A thought on bully

I put down Marcus for his morning nap, Benjamin was watching PBS and eating his Nutella sandwich/ strawberries breakfast, I finished folding laundry, washing, drying, putting away the dishes, making the beds, tidying up the house so I felt it was time for me to sit down for a few minutes to eat my breakfast and read my devotional. (Yea, if you are a mama, everything else comes first, and when everything else is taken care of for the moment it is your turn. But only until you are needed again. Probably in the next 10 minutes, hehe)

So anyway, I made my Earl Grey, grabbed my journal and opened up my devotional. I'm doing Our Daily Bread these days. In the craziness I have just enough time to read it and meditate upon it during the day. Today's message was on bullying and on speaking up for the bullied. It talked about how there are actually 3 parties involved in bullying. The one who bullies, the one who is being bullied..and the one who stands by and doesn't speak up in defense of the bullied. I found myself being the stander-byer (is that a word?) in school several times. I didn't speak up. It was safer to hide behind the bullies. I guess I didn't want to become the next one being bullied? There was a girl in my class in elementary school who was always picked on for something. She was an easy target, average looking, didn't wear the latest fashion and her mom came in to the school a few times and threw tantrums over something, yelled at the teachers, that sort of thing. So this didn't really help her unpopularity. I remember, she always sit in the first row, alone, because no one would sit by her. She would NEVER answer back to the mockers, she would just quietly endure whatever we threw at her. She happened to be in my class again for the four years of high school. And guess what happened! The same thing over again! She was the target of our mockery, teasing (brutally), bully but she never once said anything unkind to us. On the contrary. Every time we would ask to copy her homework just before class she would willingly help. What the heck! Thinking back I am so ashamed of being one of the mockers, or if not the mockers, the stander-byers. I never stood up for her, or quieted the bullies, and I called myself a Christian. I grew up in a Christian home and I knew better than that!

Every time I visit home in Hungary I see her working at the supermarket. We chat for a few minutes, just general stuff, nothing personal...but I would like to just give her a hug and apologize for all the hurt we have caused her. The only thing that held me back was a thought, that maybe she wouldn't want to hear that, that it would embarrass her or something li really don't know. Just because it would make Me feel better does not mean that it would make Her feel better too, you know?

Well, I don't have the answers. But I know this, bullying is a terrible thing and I will never stand by without speaking up again. Jesus experienced bullying on the worst degree. They beat him, mocked him, humiliated him...killed him! Yet he endured.

I also wonder...what would happen if I found myself on the bullied side at some point? How would I react? What would I say? Do?

In which I can't find my favorite Korean supermarket and my baby turns 3 months old

I decided to go to my favorite Korean supermarket today to pick up some stuff we like. I love their sticky rice, korean BBQ sauce or Bulgogi sauce, sesame seeds, sesame oil etc. it's been a couple years so I wasn't 100% sure which of the 9 korean supermarkets I used to love, but I had a strong suspicion it was Lee's. I put the address in the GPS, I drove there but when I looked at the store I didn't recognize it from the outside. So I didn't even bother going in. I was really confused, didn't know how to find "my" store. So I started driving around to each of the other Korean stores just to realize neither of them was the one I was looking for. After like an hour of driving up and down on Division Avenue I decided to go home. I had to pass Lee's supermarket again...and all the sudden I recognize the building!! Geesh!!! It was right there the whole time, "my" store and I drove by it several times! Ugh! Annoying!

Here is the loot!

Also, some barley tea, yum yum. 

My baby turned 3 months old today. Hip hip hurray! 

I decided it was time to start feeding him some rice cereal. Man, he loved it! 

He kept pushing his little tongue out a hundred times. He was licking the spoon and trying to grab it out of my hand after every "bite". So I alternated two spoons.

THIS little guy is 3 months old today! 😊😊😊🐝🐝🐝

Oh come on just one good selfie...

I think not.

So here he is... being all cute and everything. 

I'm expecting great things tonight. I fed him like three times between 6 and 8 and  there was cereal in his milk too!

Hoping for a good nights sleep finally...after 3 months. 

Turn your day around

Cranky baby, cranky mama, cranky day. I'm all too familiar with those days. Every day has its challenges and highlights. Even when I feel like it's too much and this is the worst day ever, I must remember that every day is a gift! Every day is a blessing, an opportunity to learn the unique lessons of that day and to be thankful. 

Any day can be turned around if I have the right attitude and I try to get the most out of it. 

Here's 10 ideas how to turn the day around:

1. Be thankful 

Focus on what you DO have instead of what you DON'T. 

2. Center yourself

Some stretches, some deep breaths. Repeat the phrase, "It will all pass." Give some hugs.

3. Set the timer for 10 minutes

Hard to get away from the kiddos and get stuff done during the day? Set your timer for just 10 minutes several times a day and accomplish some tasks. It's amazing how much i can get done in such a short time if i focus my energy. I can take a shower, empty or load the dishwasher, vacuum around, gather the laundry, make and eat a snack, check my emails, change my clothes that have spit-up all over it...

4. Find joy in music

Sing and dance. It's okay.

