The Month of August

Wow! What a month it's been. It's been so full, lively, energetic, and fun that I'm soooo ready for a nap. However I have a little over a week until Ry's FIRST birthday, so I must pull through and nap in September. Where do I begin? I'll start with a little shout out to my hubby because I didn't mention in my last post that we celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary this year. Year three=leather which means I officially ditched my giant diaper bag and got a new small leather cross body and my dear got a new leather computer bag. We fancy.

Okay, so G's birthday was week two of this month. And what did I get him? I crossed a "to do" off our bucket list and we went... (drumroll please) SKYDIVING!! We had a blast!! It's funny because the first thing people ask me is, "Were you scared?" The answer is: no. I really wasn't scared. I didn't think I was going to die nor even get hurt. Things like that don't scare me anymore. What scares me the most these days is losing Ryan. Comparatively, sky diving was a piece of cake. It was fun and exhilarating. I know G had an amazing time and I would do it again if we had the opportunity.

After birthday festivities, I packed and prepared to leave for Orlando later that week. My mom came down to help out with Ry while G was at work, and I drove myself down that Wednesday-Sunday for the Zumba Convention! It was 4 days of nonstop Zumba and dancing. It was a single community of instructors from all over the world with one passion. It was inspiring. It was motivating. It was beyond words can describe. To me, it was a bigger rush than skydiving and I can't imagine not going back every year. It was incredible. The hardest part is trying to remember anything I learned. I wish I had a class to apply new choreo, but once we get to Colorado, I should be back in the grind of teaching.

Two days after I got home from ZinCon, I drove back with my mom and Ryan to go home for my cousin's Bat Mitzvah. We stopped in Tennessee for the night at stayed at Opryland resort after touring the Grand Old Opry. That resort was fantastic! It was huge and even had waterfalls inside which generated the ecosystem growing inside the hotel. There were trees indoors which grew a multitude of fruits and the entire atmosphere was quant yet extravagant at the same time. Then we left the following day to head for Chicago.

Ry did really well considering his life was scrambled up for over a week. We drove during his nap hours and then I'd sit in back and feed/play with him in between. Our life saver was a CD of three single songs: Uptown Funk, Part of Your World (Little Mermaid) and Let It Go (Frozen). These three songs are miracle workers. Ry will stop mid-cry and listen to these songs. My mom and I may have heard these songs over a hundred times, but it was so worth it. And somehow, I'm not even sick of these songs yet, which is a double win. Another thing I discovered he loves: Clifford the Big Red Dog books. Those came on my trip as well.

Anyway, we made it home and got to spend a little time with my two nephews who had a blast seeing their cousin and then came the family parties. I got to see cousins I hadn't seen in years and I didn't even realize how few people on my mom's side had actually met Ryan. I guess we'd only been home a couple times, so it makes sense, but I keep forgetting we are so remote from everyone. But the weekend was awesome. All the kids played so sweetly together and they mostly wanted to include Ryan. I was like he was one of the kids and not just a little baby. He was social (except for the fact that he missed out on some naps and nighttime and got a little cranky at times) and bonded with the kiddos. It was so amazing to see him be included with family members. I sometimes feel so forgotten because we spent so much time in the remoteness of Alaska, but being back with everyone felt so good.

These last two weeks, being away from home and then visiting family was exactly what Ry and I needed. He had been super clingy to me during those predecessing weeks-he wouldn't even let Daddy hold him some days. But giving us space and bonding time with Grandma then going on a trip with the three of us then having a ton of new family to meet allowed us to bond in a new way-one where he wasn't just attached to my hip. We danced together at the reception, we played with cousins, we even got to go for a walk at the end of the week in a wagon just the two of us and played at the park and he loved it. Not gonna lie, "cold" weather made a huge difference! Georgia is so hot that 79 degrees and windy was freezing. We forgot to pack any clothes for something other than humid and sweltering. Luckily we had some long sleeves to borrow. But the fact that at the end of the day, we could just be OUTSIDE without wanting to melt in a ball made it a lot more fun. I'm so excited for fall weather! It's already cooling down into the humid 80s out here this week, so that's good.. I guess.

This month has really shown how much Ry has matured. He started walking yesterday!!! Oy! I have my mom to thank for that. She started walking him around holding just one of his hands instead of two and that helped with his balance. Other than that, he's just so much smarter. He's now coordinating his toys by putting rings back on the holder, cars into the "car wash" to make noise, cooking food on his toy grill and closing the lid, cups in the bigger cups, etc. He's understanding more words and if I tell him to give me something, he gives it to me. He's got such a personality and he's so silly. On the plane ride home, I was feeding him crackers and had the next pieces in my fist. When he was ready, he'd take the piece from my palm and eat it. After a while, he kept putting the food back in my hand and then taking it back again and laughing. He'd do that with each piece giggling away until finally I closed my hand and put it back. So then, he'd grab my fist, turn it over, and open it and put his food back in there and giggle again. So grown! I can't trick him anymore.

