The Doctors Wife

A Little Of This, A Little Of That

I have been having the hardest time finding the time to blog lately! We have so much going on, and then we have nothing. I love the fact that blogging is like a little scrapbook of our life, but man- lately it is full of holes! So in an attempt to fill in some of the holes we have a post that is my favorite go-to catch all, bullet points!

• We hosted a baby shower for some dear friends on Saturday, they are expecting a little girl in a couple of weeks and we are just so excited for them!

• I am busy planning David's first birthday- oh my goodness- can you believe that David is turing one?!! That is crazy and freaks me out!

• I am also busy planning Mike's birthday (they are back to back!)

• Poor little Hannah is sick- I am hoping that tomorrow we will be on the up-swing. Apparently there is a rule that someone in my house has to be sick, and I think that rule sucks.

• I have been baking a lot! One of my goals for this year is to bake/ cook from scratch more and so far I am loving it! I am on the look-out for cracker recipes so if you have a good one, let me know!

• I am in love with home made bread, it is so yummy and I don't think anything smells better!

• I am ready for spring! I am ready to be outside in the sunshine!

Okay, time to go fold clothes! Hopefully things won't be so sporadic and I can get some pictures up!

So what do you say when you haven't blogged in forever? (crickets chirping...is anyone even still reading this much neglected blog?) So much has gone on in our little family and we have been so busy, with a fun stomach bug thrown into the mix since I last posted. This time of year is both my favorite, and the busiest and I am amazed at how the days can pass so quickly. David's baby-hood is flying by and every time I blink my eyes he is bigger and Hannah is talking up a storm, and every time she opens her mouth there are more words, sentences and expressions that I did not know that she knew and oh my good gracious, my baby is nine and a half months old where did the time go?????? (takes a deep breath)

So yes, we have had a lot going on and things are not going to slow down anytime soon. My little babies are growing up faster than I care to think about, but aside from a rather nasty stomach bug, things have been pretty fantastic. And now my favorite pic of the week:

 

"Look Mom! No hands and my eyes are closed!"

YIKES!

Yikes! It has been awhile since I updated, both the kiddos are napping so I thought I would pop in real quick! (ha!) And of course my favorite way to mention a whole lot of random? Bullet points!

• Hannah had her hair cut last week and I LOVE it!!! It is shorter but super cute! If I can ever get a decent picture that actually shows the cut, I will post.

• David is all over, all of the time! He is enjoying his new found mobility and can move across the room at an impressive rate! He is very interested in the dog food, and Hannah is on her toes saying "No No No, Brother". She is such a little mother, but she will flip out if he tries to take her paci. FLIP. OUT.

• I have been trying to organize my closet and it is taking me a sweet forever to go through everything. Hannah loves to "play" with my scarves, shoes, hand-bags, jewelry, etc. so I am trying to come up with a practical but "Hannah-proof" way of storing everything.

• My Mom came up for a surprise visit on Sunday and honestly I felt like flipping with excitement! I love when my Mom comes to town!

• Hannah started gymnastics on Wednesday and it was AWFUL!!!!! The teacher was terrible- I cannot think of a single thing she did correct. I coached gymnastics for 6(?) years,including pre-school classes so I feel like I have reasonable expectations. (I cannot remember the exact number of years because I am getting OLD) I was honestly about to pull my hair out. Luckily we found out that the teacher was just a sub, and I am hoping that next week will be better. But honestly it could not be worse.

• Mike and I are going to be small group leaders with a high school group at our church, our first meeting went really well and I am excited about getting to know everyone better.

• While the meeting went great, it made me feel OLD. As in OLD.

• Our power was knocked out by a storm while we were at said meeting, and my sweet Mom had the kids at home in the dark! She is such a champ, Hannah didn't seem to mind the candles and proclaimed "It smells good!", but the Hornet didn't care for the ambiance of candlelight. I think he thought we were trying to trick him into going to bed. 

• The power was out for a sweet forever and I am reminded of how much I really do love my air conditioner. 

• Hannah was feeling warm, but not due to the lack of AC, she was running a fever.

• She slept pressed up against me in my bed, except for when I shoved her over because I was about to have a heat stroke due to aforementioned lack of AC. She then pressed herself up against Mike.

• Yesterday her sweet little self was just pitiful. Her temp shot up to 104.7 and Mama started to freak out. (a little)

• We went to the pediatrician this morning and he suspects strep- fun times this weekend friends, fun times.

So that is a little bit of what I've been up to, pray that Hannah feels better and no one else gets sick!! I really have to go get some laundry going while my brood is asleep. Happy weekend!!

Seriously, It's September?

Where is all the time going? Time is absolutely flying by and I can't believe it's September! I feel that finally at 7 months, I am starting to hit my stride with two little ones. I am finally (Praise the LORD!!!) sleeping through the night (most nights) and am finally getting a handle on the housework. Since the kids have started Mother's Day Out, we have had a rough routine that I have been tweaking and next week I am "officially" starting our new fall schedule. I know that September will still be a month of hit or miss, but I do so much better with a schedule/ routine as opposed to a calendar full of free time, so we will go with the plan and make adjustments when necessary. I am hoping to share some of what we have (and will) be up to and would love to hear what you are up to. Do you follow a routine or plan of some kind?

