Role Reversal

Way back when Brett and I got engaged, I remember some of the older people in my life telling me that the longer they stayed married, the more they became like their spouse. Frankly, I thought they all were crazy given the fact that Brett was a very serious, calculated, not very clean, frugal (and I MEAN frugal!) accountant and I was, of course, very fun loving, tidy, easy going and FAR from frugal.

Over the years, we have certainly both adjusted our lifestyles to make our family the best it can be. Brett has come leaps and bounds in the cleaning department and actually beats me to the laundry punch every now and then. And I have, let's say, majorly adjusted my spending habits. We have learned to compromise in all aspects of our lives in order to make our relationship as argument free as possible.

All the while, however, we still have certain issues that always bring up an argument. Most notable, of course is the money issue. If it were up to Brett, I'm pretty sure every dime beyond that spent on groceries, mortgage and bills would go directly to savings. I, on the other hand am very 'instantly gratified' and I enjoy shopping, spending money and going out to dinner. I tend to have the mentality that everything will work itself out no matter what we have in the bank. We are both opposite ends of the spectrum which, apparently, is why we work.

Lately, however, I have been very anxious about putting money away. We have so many things we want to do, and I am trying to focus more long-term than short-term these days. One would think Brett would revel in my newfound love of saving, but shockingly, I think I have trained him 'too well' to start spending a little more.

This weekend, my computer seemed to have crashed beyond repair. While I was okay with going a few months without a computer, Brett immediately jumped on his laptop and started researching which computer we'd purchase-- this week!! What?? He was ready to drop over $1000 right away, and actually expressed that he was a bit disappointed when I called him to tell him I had fixed the issue this morning. At first I thought to myself, "what is wrong with him?" only to quickly shift my thinking to "what is wrong with me?" The pre-marriage Shannon would have tried to break my computer so that I would be granted permission to buy the latest and greatest. Hmmm. Strange how those friends of my mom's were right. I guess you do become more like your spouse after a while. I guess that's good news for Brett (and the bank account!)

B's 'First' Words

Perhaps more for my memory than for anything else, I thought on the day following Braden turning 15 months, I'd list off all of the words my fantastically smart little guy says these days:

-Any variation of Mom: Mama, Mom, Mommy

-Elmo

-Dada

-'Pampa' (Meaning 'Grandpa' and he even adds 'Jim-Jim' on the end appropriately)

-Thomas

-Barney

-Up

-Cup

-Milk

-Juice

-Uh-Oh

-Oh-kay

-Uh-Huh(as in 'yes')

-Thanks

-Please

-Night-Night

-Go

-Uncle Kevin

-Jeff

-Animal Sounds (dog, cow, sheep, lion, monkey and elephant)

-Truck

-Ball

-No

-Woo-Woo (as in a train sound)

-Cake

It truly is amazing how quickly they learn so many things. I swear he learns something new and cuter everyday. Today, he wanted to watch Elmo, and since 'Melmo' and 'Mama' sound quite similar, I asked him if he wanted 'Mama', he simply responded with a frustrated and emphatic "MELMO!" Geez, sorry kid! I can't even imagine the frustration you'd have with your Dad if I wasn't around to tell him what you are saying all the time!

Wow

This weekend Kelly, Brett and I headed off for the NVHS Class of 2000 reunion celebration. We had an awesome time catching up with everyone (and explaining how Brett and I 'happened' to many) and in some ways, it truly felt like high school was yesterday. While I was two years younger, I knew many of the older and of course, "cooler" 2000 grads from swimming, student council, choir, etc. and I have met many more since Brett and I got together. So, last night I thankfully didn't feel like the odd man out.

As I drove everyone home, I got to thinking about the difference 10 years makes. 10 years has given all of us a lot of things, but most mentionable: hair straighteners (thank god!), tact, fashion sense, our own money, no curfews, life experiences, jobs, kids and above all, perspective. What ten years has not given us: maturity (as evidenced by my car full of screaming 28 year olds with incessant demands to stop at Taco Bell-haha!), a better physique (at least for Brett and I), a better rebound time (as evidenced by my severely dragging household this evening). In many ways, I still feel like Kelly's naive, dorky kid sister, and then I look in the mirror and realize I'm someone's mother. Crazy how life happens without us even knowing it. Wow. We're old!

Seriously?

As I sit here finally getting a much needed five minutes to myself while B and B grab dinner, I am almost doubled over with the pain most women dread every 30 days. Normally, this would not warrant a blog posting (and sorry to anyone who feels I'm crossing the line here), but this month I was 95% convinced I was pregnant again, and I am happy to say now that I am very glad that I am officially NOT pregnant. Not that another child would have been a problem- we certainly love B more than anything and would have gladly welcomed a sibling for him- but the timing would have been less than convenient.

