Off

Today has been one of those "off" days. You know, for whatever reason you are just...for lack of a better term, off. Ugh.

For one thing- as shallow as it may be- I am having a really difficult time with my hair right now. It totally got this weird kink thing on the right side in the back after pregnancy that I am not sure how to deal with plus it isn't really in a style right now...no layers, no bangs, no anything...just in "grow it out" mode. And not that hair is so important, but when it is pulled up wet there is just no way that I am going to feel fabulous and then everything else in the day is affected. Yes, please notice that I used "affected" and not "effected"...it is one of my biggest grammar pet peeves. Anywho, I tried a center part to shake things up (wild, I know) but plan to get it cut soon...one of these days when I can sneak away from Leo for an hour and hair cutting businesses are still open. Tricky, I know.

Aside from the hair, I'm still adjusting to this new post-baby body (more body that is less toned...ugh) and the fact that the last thing I want to do when Leo goes down for a nap in the morning is take the precious time to "get ready". For what anyway? My seemingly daily trip to HEB? (No it isn't every day, but it feels like it! Oh, and HEB is a great grocery store for those of you not lucky enough to live in Tejas.) It seems pointless to get ready each day when all I do is roll around on the floor with Leo, get a drink at Sonic, or do laundry. However at the same time I can totally tell that I feel better when I am put together...oh the irony.

I'm still adjusting to life as a mom too...I mean how it is possible to be so busy and so bored all at the same time? Life is so monotonous however if it isn't than I wish it was. Again, notice the "than" instead of the "then"...another grammar pet peeve. (If nothing else, you can at least get a grammar lesson out of reading this whiney post.) I crave adult conversation and just want to talk to Nick when he gets home, but he usually has a list longer than mine of things to do and so he hardly has time to shoot the breeze and recap my every epiphany of the day. I know I should break into the mommy circle, but my reason for being a mom naps during the play group times around here and so I am stuck with my moment with the HEB cashiers for adult company.

I'd be aggressive in making friends (even though it is way outside of my comfort zone) and invite someone over...but to do what? Watch House Hunters while I eat Ramen? That is why roommates were great...built-in friends. And it is why husbands are great too...except for that whole making-a-living thing that gets in the way. Plus our apartment is fine but it is small and there isn't much room for company. Sigh.

So today was an "off" day. Boo hoo. Not too much to do about it except try again tomorrow...and complain a little bit on here since it is my blog and I can at least pretend in my head that there are other adults out there reading this that are my "friends". And don't worry...the pity party can't last long when you are the mom and more upbeat posts and pictures of Leo are soon to come! :)

8 months ago...

...I was anxiously awaiting being done with pregnancy. Pregnancy was fine and mine was fairly easy, but still after that last month you are seriously ready to be done even if it means you have to give birth and then know what to do with a newborn.

Fast forward 8 months and I am trying to figure out how to make Leo shrink and time to reverse. I can't believe he will never get smaller! He seems so grown up all of the sudden!

The boy loves to eat. What can I say? He's his momma's baby! In the last month or so he has discovered the joys of self-feeding and he can't get enough...of anything. It really doesn't matter what we hand him to try, he devours it.
We made the rounds with the normal baby finger foods- puffs, wagon wheels, yogurt melts, etc. and now are on to the good stuff- animal crackers, saltines, graham crackers, etc. Last night he even had some of our smoothie! It is a very messy process, but I am learning to live with a little mess if it means he's happy :)
He has the most beautiful blue eyes...
...and his hair can be combed into a mean mowhawk!
He is super curious and anxious to explore every day. And boy is he wiggly and active! Just try to have him sit still on your lap for more than a minute! Diaper changes and church are really starting to get fun...NOT!
He still loves his toes!
Leo has figured out crawling! Oh no! Now he gets into everything and is everywhere I don't want him to be...like eating my shoes. I rarely get to escape into another room without him because he just follows me now :)
Some of his favorite toys are water bottles and the medal from our last 5k. He of course loves our dvds and must get them out and mess them up multiple times daily. He likes to watch Baby Einstein and Wheel of Fortune.
He is starting to pull up to his knees to play with things...and Nick claims he even made it to his feet a time or two! See how messy he gets? Graham crackers are the worst! He loves them though.
We can't imagine how we lived before Leo...we love him a ton! Happy 8 months buddy!

Leo goes swimming

So I know I am a little late....yes, it is September. However in my defense these were taken a couple of weeks ago AND it has been hotter than Hades down here this summer.

I really didn't like the idea of taking Leo's fair little skin to the pool unless there was shade or something...I mean I lathered him up with sunscreen but still. He would fry and it would be my fault and he would be in pain- how terrible!

And since our new pool has absolutely no shade until 5:30pm, I finally broke down and bought this great little float. It not only saves me from having to hold him every minute *he is still heavy after a while in water* and provides some great shade.

