Three Happinesses: What made you happy this week?

It’s easy to focus on the negatives of motherhood–the exhaustion, the terrible twos, the constantly repeating yourself and never feeling heard. When I first began blogging, I had a tendency to focus on moments of discontent. By doing so, I turned my attention from the moments of happiness and instead focused on the negatives. But the thing about parenting is that it’s a gift. And while it certainly comes equipped with a variety of ups and downs, I no longer want to live in a place of negativity. There’s just too much joy I’d miss out on.

So, today I am starting a new Friday feature: three happinesses. Each week I will share three things that have brought me happiness throughout the week. Some will be moments. Others may be places or even products. They may be totally unrelated other than the fact that they brought a smile into my week. The point is to celebrate the little things and find joy in the normal. And, since I’m a wordsmith by trade, I decided to craft my own word to describe these three things that brought me joy, contentment and smiles…let’s call them happinesses. I hope you’ll join with me in reflecting on the positives of your week and letting the negatives fall by the wayside for a moment.

Without further ado, here are my three favorites for this week:

Out of Print Clothing

As you may know, Unexpectant began as a book project. Over the last few years, we have been collecting real women’s stories, advice, tips and true tales of motherhood. This past week, I began digging into all those stories and writing the book. This is an exciting moment and we are so grateful for all who have so willingly shared your stories with us over the years. Thanks to a village of support, I was able to spend the week focusing and typing away. And, to get in the writerly mood, I donned one of my favorite T-shirts: Out of Print Clothing’s “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” v-neck. Not only is “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” one of my all-time favorite books, but the shirt is supper soft and comfy. The company features a variety of classic literature (“Pride and Prejudice,” “The Great Gatsby,” “1984,” “Alice in Wonderland,” etc.) on their shirts. I can’t wait to get more!

TOMS Ballet Flats

I love companies with a purpose. I’ve been a fan of TOMS since I heard company founder Blake Mycoskie speak at a leadership conference a few years ago. For Christmas, I received these Ballet Flats (cute and sparkly!). I absolutely love them, but the Northern Indiana winter has not allowed for many opportunities to actually wear them. This week, the temperatures actually rose to above freezing (a cause to celebrate, in and of itself). I took that opportunity to dust off the flats. Even though there was still some unmelted snow on the ground, I couldn’t wait any longer.

Milestones

One of the best parts of parenting is experiencing milestones through your child’s eyes. Whether it’s the first kicks during pregnancy or the first coos of newborns or the first steps of toddlerhood, there are moments that when we take the time to stop and notice, we will find joy in something so everyday, yet so momentous. This week our two-year-old reached a new milestone: the big girl bed. The best part was seeing her joy and the pride that came after her first successful nap time. Even though it doesn’t always seem like it, these early years do go quickly. Don’t miss them.

Now, I want to hear from you. What have been your three favorite moments/places/things from your week? If you’re a blogger, feel free to leave a link to your own favorites list.

Special thanks to Amy Clark of MomAdvice.com for inspiring this new feature.

Have you followed me on Pinterest yet? Connect with me over there! And find me on Instagram where my stream is flooded with happinesses each day.

{Please note, there are affiliate links in this post, but rest assured, I only recommend what I truly like. I appreciate your support in helping make this website and all our efforts possible!}