Christmas....Round 1

We celebrated Christmas a little early; this is mostly due to the fact that I am not sure how I will be feeling when Christmas day rolls around.  It is also due largely in part to the fact that I wanted to have a little leverage with my naughty Toddler.  In all fairness, his naughtiness can be directly tied to the fact that I can no longer get him to take naps at home on the weekends (I hear he is the first one asleep on the days he attends school.....just my luck).  He will usually find it convenient to close his eyes for a bit (if at all.....between 4 and 5 p.m.).  This pushes bed time back and can sometimes result in a cranky dinner attendee, but I am trying to roll with it and hoping that it will start to sort itself out as we head through the major transition of baby.

Today was just magical, James loved his visit from Santa and was thrilled with his 3 gifts (same number as baby Jesus, we keep it simple around here).  We also had our first snowfall, and James spent a good amount of time outside working on a snowman.  I made baked french toast casserole for breakfast and we grazed for the remainder of the day.  I am still in my PJs, and can't recall the last time I have had a day that has been this lazy!

I was sure to point out that Santa made mention in his note of a return visit after James' brother arrives, but that he needed to be extra helpful to his mother!  Which brings me to my final closing thought, why all the crazy wars with the Elf on the Shelf?  I have read articles where mothers have compared the Elf on the Shelf wars to that of the SAHM vs. WM wars?!  This is just crazy, let's call it what it really is.........a big  tool used to help make our children behave and remind them that Santa is ALWAYS watching.  In fact, I might create a character such as the elf for every month of the year, he has definitely proven to be my Night in Shining Armor on a few occasions this year!  However yes, it is also a lovely and fun tradition for our children (so let us not forget that).

Merry (Early) Christmas from the Sieg Fam!  Last doctors appointment tomorrow, final week of work/baby prep, QT with James, and baby makes 4 a week from tomorrow.

Party Success, and Early Holiday Celebrations

The party we hosted for Jake's staff was a success, I am just very lucky that he works with such an awesome group of women!  I was exhausted by the time the party began, so I wasn't the greatest at running around filling wine glasses and cracking open beer bottles for our guests.  They helped themselves to what they needed, and helped herd all the children.  We are so lucky that everyone has children in the same age group, as they did an excellent job entertaining themselves.  I am just happy James avoided any major meltdowns, seeing as he was under the impression that the party was for him!

I have been a busy lady: wrapping, ordering, organizing, cleaning.  We are officially ready for the holidays, we will kick off our season this weekend.  Santa will be making a stop at our house on Saturday, and we will do Christmas round 1 on Sunday.  He will be coming again on Christmas, after baby boy #2 is home.

I felt it was really important that we savor every moment with James these next two weekends, so we have a lot of special activities planned. It is hard to believe that in 11 days we will be a family of 4!  I can't wait to meet our new little man. 

A Christmas Vacation Moment

So, as Jake and I have busied ourselves preparing for the upcoming holiday party that we are hosting for his staff......we had our very own Christmas Vacation moment.  Let me just preface this story by saying that Clark Griswold is by far my favorite Christmas icon!

Jake worked very hard to decorate the outside of the house this year, last night as I was headed up to bed I looked out the window and noticed the lights were off earlier then usual.  I asked Jake if he had changed the timer by chance; when I saw the look of confusion on his face I knew that I should have waited until morning to say anything.  He headed downstairs and spent the next 30 minutes fiddling with the lights to try and find out what was going on.

Fast forward to this morning.  I am attempting to blow dry my hair, but I plug in the blow dryer and it doesn't work.  I look at the electric toothbrush and see that it is plugged in but not charging.  I try to jog my memory as to anything out of the ordinary that occurred in the bathroom within the past 24 hours.  I remembered the night prior I was scolding James for hitting the "test" switch on the outlet in the bathroom.  I simply hit the "reset" button and promptly headed outside to try plugging the lights in to see if they would work........they did.

I had a good laugh about it, because all I could think of was Sparky!  Happy kickoff to Christmas everyone!!!

1 week later, and I am STILL Thankful

So Thanksgiving came and went, in a blur. In fact, everything is quite hazy these days.  James has been a terror the past two weeks.  As his teacher put it, his true "red headed" personality is coming out.  He has been too damn feisty for his own good (and not even the elf on the shelf can work his magic).  I am hoping this is just a short "phase" and he is getting it out of his system before Christmas rolls around.  In fact, the holidays are likely at the center of my problem.  Too much stimulation everywhere we turn; toys galore, Santa imposter's, Christmas music blasting from the speakers everywhere you go (Bah Humbug, Mariah Carey.....all I want for Christmas is your song taken off the radio).

