Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Birthday Parties...

I can't believe my Isabella Grace is turning 3 on the 26th of this month!  Oh how time has flown!!  This little tiny pee-wee is still a tiny pee-wee but full of life, energy, smiles & giggles!  I am so excited to throw her a birthday party but am sad to say that it will be mostly adults.  Being a working mom outside of the home leaves very little time for social interaction of parents with kiddos around the same age.  Our playdates, well, they have become null & void.  Today...I find myself really weepy over this.  I know Izzy knows no different but I do.  She gets to play with the kids at daycare but I don't get to socialize with the Mom's...we are all coming & going at various times.  She gets to play with the kids at church and we pass people with brief conversations and smiles but we never make solid plans to get together.  This goes for Alison too but a it's a little different now that she is in school and we can start inviting her classmates.  Also, a lot of our friends have older kids, so Ali fits in better with them but Izzy...not so much.  Ok, can you hear this Mom's heart breaking a little bit.  <<pause...wiping away tears>>  What to do?

Hmmm...well is there really anything I can do?  Not at this moment.  I can only hope that those we invited come & that we all have a great time!  Which I know a great time will be had...if I have a one gloating Momtastic moment it is this...my hubby, sis-in-law & I put on some really fun parties!!  Do any of you struggle in this area of not having enough time for playdates, feeling like there are more adults coming to parties than kiddos and what do you do about it?  Do you also have the same pet peeve I do...when you send out an invitation...you should at least RSVP within a day or two, even if it is a maybe & then change it to a Yes or No when you know for sure, hopefully a week before the party??  Oh...this is something I struggle with!  I want to plan & be prepared.  I need to know many goodie bags, treats, food, etc...I am going to need.  I am on a budget and last minute shopping doesn't always fit in the budget criteria!

As I am sitting here typing...I am realizing that I need to put myself out there a little more. I need to ask about arranging playdates and making the time work.  I need to try to fit another hour into an already busy schedule so my girls can continue to grow socially and not be just stay at home kids.  Somehow I will work this in...that's a really good 2012 goal.

Well...I should go and get dinner started, switch the laundry over & empty the dishwasher.  Would love to hear if you have any helpful ideas or tips!  I know a Momtastic moment is in the making tonight...just not sure what it is yet!  Did you have a Momtastic Day?

Monday, January 9, 2012

Sleep...What is that?


Ugh...this Momma did not get to sleep! My mind was going a mile a minute up until 12:00am, then I finally fell asleep but tossed & turned, 4:00am came WAY too fast...then my sweet hubby had to work a 10.5hr shift, so I had to get two very sleepy girlies up & ready & out the door w/me to drop off at daycare at the crack of dawn! Ali was so confused that she thought it was the middle of the night & that Daddy was going to pick them up in the morning! My poor sweet thing, reality is 5am is morning even when the moon is still shining bright in that dark sky above!! So now here I am at work...hair halfway done, little makeup and hoping that my coffee will give me that boost to make it through the day! At least I know what's for dinner...This is going to be a Momtastic Day...I can just feel it! =0) 

Well today was not totally what I wanted it to be but we did have some great giggles & laughs before one little monkey decided to nose dive of my high bed!!  Now we have a little red nosed monkey who almost had to have momma call the doctor!  Oh my Izzy!  She is doing fine now but her little nose will probably be sore in the morning!  Thank God for insurance!!  Izzy is going to be my gamer/computer tech girl.  She is unbelievable with her Mobigo & her sister's DS!  Oh and if there is a matching game...watch out folks 'cause she is gonna win!  Not quite three and she remembers where things are that I am still looking for!  For example...last night she is already asleep & Ali brings out a colorwonder marker w/no lid.  We couldn't find it so I placed it in a ziploc bag so it wouldn't dry out.  Almost 24hrs later, Izzy sees the marker in the bag & says "My Marker!"  I told her we had it in there because we don't know where the lid is.  She jets off into her room & in 2.2 seconds comes out w/lid in hand!  WHAT?!  Yep, she knew exactly where it was at! 

Then there was my Ali...who totally amazes me on how much knowledge she has in her 6 year old brain!  She is reading, sounding out words, counting to 100, sings, is doing math (which they don't even really learn in kindergarten) and sat down and wrote 1 to 30 w/o blinking an eye or asking what's next ~ BOOM ~ she did it all by herself!  I am so proud!  And the questions she asks are structured in such a way that you thought she was more like 10 years old than 6!  I believe she is my engineer in the making and/or Worship Ministry Pastor!!

