A little life update

I thought it might be time for a little Bowen family update. Mostly because I'm sitting at the computer and finally have some time and motivation to write something- but a particular topic doesn't come to mind.

We're all settled into our apartment in Herriman and it's totally great for us. A little more space, but all on one level and it's starting to feel like a new home. I feel like we're pretty adaptable and since nothing else in our lives changed, the move actually didn't end up feeling like that big of one. I miss my friends and neighbors, but I know I will make new friends and have new neighbors. We've already met a few and I look forward to getting to know more people as time goes on.

Football season has officially begun and Bart is pouring his heart and soul into the Cottonwood HS team. It's overwhelming and exhausting but also exciting and it's going to be a good year. Kenzie already walks around the school and field like she owns the place, so I don't see us having any problems adjusting.

Cooper seems to be crying more than smiling these days, but I remember reading that same sentiment about Kenzie around the same time frame so I just have to remind myself it's a stage! And his big smile still comes out on a regular basis, so he knows how to melt my mama heart. He's pulling himself up and even starting to stand on his own for a second or two at a time...we'll see how long it takes him to figure out that walking is an option. He's a fun loving little boy and I'm still his favorite. But Kenzie and Bart can get him pretty happy and excited too, so it might be a tie for second place favorites.

Kenzie never ceases to amaze me and I love just being around her (most of the time). She's so dang smart and the stuff that comes out of her mouth makes me laugh. Today she started saying "what the heck are you doing mom". I don't think "what the heck" is a catch phrase of mine...but I'm sure she heard it somewhere. She did start saying "that happens" after an accident (spilled drink, broken something, etc) and I know she got THAT from me. That one made me laugh pretty hard hearing it for the first time.

In general I've really loved having two kids. They both just add something totally unique to the family dynamic and it's a perfect fit.

That's all I have for now- but like I said, football season has started so this single mother and lonely lady will have plenty of time at night to write away all her feelings while her husband abandons her for a group of teenage boys. Don't worry- I'm making him take me on a vacation at the end to make up for it!

When your garbage can has to hide

This is just a public service announcement to let you all know that I will probably not clean my house again until July 20th.

But before I explain that happy announcement.. Our home is under contract and we're set to move the weekend of July 21. Yay! It took 2 days to get an offer, and then a total of 12 to get everything finalized and on paper. And I have to say that it felt like MUCH longer. Having to have a home "show ready" every second of every day is a hellish ordeal I never want to do again! 

I am all for a clean house. My home is kept clean and tidy. But...I also have two children who both happen to be mobile and messy and to make sure there isn't a single crumb on the floor while simultaneously keeping the laundry going so there isn't dirty clothes in the basket and oh yeah your trash can has to be out in the garage and did we mention you have 3 showings today and have to stay away from 1-7:30PM?

So every morning while getting 4 people ready and fed and lunches packed and out the door by 6:45AM and oh crap there's still the hand soap on the counter and we need to hide those towels in a drawer and WHERE IS THE EFFING GARBAGE CAN?!?!? Pull the blackout shades up every morning in case someone comes while we're at work but then take them back down so Kenzie can nap once we're back home and then after the nap PUT THEM BACK UP! NATURAL LIGHT! and then bedtime..back down because it doesn't get dark until 10PM and my sanity and happiness and will to live won't last if my kids aren't going to sleep until 10PM. And don't even get me started on the kitchen and cooking. Cook a meal? Okay but then you have to hide every trace that you ever existed in this room so put away the washcloth and hide the paper towel dispenser and IS THAT A CRUMB? DID YOU SPILL YOUR WATER!? I may or may not have forgotten to feed my poor children lunch/snack more than once because...crumbs and THE GARBAGE CAN IS IN THE STUPID GARAGE. 

Do you get my point? Are my caps coming across as a crazy person? Because that's how I have been feeling. But now...now we can be total slobs if we want because no more strangers will be coming over. So now there is a corner for my dirty laundry, soap on my bathroom counter and a garbage can in my pantry. And if you need me, I'll be making a mess cooking dinner and watching a movie with my children on our own couch because...priorities.

OMG THE LIVING ROOM IS A MESS - me the last two weeks (eyeroll emoji)

Thursday nights

Thursday nights. 

Bart is gone. Baby is sleeping. Grey's Anatomy is on. 

Sometimes life is just that simple. But then I think of the 394847 other things going on in my life and it's not simple anymore. But that's okay! 