Speaking of... he did really well on the plane rides! I came equipped with lots of snacks, Clifford books, toys, songs, and of course, nipples. The first flight I nursed him at take off and he slept the whole time, but the second time didn't work so we played for our 40 min flight into Augusta. I am so thankful for such a good little boy. I think we both understand each other enough to get through stressful situations.

Now I'm finally home and prepping for his first birthday party in a week and a half!! I'm getting so excited. I'm doing a lot of DIY things so we'll see house this ends up. I'll be sure to post pics on my next post!!! Time to enjoy the rest of Ry's nap--I think I'm coming down with a cold so maybe I'll get a little nap in there too. xoxoxo (Not edited for typos.)

Oh Look, It's August

I haven't updated in forever. I could say that I've been super busy and motherhood is exhausting and I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off preparing for this busy month ahead of me and had zero time to update, but that would all be a lie. The truth is this: I got addicted to Pretty Little Liars on Netflix and binge watched it for 2 weeks to catch up to season six-which I watched on TV last night (live broadcast). Over the years, I've seen maybe a billion previews for that show while indulging in numerous Harry Potter weekends. I always thought, "That show looks incredibly stupid," but after I watched Parks and Rec on Netflix... twice.. I thought I needed a new show so I thought-eh, why not? The first 5 minutes of the show sucked me in and I couldn't put it down.

Baby snuggles in bed

I haven't been completely useless. The binge started for three days straight because I was under the weather with migraines and sinus crap and I felt like I couldn't move off the couch-so I kind of meshed perfectly with my new addiction. However after that first weekend, I realized I needed to get my life and my role as a parent under control and gave up all day binges.. on week days. But I've also been reading in the mix (mostly because my eyes started to die on me after staring at a screen for oh... 100 hours). I re-read To Kill A Mockingbird. I hadn't read this book since 7th grade. Literally-it had my "annotations" from school still in there. They were not deep and meaningful whatsoever. But that book is amazing! I'm also reading a new book I'm trying to finish by Monday for a book club called The Martian. It's fantastic. If you're into science, science fiction and space, it's definitely a good read (so far).

Okay, okay, enough about me. People care more about my wonderful little man who turns 11 months TOMORROW! Where has the time gone??? He's SUCH a big boy. I cannot handle it. He's still not walking, but he sure is close. I'm terrified. He walks with his walker, he cruises along the couch or tables, he stands on his own without holding on to anything. My goal for this week is to baby proof the next size up-he's now reaching higher places and making messes everywhere he goes. There's no turning back now. It's only just begun.

I love this face! Up to no good

My days consist of following him around and moving him from places I don't want him to be. Those include: touching any of the tv stuff, eating any dog toys, or by the front door where he somehow always finds dirt to put in his mouth. He's definitely a little stinker and keeps me on my toes but I love it oh so much. My house is getting dirtier and I'm learning to accept it. It's hard to do dishes when every half dish I rinse off in interrupted by Ry getting into mischief. I haven't dusted in forever either. Oops.

Everything will change this week though. My mom is coming on Monday night so she can watch the baby all week while I got to Orlando for a giant Zumba convention!!!! I'm beyond belief excited. When I get back, I'll have a few days to recover then I'll drive home with my mom for a weekend of family events. Then I'll fly home that Tuesday with about a week and a half to finish prepping for Ry's FIRST BIRTHDAY!! It's going to be huge!!! Well, guest list, it will be small. I have my parents, sister and her kids and my bff all coming in (we have a small apt and it's Labor Day weekend so I didn't realistically think people would fly in-plus I didn't want to send out invites knowing people won't come cause it looks like I'm in it for the gifts, which I'm not. We have a zillion toys right now and enough clothes til the end of the year.) But the right people will be here and that's what matters. It will be huge in the sense that I am going over the top with decorations and loving every second of it. It'll be a Pinterest birthday party, so to speak, with Dr. Seuss as the theme. I've already started a ton of DIY projects with hope that I won't be overwhelmed the day off.

Dr. Seuss Decor

I'm being rather narcissistic today-I keep shifting back to my lame, grown up life (I actually love being an adult, thank you) when people care more about my boy. His teeth are coming in! Holy moly are they ever! His top left lateral incisor popped through first and now his central ones have poked through and if I'm not mistaken, his right finally made an appearance through the gums. This kid takes teething like a champ. I know he's in pain because he gets very fussy about stupid things. I swear, I have the most content baby in the world, so when he's fussy and he's not hungry, wet, or sleepy, it's gotta be the teeth. Plus, it also takes him FOREVER to fall asleep when he's teething. I give him a couple teething tablets and he's good to go. No girly looking amber necklaces for us.

