New Ideas Tuesday

A few things I've been thinking about lately for New Ideas Tuesday.

1

I think I was the last person on earth to read this amazing work-life balance article on Atlantic Monthly. But if you are the last person to read it, do it now. It is a must read article, especially for women but also men who are in management roles and have the power to make some positive changes. I'll probably blog more about this in the future. I can't agree more with the author, I think she read my mind. Take that Marissa Mayer.

2

I kind of dig these tea box planters. It's a cute idea, and I may give it a try for winter. Now that I'm working from home, maybe my plants won't all die on me. I don't know the original source, but I found it on Pinterest.

3

I think this article on making friends after 30 is interesting. What's your experience been with making friends post college? I think I've been pretty lucky and have made some great friends recently. But the article raises some very valid points on the factors needed to make great friends and the things that happen in life that inhibit new deep relationships.

4

Does anyone know where to find these industrial bins? I think they make very cool storage bins for toys. From French By Design. 

A roly poly baby, A home office, and A big girl room

I'm feeling very rusty with my writing. I've actually written about four posts to restart my blog, but I've tossed all of them. I don't know where to start and I'm overwhelmed with what to write about. My life has changed in so many ways over the last three months, all for the better, and it's hard to know what to write about. Everything is epic. So I'll keep this post simple just to get things going again.

Today was my first day back in the working world. My leave with my new son Colin (aka Cookie) is over. The last three months have been a whirlwind of baby craziness. We weren't expecting this one since we had gone on hold in our adoption process. See this post about going on hold. Things really do work out for a reason. His adoption was definitely one of those meant to be situations where things in the world came together in a way I never thought possible. I get goosebumps even thinking about it. Bean's adoption was so amazing that I didn't think I could feel that rush of emotion again. But I did. In a different but similar way. Now I have two most amazing times of my life events. Whenever I'm upset I just close my eyes and imagine the first time we met Bean, and the first time we met Cookie. And I'm not sad any more.

People ask me all the time if I'm upset that I didn't get to experience the miracle of childbirth. Um, no. My two miracle situations are way more interesting. The way they came into our lives and the very moment we met them would rival any childbirth story. No I am not upset about missing out on childbirth. My body is fully intact and I have two beautiful babies with their own unique stories. Why would I be upset?

My second maternity leave went way faster than the first, probably because life doesn't slow down for a three year old no matter what happens so we had to stay on Bean's frenetic pace. Bean's leave felt like a vacation. This one was more tiring. Those of you out there with more than one baby - did you feel like your second leave was more tiring? I feel a little guilty but I'm not sure I enjoyed it as much. It had nothing to do with how very amazing our new baby is, but more to do with how tired I am. I can't handle the fatigue any more like I used to.

Colin (aka Cookie for this blog) has grown from a tiny newborn to a roly poly baby. This kid has always been busy, so it's no surprise to us that he's way ahead on starting to move around. He's rolling over from his back to his tummy, about 2 months before he's supposed to. And he wants to crawl. He gets so annoyed that he can't move yet. It's probably just a matter of weeks before he starts to crawl. We are in trouble!! I'm trying to relax as much as I can now, because we will be chasing him very soon.

One of the other epic changes is my job situation. I now work from home instead of in a corporate office. I can't think of a more perfect job situation to balance life and work - a subject I am very passionate about. This opportunity came about at the perfect time, as I was really struggling with what to do after my part time contract with my previous company ended. I just started today so I don't know how I'll feel in six months. But so far I LOVE it, and I hope it works out. We have an office in our house that I love, which really helps. My husband now calls it the "mommy command center." I do feel like I could control a spaceship from in here. I loved my commute this morning. 10 feet from my kitchen to the office. I worry a little that it may get lonely, that I might miss the chit-chats I had with coworkers and the benefits of working together as a team on a daily basis. But I don't worry too much. I actually like being alone. Probably more than the average person. And no more of the annoying corporate meetings to talk about the "value add" that the company is bringing to their clients.

Bean is now a big sister, and has really outgrown her toddler ways. Other than the occasional tantrum, she is more and more of a little girl each day. We let her pick what color she wanted for her "big girl bedroom" for becoming a big sister, and she picked pink. And wow is it ever pink. But I love it and I'm happy she wanted this type of room. I wonder if this is the last time we'll agree on a color, that her room will look more like my style than her own. She's a strong headed little girl and will most likely pick things that are opposite of me just because she can. Who knows what she'll want when we change it up the next time. Neon orange you say? I hope not.

Life has certainly changed over the last three months. In so many ways. I'm still amazed at the way the universe moves along. I've said this before and I'll say it again. I believe there's a plan for us long before we are even here. I have learned to have faith in the plan, but to work at helping put the plan in motion for whoever it is above us that created it. I've learned that I love to write and to blog about the little things that happen in life. It helps me really recognize those things amidst the chaos of raising kids. I've missed blogging, but I'm glad I took the time to spend with my new family of four.

And now I've shaken off the rust, and Original Beans is back!!

Taking Time Off

Bean reading the story of herself to her brother.

