Ten Things...

...I use every day:

1. Coffee. Decaf usually, but I love flavored coffee with flavored creamer and sugar. Some might argue it isn't really coffee when I'm through with it, but I wouldn't have it any other way! ;)

2. My planner. When I worked, I always figured I wouldn't need a planner as a stay-at-home mom. You know, I would just wing it. No watch, throw schedules to the wind. Turns out I need it more now than when I was working. Doctor appointments, gymnastics, MOPS meetings...now I wonder why I needed it when I was working. What did I write? 7 AM-6 PM: WORK.

3. Diapers. No explanation necessary.

4. Shower gel. Or shampoo, or anything shower related. One, because I am not one of those people who can go without a shower. My college roommate actually had an easier time fixing her hair if she didn't wash it. If I skip a shower one day, it looks like I've been camping for a week. Two, because that's my time during the day to stand under warm water and let daddy take care of the kids.

5. My keys. What would I do if I lived in pioneer days? We drive just about every day. Even if it's just to the Starbucks drive through because my son can't pick on my daughter if he's strapped in his car seat.

6. My computer. Almost every day. Except Sundays (usually - I'm working on keeping that a priority).

7. Lotion. Not just lotion, but body butter. Maybe that's just a given when you live in the desert.

8. Chap Stick. Same reason as #5, although some people tell me that using chap stick makes you need it more. I'll never know, because I can't go a day without using it.

9. My toothbrush. My mom cursed us with bad teeth and then the habit of brushing them for an obnoxiously long time. I have to say that my new electric toothbrush is awesome, and my teeth feel incredibly clean. End of commercial.

10. Tea strainer (and tea cup). Sheesh, I sound like a caffeine addict. But this is one of my favorite evening rituals with my husband: we share a pot of tea after the kids go to bed. Mmmmm...off to do just that. Goodnight! ;)

Challenge

So I'm feeling the need for a creative challenge this week. I've found lots of great ideas on other blogs, and I thought I'd pick an idea from Simple Scrapbooks I posted over on my creativity blog (yep, too many blogs!!). The original idea was for journaling, but I think I'll turn it into a photographic list...and I think I'll take photos of things I use every day this week and then post them all at the end of the week. Anyone else want to pick a challenge for the week?

And speaking of things I use every day - apparently cotton swabs are very handy in DNA testing and criminal investigations. My friend Jen is doing a project on this and wanted some images...it's much more exciting than this, but all of my conversations about it happened shortly after the baby was born and I'm having difficulty recalling the details. Nevertheless, here are a few images for her...

There are advantages to being the second born...

...her brother would NEVER have gotten to eat doughnuts at this age!

Yep, it's kinda been one of those days...

Elmo

My firstborn didn't have a lovey, something he dragged around and slept with until it smelled and then fell apart after multiple washings. Actually, he's had many loveys - whatever object he happens to cherish at the time. Lately it's been cars (of course). He sleeps with up to ten cars in his bed, and after his birthday we had to talk him out of sleeping with his CARS tricycle. But at 2 1/2, this Elmo was the closest thing he had to a permanent lovey. He carried it every where, and slept with it, and melted if he lost it.

It just reemerged recently, and it looks pretty worn and battered - a Velveteen Rabbit. It made me a little melancholy to see it and remember him carrying it everywhere, knowing he's outgrown it now. I took a photo of Elmo now (he wouldn't even take a photo with it - he was too engrossed in his new Tokyo Mater launcher...curses to the Disney marketing department). I went to my computer and searched for that picture, the one I knew I had of him - at the zoo, with his green crocs and carrying Elmo. I think I took it on my point and shoot, and it's one of my very favorite pictures of him. Here it is...

Tea, Mr. Bear?

While big brother went to Awana with my step-mom, his little sister and I (and Bear, and Lamb, and Giraffe) had a pot of tea. It was delicious! ;)

Choosing

I admit that some days I'm lucky if I take one photo, and that's the only one that gets edited and put up on the blog. Other days, I have a hard time choosing what to post. So today I'm posting several. Because I started with this...


He's 7 weeks old today. And just starting to smile in the last couple of days. So of course this is the one I'm posting.

But then we took our first trek to the park. Not as easy as you might think, and certainly not much in the realm of physical exercise (an exercise in patience, however...). I have a large double stroller (aren't they all?), and refuse to get a triple stroller just because my four-year-old doesn't like to walk. So on the walk to the park, the oldest and middle took turns walking (snail's pace when the 18-month old is walking, and just about as slow with the oldest walking because he's negotiating his next turn in the stroller the entire time) and the baby cried most of the way because apparently he didn't think a walk to the park in the middle of January was such a good idea. Go figure. We didn't stay long at the park, because there isn't much I can do to help the other kids while holding a baby and forgot my sling at home. On the way back, I finally pushed the oldest and baby in the double stroller and held the middle one on the handlebars (don't tell my pediatrician). We got a few looks.

