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"mom, they are snowballs for mice! (about a hail storm)"

- rex, age 4

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Posts Tagged ‘dig this chick’

Mama Digs: my red lips

Wow, I am impressed. You have lipstick on and everything.

This is what my neighbor said to me as I was walking down my sidewalk the other day. My daughters and I had quickly and desperately exited the house because, in the company of two cranky babies, this mama needed to get OUT. I put on lipstick before I tossed hats on my kids and entered fresh air.

Yes, I have to. This is how I replied to my neighbor. It shocked me as I said it. Then she asked me if I felt naked without it. I wondered what she meant by the and everything in her original observation. I said, No no. It’s not that I really have to…and as I was joking about and defending my red lips I realized that my red lips have a bigger purpose than just adding some color to my face.
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Posted in Mama Digs, Stories on Monday, March 15th, 2010 | 4 Comments »

Mama Digs: Ain’t Nothin’ Gonna Break My Stride

Nici Holt Cline

I have been running with my two kids. Oofta it is hard but I enjoy this challenge that looks a lot like my overarching challenge as a mama of two: it’s all about a sliver of time, an alignment of stars and getting on it, putting one foot in front of another, before it passes. Sometimes the opportunity isn’t convenient but when the opportunity is there, it is only right then.

Mamalode Missoula, Nici Holt Cline, Mama Digs

Get on it. And then soak up the subsequent empowerment that it, whatever it is, can be done.

Going for a run is not organic and whimsical like it used to be. It requires the skilled precision, practice and focus of, say, a sniper or an Olympic athlete.

I have a 9-11:30am window, after breakfast, during Ruby’s nap but before Margot’s nap. It can’t be too close to my toddler’s naptime because if she falls asleep, she won’t stay asleep. It can’t be too early because it’s cold, Ruby’s not tired and I haven’t had enough coffee.
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Posted in Mama Digs, Stories on Monday, February 22nd, 2010 | 11 Comments »

Mama digs: Good Stuff

By Nici Holt Cline

When my husband and I decided to have kids, I was nervous about all the STUFF that seemed to unavoidably come with them. I feared a yard peppered with plastic toys and a living room where exersaucers replaced end tables. I dreaded a diaper bag that necessitated I do the hokey pokey to fit through a doorway.

It’s because I like space between objects in my home and it’s because I didn’t want to quadruple my annual consumption of fossil fuels. It’s also because I didn’t think we needed all that snaz. I am by no means a minimalist but I do like to live simply. I thought to myself and eventually said out loud that my kids would be perfectly happy with yogurt lids, wooden spoons and hand-me-downs.

I never imagined I’d make a special trip to Target to get my two year-old a brand new, shiny pink laptop that talks. But that is exactly what happened last week. And I was so excited to do it.

Mamalode Missoula, Nici Holt Cline, Mama Digs

A shift occurred in me as my kid grew into herself and decided what she liked all on her own. I wanted, with all of my heart, to give her dinosaur bath toys. I stayed up too late to sew her a plush duck. And when I happened upon an Elmo doll at Goodwill I was giddy like I had discovered a hundred dollar bill in my pocket.
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Posted in Mama Digs, Stories on Monday, February 15th, 2010 | 7 Comments »

Mama Digs: Ruby Jane’s Birth Story

By Nici Holt Cline

Ruby’s unexpected stay in the hospital pushed her birthday into distant memory. But it wasn’t that long ago and a day worth celebrating even more now. Girlfriend needs her birth story written.

12/14/09

Dear Ruby,

It is a very snowy, very dark morning. You are three weeks old. You are asleep next to me on an industrial table in the pediatric ICU. We’ve been here for 11 days. And, guess what? Today you are no longer an intensive care patient and they are bringing in a bassinet. You are about to go home. To your home. Not today but soon. I hope by Margot’s birthday (I not-so-secretly hope it will be tomorrow but everyone is just so cautious with what they promise around here). Right now you are on .5 liters of 30% oxygen and breathing 41 breaths per minute. Three days ago you were on 8 liters of 50% oxygen and breathing 130 breaths per minute.

Your plight, your fight has inspired a world of people, including me. I love you so deeply and I just can’t wait to see how you insert yourself into this life.

1/1/10

Dear Ruby,

You did indeed go home the very next day and home, or close to it, is where we have been since around 1pm on December 15. There are intense feelings and fears we are working through as a family but, on the whole, we are whole. Cheers to 2010 little girl. Love you so.

:: :: ::

A crazy alignment of stars allowed me to attend an all day mama retreat on Saturday, November 21. I spent the day with 12 incredible women doing yoga, making art, meditating, writing and dancing. We danced to beautiful African inspired rhythms and it culminated in a magic four minutes when my 200 pound body jumped around to Justin Timberlake and Madonna. When I was leaving, my dear friend, Jennifer, turned to me and said, if Justin and Madonna don’t make you have this baby tonight…
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Posted in Mama Digs, Stories on Monday, January 4th, 2010 | 10 Comments »

Mama digs: Making a duck for my girl

By Nici Holt Cline

Margot has grown a bit indifferent (only a bit. still rockin’ the obsession with elmo panties.) to elmo and has been toting around this bowling pin-shaped duck for more than a month. It is from her daycare and it was finally gifted to her because none of the other kids had a chance to hold it anyway, nor were they interested. And, then, we lost the duck and I thought, eh, she’ll be fine. And I was wrong. She has had daily mourning sessions over the duck. Mama, where’d ducky go? as the entire household looks under couches and beds, behind doors and outside.

So, I googled ‘bowling pin duck’ and ‘bowling pin stuffed duck’ (got some weird results) and finally hit the jackpot with ‘bowling pin plush animal’. After a Saturday night trip to the fabric store to get some extra special, super soft duck fabric, I sat in my studio late night and made my bug a new duck. I slipped into her room at 11p to place the duck next to her so she’d wake with the surprise and, to my surprise, she woke up. This never happens as Margot sleeps hard. But she was all groggy and trying to figure out what was going on with her crazy, nine-month pregnant mama hovering over her bed clutching a duck. Is this the ducky fairy?, I imagine she was thinking.

why_niki_duck1

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Posted in Mama Digs, Stories on Monday, November 16th, 2009 | 2 Comments »