I am pretty sure the world was trying to play a cruel joke on me this month. Granted, my life has had a ton of change lately: working to not working, not working out to working out daily, etc; but for someone that has been more than a day or two late no more than twice in my life (once when I was prego with B) to be eight, yes EIGHT days late was quite the 'fluke'. I took three pregnancy tests-all negative- and couldn't help but stress out non stop about each result.

I got to thinking about how I am ever going to be ready to be the mother of more than one. I have said to people that I feel like you become a real parent once you have two kids. With one, we haven't had many adjustments to our pre-kid lifestyle. Pretty much anywhere we go, B can come along, and if not, there are many volunteers willing to watch one child. I can't imagine two is as easy to pawn off on a friend or family member. I give so much credit to those that do more than one under two. I can't imagine it. I guess its more of a selfish thing. I'm not yet ready to give up my free time or sleep again.

I'm sure there will come a time when I will be ready- and don't get me wrong, there was a small part of me that was really excited about thinking I was pregnant, but as cute as babies are, they are a LOT of work that I can't say I'm ready for just yet. No worries (siblings!), we WILL have another one day, just not anytime soon!

Go, Go, Cardio!

This week is officially Day 2 of week 3 on my daily (or at least week-daily) workout track. I feel awesome and am already seeing a huge difference in my endurance. It has been a while since I've be able to be consistent in the gym, and with B enjoying himself in the Kids Klub (FINALLY!) I'm able to really hunker down and focus on my goals.

I never before have thought of the gym as something I enjoy doing. Its always been more of another required task on my laundry list of things to do, that I may or may not get done. Luckily, being a stay-at-home mom has really changed that outlook. I now plan my days around working out, not vice-versa. I know that I need to make it to the gym to allow myself to be healthier and a better mom, and I get a bonus by having a free 2 hours to myself each day.

I have noticed that my clothes are already starting to fit better, and I am starting to drop the poundage- 4 to be exact. I'd like to lose about 15 more pounds by Jan 1. I figure that at a rate of 1-2 lbs per week, I can easily achieve this goal. Granted, being at home makes snacking and eating junk much more tempting, but luckily between chasing around Mr. B, cleaning up toys, meals, etc and keeping up with the laundry and other house work, its tough to let snacking get the best of me. Believe it or not, I think I am busier now than I was while I was (gasp!) employed!

I am making it a goal to keep my working out up over those dreaded winter months when everything is dead, and leaving the house seems like the worst idea in the world. After all, I have a wedding to be in, in June and I refuse to be the 'fat bridesmaid.' Last year, I most certainly was (even though I was 8.5 mo pregnant), and I will not do it again!

We got "punked"

Braden and I just returned from the doctors office. After several nights of restlessness and general irritability, I decided it was time for a dreaded ear check. My child has followed in my footsteps and has had no less than 7 ear infections since he was just a few weeks old. So, when we went to see Dr. Nelson this morning, I suspected nothing less than another prescription for augmentin and a "take it easy" recommendation. So the result? "Perfect" and I quote, "perfect ears!" Yes, that's right, my 14 month old has been "punking" Brett and I for the past 3 nights. He has discovered that crying out in the middle of the night gets mom and dad to come and spend time with him at 2:30 in the morning, and fighting naps allows for more time spent with mom. Rookie mistake. I should have known, but something about suspecting an ear infection made it way too difficult to just let him cry. But now that I know, crying will become B's new favorite pasttime until he decides to return to his wonderful, sleep loving self. Until then, we will battle. And trust me, I will win!

....on another note, I was at my parent's house today, and found an old picture. Think someone looks a little like his momma?

Apple Picking

Yesterday we went apple picking with our next door neighbors and Braden's good friend, Audrie. He had a ton of fun picking and more importantly, eating every pint-sized apple he could get his hands on! His day concluded with a delicious apple donut and sippy cup full of apple cider. Yum!

Hug your loved ones

Today was a wonderful day! My mom went for her yearly checkup on her breast cancer and got AMAZING news-she is now five years cancer-free, and truthfully, I'm not sure I've ever heard her sound so relieved. Granted, my mom is a bit dramatic about the annual checkup (shocking that we're from the same gene pool!) considering hers has been one of the most minor cases I've heard of, but cancer is cancer, and it can't be easy for anyone. I feel so extremely fortunate that I am blessed enough to have both of my parents alive and (now)well, and that my son is lucky enough to have all four of his grandparents around to spoil him. Things could have gone very differently with that dreaded diagnosis, and we are so very lucky they didn't.

