Lessons From My Sisters

I had the pleasure of watching Flannery & Courtenay as mothers before I became one myself.  In fact, Colleen, the oldest cousin, was born when I was a freshman in college!  Needless to say, I have learned SO much from them...and I'm so thankful that they paved the way for me.  Let's be honest, I'd be a hot mess (in more ways than one) if it weren't for them.  ;)  Here are the top 5 lessons that I have learned about being a mother from my older & wiser sisters...


1.  Have fun.

Court is known for making holidays, birthdays & just random days FUN and festive.  She's notorious for being the one who feeds the babies their first taste of ice cream.  She'll start a dance party in her kitchen - singing at the top of her lungs, making her best impression of Taylor Swift.  She will let the kids play in the tub for hours, just because it makes them happy (and wrinkly!).   She will go all out for their birthdays - decorate the house, make their favorite meal, let them have second AND third servings of cake & stay up waaaay too late. :)  Court has fun with her kids - and it shows.  It rubs off on them & it creates the BEST memories.

(source)

2.  Pick your battles.

A certain cousin (who will remain nameless...) refuses to wear anything but bathing suits.  Disney bathing suits.  Minnie Mouse if possible.  If she had it her way, she would go to the grocery store, to school, to the park, to church, etc. in a bathing suit.  No shoes, no coat - just a bathing suit (P.S. They live in Chicago).  Flannery, obviously, sets boundaries with Ginger (ie, school), but most of the time she allows her to wear the bathing suits.  It's not hurting anyone, right?  Happy baby=Happy Mommy.  And if you think about it, there ARE bigger battles to fight, don't you think?!

3.  Make time for you & your significant other.

It is waaaay too easy to become consumed with work, the house, the kids...all while forgetting your relationship.   I never realized how quickly you can become disconnected from your partner.  Court & Andy have Sushi Friday (date night at home...catching up on their shows...with a cocktail or two).  It's the perfect ending to the long week & something for them both to look forward to.  Flann & Gar are great about getting a babysitter (and making space in their budget!) at least once a week for them to go out together.  It's a great way for them to reconnect with each other AND with their friends.

4.  Make time for yourself.

Being a mom is the hardest job on earth.  Hands down.  I tell my patients that coming to work is MUCH easier than being at home with the boys.  No joke!   I consider it my "me time" because I get to eat without interruptions, go to the bathroom without anyone joining me AND hang out with my friends!  ;)  Flannery knows that she has to exercise...not so much for her physical health, but for her mental health.  She knows, she is at her best (as a mom & a wife) when she has gone for a run or to the gym.  For Court, she needs her quiet "downtime" to sew, create (or check the celebrity gossip sites - shhh!) & re-charge.

5.  Ask for help.

This is the biggest lesson for me.   Several years ago, Court's family was unfortunately struck by the dreaded Norovirus.  Court called and Pops & I went up to help out, do laundry, & clean.   Granted, Pops and I were on the floor of our own very bathrooms a week later...but that's beside the point!  Over the past couple years, Flann's eldest has had several surgeries, which required a lot of traveling.  Not only that, but her family has had to move about a bajillion times in the last several years.  Without asking friends & family for a place to stay or for someone to watch the kids, none of it would have happened!   I'm now convinced (and sometimes need to be reminded!) that nobody, NOBODY can do it alone.  It's not a sign of weakness, nor does it make you any less of a mom, to ask for help. :)

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Alright, there you have it.  I have a lot of friends who are becoming mothers soon.  I wanted to share things that I have learned from my sisters, who are both amazing moms.  I hope these lessons are as helpful for you as they have been for me!  

::The Three of Us::

I was cleaning out some cabinets as I often never do and I came across a picture from Molly's wedding in 2008.  I probably have a digital copy of this somewhere but let's make do with a picture of the picture, shall we?  It's a lot easier that way and I have a ton more housework  sewing  Real Housewives tv watching to do.

So anyhoo, Molly was totes looking gorge in this picture, Flannery was laughing and smiling and apparently I was singing along with the band.  I look like I'm literally looking AT THE BAND and singing with them like I know them.  I mean, look at my eye contact for cryin' out loud.  (In my next life, I'm coming back as Stevie Nicks with billowy clothes, a tambourine, ribbons on my microphone and singing "Whenever I Call You 'Friend' with Kenny Loggins.  But that's a whole 'nother post)

This is such a telling picture... because Molly ALWAYS looks gorgeous (so say me and Flann),  Flannery is ALWAYS laughing and smiling because she's got the best sense of humor, and me? well, I'm usually doing something ridiculous and goofy.

Here's more proof if you don't believe me:

In this pic, Molly is IN LABOR and on her way to the hospital.  How cute is she?  Who looks this cute while IN LABOR?  Did I mention she was IN LABOR!?  And just stopped to talk to a little pup from next door.




