Holla Hump Day

If I am being honest, I have all of these shout outs to give and I'm concerned I may repeat something I have said before and forget some at the same time.  Just take things I say between now and maybe six months from now with a grain of salt. My brain is having a rough go of it these days.

Ok, this week (or rather month) of shout outs go to...

...my mom and Seth's mom...Vivi and Grammy. They took turns watching Lila while I went to the lake so that Seth could get some things done around the house. Things didn't go as planned for Seth and mom and Lila ended up barfing for half the weekend. I had a GREAT, relaxing weekend though.

...all the ladies who accompanied me to the lake. Thank you for relaxing with me when I needed it most!

...Kim for checking on us every single day while we battled the nasty in our house. Feeling quarantined goes much better when others are reaching out to you.

...Katie for making soup for us for the exact same reasons as Kim...I am SO lucky the have the friends I have.

...the people who bought our dining room furniture off Craigslist. They were nice, normal, and they took it quick. My kind of people.

...Katie (a different Katie from the one above) and Christine for unknowingly meeting Lila and I for lunch today. It was a rough day for me and they were a bright spot!

...Sara for making dinner tonight just because I love when people make me dinner ;-)

Alright, that's all I've got for now even though I'm sure there are more. Happy hump day!

This one's for you Poppy...

She may look like daddy (and have his insanely perfect memory)...




...but this little singer looks quite reminiscent of mommy today.

The Decision 2011

Seth joined the Burrow barfing club in the middle of the night last night (I joined on Friday). Therefore, I am posting for him. 

He is VERY sad to say that he is cutting Patty Lou. I know our moms are crying big fat baby tears right now, but I think the two of you will one day come to terms with his decision. To my friend Patty, Seth is truly sorry :-(

Allie

Amelia

Charlotte/Charlie

Claire

Evelyn

Kate

Lucy

Mia

Patty Lou

Peyton

Piper

Quinn

Riley

Where have I been???

That question begs to be answered in multiple ways (think holla hump day this week and last), but for the purpose of this post I will stick to one.

Why did I not know for years now about Amazon mom and Amazon subscribe and save? Why has no one told me? Were you all trying to keep it a secret for yourselves?

I first found out about Amazon mom a few months ago through Mommy Saves Big.

So let's back up...Mommy Saves Big is one of the many websites I check every day for deals and steals. Some are a deal a day (think Groupon) and some are multiple vendors with deals every day (think Zulily). Some are mommy related and some are not. I have only actually purchased from a few, but all are worth checking because you just never know. I don't get emails from them though. I just get online at the same time (ish) every day and run through them quickly in my bookmarks. I also feel like I'm adding to the list all the time. In case you care, here's my list with my favorites marked by a star:

*livingsocial.com

*mamabargains.com

*babysteals.com

kidsteals.com

*babyhalfoff.com

hippobargains.com

woot.com

*kids.woot.com

*zulily.com

deals.mamapedia.com

*bargains-and-deals.blogspot.com

eversave.com

halfoffdepot.com

*ecobabybuys.com

hautelook.com

quiteunique.com

theminisocial.com

minibargainz.com

babyheist.com

oliviaplace.com

yeahbabyboutique.com

babycheapskate.com

familyfinds.com

totsy.com

Ok, back to Amazon. Mommy Saves Big told me one random day that I could get 720 Pampers wipes for something like $11. UNHEARD OF. Yes, I cloth diaper. But, I have never taken to using cloth wipes 100% of the time. To get this deal you had to become an Amazon mom member and sign up for the subscribe and save plan. Amazon mom automatically gets you free shipping and 15% off retail. THEN, for doing subscribe and save you get another 15% off. Subscribe and save just means that you agree to be shipped this item you are purchasing every 1, 2, 3, or 6 months. You can manage your subscriptions and change delivery dates when needed. AND, there are random promo codes for random items here and there too. So this massive box of wipes that should have been over $25 was $11. And it showed up at my house THE NEXT DAY. 

Because I can be slow to catch on, it took me until now to realize that I could do this with other things. I already try to only go to the farmer's market for food. Therefore, I was only going to grocery stores for things like toilet paper, laundry detergent, etc. As of now I subscribe and save through Amazon mom for laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, toilet paper, paper towels, wipes, and diapers. I rarely use disposable diapers or paper towels so I love that I can go in and pretty much change the shipping date when I run out if it doesn't fall on the subscribed date. I am tempted to move on to some food products but I have to really take in what I've got coming to me so far.

