Make Today Awesome

Staying at home with a 5-month old can sometimes get mundane. There, I said it. Of course I’m aware of how lucky I am – not only do I have the privilege of being June’s mommy, I get to experience all of her milestones firsthand while my husband texts me throughout his workday, asking about his little “Goobie.” (If you’re wondering, that’s short for “Goober.” He made it up. Not me.)

However, as all parents know, for every adorable giggle, squeal, and smile, there’s time spent making and cleaning bottles, changing diapers, signing Wheels on the Busagain, and doing anything and everything to get your little cherub to go down for a nap. During naptime, it’s a mad dash to shower, do dishes, respond to emails, and check off any items on that forever-growing to-do list before your sweetie wakes and you repeat the cycle continuously until bedtime.

So, when Sean and Kristi approached me about blogging for Barn Owl Primitives, I had my hesitations: Would I find the time? What if I miss out on one of those aforementioned adorable smiles? Do I still have the creative energy to write?

While mulling it over, I found myself scrolling through the BOP site when one of Kristi’s signs struck me – it read: “Make Today Awesome”. I thought about how in June’s point of view, every day is, well, pretty awesome. It’s full of discoveries, challenges to overcome, and feeling loved unconditionally. To June, attempting to inch forward in crawl position or watching her own hands open and close is enough to evoke wonderment.

Motivated by Kristi’s words and June’s fiesty will, I vowed to stop letting myself use the baby’s routine as an excuse to stay inside my humdrum, sometimes unshowered bubble – a place where I never push myself and stress over unfolded laundry. Instead, I could be like June and seek out new experiences, be amazed by my own abilities, and feel the soul-warming sensation that comes when you know someone thinks the world of you (I’m especially holding on to that last one because who knows what the teen years will bring).

Obviously, I accepted Sean and Kristi’s offer to write for their blog. And while there may still be a day or two where I don’t change out of pajama pants, I try to keep myself honest by evaluating if I’ve done everything to make the day awesome when it starts to feel exhausting or ho-hum. Just the act of trying a new recipe or bringing June somewhere new-to-her so I can watch her take it all in is enough to check that item off the pesky to-do list.

But, hey, let’s be honest – spending your day in your pajamas can be pretty amazing, too. Because while not every day may be awesome from start to finish, I bet you can find that there’s awesomeness somewhere in it, just waiting to be discovered.

xo ~ Cassie