HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOU'RE NOT SPECIAL

Today is Hubby's birthday! So, to my hard working, generous, daddy/daughter selfie lovin', logical, practical and responsible husband: This one* is for you. We love you!

P.S. Just to clarify, that title is a joke. I don't wanna leave that up to  any sort of speculation. :)

*Don't click that link if you are subject to being offended by to... let's say... "less than polite" language.

SHE GET IT FROM HER MAMA

Okay, I know this is going to start out sounding like a little bit of a humblebrag, but trust me, you will soon see that it is far more of a shame brag... Adelaide has quite an impressive vocabulary. She's at a point where she seems to add a new word every few days. This weekend it was monkey and hamburger (or hamburgie, the cutest version of any word since doodleoo for nooodle). So anyway, I say all of this, like I said, not to humble brag (okay, mostly not to humblebrag ;), but to point out a somewhat unfortunate trait that she seems to have inherited from me. My sweet tooth is officially evident in all of its sweet glory in the youngest generation in our house. Proof of that can be seen in the fact that her vocabulary contains the name of not one, not two, not three, not four, but five, FIVE, mouth-watering confections: cake, cookie, ice cream, donut and candy. And those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. I take full responsibility. 

#shamebrag #ididittojordantoo #itsatalent #ilikehashtags

LATELY...

Shirt & Shoes: Target, Jeans: F21

My hair hurts from wearing it in a bun. Every. Single. Day. 

I've been playing 20 questions with everyone I come across who has flown with a toddler. Less than two weeks until our beach vacation!

I've been thinking about making a packing list for said vacation, even started one once, but for some reason my very list-making self just can't get into that one. For whatever reason, packing is something I need to be able to physically do in order to really think it through. Hope that doesn't backfire on me!

I've been reading recipe after recipe and comparison after comparison for red velvet cake in hopes of finding the perfect one for Jordan's birthday. I think I have finally settled on this one.

I've been getting really bugged by the toy mess strewn all across our house again. Seems like that comes in cycles every few weeks, usually ending in me boxing up yet more toys.

I've been taking care of two people.  Jordan has gotten himself on crutches again. I don't understand how it is that he rides without falling very often, yet has been hurt twice now (once resulting in surgery and this time on crutches). Yet when I rode, I constantly fell, but never once got hurt. I guess a lifetime of clumsiness has made me a good faller.

Our DVR has become woefully low in stocked up shoes. Like, everything I watch has either ended the season on an incredibly frustrating cliffhanger or been cancelled (Revenge). It's not like I have a lot of spare time for TV watching, but when I do, I like having something good to watch sans commercials. Why can't Reign just come on like three times a week, every week for forever?

Also, I think I may have fixed an issue that was keeping people from being able to leave comments. Give it shot. Especially if you've got any travel tips for me!

I FEEL PRETTY

Tee & Skirt: F21, Shoes: Target

You know, like this. That's one of those song snippets that's in everybody's head, whether or not (me) you actually know where it comes from, right? Anyway, that's how I feel today. Is that bad to admit that? A flowy skirt and bachelorette hair-do rip off will do it for ya. Anybody else looove Kaitlyn? Anybody else gonna shamefully watch it if she gets to stick around? I know it's just a bunch of Hollywood types on their little computers editing away to manipulate us over and over again... and if I ever managed to forget that for one second, Jordan would be sure to remind me. But it's entertaining nonetheless, so sucked right in I will be ;) Ooooh, and how about the Ryan Gosling look alike?

Okay, that's six sentences about the Bachelorette. My shame knows no bounds.

MOM GUILT BE DAMNED

Outfit that you've seen before, but are seeing again because it's basically what I wear every day,

Tee: F21, Jeans: Target, Shoes: Converse

It's all just a big series of ups and downs, so it seems fitting for me to go from a post full of me pouring out my heart and soul, going on and on about nothing but my love of being a mom and and my love for Adelaide to this...

