Color me Eggplant

Josie got to partake in her first Easter Egg dying day with the Deyle's! (Say that 5 times fast) We did it earlier this year so we would have more time to enjoy the colored eggs (and eat them with plenty of time to spare before the real deal Easter meal). Plus, with the weather being so perfectly lovely I think we are all just feeling the spring feeling that much more.

That was Saturday.

Then on Sunday, my parents came up (they are on spring break... seriously how jealous am I?) and we got to enjoy that beautiful weather even more. Josie stayed awake the whole time and was SO CHILL. She loves being outside. I can't really blame her though. Most of her life has been stuck inside staring at me.

I love weekends like this!

And guess what. The time change trick? It worked. Suckers!! You all thought it wouldn't..but she was in bed at 8 tonight and she slept in until almost 8 this morning. It's fabulous. We're all happy.

Confessions

Confessions, so many confessions...

I had a melt down earlier this week when putting Josie to bed. She's teething again and wouldn't sleep for more than 20 minutes. Usually, whoever puts her to bed doesn't have to get up, but since I was a wreck, my sweet hubby put her back to bed and then proceeded to get up at least four times in the night. I did get up once... for my credit... Thank you Lord that we had a wonderful follow up night last night.

My toenails need to be painted desperately. I actually have two gift cards (people are SOOO generous!) to get my nails done (both mani and pedi) but can't seem to figure out when to schedule an appointment. I just need to do it, but that would require remembering to get the number and call somewhere. Plus it's not fun going alone...

I can't figure out what kind of person I am. Sometimes I am a leader (most times considered bossy I'm sure) but other times I'm a huge pushover. I expect everyone to agree with me (so, that would be stubborn) about this but can't figure it out myself?? I can also be incredibly indecisive. Lucky hubby, right?

I was thoroughly disgusted walking by the mirrors all weekend seeing my undone hair and chubby cheeks/tummy/everything. With all the resolve in the world, I made it one day out of three with sticking within my calorie goals. But hey - I lost half a pound since this weekend so I'll take it.

I finally found a running program that motivates me to run for more than 12 minutes and I even got new headphones that will drastically improve the quality of my motivational music. With that in mind, I have also skipped two days now of working out because I'm too lazy to get out of bed. I can always go tomorrow right?

I need to clean my house desperately. Hey, it's been a couple of weeks since I've used this confession!

Linking up with E...

Just me?

Am I the only one looking forward to daylight savings time this year? Couple of reasons:

1. More light at night. I'm envisioning runs/walks outside with dog, hubby, and child all smiling (dog included) and happy to be together.

2. My daughter will automatically sleep in an hour "later" and we may just be able to get her on a sleeping schedule that works better for everyone! Bedtime used to be 7? Well now it will be 8. She used to wake up at 6? Well now it will be 7. COULD BE AMAZING. Am I silly for dreaming that this is even a possibility?

Eight months

As usual,, it's a rough start

But things quickly turn around

"Mom, look how flexible I am!"

"We're done, right?"

Couldn't have gotten this done without Grammy's help!

After a quick break to recoup, the hair has seen better days

Eight months old!

Whew. Aren't we all glad that's done and over with?

Josie is a crawling machine this month. She's crawling, standing, and pulling on everything. Her personality is coming out more and more and lately we've gotten to see a bit of her goofy side with silly faces and flirting eyes.

Eating: She's eating the same foods as last month but has made it clear that peas and corn are not on the top of her list. To recap: avocados, bananas, bread, pears, applesauce. FAVES.

Sleeping: She's learned how to go to sleep on her own, and when she's healthy, bedtime and nap time seem like no big deal. When she's sick with a cold or ear ache (none this month), bedtime takes us all out.

Learning: This month has been all about finger coordination. She has learned how to delicately pick things up with her pointer finger and thumb, and loves to stare at her fingers as they "magically" maneuver her toys and food. She's also learned what she shouldn't be getting into and always manages to find it!

Clothes: She's wearing 6-9 mo clothing for the most part but some of her pants/leggings are 12 month because they are long enough.

Cloth diapers: Actually seem to be going better now that she's eating more solids. For a while it felt like they were always leaking and I was ready to trade them in. The solids come out that way too, so the clean up is a lot easier than you'd expect.

Hair: It's long enough now that it is always in her face, and she's been trying to eat the hair clips so she's sporting the ponytail/pig tail look on a daily basis. Pig tails seem to make everyone swoon, mama included.

