For Real.

Jami wants honest. So honest is what she will get.

I have a picky eater. Beyond picky. He makes him self throw up. Sometimes daily. Sometimes weekly. But always monthly. It's gross. It drives me to insanity. Like today when he was eating a sandwich he normally loves. He saw some wheat (he calls it a seed). And you guessed it. He made it to the toilet. Yesterday I wasn't so lucky.

I have a child who should be potty trained. She could care less. And will literally sit all day in "no-no's". I only find out if someone happens to walk downwind of her. It really gross. She pooped in her pants 4 times. Two days ago. Never told me. I had to find out each time the hard way. Blah. So now today she has the diaper rash of all rashes. The skin is peeling off. It's bad. She screams. I want to pull my hair out. Or maybe hers. Why can't I get it through her head, that this would be solved going on the potty.

I have a baby who won't sleep through the night. Last night was really bad. To top it off she woke up two hours earlier than normal. She's cranky. And so am I. I want to go hide in my closet. With a pillow. And a blanket. Maybe take up sucking my thumb. Don't judge. It might work!

My kids wrecked the front room in less than two minutes. It will take at least an hour to clean. Add that to my 7 baskets of laundry to fold. Two bathrooms and a kitchen to clean. I am dreaming big to think it will all happen today.

Then, I wanted just a few minutes to myself. Busted out my zumba dvd's. And gave my 9 month old baby part of a chocolate chip cookie. Gasp. (The other two didn't have get anything like that until their smash their first birthday cake). I am desperate here people. Good news that darn cookie kept her quiet. Bad new, I didn't put her in her highchair. And another point goes to me. . . for awesome mom of the year. What a mess. Yay! More cleaning.

So I clean up the mess on the floor, turn around to get baby, and she is eating moon sand off the kitchen floor. Did I mention my kitchen table is a sand box right now (so you can imagine what under the table looks like) I take her to the bathroom, wash her off, and guess what. . . she wasn't eating sand. She had a toy penny in her mouth. EVEN MORE AWESOME.


I have tried to put my cranky baby to bed twice. She's not having it. My kids have been in time out twice for fighting. And it's barely lunch time.

Oh and I just looked at my piano. The kids covered it in play doh. And Ainsley is coloring all of her toys with permanent marker. That's what I get for trying to work out. It's a conspiracy I tell ya. To keep me nice and fluffy. I's it too much to ask to have a rockin' hot body when I turn 30 this year. Ya know, start off my 30's with a bang. (Okay I don't care about the smokin hot bod. . . but I really really do want to feel healthy and strong!) Apparently for the kids it is too much to ask.

Whaaaaa.

To top it off I am in my pajamas. Not just any pj's. Christmas ones. With a non matching purple top. It's really quite attractive. I figure if I am going to have a tough day, might as well do it in comfort. I just feel bad for the ups man that had to see me looking so put together. . .

I may not get mother of the day award. But I think I should be considered. I mean haven't raised my voice once today, even if I have wanted to a few times. And I am not in my closet, with the bedroom door locked, sucking my thumb. That should count for something, right?

All I have to say is thank goodness Ground Hog day is only a movie.

ps. Sorry to let ya'll down. I know you thought my family was perfect. You aspired to be just like us. (Bwhahaha. Wouldn't that be funny.) Just trying to keep it real here folks. Don't hate.

Try Again.

Found some oopsie wood at home depot.
50 cents. Score!
I tried to make some prop floors.
They didn't turn out like I was hoping.
{sigh}
So I guess I get to keep trying.
Until my paint is gone.
I think trying to be thrifty isn't going to work in my favor this time.
Darn.

Landscape.

Tried my hand today at "landscape".
Time to save up for a telephoto lens.

It wasn't as scary as I thought it would be.
It was a nice little break.
All by myself.
Quiet.

Much needed.
My new favorite way to spend "me time".

Windchill.

We have been waiting.

and waiting.
and waiting.
for snow.

Today was the day.

We bundled up.
Went outside.
And lasted a whole 20 minutes.

That darn wind was cold.
Really cold.

Chipmunk.

It has taken Gwen almost nine months to eat solid food.

Rice cereal forget about it.
Baby food double forget about it.
She would gag and make herself throw up.

(In my head I feared another picky eater. Or worse something wrong with her throat.)
(sidenote: the dr had warned me about hemanginomas growing internally and her throat was something I was supposed to keep an eye on.)

But then there was that day I gave her a bag of poptarts to play with.
Thinking she would like chewing on the wrapper.
When I came back to get her, the bag was open.
A poptart was missing.
There was evidence in her mouth.
She could eat

So two days ago, she sat in her highchair for the first time.
Avocado's anyone?

There was a bit of playing.

And a bit of cheek stuffing.
(my sister was the queen of chipmunking food. Gwen looks just like here here).

Not all of it made it to her mouth.

But she loved it.
And was pretty proud of herself for being so big.

And I got to make dinner in peace.
{Lots of sighs of relief}

Through the Woods.

It's been a warm winter so far.
Word on the street we are supposed to get snow this weekend.
We hope it's true.

We are taking advantage of the mild winter.
By hiking.
In Texas.
Makes me laugh.
Using the words Hiking and Texas together.
I always though hiking was in the mountains.
Mike said it's not true.
So I looked it up.

hike: a long walk usually for exercise or pleasure
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often on hiking trails.

He wins.

That's my boy. Running to make sure he is in front.
I used to do the same thing.

Ainsley is my "gatherer/collector"
I don't know that it's possible for her to go outside without collecting.
Rocks.Sticks.Leaves.Flowers.
It's what she does.
Always.

To him, sticks are only worth something if they look like a weapon.
Boys.


Ah, my collector.
Looking for treasures.
And my boy.
Using his stick to try to fight Daddy's.

And that's how we hike in Texas.

Still Sitting.

In eight short days my baby will be 9 months old.

{tears}.

She's not a crawler yet.
Or a walker (like sister was at 8 months).

Which is just fine with me.
The house is a lot harder to baby proof.
You know with older siblings running around.

Like right now even as I type.
Big sister has a big ball of play doh out.
Trying to shove it in Gwen's face.
And there are hershey kiss wrappers trailing down the hall.
And I guess Ainsley was doing an art project recently.
Because there is a piece of paper cut into a hundred tiny pieces.

We only have days maybe a couple weeks left.
Before Little Miss will be into everything.
And everything will be in her mouth.

Like I said friends, she's almost ready for take off.
I will enjoy even these last few days even more.
While she's just sitting around.
Combing the carpet for crumbs left behind.
Anything to put in her mouth.

ps. Is it just me, or can you totally tell these two girlies are cousins?
I have been told it's just me.
I see it though.
I really do.