Saturday, May 29, 2010

So Much Dust

We tackled the balcony today. Here's some progress:

Before. We just stashed stuff out there...because we could:


She was leaning against the screen door and got dirt all over herself. The only thing that came to mind when we saw her was "Please, sir, I want some more."

The after as of today. We're not done yet!

N in hubby's new tool cabinet (aka toy). She was none too pleased, however...or maybe she was crying with sympathy over the fact that we had to carry that gigantic thing up the stairs (held by three people):

He loooooves it:

That cabinet will go outside and replace the current one that's falling apart. That way he can keep all of his tools in one place and we gain a closet indoors. Yes!

So, ta-da! That's all folks.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Update on the Toddler Room

They say "three times is the lucky charm" and I believe 'em--at least when it comes to finding awesome fabric to use in one's toddler's room. After hitting two stores with little to no success, I went to Quilters Market. And look what I found there:


Je les aime! The floral pattern will be the crib, er, the "big girl bed" sheet and the striped pattern will be the skirt. I think there is a bit more green than what I wanted, but I was drawn to the big purple flowers on it (just the tone of purple that I was looking for to match the rest of her room's decor), and when I got home I noticed that the yellow flowers and blue buds go great with the colors on the wall. It also helped that these two fabrics were right next to each other on the shelf--it felt as if they were saying to me "Hi. We coordinate perfectly. Pick us. You know you want to. C'mon..." So, I chose them.

Not sure when I'm going to start sewing though. It probably won't be until Tuesday or so when hubby goes back to work. While he's home, we're cleaning. By cleaning I mean chucking everything that was either once the landlord's (who never wanted it back) or is ours and want nothing to do with it. There's a lot of junk. We'll be busy this weekend.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

The ups and downs of motherhood

Today was one of those days where I was questioning God's reasoning behind making me a mother. I mean, I know God won't ever give me more than I can handle, but today certainly pushed the envelope.

For starters, she woke up crying last night around 2am and wouldn't go back to sleep. Later on today my mom and I deduced that it was because I dropped night feedings (since her dentist recommended it to prevent this almost-cavity she has from being a bonafide cavity). I did this at the beginning of the week, and she's been fine...until last night. I gave in and let her sleep with us attached to me for the rest of the night. Needless to say, hubby and I did not get much sleep last night.

This morning she wasn't eating much, just nursing a lot, which put me behind schedule. I was trying to get all my work together for my boss while printing out invitations for this shower I've been posting about. I ended up being an hour and half late to my boss' place, and cancelling a meeting I had planned with the mommy-to-be of said shower so we could address and mail out the invites. My hubby laid in bed all morning because he chooses to not figure out how to function without 8 whole hours of sleep. He finally got up to take his usual half-hour shower because I told him we had to run errands today. Please pray for him to turn into a morning person. Thanks.

We went to my parents' house late in the morning (so my mom could notarize a document for my boss) where N cried every time she saw me. It was really making me jittery and stressed. Hubby drove me to my boss' house which gave me the opportunity to vent in the car ride. That totally helped. My hubby has so much patience because I vent to him all of the time, and he always has some uplifting thing to say in response. He's the best. Even if he does take showers three times the length of mine.

I was feeling better when we got home from all the errands. N was super tired so I made her lay down with me in my bed. Instead of trying to sleep, she decided to crawl all over me, kick me, head-butt me, coo and giggle, and nurse. I was tolerating all of it until she pulled away from my breast while still being latched on. The only way I can describe what she did to me was her mouth was an itty-bitty suction cup on me and it was yanked away. Well, that did it. She went to her bed. I was so mad at her. Right about that time hubby had to go to work. I was left alone listening to N scream her guts out in her bed as I picked up the living room to start on cleaning the house for company tomorrow. For some reason, I clean when I'm mad. Go figure.

The screaming was getting worse, so I knew something was wrong. I came into her room and sat on her bed. She calmed right down and we just stared at each other. She wasn't coming near me and I wasn't coming near her. Finally, I gave in and started rubbing her back. She kept pointing to the dining room table and then I remembered that she only ate like 5 spoonfuls of baby food at lunch. Oh my goodness, I've been starving my child! Immediately, I put her in her high chair and gave her so many yummy morsels of food she loves to eat. She ate half of everything, which is pretty darn good for her! I put some music on and started dancing around the table. N was dancing in her chair. It was so cute. I picked her up and we danced together. She loved it. I loved it. Life was good.

I then felt adventurous. I decided to put N in her high chair next to the kitchen counter so she could watch me make some sugar cookies. With my back turned to her for 2 minutes, she managed to grab the stick of butter on the counter and eat a fourth of it. I freaked out! I had more butter, but that just wigged me out. After getting uber antzy in her chair, I put her down to finish the cookies. Fifteen minutes or so later, she walks up to me and gives me the portable wipes container. I took it from her and then my heart went into my stomach--it was empty. A half-full container of organic wipes had been pulled out and scattered all over the living room floor. They were all ruined. In addition to that, the living room floor was just like it was before I cleaned it. It was like I hadn't done a thing.

