The Month of Me - A Review of June

As you may recall, I decided June was going to be a month of me. I was going to focus on improving myself in a couple different areas. I was joining Weight Watchers, not eating out at all, only reading devotional and inspirational materials and exploring my faith a little more. Here is a re-cap.

Weight Watchers: I would say this aspect was a success. I lost about 12 pounds and for the most part stuck with the diet plan...until the canoe trip. But 12 pounds is 12 pounds and I am not complaining. And after about a week off track, which started with the canoe trip and ended the day after the 4th of July, I still managed to lose over a pound. I was gonna be happy if I didn't gain more than a pound, but I guess adding the gym to the mix, which I started last week, really paid off.

No Eating Out: I would also consider this a success, although I didn't make it the entire month. I made it all the way to the 27th without eating out. But we were starving when we got home from canoeing and too tired to make dinner, so we ended up ordering a pizza. I think that was it though...unless there was something after the 27th that I can't recall (we have eaten out a couple times in July and I can't remember if I did anymore in June). I know for a fact that I didn't eat out before the 27th.

Only reading devotional or inspirational materials, or materials on a topic where I would actually learn something: Hmm, well I was successful in not reading any frivolous books, but I am not sure this was really a success. I did read some devotional/inspirational materials and I did read some on a health topic of interest, but this didn't necessarily replace my frivolous reading before bed and during Lily's nap time. True, I did read before bed, but the books just didn't grab me like the novels I usually read, so therefore I read much less and some evenings I actually just watched more TV. Definitely not what I was figuring when I made this goal. My purpose was to actually read some of the huge stack of books I have been *meaning* to get through when I wasn't distracted by a novel. In reality, I just read less. So therefore I am still trying to get through the same books. I just need to be better disciplined. Perhaps I should force myself to take a half hour each day while Lily is napping to get through this material. Probably would mean less Face Book time...which would actually probably be a good thing. I also have only a little over a week to finish the book I am supposed to be reading for book club. We meet on the 21st, and since I normally fly through novels, I figured no problem if I only had three weeks. The book, however, is just not doing it for me. The kicker - the author of said book is actually going to be at our next meeting to discuss his book with us. I would just not go, but since I already paid for the book...plus, I like my night out of the house.

Focus on my faith: I would say this is still a work in progress, which is exactly what I anticipated it would be. We had to put Bible Study on hold for two weeks because of Lily's swim lessons which majorly messed with nap time, making plans for the rest of the day hit or miss. We were only able to meet three times, but I did go over some of the material on my own.

I would consider June to be pretty successful in terms of my goals. For July, I am going to continue with Weight Watchers and exploring my faith. I am going to try not to eat out too much, but if we do, oh well. I am going to try to devote time to my "other" books. I am going to try to hit the gym at least 4 times a week. Seeing as we are already almost half way through the month, I am not going to beat myself up if I don't reach my goals. How about you? Does anyone else set monthly goals for themselves?

Canoe Trip

Two weeks ago, Matt and I went on a canoe day trip with some of his friends from work. It was really a camping and canoeing weekend, but since we have a little chickie at home, we decided to opt out of the two nights of camping and just do the canoeing. A couple of years ago, we did the whole shebang. It was a lot of fun, but I couldn't sleep for a week before this trip, just worrying about leaving Lily all day while we floated down a river. I couldn't even imagine being gone the whole weekend! Steph was kind enough (like I really had to twist her arm) to come and spend the entire day with Lily. Matt and I headed out to the camp site to meet up with everyone and then drove on to the canoe place. You get on a bus with your cooler and whatever else you feel like bringing and they drive you up river 12 miles and you get in your canoe and then float/canoe on down to your car. While it is technically a canoe trip, since we are in canoes and all, it is really just a big drink beer and float down the river trip. We "barge up" - lash all our canoes together with bungee cords - and kick back and drink and have a great time. We went to shore a couple times for lunch, potty breaks, and some swimming, and then floated on. It is the Fox River, but it is a whole different river than up by my parents house. By my parents it is speed boats and jet skis. Down where we were it is rock walls and wild life and just as peaceful as can be, if you don't count the rowdy bunch actually on the river in canoes :) It was a great time and while I did miss Chickie terribly, it was nice to just hang out and be an adult and not have to worry about being a mom for the day. I took some pictures with a disposable waterproof camera, but they didn't turn out that great. Sorry.

