No offense to male readers or my husband, but I am about to generalize all men based on my observations of one. Ready? Here goes.

Men can’t handle sickness like women can.

There. My unfair statement of the year. As I write this, I holler to Brett in the kitchen, “Do you care if I write about how you suck at handling sickness?”

Long Pause.

Him: “Sure.” Because Brutha knows what’s true.

Needless to say, our house is a hot mess of stomach flu germs right now. I’ll spare you the gnarly details, but the middle of the night last night was a disaster–Nella waking up to nurse at the same time Lainey lunged to puke, Brett moaning with body aches and then–kid you not–Brandyn flinging open a door with a towel to his face and the flu evidence all over the floor. All at the same time.

I hate when my kids are sick, but I’ll tell you what–there’s something about the vulnerability of kids not feeling well that demands the most beautiful moments of motherhood. I take it as an opportunity for a brilliant performance, as tired as I may be. Because there is no other option. They need me, simple as that. I am the only one who can fix it. And so I’m on–aware, awake and ready to deliver the kind of care that will sear memories of precious maternal moments for my girls.

So, there we were last night at two in the morning, Nella nursing on one side while Lainey moaned in my other arm, and a pile of sheets that needed to be washed at my feet. I smiled and whispered that it was going to be okay, that it would be over soon, that I was right here and I wasn’t going anywhere. Brett looked at me helplessly, ignoring his own body aches for a moment as if he could help.

I smiled. “Go, Babe. I got this.”

Patting myself on the back? Hell yeah, I am. So much it was actually the first thing I said to Brett this morning. I annoyingly fished for a compliment. “Dude, how good can I do the sick kid thing?”

“This is true,” he confessed. “You got it down, Babe.”

And I guess, for all the times in this parenthood thing we don’t feel like we really know what we’re doing, there are these glorious moments like last night when you just feel like you were born to do this. Like your love for your kids gives you some sort of special powers, and you know you feel it–the super human strength of a mother’s love. For the record, when those moments come, it’s totally okay to brag about them.

So I did.

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A precious moment today during physical therapy…Nella was just too tired to finish her session, so she fell asleep in Jonah’s arms instead.

All that commotion last night, and Sister didn’t get a good night’s sleep.

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Friday Photo Dump:

Friday Phone Dump photos are taken on the Instagram iPhone app (free) and dropped into a 12×12 collage using a photo editing software (Photoshop Elements works). I am “etst” on Instagram if you want to follow the feed.

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On to some matters of business.

First, my friend Nici–the one I traveled across the country to meet last year–well, she has a lovely blog that many of you read. Long story short, she lost her URL due to an expired credit card stored in GoDaddy’s registry. She tried to buy it back and instead, they auctioned it off to someone who is trying to sell it for nearly $5000 which she, of course, is not paying. So, Word, dig this chick has a new URL.

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Next…

$154,000, Dude. Seriously. Heart swells. This is amazing stuff, and I know it’s not over. Thank you. Keep it rolling, and I’ll be back next week with more sentiments on 2 for 2.

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I so enjoyed reading your comments of your chosen words for the year and found myself shaking my head to so many of them. Yes, breathe; yes, laugh; yes, adventure!

The Bloom galley copy giveaway winners are:

Comment #1411, Emily: my word for this year is present. i want to focus on being more present with my girls when i’m with them.
thrilled to read your book!!

Comment #1992, andrijoy: My goal is continued gratitude. When one gives thanks each day, happiness follows and others feel renewed by your peace. I am currently grateful for my son, Wes. He is not here yet, but he has already taught my husband and I so much about love, humility, gratitude and grace. We are one of the lucky few who have also won those designer genes just like Nella. I am lucky beyond words to be given such a wonderful gift. I look forward to reading your book.
XOXO

Comment #28, Cynthia: Oh my goodness! I would just looove a galley copy! How fun that your book will be here for all to see so soon?
My word for this year? Generosity.
A general reminder to do even more in all my relationships 🙂

Congratulations! Please e-mail your mailing address to kellehamptonblog@comcast.net with the subject line “GALLEY WINNER,” and your signed book will soon be in the mail!

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Our new sponsor joining this month happens to have a valuable tool I could use right now–organization, peace of mind, schedule streamlining. Introducing, Hatchedit.com, a mobile whiteboard for families to keep track of their personal lives through calendars, blog/news feeds, group chatting, address books, etc.–ALL IN ONE PLACE. Hatchedit.com membership is free, and schedules can be managed from any computer as well as both Android and iPhone apps. Become the CEO of your family, and simplify your life by letting Hatchedit.com do the scheduling and reminders for you.

Check them out, sign up!

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Last but not least. I finally finished Nella’s Second Year Book. I get a lot of questions about these books. I make them for each of my girls’ birthdays, and the creation is a long and gradual process. While it looks like tons of work, I make these spreads throughout the entire year. I wake up before everyone else a couple Saturday mornings a month, get my coffee and head to the office where I’ll work on these books for an hour or so. I do it because I love it, and the product happens to make my girls very happy too. I order my books through Shutterfly (100 page, hard bound book–they’ve lasted great), and I create all of my own 12 x 12 spreads in my old Microsoft Digital Image Suite standby.

Click here to see the book.

I’m hoping for a puke free night. That would be nice. But if not…
…I got this.

Last week’s return home initiated a jolting change of pace. I hate to say it, but I’m busy. The last few nights, I’ve debated whether to stay up and knock things off my list or head to bed to make me clear-headed for tomorrow. Sleep usually wins, and I thank myself the next morning.