I've decided to take a 3-month blogging break while I'm on maternity leave with Colin (aka Cookie). It's hard to find time to do anything with two kids, and any "free" time I have I want to be loving on both kids. I especially want to enjoy Cookie's tiny-ness during this time. He's a big baby and I know he will be out of the tiny newborn stage quickly. Right now I feel like my "free" time is better spent with him than online. I'll be back in late July, probably with tons of new ideas now that we have a little boy in the house!! We've decided to give him a superhero bedroom, using this color scheme since the walls in his room are already this color: 

via Homes

And probably these bins:

via Sugar Tot Designs

This is going to be fun!! See you in July!

This is Why I've Been Missing

I haven't blogged in a week. This is why. I am love with a tiny, brown haired, 8 pound beautiful little boy who came into our lives all of a sudden on a Saturday morning. We have been in North Carolina loving on him, becoming a family, and all I've cared about is kissing his tiny baby hands and arms and legs and cheeks because I know how fast he'll grow up. It's been a long, humbling, uncertain week that has changed my life. Bean has a baby brother, Colin, "Cookie" as she calls him. Bean and Cookie, my daughter and my son, brought to me through two strong birth mothers and the miracle of adoption. My life is complete, I am a happy, happy mama. 

What We're Reading Now

What I'm reading now:

Fiction

The Paris Wife, by Paula McLain. An interesting historical fiction take on Earnest Hemingway's first wife.

Non-Fiction

The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin. So far I love this book. The author is on a quest to find out why she's not as happy as she could be. She's a financially sound successful writer with two great kids and husband, a flat in NYC, and supportive parents and in-laws. Basically the perfect life. And yet she found herself constantly complaining and annoyed. She set out to research and implement all different techniques for being "Happy." I also like the blog, The Happiness Project. This book is definitely worth the read.

What Bean is reading now:

Meeow and the Big Box, by Sebastien Braun. Bean loves this creative book about a cat who uses a cardboard box to create a fire truck.

Extra Yarn, by Mac Barnett. A sweet book about a little girl who adds color to a black and white town with her unending box of colorful yarn.

That's How!, by Christoph Niemann. A little boy imagines how everyday things like airplanes and boats work. This one is great for creativity.

Quotes Wednesday

Found on French By Design, originally via Make My Mood

New Idea Tuesday - Kitchen Canister Labels

I think this is a really cute DIY idea, although I may use a shortcut with clear labels instead of the entire process described in the blog post. But either way, I love the style, and it would help make my kitchen cabinets much more organized and cute. Great idea, from The Painted Hive. See the original post for the process, more pictures, and the FREE label printables.

Photos of the Day

We had a great Easter weekend with family, full of laughs and too much candy. There were lots of great pictures from the weekend, but these are my all-time favorite Instagram pics of Bean and her two cousins reading. They all took turns "reading" the book out loud to each other before bedtime. It was a sweet, peaceful memory from the weekend. 

Hoppy Easter Weekend To Ya

via

via

Photos of the Day - Buzz and Spidey

I love that my little girlie girl likes to be a princess but also likes to dress up like Buzz Lightyear and hang out with Spider Man.

Quotes Wednesday

Faith and Fate

There are times in my life when I've had to submit my usual controlling mind to the order of the universe. I've had to have faith that there's a plan, and it will unfold as its supposed to. This is one of those times. There are things happening that I can't at all control, that are testing my faith that things will work out as planned. That our fate has already been determined, and we'll know it when we get there. I try to always have faith, but then there are those times when I'm on the brink of major things, and I can almost literally feel the world turning in it's pre-defined ways. As if someone above is watching, saying "let's test this one for a bit here, and then we'll give her what she needs when it's time." I don't know if that's really happening, it's probably a little egotistical of me to think that someone's watching me specifically from above. But it just feels that way sometimes, at the edge of major changes. So bring it on. Test me. I won't break. I submit. I have faith, my fate will show itself when it's supposed to.

I Dig This - Polaroid Z340 Instand Camera

I totally dig this new Polaroid Instant Camera, found at here at Photojojo. The Z340 takes 14 megapixel pictures that can be printed out either in high resolution or old fashioned polaroid style. The memory card can also be taken out to print pictures outside of the camera. Awesome. Something else I need!!!

New Idea Tuesday - Subway Sign Dresser

I found this great DIY idea over at Brooklyn Limestone, via Lindauer Designs. I'm keeping my eye out for a dresser like this at flea markets this summer and I'm going to try it for sure. Love it!!

Signs of Spring

 Signs of Spring are all around. It was a light winter, nothing like last year's craziness. But it was still a winter, and I'm happy that the signs of Spring are really here now. It's all uphill from here, the days will get longer and the air will get warmer. What signs of Spring are you seeing around? Here's a few we've seen over the last few days.

Baby lambs at the farm.

Buds on the trees all around, causing allergies!

 Easter projects strewn around the house.

 Easter decals on the windows, and the green grass outside those windows.

 Daffodils picked from the garden in vases around the house.

 

Late afternoon sun still high in the sky.

 Shrubs poking up through the grey forest landscape.

 Swinging.

 Tricycling.

 Sidewalk chalking.

Happy, Happy Spring