Simple Joys of the Week, January 27th Edition

Another full + crazy week, huh?

I said it last week and I'll say it again now: while it's *very* important to stay informed and involved with politics + what's going on in our country right now (eek!), I'm finding that it's also bringing up a lot of emotions for a lot of people, and our days have become much more filled with anxiety, anger, fear, frustration, etc., so I think it's even more important to reflect on all of the gifts in your life and the little things that bring you joy each day. 

Thus with that, here are a few of the simple, sensory pleasures that brought me happiness over the past week: ​

HEAR: "You Were Meant for Me" by Jewel (#FlashbackFriday!)
Last night when I got in my car after teaching, this song was playing on the radio. I had completely forgotten about it but was excited to realize that I still knew all of the words even though the song came out over 20 years ago (OMG!!!! Am I that old!?!?). If you, too, want a blast from the past, you can listen + watch the old music video here. 

SEE: "The Default Parent" Article
If you are a parent, you should stop what you're doing and read this article right now. I came across it a few weeks ago and LOVED it, but then re-read it this week when sending it out to some friends and thought I should share with all of you, too. If you're feeling totally overwhelmed by all that you do in your family, this article is for you. If nothing else, it will make you laugh ;) 

TASTE: Whole Foods 365 Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
I don't know if this needs much explanation; Ben brought this ice cream home last weekend and it was DELICIOUS. As a side note, this is the first January in quite a few years where I have not done my usual sugar detox; I decided to be gentle with myself  this year because life with a baby is hard and I've been enjoying my little indulgences. Sitting down to eat a bowl of this ice cream after I finally got Charlie Mae to sleep on Sunday night was quite the treat. 

SMELL: Loose Leaf Tea from The Coffee & Tea Exchange
My BFF Kelly gave me an amazing selection of loose-leaf teas from this Chicago tea shop for Christmas, and I am LOVING them. Not only do they taste wonderful (and look so pretty!), but these teas also have an incredible aroma. Every time I catch a whiff of one of them in the kitchen it's like a fun little party for my nose ;) 

TOUCH: Merlin's Magic Sleepsuit
When Charlie Mae first entered the 4-month sleep regression back at 3.5 months (argh, we've been dealing with this for so long now!), my friend Jessica recommended trying out this Sleepsuit, which she raved about. When we were ready to transition Charlie Mae out of her swaddle we moved her right into this suit, and it has been a godsend. She wears it for all of her naps and every night and I am *SO* thankful for it. No, she's not a perfect sleeper now and we're still working through things, but it has DEFINITELY helped. 

And of course, I think it goes without saying, but there were tons of Charlie Mae-related SJOTW this week, too. For instance, watching her sit up on her own for the first time [wobbly, but she did it!], the noises she's been making, our cuddles, celebrating 5 months of her life on Tuesday, I could go on and on...

Similarly, last weekend's Women's March festivities were also a big SJOTW for me, but since I already talked about that, I thought I'd leave it off of this list ;) 

So there you go! I hope you can find some time to reflect on your week today, as well. 

Have a lovely weekend full of simple pleasures!