It is the end of January... but you'd never guess if you saw my house.  Christmas is still sort of up. We did take down the dead tree, but my dining room table is still housing all of our ornaments, lights, and the rest of that nonsense.  There is still a tub from our trip back to Kansas that needs to be unpacked.  My due date is in two short months, but the nursery is still full of stuff and the BabyCenter e-mail asking if my hospital bag was packed was laughed at.

I'm pregnant and my toddler likes to test the boundaries, so I do what I want.

This is how the first part of January went...

We welcomed 2016 in Kansas.  Rob and Grace were asleep in bed.  I fell asleep about 11:30 on the couch before my dad woke me up to go upstairs.  It was wild y'all.  Just about as crazy as it gets.

Our time in Kansas was coming to a close but we did get to see Rob's uncle and some family friends before wrapping up our adventure on that first Sunday of 2016 with "Christmas" pictures and a ring cleaning.


A ring cleaning that turned into a nightmare.  Seriously... in 2011 Rob and I bought a wedding band to go with my engagement ring.  The wedding band was purchased at Jared's.  The engagement ring was not.  But the store in KC soldered them together anyway... so every time I am home I stop and get the ring cleaned and re-dipped.  So I drop it off on Sunday at 3:30.  Pick it up an hour later at 4:30 and by 10:30 that night I'd lost a stone.  Of course.. the night before we are supposed to leave to drive back to Tennessee.  So we push back our leaving time to swing by the store again before leaving town and they say oh we can't fix it for two days cause we have to order it and that will cost you $50.  So I tell them I will take it to a local Jared's, which is still an hour away.  Fast forward to getting home... and the local store will not touch it because it isn't a Jared's ring.  UHM?!  I posted on Jared's Facebook page and magically I am now getting it fixed for free.. even though their policy has apparently changed.  I still have to find the time to get to Nashville with 3 to 4 hours to waste so they can fix it. but Lord have mercy, someone was going to get it!

And yes, that makes me very bitter still.

Anyway--our trip home brought us back through Springfield where we got to celebrate Rob's dad and step-mom and their birthdays.  Finally the next morning we rolled out of town to get home after one very long trip.


Rob ended up having his leave extended - because of the truck issues.  So he didn't go back to work until the following Monday.  So we spent a lot of time making messes, not cleaning up messes, running local errands and paying bills.  You know - real life things.


Oh and I went like a diligent pregnant lady and did a second 1 hour glucose test and got my blood drawn.  Which obviously resulted in great news.  Not.  My kids hate me.

Speaking of my kids hating me... Grace just turned two and I feel like we've already hit the terrible twos.  Girlfriend will not listen to a word I say and acts like a crazy hooligan every chance possible.  We've had many a fit thrown because I wouldn't carry her up the stairs.  The other day she laid on the landing crying for a good 20 minutes before finally walking herself up the stairs.  And a couple of weekends ago we attempted to go to the post office to mail out some overdue Christmas packages and SOMEONE would not stand by me, didn't want me to hold her and would not listen to me pleading to just get through the typical Saturday line without a meltdown.  No such luck.. we vacated and the packages didn't go out until the next week.  At this rate we will basically never leave the house again.. because mama ain't playing.  I will report we successfully survived the grocery store with minimal meltdowns the next day... but Lord have mercy.. where is my precious, peaceful, good listener that rarely gives us problems?!

Pray for us.

Since then Rob's last week of work ended up being a two day.  Hey MLKJr day and TWO snow days.  We got about ten inches of snow here in Tennessee and while most of it washed away with the rain a few days ago... it was fun while it lasted.  Believe it or not we have a weekend of 60 plus degrees ahead of us.  Which I am 100% okay with!


Otherwise there isn't a lot getting done around here.  Late naps and footed pajamas all day everyday.  But again... I'm pregnant and I am currently doing what I want.

Happy almost February you all!



always,
amanda

It is the end of January... but you'd never guess if you saw my house.  Christmas is still sort of up. We did take down the dead tree, b...

Two years ago I was in a small hospital room... feeling scared and nervous about the little baby snuggled deep in my arms.  How would I know what she needed and how to appease her?  How could I be responsible for such a small little human?  Could I even do it?

Well - here we are two years later.  In a much larger house... still feeling scared and nervous (because my husband says I am a hypochondriac) but feeling much more confident in my abilities to be Grace's mom.  It's not always easy and her second year of life has without a doubt hit us HARD already.  But we've made it.  She's a growing, learning, thriving toddler.  She has a personality that constantly keeps you on your toes.  She keeps life fun (and stressful, if I am keeping it real...).

Today she turns two.  Which I still find hard to believe.  It's like I blinked and all that time passed.

We will open a few presents, eat some cake and celebrate our sweet little girl today.  She's two and that only happens once in a lifetime!

To my girl... mommy loves you.  I truly hope that I do a good job of making you feel that day in and day out.  Being your mother is my greatest joy and I can't wait to watch you develop even more into the little person you are destined to be.  Thanks for helping me keep it real and remember what is important in life.  You face great changes this year in your short little life... but I know that you will take them in strides and love on your baby sister like the little mama that you are.  I love you always.


always,
amanda

Two years ago I was in a small hospital room... feeling scared and nervous about the little baby snuggled deep in my arms.  How would I...