5. Recognize your frustrations and leave them behind (for now)

Choose to "tuck them away" until the kids go to bed

6. Get outside

Fresh air will do us all some good. Find beautiful things to marvel at and put on Instagram

7. Shake up the day

Do something you usually wouldn't do. We started doing a simple picnic at the park with the boys once a week and it is most wonderful. I try to go on a nice day, not when it's blazing hot. We put a blanket under a tree and just relax. And eat. And laugh. It is a special time. And it doesn't cost a penny. 

8. Find a way to help someone else

It is nice to take my focus off myself once in a while and find a way to be an encouragement or help to someone who needs it. I need to ask God for help on this one, I pray that He would bring the person to me who needs me. 

9. Put down the parenting books and trust your intuition

Look at your situation and do what you think is best in the moment. Especially if you are a mom, trust your instincts.

God wired us this way. 

10. And finally... Forgive yourself

No mom is perfect. Your kids love you. Forgive yourself, forgive others around you and try again. 

You can always find a way to make the day better and turn things around. Remember, you and your kids will not remember whether all the dishes were put away that morning, if you wore make-up that day, or even if you had a fancy lunch or just a sandwich. 

What you all will remember at the end of the day is if you had fun, if you laughed, if you had some meaningful conversations. I must remind myself of this lesson every day as I like things organized, my house clean and tidy and I like to wear make-up. 

It is also a great thing to model to your children, teaching them how to turn a day around, how to see the beauty everywhere and be thankful for each  day. 

Here is my cranky baby today... napping when he is supposed to be eating, fussing when he is supposed to be napping and eating when he is supposed to be playing. 

I feel like his schedule was a disaster today. The good news is: I have a new day tomorrow and I can try again. 

Xoxo❤️

~Edina

Original article and list that inspired me 

http://www.momentsaday.com/top-10-ways-for-stay-at-home-moms-to-turn-a-bad-day-around/

Baby shower for Marcus

My lovely sisters-in-law, Tammy and Amy threw us a baby shower today. It was all ladies from the family so it was a little family reunion as well. I loved seeing everybody!

The food... well, the food was awesome! Buffalo shredded chicken with bleu cheese in the bun, vegetables and dips, fruit and lemonade. And a cake that matched the room'so decoration. It was all very nice and fun. 

People took turns holding Marcus. He wasn't complaining. 

Here he is with aunt Tammy.

Aunt Joyce...

...and grandma.

He got loads of cute outfits and toys, tethers and diapers, lullaby machines and blankets. All very useful gifts. And yes, even the froggy hat on his head which is super goofy and I love it! 

Nap training

I managed to capture this moment yesterday while little Marcus was napping. 

I have been attempting to nap train him. He tends to wake up after his first sleep cycle and has a hard time soothing himself back for the second cycle. I'm not sure what to do exactly so i try different things, rock him, hold him, walk around with him or put him in the swing. I'm pretty sure I'm confusing him big time. My methods don't work most of the time and the result is a cranky, confused baby. And an exhausted and overly emotional mama. 

Anyway! The rare occasion occurred yesterday that he managed to dose off in the swing. I walked around him on my tiptoes, I hardly even dared to breathe to not wake him up. Then all the sudden he started smiling. Freaky...at first. Then I started gazing at him and he kept smiling, giggling even at times and I just couldn't take my eyes off of him. My heart was full. How can he be so cute and naughty (meaning: not napping) at the same time?

Wild flowers, brothers and other nice things

So far this is my favorite picture of the two of them. I love seeing the gentleness in Benjamin as he handles Marcus. I love seeing the huge change in his attitude toward the baby. He used to keep his distance and did not really want to "descend" to the "level" of a baby. It was "beneath him". He was six and a half years old, a "medium-size boy" after all. He went from not wanting to touch him even to proudly telling everyone "this is my brother"! He gets down on the blanket and plays with his little brother. When Marcus cries while Benjamin is watching his show, instead of complaining about the noise, he gets up and gently talks to him to comfort him and gives him his pacifier back. 

To see these clear expressions of love and care between the boys fills my mama-heart to the brim. 

Marcus is lifting and holding his head pretty well now. I wonder when he will start rolling around. Although I'm in no rush. I really enjoy this period of his life. He smiles at me in the morning; those shy and mischievous little smiles tell me how happy he is to see me after a long dark night. (I hate nights at this point, I'm not gonna lie)

Flowers from husband "just because". The other day he came home from work with these beauties. I feel like such an idiot now... When he came home he was hauling some stuff inside and sent the flowers in with Benjamin. Then when he came inside in a little bit I forgot to mention and thank him for the flowers. I was loading the dishwasher or some such nonsense. Ugh... Not cool! 

These days I think a lot about life and how quickly it changes sometime. I should be so much more appreciative of my husband who is a good man who wants to follow God and who loves his family. 

I don't care about jewelry, "romantic" dinners out, a big bouquet of red roses or whatever else culture tells us "romance" is. I appreciate this little bouquet of wild flowers more than anything. (I wonder where he picked them...)

My "medium-size" six and half year old. 

We were going to the library when we spotted this baby across the road. Seriously now, how cool is that ride! Benjamin of course immediately easily volunteered to pose with the car.