Top teeth coming in!!

He's not talking yet, which is fine. I know (like walking) once he starts, it's never going to stop. He makes almost every sound though. I'll say alphabet sounds like, "aaa aaa aaa" and he'll repeat it back and we'll go down the list and he gets about half of them right. It's adorable. He says "yeah" a lot and I realized it's probably because I always say that to him! Whenever he makes sounds, I go, "Yeah? What else?" and G does too, and I think he's picked up on it. That is his main sound now. It's hilarious. People keep asking me if he waves yet. He doesn't. Why? I don't see enough people to say "hello" and "goodbye" too. I've been trying to practice with strangers or when G comes home from work, but this is a new thing that we've never really implemented before.

I haven't clipped more than 2 nails in the last month. If anyone can tell me how in the world they get their child to sit still these days to do so, that'd be awesome.

More seuss decor. Still need to make a sign out of it..

Okay, what else.... what else? G's bday is this weekend!!!!!! I can't give away what I got him, but I will definitely be updating afterwards with Ry's 11 month "bday" and G's 26th hopefully before I go off to my convention. Cato had his 4th bday a couple weeks ago!!! I can't believe how big he's getting. He's still such a puppy at times. Those times usually include whenever Denali is not inside. Seriously, Cato turns into a completely different dog. G let Denali out the other day and Cato grabbed a toy and ran around happily and came up to me and played fetch. Denali came in and Cato went back into his depressed role as a parent. Denali is a psycho. I love him so much because of it, however he is a toy hog. He always wants to play fetch and if you throw the ball, he is insanely (and I mean this in a like-a-psyco way) way and always has to get the ball first. Belle is also a toy hog so if he fetches a toy she wants, she waits until he gets closer and steals it from him, so that leaves Cato rarely with toys. My sweet baby. He always gets neglected. I took him on a 2 mile run last week-with the stroller- and it went surprisingly well! I mean, the stroller went off roading a few times and some a-hole lady with her dog at the bottom of a steep hill stayed still so we could pass which meant that after gaining speed, I had to try to bring the stroller to a complete stop so I could attempt to hold Cato back from trying to play with the other dog and I was so ready to just yell at this idiot woman. Don't stop, keep walking so we can get past you faster. UGH.

My birthday boy!!! xoxoxo 4 years old :)

It's been in the 90s/100s with high heat indexes for the past.. oh, month straight. I heard some people say that GA summers out here usually aren't this bad, but I wouldn't know if that's accurate or not. I chopped all my hair off. Honestly, I don't like it that much because I have a long face, and long hair distracts people from that, but it feels amazing in this heat to have all of that weight off my shoulders, literally. I don't regret it. It will grow and I will cool off.

I think that's all I really have to update on for now. No wait! I do have one more thing. I read this article about stay at home moms. It was basically saying how when asked what the author does, she says she's a stay at home mom and people respond with, "So, nothing?" or something alluding the fact that she doesn't have a job (which is rude for people to correct anyone on in the first place). She then goes on to state her point of how much work being a stay at home mom is-which it is. Guess what? When I got my hair cut, the woman asked me what I did and I said, "Nothing." She knew I had a baby and she corrected me, "Oh, so you're a stay at home mom?" (I know there should be dashes in this phrase but that's too much work right now.) What I do with my baby everyday is exhausting and takes a lot of patience, effort, and pretty much every second of my day. If I get a break, it's usually spent taking care of dogs, eating, or cleaning. I'm lucky that I'm able to blog right now (yay for morning naps! oops, the dogs haven't been fed yet, crap). But it's a lot of work. This woman was saying that people should be proud to be a stay at home parent (I am) and not consider it a "nothing" job. And I agree...now that I've read her article.  I should be more confident in my role right now cause if you think about it, if I had another job, then I'd be paying someone else to do what I do everyday. If you say, "I work in a day care," that's considered a job (I used to do that) so why not, "I am a stay at home mom"? The only difference is I can't make a living taking care of my own child like a daycare worker would taking care of others. I just found it interesting-I really don't even know where I'm going with this (my coffee hasn't sunk in yet). But my point is: I need to be prouder of being a house mommy so, according to the article, it can be considered nation-wide as a job.

Okay, Molly..out! Got to go get the dogs fed, Belle's drops, and attempt to do some dishes before getting some exercise in with the kiddo. LOVE YA'LL! (No time to edit.. sorry grammar police!)