In all seriousness, I really believe James is FINALLY cutting his 2-year molars and it is reeking havoc on his sleep.  Which in turn, leads to one unpleasant 2 1/2 year old.  He slept through the night last night, so I am hoping we have turned the corner.

Our Thanksgiving was amazing, so much to celebrate and be thankful for this year.  James has found his place in the kitchen, and he was my little sous chef.  Granted, it took me double the amount of time to prepare everything but the good news was that we didn't have any company and time was on our side!

Our pie was my ultimate claim to fame that day, eat it Martha!  We had a lovely meal, and decided to put up the Christmas tree after dinner.  I was lucky enough to have Spider Man help me with the tree trimming!

I continue to find energy at the oddest hours of the day (most commonly from 10 p.m.-12 a.m.), and usually find myself up taking care of work items for maternity leave, wrapping Christmas presents, or doing some light cleaning for the upcoming holiday party that we are hosting this weekend. I am hoping that this stamina continues into the next few weeks, as Santa will be making a visit before baby arrives and then again on Christmas Day (post baby)!  We have made this decision in the event that anything happens sooner then we anticipate; and not to mention the added distraction of new toys will serve as a mighty powerful resource to keep James distracted from the fact that his world is about to be rocked with the newest addition to the Siegert Fam! I really AM excited for Christmas, I just hope James can put forth a little more effort to get himself on the nice list.

Nesting

I didn't think I was going to be as crazy with "nesting" on my second go-around.  I figured that between James, work, and life's many day-to-day tasks that I would not have the time or energy.

Well, this past weekend I put that idea to BED (a place that I used to love....and now loathe....... thanks to heartburn, charlie horses, and a weak bladder).  The blankets and clothes are all washed, bottles are washed, car seat is washed and installed in the truck, and the Pack 'N" Play has been drug out of storage (still has not been set-up in my bedroom).  Now we just need to install the batteries in the swing and vibrating chair, and un-box the new stroller!

I feel like my hard work will pay off, since I will now be able to sit back and kick my feet up over the holidays.  I am sure everyone will be waiting on my hand and foot anyhow (riiiiiiggghhhhht)!  We are having a quiet Thanksgiving (just the three of us), but then will go into major holiday prep mode.  We are hosting a holiday party for  Jake's office staff the following weekend, and will be celebrating Christmas a little early (yes, Santa makes exceptions when the impending birth of baby could possibly interfere with Christmas for a 2 1/2 year old that is already wanting to read Christmas books and listen to Christmas music......he is NOT his mother's son as I consider these activities to be sacrilegious).  I have never understood the need to rush through Thanksgiving, but I am allowing it to happen this year, since our new little man will be arriving the week before Christmas Eve.

Exactly 4 weeks from today we will get to meet our new addition (assuming he doesn't have other plans)!!!

Girls Weekend

I cannot thank my husband enough for giving me the gift of a weekend to myself. I know that it will be my last one for quite some time!  I was able to clean the house from top to bottom (to the old Type A Kathryn standards).  Since James came into this world, my standards of "clean" have changed dramatically.  I highly doubt that the house will be this clean again anytime within the next 6 months; it is about as likely as me having a unicorn sighting!  More importantly, I had a fabulously relaxing weekend with an incredible group of ladies.

It is amazing how even when each of us is at such different stages of our lives; that we come together and manage to find things in common to laugh and talk about!  Granted, several of these stories involve the phrase "remember the time on water street that we........"  You can use your imagination to fill in the blanks, if you remember the Kathryn of UWEC days you understand where I am going with this!

There was plenty of laughing, wine sipping (for some), and Saturday was an all out bliss-fest at the spa.  It was a very MAJOR splurge, but one that was highly needed.  So much so, that the masseuse told my girlfriend that I was so blissed out during my massage that I moaned, "ohh yeah."  We had a nice meal out, a drink with Brett Bielema and his wife at Bluephie's, and came home to watch Magic Mike (horrible acting, no plot, yet I somehow was a satisfied customer)!

Until next time ladies.................

The Final Weeks

As I enter the final weeks of pregnancy and feel myself slowing down, I can hardly believe all that has happened since my last post.......

