Our family is preparing for a quiet Christmas at home and I feel so blessed to have two babies to share our traditions with. Buuuut, the Midwest in me is having a hard time not seeing snow on the ground. Los Angeles gives us way different weather than we’re used to, but the sunsets we get here are pretty rad. I enjoy them :)
Over the weekend we went to a gingerbread-making party and basked in the sunshine as we (read: I) ate candy and decorated the cutest little houses. Max played with his pals on the playground and Natalie slept in our arms for most of it. We also Christmas shopped for our babes and set some family goals for 2015. In the evenings at home we lit candles and listened to Max say, “light! bright!” every time he saw a candle — so cute. My mom always had candles lit and growing up I thought that was so magical.
Our weekend was packed full of family memories, a great way to start of the week!
I’ve also been spending a lot of my quiet time thinking about this blog and the content I share on it. I so enjoy writing, it just takes me a lot longer to gather my thoughts into a readable post :) #momistired. And I’ve thought of posting a reader survey for you to take, but I’m unsure. What do you think? Would a reader survey interest you? Really I’m interested in knowing more about YOU and your general interests. And also, what keeps you reading week after week? xo
love it! Merry Christmas sweet friend. xx
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honestly, YOU keep me coming back. You have such a positive outlook on life even the more challenging of times. It’s so refreshing. I so wish I could meet you in person, Maggie. Merry Christmas and bless you and your family <3
You are just the sweetest! Thank you for taking the time to share your heart! And I’d love to meet you as well :)
Well, there’s no snow in Michigan + it’s nearly 45 today. Even though I am still recovering from the Michigan winter last year, Christmas is not the same if spent somewhere else.
But as long as you are with your little family, you have everything!
I can’t believe how different the babies look compared to each other…. am I right or do they look the same?
Have a beautiful Christmas Beautiful Momma!
Katy
You’re totally right, it won’t be the same at all, but it will still be special for us.
AND YES, the babies look so different. Although they have very similar facial expressions and personalities. Both are very relaxed as infants. Natalie is definitely rounding out. When she was born she was pretty skinny (unlike Max, haha).
Merry Christmas Katy! xoxo
Bonjour Maggie
I discovered your blog few months ago and I like your writing style and your positive vibs.I’m a french young woman around your age without kids who totally love to travel (hello 15 countries in the last three years!!). I’m just addicted I guess…I love being a nurse, it allowed me to find jobs all around the world and travel at the same time.I went to visit Tanzania last year It’s a wonderful country!!
Joyeux Noël !!xx
Cindy
PS: Your children are super cute!!
Hey Cindy! You’ve been to Tanzania? Oh, that is SO amazing! What brought you to visit?
Maggie,I lived on an oversea french island near Madagascar in the Indian Ocean during one year in 2013 so not far from Tanzania ;) That’s the main reason why I decided to visit this country. I did a safari with friends there (Tarangire National Park/Serengeti National Park/Ngorongoro/Lake Eyasi…..), We visited some tribes too and towns (Arusha…). I went back there with an other friend one month later to visit a little bit of Dar Es Salaam and we spent 9 days to visit Zanzibar Island (Stunning! One of my favorite trip so far!!). What did you do/visit in Tanzania? I miss this country and Africa in general…Not so easy to adapt at first but unforgettable memories!!!
I honestly have loved all your sweet and simple mamahood posts that I go to from your Instagram. It’s been interesting to read your thoughts on being a creative young woman AND a mother and wife, as I’m trying to figure all of that out at the same time as you.
It’s hard to deal with this idea that a person should be “productive” at all times to be a “worthy” member of society when the fact is, enjoying life and raising our little ones is oh so important, too! I don’t know when I started receiving that “message” but I really wrestle with it sometimes…So your relatability and insight and positivity has been so uplifting. I hope you and your family have a beautiful Christmas!
One of my mama friends, she has 6 boys (!) and has such a beautiful perspective on mamahood, shared this with me recently: our children won’t wait for us to grow up, they’ll do it a little each day whether we’re present with them or not. That was so inspiring for me to soak up these hard, hard, long, rewarding days at home. Of course I love being with my babies, but it’s definitely hard work :) And yes, the whole “be productive all the time” mindset? That is crazy. Where is the beauty in the moment if we’re too busy to notice it? My best childhood memories are of my parents *just being* with my brother and I… little trips after church during the summer and family night on Fridays… waiting up for us to come home when we’d be out with friends… I need to put into practice what I know to be “good enough” when it comes to parenting and loving on our kids.
Merry Christmas Maggie!! I love your writing style and find myself each day checking if you’ve posted a new post or not but, most importantly, it’s the person that you are and your amazing family what gets me coming back. I’ve come to care about you all and wish you the best, it’s surprising how without ever meeting you, even with being in different continents you just fondly CARE. I wish you all the best and just keep being yourself and acting as your heart advises. Big hugs!!!! And huge kisses for Max and Nat!! Is Max talking much more? I’d love to see…
P.S I love the survey idea! :)
You are so sweet, thank you for sharing this ♥ Where do you live?
In Madrid, Spain!!! Happy New Year! :)
Merry Christmas, Maggie and family! I enjoy reading whatever parts of your mom heart you choose to share with us. I have a 13-month-old little boy who I stay home with so I can relate to many of your feelings and I really appreciate your perspective. I think a reader survey is a great idea if you feel like you need some affirmation, but I am willing to bet that most of your readers love you just the way you are! <3
Maggie … I’m a longtime reader and Like everyone else I’ve been so because of your positivity and honesty. Your transparency when life gets hard. I just caught up on your last few posts and I would like to encourage you as I’m sure many others have …
I too am a mom of two little ones – mine are now four and two and a half (my older one just turned 4 yesterday) … It feels like YESTERDAY when I came home with my second born, and my older one was only 18 mos old, still in diapers … I had problems at first with nursing, my husband had to go back to work after only five days.. thankfully I too had a Vbac so I was able to move around better than the first time … There were days where I thought I was not going to survive due to lack of sleep. I thought I was hurting my older one by not spending much time with her, because I was alllll.ways.nursing on the couch, in our tiny cramped apartment. I could go on but I wont, just letting you know that I think I know where you’re at right now ;)
As I’m sure others have shared, before you know what’s happened , just as you’ve really kinda set into auto pilot or survival mode or whatever you want to call it, life will start to get easier and then harder in another area, but what really gets you through it all is the grace of God. You will start to see how we mamas can only do so much … God comes and fills in the gaps through your husband, your in laws (which by the way I read that you had visitors for five weeks – that’s a big time transition that I always got overwhelmed by – it IS hard to establish a routine when you have others visiting)….
I just want to encourage you that you will survive these challenging times and you are going to love seeing them play together as they get older, and you will go every night without sleep for them if you have to, because you’re a good mama. :)
YES! I feel like we’ve begun another transition where things are settling down, and it feels so good :) Someone shared with me recently in response to me saying having another baby is hard: this isn’t my first time becoming a mama, I did that for the first time with Max. But, this is Max’s first time becoming a big brother so he may need a little extra grace. I love that perspective so much, it’s so true!
You, too, have so much mamahood wisdom, thank you for sharing it :) God does totally fill in the gaps… He always has yet I skip over that part all too often. I’m so glad you reminded me of that. xo