Why They Always Want Mama

You hear it in the middle of the night

mama
mommy
mom
mum

From the moment that they first wake up to when they rest their tired heads down on their pillow...and sometimes even in the middle of the night when something scary happens in a dream.

They
Just
Want
Mama

So often, we cringe at the words, especially when they are spoken over and over and followed up with can I have a (insert thing here...probably the word "snack").

But at the end of the day, there is no sweeter word and no better feeling than your child wanting and needing you for something.

Why do they always want mama? Well, because they know you. They trust you. They know your heart from the inside out. They feel comforted by your arms and your smell.

They just want mama.

They want you to hold them. They want to hear your voice and for you to sing.

They want you because they love you and them saying your name over and over is them telling you that you are important. You are everything to them, even in the times when you feel like you are failing them.

Hold them a little longer
Squeeze them a little tighter

Be there. They need you.

xoxo
Shannon

Being a Mom is Exhausting #MomTruths

I've been thinking about starting a Mom Truth series for a while now, and this summer after helping some really incredible mom's realize that it's ok to feel...

Exhausted
Frustrated
Overwhelmed
Sad
Angry

the need to share a Mom Truth became very apparent.

Dearest baby...please go to sleep!

A photo posted by Shannon Moyer-Szemenyei (@sweetstellas) on Jun 27, 2015 at 4:35pm PDT

Being a mom is exhausting. There's really no other way to say it, and it certainly doesn't mean that we don't love our children any less.

It's hard.

It's hard in the middle of the night when the teething baby will only be soothed by Mom.
It's hard in the morning when you have camp drop-off and you're running on a few hours of broken sleep.
It's hard when the teething baby won't nap.
It's hard in the afternoon to keep your eyes open, while watching yet another episode of Sid the Science Kid.
It's hard in the late afternoon when you realize that you have nothing planned for dinner and it's on your husband to figure it out....again.
It's hard when the big kid throws tantrums, because...you're tired and haven't given them the attention they are seeking.

Mom's...it's hard. I get it. I know it. I've lived it too.

Thankfully, you're not alone. There is a massive community of exhausted mom's, all over the world, who are living what you are living every single day. There might even be an exhausted mom across the street, or right next door, who wants nothing more than to have a nap at the same exact time that you are wishing for a nap.

It's ok to feel...

Exhausted
Frustrated
Overwhelmed
Sad
Angry

And you're not alone.

xoxo
Shannon

5 years ago, I became a mom

After what I thought would be the longest pregnancy in history, full of "morning" sickness, trips to the hospital for a  big bleed, more back labour than anyone should ever experience, then a traumatic birth...this boy made me a mom.

His name? Owen Andrew David, affectionately known as my Bear.

Owen,

Today, you are 5 years old. You are such a spectacular little boy.

This year, you started school. Full day, every day, you are at school filling that brain of yours with dreams and information. It's true what they say; children are sponges. Your absolute favorite thing is science. I will be absolutely shocked if later in life you don't become a scientist or an astronaut.

While you certainly know how to push our buttons and are a strong willed little thing, you are incredibly affectionate and caring. You push me beyond my boundaries, and when I see your beaming little face at the finish line of a race, my heart flutters with pride.

There are so many things that I want to say to you, to tell you. You have been the absolute best big brother to Graeme over the past year. You love sitting with him on the floor and making funny faces to make him laugh. He giggles and blows raspberries (which you call his volcanoes), and are trying to teach him new things all the time.

A photo posted by Shannon Moyer-Szemenyei (@sweetstellas) on Apr 9, 2015 at 6:42am PDT

This year you participated in your first Jump Rope For Heart event and went above and beyond. I am just so proud of you Owen!

Thank you. Thank you for every single day that you push our boundaries, express your creativity and ask us a million questions about Skylanders, planets, and how things work.

You truly, are an amazing little boy.

xoxo

Mama

10 Thoughts While The Baby Is Napping

A parenting perspective today with my 10 Thoughts series. There are many times when I lay the babe down for one of his naps, and he is awake only about 20-45 minutes later. But...there are also the times where he rocks out a 3 hour nap and I am able to be Wonder Woman {figuratively}.

1. Why is Klaus such a jerk? I mean clearly he's in love with Caroline and all, but he's such a jerk to everyone. He says he's pure evil and can't help himself, but really he's a scared little man. It's so sad.

2. Did I eat breakfast?

3. No no no no no no....please go back to sleep....

4. What was I supposed to be looking for, again? Baby gates? Hypnobirthing? Spiritual Birth? No...wait...uhh...yep. Baby gates.

5. This Shane dude is crazzzzzy!

6. Oh Pinterest, you are a fountain of information....time-sucking-infographic-wonderful-information

7. I probably should figure something out for Father's Day.

8. I should also start juicing again, and get Owen to drink them before school. How is that kid living on chicken nuggets, noodles with cheese, granola bars and waffles?

9. Why can't laundry just fold itself? Someone really should get on inventing something for that.

10. Why does iced coffee make me have to pee so freaking much! Man, since having a baby my bladder is like "uh...no...no liquids please!"

Had a funny thought while your babe was napping? Post it in the comments!