Props to Working Mothers

**For this post, working moms (mothers) means a mother who works outside of the home**

I have to give props to working moms out there. Actually, let me clarify...working moms who also cook dinner for their families.  :)  I don't know how you guys do it.  Making dinner for me is an all day affair.  Now, that may actually be because I have all day to cook dinner but I don't know if I would be able to throw together a meal (or in our case, 2 meals) in say 30 minutes. Dinnertime around here is crazy.  It's usually the time Emily decides she wants me to hold her or dance with her or just pay attention to her.  This is why I tend to do all my prep work either in the morning or during nap time.  I try to keep as little work as possible for the hour before dinner because I know I will be holding, dancing with or giving all of my attention to Emily.  So, if you are a working mother who cooks for your family every night (or most nights) my props go out to you...for what it's worth.

10 Things I Loved About being Pregnant

NO I AM NOT PREGNANT!

Ok, now that I got that out of the way...  With Emily turning 2 next week, I realize I haven't been pregnant in 2 years....I miss it.  

While reading my April Parents Magazine I came across their list of 9 things they love about pregnancy and I thought, hey, I can make a list like that, so here goes...

1. My hair never looked better.

2. Ditto for my nails. :)

3. No heavy lifting for this mama! 

4. I had a nice place to rest my ice-cream bowl and an excuse to use it!

5. I loved the feeling of the private dance party that was going on inside of me.

6. I never felt more beautiful!

7. Holy Boobs! 

8. Elastic waist pants 24/7 for 9 months was ok.

9. I got to wear comfy shoes for 9 months too.

10.  For 9 months, I didn't have to suck it in! 

 

33 things you probably don't really care to know about me

In honor of my 33rd birthday I've decided to give you a list of 33 things you may not know about me.
1. I am a twin.
2. I wear a size 12 shoe.
3. I can tie a cherry stem into a knot with my tongue. ;)
4. Emptying the dishwasher is my least favorite chore.
5. I have had surgery on my left foot twice....not fun!
6. I am scared to swim in the ocean...unless it's calm like in Aruba ;)
7. In high school, I was a member of the fantastic Superchiefs, for one day! :)  
8. I "played" the Glockenspiel. 
9. Birds scare the crap out of me.
10. I am terrible at math.
11. I got a D in 5th grade math...see, I told you!
12. When I was growing up I would always say, "I want to major in Business Management or Accounting" cause it was on that commercial with Sally Struthers for online school or whatever it was.  
13. I actually majored in Business Management. 
14. I didn't get drunk for the first time till I got to college...it was all downhill from there.  ;)
15. I worked in NYC for 6 months after graduating college.  
16. I was an Office Manager at a Diamond Manufacturer...a girl's best friend!
17. I once dated a guy in high school for one whole day...seems to be my thing from high school. (Some girls showed up at my house and threatened to beat me up if I didn't break up with him.)
18. I love attending weddings!
19. I've wanted to be a mother since I was a little girl..my girls are dreams come true.
20. I love pictures....taking them, looking at them, having them all over the house.
21. I'm 100% Italian
22. I didn't own my first cell phone till I was in college...I was 20.
23. The Fugitive is one of my favorite movies.
24. I can't whistle.
25. I can't crack my knuckles...thankfully, cause I don't like that. 
26. I love hosting parties.
27. If I do not sing in the car during long trips, I get car sick....true story. ;)
28. I HATE flying! I once chewed a WHOLE pack of juicy fruit gum (the yellow package) on a trip to the Bahamas when I was 12 cause I was worried about my ears popping and I ended up throwing up from the gum.  To this day, I can't chew that kind of gum. I can't make this stuff up. ;)
29. I was a licensed Insurance Agent back in 2003.
30. Matt and I were married twice in 11 months. ;)  
31. My first daughter is a Georgia Peach.
32. I have never watched an episode of Jersey Shore and I won't.
33. I had a tough time coming up with this list.
There you have it...33 things you didn't know you wanted to know about me. ;) 

My least favorite times of the day

I know you are probably thinking..."she's home all day, what's so bad about that?"  Well, I have 2 times of the day that I do NOT look forward to....2am, give or take an hour & dinnertime.  

Em has been getting up every night around the 2 o'clock hour and I can't, for the life of me, figure out why.  Actually, I have two theories...nightmares or force of habit.  I can't remember the last time I've slept through the night!  She's slept through the night twice that I can recall in I don't know how long.  The first night I was up with the stomach bug ALL night and the second night, Jenna woke me up when she had the stomach bug. :(  

Now, I know you are wondering "why would she dislike dinnertime?"  Well, let me tell you...Emily!  ;)  Emily eats from the second she gets downstairs in the morning till the second I put dinner on the table (slight exaggeration).  I know, you're probably thinking, "well, duh...don't feed her so close to dinner!"  I wish it were that easy.  She goes from one snack to the next and is very persistent when it comes to wanting something.  When we sit down to eat dinner she takes a couple of bites, drinks her milk and just starts having a tantrum.  Every night when we sit down, I think to myself, "this is going to be a good night...we are going to make it through dinner without a fit" but I haven't been right yet!  My sister reminded me that we went through this with Jenna too but I guess I blocked that out.  I'm going to start regulating Em's snacking and see if I can at least make dinnertime more tolerable.  2am (give or take an hour) is another story....I have no idea how I am going to solve that.  Although, Matt did say "Who do I have to pay for you to get a good night's sleep?" so I may have to figure that one out and take him up on that.

As the stomach turns

It's been quite an unhealthy few weeks in the Phelan household.  2 weeks ago, Emily woke up around 930 one night covered in puke....I know, great picture, right?  Not so much... We were up all night with her head in the garbage can...poor baby!  She was herself again by 930 the next morning which I was really happy about.  A week later, Jenna woke up complaining of a sore throat.  Take her to the doctor to find out she has strep!  I guess I should be ok with this since the doctor did mention if the strep was negative they were going to test her for MONO!  What?!?!?!  I'll take the strep thanks! Thinking all has calmed down and then I get the stomach virus that Em had....a WEEK later!!  I don't wish for the stomach virus but why can't I get it during the day so I don't end up losing a whole night of sleep...of course, that was THE only night Em has slept straight through in weeks.  Figures!  Well, here we are almost 2 weeks since Em started with the stomach virus and Jenna was up all night throwing up!  How many times do we have to Lysol this house before the nasty virus leaves us alone.  Now that I think about it, I have been sick with this stomach virus the same time every year for the past 3 years!  What a way to spend my birthday, huh?  Yeah, not fun!  Here's hoping this year's birthday is not completely ruined by sickness or I am giving up celebrating! 

A Good Mother

"Because a good mother loves to be with her children.  A good mother wants nothing for herself. With rules like that, a good mother...quickly turns sour, like milk left on the counter on a hot summer day. And I've been on the counter too long. On the counter with 2 children and no emotional space."  - Jane Rubietta, The High Chair Day, The Mommy Diaries

 

My Left Foot

So I went to the Doctor today for a large bump on my foot.  Leave the office with a soft cast and a walking shoe!  Apparently, I had a cyst on my foot and the tendons underneath the cyst are "damaged."  Anyway, the Doctor told me the cyst would not go away on it's own so he gave me a shot of steroids and a soft cast for a week.  Not really what I have planned for "Mommy/Emily Day."  I didn't realize how much I use my left foot.  You know, on a good day, it's just there....in step with my right foot.  Today, I am having trouble walking up the stairs, turning around in the kitchen and even getting out of the car.  Who knew I would miss the full use of my left foot so much. :(  Feel like it's going to be a very long, wobbly week.