Molly, looking pretty as ever, with her little nugget, Eamonn.




And here again on her wedding day.  Beautiful.  She had hot pink wedding shoes and a birdcage veil.  Just stunning.




Here's Flannery with her sweet, Ginger.  Always, always, always with a smile.

Flannery smiling at the pool.

Classic Flannery.  Laughing.  Telling a funny story and when she's really, really laughing, she always points her hand out like that during the punch line.




And last but not least, much to my embarrassment, the proof that I end up doing something ridiculous when near a camera.

Like the time I met Ann Curry on national television.

Like the time I was singing along with/stealing a tie from/flirting with the lead singer of another wedding band.  

(And no, my hubs is not worried that I'm going to run off with any lead singer.  In fact, he thinks it's quite hysterical and he TOOK this picture because he wanted to preserve my ridiculousness for all eternity.)

Or just like when I'm at home.

Hmmm, wonder what kind of pictures we'll take next week when we're all together?!

::It Had to Be Done::

so, apparently my sisters either didn't read my post from yesterday

or they were extremely busy and couldn't find the time.

considering that molly administers chemo to cancer patients during the day

and flannery has moved for the third time in a year,

i'll cut them a little slack this time.

however, i will force them to share pics of themselves.

aren't i lucky to have such pretty sisterz?

here's flannery showing us what she wore
to the back-to-school luncheon.

and here's mols on a little weekend vaca
with her seriously cute lil' bambino

Don't be mad sistersz!

love ya!

::Three Sisterz Reunion Part One::

I can hardly look at these pictures 

without my eyes filling with tears.

Being with my sisters and their families is my favorite thing in the whole entire world.

My heart is filled and I feel the most content when 

my nieces and nephews are under my roof.

There's crying and laughing,

squabbles and cocktails,

a lot of cooking,

a lot of desserts,

early mornings with babies

and late nights for grown ups,

snuggling with all the kids,

kids' crafts and mommy projects,

daily grocery runs,

mid-day naps,

and

trips to the park and the pool.

It's action packed from start to finish.

It's exhausting.

It's fun.

It's priceless.

And at the end, there are tears and sadness 

that we must say goodbye again.

Flannery and her family,

Molly and her family hit the road to head back home

and I begin to tackle the laundry.

Three Sisterz Friday Night Clink!

Coleman

Ginger B

  

Best cousins and best friends born within 6 weeks of each other.

The morning after Friday Night Clink!

Flannery with nephew Eammon.  

Sparklers!

Nap time

Molly and Colleen

Call me maybe!

Masquerade ball

Cousins

Eammon asleep at the pool

*more pictures to come*

::I Swear I'm Not...::

...an only child.

Lest you think this whole "Three Sisterz" thing is a sham,

I'm here today to tell you~

especially our newer readers~

that yes, Flannery and Molly do exist.

And yes, you are only seeing my name at the bottom

of posts these days.

Over and over and over.

But, it is what it is.

For now.

At least that's what they're telling me.

I miss my sisters because they live

so far away.

I miss my sisters because they are so busy

and can't talk as much.

I miss my sisters because I

toil away in my sewing room

and don't get a chance to show them what I'm

working on.

I miss my sisters' active input on the blog.

I miss Molly's cool projects.

I miss Flannery's witty posts.

But they are still here.

They are behind the scenes with me.

Giving opinions, making decisions, sharing ideas,

sending customers.

You may not see it directly,

but their influences are all over this

entire blog and business.

And I'm hoping soon

that when their lives become less busy

and less hectic

that they'll come back

and jump right in

where they left off.

Because I miss them.

And when they do I'll be here.

I'll be waiting.

This is how we roll....

.....when we are all together.

First.  We have a dance party.

We crank up Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Adele, and Pink.  

Then we just plain be thrilled we're dance party-ing with our most favorite people in the whole world.

And sometimes we act like we're a 14 year old singing/dancing phenom, not a little four year old.

And when we're tired of dancing, we go do fun stuff like take a trip to the zoo.

Where we *finally* see the polar bear swimming.  Doesn't he look so vicious cute?

And nothing beats showing our friends & fam the skyline.  So exciting, isn't it?

But even more exciting is torturing our little sister with a Justin Bieber "phone call" (a.k.a., the big girls down in the basement on another phone.)

Seriously.  It's that fun.

::FREE DOWNLOAD:: Sisters Subway Art

I used good ole' Picnik to try my hand at some subway art. I needed some art to honor mis hermanas (who, by the way, are having all sorts of fun in Chi town without me!).

Sister Subway Art

What do y'all think!? I'm putting mine in a black frame that I already have, but it would also look great in a yellow or red frame.

Want one for yourself or for your dear sister?!

Download your 8x10 copy here:

Your welcome. ;)

What other subway art do you guys need?!

Let me know, I'm dying to make some more!

PS...Thanks to these goofballs for helping out with the photo shoot!