Mom Questionnaire: Stacy

Happy Monday!  Thought I would start the week off with another edition of the Mom Questionnaire instead of waiting til Thursday.  Call me crazy!


Stats:

Name:   Stacy Conder        Age (optional):  33             Number of kids: 2

What was the biggest surprise to you after having a child(ren)? The biggest surprise for me was probably how much the sleep-deprivation affected me. I knew I'd be tired a lot, but I didn't realize how much it would affect everything-- my short-term memory, my mood, my patience level, my appearance, everything. Unfortunately I just don't function well on less than 8 or 9 hours of sleep (I actually think I need about 10 to feel and look well-rested... if my husband lets me sleep in on a weekend, I can literally sleep until noon!!).

What would you say has been your worst parenting moment? There have been plenty, I'm sure, but there is one that sticks out in my mind. When my oldest son, Vincent, was about 3 months old-- it was my first day back to work, and I was very stressed out and emotional. I got him all bundled up and set him in his carseat while I got my work stuff together. I put him in the car and drove across town to his babysitter's house, and then when I went to get him out of the car, I realized that I had forgotten to strap him into his seat!! I burst into tears (and thanked God we made it there safely)...needless to say, it was not the best start to my return-to-work.

Your best? This may not count as a parenting moment, because I actually did not have kids yet, but an honest answer for this is the day I married my husband, Ed. (I know, it's really cheesy... but it's true!) He is such a hands-on dad, and is so great with our boys. He is my voice of reason when I'm neurotically freaking out about the virus going around at pre-school or what to do for one of the boys' birthday parties, etc. He really just enjoys every moment he spends with the kids, and it makes me enjoy them even more too.

Best parenting advice you have ever received? My mom told me recently that she would give anything to go back, even just for a week, to when my brother & sister & I were little... she said she was so busy trying to manage 3 young kids and work full-time that she didn't really stop to enjoy her time with us, and it's all a blur to her now. Her advice was basically every time you're tempted to say "no", say "yes" instead...to one more book, one more song, one more question... to enjoy my kids, and to try to spend quality time with them, every day. It's so easy to get wrapped up in catching up on housework, laundry, emails, or bills on the days I'm home from work, but they'll only be little for a short while. So I try to keep my focus on them as much as possible, reading books, playing hopscotch, or even just snuggling with them for a minute longer at bedtime.

What has changed the most about your personal style since having kids? I have somehow become okay with going to run errands without makeup, no shower, hair in a greasy ponytail. The pre-kid me would be horrified at this... I really should try harder.

What is your day-to-day beauty regimen? I use SPF 30 moisturizer every morning, and tretinoin (retinol) every other night, along with a good moisturizer at night. That's about it (again, it wouldn't kill me to try harder!!).

What is your favorite beauty product and why? Loreal Sublime self-tanner... I am naturally very, very, very pale and this self-tanner gives me a pretty natural looking tan year-round. I love it!

If you could have back one luxury from your pre-kids days what would it be? Sleep!! Lots and lots of it!

What is your favorite kid-friendly activity to do with your kids? Having playdates with my friends, whose kids are around the same age. Sometimes we'll meet at someone's house, or the pool, or a park, or even Carowinds. It's fun for me and the boys, win-win!

Your favorite thing about raising kids in Charlotte (or whatever city in which you live)? Being from Ohio originally, I love that we can be outdoors year round (for the most part). It's only way too hot or way too cold for a brief part of the year, and the rest of the time there are so many fun places to go in Charlotte-- strawberry-picking and walks on the Greenway in the spring, the Knights games and the YMCA pool in the summer, the Panthers games and the parks in the falls, and enjoying the occasional snowfall in the winter.

What word do you use way too much on any given day? "That's one." (We use the 1-2-3 Magic system for discipline- they get "that's one", then "that's two", and then it's time-out. Fortunately, they know by now not to go past "that's one" ...most of the time, anyway.)

Celebrity mom you can most see yourself hanging out with? Tina Fey. Based on my experience reading Bossypants, I would spend the entire time with her laughing outloud!

If you could have one super power that would help you be an even better mom what would it be? The ability to pause time, so I could catch a nap here and there. Seriously, I miss my sleep!!

Favorite part of being a mom? So many little things... every morning when Graham, my 2 year old, snuggles in my arms for a few minutes before he takes off and becomes a wild man... and every so often when Vincent, my 4 year old, says, out of the blue, "You're the coolest, Mommy" or "I love you so much Mommy"... those moments are just incredible:).