Kenny and I went out for a walk again today and I think it will be the last really hot walk of the year. I'm looking forward to the cooler weather. And a baby in the snow? I don't know how it works- but it will be fun to figure it out! 

We're enjoying our afternoons together but really missing Bart. It's always October that makes me a little football-widow itchy. But it's not too bad and we're having fun going to Bart's game on Fridays and experiencing that energy and excitement. 

Mckenzie has been adjusting all week to a new baby sitter. My cousin has been watching her this past year and then this week we started taking her to my sister-in-law. How lucky are we to have such great people in our lives!! This past year has been amazing and she loved every minute with Taran and her little cousin Carter. I had a really hard time her last week there. I cried a few times thinking that little small chapter of our lives is over. I hate change and adjustment so when it comes to change and adjustment with my child I have an even harder time. 

BUT! My sister in law is so great and this first week went well and I'm happy that it's where she will be now. She is going to have so much fun being the "middle child" with an older and younger cousin to play with. 

So change is good. My husband is busy. My baby is goofy. Life is happening. 

Why I really love Snapchat

Snapchat. Let's discuss, shall we?

I downloaded the app several months (a year?) ago when it was still new and you could only snap people directly and it was stupid and I deleted it. Then a few weeks ago my friend and fellow producer Shelby introduced me to it again. She explained how to use it and BAM. I've been addicted ever since.

Here's why

It lets me be a crazy first time mother and share every.single.thing Mckenzie does that I find adorable and funny. I feel like there is an unspoken rule that you can only post a few pics to Instagram a day (and even that is pushing it) and before Snapchat it was hard for me to limit myself because lezbehonest- I took 345 pics that day and they're ALL SO CUTE!! But with snapchat I can share and share and share and no one cares! If you follow me then you're basically in for 158 seconds of Mckenzie walking around or doing random stuff. You're welcome.

I love that vidoes are the main thing people are sharing. I love watching other people's videos and seeing/hearing them. Pictures take away SO MUCH of a person's personality and it's fun to see and hear them when it's been so long (for some friends) since you've talked to them.

The idea that there is no "liking" or anything for each snap is also awesome. I'm comparing Snapchat to Instagram a lot because those are my main apps I'm using for my social media fix and lately Instagram is feeling a little mundane and same-old. Snapchat is exciting. I don't really know what other words to use to describe it

Let's be real- motherhood is really lonely sometimes. Even if you have a lot of mommy friends, there are still a lot of hours in the day when it's just you and the baby (including nap time when it's just ...you.) I don't know why, but Snapchat has made me a feel a little more connected to the outside world. By sharing my random and every day activities to my friends it's like I'm saying HEY! REMEMBER ME?? I'M STILL HERE AND LIVING- LOOK!. It's not that I need validation or to show off my perfect/not perfect life- but it's freeing to get it out there and have other people see my very typical day.

The only thing I don't like about Snapchat is that not everyone I want to share my baby's daily activities with (siblings..a few distant friends..BART) aren't on there. So whateves- we will have to stick to showing each other 873 pictures when we are finally in the same room.

So there you have it. I love Snapchat and I don't care who knows it!
If you want to be buddies : @mbowen14

Mastering Motherhood

Today is the day that everything changed. Taking Mckenzie to a restaurant is no longer "no big deal".

Since she was a newborn I've been taking her out to work lunches, events, and friend get togethers. She's always been SO GREAT! SO EASY! Until she wasn't. And that happened today. (and I blame walking!!)  I met a good friend at Red Rock- which isn't known for being kid friendly but I've taken her there several times before and it's always gone well.

Today didn't go well. She wasn't hungry so I couldn't even distract/bribe/parent her with food. So instead she cried and threw a fit and sat on my lap and proceeded to spill her water and use a spoon to fling all food off my plate and just be a straight up toddler. To be honest it was freakin' hilarious and the whole time everyone kept looking over at us I just laughed a little in my head. By the end of the meal I was able to eat maybe half of it and the rest was on the table (swimming in the spilled water) and on the floor. She had one shoe on, one shoe off and both of our hands were sticky and wet.

I really wasn't bothered by it, and if anything it just reminded me that motherhood is a revolving door of changed situations. What was easy yesterday isn't easy today. What Mckenzie liked yesterday, she doesn't like today. She knows how to keep me on my toes!

By the time we got home I was hungry and exhausted and she was still kind of grouchy. She was sick Sunday/Monday so I think she's still recovering from that. I put her down for a nap around 2:20 which is pretty typical these days. I thought to myself, "she takes a 2 hour nap so I can nap for the first hour and then work until she wakes up". So after putting her in her crib I set my alarm for 3:30 and crawled into bed.

