Introducing Mama Mimi!
image credit: #heatherlcreations
Exactly how long can I pin all my lateness, absences, and other assorted flakiness on sleep deprivation and child rearing? Because Mini Me and Mister Mini may just be to blame for this blog going radio silent for a wee bit…they are lucky they’re cute.
I remember announcing Mini Me’s birth over here and was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support. You have all always been right there with me as my life has changed. I can’t thank you enough for that. One of the joys of my life, other than becoming Mrs. Mimi, has been growing into being Mama Mimi.
Can we just talk about balance for a minute? As a teacher, I have been searching for personal/professional balance for about 150 years. Going to the gym on a regular basis has always seemed like this holy grail of having my act together and I never quite got there. And that was when I only had my classroom and a husband. I had no idea what truly unbalanced felt like. I mean, holy sh*t you guys, being a mommy and a teacher, blogger, or anything is like the hardest thing ever. Before Mini Me was born, I was all, “I’ve got this! I can blog on my iPad whilst nursing, making home-made baby food and lesson planning. Swish! Mrs. Mimi for the win” And then after Mini Me was born, I was all, “Wait. What blog? Am I supposed to shower and possibly scrape this spit up off my shirt already? It’s only 2 o’clock in the afternoon? Is it Wednesday?”
Yes, becoming a mother and maintaining my life as a teacher, blogger and generally awesome person was a bit of a cluster at first. Okay, maybe less of “at first” and more like for six years. But who’s counting? I can’t say that I’ve got this, but I definitely have more of a handle on it. Because every minute is valuable, I have been forced to create a clearer definition of what I need to feel like myself and to be happy. And the blog made the cut! Huzzah!
Despite trying to always be present with whatever is in front of me, my personal and professional lives have merged in many ways. I find that it is easier for me to relate to a wider range of teachers – teachers who are trying to balance crushing it in the classroom with crushing it at home. In the last six years, I also have come to view students differently. Now, I have always been in love with most of my little friends, but now I can’t help but look at each of them as someone else’s whole heart and man does that up the ante in the classroom.
On the flip side, my mommy friends know what I do and may have seen first hand my slight obsession with children’s books. They have asked for book lists, advice about reluctant readers, input about teachers and ideas for how to support their growing preschool readers. I’m thinking they are not alone and that maybe Mama Mimi needed to make a debut on the blog.
I know there are a million mommy bloggers out there and I promise not to #etsyfail shame you with stories of the homemade organic kale soup with flax seed super food topping that I made with my own hands before composting and up-cycling old book jackets. That’s not my style. I will share with you stories about the eternal quest for balance, our hilarious antics as growing readers, our favorite titles, ideas to try with your own minis and general fabulousness. (I have a story about smocks and cocks that will just…I mean…it’s good.) Stay tuned!!
Coffee for everyone!
Mama Mimi
JoAnne McLeod
So glad you’re back as Mama Mimi! I know you’ll have many insightful comments as a Mom….and I’ll be more than happy to help you make them! ❤️
Love you, Grandma Mimi