Put On Your Big Girl Panties and Deal With It!

It’s been a while.  We’ve had lots going on in the month of April.  James started a wonderful new part time photography job with a local sports photography agency.  We’ve both been very busy with school and I started my own business!  I was also mildly obsessed.

This Thursday brings my semi-annual trip to Lake of the Ozarks with my mom.  She attends the Missouri Police Clerks conference held every May.  She invites my sister and I to come stay at the resort with her and then we spend our time lounging and shopping.  One year the weather was perfect and the pool was open.  This year its a bit early for that, but Lily will be joining us and we’ll have some girl time.  After we leave Osage Beach, Lily and I will be headed to Branson and meeting up with Daddy, Max and Grandma and Grandpa for a mothers day trip to Silver Dollar City.

Happy Mother’s Day!!

I can’t believe I am going to admit this happened.  Saturday morning James had to work and the kids and I headed out early to run our errands.  We had already been to Dunkin Donut’s and Target by the time we got to the mall, 15 minutes after they opened.  And it had started to snow.  In March.  5 days before April.  So maybe I was flustered or sleep deprived or maybe having 2 kids really has taken all the smarts out of me.  Our first stop was Bath and Body Works.  I had a coupon for a free bottle of Country Chic (smells great BTW); got my free bottle and checked out.  I realized I had left an additional coupon in the car and was trying to decide if I wanted to go out and get it, but ultimately decided no because the kids were already out of their coats and comfortable in the stroller and there was that little snow thing going on.  So on we moved to the carousel and the Disney Store.  I picked up a new cheap pair of sunglasses and then we stopped at the jewelry kiosk for a silver chain for Lily.  Right about then is when I looked down and noticed my wedding rings were gone.  My first fleeting thought was “huh, I forgot to put them on again after putting my lotion on this morning.” A split second later I thought “did they fall off again?”   Then it hit me, B&B Works.  Oh no.  I about faced and started moving as fast as one can at 11:30am in a crowded suburban mall.   The entire way back I’m praying that they are still sitting there, on the little table outside the store with the newest flavor.  One look told me they were gone.  Then a nice employee stopped to ask if there was anything she could help me with.  Yes there was and I told her what happened.  While we walked to the back she radio’d ahead (it’s a big store) and then smiled.   Yes they had my rings.  A co-worker (day job) of one of the cashiers had seen them and brought them to her.  And the Assistant Manager didn’t want to turn them over to mall security because they were too nice (understatement).  The woman that checked me out said it was understandable since I was distracted by such cute kids.  I have no clue why I did that.  I know better.  Normally James is with me and I have him put them on his pinkie finger.  I never just lay them down.  I didn’t know how to say thank you and express my gratitude.  I talked to James and we agreed on a gift certificate to Panera, since its right in the mall.  I got one for the woman that found my rings and one for the ladies to share.  So my “free” bottle of lotion cost me $60 when all was said and done.  And probably a few gray hairs.  But you know what?  There are nice people in this world. 

**my rings like to randomly slide off my hands, even when I was 6 months pregnant and in a movie theatre.  James had to use his phone as a flash light to find them**

Today is my little man’s first birthday (more on his party to come later, including all the home baked goodies).  He is mostly likely the last baby I will have.  It’s bittersweet he is no longer a baby but a toddler, but he will always be MY baby. 

He has changed so much from the 6lb bundle (6 weeks old in the header picture), born three weeks early, to a crawling, standing, walking (supported), babbling, 20 lb little man.   Everyday that I am at work I think about how much he might be changed by the time I get home.  I love the way his eyes light up when he sees me come through the door and how he finally started to say “mama” when he wanted me to rescue him from the pack n’play or crib.  He adores his big sister and looks for her to be in her bed every night when he goes to bed.  He is very much a daddy’s boy through and through and is always on the look out for where Dad might be. 

Happy Birthday Maxwell James.  Here’s to another great year!

Things I should be doing:
Clean the bathroom
Laundry
Homework
Handmade Happy BDay Sign for Max (this is a craft and technically more fun than the other items, but his birthday is in 2 weeks so I better get on that)
Cook Dinner
Things I will probably do instead:
Bake Cookies, Shamrocks, for no apparent reason other than “hey St. Patrick’s Day is week after next!”
Take a nap (if the minions permit it)
Watch old reruns of Bones and Grey’s on the iPad
Make Happy Bday sign for Max (one out of five isn’t that bad)

What are you doing this Sunday afternoon?

…means possibilities.  I don’t know what I want to accomplish this year.  James asked me for one word to describe what I want to do in 2011.  “Organized” was that word.   I want to organize my closet, my pantry, my work life, my school life, our financial life, our kids.  After I had my second child something in my brain shifted, something happened and I went from being an organized minded individual who was always early to a forgetful airhead who is always late.  I want to retrain my brain.

I’ll leave you with two pictures of peacefully sleeping kiddos.  Considering they went to bed on NYE after midnight and basically skipped naps today,  they weren’t overtired today and went to bed without too much trouble.

Tonight starts our Christmas Celebrations. We have two fairly decently sized familes that live 500 miles apart. Tonight we will start by going to church with the Wear’s and to our annual dinner at PF Changs. Only one year in the 7 years of Christmas’s that James and I have been together, did we not eat at PF Changs, we ate at Fogo de Chao instead. Tomorrow we will head over to my in-laws for turkey dinner and gift opening. From there we will split up. Half will be heading to Oklahoma to celebrate with GG Wear, the other half of us will be heading to St. Louis to spend Christmas with my family. But first, we’ll be making our own little traditions. This is the first Christmas with the 4 of us. Tomorrow night we’ll watch Polar Express, read a story or two and put the kiddos down. We’ll wake up, open gifts, I’ll make B’s&G’s and Cinnamon Rolls. What holiday traditions do you have?
Merry Christmas!!