Around 2:50 she starts yelling and of course I was this close to sleep. I go in to check her diaper which is usually at fault when she doesn't go right down for a nap. Clean. So I leave and she cries. Not really a big deal cry so I just let her cry thinking she'll be asleep soon enough. The ONE DAY I decide to nap during her nap, she doesn't want to sleep. Finally around 3:15 I go back in her room as she's crying and hating me and get her to calm down. I've given up on my chance to nap and what happens? She falls asleep.

So here I am, really really tired for teasing my body that it would get a nap today. Still hungry from my lunch that landed on the floor and still really in love with my baby, because look at this face

I know for a fact God made them cute so our mama brains would forgive quickly :)

Sweet blessings

I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who is always aware of me and my family and our concerns and needs. Today Bart was set apart in his new calling and the sweet blessing he was given brought tears to my eyes. My husband has concerns, and He addressed them today and basically told us it's all going to be OK. I think it's hard sometimes to remember that God cares about what we care about. Even when things seem so trivial and worldly- if it is important to you, it's important to Him. And I'm thankful for that reminder I was given today. 

Staying home and hiding the credit card

I know when I'm having a bad day when:

Everything gets eaten. In the fridge, in the pantry. Healthy and not. e v e r y t h i n g

and/or

I have a huge irresistible desire to go to a store and just buy stuff. Like spend all my money on anything I have ever wanted. and other crap I need and want and stuff will make me happy RIGHT???

This isn't new. I've always been a shopper. I've had a job since I was 16 and until I was 20 it wasn't so I could pay all my bills (ha! 16 year old Meg, you have NO IDEA what bills are). I had a job and made money so I could buy things. Usually clothes and shoes. and buy things I did! My junior year in high school I'm pretty sure I didn't repeat an outfit. Out of clean clothes? Don't do laundry! I'll just go buy more. Several things hung in my closet with tags still attached until I finally got rid of them. If I walked into a mall/clothing store I came out a few hours later a few (!!) bucks poorer and several bags filled with stuff.

I know you want me to tell you it didn't make me happy and as I was shopping I was contemplating my life choices and had a moment where everything changed and NOW I'M CURED!!

But that would be a big fat lie. I freaking love to shop. It still makes me happy and cheers me up.The only time I haven't loved shopping and buying clothes was when I was pregnant because hello 45 extra pounds.

I stopped shopping because I got married. Not because I had to grow up and use my money more wisely. Not even because I realized that stuff doesn't make me happy (although I have come to accept that reality a little more since). No. I stopped because when I came home with lots of bags my new husband would look at them and then at me and demand to know why I "needed" that stuff. Silly boy. A girl doesn't really "need" any of this. THAT'S NOT THE POINT! I would yell.

After several fights as a newlywed I realized I had to give up my third best friend and favorite past time if my #1 best friend was going to stay married to me (happily) and trust me with the monies.

So these days I call myself a recovering shopaholic. And as a shopaholic I don't go shopping. An alcoholic knows to stay away from the bar. and I know to stay away from the mall. I go grocery shopping. If I'm feeling extra strong I go to Target. But NEVER in a bad mood. NEVER after a bad day.

So today I am staying indoors. Today there will be no shopping because if there is, tomorrow there will be no money in tha bank!

You're welcome Bart.

xo

Shopping fail

Can we take a moment and reflect on all the times we think "I really hope I wasn't like that when I was a teenager"

I had a moment like that this week. I walk into a store at the mall looking for a new pair of jeans. It's the kind of store that has one obvious jean wall but then random jeans everywhere else too. As I'm standing next to the wall of jeans this girl comes over to ask if I need any help. She's probably 16 or 17. I tell her I'm looking for Boot Cut jeans and can she point me in the right direction.

So what does she do?

*gestures to jean wall we are standing next to*
"well we like, have this wall of jeans that has styles on it"

*touches a rack of jeans hanging up next to us*
"and then, like, there are just jeans, like, everywhere else in the store."

(insert looking down sad emoji face. the bright eyed emoji face and the shocked little blue emoji face)

I wanted to cry, laugh and punch her right in the face all at once. Instead I just coughed down a laugh, thanked her and walked away as I thought to myself,

"thank you so much captain obvious. I was really confused about where your jeans were in the store. I was also hoping you could suggest a few different styles and give your insight and oh, I don't know, DO YOUR FREAKING JOB. but silly me. Instead I will shop for something other than jeans because I actually don't have time to try on every single pair of boot cut styles that you did NOT narrow down for me."

