The Things We Do "Just Because"

Things we say:

Happy with her new pj's.

"Sure, I'll get a snack for you."

"Water for the 20th time? Ok."

"One more story? Why not?"

"Bottoms up."

"Here, let me wash your hands."

"I made you some food. Please eat it all."

"Hold still, I'm trying to wash you."

"Stop wiggling, I'm trying to dress you."

"Lie still. It's time to sleep."

"Ok, I'll carry you (even though you really are getting too heavy)."

Things we do:

Help a toddler up and down the slide 20 times in a row.

Wash "that plate" because he won't eat on any other.

Let them watch "one more show" even though you said t.v. time was up three shows ago.

Pick up the trail kids inevitably leave behind them.

Hold their hands.

Wash their faces.

Middle-of-the-night toilet trips with a child who doesn't quite wake up.

... and a million other things.

We mommies do all these things and more, just because we love our children.

What specific thing do you do for your child "just because"?

Recipes for Moms - Green Salad

“Come join The Salad Social at TidyMom sponsored by The International Olive Council’s Add Some Life”.

Today I am linking up for the salad social at TidyMom. Drop by and check out all the salad ideas.

This is my favorite: a simple green salad. Here is my list of ingredients but the beauty of salad is that you can use any green veggie that you like:

iceberg lettuce
spinach
corriander
green pepper 
spring onion
cucumber (seeded and chopped small, peel left on)
sprouts (I used moong dhal (green lentle) sprouts)

Other green veggies you could add are brocolli, zuchinni, sugar snap peas, green beans and peas (precooked).

Now, while it is delicious as is, I find that adding fruit to a salad brings out the flavor even more. The sweetness of fruit is especially good for setting off the bitterness of spinach. Since it is a veggie salad, you may want to just stick to one fruit. Some I have used include guava, green grapes, and green apple (unpeeled).
I have used other fruits, but anything mushy will give you a wet salad, which still tastes good but isn't as nice looking. To the above green salad, I added mango. Papaya is also good.

If you find a plain green salad is too green, a slight hint of red from pommegranite seeds sets it off beautifully. To get the seeds from a pommegranite, slice in half, hold face down in your hand over the bowl and hit the shell with a soup ladle. This loosens the seeds and they fall out. Make sure to wear an apron as the juice stains and it will splatter.

Or you could use red apple (unpeeled) or strawberries, or if you just want to stick with veggies, use cherry tomatoes, red bell peppers, or any other red veggie that you like.

For dressing I often just add lemon juice or a homemade vinnegrette - olive oil, white vinegar, salt, pepper, and italian seasoning. A thick dressing can be made from one part mayonaise to two parts yoghurt, with some salt, pepper, chili powder, and garlic paste. Plain yoghurt is good too.

What is your favorite kind of salad?

A Glorious Slow Morning

Today I am linking up with Heather at The Extraordinary Ordinary for her writing meme Just Write.



Today I did something different...

I took my kids to our favorite park first thing in the morning. We left at 9 a.m. in order to "beat the heat" (38C was the predicted high), and so we could have some fun when it wasn't crowded, which it is later in the evening.

 I found myself taking it slow today. We didn't rush and run all over. Instead, they went on the slide as many times as they wanted and spent a good 20 minutes on the swings. My kids like to go slow on the swings and often when there is a crowd, there will be a line of kids pushing to get on and I feel like I have to rush them through their turn. Today there was none of that. The only people in our part of the playground were workmen removing some tree branches they had cut earlier. The girls got to sit and swing at their own pace and they both learned how to move the swing by themselves.

There was no rush or pressure to leave - I had nowhere to be and the house had no idea it was a mess. I put all thoughts of the waiting mess out of mind and we had fun.

Now if only I could do that every time we go.

How about you? What are your trips to the park like? Do you find yourself hurrying your child along or do you let them go at their own pace? 

You Know You're a Mother When...

My Mother's Day Tribute to All Mommies

You know you're a mother when...

... you wipe your child's nose with your fingers and then wipe it on your shirt cause you can't be bothered to go get a tissue (or you are somewhere where one isn't available).

... you hear a crash but don't go to investigate until (or unless) you hear a cry.

...you have wet wipes and an extra diaper in your purse even when the children aren't with you.

... you hear the baby stirring but wait to hear a few cries before you get up.

... you can pick out you child's cry in a room full of noisy children.

... you can block out fights and arguments that don't require your intervention just to get a few moments to check your mail.

... you go to bed with one person (hubby) and wake up with four (or however many still get into your bed).

... you serve your children snack foods for lunch because you are too tired to fix a meal. What's more, they want to eat it every day, calling it the best lunch ever.

... you know ice cream can solve any problem, for the children or you.

... hearing things like "hairbandaid", "milks", and "baby puppy" makes you smile. (Courtesy of Lila: "hairbandaid" is hairband, "milks" is breasts (as in "Mommy, those are your milks because that is where the baby gets milk from"), and baby puppy just makes a puppy sound cuter.)

... you can change a diaper in most any position, and in the dark.

... you know the secrets to "mommy magic" and use it on your kids.

... you actually do have eyes in the back of your head.

... you have fooled your children into believing that you are all-seeing and all-knowing, and you love every minute of it.

... you wish Mother's Day was actually about you.

Am I the only one wishing Mother's Day was a mandatory mommy holiday?

One Year Anniversary

Today marks one year since I started this blog. My original goal was to write about things that surprised me and were unexpected as a first-time mom in the hope that they would help someone else who was starting out on the rollercoaster road of motherhood, hence my blog description.

Now I find myself writing about things I am learning and experiencing as my kids grow; I think this blog will grow with them and will, in time, become more than just a place for new moms looking for baby info. I hope that my experiences will help others just as other mom's blogs have helped me.

This year I wished it were possible to get more sleep, and I talked about worries that we all face. I shared a favorite poem on mothers, reminsiced about things I only learned after I became a mommy, and searched for a cure to fuzzy mommy brain. I also wrote about how to get dinner on the table with your sanity intact, cried about my babies not being babies any more, talked about patience, and how I am not perfect.

In between all that I talked about breastfeeding, making popsicles, potty training, kids not eating, teething, choosing diapers, packing diaper bags, safety, saving your sanity, toddler snack foods, gift ideas, movies, books, exercise, lots of summer fun activites, walkers, toy monsters, calcuim and more (but I'm not gonna link them all or you will be here all day. Well, you can stay all day ... if you want. :) ).

The best part though, is how many mothers I have connected with who are in the same boat as me and completely understand where I am coming from. I have visited countless blogs and read numerous posts, and it seems the consensus is unanimous - mommies need other mommies. Who cares if the one needing help has a different parenting philosophy than you do, lets her child do things you would never allow yours to do, or is shy, or outspoken, or whatever? The important thing is that we lend that helping hand when it is needed.

So as Mommy to Mommy enters its second year, my only wish is that this community will grow to be a place where we can help mothers in need. Thank you all for being here. If there was no one to read this blog, it would just be hot air floating in cyberspace.

Oh, and getting more comments would be nice. Hint, hint. :)

Have a great day!