7/52

Week 7: Celebrating Stella's fourth birthday.

"Portraits of my children once a week, every week, in 2014."

6/52

Week 6: Stella completed a 100 piece puzzle on her own. Lucía's eyes.

"Portraits of my children once a week, every week, in 2014."

Seeking inspiration

This afternoon I was thinking of how uninspired I’ve been lately, blaming most of it on the harsh winter. In the twelve years since I returned to New York, I don’t remember it being this cold for so long. I’ve stayed mostly indoors and I’m starting to lose it; and just when I decide that it is time for the girls to get out, another snow stormed has been announced. 

I keep blaming the weather for my lack of motivation. I feel that, lately, I've been failing as a parent by not being as creative as I should be with the girls' activities. My mind has been wandering about too many places and issues without really focusing on the small, yet important stuff. My daughter has been asking me for two days to play ‘restaurant’ with her and somehow other things get in the way and we end up postponing it for the next day. It's not that I have neglected them completely (I do read with them, complete puzzles, play games and paint), but I know that I could do better and focus a hundred percent on them while we're together, instead of thinking of five other things at the same time. I also have a cold and it's not helping.

I was just reading a post about struggling to move forward and focus on solutions, doing whatever is necessary for our kids and I thought, why am I stuck in such unproductive and negative place? Why am I not focusing on solutions, on being a better parent?  It’s time to shake off the negativity and create a schedule, come up with new games and activities to do with the girls. After all, it is my luck that I get to be with them all day and I know this won’t last. Soon I'll be working again and will then be wishing to be here, stuck at home with my girls because it’s too cold to go anywhere and we don’t have a good enough reason to get out of our pj's. Instead of waiting for it, I need to start seeking inspiration, or rather, open my eyes to the possibilities that lie within the everyday.

5/52

Week 5

"Portraits of my children once a week, every week, in 2014."