I was just not on my shopping A game because I tried on these flowy pants (yes, that's a real fashion term) and the sizes were 0, 1, 2 and 3. Now my left leg has never been able to fit into a size 3 pants but when I pulled them off the rack the waist looked big. It had to be folded over to fit on the hanger. So I grabbed a size 1 all sorts of confused and tried them on. They were loose but I thought that was the style of these flowy pants so I go out to the 3 way mirror and tried to figure out if the crotch was supposed to be down that low or if the top was supposed to hit my bra line (like I said, very confused). That's when a different sales girl comes over and asks if I wanted to try those pants on in a different size. Apparently the ones I choose were from the plus size department. I told her I actually preferred that my pant size was a 1 so don't rain on my freakin' parade. She thought that was pretty funny and then brought me my real life size. They fit much better, the crotch was where it was supposed to be, and I bought 2.


moral of the story? I still need a new pair of jeans...

Daylight Savings Nap Fail Randomness

Can we all discuss how much I really hate daylight savings time? It's totally messing with Mckenzie's head so as I listen to her whine in her crib as she contemplates napping or not- I shall blog!

My blogging life is the first thing to go when things get crazy and to be honest I just haven't had a lot to say lately. How much can I write about my angel baby? I'm running out of things to say (but not pictures to take- I still have 50398408 of those in my phone)

I've been thinking a lot about being a mom and how it has changed me. I went to a work meeting yesterday and brought Kenz with me. It also happened to be right by the place where my work lunch was so I was able to bust out 2 meetings in pretty much 1 location and within an hour and a half total WITH my beast in tow. As I'm leaving my second meeting the man who I was meeting with says to me "nothing like becoming a mother to make you very efficient". Amen and amen. I feel like motherhood has made me more practical, more efficient and less likely to BS. If you know me well enough you know that I already don't put up with a lot of BS and I like to tell it how it is, but becoming a  mom has taken that to a whole new level for me. One of the things Bart will tell you is that I am much more "no nonsense" than before. If it doesn't work for me, I'm not going to pretend like it will and I'll probably speak up a little louder and make things happen. I also try to be more efficient with my time and multitask like a total boss. If multitasking was a sport I would be a top competitor.

I'm also struggling with my role as a wife and I'm having a hard time putting Bart first. When he finally gets home from practice I am at the end of my very long and very busy day and I just want to unwind and relax and not have to focus on another human for a few minutes. I'm all "care-taker" out and I really need to start saving some of that love and attention for when he gets home. Any tips?

Moving on...

I must admit that this Instagram celebrity thing is so fascinating to me. The blogging world is fascinating to me. Random people post pretty pictures and BAM- they are instafamous.

Luckily I was not born with very many jealousy bones in my body so looking at these lovely ladies doesn't make me feel insecure or less of a mother/woman/person but it does make me interested. I've met several very famous bloggers through my work and I have to admit that they are all pretty normal women when you are actually in the same room as them and not stalking their social media life.

What would happen if you got all these women in the same room and took away their phones, cameras and fancy clothes?  Minus EVERYONE having the same hair (hello center part and loose curls- are bangs so 2008 or what?) I would bet you would have a room full of typical women. And don't think I'm using the word "typical" as anything but awesome. Because they are awesome. Guess what? So am I. and so are you.

I guess my point is that every woman could have 568493 followers if people really took the time to get to know others and learn about their life. Just a few days ago I sat down at a table with a few women in my neighborhood and learned that one mama has her degree in science but taught herself web design and that's what she does at home. The other woman at the table wrote a fantasy novel and has a beautiful voice. Again, my point is that WHY are seemingly random chicks so popular on the social media scene? The sociologist in me wants to do some huge research and analyze and find the beating heart behind it all because it totally blows my mind. I'm not saying they aren't interesting- I'm just saying they aren't the ONLY ones that are interesting. Ya feel me?

Next random point. My week of no TV was such a good reset for me! I really don't watch as much and I'm going to pretend it's because I learned valuable lessons and not because Season 6 of the Good Wife is nowhere to be found to binge watch *insert big tooth smile emoji here* but for realzzz...I've gotten much better and I'm not really committed to any of my old shows. Even Grey's Anatomy is losing it's flavor for me. I know, pick your jaw off the ground and BELIEVE IT.

