motherhood // solitude during nap time

i've been doing my best to get our little ones on a napping schedule as of late.  we usually all have lunch together around noon before cozying up to get lost in our favorite reads before i lay them down to sleep.  on the rare occasion that they do fall asleep at the same time, i make myself my afternoon coffee and tend to my books.

i picked up this gem at the library a couple weeks ago and have been using my quiet time to doodle all things botanical here and there on scraps of stella's craft paper.  it has been a relaxing way to reflect while learning about the natural world.  did you know there are plants named monkey flower and sneezeweed and white beard's tongue out there?  nor did i until a few days ago.  i also found a gorgeous drawing of a flower called king theodore and got the impulsive tattoo itch.  sorry, mom.

to mothers and fathers everywhere that tend to tiny babies and busy toddlers all day long, it's good to slow down every now and then to really give yourself some quality alone time *if it presents itself*.  put your phone away tucked in a corner.  and try your best not to pinterest.  take the all important time to catch up with yourself.  time to take deep, intentional breaths and to mindfully do something for yourself.  to knit a few rows.  to bake a dozen cookies.  to do something as simple as drawing a flower.  to hear yourself think thoughts unrelated to changing diapers or picking up toys.  time to soak in fleeting seconds of solitude before the beautiful sounds of home start to fill up your humble nest.  i sure love abc humming, baby cooing, and the relentless creaking of our old hardwood floors, but detaching from noise and business is good, too.

even if it is just for five minutes, those pockets of time spent listening to your needs as a caregiver can make all the difference.  it is surprising how invigorating it can be to spend a few minutes immersed in something creative without any distraction.  more so than taking a nap myself, sometimes.  it can give me the spark to be a better version of myself.  a better mother and better wife. if it were spring, i'd accompany my botanical scribbles with our windows cracked open and some sweet tea.  until then, warm coffee and wool socks will do just fine.