Mama Monday - See. Know. Love. Celebrate.

Welcome back to Mama Monday!!!

Today, I am speaking STRAIGHT to my own heart so buckle up because I never even know what’s comin’!

Sometimes, I just need a good ole pep talk, a moment to reset and restart. I need to recharge and refocus. And that is just where I am sitting today.

It’s Monday. Instantly on Monday, my mind whirls and whizzes with my own schedule and to do’s : my hopes and my goals for the week.

I just want to take today to be short + sweet + to the point.

See. Know. Love. Celebrate.

See.

Today, I want to pause. I want to make eye contact. Look into my little little lovie’s eyes - not just look at them. I want to sit next to them and play for a moment. I want to do anything I can to freeze time and really look at them, really see them.

Know.

Today, I want to seek to know, like really know, my little ones. I want to try to discover one thing that I did not know about them yesterday. I want to ask them questions and guide them through discovering new things and new ideas. I want to walk with them, learn with them, and undoubtedly know them.

Love.

Today, I want to give myself the space to fall in love with my littles. Let’s be honest, mama’s, if you don’t give yourself permission and space to just be, you often rush around from one thing to the next. For me, when I have my own expectation of routine and to do’s outside of their world of play + imagination, I end up losing site of the very things that would cause me to fall in love with them that day. Where I would appreciate their slow pace, I think they are moving too slow. Where I would celebrate their innocence, I get frustrated that they don’t understand me the first time. Where I would feel fully chosen and accepted in their desire to play and read with me, I say “just one second.”

Today, I want to line up my expectations and routine to compliment theirs; I want to carve out time for the things that I have to do, YES, but weave in these sweet and meaningful pockets of fresh air to play and learn and enjoy and just be together. Because that is loving them, isn’t it?

To know them is to love them.

Celebrate.

Today, I want to celebrate. There is a reason why Aslan boy loves him a good ole’ birthday party. Celebration is contagious and life giving. He tastes of it and he craves it. (It’s almost like they have cake at these said birthday parties…LOL)

But really, everyone at a birthday party is there for ONE thing : to celebrate. Celebration is intentional acknowledgement. It is bringing attention to something unique and special - dwelling on it and emphasizing it over and over again. Today, I want to do just that. I want to be guilty of bringing attention to every little aspect of my babe’s. I want to dwell with them and emphasize and CELEBRATE every little (BIG) thing they do.

See. Know. Love. Celebrate.

Seeing leads to knowing. To know is to love. When I love you, I celebrate you.

It’s just that easy, mama.

You were made for this.

And, yes, it’s ok if you drop the ball in other areas today because you were having a celebration over your little. Chances are, those areas aren’t living and breathing bundles of life and passion!

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK

Create an “invitation to play” for your kiddo/kiddos. Choose one activity and have it totally prepped for them as a surprise! If YOU are anticipating them and ready for them when they enter a room, you are giving your heart permission to engage and be PRESENT. You are essentially choosing to see them, know them, love them, and celebrate them!

This week, while they are napping or away, prepare something, ANYTHING, that you think they will enjoy and be excited about!

Set out ingredients to bake cookies or muffins together!
Build a sick racetrack or obstacle course for them to come in and play with!
Set up a tea party and then dine with them!
Set up a book tower and invite them next to you to start chipping away at reading them ALL!

Share some of your ideas with us in the comments and LET’S DO THIS, Mama’s!

Tag @dustmadejewelry in your feed or stories and share with us when you have completed your “invitation to play” challenge this week!

Being a mama has CHANGED ME. From the very second that my first little cub came into the world - actually, from the moment that my heart yearned to have him and pleaded for the chance to be a mama - it has changed me. My mind and heart hold endless thoughts, reflections, and perspective shifts from the day in and day out experiences, duties, tasks, opportunities, and relationship that is called being a Mama.

What’s on the forecast this month for Mama Monday’s -