• Bug,  domesticity,  the laundry

    Motherhood is so glamorous.

    A while back when I was at a wedding, filling up Baby Bug’s sippy cup at the punch bowl, there was this young strapping man waiting for me. He chuckled when he saw me awkwardly trying to ladle in some fizzy pink punch into a small plastic cup with purple handles on both sides. In the old days, I’d probably try to think of something clever and flirtatious to say. But the sippy cup kinda ruined that so I said instead, “Motherhood is so glamorous.” He laughed.

    Ever since, I’ve been saying that to everyone who catches me in the middle of the trenches of motherhood. It’s my new motto. I grin and think it to myself as I heft up giant ziplock bags of laundry up and down my stairs.

    At the laundromat there is a dry cleaners next door and in the front window there is a tailer who sits there all day sewing. He watches me every time, grinning at Baby Bug. I know I must amuse him as I pile laundry bags on top of Baby Bug’s head while she’s in the stroller and then I maneuver the whole top heavy mess in and out of the laundromat with one hand while the other hand opens the door and catches flying pacifiers. I’m getting very good at this circus operation.

    When things go wrong, like they always do, I just chalk it up as another practice round. Practice makes perfect. Every time we go out to lunch in a restaurant and I find that I’ve forgotten some important item like a bib or the handy dandy little table top cover, I just tell myself I’m in training. Some days the daily grind reminds me a bit of training for a marathon. It’s hard but you feel good that you’re doing it.

    One of these days I’ll be a lean mean mommy machine.

  • Beach Bits,  Bug,  Moody Blues

    Life Goes On…

    Toby says, “You better write something… your blog readers are going to think there is something wrong with you.” What a sweet husband. He worries about you guys. But between you and me, I think he worries that you’ll think things are rocky between us. Which they aren’t, thankfully.

    I am fine. I’m not pulling any usual Brenda freak-out tricks. I’m not crying or driving off to the sticks in a huff. I’m not chopping all my hair off or sitting on the top of a parking structure watching traffic go by. I’m fine. I just needed a break. I might still need a break. Breaks are incredibly freeing, even from blogging which is probably my most favorite hobby.

    I’ve been a bit preoccupied with my latest get rich scheme (the “binner-bonnet” idea that went down like a sad fizzled balloon and broke my heart) and my regular work load for various freelance clients. I’m torn between the work I love to do and the work that pays well. I’m torn between being a mom to the most darling little girl ever and my constant inner drive to always be busy busy busy creating things. I wish I didn’t have so many hobbies. I think I could be such a better mom if I wasn’t always day dreaming about some project or other.

    But in spite of my brain bramble, I’m doing fine. Baby Bug continues to charm me with her cuteness and the beach continues to awe me with it’s ever changing color. I’ve been taking pictures of the same view for ten years but still, I find new things worth capturing.

    I also just wanted to check in and say hi. (HI!) And for my mom, I wanted to show her this picture of Baby Bug with a hair clip in. It lasted for about .5 seconds.