Well...back to sleep!  Still not sure what a "good night of sleep" is but prayerfully the girls are getting a good night of sleep tonight!  They both were in bed, cuddled up & out by 7:45!  Oh please Dear God...please let them sleep until at least 6!  I know that their Daddy & I would both be thrilled!  Now, if I could just start calming down, preparing for rest and go to bed after V calls me on his break...ah...that would be so nice! 

So my Momtastic moment today was having two sweet girlies run up to me screaming MOMMY WE MISSED YOU when I picked them up from daycare!  I love my mom-job!

**Side note** I know that my blog sasy MOMTASTIC...Working Mom's Unite!  I just want all my friends who are stay at home Mom's to know that you so fit into this category too...we just might have a few areas of different stresses and duties at times but we all can still relate to each other on MANY levels of being a Mom & trying to be Momtastic!!

Sunday, January 8, 2012

What is MOMTASTIC?

Ok...here we go!  MOMTASTIC...to be a working mom outside the home that can juggle raising kiddos, keeping house, working, school work, daycare, extra activities, memory making moments, life, breathe, be an amazing wife, fabulous mother, disciplinarian, housekeeper, cook, clean, organize, did I say breathe?, rest, be a friend, sister, daughter and...well, I am sure you can fill in what I have missed!  And be successful juggling it all!  Ha!  Juggling it all, successfully?  I have not found that to be working for me thus far but I am learning to give & take and know that my choices have to be what is best for me and my family, not necessarily the best for everyone else and to be ok with that. 

Here is the start of my journey to be MOMTASTIC:

On September 28, 1991 I married Vernon Gabel, the love of my life, the one I know God had already chosen for me!  I was 19 & he was 22.  It was a beautiful wedding & we were thrilled to get started with our life as Mr. & Mrs. Gabel.  We had always talked about having children & knew I would be a working Mom when that time came.  After three unsuccessful pregnancies our time finally came on Sept. 7, 2005 when our miracle baby was born: Alison Janel Gabel 6lbs 9oz 18" long!  Did you do the math?  Yes...almost 14 years later, we were blessed beyond measure! What a gift...life...a little person blessed by God and sent to us to raise in a world of what now seemed new!  This is were my MOMTASTIC journey began!

I was a commuting Mom with a newborn from Portland to Salem, Salem to Portland and on those days when I felt too tired, we lived with my Mom & Step-dad while Vernon stayed in Portland.  This went on for about 3 1/2 yrs but we made it work. 

Then in April of 2008 I started working in Portland. Oh Yes!  No more commuting!  More time in the day to figure out what to do with!!  It was amazing but what happened next was even more amazing...One month into my new job guess who found out she was pregnant!  Yep, that is right ME!  Really, again?!?!  I was in shock & we didn't tell anyone outside our family until we were 3 months along, just to be safe, just in case we had another unsuccessful pregnancy.  But, we were successful!  By the "grace" of God we had another little miracle, a blessing on January 26, 2009: Isabella Grace Gabel, 6lbs 13oz, 20 1/2" long.  We were tickled pink!  Two beautiful girls!  Our blessings & miracles!  Wow...Oh Wow!   Now how was I ever going to achieve my goal to be MOMTASTIC? 

MOMTASTIC...a goal, a vision, a want, a need, an accomplishment, a support system, a what I need to help me get through my day.  The knowing that even though I might not be able to keep an clean house, folded laundry, toys that are put away night, a clean sink, a freshly made bed...that it is truly ok because being MOMTASTIC means seeing the smiles on your kiddos face, hearing the giggles that come during tickle-wars, full bellies of food that you have prepared for them, hearing them say "Daddy, Mommy, I love you to infinity & beyond!", the snuggle time, sweet whispers of sillies in your ear, and as you tuck them into bed, pray, sing their sweet lullaby song you get to kiss those precious babes, cry silent tears of unbelievable joy as you hear them start to drift asleep and you find yourself anxious for the next day of adventures to begin, even when you know the same tedious things wait for you tomorrow, the next day and the day after that. 

Well...I think I will pause here for tonight.  4 am comes all too soon!  How was your MOMTASTIC moments today?  Mine, well, in a word...priceless!