A really Good Friday. Also the worst two months of the year are OVER!!!!!

Whoever invented these scooters is genious. Our new favorite Friday play date.

Friday was good for me. Weaning day two has lifted a huge weight off my shoulders, she hasn't even tried to nurse and I'm beginning to think that that bite was her telling me she was done. I feel silly for being so worried about it for so long.

Did I mention she slept 12 solid hours last night and this whole one nap in the afternoon thing actually worked out ok? Much less tears today. Thank goodness, I was seriously hitting maximum capacity yesterday. And this whole week. Oh this girl and her kitty!

First tattoo from brother... A "little a"!! What a funny boy. I am thrilled she doesn't like it.

Hopefully this means she doesn't share the same fascination with temporary tattoos as little d :) and mr. D is on his way home. Life is good. 

happy weekend!

She only takes one sippy consistently right now (the orange), so since she was taking water from it I went ahead and sneakily swapped the water for whole milk and she bought it! She only drank a few ounces but considering how little milk I produce anyway, I'm not stressing over it. Too much.

She tried tempeh today! She's now the only one aside from me in this family to eat non meat protein ;) momma's so proud.

Today was also the first day she made her way over to the stairs (in the middle of our dance party can you imagine? Rude!) and attempted to climb them then when I moved her she started scooting/pushing this chair around the room instead of just using it to stand (also for the first time).

Today was a circus! Every day is different and a roller coaster of extreme ups and downs with these two, but when the night ends with dance parties and stories and snuggles it makes the crying and tantrums worth the while. Do I sound like a broken record? I feel like it sometimes. But gosh I do love these two and I'm so grateful for the immense amount they teach me each day, in helping me be a better person.

(After I lost my temper with both kids from this mornings terrible attempt at nursing)

Me: little d, I am SO sorry. Mama was frustrated and mad and she should not have gotten upset at you like that. I even put myself into timeout to calm down--

Little d: (smiling from ear to ear, without missing a beat) it's ok mama, I forgive you because I love you! Would you like a hug?

True story. I have so much to learn from that boy.

Fed up with feeding. Let the weaning begin!

I'm done. Like really truly done with the whole nursing bit. The last week every feeding has been crying, sucking for maybe a minute or two and more crying... I don't think she has ever I her life cried so much as she has the last two months. She. Cries. All. The. Time.

Then she's ready to eat almost immediately after a feeding so I know she's not getting enough. And this morning was particularly frustrating and to top it off she bit me again. Hard. Then refused to take a nap or formula or bottle so it's official. I'm done with these shenanigans and it's so much easier when breast feeding to take them as a personal attack.

At not quite 11 months, little a is done with breast feeding, formula (not that she ever took more than about a drop), bottles, and supposedly her morning nap (no!!!!)

Nuk sippy cup, whole milk, more "real" food, a long afternoon nap and an earlier bedtime (probably 7?) are now the new norm. We will see how it goes.

Almost 3pm and still no nap. Oy.

Future interior decorator? Comedian? Father? Goofball extraordinaire?

Martes.

Yeah... No gym today.

Lucky for me I already had a sitter (thanks mom!) and my first outside run since OCTOBER (so sad!!) with my hopefully new running date Amy! Is it destiny that her daughters have dance class five minutes from my house and next doorto Just Pies? Probably.

3 miles even with a pulled muscle from boot camp yesterday was heaven. I miss running outside. And of course the after party:

Buckeye pie! (Second time we two have shared it while daddy's been away, sorry!)

Grumpy girl woke up on the wrong side of the bed all dayyyy longggg. So much crying today.

And a lot of clinginess. I may need to go to the gym tomorrow just so I can get a shower in that I forgoed today.

Out of the mouth of my babe: "we wear dresses like a princess ahahahahaha!"

I got two big projects done today during nap time and that made me feel so good. Yesterday was meal prep, today was a crafty project. One accomplishment a day is all I need to survive these days. High standards to be sure ;)

Can't wait to post pics of the newly done kids rooms next week! Almost finished!!

Monday nights

Are usually spent exhausted, in front of the tv eating chocolate and missing my hubby. True story. I truly don't mind the traveling that much, it's been over two years and just feels like a regular part of my life when he is gone, and I'll be honest, when he is home since he works from home it completely makes up for it, to get to eat lunch with him and have him around to help when things get out of control or I just need a break.

But something about Mondays. Little d having to say goodbye to him and miss him terribly and cry about not seeing him for four days and throw tantrums like it's nobody's business... It just breaks my heart. Mondays are usually the worst. Second only to Tuesdays ;)

BUT. I had an epiphany in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Two in one week, that's probably a record for someone battling daily mommy brain, right?

I am the only one in control of my destiny and my happiness. Not my kids not my husband or my family or friends. 

I am the only one with the power to make each day wonderful or miserable. And too often lately I have been allowing others to take the wheel on that control and it has not made me as happy as I would like to be. Thankfully I have course corrected and am in full control now.

I started a new Monday night tradition I am loving very much. Watching tv while prepping veggies for the week.

It may sound completely selfish but I am trying to focus on ME because I realize that I am the one who sets the tone for my household. And I want it to be as happy, healthy, loving, and stress-free as possible. Changes are in process and upcoming and I could not be more pleased.

Love them.