As I am slowly floating down the lazy river at the water park, the children are at sight-distance from me. Sight distance means that if they can’t see me, they are in big trouble. At 8 and 10 years old, they love to test the boundaries of independence.
Another Mom is basking in the sun and laying in a very relaxed manner on the inner tube. I envy the peace, and she sees me vigilantly looking ahead at my children.
After a small exchange of pleasant conversation, I notice the kids have started to test me and pick up my pace. The Mom looks at me and seems nostalgic.
I tell her to enjoy her day and she tells me that she misses the moments I am having right now. Her children are in middle and high school so they go off on their own and she relaxes in solitude.
As I catch up to my two, they are disappointed and a little thrilled by my chase. I take a deep breath and make it a point to enjoy this moment with them. All too soon, they will do all of it on their own.
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I’m at an age where my children are school age but a new wave of friends having babies has started. All the little feet and round bald heads have made me nostalgic for that time when I used to read to my little babies and toddlers. As an actress, I was a total ham and remember many a nights when I was completely exhausted and forced myself to find the energy to read to them. I didn’t think I would miss it as much as I do, but thought it would be fun to share some of our favorite books.
Good Night, Gorilla
One of my all time favorites and it really doesn’t contain many words. This one is fun because you can look at the pictures and find the balloon floating away on every page.
A great little section is when all the animals are saying good night, the kiddies always loved that Mommy and Daddy used different voices for every single one.
Goodnight Moon
This book is not a surprise, as it is a classic. Another great book for finding little items on every page and there is nothing cuter than a toddler saying good night to everything in the room. I also owned a Spanish version of this book which let me introduce them to a different language at a very early age.
The Snowy Day
It is no surprise that this book is a Caldecott winner. Living in Florida, means my children were fascinated with snow, and Peter’s day outside playing with it let them join in, on the fun. The children loved that Peter enjoyed the snow so much, he wanted to take a snowball in with him at the end of the day.
Swimmy
This little book carries a big punch, as Swimmy, a very little fish; tries to stay alive in an ocean of very big ones. It is a very clever book and by the end, the little fish comes up with the best solution for making himself bigger than he is.
Where the Wild Things Are
Another no brainer in the land of children’s books, but it really does deserve all the praise it has received. Max is so mischievous, and his imagination so vivid; you can’t help but be swept up in his story. A wonderful lesson and at the end of the day, even those who are mischievous, love to come home.
I Love You, Stinky Face
A wonderful story that lets your child know, that your love is unconditional. It doesn’t matter what kind of creature your imagination can create, a mother will love you no matter how scary or stinky you can become.
The Big Wide-Mouthed Frog
As an actress, this one is lots of fun to act out. This poor little frog is quite a talker and his inquisitive nature tests the patience of some of the animals he runs into in his journey. Humorous and fun as children learn the value of asking questions.
Time For Bed
I have fond memories of reading this book to my little ones. A lovely story about Mommies putting their babies to bed. Beautiful pictures and lovely words give a lulling sensation to the listener and reader alike.
Guji Guji
A fun adventure about a crocodile egg that is accidentally included in a nest of ducks. Although Guji Guji is extremely different than his siblings he is loved exactly the same. Follow the journey as Guji Guji meets some other crocodiles and has to decide who is family really is.
Robert Guillaume reads the book on Storyline Online and does a wonderful job. I recommend checking it out and the other books available.
And You?
Now it is your turn, share your favorite books and memories, in the comments. I would love to hear about them.
“The Mommy Drain,” is a phrase I have come up with to express a Mother’s ability to do everything for others until they inevitably burn out. Sometimes it is easy to see the root cause of the drain but other times it manifests itself into grouchiness, crying for no reason, or a physical, spiritual, and emotional exhaustion.
On Monday of this week I experienced “The Mommy Drain,” and it was the first time in a long time. I would like to state, that this was not a typical Monday, although always hectic; it is almost never this crazy.
* In the morning I took a long walk with a family member. We hosted a special event for my son and had family come in from out of town and stay with us for the weekend.
*At noon, I had a 1 hour training at my daughter’s school. Another Mom and I were asked to teach a special lesson in their class next week for 3 hours. Teaching a group of 4th graders for 3 hours (trust me, I know how hard it is being a teacher) gave me a little anxiety. The leader of the training thanked all of us and told us that the training normally lasts two hours but we were all going to be great (no pressure).
*Mid-afternoon, I attended a memorial service for a friend who had lost a parent, unexpectedly. The service was a beautiful homage to her and it wasn’t long before I felt like that 18 year old girl that lost her father and had to attend his service. The fog of grieving started to settle in but I ignored it because my day was not in anyway over.
*Late afternoon I ran home after grocery shopping to prepare a quick dinner. I also went over the children’s homework, signed planners and prepped everything for the next morning.
*In the evening, I attended a meeting for a group that supports local artists. They have quarterly meetings and in the whole time I have been registered with them, I have never been able to attend because of conflicts. I decided this would be the one time I could go, so I did. In retrospect, not the best idea, I was solemn from earlier and listening to all the items that needed to be done and what they hoped to accomplish made the feeling of being overwhelmed stronger.
Needless to say “The Mommy Drain,” completely set in on Tuesday Morning. I made the kids their lunches and got them on the bus. I was exhausted, and the morning had just started! I called my Mom, who has had a tough year after breaking her arm in January. I was choked up on the phone after thinking back on the service I attended. I wished her a good day and said, “I love you.”
At that moment, something told me that I needed to take some me time. I had a nice breakfast and then walked into my bedroom. The room was still dark because I hadn’t opened the blinds and I felt a kind of peace. All my senses were dull and I think that is exactly what I needed. I took a 2 hour nap and looking back, I realized that I really hadn’t slept much in the past three days. As I laid there after the nap, I really didn’t want to get up, but remembered I needed to do things and thought of a blog post I had read recently.
In Ever Upward, a post resonated with me the week before titled The Overwhelming Unknown. In the post, Justine Froelker talks about being overwhelmed and how going back to the basics can help you come back to being and feeling yourself again.
I popped out of bed and started making all the phone calls I needed to make, completed the day to day chores that keep our home running smoothly and even took a little time to catch up on my reading for the week.
Taking time to take care of yourself is so vital. I sometimes forget the value of what I do because I don’t get a paycheck at the end of the week and I definitely don’t get a quarterly review. But then I look back at how my Husband totally panics if I am not feeling well, or my kids come home with good grades and hugs to remind me of why spending that extra time doing homework and making sure they are fed and nurtured, are important.
Enjoy your Mothers day this year. Let your family spoil you and always take time for yourself.
Isabel Natera 