2012 Lockdown

I like that feeling of a fresh start. Clean slate. Another chance. It's like stepping out of the shower all nice and clean. The new year has that power of bringing on motivation, new potential and inspiration.

I wrote about my 2012 plans. I'm really excited to start on them. We used December to spoil ourselves, and over indulge. It's time to get back on track. Get in control. So we are going on lockdown. I mean it. Everything. Money, eating, tv time etc. It's time to turn our focus to living simply and humbly. To slowing down and soaking in these special times with our growing family.

It feels good to be in control, have self control and set goals and reach them. From setting a budget and sticking to it and working on other financial goals to eating healthier, exercising and building family memories, 2012 is sure to be a great year.

Spoiling yourself is nice sometimes but the happy feelings are fleeting. Putting in hard work, making good decisions and seeing the results of your sacrifices is much more rewarding. I'm totally ready to bring in the new year. What are you doing to make 2012 better than 2011? Any resolutions?

Operation Big Boy Bed- Week 2

Week 2 went smoothly. At bed time. Not nap time. We were on vacation this week and I was so nervous to have to put Evan down for a nap each day. For the first few days, he threw a fit at nap time, crying and ultimately falling asleep on the ground for no more than 40 minutes. It was tough. Then around Wednesday he accepted that it was nap time and played in his room for a bit before falling asleep on the floor. He really only napped in his bed twice this week. Yet, I decided not to be picky. Sleep is sleep.

Bed time got easier this week. He only fusses for a minute before finally laying down for the night. I still was feeling guilty that he would fuss/cry/be upset so I tried something new last night and it works! When he gets out of bed to protest at the baby gate, I go to him and walk him back to bed, telling him it's night-night time and he needs to stay in bed. He lays down, I kiss him and walk out. He does it again and I repeat the steps. Then...he falls asleep, no fussing! I don't like for him to fall asleep feeling sad or upset, so this is important to me. It's worked 2 nights in a row so I will keep this routine up. Even if I have to walk him back to his bed 20 times! Originally I was just letting him cry and then he would eventually go back to bed. I didn't feel comfortable with this so changing it up helped us both.

We did have an incident this week. I left the baby gate open because I eventually want to do away with it once Evan understands that he needs to stay in bed. I wanted him to be able to come out when he awoke in the morning. I wanted to see what he would do. So, Wednesday morning he wakes up. At 4:00 am. He discovered the gate was open and came to our room. He stood quietly in the doorway then turned and left. I went to get him and bring him back to bed with us. He laid there and I thought he would fall back to sleep. He did. An hour and a half later....he was tossing and turning, kicking, playing, crawling around...oh dear. Yeah that can't happen again. It was my fault. I was too lazy to put him back in bed and didn't want to make him upset so early in the morning. I know now, he won't learn unless I put him back in bed. Oh, these parenting lessons are fun aren't they?

On to week 3!

Life Lesson

I recently had a close family member tell me that this blog is stupid and that I sound stupid in my posts. It stung at first, but I had to remind myself that I don't write this blog for her, I write it for myself. I write to have a creative outlet as well as to have a way to record memories and notes for myself and my family. I also have family half way across the country, so this blog is a fun way to keep them up to date on our lives. Lastly, I have hopes that I can help someone the way that other blogs help me both in information and entertainment.

Over the years this family member has tried to cut my confidence and tear me down. I've allowed this to happen, until now. 2012 is the year I say "No." No to negativity, no to mean people and no to mean words. This life lesson is so important because without it, you let people control you. They control your actions and feelings. I say, "No more."

I share this because I'm sure there are people out there that are concerned about the opinions of others. Don't let the naysayers, no matter how close they are to you, keep you from doing what you love. Move passed them and walk on your own path. I think this can be said about most areas in life like career choices, parenting choices and even partner choice. If I continued to let my choices be dictated by the opinions of others, I would be forever unhappy and frozen in confusion.

So I welcome 2012 with fresh eyes and ears that are blind and deaf to mean people and mean words. This is the year I stand up for me!

Sunday Scoop- Christmas Edition

It's Christmas! Here is the latest edition of the Sunday Scoop:

1) Today is Christmas and it was a lovely yet challenging day. Evan liked his presents and had a blast in his new tent. He loves to test my patience, though. We fought for 2 hours about taking a nap in his big boy bed. Dad swooped in a gave him a pacifier. Not cool. Swooping in is not cool. So, we'll go through this again tomorrow. Fun.

2) Treated myself to Origins Lavender and Vanilla body soufflé. Ah, it makes the days frustrations a distant memory. For real.

3) Get to know your neighbors. It's nice to be able to ask someone if they have nutmeg so you don't have to run out to the store. It's also nice when they give you tamales and Christmas cookies. It also helps when they've been down the road of toddler hood and can give you tips.

4) I have the week off from work. I made a 20 item list of things to get done. One thing I did not add: Relax and enjoy the time off of work. Instead I created work for myself. So, I'm scratching the list and going with the flow. I work too hard to spend my vacation working....

5) I'm eating cereal. It's 10:00 at night. I love it. I think I'll go for a 2nd helping. It's the healthy kind anyway.

Merry Christmas!

Pregnancy Update

So, I haven't talked much about my pregnancy. Yes, I am going to use the excuse that my toddler, full time job and typical house duties keep me really busy. I forget to take pictures weekly. I mean to but I don't always get around to it. It's terrible I know. So, I thought I'd do a little update.

I am 29 weeks today. This time around has gone super fast. It's been fairly the same as the first time around. Sick and exhausted in the 1st trimester, my energy returned in the 2nd and now that I'm in my 3rd trimester, I'm slowing down and feeling large. My energy is starting to dwindle and I get winded easily. 

This time around I started showing quickly. I was in maternity clothes by 12 weeks! I also failed my glucose test.....I have to do the 3 hour test next week. I'm bummed about that. Yet, I think it's all my fault. I have been indulging in the sweets of the holiday season and eating very little in the way of vegetables. I also haven't been able to walk nightly the way I did with Evan. We get home and time never allows for us to have a stroll. The light goes down early and it's cold. I try and do some yoga poses daily to keep flexible though. I am experiencing leg cramps again! They are terrible charlie horses that wake me in the middle of the night. I get them at least 3 times a week. I also had some high blood pressure, that was stress related, which was a bit scary. 

I felt the baby move at around 16 weeks and now he dances up a storm. He does most of his moving during the day and seems to sleep at night. Maybe I'll get lucky and he'll be born with a sleep- at- night- and- awake- during- the- day schedule.

Picking up Evan has become increasingly hard and getting kicked in the belly during diaper changes hasn't been fun. Lifting Evan into shopping carts has been hard, too. Feeling exhausted doesn't leave a lot of energy for playing, so I've been feeling guilty.

Last night I was cramping and having a lot of pressure. I thought I might have the baby, it hurt so bad! The pain and pressure would only subside if I laid on my right side. Today I am doing much better. He has a lot of growing to do before he makes his debut, so he needs to stay in there a bit longer! The doc says I need to rest and drink a lot of water, both of which I am not very good at.

We did pick a name but, to keep some mystery, we are not telling until his birthday.

I feel lucky that I've been able to grow a baby plus handle all the requirements of daily life. It's been tough and tiring but we are surviving. I've felt overwhelmed at times, wondering how I'll make it with 2 kids and working and chores and budgets and all the other fun of adult life.

Just like the first time around, we'll make it work. I'm really excited to have 2 boys who can grow up to be friends. I know I'm in for a wild ride but it's sure to be fun and full of hugs, kisses and dirty finger prints!