-National Sales Meeting in Muskoka, Canada

-James' first experience Trick or Treating

-A lovely visit from my Godparents (whom I only get to see maybe twice per year)

-We started getting SERIOUS about potty training with James.........it is my new part-time job!

I can't believe the holidays are right around the corner!  Not to mention our crazy schedule until they arrive!  This coming weekend I get to kick back with some of my besties, we are having a girls-only spa weekend in Madison.  I am very much looking forward to letting my brain take a rest, as it is working over-time with making sure we have all of our holiday affairs in order (since Santa will be bringing us an extra present this year......).  It will also be nice to let Jake take over the poop duties for the weekend..........my goodness.....potty training requires the endurance (both mentally and physically) of any Olympic athlete.....I am happy to report that progress has been made.....but we still have our work cut out for us.

As my upcoming maternity leave approaches, I always find myself thinking about working versus staying at home with the kiddos.  Jake and I asked James if he wanted to stay home with me, and stop going to school. He immediately replied, "No, I like school."  Lucky for him, because he will be going to school while I am on maternity leave.  I am hoping that this will keep my head from doing exorcist-style circles.......because I know that there is going to be some "adjustments" that come with balancing two little ones!  It will also enable James to be stimulated by something other then the T.V. while I bond with baby, and work on creating a new routine for the family!

Happy November, and Election Day!  I am SO happy that the election is over and I don't have to listen to Tammy Baldwin screaming, "Your damn right" on my television anymore.

Insert.....Foot......In......Mouth!

This week could probably be recorded as the worst I have had this calendar year.  Yes, I will even rank it worse then the weeks of moving from Minnesota back to Wisconsin.

As some or most of you may know, James was sent home from school last week Wednesday because he vomited.  He ended up staying home the remainder of the week, but he bounced back quickly.  Thus, we were able to travel to LaCrosse where my sister hosted a BEAUTIFUL baby sprinkle.  She put a lot of time and energy into the whole thing, from the home-made invitations right down to the hand painted pumpkins (which I will share pics.of eventually because they are AMAZING)!  It was a VERY small and informal gathering of friends, but I felt so loved and blessed to have had the opportunity to celebrate Baby Boy #2 with those who were able to stop by!

As exhausted as I was, I had to power through because this week was crazy.  I had my 3-hour Glucose screening on Monday, and was scheduled to leave straight from that appointment to make my way into Chicago for a trade show.  I started to feel a little queasy halfway through my glucose screening....but I chalked it up to being 30 weeks pregnant and having to fast prior to the screening.  Since I was in Milwaukee for the screening and right down the street from one of my favorite breakfast spots, I decided to make a trip to The Original Pancake House for a stack of hotcakes after my appointment.  This is where things got ugly.........I had two bites of my light fluffy pancakes and immediately had to bolt to the bathroom.  I couldn't decide if I was coming down with something or if I was having a reaction to the glucose test.  Upon calling my doctor, I decided it was the glucose test because I felt alright after becoming sick.  Onward to Chicago for the trade show.......BIG MISTAKE.  I became violently ill while driving down 294 in FOUR lanes of traffic.  I will spare you the graphic details.....but immediately proceeding this episode I found myself parked on a side street in a technology park..........stripping down to my BRA and UNDERWEAR as discreetly as possible (no easy feat at 30 weeks pregnant)......changing into fresh clothes.........scrubbing down the vehicle with every single wet wipe in my possession.  I was too far into my journey to turn around and head home, so I decided to get to the hotel and make a decision about the trade show later that evening or first thing in the morning.  I was ONE block from my hotel when I had to pull over and be sick AGAIN......people were driving by on their commute home from work.......just staring at the poor pregnant lady (wearing PJs...........so as to preserve my only clean set of clothes for the trade show), as I leaned out the door of my truck and tried to keep my convulsing body from falling into the middle of the busy road.  The rest of the night was miserable.  I wasn't able to eat or drink ANYTHING....which meant I had essentially been without food for nearly 24 hours.  I missed the trade show, and focused solely on getting back home in one piece and sans vomit.  It took me the remainder of the week to recover from the bug..........it was UGLY.

Anyway..........as I head into the final day of the weekend.  My spirits are much better, since I have had the opportunity to sanitize the house, do laundry, and make my final purchases for the nursery.  James and I had a great day doing yard work (me raking while James kicked and ran through the piles....it was a bit repetitive), and we had pizza and watched Hocus Pocus this evening.  It has been an incredibly productive weekend.  However with my mood returning to normal, so has my sassy level.  Jake was hunting today, he sent me a picture of his buck via text message.  Problem was, I thought the text was only sent to ME.  He shot a very nice size buck, I just thought the rack looked a bit on the SMALL side.  So I followed up his text with the comment, "Looks Nice. Tiny Rack. I think your wife's is bigger...wink...wink." I then receive a text back from Jake stating that this was a group message........OOPS......hope his buddies got a little chuckle out of it!