When hearing "Mommy" (or in this case, "Mom-may") goes from the sweetest word that has ever passed her lips, which elicits nothing but warmth and happiness, to a very frustrating chorus more like this and begs to be answered with a "WHAAAAAATTTTTTT?!?!?!?!". When the chorus of "Mom-may" only pauses long enough for a more specific request to be thrown in, such as "Sit?" (on the bed), "Stick?" (for chap stick), "Bear?" (with some sort of arm over the head motion... I think she's requesting a song, but for the life of me can't figure out which one), "Tar?" (as I type, she wants me to get her guitar down for her), "Bu, Bu, Bu..." (Bunny lovey is needed now), and the always present "Help?" for anything else that hasn't yet been covered. When I hear myself repeating over, and over "You've got to be patient my love." to no avail. When I try to just give in and get down on the floor to play and have a big tickle fest, and just when those giggles are starting to consume me up and turn everything around, I get slapped in the face. No, it wasn't an accident (we're working on the arm swinging/smacking thing these days). And finally, when catharsis imperative, I desperately beg Elmo to entertain her, just a few minutes, so I can come here and purge, all while telling myself that it's fine because she needs to get used to her new headphones before our vacation anyway. 

SHE HAS NO IDEA (A LATE MOTHER'S DAY INSPIRED POST)

This beautiful little girl has no idea that her laugh (even when it's fake ;) is pure sunshine to me. That her smile melts my heart in the most marvelous way, and that her cry can break my heart in the most painful way. She has no idea that every time she wraps her arms and legs around me like a monkey (to seek safety from Bowser or a tickling Daddy, or to show just how much she doesn't want down) that I desperately wish I could push pause and just stay right there in that moment for a little longer, cause it's kinda the sweetest. She has me wrapped around her finger, and I wouldn't change that for the world. She has no idea that I would give my life for hers without hesitation. She has no idea how much she means to me, or just how much I love her. It's the deepest, most profound, genuine and consuming love that I have ever known. I am beyond lucky and forever grateful to be her Mommy.

I know it's a little late, but I hope that all the Mommies out there had a great Mother's Day full of love, hugs and hopefully a few less chores than normal :)

THINGS I NOW GET - MOTHER'S DAY

^^ Crying in the early days... looks like Adelaide came by it honest. ^^ 

If you're lucky like me, you got to spend years upon years taking advantage of your mom ;) Not knowingly of course. But if your mom was anything like mine, she was completely devoted and always putting your needs first. So much so that you had no idea that there was any other way for a mom to be. Like so many things in parenthood, in life really, you can't really understand what it's like until you experience it. It wasn't until I became a mom myself that I really came to understand just how much energy, time and love you constantly pour out for your child. And I've only just begun. It's amazing, rewarding and exhausting. 

Mom, I'm sorry I never really understood just how much you deserved Mother's Day all those years. You gave us everything you had, and then you gave us more. You made us feel special and loved and put us first every single day. Thank you for teaching me how to do the very most important job in the whole world. I love you!

In other Mother's Day news.... Adelaide gave me the very best Mother's Day gift a few days early: She started saying Mommy! She says it with the very most drawl-y Texan inflection so it comes out something like "Mom-mae" and it absolutely causes me to melt into the most delightful puddle of sentimental mommy-ness. In fact, it almost caused me to cry right in the middle of REI last night. I've never known more happy tears than since I became a mom.

Getting to be Mommy to this sweet girl is absolutely the most precious thing in the world. I hope all of you Moms out there have an absolutely fantastic Mother's Day! You deserve it!

SUPER EFFECTIVE USE OF TIME

Shirt: Ross, Jeans & Sandals: Target, Necklace: Old, Leg-growing Lipstick: Nars Heatwave

I just spent ten minutes looking for my lipstick. The one I just put on this morning. During that time I retraced my steps from this morning three times and poured out the entire contents of my purse, and I am still no closer to having the slightest idea where it may be. Well, I guess closer in that I now know  that it isn't anywhere that would make any sense at all. Unless it's out in the wide open, right where I already looked three times. So yeah, no closer is probably accurate.