There are a lot of projects on my plate right now, but they are all important. They make me happy, and I’m not willing to give any of them up. I have learned so many times before not to stress–everything always works out. Jobs get finished, things get done.

Yesterday was nuts. The to-do list on the side of my keyboard began with a bulleted list and grew by the hour with scribbled add-ons and reminder notes. And so I did the only thing I knew to do–I walked away to spend an hour with my kids, the most effective motivation stimulant I know.

We took an afternoon bubble bath.

Followed by a walk to the mountains.

That one hour–that renewing break of stepping away from the list and into what matters most–replenished my balance and settled my uneasiness. Sometimes that’s all it takes.

Lainey’s been “babysitting” Poppa’s puppy, and it hasn’t left her arms in two days.

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We are once again humbled and inspired by the momentum of generosity for Nella’s 2 for 2 Fund. Thank you, sincerely, for your comments, for sharing, for giving. We (you!) raised $20,000 in 24 hours. Less than two weeks to go…let’s keep it moving.

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And finally, a fun Thursday giveaway. I have a few galley copies left of Bloom. What’s a galley, you ask? A galley is a pre-publication press copy that gets printed before a book’s final edits and release. It’s not as pretty as the real thing (the hardback “real” book will have over 100 full color photos printed throughout), but it’s the story which is the most important part.

Three commenters on this post will be mailed a galley copy of Bloom: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected, and I’ll write a little note in it for you. Nella read through it and approved it for release, so we’re all good now. It’s a go.

Pre-order a copy of Bloom at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound or Books A Million.

We did this last year and I loved it, so tell me…if you had to focus on one word for 2012, what would it be?

Mine? Contentment. No matter what we are doing, how busy we are, what we have or don’t have…I will be content in the moment.

I did a lot of writing this weekend. Enough that I want to step away from structure and focus and just fall into a heap on my favorite stream-of-consciousness pillow.
Which is exactly what I think I’ll do.

There’s this thing I discovered tonight that rocked my world. It’s the “Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong” station on Pandora. Lawd, I done lost my jazz-lovin’ mind. Five seconds into Dream a Little Dream of Me and suddenly my pajamas transformed into a slinky black dress, my bun into pin curls, and my lukewarm beer into an Old Fashioned. All of this is a fantasy of mine. I’m thinking theme party someday.

Changing subjects.

Since Friday, I’ve spent most of my time like this:

Nella got my flu bug Friday night, recovered by Saturday night, and then backslid even worse into Fluville again last night and slept/whimpered/clung to me all day today.

Then, out of nowhere, the veil lifted late tonight. She raised her head off my chest, smiled and said “Yeah!” And then she ate a bowl of popcorn, and we cheered “She’s back!”

Which is fantastic. I missed her spirit.

While she was sick, Brett and I alternated single child care so that we both spent some rare quality time with just one. My just one time with Lainey last night had us heading to the beach, an excursion I’ve been craving since returning from its Michigan contrast.

I miss the snow but really, this isn’t so bad.

An African drum group circled in the sand and beat out this enchanting rhythm that not only transformed the sunset into even more of a spirtual experience but called to all the bikini wearin’ girls like the sirens so that, by the time the sun hit the horizon, there was all sorts of crazy going on. And by that, I mean gyrating bouncing breasts. I spared you the photo.

I begged Lainey to dance with me–maybe not the breast bouncing kind, but I at least wanted to give the African thing our best shot. When in Rome, you know? I barely put my hands in the air and threw a hip out there, and she yanked my arm and loudly whispered, “Please stop dancing.” I feel this is only the beginning of mother-embarrasses-child moments.

Little Child has much to learn. Little Child must learn to dance. I will teach her.

The full moon was obviously a’comin, because African drum dances weren’t the only beach entertainment. There were sunset hula hoopers too.

We reigned it in with a rainbow sherbet/strawberry cone toast at the Beach Store post sunset.

And today? Well, it called for paper boat sailing.

We started fancy–me impressing my child with my boat-making skills and upping the ante with my brilliant idea to shove a bamboo skewer in the sail and add some flashy tape to jazz it up. For a moment, she forgave me for busting a move on the beach.

But my relationship with physics pretty much blows, and between the thin paper, the bamboo skewer, all that tape and the fact that I failed to plan this out–well, let’s just say the boat never made it out. It tipped and sunk.

We’re determined though. We talked it out and redrew our plans. We went for simple and streamlined with just a touch of added flair in Lainey’s handcut orange sail. It worked.

The ugly ducks applauded.

The remainder of the weekend was spent enjoying periods when Nella felt good, when the sky was vivid and locals posted versions of “what a beautiful day” all over their Facebook walls.

‘Tis true. It was lovely.

The last of our Christmas decorations have been packed up, and I am feeling invigorated to clean, upturn, throw away and rearrange. Finally, things feel back to normal, minus a half-unpacked suitcase.

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Welcoming the first of this year’s sponsors, returning sponsor Dashing Bee. Dashing Bee is an online consignment store, offering inexpensive, gently used items from clothing and toys to baby gear and room decor. The store is well-stocked, continually updated, and navigating through their merchandise is a breeze. Before you spend top dollar for big items like bikes and strollers or smaller items like new shoes, dance wear or a dress for that upcoming birthday party, check out Dashing Bee.

All of the above items are currently for sale on the site.

Use Code DASHING5 for 5% off your order.

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Tomorrow, I will return with a special post in honor of a sweet girl’s upcoming birthday.

Happy Monday, Y’all!