There are also random Amazon coupons in random places (Parents magazine for example). This is serious stuff folks. If you have been doing it for ages and you are laughing at my serious delay in getting with the program I completely understand. You just should have told me! :-) 

Happy shopping!

PS - There will be a massive holla hump day next week due to my serious lapse in attentiveness.

Questions

1) Why is it that when you make the mistake of opening your big mouth to make a simple statement it comes back to bite you?

I went on a girls weekend trip to the lake that I had been looking forward to pretty much since Seth suggested I do it (thanks honey). It was so nice to eat, talk, and sleep my way through such a carefree weekend. Sometime Saturday night for reasons I can't remember I mentioned that Lila had never been the type of baby to spit up and that she had never thrown up. What did I come home to? A barfing baby (and mom).

2) Why do they make things for children that are supposed to help them so repulsive that they render themselves useless?

Due to the above mentioned situation Seth brought home some Pedialyte this morning after Lila barfed up the water and Cheerios I reluctantly gave her. I have zero experience with Pedialyte, but that's what the nurse said to give her when I called the pediatrician's office. I assumed it would be similar to Gatorade. Lila took one sip (diluted mind you) and promptly looked at me like I had just made her very bad day take a nose dive into torturous. She then went on the belief that I was trying to sneak the nastiness into every beverage I tried to get her to drink. I can't say she was wrong, but I'm not sure what choice I had. I even made Pedialyte diluted popsicles. As my paranoia about dehydration intensified my sweet neighbor Sonja stopped by with some toilet paper. That's what happens when you go out of town, you are massively pregnant, and your child is sick. You realize you have no toilet paper and yet no plan of getting any. She said to just give her food from the BRAT diet and see what happens.

Anyway, long story short I just ended up giving her five Cheerios at a time to see if she would barf. I gave her my water with a straw so she could see I was drinking it, and we have been in the clear ever since. Now we are on a consistent BRAT diet in hopes of a brighter tomorrow.  And I have two jugs of Pedialyte if anyone wants it. It's useless.

3) Why is it that when your brain is telling you to accomplish anything and everything (nesting) your body is simultaneously housing what feels like a bowling ball?

I find pregnancy to be so fascinating. The endless lists of symptoms you could or could not have leads one to believe that every day is a mystery. It's beautiful and magical in an exhausting sort of way. I just find it ironic that when the point comes where you don't think you could get any bigger your brain wants to conquer the world. My mind is racing with things I want to accomplish before the big day. I would say 90% of those things can't be done by me. I can't go in the attic and get things down. I can't paint Lila's room. Of course, there are things I could and will be doing that will have to suffice. The other stuff falls on Seth...and I am doing everything I can to restrain myself from making the biggest "honey do" list ever.

The Decision 2011

I asked Lila the other day if the baby is a boy or a girl and she said girl. I asked her again tonight and she also said girl. Hmmmmm.....

But, we do typically refer to most of her baby dolls as girls.   :-) 

While I absolutely LOVE Piper, this name thing is getting to the point where ones I love have to be eliminated. Boo.

Allie

Amelia

Charlotte/Charlie

Claire

Evelyn

Kate

Lucy

Mia

Patty Lou

Peyton

Piper

Quinn

Riley

She's so.....

.....me.

1) multitasking maniac



2) likes to dance and sing...in the corner....usually when no one is watching


3) graceful?


This week began a breakthrough. It can be amazingly strange to witness your child becoming more aware of pretty much everything right before your eyes. I don't really know how to describe it or really even explain. It's something as simple as me saying "it's Carson's turn" and she actually waits. Or something as brilliant as walking down the street with her willingly and lovingly holding my hand instead of trying to break free and bolt.

As those of you who read my ramblings know, it's been a tough couple of weeks between Lila and I. So many things factored in. Looking back I can 100% say I was the one that needed to get my act together. It can be so refreshing (and humbling) to then see the results of my efforts. I'm not saying there are no tantrums. I'm just saying we understand each other more...and it feels magnificent.

She's not just like me in the silly ways viewable above. She's like me so much that we are going to spend a lot of our lives learning how to navigate our relationship. One day she is going to have the same revelation I have recently had about her. She is going to wake up and see me in a lot of what she does. And when that happens I hope she's proud.

PS - Sorry for the missing holla hump day...it got away from me this week.

The in betweens

In between getting out of my bed and going to get her I hear her say "mommy where are you?".

