My Mommy Moment

I learned my lesson.

I, Alison, had my mommy moment.  The one that makes you shake your head and vow to never repeat it.


Here's what happened:

We decided to go out to dinner.  Now, normally, I bring our big diaper bag and I only use two things out of it.  This even includes the trips where we go out around town and come back home 2 hours later.  I hardly ever use it.  So, I decided that since Ellie was just changed (and rarely goes during dinnertime) and we'd only be gone for an hour at the most, I would put a few things in my purse to make life easier.  I only grabbed the wipes (for nasty eating fingers), a few eating necessities, and a toy to keep her occupied if we needed to.


Dinner started out great.  We sat down, Ellie started coloring and was flirting with everyone around, and we all ordered our dinner.  Well, just after we got our food, guess who decided to start going the big #2.  No, not Nick. 

It should be known that our daughter does not take pooping lightly.  It's a full-on, and LOUD, grunting, groaning, moaning, sighing, red-faced moment.  I immediately started shaking my head. 

Nick, oblivious, just said, "it's fine.  We'll change her." 
To which I said, "No, I forgot to pack a diaper!"

So, Ellie continues on for about 10 minutes.  A little longer than normal.  But, I also figured that maybe she'd be okay.  We'd just eat fast and rush home.  She never usually complains about a dirty diaper.  HA!

She was looking uninterested in eating and wanted to get up.  That's when I knew she had to be changed, somehow.

Normally her B.Ms are pretty solid.  I figured I could clean her up a bit and then flush things down the toilet and she could sit in her mostly clean diaper for another 15 minutes (until we got home).  Plus, the diaper wasn't wet, just dirty.

I take her to the bathroom and what do you know.  NO CHANGING TABLE. Not the first time this has happened, mind you.  Well, Ellie's jacket had two layers to it.  So I decide to layer out one layer for her head and one for her bottom - to make up for the fact that there is no changing table and I also don't have a changing pad.  I open her diaper and there is a mass of gross-ness.  To shorten the story and make less gruesome for you all, it was runny and massive.  Leaked on her coat.

I wasn't going to use the diaper again.  So, I cleaned her up with all the toilet paper and wipes I had, wrapped the gross diaper (note: we use cloth diapers) in the gross jacket, and put her pants back on.  Yes, I made my daughter go commando.

We put the other half of the jacket under her seat just in case she wet herself.  At least it wouldn't get everything else gross.

We asked for the check and what do you know, the power went out.  Of course this happened after I said, "Well, is there anything else you want to throw at us tonight?"

Luckily, someone knew how to work an old card scanner so we were able to dodge out of there with our diaper-less and mess-free baby.

Luckily, she also decided to wet herself in the car with the jacket underneath.  No major mess and easy clean up at home.


All this to say that that was not my best mommy moment.  I'm not perfect.  And, now I know to not leave without a diaper.  Just one would have sufficed.

A Reminder

It's so easy to get discouraged.  One bad parent e-mail, one little criticism, one miniscule comment and it can eat at you. 

And it will. 

You're a failure.

You can't do this.
You should just give up.
 
It does with me.  That's when I need some serious strength.  Strength to push through those voices.

Today, this is my strength.  It will get me through those lies and into the world of beauty, peace, and comfort.

What's Trending?

1.  DIY hairstyling... with food.

This one brought to you by jam.

 
2.  Animals noises.  Including, but not limited to: dog, cat, lion, bear, snake, cow, horse, duck, and chicken.


3.  DIY books.  Now before you think we're all Pinterest-y over here, we're talking about books that make you do things.  Like pull tabs, play hide and seek, feel the page, etc.  Her current favorites are Where's Spot and What's Behind There?


4.  Books in general.  She is my little bookworm.

5.  Curls.  I love them.  I hope they stick.  Or at least stick enough for her to have a little curl here and there.

6.  Crawling on all four.  Yes, she is a crawling machine.  I still can't get over the way she flails her arms out when she crawls, though.


7.  Walking.  Okay, she's not walking on her own, but she loves walking while you hold her hands and she loves pulling up onto things and walking around the couch, table, etc.


8.  Stair climbing.  Who needs a stair master?

 

9.  Shoes and socks.  Not just saying them, but putting them on and taking them off, and putting them on and taking them off, and putting them on....

Peek-a-boo!

I can't begin to tell you how much I've wanted to blog in the last few months.  Each time I think about it or start writing a post in my head, I know that it will be weeks before the next one or I can never fully finish writing one.  I have no idea how some of these mom bloggers do it.  I spend half of my time hanging out/taking care of my family and the other half working or planning lessons for my K-8 music classes.  Life rarely stays still.  But when it does, I'm usually not in the mood for blogging.  It's not you, it's just Netflix and my couch sound so much better.

But, I'm here now.  Who knows how long this blogging spurt will last.  One day, one week, one month?  Does it really matter?

Anyways...

Here's what's going on in our lives:

I never updated you all on my Japan trip, but you should know that it was amazing.  I need want to go back.  We only explored Tokyo because we there for a short 6 days (including wedding and wedding prep), so I need to go back.  At least to hike, explore more secluded temples, and experience a different part of Japan.

Ellie had her first birthday last month.  FIRST. BIRTHDAY.  I can't even begin to tell you how crazy it is that I have a one year old.  I'll write a separate post about her later, but for now she is a talking, crawling, and almost walking crazy girl.  I love it.  Exit baby-hood and enter toddler-hood.

School has been trucking on in full-force, Nick's band has been gigging a lot, and the sun will never stop.  Seriously.  It has been waaayy too nice for October in the PNW.  I mean, I've been outside barefoot multiple days this week.  That's not normal.  And, we're still drying our clothes outside on the line.


At least this nice weather during the leaf changing season has allowed us to get some fun outdoor time in.  Including some nice runs.  I don't know what I'm going to do when it starts getting nasty out.  Right now I have no excuse not to run outside.  Next month?  I don't know.  I should probably just suck it up.  Or just do the Jillian Michael's video - that thing destroys my arms afterwards.

On top of Yellow Aster Butte.  Also my first successful jumping picture.  White girl can't jump.

Until next time...