One of Those Days

Today has been one of those days. One melt down after another. Battles during meal time, diaper changes, getting into the carseat. One of those days that makes me think I am not cut out for this mothering thing. For raising a child into a caring and considerate adult. I mean, I am just trying to survive today! It doesn't help that I am on my own while the hubs is on a much deserved boys weekend. I try to tell myself that Chickie is still off kilter from the holiday weekend. Possibly. Or that spending an hour in childcare while I am at the gym may be confusing to her - although she seems to love it and not even notice when I leave. But the truth - the honest to God truth - is that she is a toddler and I am ill-equipped to handle tantrums. I still throw tantrums myself. Just ask my husband.
So while I have all kinds of exciting things to blog about like the 4th of July, our canoe trip from two weeks ago, and a re-cap of how my month of me went, that will have to wait until tomorrow. Or the next day. Or whenever I don't feel too drained to do much more than veg in front of the boob tube once I put Chickie down. Which has also been a struggle all week. And all the cute pictures I have been taking...well they are still on my camera. But I promise, promise, PROMISE to have some new pictures up soon. And to not be so whiny in my next post. Until then, I will just drown my sorrows in Weight Watcher ice cream products and settle in to watch some Bones.

Random Thoughts

I have some cute pics of Lily to upload. I also have our canoe trip to write about. But I am feeling rather lazy, so I decided to just share some random thoughts. Probably no one cares whats knocking around in my head, but that's fine. I need to get all the convoluted dribble out so I can turn my mind to more pressing matters, like whether or not it is advisable to convince my husband we should take a vacation in October that we absolutely cannot afford.

- Lily has some adorable Elmo jeans. The cut of them is kinda strange. The rise is really high, the legs are short, but they are not capris. Kind of a bummer since they are so dang cute. Every time I put a pair of jeans on her - and she has been wearing jeans all week due to the very seasonable weather we are having (which I love, just in the appropriate month - say, October)she points to the ankle and says Elmo. Hmmm, I hope she isn't too disappointed that not all her jeans have Seasame Street characters on them.

- My ear hurts. It has for three days. I don't have an ear infection. The doctor who spent exactly 90 seconds with me this morning told me so. Now I remember why I don't go to the doctor, like ever. I always feel like a horse's ass when nothing is wrong with me.

- My house really needs to be cleaned, but I have discovered this very addicting game on Facebook called Bejeweled Blitz. I seriously think they need to develop a support group for people who play this. I can't stop.

- My new favorite show is Bones. I have been watching it on TNT. Actually, I have been recording it and Matt and I have been watching a couple episodes every night. Booth is HOT! Matt doesn't think so because he used to watch the show called Angel or something, which Booth was in. And because he isn't gay.

- Also, I have been watching Gilmore Girls on ABC Family. I have seen it a million times, but the final season is finally in syndication. Yay!

- I have many more random thoughts to share, but I am off to play Bejeweled Blitz some more. See...I have a problem!

15 Months

Chickie is 15 months old today. Does that seem totally crazy and just not possible to anyone else? But indeed, it is true. We had her 15 month check up today. Only one shot - YAY! And she didn't even make a peep - double YAY!
Here are Chickie's stats:
Weight: 23 lbs, 5 oz. - 59th percentile
Height: 31.5 inches - 80th percentile (must get that from Daddy!)
Head: 17.75 cm(?) - I don't know what percentile that is, but it is on the low end of normal, so contrary to what Daddy thinks, Chickie does NOT have a giant melon.

Also new today, our first time out. After repeatedly telling Chickie "No" when she played in the dogs water bowl only to have her turn around and laugh, I took the advice a friend gave me the other day and did a time out. I set the timer for 2 minutes, picked her up and went to our newly designated "naughty spot" and sat down with her, holding her and not talking to her. She screamed and struggled and cried harder than I think I have ever heard her cry. I was near tears. It was the longest 2 minutes of my life. When the timer went off I turned her around, told her we don't play in the dog's water bowl and she needs to listen to mommy, and gave her a hug. She was pretty ticked for the rest of the evening. Yet she only wanted me to hold her. When Matt came home to her walking around crying and whining, I had to explain to him our new timeout procedure. I don't think I am going to like this discipline thing!

Here is a photo I took last night. She looks so...tell me. What do you think is the expression on her face?