Can we talk about dinner? And more specifically how I have not wanted to cook a single thing for several weeks now? Here's what happened:

• When I first moved out on my own I hardly ever cooked a legit meal. 
• I met Bart- he fattened me up and taught me how to cook. 
• I became pretty good at it and together we created our own Bowen menu of sorts
• I was diagnosed with Hashimotos and all the dishes I liked to make were now off limits. 
• I adjusted and we ate A LOT of grilled chicken. 
• We found new typical dishes to make. 
• Baby was born and TA DA! Mama doesn't cook.

I personally can survive on snacking and when it comes to dinner options I really just don't want to eat chicken again. Poor Bart sometimes gets brave enough to ask "what's for dinner" and I usually make inaudible noises and slowly walk out of the room all stealth like. Here's the cold hard truth- cooking sucks when you can't eat really yummy things. There really isn't much I can technically have that is just SO GOOD that I want seconds. The majority of the meals are actually pretty good, but none of them are OMGDELISH!! hence my lacking desire to cook. I think I just need to commit to the 6-7 meals that Bart and I both like, that are easy to make and then just make those every.single.week. What do we think about that plan?

Ok ok well Beast is now on my lap and my skilled self is typing this under the drawer so she doesn't take over the keyboard. Like I said- skills. Time to go make fake dinner. I hope you all enjoyed reading my random thoughts. I think I'm just going to be random on here because I really have nothing else to offer right now. You're welcome. BYE!!!

A week with no TV

This week I decided I wasn't going to watch any TV except 1 hour on Thursday for Grey's Anatomy. The past several weeks I have been watching HOURS of TV every day. What?? I usually don't do that- but thanks to Netflix and Hulu and regular scheduled programming....I've been exceeding my two hours of recommended screen time- by a lot. The biggest problem is when I get hooked on a series on Netflix and proceed to binge watch for hours and hours (thanks The Good Wife) plus all the regular shows I like to watch have current episodes filling up my Hulu Que. It's a first world problem FOR SURE. but a problem nonetheless

Monday
Pretty easy to avoid TV today because we were out and about as a family. Bart had the day off so he met me at work and we spent the afternoon in SLC. Later that evening I went to dinner with my dad and sisters. Not being home makes it really easy to not watch any TV! When I got home from dinner I had Bart turn off the TV and we sat and talked for an hour. Ca-razy I know. It was actually pretty fabulous. Bart is chatty when given the chance. I did think about the TV a LOT today. I had to consciously avoid turning it on and all of the story plots were fresh on my mind. Straight up addict people!

Tuesday
Much harder than Monday! It was a typical day for me so I was home around 12:30 with no errands to run or anything to really do outside the house. Mckenzie and I played a lot in her room and she seemed to enjoy it better with no TV on in the background. She did really well with some independent play and I watched her from the door way because....no TV. I even took a nap while she was napping. Normally I would have loved to read-but I don't have a book on standby at the moment. If I'm going to make it through the week that will have to be corrected soon.

After her nap we were kind of bored though so I turned on Pandora and she loved it! She just laid there playing with her feet and listening to the music. It was a lot of fun. She hasn't really shown interest in music in the past, but she sure liked it today! I did a few chores and we went running when Bart went home because the TV wasn't on to distract us into relaxation. Before bedtime we all hung out on the floor playing and being obsessed with our baby. I really liked that. The hard part now is when Mckenzie is sleeping and Bart and I are on our own. Bart uses the TV to relax so I feel bad asking him to turn it off because of me.

Wednesday
Not as hard as Tuesday. I got home a little later in the afternoon and Mckenzie went right down for a nap so I ended up where? In my bed...I'm sensing a trend. But a 45 minute cat nap is better than watching an hour of TV in my mind, especially when I don't have tons to do anyway. When Bart got home I went to the gym and grocery shopping so avoiding TV wasn't too hard. I have found myself using my phone more often and getting on social media more. It's so hard to find a balance with everything!! But this week I'm focusing on TV so I'm not going to stress too much about my phone use (that's an area for another day!).

 

It's so interesting how my mind goes a little cray cray when I spend too much time binge watching a show. I start thinking about the characters like they really exist and I wonder what's going to happen next. Once I start dreaming about those characters, I know it's time to take a break!

Thursday
I knew I was going to get the chance to watch an hour of TV  (Grey's Anatomy) so it wasn't too bad of a day. Mckenzie and I are still trying to figure out things to do. It's not that we ever just sat and watched TV in the past, but just having it on in the background gives life a different feeling. We have been using music much more, and the beautiful weather makes it nice to go outside. I can tell it's getting easier and easier. My day also doesn't feel like it's going by as fast. I'm not filling random hours with pointless TV and I seem to have more time for things- WEIRD!

