Saturday, September 29, 2012

The Momma I Want to Be part 1

Remember my woes of being a stay-at-home momma?  How it was getting a little dry around here and my self-worth was depreciating like ants on a sugar stick?

Well, she-bam, she's back! Well, almost back.  I still need to do a few personal things.  New wardrobe.  New hair.  New system of getting out of bed.  New bit of craftiness.  But things have been looking up, my friends.

I offered to switch babysitting hours with a couple of mommas and now have 4 hours a week that are JUST MINE.  And I am looking for one more to split time with.  This means Alaska has a play-date every single day, which is fabulous for her since she loves them so much!

My most favorite, though, is getting to watch my cousin's little boy three days a week.  Believe me when I say that watching two kiddos is much more fun and fulfilling then watching just one.  Which is a big step for me since I was almost convinced that Alaska would be any only child.  Pregnancy is no good.  No good at all.  But babies, babies are ok.  The best?  Toddlers.  Yes, the best.

He is such a sweet-heart with more energy than could be corralled in a house of monkeys.  But more about that later, this post is supposed to be about me and how I am trying to get awesome back.

My resume of activities:

Mondays: Watch Elijah until 2:30 and then Zumba at 8:45.  I know.  It's late.  Most of the time I am too tired and would much rather go to bed.  But I put on my purple kool-aid shoes and strap myself into the car with a water bottle and don't return until said water bottle is empty and I have sweat streaks on my forehead.

Tuesdays: Watch Elijah until 2:30 and this week Chloe is coming over to play while her momma goes to a doctor appointment to check up on Chloe's soon-to-be-born brother.

Wednesdays: Water aerobics at 9am.  Alaska will go to Ethan's house and play for a couple of hours.

Thursdays: Watch Elijah until 2:30.  Interior Design at the Davis High School at 6:30 pm.

Fridays:  Alaska and I have together.  We usually spend the day in our PJs and practice eating baby food.  Or eating cheerios off the ground.  *Note to self: find something more productive to do with this day.

Saturdays: Water aerobics at 8am.  Alaska goes to Chloe's house to play for a couple of hours.

Throw in some visiting teaching, a couple hours for me to re-pay Ethan's mom by watching him and I am just about set to be awesome again!

Oh, and I also found that it is helpful to always be reading a book that I can talk about.  Interesting things.  Like about how the brain works, how the atonement works or something else educational.  While Nicholas Sparks is so much fun to read I have got to stop my 'dessert reading' which is what books like that could be called.  Not too much to talk about other than a little sugar of something light to read.


Monday, September 24, 2012

8 Months with Alaska


Favorite Things: The fridge.  You will hear it open from around the corner and put on your turbo-charged crawling pace to get there before it closes.

Special Talents: Cruzing along the couch, the chair, anything that will hold you up.  You've started to lift yourself from the ground in a stand and when you are up-right you look a little startled as to how you got there and sit back down carefully.

Remember When:  We were so excited the first time you stood up we cheered and clapped and scared you enough to make you plop down and shed a few tears on the floor.

A Month of Firsts: Your two bottom teeth are in and almost lined up.  The left is still a little lower because it didn't get the head start.  I didn't even know you were teething until I went to reach in for a piece of leaf that you love putting in your mouth when we're outside and felt something hard and nubby on your gums.  That doesn't make me a bad mom, that makes you an awesome little girl to not be grumpy when you've got teeth popping in.

Favorite Pastime:  Climbing stairs.  You love it.  And you're good at it.

Nickname: Alaska Paska most times, Punky others.

Sleep:  To bed at 7:30, up at 7:30.  You are ready for a nap at 10 and again at 1.

Crying: When you are hungry.  I've gotten kind of busy and you usually need to remind me to feed you.  You love kisses and don't cry too long when you bump a head or smash a finger.

Dislikes:  Baby food.  We're still mostly struggling with that.  You will sit on my lap and eat two or three spoonfulls and refuse any more.  In the high chair you are only interested in one or two spoonfulls.  If we do that 5 times a day we can get through half a bottle of baby food.

Likes:  Play dates.  You have gotten so lucky!  I am watching my cousin's little boy three times a week and you LOVE following him around.  I have also started water aerobics and trade babysitting hours with a mommy in the ward.  You love going over there to play.

My favorite part:  I am your favorite person right now.


Rookie Mistakes

It's been a month for rookie mistakes.  Of the dating sort.  If I were still writing chapters in the 'looking for Mr. Right' book of my life I would definitely have lost a few dates.

Rookie Mistake #1: Hairy legs.  We're talking HAIRY legs.  Not just a little stubble, but the kind that you can see from 5 ft away.  When I am in the shower I am washing my hair as fast as I can, grabbing a towel, and jumping out before Alaska even knew that I was gone while she was doing her exploratory rounds of the house in the morning.  You know, to make sure no one came in and stole her toys right from under her and that they are still laying by the kitchen sink, smooshed up against the fridge, scattered through the hall and sprinkled in the living room.  And then there I am, not even a second thought to those prickly legs, as I tear through my dresser drawers looking for something that isn't in the wash.  Because, let's face it, wash is hard to get around to when you have to haul not only the laundry, but a 17 lb baby up and down the stairs.

Rookie Mistkake #2: The bun.  Known on pinterest as the top knot.  I think it's cute.  It's easy.  Can be paired with a skirt as easily as it can be paired with sweat pants.  Apparently it's not attractive.  Says Handsome Husband.  And well, if I caught him once, I should be able to catch him twice.  But he says no way.  It's the scary monster in his nightmares.

Rookie Mistake #3:  My brain reflexes have been slowed down, immensely.  It used to be if there were a schedule conflict I could sort things out super quick and find un-used time or a second solution in seconds.  Now, if my plans are thwarted, I cannot for the life of me think of another solution.  I had a friend with me that I had begged to come with the pool with me.  We got to the front desk and the water aerobics was canceled because they were putting the bubble on to make the out-door pool indoor.  We turned around and drove home, I dropped her off, and as she got out of the car she said something about if it were closed next week we should go for a walk.  Duh!  Why didn't I think of that first?  And suggest it for this week since I still had a hour that I could leave Alaska at the babysitters?  Thinking on your feet is essential in the dating game.  If you want to stay a-top the jungle you have got to have solutions all over the place for dates gone wrong.  Had that of been a date it would have ended early due to my inability to think of a second idea.

And then there's Handsome Husband's rookie mistake.  He buzzed his hair.  It got too long, he hates getting it cut because no one can ever 'do it right' and he was in a 'I can do it myself' kind of mood.  The shears were opened, plugged in and his hair was gone.  And it looked bad.  BunX3 bad.  He's promised never to do it again.  And I've tried hard to find other quick-fix options for wet hair than the bun.