Coffee Break #29

Phew! February just flew by, and March is upon us already! I’m so glad to see more warm days on the weekly forecast, even if it means our impending move is inching closer and closer. In this month’s Coffee Break, I’m sharing a peek at our life with a more-than-fiesty 2 year old and reflecting on the role of Instagram for us content creators. So grab your favorite beverage and snack, and let’s catch up!

A Run for Our Money

Lest you think my home is always perfect, I want to present to you Exhibit A:

That is my beloved Wall Ruler. And I genuinely mean beloved. I waited years and years and years to make that project, and I just looooved how it turned out. It’s probably one of my favorite things I’ve ever made for our home.

But as you can see, it’s been given a few new “decorations” by our youngest boy, now every bit of 2.5 years old. And I did indeed shed real tears when I discovered his artistry (that was also spread to the wall, rug, lamp, and nearby couch).

Fun Fact! Getting marker (even washable marker) out of fabric and drywall is easy…raw wood, apparently, is a totally different story!

These days, writing on the walls seems a distant problem (although, now that I look at the picture, I think there are fresh additions since the original crime!); and Jack’s moved on to flooding bathroom sinks, dumping drinks and snacks at every turn, and getting out of bed over and over and over (despite every reasonable and safe “restraint” to keep him there). Our other two boys were never nearly as…ahem…”challenging, “naughty,” or “destructive,” especially in a way that brings about pure glee from said 2.5 year old!

More often than not, I find myself on a perpetual rollercoaster with Jack, experiencing exhilarating highs (when he learns to do or say something new) and very exasperating lows (when I discover why he was so quiet upstairs for 15 minutes straight). I oscillate between wanting to soak up every single snuggle, and just counting down the days until we no longer have a toddler in the house…sometimes so fast it gives me whiplash. Motherhood in a nutshell, right?

A lot of people talk about the difference between 2 and 3 kids…and for us, it wasn’t that big of a deal in the beginning. Logistically, I’m pretty good at juggling a lot of different things at once. But now that Jack is a toddler through-and-through (and enjoys nothing more than converting his 5 year old big brother to his cause), the chaos is quickly setting in and I am losing more and more control (and sanity!) by the day. (And as you’ve likely gleaned by now: I’m just a smidge particular and definitely like to be in control.)

So these days, I find myself being stretched growing as a Mom. Shame on me for thinking I mostly had it “figured out,” as every day at least one child presents something totally new and mostly unexpected. I know someday I will look back at my Wall Ruler (and this season!) and laugh, but right now…these boys, especially that little one, are giving me a good run for my money…and currently, they seem to be winning the race!

Oh…and about my Wall Ruler? Despite hours of trying to return it to its former glory, I’ve officially given up and will likely just flip it over and make a new one. Unless anyone knows a magic trick for getting marker out of raw wood???

Reflections on the ‘Gram

If you’ve tried to follow or heavily interact with me over on Instagram, you likely know that my presence there is fairly limited. Why? Because creating content, sharing, and interacting specifically for Instagram takes a crazy amount of time. A few years ago, I had to decide where to focus my resources as a one-woman show…and I quickly determined that Instagram wasn’t it! And although I felt firm and confident in this decision, it hasn’t been easy watching a lot of my fellow bloggers create tons of amazing content and cultivate really interactive, fun, inspiring communities over on “the ‘Gram.”

In complete honesty, I’ve struggled a lot with comparative and unhealthy thinking on this. And despite some genuine attempts to be more present there, the reality is I much more love sitting over a keyboard to share my thoughts (rather than talking into my phone for a Story or Reel); and I just couldn’t justify the amount of time it was drawing away from my larger blog/business goals. But it’s been a lonely position to take, especially when everything on Instagram feels so fun, fast, active, and exciting.

And then lately (finally!)…I’ve been seeing an ever-so-slight and really fascinating “shift” by some fellow bloggers. More and more are “getting real” about the amount of time Instagram takes, and how that time is disproportionate to the business they are trying to build. Certainly not for all, but for most creators, the content we put there serves Instagram more than it serves us (if you haven’t watched this documentary, it’s incredibly eye opening!) Some bloggers are even going as far as saying “enough!” and slowing/halting how much they give into the Insta-culture.

I’m not at all bringing this up to say “Nanny nanny boo boo, I was right not to give Instagram my soul.” But rather, seeing fellow bloggers openly talk about the time, frustration, and sanity they give to Instagram on on a daily basis makes me finally feel at peace with my presence (or lack there of) there. Yes, it’s scary to not do what you’re “supposed to” or what everyone else is doing for their businesses and their followings. But time and time again, you all have proven that you show up for me here…so as I talked about last month, I’m more committed, excited, and content than ever to be here for you 🙂

Ask Megan!

If there’s anything you’d love to see me chat about in future Coffee Breaks (e.g., military life, Mom life, blogger life, wife life, etc), drop them in the form below!

Please Note: There is no email address on this form, so if you ask a really specific questions about a product or post, I can’t get back to you. Please leave those kinds of questions in the Comments area, and use the form below for broad topics or questions you’d love to see me cover in depth…Thanks!