But once I did get to sit down and watch my hour of TV I was pretty possessive of that hour. I didn't want to talk to Bart at all. I just wanted to lay down and watch my show and completely check out. It wasn't even a good episode and it almost wasn't worth "wasting" an hour on! Plus it was really hard for me to turn the TV off and not watch Scandal that was up next. Honestly I probably could have just gone the rest of the day without watching anything.

The hardest part of every day has been the evening when Bart wants to watch TV. I go upstairs and we just don't really hang out. It's not like watching TV is really hanging out in my book, but at least we would be in the same room! We have talked a lot more this week and he has been a pretty good sport about it- but he still watches TV and I have to leave the room.

Friday
It was a piece of cake to not watch anything today because it was a pretty busy day and I left to go hang out with my cousins for a quick overnight trip. Nothing really to report because I never had the chance to sit on the couch even if I wanted to! I am pretty proud that I've made it 5 full days!

Saturday
Another easy day to avoid TV because we didn't really get home from our Saturday activities until around 7pm. Bart sat down to relax and I did some chores and folded laundry. I will say this no TV thing means I am more on top of my laundry than I ever have been in the past. What I like about this week is that TV is no longer my "go to" time filler. Just because I COULD watch TV, doesn't mean that's what I choose to do. I'm also not really craving any of the story lines and plots like I was earlier in the week. I'm totally on the downhill of detoxing! Technically my week is up on Monday so I just have to get through tomorrow! I know Sunday is going to be rough...so stand by!

Sunday

Instead of TV my day was filled with LOTS of sleeping. We did watch a movie as a way to compromise between Bart's desires and my experiment. Last Sunday I went to bed ashamed at how much TV I watched that day, that's why this whole thing started. Tonight I went to bed without that feeling.

All in all, I'm really glad I tried this out.. It made me realize I don't HAVE to watch TV, there are other things to do and other ways I can fill my days. I exercised every day and stayed on top of my chores. The week went by pretty quickly and after those first few days, I didn't even really think of TV. Even as I'm writing this on Monday- TV isn't my go-to as soon as I get home. I'm an all-or-nothing kind of person (anther post for another day) and it was a good experiment for me to do. I'm not really in the mood to watch any of my shows. After a week off, I'm kind over it! Hopefully as I add a little TV into my day I won't let it go overboard and I will be able to find that realistic balance!

Baby cuddles, baby daddy, WATCH YO MOUTH

Well folks my thumbs are at it again. I'm currently laying horizontal on my bed with my baby cuddled up next to me dong her best to take a nap. I could be doing laundry, cleaning house or 3947 other things- but I'm spending the afternoon cuddling with my baby. Sorrynotsorry. 

I've been loving  every second with her these days. If she is awake I usually drop everything and get RIGHT UP IN HER FACE and she totes loves it. ( or so I tell myself) 

Bart has the next two weeks off and yours truly has zero. (Ok ok I have Christmas and New Year's Day- it could be worse) so he will be Mr Mom and I'll be bringing home the bacon. I am SO blessed to have such a supportive husband and daddy to our baby girl. He fully accepts halvsies (halfsies?) responsibility when it comes to baby duty and never makes me feel like one of our jobs is more important than the other. He's pretty great and I'm excited for these two to bond a little bit 

work has been super stressful the last two weeks. I don't know why, but I definely wasn't gellin this week. Thank goodness for weekends to reset, take a deep breath and GET OVER IT amiright? I love weekends. 

So Bart came home one day and said he wanted to stop swearing so for every swear word we decided 10 push ups would be the punishment. You would drop down right then and there if possible, if not you have to do them ASAP. I was so proud of this random new goal of his I decided to join! Turns out I probably swear more than he does (oops!) so we are both getting our push-ups in. It's definitely working though and now we catch ourselves before the word gets out 80% of the time. This life is all about improvement and progression right??? (Plus Bart's upper body is toning up quite nicely so it's a win win). 

Speaking of toning up and being awesome- we are training for a half marathon in Feb. Today was a cold 6 miles, but I really do love it. 

This month has been a lot of fun. We have been pretty social and life is just so much better when you have good people in it, Ya know? For so long my life was filled with crappy crappy people who were not good for me and I realize what difference it makes when you have good friends and good people surrounding you. It's da bomb.com. 