Double Whammy!

Ouch....this week was tough.  I had the unfortunate task of completing a sales forecast, which is about as much fun as watching paint dry.  Quite frankly it is also a lot of pulling numbers out of your you-know-where.  Not that I have not become accustomed to this.....what with all the political rhetoric out there.  I am so sick of both parties....and quite frankly this election could not be over soon enough.  I cannot believe how heated people get on THE FACEBOOK....yikes!

Yesterday was not the greatest of days......first received a call from my doctor's office telling me that I had failed my glucose screening (by a very small amount)......say WHAT?!  This means a trip to the doctor is in order first thing Monday morning.  Yeah, as if Mondays are not bad enough.... I would really enjoy fasting all morning and then waiting an additional 3 hours to eat AFTER the test.  I am usually ready to inhale my morning bowl of cereal.....so this could be interesting.

Immediately upon hanging up with the doctor, I received a call from James' school telling me he had thrown-up.  Lovely.  Luckily, I had just e-mailed my final copy of the sales forecast so I was able to run out the door and get him.  He was in very good spirits when I picked him up.  I was hoping that perhaps it was just a minor stomach irritation.  We were about 1 mile from home when James said, "Mommy I sick."  I turned around just in time to witness excessive vomiting in the back-seat.  I am not one that handles puke (not even my own) very well, but I did surprise myself with my ability to brush it off and focus on getting James inside and comfortable.  This was James' first time throwing-up, and I was incredibly surprised with his ability to tell me it was going to happen and make it into the bucket.  I could not imagine how hard it would be to take care of a child that was not able to communicate what they were feeling.  We made it through the night w/o any incident and today he was able to eat/drink quite a bit.  I managed work from the Blackberry at home, and we watched A LOT of movies.  I couldn't think of anything else that would keep him calm and resting, although we did whip out the PlayDoh a few times throughout the day.

I started the process of washing/sanitizing tonight.  I am hoping that is the last we see of the flu bug for awhile.

My bed is calling my name...........hoping James makes it through the night without issues.

What a Difference a Year Makes

James' nasty head cold has hung on through the weekend, and he woke me up at 1 a.m. this morning with a low grade fever.  Despite being sick, his appetite has remained unchanged.  He tugged me out of bed at 5:45 a.m. to make waffles.....

I asked him if he wanted to go to school, and his response was "yes, I want to see my buddy Sullivan." I felt as though it would be best if he had one more day at home, and also called to set up a visit with the pediatrician.  We had a BIG struggle with chronic ear infections last flu season, and I just wanted to make sure everything was in the clear.  Alls well that ends well, no ear infection for James and I was able to meet the new pediatrician.  Can cross that off my "Things to do Before Baby Arrives" list.

I cannot believe James' deep affection for his spider man costume; nor his mindset that he has superhero capabilities while wearing it.  I have actually witnessed him trying to climb up the walls in the living room.  He wore it to his appointment this afternoon, and then it was off to Barnes & Noble (for a post doctor's office treat) where he was the popular kid at the train table (due to his stylish ways).  This is the  same child that had a nervous breakdown when I tried to put him in a very kid-friendly Halloween costume last year.  Now my only fear is that Spiderman won't hold up until we get to the end of October.  He has taken an active roll in his fashion choices, there are many days I wish that I could strap a sign to him that says "I dress myself."  My only rule is that it is seasonally appropriate!

This was a hard pill for me to swallow.............but it was a battle I would ultimately loose..........

Birthday Weekend Festivities

Well, my birthday weekend came and went.  There was no fanfare, no big party, no bar scene until the wee hours of the morning.  Instead it consisted of: wiping boogers, taking temps, watching every single super hero movie in our possession, and lots of time driving in the truck.

My wonderful husband and I already celebrated my birthday/babymoon/the fact that we maintained our sanity over the chaos of the past few months.  We took and "adults only" trip up to Door County two weekends ago; we found a fantastic little cabin in Egg Harbor.  We spent the weekend eating, sleeping, shopping, and beer/wine tasting (Jake, not me).  We decided that we will make it an annual trip; only next year we intend to do more hiking/kayaking and various activities that will be much more enjoyable when I don't have to pee every 5 minutes.

