how to fail while really trying not to...

Things at which I REALLY suck:

1) Blogging
2) Commenting on blogs
3) Just saying "no" to double stuff oreos.


HI, friends!! How are ya? Long time, no read?

Yea. I've discovered that when you think you can "do it all?" You really kinda can't. Not sure why it has taken me so long to figure out that one person cannot do everything and be successful at anything. But... lesson has been painfully learned a lot the past few months.

Updates?

1) The baby is HUGE. Gigantic. Enormous. A real live person. She took her first unassisted steps in August while we were in Destin (she was about 13 months) but it took her until the past 2 weeks to really decide walking is what the cool kids are doing. She has gotten pretty good! Her personality is just busting out at the seams, too. This child is FUNNY and knows how to work it. She blows kisses, waves and climbs anything that will stay still long enough. The girl is ornery and in to EVERYTHING. She says "hi, mama, dada, play, ball, milk, night night and lovey." Her tummy seems to be getting better but I still find that any hard core cow's milk products like milk, butter or cheese just aren't tolerated well. I went mean mommy and quit the formula cold turkey this week. I'm just sick of buying it! But she's eating enough solid food and doing pretty well with soymilk and soy yogurt, so I think she's ready. She is still a skinny little peanut, weighed in at just shy of 21 lbs at her last sick visit but she's definitely TALL for her age. I have to buy 18 mo size shirts and onesies for length but she seems ok in 12 mo size pants. Any bigger and she is SWIMMING in them. She has a mouthful of teeth and every single one was PAINFUL for us all as they made their entrance. I cannot believe she is already 14 months old! She and her big sister are BFFE. I'm watching them pull every shoe they own out of the closet as I type.

2) Little L is not so very little anymore. She is fully every inch of 3.5 years old. The girl just never stops talking. She has SO MUCH to say. Most of the time it is nice, funny, witty or insightful things. I'm beginning to notice, though, that she is also coming out with some not so nice things. We are ever learning and changing and dealing with this, though. She also tells MANY tall tales and crazy stories but she is incredibly smart. Learning to deal with the fact that she is smart enough to lie to me now is taking some patience on my part! Her heart is so sweet, though. So very sweet. She is doing great in mother's day out and she comes home with lots of stories. We also enrolled her in a tap, ballet and tumbling class once a week and she seems to love it so far, too. She took her flumist like a big girl with no drama this year. She is wearing size 4 GIRLS or XS (no more toddler clothes!!!) and size 10 in little kid's shoes. Her favorite movies right now are LiloandStitch and The LittleMermaid (both of which I watch at least 100 times a week) and she is just obsessed with barbie dolls, princesses and ponies. Bedtime has turned in to a real headache and she rarely takes naps anymore. The child eats enough snacks to be a teenage boy but picks at her food at meals and then asks for strawberry ice cream and candy every single day. The past month she has been saying "I want it for CRISSMASS, MOMMY PLEASE" to every toy advertisement and catalog that has crossed our steps. The child is a MASTER at bargaining. She picks out her own clothes every day (usually a dress) and asks to wear her dance clothes and tap shoes almost every morning. I have not seen her suck her thumb in almost a month, praise THE LORD.

3) I ran my first official half marathon this weekend. My training got derailed TWICE before hand as I got incredibly sick with that nasty stomach virus and I fractured another toe (after having broken one 3 years ago which also totally derailed me from half marathon training!). BUT. I didn't let those things STOP ME this year and I just had to train harder. I also started having some knee issues 2 weeks before but I just slowed my pace down drastically while training and ended up finishing the actual race much faster than I anticipated. I felt great and I am SO PROUD of myself for doing it. I registered for another half in December and part of me is thinking I could totally manage a full marathon someday. I just have time find the time to train...

4) TIME. I just never have enough. Between the kids and work and all the other things that come along with life like cooking, cleaning, church, laundry, grocery shopping, family, friends.... I have never felt more spread thin in all my life. I feel like I am always running late to everything or forgetting to do something important. I'm not sure how things got so out of control but here I am. And most days I feel like something really needs to change but I cannot ever seem to determine what the something is.

5) Our 7th wedding anniversary is on Monday. I cannot believe it has been 7 years. We really wanted to get a weekend away but it wasn't meant to be so we have plans for a LOVELY dinner at the same restaurant we ate at on our wedding night this Saturday evening. I desperately need some time alone with my man. I realized this week that we've only had ONE NIGHT away from our kids together since L was born. It just isn't good for a marriage. We aren't struggling by any means but there is a strain there and we both need TIME TOGETHER. But, again, I'm at that "something needs to change" point but not sure what to do about it. Our babysitting situation is (and has always been) just painfully bad. And that, my friends, is out of my control.

6) Change. If you aren't getting it, the theme for my life right now? Something needs to change. I feel like I have been in this place before but I cannot figure out how to break free and just move ahead. And part of me just feels like I am supposed to ride this one out and suck it up for longer. I HATE THAT FEELING. But it is ultimately all out of my control. Right?

You stuck out this post so I'm adding some photos. Love you all!