Blogging Break

Hi Friends!
I know we have been missing for a bit, please excuse the impromptu blogging break. The last few weeks have been a mix of fun, busy and challenging and before I knew it quite a bit of time had past since my last post.
We have gotten our house together and it officially hit the market on Sunday. After a whirlwind week of deep cleaning, pressuring washing, removing all window screens and bleaching all windows our house was photographed and hit the FMLS. We have shown it twice but with nothing to report, hopefully someone will fall in love with it soon.
Craig has taken the GMAT. My bladder and kidney have been giving me fits again and I have been battling one heck of bladder infection for the last two weeks. EJ has discovered he can climb on everything and has managed to have multiple near death experiences, well not really but in my eyes... terrifying.  He also has discovered the art of communication and has become very opinionated. In perfect EJ fashion, he decided to cut not one, not two but THREE molars all at once. Needless to say there has been lots of screaming, lots of temper tantrums and lots of stress on Momma. My mother has been here for a week dealing with brother issues and he is finally out of inpatient care. Only time will tell what the next step will entail we all are truly hoping for the best. And to round out these fun filled weeks the entire family, including my mom contracted the flu. Craig and I spent the better part of Sunday throwing up with chills and basically dying. It was no fun at all. So as you can tell life took over and we have been doing our best to just stay afloat. But, bear with me I plan to get it together this weekend and you just wait I will lots of fun things to share. Have a wonderful day and fall weekend!

EJ latest accessory... bowl hat. Watch out fashionistas he just may be starting a new trend!

Thankful on a Thursday.

Life has been busy lately. We seem to go from one place to another. Spending our days with one project after another to complete. And as each day passes by a little too quickly, I seem to feel more of a loss and less completion.

I am one more day away from babyhood turning toddlerhood. One day, the sight of me will not bring a huge grin and great big bear hug. One day, I will be boring old mom who doesn't get it. I will be uncool and will need to walk three steps behind him. My heart breaks a little for those days to come. I was reminded this week that these are the best days of my life. Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed with life, bills, toddlerhood that I swear it can't be true. But, if you take step back and look at the generations that have walk this road before the majority have nothing but fondness for these days. Yes, they have more money, more stability, and more things but there is always a special place in their heart for the memory of life as young family. Its bittersweet but I try to soak it in and remember that there will be a day I will miss this moment. Even yearn for it.

This week, I have tried to live in the day. Ignore the mess that is our bathroom. Ignore the disaster that is our laundry room. I have stayed home everyday and done a lot of nothing. I rediscovered my love for creativity, designing some labels and thought ahead to our holiday card. I took a nap because I was totally worn out from playing outside all morning with my kid.  We have had a family walk at the park the last three nights and they have been amazing. Craig enjoys the quiet and peace of the outdoors. I enjoy the togetherness of our family with no other distractions. I squashed my mild panic attack as it occurred to me that there is no way EJ will make his bedtime if we take a walk every night. Instead, I centered my focus on what really was important... that we were being active as a family, that we were together and that we ate healthy every night even it meant staying up an extra 30 minutes so I could cook. I overcame the urge every night to freak out that my precious schedule was being tampered with and just enjoyed us.

I snuggled with my husband instead of popping out of bed. I have just enjoyed my life this week.  We have laughed, we have made messes; we have just hung out. I am vowing to be better about staying still, being home and keeping my cleaning freak-outs minimal. Because I am so blessed.

This week I am thankful that I get to be a wife to a wonderful man, that I was blessed to be a Mom and that through thick and thin “our” little family is really all that matters.

Thankful on a Thursday is brought to you by The Outdoor Wife.

Check her out she is all kinds of inspiring.

The Wind Blown Look

Nothing like a morning boat ride to dry your hair in style.

Ouch

My poor little man is cutting 2 molars at once. We have a pacifier that has ridges on it and he spends all day rubbing it across his gums. It really is heartbreaking to watch him drool and chew on anything he can get his hand on to. Yesterday, I looked over and EJ had pulled a bookend off our book case and was chewing on it. Yes, the wooden bookend seemed to feel awesome on his hurting gums.

I have been trying to help him as much as I can with Infant Motrin and a number of frozen goodies. His favorite so far has been frozen blueberries. He ate almost a whole bag yesterday. As you can see from the pic, he needed a bath after he was done and lets just say the poo has been... well interesting.

I also have been making use of my frozen baby food that he will not eat anymore. Throw it into a mesh feeder and voila tasty, healthy teething toy. Today, I am letting him enjoy some frozen watermelon. I have heard the high water content of watermelon makes it a great frozen treat for teething.

What are your tried and true tricks? How do you keep the family sane and the pain at bay when the teething monster strikes?

A shift in priorities

I have been halfway participating in Blair's McFatty Monday for last 8 months. It hasn't really been working for me. Others have had quite the success stories and me, well, not so much. It is not all my fault. I screwed with my hormone stability after EJ's birth by inserting the Mirena IUD that was a really.bad.idea. I mean REALLY.BAD.IDEA.

I was wreck. I was certifiably batshitcrazy. I was miserable. I could not loose weight. In February, I wised up and removed the rod of Satan and things started slowly improving. Hormones can kick your butt. When I am jacked up on hormones I am a different person. No, seriously, I am. And guess what? I really do not like that person. I am short tempered. I hate my awesome husband for no reason and the worst side effect I am chubby. So let's just say I cannot wait until the last baby arrives and hubs gets sniped. He can whine all he wants. LA on hormones strains our marriage and I went through childbirth. We will not even discuss the months leading up to it. That's the least the men in our lives can do.

:: Steps off soapbox::

Regardless of the reason, I just have not been able to be successful in my attempts and that has been very discouraging and resulted in a lot of throwing in the towel.