I'll never forget the day my parents told us about the diagnosis. I had returned from school over labor day weekend of my senior year to help close down the pool for the fall. I had gone off to work only to get a call minutes after arriving from my dad--crying. Yes, crying. I had no idea what had happened or what he was about to tell me.

"Mom has breast cancer."

It hit me like a ton of bricks. Cancer? But how? My mom is probably the healthiest, most active and fit individual I know. I just couldn't fathom the word. Cancer. My parents had both recently lost several of their closest friends to cancer, and I had watched their kids lose their parents- something I couldn't imagine going through. Immediately my brain took me to the image of my dear grandmother sitting in the hospital hooked up to tubes. I just couldn't wrap my brain around the fact that my mom was now a victim as well.

We waited and waited for news, updates, anything we could get. I said more prayers that month than I had my entire life. I made trip after trip home from school to support Mom through everything. Then, the day of her surgery came and we all waited with bated breath for the final diagnosis. The cancer was contained, had not spread to the lymph nodes and wouldn't require any further chemo or radiation. Thank goodness!

That was the best news we could have asked for. We all were so relieved and knew things could have gone very differently for us all that day. Each year, when my mom goes for the dreaded annual visit to her oncologist, we all say our prayers and hold our breath. We know how lucky we are that things happened the way they did.

Five years is quite the milestone. It means no more annual visits to the oncologist, and more importantly it means that my mom is healthy and cancer free and here for all of us and for Braden. I hugged Brett and Braden a little tighter today knowing that none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Hug your loved ones and cherish the good times. Tonight I will say a prayer for all those who have struggled, are struggling or have survived cancer and for their families and friends, and I will say a prayer of thanks for giving me all that I have.

Grad School Drop-out AND Unemployed, What??

It's funny how things work themselves out in life. Over the past couple of months, Brett and I have been throwing around the idea of my quitting work and staying home with Braden. So, when we took Braden to daycare two weeks ago to find the news that our wonderful sitter was going back to work full time, it seemed like the perfect kick in the 'you know what' to speed the decision along. Ironically, the same day we got that news we also got the news that it would be virtually impossible to sell our house (even if we'd buy our way out) meaning we are 'stuck' with a low mortgage payment for an undisclosed amount of time. After much deliberation, we decided that all of these things were the world's way of telling us to seize the opportunity and have me stay at home now. I have been slightly uneasy about putting all the financial pressure on Brett, but my decision was reaffirmed this week when Braden had a very hard time when we went to work.

As I sat down to create a budget, it was almost sickening how much money I show would be "left over" after all the bills were paid and essentials accounted for on Brett's income alone. It was eye-opening to see in black and white just how much money we spend on a monthly basis. Given the budget we created, we'll still be contributing almost the same amount to savings as we do now, even without my paycheck. It made me want to rewind the clock to when we first got married. After all, with the exception of daycare expenses over the past year, we could have been putting my entire paycheck AND part of Brett's to savings! Crazy to think about really. But I guess what people say is true: if you make it, you'll spend it. I am finding that so many things I "needed" can wait. Our newest desired purchase is granite countertops for our kitchen. While I normally would have gone out and purchased after the decision was made to do so, we have decided to save for them. I know, WOW, what a concept! But really, its amazing how we had stopped making ourselves save for things. Instant gratification had taken over our lives. But, alas, we are forcing ourselves to start fresh and teach ourselves to wait for things. Today is the first day I am no longer employed. Fortunately, I'll still get one more paycheck and a small check at the end of October, so we can ease into our adjusted budget. I am so excited to spend time with Braden, that the material cut backs really don't matter. I feel so fortunate that I have a wonderful husband who is supporting this adjustment and who gives so much to help our family. I am nervous and anxious to start this new chapter, but I know that we can and will make it work.

Holy August!

So, I guess my promise to keep up with this is one that I might as well throw out the window. My time is extremely limited, and I am busy spending what free time I do have with my little family of three. This summer has been a trying one for Casa de Meurer. I have been in school 2 nights a week (3 hours a night) and still working full time, and we have been hard at work remodeling our kitchen. Sadly, between school, homework, home improvement projects, work and sleep, I truly can count the hours spent with Brett and Braden each week on 2 hands.

Regardless, we have tried to make the best of the time we do have, spending weekends at the lake or water park and trying our darnedest to get in a dinner or two as a family. Braden's Thomas the Tank Engine birthday party went off without a hitch, and we are slowly but surely getting used to our beyond-busy lives.