Rocks In My Wagon

I had dinner with some of my girlfriends on Tuesday. It was really fun to catch up and get out of the house without any little ones. When I got home, I didn't feel as refreshed as I usually do after being out with friends, it really bothered me and  I got to thinking about why I was feeling that way. At dinner, I whined- a lot. I whiiiiiiined. And then I whiiiiined some more. I have been exhausted the past few weeks, and have generally felt overwhelmed with everything I have to do. And I have had a bad attitude about it. I understand that during this season of life, with two little ones, things are going to be, well exhausting sometimes. I tried to justify my crummy attitude and validate my bad mood- because hello! I have two little children who I do everything for, and a husband, and a house, and dogs, and so many responsibilities that my head feels like it's spinning, and on and on. But the simple truth is that no matter how justified I feel, sitting and wallowing in self pity (or whining to your friends) doesn't help. I was letting my bad attitude really get to me, and it was making everything so much worse. I started thinking about a passage in the book, Having A Mary Heart In A Martha World, by Joanna Weaver (which is a really great book and I highly recommend it) and I thought I would share it. (To save myself the time it would take to summarize it, I found a summary from Virtual Christian Magazine and am copying it below. You can read the entire article that the summary is from here) 

"The story is told of a man who met God one day. God asked him to take a wagon with three stones to the top of the mountain. God gave the man specific instructions, sketching a map in the dust. The man cheerfully set off pulling the wagon behind him.

As he was going through a small village, a friend stopped him and asked him what he was doing. He explained that he was taking the wagon of rocks to the top of the mountain. The friend became excited as he explained he was just thinking about how he was going to get his rock to the top of the mountain, and would the man be willing to take the rock in his wagon as well? Happily, the man with the wagon took the friend's rock and started on his way.

As he went along, more and more people asked him to take their rocks with him until the wagon grew fuller and fuller. The wagon felt huge and awkward as it lumbered and swayed over the ruts in the road. No longer was the man singing praises. Instead, resentment began to build inside. Frustrated, the man was beginning to have visions of giving up and letting the wagon roll backward.

About that time God came to his side and asked what the problem was. "You gave me a job that is too hard for me," the man sobbed. God walked over to the wagon. "What is this?" He held up a big piece of shale and tossed it on the ground. The man explained about his friend who asked him to bring it up the mountain. God continued to unload the wagon, removing both light and heavy items until only the three stones God had given him were left in the wagon.

"Let others shoulder their own belongings," God said gently. "I know you were trying to help, but when you are weighted down with all these cares, you cannot do what I have asked of you" (pages 51-52)""

I have been weighed down by too many rocks. Some are the rocks that are mine to carry, others I have happily allowed in, while others I hesitantly agreed to. But whatever the case, I have had too many rocks. I have really reflected during the last week about everything that I have to do, and my priorities. And I have done some praying, and I feel so much better. I'm still exhausted (courtesy of David!) but my attitude is in a much better place, and that makes all the difference. 

I have been so stressed out, and that is not how I want to feel, and I do NOT want Hannah and David remembering that their Mama was always tired and stressed out.  I can focus so much on everything that needs to be done, that I forget why I'm doing things. Hannah helped me fix dinner tonight. She has never helped me in the kitchen before, because my attitude has always been that her "helping" me would be to stay out of the kitchen, and out of my way. I have always thought that she could help out when she's older, but right now it would take too much time to let her help. My attitude and actions have not been a reflection of the kind of mother that I want to be. Hannah had so much fun helping, and she did a great job and I enjoyed it too.  All the time I could have saved from fixing dinner myself is nothing compared to the memories I have of my precious little girl stirring the "honey sauce" (honey mustard) and after tasting it declaring, "Mmmmm...tasty!" 

I have "unloaded my wagon of many rocks", and it feels so much lighter and I feel so much more capable of handling my load. I was at the point that the man in the story reached sobbing to God (and anyone else who would listen!) about how overwhelmed I have felt. And now I feel the sweet relief of having a load that is mine, and reflects my priorities. I know that there will be times that it will feel heavy and the path may me a little bumpy, but it's okay because I have a heavenly Father who loves me and knows me, (and my limits and faults and strengths...and exhaustion level!) and will never give me more than I can handle.

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" 1 Corinthians 10:13

A Random Hodgepodge of Hodgepodgery

• David was very good at dinner last night, despite the fact that there were NO HIGHCHAIRS. Also no booster seats. Hannah sat in a chair and was an absolute doll. I held David most of the evening and passed him around while I ate. He was a champ and flirted with the wait staff, but we payed for his charming behavior on the ride home- he screamed the whole (45 minute) drive.