Leo likes it. We've only used it a few times, but he likes playing with the netting and pictures of sea animals on it. He loves to kick his legs too!

Plus he looks mighty cool hanging out at the pool...

...don't you think? Ahhhh....this is the life!

WHY????

Why do babies change so fast????

I can't leave Leo alone for 10 seconds now! I was pulling my hair up this morning and when I flipped my head upright he was gone...I found him here in the kitchen trying to get the Halloween decoration off of the dishwasher.

Occasionally we have calm moments where he just sits and reads, however most of the time he is finding trouble....like unplugging the lamp.

Or perhaps knocking over the magazine rack, which always results in crying...I can't help that it doesn't feel good when it falls on you! Our schedule, that was working so well for a few weeks by the way, is apparently out the window and I guess we are going to start over. At least life is never boring right?

Sick

Aye aye aye. I thought Leo was getting sick last week...he started to have a little runny nose and sounded congested when laying in his bed. We elevated his mattress, turned the humidifier on, and were happier to just hold him to sleep. However it didn't really turn in to anything...the nose still runs a bit here and there but it has always just been clear. So I guess he is over whatever it was...? Maybe teeth?

I was not so lucky though. The other night I had a bit of a sore throat...it was worse in the morning but kind of came and went throughout the day...and today has been terrible :( I can't breathe, I'm coughing and sneezing, and I can't taste or smell much. My throat has been so dry that I had to cough while rocking Leo and I woke him- luckily he went right back to sleep!

Anywho, my energy has vanished and I am not sure how to be sick with a little one around...this is a first for me! Luckily Nick has been able to be home quite a bit today; I am just praying neither of them get whatever I've got. As for today, I folded and put away exactly one load of laundry and that is about all...and I am counting it as a success! :)

New car seat

We are in the market for a new car seat...Leo is soon to be too big for his infant seat! I am looking for a convertible car seat that can be rear-facing for the next few months, then face forward with a 5 point harness and be a booster with the regular lap belt when he gets big enough.

I also want it to recline, be easy to clean, and if possible not be huge...I swear some seats are bigger than mine and neither of our cars is that big.

Any suggestions?

On a journey to adopt

Spencer and Whitney were both in my ward at BYU...the ward where I met Nicholas and so many other great things happened. While I wasn't best friends with either of them, I do know that they are both really great people. And perhaps now that I have had a child of my own I am a bit more sensitive to those that can't have children of their own...because I know firsthand how amazing it is to have a little one.

So that is why I am sharing this link; it is a link to their adoption blog and more specifically to a video they made that evoked tears and showed just how wonderful they really are. Please take a look and pass it on to anyone you know that may be able to help them start their family. :)

Click HERE to view their blog & video.

Extreme Couponing

So I think the idea of getting paid to shop or getting items for free is awesome...who doesn't? And I would love to be better about using coupons and such, especially now that we are back in school.

However...

I don't get why you are buying 218 boxes of pasta in the first place! I know, I know...they are free and so you are stockpiling. Food storage and all that...great. But it just completely overwhelms me when the couponing is done at that level.

And another thing...where are these people getting the coupons for fresh produce and meat and such? I mean I rarely see a coupon to combine with the store offer which makes my grapes free. In fact, this whole issue is addressed in one of my favorite books, Food Politics by Marian Nestle. (Yes, her name is ironic...especially if you read the book!)

With that being said, I would welcome any advice on how to coupon...I'm sure Nick would appreciate a reduced grocery bill! :)

For what it is worth...

I am struggling to know when it is worth it to deviate from our "schedule". I have tried so hard to get Leo on a schedule- at least a rough one- and so I am having a hard time knowing when to abandon it. For the last week or so (knock on wood) things have been going great: Leo takes a long and a short nap each day, he is learning to eat new things while still nursing a couple times a day, and in general he is a happy baby that loves to play and who is patient with me running errands in this terrible heat. I love the predictability the schedule has given me and I can tell Leo does too.

However...

He currently is going down about 7pm, which is great because I have time to do things I want or need to do in the evening. However this doesn't leave much time to see Daddy...and very minimal time for actually playing with Daddy (which Leo loves!) It also keeps me homebound all night...or Nick or both of us.

Tonight there was a picnic for the MBA families...we decided to go even though it was going to put us off schedule. Leo did really well while we were there and even on the way home...but after we gave him a lightning fast bath, he lost it. He screamed a good hour to go to bed since we were about an hour or so behind schedule. Ugh. I don't want to live under a rock, but I just don't know that a huge fit like that is worth a few minutes out to me. And when I see his sweet little face it is really hard to feel like anything I want should be more important than his comfort...I live and breathe for that kid!

I guess this is just one dimension of parenthood and something everyone struggles with. In the meantime, please only invite me to things that start at like 4pm or 8pm :) I just hope he sleeps well tonight and we can start fresh tomorrow!