Being a mom puts you into a community of other moms. These other moms can be great while others can be just down right mean. It's like belonging to the world's largest high school clique or college sorority. I read a quote in a magazine yesterday that describes these friendships perfectly "There are friendships for each season of life. Sometimes when these seasons end, the friendship ends too. And that's alright."


After having the twins a whole new season of life started for me. A season where I became not only the mom of twins, but also a mom of three and a mom of not only boys but also a daughter. This season was accepted by some but rejected by others. At first I thought there was something wrong with me, then feeling hurt I of course sais "WTF, something is wrong with them!" But now I have learned that there is nothing wrong with me and there is nothing wrong with them. The seasons are changing in my life and that IS OKAY. Rather than dwell on what I felt had been lost, I am embracing what I had found. I now know to treasure those past friendships and those experiences. They made me a better person and a better mom.


Now as that better person I am embracing those who have now come into my life to join me in THIS season. Living in the present rather than the past. People move in and out of our lives, that's what growing is all about. Growing is a beautiful thing, not a thing to admonish.


The wonderful thing about the mom community is that for each "season" as a mother, there are others who are in the same season or have been there. You can look to those who are in the same walk of life for connection and for those who have been there, for inspiration. But do not forget to be there for others.... those other moms who have yet to come into season and that will look towards you for inspiration, but also those moms who are walking alone in the same season you are standing in.

I had read about twin skin but didn't think anything of it. It was described as accordion like and the pictures they showed in books looked like elephant skin rather than human skin. Well guess what? It does exist. This creature doesn't appear after delivery or even at your 6 week postpartum checkup, nope it rears its' ugly head about 9 months to a year AFTER giving birth to two bundles of joy. It comes about after your hormones are done riding their rollercoaster and that beautiful pregnancy glow has gone MIA. It's there in all it's deflated glory, hanging over the tops of pants when you sit down. Pressing and poking against the material of your shirt, shouting and yelling to strangers "Hey look at me!!" like an attention starved debutant. No diet or exercise will make that sucker disappear because it isn't fat, it's broken in and worn out skin, like your favorite pair of jeans. I fought that little jerk so hard, applying special lotions and potions, pinning special exercises all over my "Body" board, searching Dr. Oz's website like a lunatic for remedies, even wearing the Belly Bandit for 9 straight months every night I slept. To my horror, NONE of it worked! NONE of it made that little man go away! As I sit here right now he is riding along in my favorite jeans with me.  So you know what? I have come to terms with that little creature, taunting me in the bathroom mirror, saying hey in the reflection of the grocery store window. I have come to terms with him because, like my favorite pair of jeans, he is worn from love. Developed from the creation of two amazing babies. Stretched by the nurturing of two little marvelous bodies that I cared for and carried for 9 months in my belly. So I will take that twin skin and it's quilted stretch mark mass and wear it with pride as I squish him between myself and two little bodies that I hug with so much love that cannot be contained by heart or stretched out skin.

New Year, New Resolutions, New FB Annoyances

How do I feel about reading ALL the triumphant 2014 resolutions on FB? … I focus on my even-steven approach … I ate chocolate M&Ms in the pantry ALONE yesterday and then ate rice chips after 7 pm last night but I did work out this morning. I hid in the laundry room from my kids but did so while making sure Brax’s favorite shirt was cleaned for school and his favorite PJs were washed to wear for the14th night in a row. I gave runners the evil eye while taking B to school but then pinned inspirational exercise quotes on my Pinterest board. I chewed sugar free gum with all it’s toxins but did so while making homemade whole grain pancakes for the twins. I drink well over my body weight in water but do so while counting the minutes until my hair appointment this weekend where she will coat my scalp in toxic goo. I rolled around in the grass with my kids and let them pull my hair out of it’s pony tail while they laughed with glee and then threw a microphone at my nose. When I yelled out in pain they cried but I scooped them up and kissed their noses. I bought Hailey a pink chair at Target on Monday but sold a baby swing on Craigslist last night. I sang Jingle Bells with Brax as we brushed our teeth this morning but did so while day dreaming about date night this coming Saturday night. Pretty successful 2014 … beat that Triathlon runners and juice cleansers.