We did make it home, and I got a couple of fun attitude pictures with the older two (in their new sunglasses), which I felt I had to include because it pretty much summed up our day.

Kaleidoscope

This is what I'm doing tonight...

...filing, sorting, year-end finances and paying taxes. Exciting, isn't it? Actually, my husband is doing most of the finances and taxes (it helps to be married to a financial analyst - all my expenses are neatly categorized and graphed).

Top of the Muffin to You!

Ok, so I was never an avid Seinfeld watcher, but I can't help but think of that episode when I stop by Just Muffin Around. And it's true - the top IS the best part of the muffin, so how great when you can just buy the tops! I haven't asked them what they do with the "stumps" yet! ;)

"quiet play time"

when you're too old for naptime. ;)

bib.lio.phile

: a lover of books especially for qualities of format, also: a book collector

This is certainly one of my greatest hopes for my kids: that they'll love books, devour them...they're off to a good start, as you can see from this well-loved and used copy of a favorite since our first was a toddler.

I'm cheating

I wasn't feeling well today so these are actually from yesterday. My hubby returned to work, and I ventured out to the aquarium by myself with three kids. And a friend who helped tremendously when the baby had a diaper blowout. In some ways, it's so much easier by your third...it's not such a big deal to change outfits in the car (although I do feel bad for this one being born in the winter - being naked in January is much rougher). The 18-month-old crying because it's past naptime, and the four-year-old asking over and over to see the poop certainly adds a new dimension, though! ;)

BEFORE:


AFTER:

Sabbath

You may have noticed I didn't post yesterday (of course, "you" being my readers may only be my husband, in which case you already know why I didn't post yesterday). I'll imagine for the moment that more people read my blog besides my husband, and tell you that not posting yesterday was deliberate, not just being a slacker. ;)

Last year I read a great book called breathe. The author emphasizes the importance of a sabbath in our hectic lives. Not necessarily a sabbath in the same respect as how it was practiced in biblical times (as in not breaking the heads off wheat stalks because it's illegal), but taking time off once a week from busyness to do something you enjoy. I really worked at implementing that in my life last year, and for me work = computer, so I didn't use the computer on Sundays. Until my busy season hit, and then when I needed the break the most, I didn't take it.

Fast forward to December...I vowed to take time off of professional photography with this baby, to just be a mom, and spending four days in the hospital with no computer access was surprisingly refreshing. So one of my resolutions this year (I typically make goals rather than resolutions, but this really is more of a resolution than goal) is to go "unplugged" on Sundays. No computer. And yesterday was my first day. Instead of getting online to check email, which inevitably leads to facebook, blogs, and forums (and before I know it, my evening is gone and I wonder why I'm so tired with a newborn at home!!), I did this...



...started knitting a hat for my husband. Whatever your "sabbath" is - take a break at some point this week. Put work aside and give yourself time to breathe...

Daddy's Boy

the swing

I can still picture Walt's late step-dad when he said it. It was before the birth of our first baby, and he told us, "What you need is a SWING (insert hand motion demonstrating swinging)." He was right. This swing goes from side to side, which all of my kids preferred (none of them liked swinging front to back for some reason). All of our kids have taken at least one of their naps a day for the first three months in the swing. I know, some of you are shaking your heads about how we shouldn't use sleep aids to get them to sleep. Shake away - I love this swing!! It's the closest thing we've found to magic.

Chilly day at the park

Not that it's slowing anyone down! ;)

Remember that firstborn I told you about?

He decided that 4 am was a great time to wake up. And come in our room. Despite our best efforts for two hours, we couldn't get him to go back to bed. So then he apparently felt lonely and wanted company (mom and dad aren't great company at 4 am, especially when mom just got done feeding the newborn, who is sleeping better than the 4-year-old at this point), so he decided to wake up his sister.

Exhausting, isn't it? Apparently he thought so too...

My firstborn

My serious one (since day one, I kid you not). He loves to build, put together puzzles, play with cars, trains, airplanes...anything related to transportation. He's cautious. We butt heads. Maybe it's that we're both first-borns. And I can't believe he isn't my baby anymore...

Just because...

...I need to better at being in photos with him too ;)

Buns...

...and I'm not talking about hamburger buns. I hope it doesn't offend anyone if I posted naked baby bum photos on here. There's such a short window when they have those yummy naked buns, with chubby rolls (which she is rapidly losing). Pre-bath time is naked baby time at our house, so beware if you happen to stop by then! ;)

One month old...

... already. Rapidly passing the new newborn phase. I'm so grateful Sherri did newborn photos of him, because when that time is gone, it's gone.

January 1

She looks so cute in pigtails. I wish she would wear them for more than five minutes! ;)