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Four by Two: Weekly Reflections!
Entries by Lori (28)
November 5th: Lori Noted
Obamanation
Whether you voted for him or not, last night America chose their next President, the 44th President of the United States. It’s no surprise that I’m happy about that choice, but what really makes me happy is that an unprecedented number of people actually showed up to vote, many for the first time in their lives. After years of being lulled to sleep by television and consumerism, this nation is finally waking up from our coma. With the economy suffering, not to mention health care, education, social security and a number of other issues, Obama brings a renewed energy and is calling on the citizens to take an active role in their government.
It’s about time, y’all…it’s about damn time.
Lori
October 28th: Lori Noted
The Baby and the Bathwater
Nothing speaks louder about the difference in my life con bebe than my experience in the bathtub last night. And even though I love my little Matteo, I am not so thrilled about the impact he has made on my bathtub, or should I say, what used to be my bathtub.
October 21st: Lori Noted
The Invitation
I read this book by Oriah Mountain Dreamer years ago, and I loved it. Last night I was sitting on the couch, drinking my wine and checking my email, when I thought about it again. I flashed back to a line in The Invitation that hit me right between the eyes. I realized that I have read it a million times, but didn’t really know what was meant until I became a parent:
“It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed the children.”
I’m not weary or bruised, and I don’t have much grief and despair, but I relate more than ever about getting up and doing what needs to be done to feed the children.
October 13th: Lori Noted
Keeping Up
As the calendar keeps moving further and further into the fourth quarter, I find myself trying harder and harder to keep up. I feel like I’m getting less done and doing everything half assed. I don’t know if it’s true or not, but the feeling sure sucks. One of my working mommy friends (there’s a new acronym for you Barb, WMFs) told me while I was pregnant that being a working mother meant feeling like you’re not doing either one very well. At the time I could relate to an extent, but now that I’m wrapping up my first year of motherhood, that notion is up front and center. If I can’t keep up after one year, where will I be in ten or twenty years? I try not to think about that, and for now I’m focusing on the remainder of this year. My goal is simply to keep up, and it has nothing to do with the Joneses.
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September 17th: Lori Noted
;)
MOMMY GUILT
I’m not one to feel guilty. I’ve done some things that I shouldn’t have done, and I’ve said things I shouldn’t have said, but guilt has never been a big part of who I am or what I do. If you live your life fully, mistakes will be made and all we can do is try to learn from them. Having a baby, however, put a whole new spin on both my definition and experience of guilt. So much so that I’m almost feeling like I was raised Catholic!
September 11th: Lori Noted
The Gift of Mortality
Five years ago there weren’t any children in the family. I take that back…five years ago, my brother, sister and I were the children in the family (at ages 25, 30 and 35 if you can imagine). Then my brother and his wife had a baby, and another one, and then I followed suit with Matteo. Three months ago my sister adopted another one, and in no time our family has doubled and everyone’s roles have changed. My parents are Granny and Grandpa, my siblings and I are mommies and daddies, and my grandparents have all passed away. This gift of mortality - new life coming in, old life going out - has created a new dynamic, new perspective, and for me, new inspiration to dream.
August 15th: Lori Noted
One Thing Leads to Another
It’s Friday today, and it’s been a particularly rough week. Matteo has been fussy because of an ear infection and three teeth cutting their way through his mouth, and I’m not sleeping much and running out of steam. My to do list is growing and I can’t convince myself to care.
To top it all off I went to happy hour and proceeded to smoke, drink and talk too much. So this morning when the alarm (i.e. Matteo) went off I started doing my thing. Little did I know inspiration was right around the corner.
August 8th: Lori Noted
;)
Welcome to Mommyland
I’ve had quite a few interesting interactions with mommies these days, and for some reason I can’t really relate. I don’t know if I’m the odd one (likely) or if they are, but there are a few things I don’t understand about this world that I’ve recently entered, and I’m sure it’s about to get even moreso. Now I understand why my mom (who stayed at home after I was born) didn’t have very many girlfriends.