. Reminding myself that the baby in my belly is a whole new person that I haven't met before, a brand new member of our little family.
10. The rare occasion of me making Christian laugh hard because of something I said on purpose to be funny.

What's making you happy today?

*image via tumblr.
If you know the original source of this image, please let me know. THANKS SO MUCH!

First Happy List of 2011

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1.  Eating grapefruit in slices like an orange.  I love a big fat juicy chunk of grapefruit.  Babies like it, too, although I don't think they care what shape the grapefruit is in when I eat it.
2.  Feeling the babies kick as I'm falling asleep.  I tell Christian that they're sending me messages, most of which are to "give Daddy kisses."
3.  The big sunny open space in our living room, now that the Christmas tree is gone and our second couch is upstairs.
4.  How every time I tell my hilarious sister-in-law Catherine about a sale going on at Loft, she says, "Ummm... I totally went there today."
5.  Random references to Harry Potter -- they make me laugh.
6.  Planning things I want to get done before the babies come, like read the whole Book of Mormon with Christian again, and plant hydrangeas in front of our house.
7.  Wearing fun accessories and bright red lipstick, which make me feel pretty instead of just huge.
8.  Deciding not to compare myself to other people anymore.
9.  My heart skipping a beat {still} when I hear Christian opening the door as he comes home from work.  It's the best part of my day.
10.  Realizing that after about three years, I finally understand most of Christian's family's inside jokes.

What's making you happy today?

An Additional 10 Happy Things

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1.  The bird singing outside my window.
2.  My little garden, which has gotten plenty of rain recently.
3.  Chocolate-covered pretzels and lemon San Pellegrino, a wonderful combination.
4.  Chocolate-covered pretzels, period.
5.  Clean laundry and fresh clothes to wear.
6.  Baby pictures of Christian -- he was adorable.
7.  Getting to spend time with family.
8.  The LOST series finale.
9.  Flowers from my Christian.
10.  Wearing red lipstick.

More happiness...

This weekend has been full of gloomy days, and I thought it would be helpful to start this week off cheerfully {although the weather certainly isn't cooperating -- will we ever have consistently sunny days again?}. 

10 More Happy Things

{photo via PaperTissue.}

1.  Listening to the Harry Potter audiobooks on my iPod.

2.  Telling Christian I've been to the gym.

3.  Leaving my coat in the car because it's a beautiful 64 degrees and sunny outside.

4.  Welcoming Christian home with big hugs and kisses.

5.  Having several hours in a row free to read; wanting to read; having a good book to read.

6.  Knowing what to make for dinner.

7.  Hearing my little Lara say a blessing on our breakfast.

8.  Huge spoonfuls of peanut butter.

9.  Knowing I have something waiting for me on the DVR.

10.  Planning for and fantasizing about the future.

More happiness...

10 Things That Make Me Happy

1. Saying, "I feel like I look gross today" and Christian says, "Really?  I think you look great."
2. Saying something funny and Christian makes a face like he's trying not to laugh, but then he can't help it and he laughs anyway.
   
3. Warm, sunny, windy weather in January.
4. Thinking about the fact that LOST starts only one week {!!} from today.
5. Thinking about the patio garden I'm going to have this spring.
6. My formula for the perfect Cookout meal: hamburger {lettuce/tomato/cheese/mustard/mayo}, fries, onion rings, a large Coke, an extra order of hush puppies, ranch and mustard to dip everything in, and two spoonfuls of Christian's milkshake.
7. Eating my Cookout leftovers the next day.
8. Pulling something out of the back of my closet and looking awesome in it.
9. The smell of my new Yes To Carrots shampoo and conditioner.
10. Blog comments.  {That's not a hint -- it's the truth.}
    

I haven't been in the greatest mood today, mostly because I {disastrously} tried to paint our dining room last week, and now it's driving me crazy.  I thought I would make a Happy List {in the style of Taza, because yes, I am obsessed with The Rockstar Diaries} to try and cheer myself up.  After thinking for a while, I realized that I am not a particularly happy person.  And I don't think, I know some people reading this are thinking, "It took you this long to figure that out?"  But it's something I want to work on.  I want to be happier.  And I have ideas; suggestions are also welcome.

{photo via PaperTissue}