Mastering motherhood

Turning off the fire alarm while breastfeeding. One handed-broom-skills thankyouverymuch 

Making sweet potato fries for a snack instead of a block of cheese

Doing so many other things one handed and NOT eating cheese for every meal 

Trying not to complain when it takes her more than 5 minutes to go down for the night. I know I know, I'm spoiled. 

Leaving my clothes pretty much everywhere instead of obsessively cleaning the house (take a breath and chill mama)

Finally making it to Young Women's after a 6 month hiatus 

Watching my baby bang her head on the glass door when she leaned forward because I was getting a video of how cute she was. (I'm only admitting this because there is NO WAY I'm the only mom that's done it)

Keeping a Baby Alive

Bart and I have a new running joke. It goes like this:

Bart comes home from work and says,
 "what did you DO all day"

to which I reply,

"Absolutely nothing...and yet once again the day is over"

Let me break down my day for you...because I know you're curious. Sometimes a few things are different. The chore I choose to do might change, or we have a different errand to run or a visitor come over, but for the most part this is what my day looks like:

1am

Wake up and pump. Macs is sleeping through this feeding now so I hook up for 15 min and head back to bed

4am

Sweet cheeks wakes up and guzzles milk like she hasn't eaten in DAYS!! then passes out...this feeding use to take an hour to get her back down, but is now down to about 20 minutes

4:25am 

Crawl back into bed 

5:45am

Wake up and pump (just call me mama cow)

6am

Wake up macs for her first feeding of the day. Even though it's early now, it's the time of day I want to feed her when I get back to work so we are starting the routine now

6:30-6:45am

Passed out baby goes right back to sleep. Kiss Bart goodbye, grab his butt and crawl back into bed

8-8:45am

Depending on how tired I am I wake up between now and pump (again)...maybe make me some oatmeal but probably not. Clean pumping parts and make a new bottle 

9am 

Time to feed the little piglet. We go downstairs, open all the shades and enjoy some morning sun with a side of liquid gold. I watch my show (usually only the fist 15 min or so) and play with the babes. 

10-11am

Depending on the day macs either goes right back down for a nap or hangs out until 10:30-11ish. This is where bath time happens and maybe even a walk or run if everything goes smoothly. Hopefully I have eaten breakfast by now

11am-12pm

Pump again!! During her nap I might do a load of laundry or do the dishes....or not. 

12pm

Lunch time! (For the baby...mama doesn't eat as regularly as she does) 

1pm-3pm

Usually her best nap of the day. I either snooze a little, finish a few chores and hopefully get some lunch. If we didn't take a morning walk I'll take the sleepy baby out for a walk. And of course I pump....(are you sensing a pattern?!??)

3pm 

Second lunch for my hungry little hippo. Sometimes she likes to be awake, and sometimes she just goes right back down for a nap

4-5:30pm

Decide if I'm making dinner tonight and maybe do a chore or two....get one more pump session in before Bart gets home 

6pm

Dad's home!!! And baby is hungry. We hang out as a family, watch tv and relax

7-9pm

This is her witching hour. Sometimes she stays awake the entire time, sometimes she will snooze for 30-40min. This is her fussiest time of day but she still hardly cries. Bart plays with her and I cuddle her when she is grouchy. I also play mama cow and pump again

9-9:30pm

Daddy usually handles this feeding while I go to bed and wait for it to all start over again

McKenzie is still at the young baby eat, sleep, poop stage. When she is awake we talk and sing and she stares at the black lamp against the white walls. we have tummy time and she squeaks and squeals. These moments just don't last very long before she is tired so there really isn't much mommy-teaching-moments happening. I'm looking forward to the longer wake times where we can play. 

I have worked hard to make sure we do a schedule and she learns to fall asleep on her own. It's been pretty fabulous and she is now sleeping 6 hours, wakes up for a 20 min snack and sleeps for another 2. The day I can stop pumping and sleep that long too will be a day of celebration! She is also able to fall asleep on her own for naps, and seems to prefer her crib over my arms when she gets tired. No complaints here!

So what do I do all day?? Honestly...it doesn't feel like much, and I get bored sometimes (okay more than sometimes) but I am loving on my baby and keeping a human alive which is more than some people can say :)

Beachless Babymoon

 This time next week Bart and I were supposed to be enjoying the beach for a quick babymoon. It was going to be lovely and relaxing and leaving my skin with a nice tan and I have been looking forward to it for MONTHS. 

Then I got into a car accident this week and BAM. No more beach trip. 