And finally, I was just goofing around taking pictures with my new toy, ahem, I mean camera, and got an awesome blurry background. So what if it is a picture of a toy...it is ALL ABOUT THE BLURRY BACKGROUNDS!!

Insomnia

The past couple nights I have had some major insomnia.

I ask you this...how is possible to have insomnia when you chase after a toddler all day?

Comments welcome.

A Great Father's Day Weekend

WARNING: LONG POST, LOTS OF PICTURES

This past weekend, Father's Day weekend, was one of the best weekends I have had in a long time! It was seriously so nice, relaxing, awesome, fun, awesome, cool, awesome, peaceful, awesome (do you get my point?) that I am still feeling great from it! As a side note, it was also one of those weekends that make Monday extra hard because Matt has to go back to work. Anyway...here's the run down.

It all started Friday afternoon when I called Matt and said "Hey, the sun is shining, skip out early and come home and go in the pool with us." Matt was more than happy to oblige and came home a little early and just hung out with Lily and I in the pool. Of course, by the time he got home, it had clouded over a little, but that didn't stop us from enjoying some pool time.



Okay, by this point Chickie had had enough. But you see, I just can't resist taking pictures of an angry baby. Does that make me a bad mommy?



It could also be that the pool was still a bit cold. Once Daddy picked her up, all was right with the world.





She had a delightful time just playing with her guys and moving around the patio furniture while Matt and I caught up on the day and just relaxed.
But then the storm started to roll in.



We cleaned up outside, Chickie got a bath and some dinner, and was off to bed. Matt and I foraged for some leftovers since our grilling plans were shot and watched the wind threaten to carry away yet another of our gazebos. Thankfully this time it only threatened. After the fierce but brief storm subsided we went outside to survey the damage...the pool cover had come off and was in the middle of the pool and the gazebo needed to be repositioned. Oh, and a chair was blown over. Serious damage, as you can tell!





Eli and Lucy just don't get the same attention they used to.



Actually, the Chickie loves to love on Lucy. She would love on Eli as well, but as soon as Eli sees her coming, she skadaddles. How do you spell skadaddle?



Saturday brought more pool time. The pool was still a little cool in the morning, but by the afternoon when the cover had been off all day, it was perfect. Matt and I got a little sun while Lily was napping. We decided that tees were in order to keep from getting completely fried. A little late though, as Matt and I both are still red and sore. Chickie was safely lathered with sunscreen.







But you know what? It is much easier to just throw a swim diaper, long sleeve tee and hat on a squirmy toddler than try to load her up with sunscreen. I think this may be how we swim from now on. At least during peak sun hours. Side note: I am so excited for some cloth swim diapers to come this week. After using cloth for the past year, the disposable swim diapers are not being very kind to Chickie's tush.







I am a little boobtastic in some of these pics. Focus on the kid...she is the reason I am posting them!









These World War II bombers kept flying over all day Saturday and Sunday. Some of them were really low!
We finished off the day Saturday having some yummy fish tacos. The whole day was spent in and out of the pool, napping, doing some chores, swimming, eating and just enjoying being outside as a family. I hung a load of cloth diapers outside to dry in the sun and they look practically brand new. That sun...its magic!

Tired of reading yet? Well I haven't even gotten to Sunday afternoon! We went over to my parents and just hung out and ate some wonderful food. My mom is the best cook ever! My fam bought a little kiddie pool for Lily. I wasn't sure if she would be up for more water since it was overcast and a little cooler. I was wrong.



Though I brought her swim suit, we decided to just let her run around and play in her diaper.



My parents have the perfect deck for entertaining. It also makes a great background for pictures of an adorable tot!



Eventually the diaper became too wet and saggy and hung down to her knees.



So we took it off and let her run around nakey! She promptly squatted on the deck and peed. (she will thank me for the picture and story when she is older!)





With so many eager babysitters, my dad and I were able to play catch in the backyard - something we haven't done in at least 10, if not more, years. I'm a little sore today.



Check out that snazzy new grill and the feast on it! Tons of grilled veggies, chicken and lamb chops. With so many different grilled veggies, I even managed to stay on track with my diet this weekend.





Lily and Grandpa had a crawling race. My dad was acting like the big goof that he is and was crawling around the deck. Lily decided she needed to crawl around as well.



But the long weekend and lack of afternoon nap had finally taken it's toll on Lily. When I found her like this, I knew it was time to go home.

THE END