Luckily, I am a big fan of the "present to oneself" type of gift-giving.  Therefore I treated myself to a glorious pre-natal massage late Thursday before I picked up James from school.  I felt like a million dollars, and had great energy........little did I know that this feeling would quickly fade.  I was so excited to pick up James and play all evening, except the little boy I picked up was not the same one that I dropped off.  I did indeed grab the correct child, he was just feeling under the weather and tired.  We dealt with the first cold of the season over my birthday weekend.  James woke up on Saturday (my actual birthday) at 5 a.m. with a fever and one request......to go for a "ride."  There was no way I was going to turn him down, because I wanted to do anything that would make him better.  We drove around as the sun was coming up, and looked at all of the beautiful Fall foliage.  He then made a request for "coffee" meaning he wanted to make a Starbucks run so I could get coffee and he could get a milk "box."  So I was able to indulge in a Pumpkin Spice Latte, and I surely did need it!  When we finally got home, my handsome hubby had Apple Fritter French Toast waiting for us!  I am feeling a bit like a zombie, but I am currently unable to sleep due to the kung fu that is taking place in my stomach this very moment.  I did manage to sneak in one family picture over the weekend (luckily it is just far enough away that you can't see the dried snot on James' face)!

28 years old and 28 weeks preggo!  Bring it third trimester!

Changes

Change is in the air, I can hardly believe that September is coming to a close.  I am so thrilled when this time of year rolls around, because I LOVE everything about Fall in Wisconsin.  Not only are we going to be experiencing a change in the seasons, but we will have the BIG change of welcoming a baby in the coming months.  I am closing in on my third trimester, and can't wait to meet this new little man!

We have crossed a lot off the list for it only being September:
1.) James already picked his Halloween costume (which he wears at home on a fairly regular basis)
2.) We already made a trip to the pumpkin patch with friends
3.) The fridge is stocked with fresh cider
4.) We have packed away our summer threads, and started buying James' fall clothes
5.) We have already unpacked the first tub of baby clothes

I now feel as though I am in a position to sit back and enjoy the ride until we get closer to the final weeks.

James peed on the carpet this morning, and it set me into panic mode slightly because I realized he will probably be in the midst of potty training when baby #2 arrives. Time to start stockpiling Toddler sweatpants!

Happy Fall to All!

Rediscovering our Inner Cheeseheads

Well, it has been quite some time since I have had an opportunity to sit down and blog.  This is mainly because our lives have been a whirlwind for the last month and a half.

Let's Recap:

1.  We moved

2.  Jake started working at his new practice

3.  James started at a new School

Who would have thought that a list of 3 items would lead to SO MUCH WORK!  Luckily, I have had a surge of second trimester energy to help me power through.

The move was a success, and went incredibly smooth.  The house is completely un-packed and organized.  I have now been occupied with making it "our own."  Painting, and decorating have been a lot of fun since I know that we will be here for quite some time!  There is something extremely satisfying about owning your own home, you no longer feel as though money is being thrown out the window!  Not to mention, there is never a shortage of projects to keep you busy on the weekends!  I have started working on the nursery and I am so thrilled with how it is shaping up!!!

Jake has been very busy with the new practice, and not able to help out as much with the day-to-day tasks of life.  He did however recently agree to start doing the cooking Thursday-Saturday of every week.  This is a MAJOR task to eliminate from my daily routine!  I don't mind cooking, but I would much rather delegate the task to someone else.  Jake enjoys it, so EVERYONE is a winner with this new arrangement!

James loves his new school (almost to a fault).  The first few weeks he would wake up and proceed to put his shoes on and grab his backpack while still being dressed in PJs!  I had to slowly explain that we need to eat breakfast, get dressed, and brush our teeth before leaving for the day!  He moved up to a classroom with older kids today, and he will now be the second youngest in the class.  I was a little worried about the transition, but the school did an excellent job of preparing the kids by introducing transition visits to the new classroom the last few weeks.  He was almost TOO ready, I dropped him off and had been prepared to stay with him for a while until he felt comfortable enough for me to make my exit.  NOT.SO.MUCH.  He ran into the new room, gave me a quick smooch and said "Bye Mom, have a good day at work."  I had to turn and book it out of the room.  Not sure if my pregnancy hormones are in over-drive or what but I was in tears by the time I made it to the parking lot.  My little man is growing up so fast, and I feel like he needs me less and less by the day.

