From One to Two

I love being a mom. I still remember that first pregnancy test, and seeing those two little lines. I was filled with excitement, and whole lott of fear. I mean, there is so much to learn as you become a parent. Life changes quickly, and drastically, and suddenly you don't know as much as you once thought you did. Ha!

When Ella (our second) came along, I had visions of the transition going smoothly. And while there were many good days, we had a lot of rough days. Recovery was much longer, and harder the second time around. Evie was having a hard time adjusting. Top that with your regular 'ol hormones, the craziness of life, and I quickly found myself struggling just to get by.

Now, six months in, I'm still struggling, but I've found that things DO get easier. You do find your groove again. It's not always a cake walk, but it certainly is worth it! I thought I would just share a few things that have helped me as I've transitioned into a mother of two under two...

Give Yourself Grace: This is the most important lesson I've had to learn (and one that I'm still learning!). There will be days that the laundry doesn't get done, and yoga pants will have to do. And that's okay! We are usually our harshest critic. So tell yourself it's ok if everything is not perfect or as it used to be. Eventually, you will find a new routine that works.

Take Time For yourself: In a society that glorifies being busy, we often feel guilty for slowing down and taking time for ourselves. I'm learning that a few minutes to read or a hot shower can do wonders for my attitude. Anytime I feel myself getting overwhelmed, I realize that it's just a matter of taking a step back, re-focusing my energy, and having an old-fashioned time out.

Pray Without Ceasing: I realize that this is a given, but it's worth sharing. Prayer has been the number one tool to help me tackle the crazy days of motherhood. Anxiety? I pray about it. Fear? I pray about it. Uncertainty? I pray about it. It's the most powerful tool we have as Christians. And how much more effective will my role as a mother be if I utilize prayer throughout my day?

All in all, life is still slowly transitioning into a new normal as a family of four. It's not always perfect, but it's ours. And it is good.

Be The Best Mom You Can Be Review

I just finished reading "Be The Best Mom You Can Be" by Marina Slayton, and I can equate it to a "breath of fresh air". So many parenting books seem bent on telling you how to parent, and which type of parenting is best, rather just sharing Biblical truths. I found Slayton's book to be of the later sort, and it was greatly encouraging to my heart.

Instead of a traditional review, I thought I'd share a few things I learned from reading:

• She reminds us that as parents our greatest parenting tool is that of prayer. When you are discouraged or not sure how to approach a situation simply ask for God's direction. 
• She reminds us that our role of parenting is not just a hat to wear, but more importantly it is a ministry. One of the most important ministries that we will ever have.
• She reminds us that there will be days when we fail as mothers and it's important to accept God's grace and forgiveness when this happens. Doing so provides a model and basis to your children that no matter how many times they fail they too can have grace and forgiveness.
• She addresses the issues of "synthetic parenting" and getting so caught up in "busy" that we no longer operate as family units. She shares insight on how this is leading to depression, drug usage, etc in our young adults. An eye-opening issue for me, and has reminded me that I need to be more careful with our time as a family.

There were many issues that she tackled, but these really stood out to me. If you are looking for encouragement in your role as a mother, I highly recommend this book. Many thanks to Book Look Bloggers for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

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