How'd She Do That?

Over the last month or so, I have had several different people (specifically Mommies in my playgroup) say some sort of that phrase to me: "How do you do it?"

Now, I don't feel like I am doing anything extraordinary at all. I get up in the morning, feed my kids and self, play for a while, pack up, take them out for the day, come home for naps, cook and eat dinner, walk the dog, get them ready for bed, PUT them in bed, AND RELAX! Yeah, right. First we clean up from all that and MAYBE I actually have a conversation with my husband, then we relax for a bit before we both pass out.

Isn't that what all wives/moms/husbands/dads do though? I'm not doing anything you aren't, believe me! But I figured I would share how I get it done, because having three or four people say that to me in just a few short weeks got me thinking about it!

Scenario One:
I posted my first blog in ages, and my friend Aine sent me a note asking me how I juggle it all. Her actual note was:
"I just don't know how you do it, run the mommy website, do blogs, keep the kids alive and well and leave the house at any time . . . I am clearly missing something, come on, admit it, you have an army of nannies or a secretary or a ghost writer???!!!
x"
Now, she is referring to the play group website that I took over. All I have to do it post a few playdates each week and go to them. Easy Peasy! And as for the blog, getting to sit down once a week to vent to all five of my readers is a treat! Not a chore at all.

Honestly, the answer to this one is simple. Naptime! It took me more than six months to get my two itty bitties napping at the same time, but they finally are. In that precious hour or so of napping overlap, I choose to sit on my "arse," as I imagine my dear Aine from the UK might say, and mess around on the computer. It's my no-brainer mommy time!






This is both of them, in the same position, sleeping at the same time! CUTE!



















Scenario Two
A two parter. Another mommy in our group asked two questions. First, how do I find the time to make all of Darian's food, and two, how did I "get" Maxwell to learn his ABCs and his numbers.

Okay, food question first. For the most part, I make all of Darian's pureed baby food. I did the first batch of applesauce, but now she is just eating the all natural applesauce that I give Maxwell. As for everything else, this is really only possible because I have such an awesome support team. My mom, "Nana Paulette," comes over for a few hours to play with the kids almost every weekend. One day when she did, I went to the store and bought about $40 worth of produce, and came home to peal, core, steam and puree' my little heart out. Then I freeze the purees in ice cube trays (and old baby food containers that I accumulated over time from when we used to travel with Maxwell). When I don't have Nana weekend time to do it, I wait until the kids are in bed. ALSO, and here's the biggie: since we did this with Maxwell, too, David now knows how to do it and he has made some of her food, too! He is a HUGE help!



These are pictures from when I made Maxwell's food about two years ago, but you get the general idea. I haven't taken any recent pictures of our "Food Factory."









To answer her second question, about Maxwell's love for letters and numbers, I have NO ANSWER! We do everything that I am sure all parents have done: we read all the time, we sing songs, etc. etc. For his birthday Uncle Steve and Aunt Nicole gave him the crayola easel and it came with those little magnetic letters and numbers. He loves those! For months they were his go to toys. He would line them up on the erase board, the coffee table, the fireplace bench, the kitchen floor. I never did anything out of the ordinary to really encourage his love of letters, reading and such; it just came naturally. I am sure all kids are different! I just hope this love of learning lasts and lasts!

Scenario Three
Another mommy in the group was apprehensive about taking both her kids out swimming or to the wading pools that we have been frequenting lately. She asked me how I do it. When I wrote her back, I told her that first and foremost, I am just lucky that my kids are so great! Maxwell doesn't run off, he listens pretty well, and Darian is totally chill. She'll play for a while and she will also just sit and play with a toy in her carseat or take a nap in there when she is ready.

We have been taking Maxwell to swim classes since he was 6 months old, so he is totally used to the water. Lately he is getting to be a better and better swimmer. He likes to swim around the pool with a noodle tied around him! And at the wading pool, which is only about a foot deep, he likes to stand on the edge and pour water from one can to another! ha ha ha!

And when we get together with our playgroup, I am constantly surrounded by amazing woman who in a very short time have become good friends. We are all there for each other and willing to help each other out in any way. And if I need someone to keep an eye on maxwell while I change Darian, or hold onto her while I help Maxwell in the pool, they are all ready and willing. THANK YOU ALL!





Scenario Four
Lastly, several mommy friends have mentioned how they don't get time to themselves to go out to movies or dinner with friends or to just be home to get stuff done around the house.
I really can't say enough about the answer to this one. My mom is awesome and babysits all the time. My in-laws come to visit frequently and take Maxwell out to do lots of fun stuff. And the number one answer to this is:

MY HUSBAND IS AMAZING!!!

David really has gained a lot of confidence in the last couple of months in terms of being alone with both kids and taking them out and about. He gets up in the morning sometimes on the weekends and takes them to the bagel place so I can sleep in a little bit. He took both of them to Underwood Farms one day while I went to Orange County to hang with Shelly and Jill, see a movie and get my haircut. He comes home from work each night, plays with the kids, does bathtime and bedtime and always helps clean the tornado from the day. I love this man more than I can say, and I only hope that all the great mommies will in the end be able to answer...


How did she do that?

She has great people by her side!

Thank you all, because if you are taking the time to read my blog, chances are at some point you have helped me to be what I am today.