We took James to his first badger game over the holiday weekend, he loved it and even sat still up through halftime!  I chalked it up to a major success!  Of course the hot dog, nachos, and lemonade helped!  We also attended the Taste of Madison on the Capitol Square.  Lots of great food....which in turn lead to a night of wicked heartburn for me!  We are so happy to be back in Wisconsin, and feel more at home every single day!  The house is officially ready for visitors, so we want to extend the invitation to all of our friends!!!!

I am STILL alive......with lots of news to share!

So, it has been quite some time since my last post.  There are several reasons for this, which we can now officially share with all of our family and friends!

First, James is going to be a big brother before the end of this year!  Santa will be bringing us many presents this year, including a new baby!  My official due date is December 24th, so it should be a very exciting and hectic holiday season in our household!  I am SO happy to be nearing the end of the first trimester, as this pregnancy has been quite different from the first.  I have had crazy waves of nausea come over me at the most inconvenient of times (i.e. during my sales meeting).  I also do not remember being this tired with James; I am thinking the exhaustion is worse due to the fact that I am chasing a 2-year old right up until 8:30 p.m. every night.

As if life isn't crazy enough, we are going to be packing up and moving before the end of this summer!  We couldn't stand to be Minnesotans any longer, and will be making a return to the land of cheese aplenty!  We are currently in the process of searching for homes in Madison, as that will be home very soon (hopefully before August).  I have had a few breakdowns so far, just because of the enormous amount of work that needs to be done (finding a home, finding a new day care for James, and of course finding a new doctor).  I just remind myself to keep breathing and focus on checking off a few items every day, hopefully life will have some resemblance of normalcy before baby #2 arrives.

Look out Wisconsin, The Siegert's are coming home!

The Crappy Part of Parenthood

Yes, I said it!  Parenthood is filled with crappy moments, and by crap I mean "poop."  I NEVER post more then once in a day/week; however I didn't want to forget this one!  I was cleaning the kitchen after lunch today and James came up to me complaining of something being stuck to his fingers.  I took out a wet paper towel and started wiping, but was almost knocked out by the stench.

Turns out James decided to take it upon himself to inspect his diaper, and the sweet surprise that was left inside for Mom!  So, GROSS!  Time to hop back on the potty training bandwagon!

Parenthood is not for the faint of heart........or smell for that matter.

Birthdays, and Lenten Resolutions

So life has been nothing short of insane, which is really nothing out of the "norm" for us.  Frankly, I think I prefer it this way.  I am afraid I would be bored if we didn't have so much going on, because it has become a way of life (this is why vacations are NECESSARY)!  Last week I completed a business trip to Chicago, did an entire scrub down of the house (not just light dusting, but Spring cleaning and organizing style), threw together a birthday party for James, attended my sister's surprise 24th party, and attended a baby shower.

Here are some fun party pics:

James only had a few minor melt-downs, which of course left me wondering why I made the decision to give up alcohol for lent.  Seriously, what was I thinking?  I know I wasn't thinking when I picked the date of the party, daylight savings kicked in the following morning.  Resulting in an over-tired, and over-stimulated 2 year old boy.  Oh, the tantrums to be had!  Luckily, I was out the door and off a baby shower. Leaving Dad to tend to the crabbiness!

I can hardly believe James is two years old.  When I look back to the years prior to his existence, I realize that there was not a lot in life that gave me a true sense of purpose.  Looking at those big brown eyes every morning, makes me strive to be the best person I am capable of being.  I know he was the one that was showered with gifts this past weekend, but I feel that I was the true recipient of the best gift two years ago.  When my stubborn child decided to arrive the day before I was scheduled to be induced.  I instantly fell in love with all 9 lbs. 6 oz. of my baby boy, and I quickly forgave him for being built like a linebacker!

Remember one thing ALWAYS......Mommy Loves You!  You are my greatest accomplishment in life (well I guess that is two things)!

Hola, Amigos

I can hardly believe that I have been back from Mexico for two weeks now!  When I look at my fading tan and the snow flying outside, I am transported back to reality.  Jake and I had a great trip, it was a great time for us to reconnect and have conversation that wasn't interrupted with the demands of a busy Toddler!

This was my view for the entire week of vacation.