Overall it was a great month! She's been wanting us around more to entertain her and really wants to be picked up and carried around. She follows us around like a puppy, pulling up on our pants to get our attention. It sure makes us feel important... a big improvement from last month when she didn't even seem to notice us with all the shiny objects distracting her.

We love her; we'll keep her. :)

Crazy

I'm not kidding when I tell you this girl is crazy busy. She just goes around in circles all over the room leaving a path of destruction behind her that keeps growing and growing. I try to jump in to distract her or lessen the damage, but it's to no avail. She is determined and persistent. It's hilarious.

What's that? Do something with that in-her-eyes hairstyle? I'm trying, I'm trying...!

I loooove the squishy face smile.

She often turns off the TV which I should probably take to mean we don't really need it on. She's so smart.

Can we just talk about how this is my favorite outfit that she owns right now? I'm a fan of the long shirts with leggings, and it works for her too. There's no belly showing (for her either heh heh) and it's easy to crawl around since there is no knee exposed or uncomfortable waisband.

With all body parts covered but still the high end fashion look, who isn't impressed?

BTW - J is officially eight months old! I'll have her photo and update post ready sometime this weekend.

One last confession

I haven't been honest with you lately.

I quit Weight Watchers. I was fed up with the limited recipes and since I don't have the iPhone like everyone else on the planet, I don't have the accessibility to look each thing up. That's an excuse though. I work at a computer all day and can access one at home all the time. Really, I was too lazy to put the time in. I'm so sick of confessing how lazy I am - but it's the truth. Maybe I'll start saying busy instead. Better, right?

I'm using My Fitness Pal instead since it is free. Plus calorie information is on everything. Points are not. It is easier to follow, and it tells you how much you'll lose in 5 weeks if you keep it up. That is motivating, let me tell you.

But the bottom line with all of this is that it doesn't matter what App I'm using. It doesn't matter if I'm using it online or writing it down on paper (like I'd ever take the time to do that!). If I'm not truly committed, it won't do it for me.

I'm not truly committed.
It pains me to admit it.

I am committed only most of the time, and it's that small portion of time that blows it. That time when my will power disintegrates and all I can think about is immediate satisfaction.

The dumbest foods completely set me off. Tortilla chips. Fudgesicles. Chocolate Chips (true story - I would eat them by the handful if it's all that is around). It's bad.

I'm sure it's like an addiction, but I don't even want to go there because there are real addictions out there that are ruining people and who am I to say that this is even in the same ballpark? The truth is I am being busy lazy. I've developed habits that I'm not willing to break.

And that 10K that I'm supposed to be training for? I can come up with ever excuse in the book. My next attempt to be successful on the dreadmill (see what I did there?) is to listen to a book while running. I think I also just need to tell myself that the option is not available to stop. I know I can do it but mind over body is a lot easier to talk about than to actually apply and overcome.

Sick of hearing this stuff over and over again? I'm sorry; I forget to post the good things too. It's hard to remember to do that because those days with real successes seem to be few and far between. But I've done it before and I can do it again.

Bad hair day? There's always this solution.

While some days seem to leave no other options than this...

Josie says there is always another cuter, more fashionable (for an eight month old) option.

The perfect model.

Side swept bangs, so IN right now.

Big eyes to complete the look.

Perfect girl all around makes any hairstyle look good.

She looks so old when she gives me her toothless grin like that. 

Comments

There is this blog I read. She's a girl struggling with her weight but still trying to truly live her life. She's brutally honest and insightful and points out the obvious thoughts that never occur to me until I see it written down by her.

Because of her honesty, she gets some negative feedback. Did I say some? She gets a lot of negative feedback. So me being the fighter that I am commented back on one of them saying something to the effect of "Why do you aim to hurt? Rude." And the comments that came after that aimed at me? I was called a hypocrite (amongst other not nice things) and told that my momma should be slapped for raising me to be so close minded. what the what??

How is that better and not inappropriate than my response to the first negative commenter? The post in discussion was so honest and really was quite brutal. But it was more about her than anyone else. It was about her struggles and insecurity. She kept everything anonymous and did not make it even a little bit obvious about who she was referring to.

The whole reason I bring this up is because my heart hurts so much when I see this kind of stuff. I find that it is hard to not want to lash out with a quick, sharp tongue but I am also aware that it will do no good.