Thankfully, that was the last crazy episode with her today. After dinner, we took a stroll to the mailbox. She was being so cute looking at all of the flowers and plants along the path. She even climbed all the way up our complex staircase to our front door! Boy was she quick, too! She amazes me.

I decided to stay with her while she fell asleep in her bed--I just sat in the glider and pretended to be asleep. She was a lot calmer with me in the room. She was sitting up in her crib trying not to give in to her sleepiness. She started sucking her thumb and swaying back and forth and nodding off, yet fighting it all the way. Finally, she laid down and went to sleep. It was so adorable, it took a lot of effort for me not to chuckle at her.

So, at the end of the day I realized why God made me a mother--to grow closer to Him through her: with her curiosity, her taste for adventure, her cute moments, and her not so cute moments. He's showing me just how good of a person I can be by taking care of her, learning from her, having patience with her, and growing with her. God made me a mother because this is what was chosen for me to better live in His presence, together with His Son, my Savior. I thank God for my vocation and look to my Savior's Mother for guidance.

I guess today wasn't so bad after all.

God is good.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Jealousy and Closure (literally!)

I do believe N hates it when I'm on the computer. I think she's jealous of the time I spend on it. That, or she wants the computer all to herself! I can't decide which. Maybe it's both?? See, I usually am on my laptop at the dining room table because my desk is always a chaotic paper landslide waiting to happen. I have a problem keeping that thing clean, plus I just don't like to work in the room it is in--N's nursery. I have found that I never get anything done in that room thanks to ...somebody... Yet, even at the dining room table it doesn't take N too long to realize what I'm doing and then it's total devastation at my legs with the "I'm going to diiiiiiiieeeeeeee if you don't pick me uuuuuuuupppppppppppppppp!" cry. So I pick her up and immediately she's pounding on my keyboard.

I also check on things on my bed where I usually keep N since she'd be crying that same ol' cry on the floor anyway. When she has full ability to get to my laptop she grabs it, then proceeds to open and close it, change settings on it (I'm serious, she just pounds on random keys and they turn out to be real keyboard shortcuts), and today she was sitting on it--purposely! Weird kid.

So, my MIL was thinking of getting her and my nephew both V-Tech kiddie computers (he has a laptop obsession too, I hear). Not quite sure this is necessary. I think N will still want mine. So, I guess the only thing to do here is get off this thing or wait till she's asleep.

I do realize that this is a random and, most likely, a useless post but it was on my mind today....

In other news, WE CLOSED ON THE CONDO TODAY! Finally.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Renovations!

So, my hubby and I are buying the condo we currently live in (our landlords have too much of a financial strain to keep this place) come Tuesday. It's been a four-month process. After attempting to buy it the "traditional" way with a conventional loan, no investor wanted to put the "whopping" $28,000 down for us to buy it. Thankfully, it's not us. Unthankfully (is that even a word?), it's the complex. It all boils down to the investors didn't like the high amount of delinquents living here and have condemned the HOA. After many, many weeks and mucho stress, we found out we could pay the seller upfront with a down payment through the title company we have our contract with, then simply pay a one lump payment each month for the title company to divide up to the respective personnels. YES!

You know what this means, boys and girls...it's renovation time!

I'm so excited, I can hardly contain myself. Seriously! I've always loved decorating and have immense joy doing it, even though it's a pain (figuratively and literally). Nevertheless, it's always worth it in the end when done properly.

The condo right now is a messy, cluttered, non-directional place of a home that seriously needs some TLC. We attempted to make it personal when we moved in here in 2008, but that was then and this is, well, adulthood. Then, we liked eclectic, bold, whateverness to be in each room. Now (I really can only speak for myself when I say this), we like calm, natural, ordered havens for each room (I guess this is the mom part of me in search for some serenity in her abode). My hubby sure as heck doesn't care one bit for decorations, he just wants some function to everything (which I ain't turning down). I think when we put our thinking caps on, both ideas will happily join in design matrimony and live happily ever after, until we move to a bigger place (probably when baby #2 decides to make his/her presence known to us...hopefully when I come close to finishing/finish my undergrad).

I will keep you updated on this for sure.

In other news, I'm redecorating N's room. She has now graduated to being a big girl. There is no more crib, but instead a converted crib to toddler bed. So, instead of breaking down in tears because she's growing up too fast, I decided to look on the bright side: update her room to a big girl room and have fun redecorating. So, I am now embarking on sewing a new sheet and skirt (yes sewing; the stuff in stores at my budget is too cutesy. My kid will be fabulously chic at 14 months and I won't be overpaying for it, thankyouverymuch) plus maybe a changing table cover, since I never bought one and have been using a blanket (which is getting old). Pictures to follow.