I found a chair that was conveniently located by the pool, and still allowed me to see and hear the ocean.  I spent the week sleeping, eating, sipping margaritas and dirty monkeys, AND I even managed to power through three books!  Now that I am home my activities have changed slightly: chasing, eating bites of leftover PB&Js or Goldfish that have been tossed on the floor, COFFEE is my drink of choice (and yes, many mornings I wish it had alcohol in it), and reading about three PAGES of my book before I drift off to sleep at night.

It is funny how when we are away on vacation, at the end we are so excited to get home.  Then when we get home, we wish for just a few more days of vacation to ease ourselves back into "real life."

Jake always gets a little antsy just laying around, this is where our vacation preferences differ GREATLY. I LOVE the beauty of doing NOTHING.  So I agreed (begrudgingly) to try and have a cultural experience while in Mexico, and we visited the Mayan Ruins.

It was O.K., nothing to write home about.  After visiting the Ruins, we were taken to a cave that looked like a giant sinkhole.  There was a big body of beautiful blue water for swimming, it was pretty cool!

The water was FREEZING (if you can't tell by the look on my face).  After swimming in the cave, they carted us off to a little village for lunch.  Lunch was definitely the highlight of my day, I could not get enough of the handmade tortillas.  We also sat with this darling 80-year old woman from Milwaukee; she was a widow and was on vacation with some girlfriends.  I really enjoyed talking with her about life; her husband attended Medical School at Marquette (which they no longer have, as it is now the Medical College of Wisconsin) and she used to live in the Knickerbocker Hotel!  Her girlfriends kept asking her questions, to which she would reply "damned if I know."  She also took great pleasure in drinking beer, she said she hadn't had it since they lived in Milwaukee and that Vino was now her drink of choice!  So all in all, I could have gone without the Mayan Ruin adventure (but I did it for the hubbs).  I was pretty pissed when he revealed at dinner that he didn't think it was that great.  Damn straight, I spent 4 hours on a bus when I could have been sipping cocktails and reading on to find what would come of Peeta and Katniss' relationship!

Here are a few more pics of the vacay:

For now I am just busy trying to get organized in the office for work, plan James' big Birthday bash,  finish our taxes, clean out my mess of a closet, and catch up on our photo albums.   When is the next vacation?!

On a side note: James had his first Anatomy lesson on Monday night.  Yes, he discovered his penis.  It was one of the rare occasions that the video camera was nearby, and I was able to capture our WHOLE conversation on camera.  When he asked if Mom had a Penis?  I of course replied, "No, just Dad and James."  The look on his face was PRICELESS, complete confusion.  I CAN. NOT. WAIT. to show him this video when he is 18 years old!

Reminiscing

Yesterday was date night!  It was a "special" date night  (of course, any night is special when you can dress up in clothes that are not covered in boogers).  The hubbs and I spent the night in Eau Claire, our former stomping grounds from our college years.  We had a wonderful 4-course dinner at one of our favorite restaurants (which was considered a VERY special treat in college due to limited funds), however we did SPLURGE occasionally when Jake would donate plasma!  After dinner we had time to kill before our movie, so we drove through campus.  As we passed Water Street, Jake commented on how few people were out for a Friday night.  To which I simply replied, "um it is only 8."  I remember many 'o nights that didn't even begin until 10 p.m.!  Most nights END at 10 for us us now..........oh how times have changed!

It was so wonderful to reminisce about where our lives were 5 years ago, and where they are today.  I miss the constant contact with friends, but I surely do not miss keeping the thermostat at 60 degrees in the dead of Wisconsin Winter.  Or who could forget the diet of scrambled eggs, cereal, and ramen noodles?

At the end of our evening I was feeling young and attractive, a lot like a freshmen in college.  Went to bed, and woke up......................with Pink Eye!

February, Really?!

It is really February?  This is just a scary thought to me because I honestly feel as though it was just yesterday that I was making ridiculous resolutions, to get 8 hours of sleep every night, drink plenty of water, cut down my coffee intake, workout 3x weekly.......you get the picture. Yeah, these were really just lovely thoughts that I had in my head that never quite panned out into to daily actions.

I had to attend a trade show in Las Vegas for work last week, and it really threw me for a loop.  See, it is normal for me to take one overnight trip a month (2-3 nights MAX).  The reason I have kept it to a 3 night maximum policy is simple: it takes me a WHOLE WEEK to catch up on my life chores (laundry, stocking the cabinets, keeping the house in a presentable state).