Brett and I started talking the other night about how things are going and I, admittedly, had a mini-meltdown. I feel like I never see him and I NEVER see Braden. It seems so unfair to me that I only get to see my son for an hour in the morning (if that) and for an hour 3 nights a week before bed. Other than that, we do get Sundays as a family, but they always go too fast. I know that so many people in the world make it work, and that in the long run Braden will never know I was gone so much, but no matter what he knows, I care, and I want to see my kid!

We started discussing our options when it comes to the next 18 months before I'm done with the working parent/student gig, and what solution would keep us sane. In the end, the only decision that will likely work for us is for me to stay at home with Braden during the day and to go to school at night. I'll have four classes left to take as of January, and I can make it work to take all 4 that semester. If I do that, I'll have the summer off, student teach from September to December and be ready to job search in January of 2012. That gives me 8 months at home with my son and time to unwind before embarking on a new career path. We are still working out the kinks, and will definitely have to adjust our lifestyle, but we think it is worth material sacrifices to preserve our mental and emotional stability.

While I feel selfish for choosing to do this while we have a child to support, I know that we can make it work. I know that we definitely spend more money than necessary, and that many families make it work on much less. Sure, we'll be stuck in our house longer, and we may have to go without a vacation next year, but it's worth it to be together. Sometimes stay-cations are just as good as travelling anyway.

I've still got a good 3-4 months of work minimum ahead of me, so our goal is to maintain on Brett's checks alone until then and to put my entire paycheck into savings. If we can do that, we know we'll be able to make it once I'm not working, which will make the whole process much easier to adjust to. Nothing is definite yet, but I'm not gonna lie- I am super excited if we can make it work. I'm not sure that many people could maintain sanity on my schedule right now, and I'd obviously prefer to lighten the load. Not to mention, I could have the opportunity to really bond with Braden before any other babies grace the Meurer household. In 10 years, I think having that time with him will be worth so much more than the money I would have made in a year.

Mommy's First Birthday

So, the weeks have gotten away from me yet again, and I figured I'd better blog again before I start school tomorrow and lose all sense of free time I have. I have missed blogging about my first Mother's Day, Brett's first birthday as a dad, Braden's first swim....

Gosh, time goes so fast. I am finding it nearly impossible to believe that my little guy is about to turn one!Maybe that has something to do with the fact that I was in a sleep-deprived fog for the first three months of his life, but seriously, how has this year gone so fast?! I don't feel old enough to have turned 26 today, but I truly feel like the "best years of my life" have just arrived.

Being a mom is one of the best things in the world, and is worth every extra dollar, every day more stressful, every night with less sleep. I feel like 26 is the best birthday I've ever had. I awoke to a still-sleeping baby at 6:30 am (fabulous!) followed by a vast array of gifts from my wonderful husband and son, a celebratory lunch, cake and birthday song at work, followed by an early dismissal.

Today was Braden's first day at our friend, Michelle's for the day. He absolutely LOVED it and met me with a HUGE smile on his face and a card to boot. I think he is going to be very happy spending three days a week with Michelle, Luke, McKenna and their dog Cooper. He thinks Cooper is the funniest thing in the world, and it truly makes me want to consider getting a dog.

Overall, Mommy's "first" birthday was truly wonderful. I've never been so happy to have had a typical day. I have felt so loved and blessed all day. Thank you to everyone who has made my day so special.

Uh oh, Here Comes Braden!

Watch out, world. The littlest Meurer is most certainly on the move, and only weeks (maybe days) away from walking. He is pulling up on everything in sight, crawling faster than I can catch and is rather proud of himself for doing all of the above. He is also quite easily engrossed in television and books and has absolutely fallen in love with 'Thomas' and 'Chica', two PBS shows that we have playing 'on demand' quite often.

Today, when I got home from work, he was so involved in watching TV, that he didn't even realize I had walked in the door. When he finally did, he crawled as fast as he could over to me, smiling and giggling the whole way, following his charade with a great big hug.

Moments like that are why I love being a mom. There is nothing, absolutely NOTHING like the look on that little boy's face when he sees me or Brett. We get the same reaction first thing in the morning, when we pick him up from daycare, or whenever he catches a glimpse of us from across the room (whether its been 5 seconds or 5 hours since we last saw). No matter what I have dealt with throughout the day, he has the ability to make everything better with that one little toothy grin.

Wow! What a week!

We have had quite the busy last week or so at our house. We finally gave in and decided to get new carpet in the house, got our built-in cabinets installed, spent Easter with BOTH families, and I got officially admitted to school. It seems like so much can change so quickly these days.

I will be starting school at Aurora University in their Elementary Education Masters program on June 10th. Crazy, time has flown so fast! It will be a very busy year with work AND school, followed by 16 weeks of student teaching, but in the end I think it will be well worth it!

