Reclaiming the Illusion of Control

I've decided to declare April as Take Back The Fun month for our household and my life specifically. March flew by in a whirlwind and I felt like I was barely treading water the entire month. I found myself grocery shopping at 9 p.m. once I was off work and Grayson was in bed, prematurely breaking into my summer wardrobe just to get by without doing the laundry, and don't even get me started on cleaning (or lack thereof) the house. 

So, this week marks a new beginning. I've taken Monday and Tuesday off of work to get caught up on life. All of our clothes are washed, the pantry is stocked (for a week at least), the bills are paid, I finally made a long-overdue trip to the dry cleaners and I'm tackling the house cleaning. I may even venture to bake something for our new neighbors (and I use the term new loosely, as they've been there a month and I have yet to go over and meet them). While none of this is technically part of Take Back the Fun month, it is a necessary precursor to reclaiming our social lives. 

I can't even remember the last time we've seen our friends (besides running into the Brooks family at Target, which technically doesn't count as a social life). I'm happy to say, we have several social engagements lined up this week and I'm ready to catch up and relax with our friends. 

Next on my list is to find someone to clean our house. After much debate, Michael has agreed to try out having someone come clean our house every other week. I'm not a very extravagant person...no mani/pedis, hair coloring, or even many shopping excursions, so I feel like a little housekeeping help isn't too much to ask. All I need is help doing the basics so that I have more time for our family and don't have to be such a nag whenever we get a spare moment. Fingers crossed we can find a good person to fit the bill. 

Now, join me in a collective sigh of relief. I think April is going to be a very enjoyable month.

Strike a Pose

In yet another mommy confession, I must admit I'm not very good about having Grayson's picture taken professionally. I finally got around to scheduling a portrait sitting for his 6 month milestone, but then had to push it back three more weeks because of all the recent travel to Houston and my work trips. 

We finally had his picture taken last Sunday and I realized it's a good thing we waited. Every picture came out so stinkin' cute we walked out spending a lot of money. Oh well, I think it was worth it. I could stare at the pictures and smile all day long. Hope you enjoy this small sampling from the photo shoot. 

Simple Pleasures

Forget all the light-up toys, books and other store bought paraphernalia. Grayson is quite content playing with a sippy cup like it's the best toy ever.

Everything about the sippy cup entertains him. He enjoys a refreshing drink, holding both handles, going single-handed, shaking it like a rattle and anything else you can think of.

If only something this simple would keep him occupied for months to come. I have a feeling this won't be the case.

A Work-Life Dilemma

I know you are tired of hearing me complain about traveling for work and missing my boys. Although I fly out again tomorrow for another trip, this post is not about that. Instead it's about a conference that seems months away.

I just found out that one of the best conferences I attend all year is happening Aug. 30-Sept. 1 in Lake Tahoe. Now, you're first reaction may be, Tahoe...what's the problem? And I agree it's a great place, but the problem lies in the dates of the trip.

August 30th is Michael's birthday and Sept. 1 happens to be Grayson's birthday. There is no way I can miss both of these important days, but if I stay home the work side of me will feel like I'm missing out on a professional opportunity as well.

So, I've decided to begin a campaign to lobby for Michael and Grayson to join me on my trip. I would appreciate any arguments that could help me convince my husband that it's worth toting a 12 month old and all his gear on a plane, while spending money he'd rather use for car projects or other things, in addition to having to entertain Grayson while I'm in workshops for two days. I don't think bribing him with homemade strawberry cake upon our return is compelling enough to win him over.

One Drooly Rolly Pollie

While I was away Grayson was basically focused on two things -- 1) rolling as a mode of transportation and 2) teething on any and every surface. Michael took some pictures and video to capture the excitement.

Why play with the toys when you can stick them in your mouth?

Tummy time is better with finger foods.

Our little multi-tasker. Rolling and teething at the same time.

We already knew it was time to baby proof, but this video pretty much seals the deal.

Absentee Mama

I've been in Austin, TX since last Friday and am counting down the hours until I'm back home with my two boys (and Roxy of course). I fly back to OKC Tuesday evening, but unfortunately don't arrive until after Grayson's bedtime. 

I can't wait to see him (and smell him...yes, I'm strange) and look at how much he's changed over the last five days. I did get to do one video chat to see Grayson, but it just made me want to hold him even more. 

Tonight feels like Christmas Eve. The anticipation of going home is welling up inside me and I hope I'll be able to sleep tonight. 

Change of Heart

After thinking about it a little more, I've decided to take the ads off my blog. I'm not blogging as a source of income, I really just want to keep our friends and family in the loop on Grayson and our lives. 

So, apologies for the temporary display of commercialism. I'll try to not let it happen again.