Until today.

Until I watch the Doctors, a show I typically hate.

After watching a super healthy doctor eat a crappy diet with no exercise for 5 days and the affect it had on his body and mind something clicked. WOW, that is me.

My energy levels are not what the used to be.

I have a love/hate relationship with the greasy food I love. Hate the way I feel after said meal. Love the way it tastes so I go back for more. I used to be so healthy, so energetic, and so happy and care free.


Today, I am sleepy a lot. My skin has seen better days and life can stress me out in two point five seconds.

Yes, a lot has changed. I have child that I am responsible for. My job is at home now. Things have changed but my zest for life should be the same or greater and its just not.

So, today my priorities have changed, no more desperate attempts for scales to produce a certain number or for clothes to look a certain way. No more staring at old pictures and lusting after that flat, firm belly.

I am a Mother. I baked a baby for 10 months. I birthed him. I nursed him. I wear the armor of motherhood... loose skin, stretch marks, wider hips and not-so-perky boobs. But, I have a walking and talking product of my deep love for my husband. A child who stares back at me with my own eyes.

Instead of working towards a number, I am working towards health. A better blood pressure, an active life style and diet free of junk.

S0 what are your long term goals? How have your priorities changed?

All Smiles Here

My little guy is one resistant little boy. After days of whining, drooling, wanting nothing more than to cuddle and just all around unhappy, his fever broke.

Saturday we woke up to this...

A very happy and energetic little boy!

And he rest of the weekend he was back to his old self. 

Loving his food.

 

Playing outside.

 

And back to running. Lots and lots of running. 

The Plague

Today I am running on empty. I am tired, irritable and emotional. I cried while cooking breakfast and honestly did not even react when my kid pulled my hair. Its been one of those weeks.

EJ is sick for the first time ever. And really that is crazy. He is 14 1/2 months old. But, beside a few minor colds and an ear infection that we did not know he had, he has been perfectly healthy. And no, I am not a germ freak at.all. Y'all my kid eats dirt. I have no choice, get over germs or lose my mind.

See DIRT all around his mouth.

Until this week when he started running 102+ fevers. I get its a virus, it was bound to happen. But man am I tired. Emotional drained from worrying. Physically drained from a serious lack of sleep.

Welcome to Motherhood! I am sure the day that he wakes up in the middle of the night yakking everywhere and in my dazed state I find myself cleaning vom off the floor will be worse. But, for today, its the worst we have had and Momma is tired.

Sick or not, the kid is pretty darn adorable. Don't you think?

My very first Guest Blogging Appearance

CLICK HERE

Head on over to Life of a Sippy Cup Mom and I promise you will not be disappointed.

Thanks so much Sippy Cup Mom, I am so honored to be posting on your blog!

Ready... Set... GO!

Homework from my gal Jess

Have you visited Straight Talk with Jess? She runs, she is a lawyer, her daughter is a model in the making and after losing her momma to cancer she has a life mission to kick cancer to the curb. She hails from Texas and shares my love for all things music and cooking. Recently, she created a green chile recipe for a cooking contest at Whole Foods Austin.

The Green Chile Throwdow

Doesn't that look so good? This gal is awesome and I am pretty darn lucky to call her a friend.
Earlier this week she gave me a few questions to answer. Its been one of those weeks here in Atlanta so it took me a few days to get it knocked out. But, with further delay here ya go!


1. What is your favorite memory from High School?
It was a fall of our junior year, and the college crunch had begun. I had spent the better part of my life hearing SEC tales of football, parties and sororities from my parents and I couldn't be more excited to attend a state school in the South. Even though they went to Alabama, I had my sights set on checking out all the great schools and my first visit was to the University of Tennessee. My oldest, dearest and best friend's dad was an alum and he took us up for a football game. We toured the school, visited his frat house and went to the UT vs Bama football game. We sat right behind some of the football hostess. I decided then and there that I was going to Tennessee. I was going to rush and I was going to be a football hostess. All things that I accomplished. And let me tell ya it was a great experience.


2. What's your favorite thing to do with "me" time?
"Me" time is a work in progress. I forgot how to have it for a bit and was pretty obvious. I have learned the hard way that we can't be everything to everyone and that stopping and passing off the babe is very needed at times. Now that I have learned the magic of MDO, momma is finding time for herself. So far I have gotten a pedicure, walked Target with a Pumpkin Spice Latte (oh how I love fall) and sat in a completely silent room reading with coffee. I loved it all, a lot. So if I had to choose a favorite, I would say anything involving quiet, its pretty darn amazing.


3. What gets you through a crazy, stressful day?
One word- BEDTIME (and maybe a goblet glass of red wine ;) )
I just focus that the day will be over eventually and tomorrow brings a new day. And hopefully things will be better. They aren't always but eventually they are.

4. What is your favorite indulgence?
A Mani/Pedi. That hour and half makes me feel pretty, relaxed and human again. It is the best 40 bucks I spend every month.

SOO BIG!

Overnight EJ morphed from a baby boy to a little boy. There is no doubt that he is all boy either. He is covered in bumps, bruises, cuts and scrapes. I honestly don't know where half of them come from because he is one tough cookie. A scream only occurs if he knows I am watching or if it REALLY hurts.

The weather has cooled just enough that we can comfortably play outside again in the afternoons. And like most little boys, he is happiest when he is exploring the world. Yesterday, I grabbed the camera and snapped away as he was hanging out in our backyard.

So annoyed that focus is on the leaves.

Finally figured how to climb up the slide.

The blower provided quite a bit of fun.

This kid kills me, smiling at his reflection in the window.

Telling me all about something, I wish I knew what he was saying. It was very important.

Finally decided to just chill for a few minutes. EJ agrees this weather is amazing.