Mommy Crush Monday {Laura}

Happy Monday Blog World!
Hope everyone had a great weekend!
We spent the weekend celebrating both of our girls birthdays.
Emma turned 5 on the 27th like I mentioned here and our sweet baby girl, Audrey, turned 3 on February 2nd.
I'll have a separate post about their party another day because today I am doing something I haven't done since September!
Today I am bringing back Mommy Crush Monday!
Today I want you all to meet Laura Shortt.
I met Laura a few months ago at my cousins house and clicked right away.
She is super fun, incredibly funny and stylish!
She also just launched an incredible clothing line Shorttees.
Basically she is supermama - but I will let you all meet her for yourselves below!

Hey – my name is Laura!  I’m a mom of two kids, who I happen to think are pretty awesome.  We have Grady who is 3 and every bit a busy toddler boy, and Baby Audrey who is almost 15 months and is a girly-girl who loves trucks and diggers.  My husband Ty and I have been married for 5 years but together since grade 11.  We are every bit each other’s opposite, but that’s what keeps life interesting and our debating skills in tip-top shape. ;-)  We are both from small towns in the Ottawa Valley, and moved to the big smoke (AKA Toronto) for college too many years ago.  We’ve now settled in the suburbs where we like to think we get most of the big city conveniences with a touch of that small-town feel.  Pre and post babes, I’ve always loved working; feeling productive and earning a pay cheque!  But I equally love lounging on the couch, and embarking on adventures with the fam.  Is there anything better than seeing your kids’ eyes light up when they discover something new?!  Basically we work hard, play hard, and laugh hard.  Just make sure you do your kegels too. ;-)

How has life changed since becoming a mama?

I know I’m not the only mom who feels this way, but I have a hard time remembering what life was like before having kids!  At the same time, I long for those days where I don’t have to think about naptime, or if I have enough diapers and wipes in my bag, or enough snacks, or is that pink eye, or what did you just do with that apple slice… you get the idea.  I miss the freedom to be spontaneous, but wouldn’t trade these precious moments with my babes for the world!  God willing, Ty and I will have plenty of time for ourselves in the years to come.  So I guess it’s our priorities that have changed the most.

 What was the biggest challenge going from one baby to two?

The biggest challenge was realising that there would be times when it would be impossible to make them both happy.  I remember when Baby Audrey was a couple weeks old, trying to get ready to leave the house.  Grady was fighting getting his winter stuff on like it was his job, and Audrey started to cry.  I stopped and went and put Audrey’s soother in.  Grady had taken everything back off.  We started getting Grady’s stuff back on, and of course Audrey spit the soother out and started to cry again.  It literally was impossible to keep them both happy and get to where we needed to go.  I think it’s a lesson you learn quickly in order to survive with 2!  Plus it is a lesson in patience for the kids.  J

 

What does a typical day in your life look like?

Monday to Friday our days are jam-packed.  Wake up, get myself ready, get Ty up (he’s so not a morning person and would tell you that himself), kids up, get the kids ready, and we’re off to daycare for 7:15 am.  Then I catch the GO train downtown for my corporate job.  My day wraps up around 4:30 or 5 and Ty (who drives to work) picks me up for some quality commuting time on the way home.  Our one-on-one time at home is so limited, so we cherish our commute together.  We usually pick the kids up from daycare around 6 and then scramble home for dinner, play time, cuddle time, bath time, and finally we tuck the kids in.  Then a whole other phase starts… I just launched a little side-venture and this is the only time I have to focus on it without sacrificing time with my fam.  Same thing goes for working out.  Totally validates why we spend a majority of our weekends at home in our pajamas, or doing activities where jogging pants attire is totally acceptable.

 Any advice for finding “me” time as a working mama?

I think you have to think outside the box, and possibly redefine your definition of “me” time.  Working and commuting downtown may have its drawbacks, but it does mean that I can grab an express mani on my lunch break (I never have, but it coooooould happen).  My commute to work on the train is usually the quietest, calmest time I have to myself.  I can read, catch up on blogs I follow and social media, or catch a few zzz’s.  I never really considered working out to be “me” time, but my view on that has also shifted.  I can get lost in my own head, think thru and let go of stress, and it helps keep my eating on the healthy side knowing that I’ve already but that effort in.

Best parenting advice you’ve been given

I can’t pick one so here are two pieces of awesome advice.  First, sleep when the baby sleeps.  I’ve never been great at this (isn’t naptime when all parents get their stuff done?!), but I’ve never regretted it when I have done it!  After all, sleep solves everything!!!  The second piece of advice is from my dad and isn’t applicable to just parenting.  He told us this all the time growing up.  “Just do your best.”  I’m not perfect.  Especially when it comes to parenting and juggling everything we have on our plate these days.  It’s way too easy to be hard on yourself as a parent, but if I just do the best I can, and remind myself of that, it’s much easier to get a good night’s sleep and start tomorrow fresh. Puhleeeez sleep through the night kids!