On the plane ride home from Vegas, they showed the Movie "I Don't Know How She Does It."  I read the book several years ago and really enjoyed it, however I wasn't so sure about the movie when I saw the previews with Sarah Jessica Parker.  I had a really hard time envisioning her as the main character, Kate.  Kate is a high-powered investment banker, that is married, has 2 children, and a WHOLE LOTTA mommy guilt.  I must admit that I really enjoyed the movie; I don't think I would have enjoyed it in the slightest if I had viewed it in my childless days!  There were two statements that really stuck with me throughout the movie, "Being a Mom to a 2-year old boy is the best!  You are worshipped like a celebrity, while never being judged for your shortcomings."  Secondly, "The inside of a working mother's head resembles a control tower at the O'Hare Airport."

Let's see......other exciting things that happened in the past few weeks.
James bite another child at day care (yup....I was mortified....a feeling I am becoming all to familiar with)
James got pink eye and an ear infection
James flushed a toothbrush down the toilet

Stopping now, need to go make myself a note to call the plumber tomorrow.

Milk, Please

Last night I drifted off into one of those insanely deep slumbers that happen every once in a blue moon (at least for Mothers.....I can't say the same for my husband).  It was the kind of sleep that would have required a freight train rumbling directly through the bedroom to wake me (or perhaps a screaming Toddler).

I suddenly started dreaming of milk, and James asking me for "more milk."  It was strange because the child in my dream sounded EXACTLY LIKE JAMES, and he even looked EXACTLY LIKE JAMES.  This is simply because........it WAS James......at precisely 4 a.m.  He was standing on the side of my bed with his face directly in my line of vision.  You can imagine how startled I was!  Why didn't he shout my name, or even try to tap me?  I was extremely irritated to be woken from such blissful sleep, that I DESPERATELY needed seeing as I was back to work today and had acquired very little sleep over the weekend.  Then I simply asked, "What do you need pumpkin?"  He looked right at me and said, "Milk, please."  So every ounce of irritation drained from my body.....I obediently trudged up the stairs in a daze and poured his cup of milk.  As if my heart had not melted enough, my actions were greatly received with "Thank you, Mommy."  Back to bed he went!  I was so excited to be treated so sweetly this morning at breakfast.........not so much.......Waffles.......No Cereal Bar.........Sippy Cup........No Cup!

Ahhh.....little moments of PURE sweetness.......embrace them......no matter what hour of the day!

The Naked Truth

Happy 2012 to all!  Our New Year's was not all we had hoped it to be......James became sick on Friday night and was up for a majority of the night.  Saturday he had a fever all day, and into the evening.  Finally his fever broke around 1 a.m., but he had trouble getting to sleep due to his cough.  So I spent the day feeling as tired as I would have if we went out and partied into the new year (minus the headache).

I had a rather startling realization yesterday, I have become "immune" to my lack of privacy.  It is now considered common to "hang out" in the bathroom when I am trying to take a 5 minute shower.  Granted I typically sneak in a quick shower while James is watching "Curious George" or "Sid the Science Kid."  We live in a split-level house so our basement entertainment center is located off the master bed/bath area.  Yes, I feel confident that James will be occupied with his shows long enough for me to sneak a quick shower in ( I am such a neglectful mother)!  Lately, James has decided that it is more fun to sit outside the shower while I rinse off.  I actually like this better, because I can physically SEE him.  That is, until he turns off the lights.  He can now reach the light switch so this is his favorite new trick, no big deal until it comes time to shave!  It will be nice when it is considered "gross" to see Mom naked.  In the meantime, I will take my long, relaxing, quiet showers at night after James goes to bed!

The other truth is, I HATE New Year's resolutions.  I feel as though they set you up for failure and disappointment.  Once you lapse, you start to feel guilty and then "cheat."  Maybe that is not everyone, perhaps it is just me.  I decided that my resolution is to try and perform all of my daily tasks to the best of my ability.  As human beings, we are imperfect by nature so why not evaluate yourself on a daily basis.  The reality is that there will be good days, and bad days.

One item that I would like to work on as it relates to Motherhood: PATIENCE....this is something I pray for on a daily basis.  I never knew how much one little person had the capability of driving you to the edge, until this year.  James has acquired the ability to throw EPIC tantrums....and they usually all take place in the SAME day.  In the same token, he has brought me some of my greatest moments of joy.  Parenthood is truly the hardest job on the planet, but one of the most rewarding.

So bring it 2012.....I am ready for the terrible 2's......to grow my sales territory..........grow as a person......and continue to support my amazing husband in his new career!