Why are people so brave behind their computer screens and keyboards and anonymous names? I am fortunate that I have not run into a lot of this negativity with my little (loved so much by me) blog. Mostly because I don't have a lot of followers. I have had a few comments, though, that were hurtful or inappropriate. I delete them when I see them, but the damage is done. It's hard to not take it seriously, not wince when you read them and think about it all day.

So for those out there that are reading anonymously: I'm okay with that, but I would rather that you just followed me publicly or commented now and again because the blog is open for a reason. I assume there are people that I may have known a long time ago reading. I can understand being anonymous. I will even admit that there are a few blogs I am following privately because a.) I am too lazy to switch it and b.) I know them through someone and feel like its creepy to follow them. I suppose that does make me a hypocrite. Fine... I'll have to go change that now.

Anyways, my point in all of this is that most of these little blogs out there consisting mostly of personal, rambling thoughts are not meant to be open forums for hateful words and bashing. Many people journal to figure things out and can grow from it and change opinions often. Should these people not be allowed to do it publicly? Should they be forced to hide it or be verbally attacked? It seems unfair to me.

It's part of the reason I don't put as many personal thoughts and religious/political views out here. I'm afraid to be labeled or viewed a certain way before I'm done thinking, growing, and forming my thoughts, opinions, and views. It's sad to me that I feel that hesitation, that limitation, that invisible wall stopping me from true expression.

Maybe someday I'll overcome this and just say "whatever". But now I have my kid(s) to think about. What will Josie say, twenty years from now, reading through this and seeing the negative comments? Will she get a new view about me and think I am ridiculous? Will she be hurt for me? It is just a lot to think about, isn't it?

Midweek Confessions

Oh boy...

I still haven't gotten the pictures up that I was too lazy to work with on Monday. Yep. LAZY.

I have a valid excuse though! I have been reading "Catching Fire" which is the second Hunger Games book and it has sucked.me.in. I'm 3/4 done with it and cannot wait to curl up with it tonight while Mike watches (boring) tv.

I was banking on a snow day today so much so that I literally did not do certain things subconsciously because I thought I would have time to do them today. Of course, the snow was not working in my favor and to work I went (with wet hair and just enough diapers to get Josie through daycare but probably not enough for tonight). I guess you just can't wish things to happen like that.

I am supposed to be training for a 10K but can only do 2 miles right now. That's like not even 1/3 of it. I cannot get myself to run for more than a mile on a treadmill so I have been telling myself that I am working on my speed. For one mile, which only takes me about 10 minutes. That's not a real workout, but don't tell me that at 5:45 AM! And it's snowing, which just brings on the despair as I wait for nice outdoor running weather.

I haven't meal planned this week at all because Mike was gone for one day and I switched that to all week in my head when I was grocery shopping. Therefore we will be creative. Makes a girl nervous though. You may be wondering what I eat when Mike is gone? I have Smart Ones practically screaming my name in the freezer downstairs. I keep buying more even though I never eat the previous purchased meals so it's becoming quite the stock pile.

Linking up! Read the other confessions too. They make the day better.

Weekend Update

This will be the most boring weekend update ever.

1. We watched TV in the living room. Josie explored the whole room numerous times and decided that her favorite place is the coffee table and everything on it. Joy for us, who gets to move everything around while she tries to grab each item.

2. We went to church and battled the weather. It actually wasn't that bad but we've been spoiled. Now that Josie has a big girl car seat, she has to be brave and bear the elements too. (bare? bear?) She could really care less, but this crazy mama is always concerned that she's going to lose her foot or hand from frostbite.

3. The rest... the rest you will see pictures of throughout the week. Truth: my camera is upstairs and I'm too lazy to go get it. So I'll do it later.


Happy Monday!

Flashbacks

Finally! The pictures you have all been waiting for. I did the best I could scanning them with my tablet. Forgive the quality. How fun is it to look back and see shades of ourselves? I love to see the exact moment when someone starts to really look like him or herself. Fascinating...

I want to tell you what I think but I will wait until you've looked for yourself.

Baby Michael

Baby Sarah 

Really, parents? This is the best family photo you could give me in my own baby book? Sorry - just couldn't resist this comment even though I said I'd let you think for yourself. ;)

And just so you can see some side-by-sides:

Life.

So far this weekend has consisted of TV watching, climbing, exploring (the living room), eating a big breakfast, napping (for those under one year), and spending time together.

It's a good life, this little life I have.