Patience....

As a kid.... and as teen....and heck, even now as a grown-up woman, I'm told frequently that I need to have more patience. I'm a quick-fix, results-now kinda girl. When I'm fed up with my hair, I want a haircut within the next 24 hours, no questions asked. I don't like waiting for my nails to dry, which is why I ALWAYS smudge one. But I'm learning. I'm learning that patience is pretty important. Ya know? "Love is patient"? And there is a certain little 2 year old who reminds me that "love is patient" every.day.of.my.life. And not in a bad way, but in the "it might take 15 years to climb up some stairs, but it's ok baby, I've got the time to watch you conquer those things" kind of way.

The past couple of weeks I have girded myself with Job-like patience, preparing myself for the worst when it came to potty training. I expected that my house would turn into a litter box, that I would be changing clothes every 2 minutes and then when all was said and done, my child would be going to college still wearing diapers. However, I'm happy to report that all of my prepping and pre-potty-training training paid off, because brother's got this thang down! Only a couple of accidents the whole week and my house didn't take much of a hit at all, which Mr. Clean has been most pleased with. 

 So with all of that extra patience left over from Potty Training, I was able to parlay that into other areas of my life. Like when I had The Meltdown of 2012 last week. I realized that it's now Fall, I have a million things I wanted Kidd-O to experience and then I was slapped with the reality that, not only do we not have the money to do any of these things, but I slap don't have the time to do any of it either. 

 You see, as a mom, we want to provide our kids with everything we had (or didn't have) as a kids. And when you can't do something, it's heartbreaking. It is for me anyway. I am so in tune to the fact that my little boy is only a little boy once and I want to make the most of it. I want him to look back on his childhood the way that I look back on mine: with fondness and gratitude. And yes, I am aware that he is only 2 and he may not remember all my efforts (and Lord help him if he has my husband memory), but by golly, I know I will! So, my heart broke just a little when I realized that we wouldn't be able to take him to the State Fair this year. I wanted it and I wanted it BAD! And it was only after a few tears were shed that I was smacked with a dose of reality. I realized A) It's really not the end of the world if I can't do everything. B) There is always next year and C) I will, Lord willing, have a couple more kids that I get to create memories for too. It was with those little nuggets of reality and lessons in patience that I was able to take a huge sigh of relief. And maybe I can't afford a trip to the fair, but this momma is gonna make the most of it even if it's to stand in line to get a hug from some person dressed as broccoli, 

 stopping to talk to homeless lady's bird,

  or stopping to get a free ice cream cone

 or just playing "make believe" around the house.

It's all good here. 

Have a great week!!!!

A Day in the Life of Kidd-O

Life with a 2 year old is....interesting....never dull....tiring....eye opening...we'll just stick with interesting. I mentioned a few weeks back that my child was petrified to go out side and when he finally mustered enough courage to step out into the great outdoors, all bets were off when an airplane decided to go by....because, you know, what is more terrifying than an airplane? 

Well, I am happy to report that The Kid has overcome that fear, but that "cute" little quality was replaced by his "darling" need to be by-my-side, under-my-feet, won't-let-me-pee-without-supervision 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. His favorite question is "Momma, what are you doing?" and he just loves to ask that question no less than 575,269 times per day. It's sooooo......sweet. 

 While having a 2 year old is very...interesting, it has been a lot of fun too. While I could do without his persistent need to know where I am and what I am doing ALLL THE TIME, I know that I will miss this. I will miss so much about this stage of our lives. Kidd-O is funny, chatty, full of life, and I couldn't imagine life without that ever present smile. 

 I will remind myself of all of this next week when we really crack down on this potty training business. We are off to a great start though, so I am hopeful that it will be a success!

The Name Game....

Women and baby names are a very precarious thing. Feathers get ruffled, panties get in wads, and people will undoubtedly have strong opinions when they dislike names. For example, I was 13 when one of my sisters was born. My parents were all ready to name their new baby girl Francesca Rose-Maria (Italian much?). Well me, being in Middle School, the court of Public Opinion was of utmost importance and the Jury was back on the name Francesca and the verdict wasn't good. So in "not-so-rare-middle-school-Ashley form", I pitched a royal fit...in the hospital and refused to have a sister named Francesca...it was awful to me. I cried and cried...in the hospital. And my mother, exhausted from bringing her 5th child in the world was really in no mood to argue, and for some reason she gave in and let me pick out her first name and Francesca would be the middle name. To make a long story short, the name Hannah was chosen and I vowed to call her Hannah even while everyone else called her Francesca. It was my solemn vow....it's now 15 years later and I've never, not once, called her Hannah. No one has. And it wasn't long before my mom came to her senses and has often wished she went through the process to change it. I'm reminded of this story....a lot. But I still say "Who let's a 13 year old name their kid anyway??"

All that to say, names are a funny thing. Do you share the name and risk them being "stolen" but at least you staked your claim? Do you keep the name quiet because you absolutely don't want to risk some name hungry pregnant woman stealing your preciously clever name? Or do you plead ignorance to avoid unsolicited opinions (like my mom did with babies 6,7, and 8 after the Francesca fiasco)? What if you love the name of the child who lives 5 doors down that you see twice a year at the pool? Is it copying? What if you love a name, but someone beat ya to it? Do you still use it? Welllllllll, all of these questions have certainly popped into my mind at one time or another, even with Cooper. But, I had a conversation with my mom this week about my current predicament and she wisely asked me "Who cares?!" she said "Ashley, if you love the name, use it. It's going to be that child's name for the next 80+ years, and you shouldn't base your decision on negative opinions or if the name has already been used before." So, that was it. I made my decision based on what I feel so strongly is this little girls name....that, and apparently my youngest sister has already told her class what her new niece's name is . And because I'm not so good at keeping surprises a secret, I'll tell you too.Well, let's just say.....