Today I got to thinking that Brett and I will celebrate 2 years married in about a month. It seems SO much longer than that! I know that is mostly because we have done so much in 2 short years, and Braden certainly is a HUGE part of that; but I can't help but think we've been together FOREVER already. It seems unbelievable that Little B will turn 1 year old in less than 4 months!

Brett and I have collectively decided that 8 months is the perfect age. Braden is so much fun and has such a little personality already. He is starting to really understand the world around him, and is smiling and giggling more than ever. His new favorite trick is "pointing" at each and every thing he sees. When Brett gets home from work, the pointing and squealing that results from the first glimpse Braden gets of his daddy is incredible. I am truly amazed at how much our little man learns each day.

I told Brett today that, while I know logically that it is WAY too soon to be thinking about #2 yet, the thought definitely crosses my mind on a daily basis. Babies grow way too fast and Little B is already resembling a little boy- no longer a baby! I miss the little baby that fell asleep on my chest and was always where I left him if I walked away for a minute or two. Don't get me wrong, I am absolutely loving the little boy he has become, its just sad how quickly the "baby" stage ends. It will be at least another couple of years before we'll get to have a "baby-baby" again, so I guess we'll enjoy the busy, ever-changing, full-of-personality bundle that we have right now.

Extreme Home Makeover: Meurer Edition

When Brett first bought our home in Novemeber 2006, he was convinced we'd be here for "Two, maybe three years-tops...." The plan was to make a decent profit, and use that profit to buy a much nicer single family home. Given the state of the economy, however, it seems we are going to be stuck here quite a bit longer. Our community was never finished and our builder left 8 or 9 brand new townhomes when he foreclosed. The bad news for us: if we sell now, which we'd love to, we will probably take about a $40,000 -$50,000 bath. Obviously, we are not interested in doing that, so we are staying put for now.

Since we're stuck here longer than anticipated, we need to do something drastic to "make it work" around here. Our storage is extremely limited, and we are trying to keep Little B's toys separate from our "adult space"- which is not proving to be successful the way were are set up now. So, now that the tax return is in, its time to begin the makeover. Item #1 is moving everything out of our basement to create a playroom of sorts for the little man. I met with a builder yesterday who will be installing a full wall of custom built-in storage for us in the basement. This will hopefully alleviate the 'toys eating our house' issue of late. The problem being, there is so much more to do and it is unfortunately NOT cheap! Our "to do" list for now remains:

-Get new carpeting or get carpets professionally cleaned (I'm pulling for new!)

-Get new curtain rod and curtains for over patio door

-Windows washed

-Finish buying and hanging shelves in hallways to accomodate our thousands of framed pictures

We look forward to gradually checking things off our list (and hopefully not adding many more!).

Vacation Schmacation

As we are winding down our week long extravaganza, I am getting very sad to end our time together (it's been much needed), but also excited to get Braden back into a routine.

We have accomplished so many things on this trip, and I am absolutely amazed at how much Braden has changed since we left home. Yes, in a mere week he has started clapping, waving, pulling himself up onto furniture and eating table food. It actually makes me wonder how much he is changing while I'm at work. I guess I'll have to avoid going there--ignorance is bliss, right?!

We have had an amazingly fun trip so far. We started out with two busy days in San Antonio. Braden met all three of his great grandparents on Brett's side, as well as several great aunts and uncles and some distant cousins. As usual, he was a huge hit, and I got pretty emotional leaving knowing that this might be the only time he meets some of them. We left planning to come back as soon as timing will allow.

We then made our way to San Diego. Monday marked a LONG day of traveling for all three of us, as a rainstorm in Dallas kept us delayed for almost 5 hours longer than expected. Thank goodness our little man was on his best behavior-smiling during our entire layover and sleeping on both of our flights. I definitely was anticipating a nightmare when I found out about the delay and was pleasantly surprised by the outcome.

Monday was pretty much shot in the airport, so Tuesday marked our first real day in "sunny" San Diego. Sunny? I guess. Warm? Absolutely NOT! It was windy and cool and according to the locals "this NEVER happens!"I think it was actually warmer in Chicago that day! But we made the best of it with a trip to Coronado Island which was gorgeous, and a trip to the local aquarium and a visit to La Jolla (which, for the record, is amazingly gorgeous). Since Braden's internal clock was telling him that bedtime was at 4:30pm here, we had "dinner" at about 4pm. It made for a very cheap meal considering we went with drinks and appetizers at happy hour, and they were half off before 5! Thanks, little man!