• Some of you have asked where I get Hannah's bows- I get most of them from a local boutique, but also get some from Etsy. I am hoping to learn to make them one day when I can carve out a little "free" time. If this ever happens, I will share instructions.

• David seems to be doing better on the medicine, it will take a few days before we get the full effect, but I am optimistic. Thank you for asking.

• I am really ready to have my new washing machine. Only 2 more days. Only 2 more days.

• I think that Sephora's birthday freebie is perhaps the best birthday freebie ever.

• Hannah is really loving Llama Llama Mad At Mama. 

• I have some yummy recipes to share as soon as I get a chance to download pictures etc. In other words, several weeks from now I will (maybe) post them.

• I am officially ready for fall. The oppressive heat is getting old, bring on the football weather.

• I really need to clean my car out.

Twenty Eight

I turned 28 on Wednesday. It's funny how birthdays change when you are an adult. I ended up spending my morning at the pediatrician with a certain little guy whose sleep habits are so poor his Mama was desperate enough to take him to the doctor on her birthday. (instead of sleeping in and getting her nails done) The pediatrician believes that my handsome little man may have some reflux issues, and David is now on medicine, and I'm hoping this will help him sleep because I am exhausted. But I did get just what I needed, I spent the afternoon at my favorite spa and OH MY did I enjoy myself!! Mike was so sweet to arrange everything and it was a fantastic surprise! I left my afternoon at the spa feeling so refreshed and more relaxed than I have been in a long time, just in time to go out to eat with Mike at my very favorite Italian restaurant. (it is seriously so delicious- I was on carb overload by the time we left) And the evening ended with chocolate cake, and it really doesn't get much better than that! Yesterday I had lunch with on of my best friends and our girls- Hannah really enjoyed herself, her lunch consisted of  french fries and vanilla bean cheesecake! It was fun to get a chance to visit and the girls were just adorable! Tonight my family is meeting up at a winery to celebrate and I am looking forward to seeing everyone. Just say a little prayer that David behaves long enough for us to eat!! He can be a little handful at restaurants, he has done much better lately, but I am REALLY hoping that he does well tonight. Because I would really like to have my cake and eat it too.

Season Of Change

I feel like summer is already starting to wind down- even though it feels like it just started! I have been thinking a lot lately about my time- it seems I never have enough. I want to soak up my kids, have time alone with each of them, time alone with Mike, time together as a family, time to myself, and time to get everything that needs to get done, done. I think I could accomplish this if I had about five more hours in each day, or if I didn't need sleep. I have been reflecting and praying about how to use my time better, and find a better balance for this season of life. I feel like I have a plan- I need to get on a better routine, simplify our schedule, and get this house organized. I will be sharing some of what I'm doing in the next few weeks and will hopefully post some before and after pics- because I love me some before and after pics! Also Medical Mondays will be back next week, and I will also be sharing more "Taming the Two's" ideas soon!

For The Love Of Avocado

Alternative title : How I Stabbed Myself In The Hand

Mike's mom is in town for a few days, and I spent the morning running errands solo. This afternoon when I got home I thought I would grab a bite to eat, and a lovely avocado was calling to me from the fridge and I have some really yummy chips in my pantry, and thus a snack was born. So I began to cut up the avocado and as I was removing the pit, the stupid thing slipped and I stabbed myself in the hand. Stabbed. myself. With a knife. A big sharp knife. (cringes because the word stabbing freaks me out) And oh the blood. Luckily for my neurotic self, Mike was home from work early and declared that I did not need stitches and cleaned me up. I am now sporting a lovely bandage on the palm of my hand and am neurotically wiggling my fingers to make sure I did not incur any nerve damage, you know, when I stabbed myself. Luckily both of my children were napping at the time so I did not have to act nonchalant  and could act like the huge baby that I am. All I can say is thank goodness I did not need stitches because they would need to give me some kind of sedative to calm me down so someone could sew my hand up. And that would not be fun at all. So now me and my stabby hand have to go and get ready, because Mike and I are going out for a lovely dinner with even lovelier friends, where I'm sure I will re-live all of the stabby drama. But on the bright side, the avocado was delicious.

A Completely New Way For Me To Waste Time

So I caved and joined Facebook. My parents have been trying to get me to join for forever and I have resisted because I have heard it is addictive and will suck up your time and turn your mind into friend request mush, but I decided I'd take my chances. And my good gracious, it is addictive. But it's nice to have something besides Etsy to spend some mindless time when I'm up at ridiculous hours with the little man. And can I say that I have been up about every two hours with him over the last couple of weeks? The last two nights have been better, but in some freak coincidence, when he would go over the two hour mark, Hannah would randomly get up and start crying. I'm not sure what that is all about, unless they are trying to tag team their Mama so that she is so tired her strict tv rules go out the window and it's Blue's Clues for everyone! But luckily (Thank you Lord!!) my Mom is coming up for a few days and I am so stinkin' excited I can hardly wait!! I see a nap in my future, that is unless I end up spending that time on facebook...