Photocredit

And for those who know me well, this name doesn't have any 'splanin" to do.
 

So, it's a girl....now what?

I'm a sucker for milestones. I know that life is full of them, and they are all unique to themselves. One first kiss. One first day of High School. One wedding day. And only a handful of babies.Which is why I was totally bummed when Mr. Clean had an important meeting yesterday morning and had to miss the long anticipated 20 week baby appointment. But I asked my 90 year old Mema to join, because this would be a milestone for her too-- the first time she has ever seen a sonogram.

 I'm also a sucker for savoring these milestone moments. Every feeling and thought I want soaked up and savored. Which is why I have this blog and no longer have to keep folded up pieces of paper in a decorated shoe box under my bed.

Yesterday, I found out that life is about to get very interesting in the Lee household. Yesterday, I found out that we are about to be blessed with a little girl. My husband, the one with the hard exterior, is over the moon and beaming... just like any daddy of a little girl should be. Honestly, I was thinking another little boy would be great! And frankly, I didn't think I'd be so blessed to have one of each. So, my first thought when the tech showed me that our baby was a girl was "Lord, you are too good to me" and then I thought "I hope Mr. Clean sells a lot of light bulbs (or whatever it is that he does sell)" because I'm about to buy every bow, every legging, every bloomer, and every smocked dress this side of the Mason-Dixon line.....seriously. I'd be lying if I didn't say I was just as excited as my husband. Because, girlfriend, I am. I'm so excited that our rough and tumble home will made softer by the presence of ribbons and curls. And even though we will have some "fun times" in about 13 years, I know that my girl will be around even when my boy decides to get married and leave me....WAHHH!!!!! Thank heaven for little girls, I know I am!

 But in all fairness...we were prepared for this baby to be a boy too and would have been thrilled.

Blue or Pink? What do you think??

We find out Tuesday whether this little kiddie is a boy or a girl! Take a guess at the poll to the right! Mr. Clean is pretty much convinced it's a girl. He won't really hear of any other option. And I would love another little boy! On the other hand, It'd be nice to have a little girl too. But on the other hand, I already have the boy thing down so that would make for an easy transition to 2.Although on the other hand, I think Kidd-O would love loving on a little sister and this house could use some pink. On the other hand....I'm starting to sound like Tevya on Fiddler on the Roof, so I'll stop now..... As you can tell, I'll be thrilled either way!!

My Afternoon off....

If you are a stay-at-home mom you know what I mean when I say that you are ALWAYS "on". There is never a real break as long as you have a child in your house, a roof over your head and a husband to feed. Sure, there are busier days than others, but the fact that you must always be alert and fully aware 24/7 can become somewhat taxing. And you know when I tell you that even just a ride in the car sans Disney tunes and questions of "Mommy, juice? Mommy, cracker? Mommy, I fahted" can be pure bliss. 

I'm not one to need "me time". I can go a while without needing a moment all to myself. I absolutely LOVE what I do, and compared to Mr. Clean's job and demands, my job is cake! And I love cake! But there comes a day, every once in a while, that I need just an hour or 2 to roll the windows down, listen to whatever the heck I want, and eat with both butt cheeks on my chair while being able to enjoy a lunch without fear of forks flying or giving constant reminders of good manners. 

 Yes, I hit my max and needed an afternoon to re-boot and Mr. Clean obliged. It was me, Norah Jones...

...lemonade, soup-in-a-bread-bowl with a side of extra bread (because I'm pregnant and the baby said)...

... A trip to the farmers market, then the bookstore, and finally a much needed haircut. It was great! And I think I'm good for a few.

Happy Monday, Happy Week!

My Monday Mind Dump...

1. Yes, I know I haven't done one of these in like, FOREVER, But I've had a few requests (and by a few, I mean one person) to bring back this beauty, so here goes nothin'!

2. This Summer girl is actually ready for fall, believe it or not. I'm stoked about all the fun stuff right around the bend!

 3. I picked up a hitchhiker a few months ago near my house...I know reeeeeally not smart and once he got in my car I asked myself what I was thinking. But ANYWAY, ever since then, I have seen him everywhere! Walking around my mema's apartment complex, walking around Publix....very strange.

4. Do you remember Monica's closet on FRIENDS? The one where she's a secret hoarder? Well, that's what Kidd-O's closet looked like until I decided enough was enough. I have ONE child right now, why on earth would I have 9 bins of clothing for him??? So, I kept what I love (2 bins) and the rest I'm consigning. I have almost $400 worth of stuff that I am selling this week. Ridiculous.

 5. I have a certain teenaged sister who just started high school and I'll just say one thing....I don't miss high school...at all.

6. I'm 17 weeks pregnant and while those who know me would say I'm rocking a bump, I know that those at the gym are thinking I need to frequent that place more often.

7. If I don't have something to eat at 8pm and again at 11 pm I will undoubtedly be up at 3am with a very angry and empty tummy that won't shut up until I feed it. Annoying...and embarrassing when I'm packing a lunchbox to take upstairs with me for the evening.

8. I think every girl should have at least one friend that they can vent to without needing a solution or needing to give one. Just someone to let it all out...even if it's for the 1 millionth time that week. I have that and I'm thankful!

9. My son has become petrified of going outside for fear of hearing an airplane...because apparently, there is nothing scarier on the planet. It's strange. And when he hears one pass by he starts crying and tells me that he wants to go inside to the bathroom....he's not even potty trained. Like I said, strange.

10. But good night in heaven! Look at those lips....