Yesterday was busy, but fantastic. We got up early and left before 8am to head to Anaheim. We drove about 2 hours through some of the most gorgeous scenery I've ever seen to eventually reach our final destination--Disneyland! We figured we were so close that it would be an injustice to NOT take Braden to the "happiest place on earth." I have not gone to Disney since I was around 14, but we had a wonderful time! Disney with your own child is just a whole new experience.

Watching Braden's eyes light up and jaw drop open in amazement was worth every penny we spent there. We got to have breakfast with all of the characters and then walked around the park riding all the "baby friendly" rides we could find. Braden fell asleep on the darker, quieter ones and squealed with delight at the rest. It was an extraordinary experience and I am so glad we decided to go.

On our way back to San Diego we drove through Laguna Beach and Irvine to take in the sights. Again, the views were out of this world! We wish we could uproot our lives in Chicago and take all of our friends and family here! Waking up to this scenery could never get old!

Finally, we made our way to "The Hat", a restaurant like a Portillos for Californians, to meet our friends Chris and Cat for dinner. Great food and great company made for a great end to our night.

Today will be a visit to the zoo and possibly a dip in the pool. We'll see! I'll update again soon!

The days are passing us by SO quickly over these past few months, its hard to keep everyone caught up! Lots of changes are happening in the Meurer household. Braden continues to grow way too quickly for my liking, but it is so exciting to see his little personality come out.

At almost 7 months, Braden's daddy is still, hands down, the most hilarious person the little man has ever met (yeah, I'm still trying to figure it out as well!) While part of me is a little disappointed that I don't have the same effect on my son, I do get a little choked up every time I think about the special bond they share, and the wonderful father my husband is. Brett never complains about any of the many errands he runs for us, despite his 90 minute commute to and from work each day. He is truly an amazing father and husband.

As Braden continues to reach many milestones, he is about to embark on another one--his first airplane ride! I am a little nervous but excited as well. We will be leaving 2 weeks from today to travel to San Antonio to visit Brett's extended family, and San Diego for our first family vacation. We are SO excited for Braden to meet his great grandparents in Texas, and think it will be particularly special for them to meet him. And I absolutely cannot wait to take my son to see the many sights in San Diego, including introducing him to the pool for the first time! I am absolutely determined to teach my child to swim as early as possible (mostly for peace of mind, but also for a little bit of selfish pride). Afterall, he is 50% Patterson, so it would be an injustice for him not to know how to swim. The warm weather (we hope!) will be a much needed change for us as well!

Work is going well for both of us- Brett just got put on a new project that is keeping him busy, and things are starting to pick up for us around the bank so my decision to not transfer was probably for the best! One new change for me is that I decided to finally go back to school to get my teaching degree this June! I know, timing is probably not the best with all of the budget cuts right now, but I am hoping by the time I'm done, things will have turned around. I will continue to work full time until fall of 2011 when I will be doing my student teaching. Brett and I are both very excited for me to finally be working toward what I really want to do in life!

Well, enough of the novel, just thought I'd catch everyone up! Gotta get the little man up from his nap now!

I'll update again soon!

Fondness makes the heart grow stronger

Ah, yes. Words of wisdom from my typically very intellectual husband. He was trying to tell me that "distance makes the heart grow fonder" and got a little confused. But I guess I'll cut him some slack. He allowed me to have a very rare and much appreciated "girls night out" last night while he stayed at home and watched Jr. It was fantastic, but I am definitely paying for it today! I literally got home, showered and have left the couch only for food or water, or to feed Braden.

My night out reminded me....I am definitely older than I feel. Not sure if its the fact that I have a child or that I live so damned far from the city is the reason that when I go out I am not dealing with the same "bounce-back" factor that I operated with in my late teens and early 20s. Probably a combination. Nope, not one part of my body re-cooperates the way it used to after a long night at KAMs back in the good old days. I am not sure HOW I used to do that so often!

Every time I sit back and think of what I used to put my body through while in Champaign, it makes me even more amazed that, A. I didn't and still don't weigh 300 lbs. and B. I somehow survived college. I'm pretty sure that a majority of at least my first 2 years of college consisted of: wake up, eat, class, eat, sleep, homework, sleep, shower, out, drink A LOT, eat, sleep, repeat; and most of the time, what I was eating was probably something with a lot of grease and a lot of cheese. I suppose that is the reason that in all of our pictures from college, my friends and I seem to have a recurring case of "face bloat." Over the years, the number on the scale may not have moved a ton, but the width of my face in pictures luckily has been decreased since those nights have ended.

