Lately.

Goodness, this blog has been a little neglected apart from little updates about the pop-up shop or Luke's monthly updates.

It's not that I don't have words--actually, I have a lot of words. Yet, my words come to me in the middle of a feeding or while Luke is busy kicking his chubby thighs while I giggle with him. And then, by the time I get to scribbling down those words, they've faded. I can't always remember just what I had been thinking about.

Maybe I need to start jotting it down--novel idea ;)

Lately, we've been getting into the swing of life post-summer and vacation. Now, a few weeks into the semester, we have a little rhythm. Luke has settled nicely into his own little routine, and we work around his naps and bedtime.

Honestly, most days for me, it's nothing spectacular. Days look the same, they run into one another, and  my house somehow always looks the same: messy. Still, there is joy stuffed into the mundane moments or thankfulness for this new life among the thankless tasks.

Lately, I've been getting a little stir crazy. And a little convicted (perhaps that's not the right word...motivated...) to get out of the house with Luke more. I'm a homebody, so it's often so much simpler and easier for me to be home.

(We did take an adventurous trip to Target. Doesn't he looked thrilled?)

But, I don't want to get stuck in this place. In the place where it's "just easier" or "let's just stay home" or "it will mess up his schedule..."

I wasn't horribly adventurous (well, really not at all...) before Luke was born, but now I often feel even more content to just be. But, that's not really the life I want to live.

(dates, even with our little dude, are still rockin'. We've just learned to wait until it's time for him to go to sleep, and then he just sleeps while we share pizza and talk life)

I don't want to settle. Or be stuck. Or too comfortable.

So, lately, I've been doing a little more dreaming and doing. More stitches for the pop-up shop products. More working outside the home. More cooking healthy meals. More cleaning...not so much ;)

(what nap time has looked like for me lately...)

Even though I like that the pace has picked up, I feel more overwhelmed by the little things since Luke was born. Mostly because I don't just have a day. And I try to find that balance between entertaining him and letting him be. But, this post from Jami Nato often returns to me. It reminds me of living in Guatemala--of watching mamas tend to their babies while tending to other life-giving things (like making food, washing clothes, and being in community with others).

(darn dog is always sneaking in kisses and then gets scolded...poor Mac)

I remind myself that motherhood doesn't need to look like one gigantic, complicated mess of all the latest and greatest. So, instead of worrying too much about the right teething toy for his age/teeth coming in or whether I've read to him enough or whether he's on the best napping schedule, I've been more focused on just being his mother. To love him fiercly. To joyfully meet his needs. Too see and adore him. To remind him that he's loved + treasured.


So, I strap him into the Beco I bought for 15 bucks at a thrift store and do a few dishes. I let him gaze at himself (or giggle at me) while I jiggle my momma pooch off (which is shrinking but most definitely still exists). I let him chomp on his teething toy next to me on the bed while I stitch in and out on a hoop or onesie. I pick him up and dance with him while we listen to The Sound of Music soundtrack. I smile at him while I chop carrots and he bounces in his clever/ingenious bouncy toy (thank you to whoever created those magical contraptions!). I tickle his belly while I change his diaper for the 200th time and laugh with him--I feel such joy in those moments :)  (Aren't baby laughs the best thing ever?)



That's a little of what life has looked like lately. A lot of diapers. Giggles. Joy. Simple + boring tasks. Disagreements. Agreements. Busy days. Quiet days. Teething. Laughing. Early morning snuggles. Late night chats.

And a whole lot of grace and coffee :)

What have you been up to lately?

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