Update: my mommy-to-be found a place for the shower and I reserved it. Hooray! Now we can get things rolling.

Oh my...I just realized how long my to-do list is. It's going to be a full summer!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Baby shower woes

I love celebrating the vocation of parenthood. I love anything to do with babies. I have for...as long as I can remember, for sure. In fact, when I had to fill out my home school community's yearbook in grade school and it asked me what my career goal was I put "Go to college then become a Mother" for 5 or so years in a row. Well, I almost got what I wanted in the order I preferred, just a little switching around. My point is, if the opportunity arises where I can celebrate moms, dads, and babies, I will. So it comes as no suprise that I offered to host a baby shower for one of my childhood friends and her hubby. Well, I do believe I have bitten off more than I can chew with this one. I mean, it's not my choices that have made this stressful (but I'm sure there will be times when this is true in the future, knowing me. Ha!), it's just that...I can't find a room to have this shower.

Believe me when I say I've looked. I mean, I've really looked. I have been calling people all over town (well mostly in the area that my friend and ALL her family and friends are) and I either get "We don't do that type of thing here" or no phone call back at all (word to the wise: if you're a professional buisness and when someone calls you inquiring about your services and/or facilities, call them back). I have been on the phone constantly for about a week and a half now with no luck. All during finals time, too. ::sigh::

To top it all off, my lovely mommy-to-be has been texting me every few days wondering how the invitations have been going. I keep reminding her that they won't be ready until I find a place to have the shower. Thankfully, I found the perfect invitation on ETSY (which is the best website for all things homemade) and all I have to do is pay $15 for her to personalize then I get to print that master copy as many times as I want from whatever printer I want. It's brilliant! It's just this darn searching for a venue!

I reminded her yet again a minute ago, so we'll see how this goes! Wish me luck!

Monday, May 17, 2010

Monday, Monday...

So, the stereotypical day (and by that I mean Mondays suck) has unfolded...

Let's see, what hasn't gone wrong today?

My teeth cleaning went well.
Got the laundry done.
...

That's about it.

What has gone wrong?

N spilled milk (organic milk that costs an arm and a leg to buy--I like to call it Liquid Gold) all down her PJ's this morning.
Late for teeth cleaning.
Found a dead lady bug in my lunch.
Nap time was awful.

I totally snapped today, too. Laughed uncontrollably for 10 minutes.

What a strange day.

Had to vent.

Thanks.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

"Mommy Stuff"

My first post on my new mommy blog.

I never thought I'd write that sentence.

Actually, this blog is not THAT new. I created it well over a week ago but have been too chicken to post anything. Why? Because I never thought I'd be one of those moms who blogs about everything in her life. I never thought I'd feel the need to let everyone know what was going in in my life. Truth be told, I occasionally think that blogging is the only way these moms communicate with people older than ten. You know, their outlet to other moms, or adults in general, because they either haven't the opportunity to meet and socialize with other moms, or they haven't the people to do just that with.

Oh, wait, that's me...

I believe I fall into that category quite well. You see, I really don't have that many mommy friends my age. Actually, I know a ton. Well, not a ton, but a hefty amount. Do I talk to them on a regular basis? No. I do, however, pretend I talk to them. Now, before you deem me a psychopath, let me explain that last sentence. I have daydreams and fantasies of meeting with a group of young moms and their kiddies on a regular basis over some sort of activity, having fun, telling our daily insane episodes of..."mommy stuff"...and the sort.

Heh.

I've tried to reach out to fellow young mommies I know of. Tried to make a connection. Tried to keep what little connection I made. Failed miserably in the process. Why? No clue. I have no idea whatsoever as to why I cannot keep these connections alive. Is it just that us moms are too busy to have friends? Well, that seems stupid. To me, friends keep a person going. Friendships help people to live, whether it be socializing with a person, connection to that person, loving that person, whatever. Friendship is a solid part of a human being's life. We were all made to be together. A human would die if s/he were alone. In fact, that has happened many times over in society. So...being busy is not the reason. I can make time. So, let's try this again.

Maybe I'm scared. Why the heck would I be scared of the one thing I feel I really need right now? That's contradictory and nonsense. Moving on.

I dunno. Honestly. Back to square one. Is it just me or is this beginning to scream pity party?

Whatever the case may be should not be the reason why this is not working for me. I would love to meet up with young moms on a regular basis. I truly believe I would benefit from it greatly since they would understand everything that happens to me being a mom, since, well, they're moms too. That just seems right.

So, again, I ask, what is preventing me from doing this?

Well, I think I'll put this conundrum on the back burner for now. Until I successfully act in the sharing of "mommy stuff" with lovely young moms around town, this blog will just have to do.

I guess.