Last night was a blast. I got to catch up with people I haven't seen in ages and have dinner at a BYOB sushi place (places that are non-existent out here). I definitely miss my time in the city and being so close to friends. I wouldn't trade my life for anything, but its nice to pretend to be a single, city girl once in a while. Single, of course, being a relative term :) . I felt like myself again, pre-mom, and am so grateful to have had some time away. Unfortunately, my body is used to waking up at 6 am , so I awoke, head throbbing in pain at 6:08am this morning. Rough is an understatement. After what seemed like a 2 hour drive home, I have since become a fixture on my couch. Getting off to go upstairs to bed seems like a chore. Yep, I'm having a "I'm in college again" kind of day and I kind of love it :).

Being sick stinks :(

Upon rolling out of bed this morning, I immediately knew it wasn't good. My body ached, I was freezing cold and burning up at the same time.....yuck. I thought getting up and taking a shower would help get me out the door to work, but unfortunately I only felt more sick as time went on. Being sick is one of those things that makes me feel like a kid again. I want my mom or dad to call me, ask how I am, and when I say "not good" bring me soup and 7up and make me better.

I guess you know you are an adult when you call home and say "yeah, I had a 102 temp today" expecting some form of sympathy, and your mother replies with a very prompt, "well, you'll be fine." Yes, I know I am fine, I will be fine, but when I feel as yucky as I did today, I want someone to come and say "you poor baby."

I guess that's what husbands are for. Mine is one of the best, and called home several times throughout the day to check up on me and make sure I was okay. He is currently at Panera, getting me a chicken noodle soup remedy. Hopefully it all works, cause I'd really like to enjoy my girls night out tomorrow night. I'm trying really hard to get better fast.

Braden makes it hard to feel too sick, either. No matter how I feel, he always gives me that big huge "hi mom!" smile whenever he sees me for the first time in a while. I feel much better after seeing him and after a day of rest. Let's hope it's what the doctor ordered! :)

Oh my god, your son is HUGE!

Yes, we are very well aware that we have somehow created a giant. Braden is a mere 5.5 months and is already wearing 12 month clothes and weighing a massive 20 pounds. He's huge. I get it. I feel like I have literally spent my entire weekend fielding questions and comments on that topic, and trying to downplay his size as passersby are so intrigued as to how "YOU TWO" created "THAT". Yeah, not too sure how that happened. I just smile and nod, trying to hide my growing complex over the issue.

Brett just beams when the comments come our way. He told me today that he takes them as a compliment, and that the bigger our little monster gets, the more he can forsee his future as an athlete. He is so proud that we might have a future lineman on our hands.

I, on the other hand, can't help but get a little concerned. I am afraid that as he gets older, he'll be made fun of or develop a complex about his size. While Brett is hoping he keeps on the growth train, I am hoping he starts to slow down so that he can blend in with those his age a little easier.

We were at our friend Nancy and Bryan's son Kyle's first birthday this weekend and while Kyle, who is 6 months older than Braden, used to dwarf our little man, they are now almost the same size. Quite the eye opener. I guess until we see him next to other kids, its hard to see just how big he is. Its pretty humorous to hear people guess his age.....8 months, 9 months, a year?? Haha. Not quite.

Today, the three of us made our first trip out to the grocery store. As Brett was waiting in line at the deli counter, Little B and I made our way past the meat and seafood section where I was approached by a man with a baby carrier in his cart. Braden is too heavy to be carried in the seat, so we have resorted to sitting him in the front of the cart, the "big boy seat" as we call it. As I passed by the cart with the baby, the man looked over at me and says, (those who are parents will understand the "instant friend" scenario at stores when you have kids) "Oh he looks just a little bit older than mine". "Oh," I said, "how old is yours?" I was thinking he couldn't have been older than 6 months. "9 months". I had to laugh...."Yeah, he's 5.5. He's a big guy" As I watched the man's jaw drop, I thought to myself, "I really hope he is going to be a stellar athlete or this is going to get old very fast."

Here's to hoping.....

Here we go.....

For the past 6 months, I have been overly anxious for Braden to start doing new "tricks" as my friend Emily calls them. I could not wait until the day he could hold his own bottle, eat baby food, roll over, talk, etc. I guess there is a reason they say to be careful what you wish for. Yesterday morning we awoke to Braden's first words : Mama and Baba (I can't say I am disappointed to have made the list!) He added "dada" to his repertoire today and I'm sure there will be more to come. We are very proud that amidst the aftermath of a 3 week+ lingering ear infection, he still managed to accomplish such a milestone with a smile on his face (most of the time).