I also spent several minutes trying to retouch the white knees on my jeans. Three years as a PreK teacher plus a year and half with Adelaide has effectively left all of my jeans looking like this. Short of ripping the knees open on all of them to hide the unsightly wear (which I have done to two pairs already), I really don't know how to fix this problem. Google probably does.

A NEW RECORD

^^ Pit stop in Mineola... Above: Jordan intended for me to get Adelaide's picture with the "Back Alley Sally's" sign, but I may've swiftly switched into crazy-freak-out mode the second Jordan stood Adelaide on that ledge, and crazy-freak-out mode doesn't usually coexist well with frame-the-shot nicely mode. vv

                                                         

Two whole hours! Each way! That is how far we successfully traveled over the weekend to go to the zoo of my childhood in Tyler. Unfortunately Adelaide seems to have a maximum sleep time in the car of 30 minutes... when did that happen? A full hour and a half of awake time on the way home, without so much as one little whimper. Also, she ate really well at lunch. And cooperated at the zoo. It was kind of perfect. 

Can I just point out one quick thing though? Adelaide walked the majority of the zoo, and was awake for over 4 hours, going-going-going. Insert here the chorus of "She's going to nap hard!", "She's going to have a good long nap after this!", and other various proclamations relating to "wearing kids out", or having them "get their energy out". You've heard it. You may have even said it. Heck, you may have even experienced it. Well you'd have been wrong! Like I said, 30 minutes, after all that. We've got an unpredictable one on our hands folks, so save your blanket statements unless you enjoy being proved wrong. She's always the exception... except when she's not :)

So, here's to the first of many trips (I hope) to places from my own childhood. I was incredibly lucky to have a childhood full of fun memories and I'm so excited to relive as many as possible with Adelaide by my side. In case I haven't said so lately, she's kinda the best :)

THAT KINDA MUSHY, GOOPY SPOT THAT USED TO HOUSE MY MEMORY

^^ Hi Old Man! ^^

Tee: From Chicken, AK (you can read all about that trip here, written by my incredibly talented husband... but don't jump ship on me please!), Jeans: Old Navy, Shoes: Nordstrom Rack (I think?)

Exhibit A: When I No Show for my teeth cleaning appointment after reminding Jordan just days before that it was coming up this week, viewing the reminder email and responding to the reminder text to confirm that I would indeed be present the next day. May I also point out that I had the appointment both on our wall calendar as well as on my phone calendar? After the highly embarrassing phone call from the office fifteen minutes after my appointment was scheduled to begin in which the very sweet receptionist called saying, "Just wanted to make sure you're coming to your appointment..." Oooooohhhhh Ssssshhhhhh....! All I can do is feebly respond with, "Uhhhhhhh..... today?" Yes today you idiot! You know, the one you confirmed yesterday?!?! (My inner voice of reason doesn't seem to have been replaced with mushy goopy stuff as of yet. That replacement might actually be welcomed. It tends to be quite rude.) I am still spending far too much time feeling terrible and absurd about the whole situation and can only hope that someone in that office secretly clicks their heels and throws a little celebration in their head when someone no shows (especially at the end of the day) like I did when I worked in an Orthodontic office. It's the little things guys. And if our very funny, beautiful and and understanding hygienist happens upon this post... I'm reeeeaaaally sorry. And to make up for it, I'll even floss tonight. 

Exhibit B: When I look at the clock this morning about 10 minutes before we need to leave for the play date that I have been talking to Adelaide about all morning, having forgotten about it completely at some point in the previous hour. 

Before Adelaide's entrance into my life, I would've classified myself as forgetful. I don't even think there's a name for what I am now.... Certifiable maybe?