Good morning and happy freaking FRIDAY!

We’ve almost made it through another week.

This morning’s wakeup call was at 4am. I’m not mad about it.

It beats the 1–2am wakeup calls (and refusals to go back to sleep) that have been happening over the past couple of days. And he fell back asleep after he so graciously woke me up.

Which is fine by me. Because I got enough rest AND I get some time alone this morning.

4am wakeups, I can do.

I become a monster if it’s any earlier.

Thank you – the most – for all the kind messages and love sent my way these past few days. Yesterday, while Ishu was with Bella, I got a shit ton of stuff done for work. (The district I work with has been recovering from some severe flooding and we’re trying to reschedule all the canceled meetings and put pieces back together even though families are displaced and a whole school building is wiped out).

That really helped ease the overwhelming feeling I’ve been carrying around the past couple days.

And then, when I tied loose ends and mapped out my work day for today, Ishu and I spent some time outside since the temps were in the high 40s/low 50s.

We stayed out until the sun went down. The time spent outdoors really helped the happy hormones come out (made even happier by sufficient sleep last night, WAHOO).

One of my friends said, “the best and worst thing about parenting is that everything is a phase.” And, well, that’s exactly right. I know we’ll get through the sleepy days. I know we’ll fall back into a routine. AND I know we will, inevitably, mess it up again and have some hard days in the future.

But, reminding myself that it’s all temporary is helpful. I’ve gotten through harder days before and can get through them again.

Now, just for funsies, here’s a photo of Ishu at the Navy Pier last night.

We were walking toward the bathroom to change his diaper. And then out comes this mama and toddler in her “beep-beep car.” Ishu walked up to her and tried to push the car’s horn. She poked his tummy and then scrambled out of the car to give him a turn. And then proceeded to push him around the pavilion.

I just love children.

And watching their developing social skills.

It makes me wish we could all live a little like toddlers. Just do the things you want to do, feel the things you wanna feel, and frolic around in onesies.

Hope you’re all channeling your inner toddler today. Enjoy the weekend!