Alas, we have begun the downhill spiral that is childhood development, and while I am super excited to watch the little guy reach so many different milestones, I know that there is no turning back now. Gone are the days of the silent, sleepy baby that did little more than eat and poop. We are now onto bigger and better things, which means busier and busier days for us. I have said many times over that I can't quite figure out how time flew so fast. I can't believe that I thought I was tired all the time before I had him. I wish I knew then what I know now. I'm pretty sure childbirth and parenting is the official definition of tired, and I'm sure any parent out there would agree. Braden is starting to talk, soon will be crawling, walking, running.....oh man, I'm tired just thinking about it.

My newest obstacle to overcome? How I can be running around after this child, working, working out and watching what I eat and still manage to gain 1/2 a pound this week?? Strange....

Back on the workout train!

Yes, I finally am back on it, and in full force. I am determined to lose these last 5 or so pounds I have left from pregnancy and then some. We leave for our San Antonio/San Diego vacation in T minus 8 weeks and I would like to be willing to at least leave the hotel room in a swimsuit by then.

I really don't understand why getting back on the wagon this time around seemed to take so much more time and effort than ever before. Yes, I know, I just had a baby, but for some reason I think it has been less of a physical thing and more of a "I've got an excuse so I'm going to use it" thing. In fact, I am pretty sure most of the 42 pounds I gained throughout the pregnancy were a result of that excuse also! I swore up and down I would not be one of "those" women who just eats because she can, but in the end, Braden wanted to eat and I did too, so I willingly obliged.... probably not my best decision ever. But, nonetheless, the weight is here so getting rid of it is definitely my biggest goal at the moment.

And anyone reading this, PLEASE hold me accountable to gaining only 20 or less pounds next time around. I don't know if having 2 at home will be as conducive to a workout regimen as it is now. And for all those out there curious....no, there will not be another one anytime in the near future. No worries there.

My New Years Resolution

So, I started this blog almost a year ago with full intentions of updating on a regular basis. Time has flown, this has taken a backseat, and I never have posted again...until now. I have made it my new years resolution to start doing a better job of documenting milestones in our lives.

It is so difficult to believe that our little man is almost 6 months old. The 9 months of pregnancy seemed like 9 years, and the past 6 months have seemed like 6 weeks. Funny how that happens. Braden has grown and changed so much over the past 6 months, I cannot even imagine what the next 18 years will bring. All three of us have adjusted to daily life with two working parents. Braden is one of the most easy going babies I've ever seen, and hardly bats an eye as we tote him all over the western suburbs before and after work. We are very lucky. He is easily sleeping 10-12 hours a night, laughs often, hardly cries, eats everything we put in front of him, grabs his feet non stop and is making a valiant effort to crawl and walk. Yes, at 5.5 months, he is even taking a sippy cup.

I am certain that having the two of us as parents has absolutely nothing to do with the amazing disposition of this child. He does, however, seem to have a very pleasant combination of Brett's serious and focused approach to any task at hand and my laid back attitude, for which I am very grateful. I can only hope that this continues through his childhood and teenage years.

Brett and I are adjusting well to this new life also. We are making a valiant effort to keep our marriage about us, while making family our priority. Its definitely a struggle, but we are getting there. The extra sleep over the past 3 months has certainly helped all 3 of us!

I am finding my most recent struggle to be finding ME time. I am, after all only 25, and while most of my friends are living in the city, single or newly married without kids, I am at home or working 24/7. Yes, I know that in having a child, this is what I "signed up for", but sometimes I just need to be one of the girls. I miss having time to just kick back and relax over dinner and drinks without thinking about when we have to relieve a sitter or if Braden is getting too sleepy for us to stay and have a good time.

I keep telling myself that soon all of my girlfriends will

also be married with children and living in these wonderful suburbs (all that is, except for Emily-she'll always be a city girl!). I just hope that "soon" comes quicker than I think.

In the end, what I have learned so far from having a child is the following:

1. I really don't matter as much as I thought I did. Not

being a Debbie Downer here. Seriously, I don't.

2. Being selfish is no longer an option.

3. Christmas is so much more fun now.

4. Being 25 with a baby makes you much more relatable to the 30+ age group.

5. I am getting old.

6. Going down the street or across the country requires the same amount of packing.

7. I have never done more laundry in my life, and I don't see it decreasing in volume anytime soon

8. Babysitters coming over after the baby is asleep is not nearly as cool when you are the one paying (I seriously have to pay you $10/hr to sit on my couch, watch my t.v. and eat my food?)

9. Living 30 minutes from our parents is both a curse and a blessing. Mostly a blessing, and I can't imagine NOT having their help

10. I have now become the biggest sap around, and totally understand why my mom cried at every major life event that has ever happened in our family