In between changing her diaper and making breakfast she hugs me and says "kiss?".

In between doing the ABC's puzzle and arranging the ABC blocks she sings her ABC's when she thinks I'm not listening...and then giggles when she hears me sing along.

In between getting a call from Sara and making a call to Seth she babbles loudly into a calculator then holds it up and says "it's Sara!" and continues her "conversation".

In between leaving for the store and coming home from the store she identifies every article of clothing she is wearing, every body part she knows of on her body, and more of the same on her baby doll.

In between lunch and nap she takes every book from the nursery into her tent in her new big girl room and reads them to herself while I sit on her new big girl bed fighting back the tears.

In between nap and playdate she cuddles in my lap with her blanket and her baby doll while wearing rain boots and Mardi Gras beads.

In between playdate and dinner she wanders the house saying "daddy, where are you?". When she finds him and he lays on her big girl bed she climbs up and lays down next to him an inch from his face with her arm around his neck.

In between dinner and bedtime I am not home yet all I can think about are the in betweens that made my day.

The Decision 2011

This is Seth's week to cut, but he's had a busy weekend. Needless to say, he is asleep on the couch next to me. He really struggled with this cut as well. It's getting down to the wire! Kate is Seth's choice for this week. 

PS - Just to be clear, we still do not know the sex of Baby Burrow #2. Those who don't read super consistently have been thinking we are having a girl because of all the girl name posts! We have always had a boy name (Holden) but struggled with girl names...hence, the decision 2011 began. Sorry for any confusion!

Allie

Amelia

Charlotte/Charlie

Claire

Evelyn

Kate

Lucy

Mia

Patty Lou

Peyton

Piper

Quinn

Riley

Holla Hump Day

This week's shout outs go to...

...Adele. I realize I don't know her but I think we could be great friends.  Let's just say I was feeling super out of sorts and her new CD yanked me out of the abyss. That's saying a lot considering the entire album is about a breakup and I'm old and married.

...the girls at the wedding shower I attended on Sunday. They totally made me feel like a rock star pregnant lady. Their sweet comments sort of erased the deer in headlights looks I got at the baby shower the day before. I mean, I realize I am the same size as the girl the baby shower was for who is due in three weeks (ok maybe I'm even a smidge bigger). I just want to tattoo myself with "I birth toddlers" so that people who are unable to control their reactions won't even have to think about it.

...Patty. Although, maybe I should be mad at you instead. I can't seem to get anything done because of bloglovin.  I even want to find more blogs. Really though, it's SO helpful and fun! If anyone wants to share their favorite blogs with me please comment!!!

...Kim. I had a shower filled weekend coming up and a diaper bag to finish. Kim went out and got a gift from both of us for the wedding shower she wasn't even going to. AND she brought it to my house. AND she wrote me a very super sweet card. She made my day and saved me the running around. Brilliant.

Happy hump day ya'll.

DUH

Do you ever have one of those moments where the light bulb goes off and you feel like a crazy person?  This happens when the light bulb contains information you knew all along and somehow just misplaced in the depths of your brain.

This parenting thing is a very humbling experience. I spend so much time contemplating how fantastic and yet nuts it all is.

Anyway, my friend Patty turned me on to this website called bloglovin. It's a place to organize and manage the blogs you read. I love organizing. I love blogs. Match made in Jana world heaven.  As I'm organizing and reading (because I totally have nothing else to do right?) I stumble across a blog that references another blog concerning the unnerving world of navigating toddlerhood. I am reading one post and then reading the next on the next blog and very quickly I start to realize I am a complete moron. Here's why.

I have a degree in child development. I did a Child Life internship that revolved around distracting children in tough medical situations. I have a master's degree in early childhood education and spent three years teaching second graders where transition time can make or break your day. Keeping all of this in mind, here is what I read:

1) Marlie and Me....

"I never considered it a disruption of Marlie's time as I attempted to usher her from task to task. I was only focused on getting the job at hand done, sticking to our routine and getting through the day without the house burning down. I've been trying this method of giving Marlie a heads up when it's time to transition to a new task. It's going to take lots of practice before we can reach a truce."


2) Via Marlie and Me I continued reading this post from another blogger...


"I am a busy person, too. And a multitasker. So I don't really have any excuse as to why it's taken me this long to really internalize the fact that someone who is busy completing multiple tasks might not like it when another person comes along and declares "Stop what you're doing, because we're doing this now." To add insult to injury, that person then bodily forces the transition between activities."


