Day 9: Princesses, Tea & More Cleaning

Yep, she's no longer a toddler. She's a real kid. My Sophia is 3 years old today. She woke us up early, proclaiming that it was her birthday. It amazes me how they go from a squishy looking baby to a walking, talking, thinking being.

Wowser! The princess birthday tea party was a success. After only 5 hours of sleep, I woke up early to grocery shop for the party this afternoon, including picking up the requisite princess cupcakes. We had a low key celebration. She invited 2 friends, and we also had some friends and family. The kids were sooo cute and civilized, sitting at the little table sipping their "tea" (diluted apple juice or herbal tea) and eating little sandwiches and treats. Of course, the princess dress made another appearance. She even twirled in it for a while!

I opted for a small celebration for this party. It's so easy to get sucked into the commercialism of birthday parties. Maybe it's the DC metro area. We've attended several toddler birthday parties this year, and some are big productions. Do you really need 16 kids at a 3 year old's birthday party? And of course, you have to hold your birthday party at some other place, not your home. I looked into one place. It was over $300 for 2 hours. No kidding. My 3 year old will barely remember her 3rd birthday party I'm sure.

To prepare for the party in our little apartment, we have been cleaning all weekend. I'm not the greatest housekeeper; cleaning house definitely isn't my favorite thing to do. Plus I've been doing a lot of parties, so it just seemed like such an effort to load the dishwasher. Hubby definitely did the bulk of the cleaning. He's great about it when he sets his mind on it. He even cleans the bathroom. And no, you can't have him. He's all mine!

For Day 9, positive affirmations cleanse your energy/spirit as you clean a physical part of your home or body. Normally when I'm cleaning, I don't think about how cleaning can clear the way for positive energy into your life. I usually zone out. I guess it's like meditating, right? However, I definitely feel it after I've cleaned. I'm sitting on my couch and I can actually see the floor! And my coffee table doesn't have sticky fingerprints nor does it have dried play dough stuck to it. It feels good to have everything neat and orderly. I promise myself every time we do this crazy cleaning, that I'll keep it up. This time I really mean it.

I know Day 9 isn't just about cleaning. It's about being aware of your daily actions. Don't just go through the motions. Think about the meaning of your actions. I have to say, today's preparation and culmination of the party definitely made me feel all warm and gooey inside. The pigs in the blanket didn't hurt either.

Day 6: Lightening up

photo by mtchm

I took time for myself today. I took a nap. I didn't plan to. Sophia is coming down with a cold. Probably the same one that DH is still fighting. She woke up 30 minutes into her nap. So I took her back to bed. The only way she would settle down was if she slept on my chest. Normally I would see how soon I could roll her onto the bed and run away to do something while I napped.

Today, I realized that as she gets older and more independent, we get less time to hug and cuddle. I remember when she was first born, she slept best on my chest. Often we'd fall asleep on the couch with her sleeping on my chest, inside my shirt. It's so comforting. Though I was forced to slow down and relax (imagine that!), I appreciated it. Her head nestled between my breasts, I stroked her hair. As she relaxed and fell back asleep, her limp arms hung on either side of me. Aaaahhh. How I missed it! Eventually, I fell asleep too. Even though she tossed and turned later, and I got kicked a few times, it was a great nap!

Day 6 is about mental clutter. It's amazing how the universe told me to slow down and get rid of that mental clutter. Something as simple as a nap.

We also got rid of some physical clutter. We are now a one car family. Both DH and I grew up in Louisiana, where public transportation is laughable. And where I grew up, you drove by cow pastures daily. Cars were a necessity if you wanted to go anywhere. We sold DH's car to Carmax. It was relatively painless process. I know hubby is a bit sad as he does get more emotionally connected to his belongings that I do. He knows that we're saving so much money by eliminating the costs of owning 2 cars, but all the good memories are connected to his car.

I know that at first the idea of having to share a car feels limiting. However, I know that I am making room for magic! (Affirmation from The Next Chapter: Soul Coaching).

I've been busy preparing for Sophia's princess tea birthday party this Sunday. Usually I'd be baking/decorating the cake; making the favors; planning a fun menu. Well I knew I'd be working all weekend. I gave myself permission to purchase everything I needed for her birthday party: decorations, goodie bags, and cupcakes. If you know me, this is a big step! I get a bit ambitious when it comes to birthday parties.

Celebrate with me!

My birthday is Oct 8th! I'm celebrating all month with great specials!

I turn the BIG 3-0 in 2 weeks. Whew! I thought it'd never arrive. Hubby is planning a party for me. Usually I like to sneak around and figure out what he's planning, but this year, I'm not going to do that. I promise. Really. The curiosity won't kill me right?

So I'm starting the celebration early! TODAY only, Sept 30th, save 25% on your entire order from my website. That's right, your ENTIRE order! It's my birthday gift to you. But you have to order it before midnight Sept 30th! Use code BDAY when you check out.

The first 5 orders using this code will receive a free gift!

(The usual exclusions apply. Not valid with any other offers or specials. Not applicable for orders towards parties)