Sara Sitch online

The past few months have brought lots of changes and we have been on the go a lot. Maybe that’s why Charlie’s favorite saying right now is “Open Door Go!”. He says it as soon as he wakes up, repeats it all day, and then says it before going to bed. Will is trying to figure out a way to get him to stop without emotionally scarring him, and I think it’s adorable.

It’s a good symbol for our lives. Maybe my little Charlie needs some more down time, or maybe he just loves to be on the go, outside, exploring the world around him. Will bought him a new pair of shoes with flashing lights and cars on them, and now we can’t get him out of the shoes. He races from one end of the house to the other, yelling “Open Door Go!”.

It does make me think about how busy we all are, though. Thankfully, Will’s work has calmed down a bit and he’s not traveling as much. But, as his slowed down, mine sped up, and it looks like it will continue to be busy for quite some time. I think I need to buy myself some new shoes with flashing lights and get ready to open a few doors and GO!

Hello! It’s been a long time since my last post (over a year!), but I’m back at it and am hoping to write more regularly. I have some excuses for being so behind, including having a second baby, going back to work, and becoming a mom, but who needs to go through all that? Let’s just start again.

One thing I’ve realized lately about myself is that I am much happier when I have a schedule. I gave birth to Miles at the beginning of June, and took a full three months off.

It was wonderful to be home with my boys and to spend some time making sure that they were happy and healthy.

But now that the autumn air has arrived, and I’m back at work, I feel so invigorated.  September has never lost its charm—chill mornings and warm afternoons, leaves starting to change colors. It’s a wonderful time of year!

So, now that I’m back at it with two little ones on my hips, I’m trying to relearn the balancing act of the circus woman I became last spring and to learn some new tricks of the trade as well.

The most important things seem to be (so far):

It’s OK if we’re dirty. I would rather skip the occasional bath or tooth brushing session to have more play time when we’re all together.

Bedtime on time (including me and Will). There are many fewer tears and tantrums from all of us if we prioritize getting our zzz’s.

Don’t put off what can be done today to tomorrow. Nap times are a great time to get email, cooking, and cleaning done.

Shop with one or none. Do NOT attempt to take both boys to the store unless one or both are sleeping.

And, most importantly, Let the little things go. It might drive me crazy to have a messy house day in and day out, but if I take a deep breath and remember what’s most important, I might not find myself compulsively cleaning the grout…or at least, not as frequently. And, socks are much cuter when they don’t match!

We had a very busy weekend with Will’s graduation from UC-Davis. He is now officially finished with school.

We’ve all been working toward this moment for the past three years, so I want to say CONGRATULATIONS!

Here’s a shot of the three of us on the big day:

Of course, as soon as the weekend was over, Will got a cold.

I can’t think of a time during college that I didn’t get sick over winter break, but I don’t ever remember being sick during finals. Our bodies must have some way of knowing that the pending illness can be pushed off until the stress in our lives is over.

And with that, I’m so glad that Will’s cold is here, because it means we can all relax and enjoy some stress-free moments away from school!

One of my friends asked me what I want for Charlie when he grows up. I couldn’t think of anything too compelling at the time, but we just finished a retreat for my work where we discussed our mission, goals, and accomplishments.

It was good stuff, and it made me think that I should probably spend some time doing the same for my life.  So, here goes. Charlie, when you grow up, I want you to know these things.

Rules to Live By:

1. Be Generous of Heart—show compassion, have empathy and be kind

2. Do the Hardest Thing First–be proactive and productive

3. Forgive and Move On

4. Be Content, but Strive for the Best

5. Take Care of Yourself—your body, mind, and spirit

6. Don’t Keep Track—there’s no need for comparison

7. Focus on the Good in All

It might be a little over the top, but I hope I can refer to these from time to time to stay focused on what I believe is important. And I hope, someday, Charlie will make his own list of rules that he strives toward.