HOLY CRAP. This is the key to toddlerhood. This is the answer I have been looking for. THIS is genious.


I read all of this yesterday during nap time. I decided from then on that every time we needed to transition to something I would do a whole lot of talking about it before we did. The top three things Lila has been having all out hysterics with me about are diaper changes, getting in the car, and sitting down to eat. Now when I know one of those things may be coming (or really anything that requires transition) I start talking about it. It's funny because at first she just looks at me and says "no". The more I remind her that it's coming the less of a response she has. Then, when we go to do it she just follows me and she does it. Well, she did it for the second half of the day yesterday anyway :-). 


Somehow I led myself to believe that my child would just do what came next and not worry about it. And then I sat dumbfounded by her massive meltdowns. As Lila would say "silly mommy".

The Decision 2011

Based on this video alone the name should seriously be Patty Lou don't you think?

My cut this week is Peyton...it was a tough one but it's only going to get tougher :-)

Allie

Amelia

Charlotte/Charlie

Claire

Evelyn

Kate

Lucy

Mia

Patty Lou

Peyton

Piper

Quinn

Riley

For every bad day...

...there is a great one.

Maybe I am just giving myself a break. Maybe Lila can tell that I am trying really hard to understand her more. Maybe she's just in a good mood ;-) Regardless, she has been an angel today. I think she and Carson are turning a corner. There's a lot of hugging and turn taking (facilitated turn taking of course), and a lot less distress over toys today. I needed this day.

I especially love Lila's constant Bieber hair, Carson's attentiveness, and the sticker on Lila's foot.

Absolutely priceless.

Holla Hump Day

This week's shout out is just simple a thank you. Thank you to my friends who listen and don't judge. Thank you to my family who supports me at every moment. This has been a tough week! I want to thank everyone who reads and has helpful things to say. Thank you for loving my crazy toddler too. She's by far the most incredible and wonderful part of my life...and I am learning from her every day. Thank you for not judging me and letting me have a place to work these things out. I can't express how helpful it really is. Love you guys!

Had enough

I've always said I want to be candid about motherhood here. I'm sure I'm more candid than I should be, but today may take the cake.

I bought this book on Amazon to read on my Kindle app for the Ipad. It's called Emotional Muscle. I read a glowing review of it here:


http://thestir.cafemom.com/toddler/116582/antitiger_mom_advice_for_the

Basically, I wanted strategies and ideas about how to handle the times where you have no idea what to do, and you are at your rope's end. I don't mean this is the first time this or other situations like this have happened in a day...it's more like the fifth or sixth. I have only read a few chapters of the book. So far I am not impressed. Maybe I just need to keep reading.  I will keep you posted.

I feel a disclaimer may or may not be needed here. I often wonder if I would feel this exhausted, frustrated, and overwhelmed by this "phase" if I wasn't pregnant. Part of me thinks the difficulty would still be just as unnerving. Another part of me thinks I would have a clearer head and a more capable approach. A third part of me thinks....wait, in a few months this will all be happening with a newborn in the background. I mean, Carson is here today. But Carson is at that super, fantastic, just-turned-one stage where she just watches and listens to everything with awe and/or concern. She watches Lila lose her mind like she's some wild animal at the zoo.

Today has been particularly difficult. I look at those big, blue eyes and that shiny, blonde hair and I try so hard to see the little girl and her feelings. Instead I see the screaming, kicking, red faced tantrum in all it's glory. I have said this before, but when I was a teacher there was one phrase that ran through my head many times a day..."don't let the inner voice out". Someone in my master's program said that to me once and it stuck. I have tried to apply that to parenting too. Don't let them see you lose your cool...don't let them know that you are about to break and scream too....don't act exactly the way you would prefer to be acting.

Here's what I really want to say. This is my child in my house. I am gigantic, not feeling good, and she is pushing it too far today. I am going to cry and I am going to walk away and hope that it just ends. I am going to scoop Carson up and whisper in her ear that Lila should not be her example. I'm going to tell her to sail right past 18-24 months without batting an eye. If I can subliminally spare Katie the daily dose of good old fashioned drama that is taking over my life right now shouldn't I at least try?

I don't like posting these kinds of things. I feel like I am ratting out my own kid and talking badly about her. This too shall pass (please God). It's just another day. She is still an immeasurable source of happiness and joy in my life. Today, I just need her to GET OVER IT.

There. I said it.