*sigh*

My car is probably totaled and the financially responsible adults in us decided we should put off a beach vacation. Sometimes being financially responsible sucks. I want to just take all our hard earned cash and spend it on whatever the hell we want and not worry about having a savings account or paying off school loans quickly or having other savings accounts. 

Bart and I are lucky that we are both on pretty much the same page when it comes to finances. It's usually not a topic of conflict and we can come to an agreement pretty quickly. After the accident Bart brought up the vacation and I started crying because I knew that meant he was thinking what I was thinking : we shouldn't go. Sometimes it's awesome when great minds think alike. Other times it sucks! 

So today I put on my new swimsuit (the one that fits my prego chest size) and headed to the pool. I might not be going to the beach anymore but I sure as hell will be getting that tan! 

As for next week...a staycation babymoon is in order and I am determined to enjoy myself- beachless and all.  

Eat until I die

"I wanna eat n eat n eat n eat n eat until I die"

...name that movie! I will give you a hint...sing it with a Goofy accent...yes, it's Micky and the Beanstock. No clue if that's the actual name, or if it still exists...but that is the song stuck in my head because that is the song that is "story of my life" as they say.

I feel like I have been eating non stop today and I'm going to write it down to try and shame myself into submission. Ready? It's about to get real...


for breakfast- egg and turkey bacon scramble with 2 pieces of GF toast
on my way out the door (because ya know, it hadn't eaten for like FIVE WHOLE MINUTES)- protein oatmeal ball
at work- an apple, a few pieces of candy, a chicken/veggie skewer, chips & salsa, a few more pieces of candy, leftover GF baked ziti, applesauce, 2 more oatmeal balls, some gum
at home- 1 more oatmeal ball (those things are freakin addicting), a few handfuls of trail mix, (to be continued because it's only 5:40pm).

I guess you could say that maybe if I ate an actual meal I wouldn't feel the need to snack...but I'm not really hungry for a full meal...I just like to be munching on stuff today.  I actually don't feel too bad about that list up there...it could be worse. At least I didn't cheat today and eat any gluten. That crap messes me up and I'm doing my best to avoid it! Probably eating more sugar than I should and add a few veggies into the mix but all in all...not too shabby.

So I ran across this picture we took when I was 5 weeks pregnant. Awe how cute! Ya know how you look at old pictures of yourself (from high school maybe) and think "why was I so worried about my body/weight? I look awesome and I wish I could look like that again" yeah...that's how I feel about this picture!

25 weeks ago I was smokin' hot and I didn't believe it when Bart told me. Now I'm round and puffy and NOT that size. *sigh* we always want what we don't have right?

Easy Breezy Weekends

This weekend was pretty low key. Bart is in training mode again so Saturday mornings mean long runs! I love the time we get to spend in the mornings together as he runs and I ride my bike next to him. We went 9 miles and it was a beautiful morning. Even though it wakes us up at 4:30 a.m. it's totally worth it. Bart is such a stud! He makes running look easy.

 

After we got back Bart headed off to a football camp (so it begins) and I got ready to go to my step brother and sister in law's sealing. I got all ready in my new prego clothes and ended up on the couch, not going. I wasn't feeling very well but hey, I was comfy in my maxi skirt!

 

I finally embraced the fact that I needed to buy some maternity shirts. I bought pants a few months ago and they have been the BEST. I haven't bought any shirts because really, who wants to spend 40 bucks on a shirt?? Not me. But after attempts at getting dressed in the morning were ending in frustration and failure I finally went to Target and bought a few things. Good idea? Great idea. 

Speaking of great ideas....I stopped by Hobby Lobby. I love that place. They have some pretty great things for home decor. I love their non-frame prints. They are inexpensive but add a lot to a room. They happened to be half off so you better believe I spent my time sorting through each pic. I found this beautiful floral picture and got inspired for my nursery! I love the pinks, oranges and yellows. I haven't done one thing for my nursery because I didn't know what I wanted. Having a color scheme makes things a little easier. On my way home I took the picture into Home Depot and grabbed some paint to match! Then I went over to the thrift store and bought a bunch of mismatch frames. I'm not a crafter. At all. But I'm excited to see how everything turns out. Don't worry, I have been taking plenty of before and afters to show off when everything is done. 

 

Summer Lovin'

Yesterday I got a little sneak peek of what I am in for this summer and let me tell you...I'm a bit scared!
I was so freakin hot and uncomfortable the entire day. My jeans were too tight, my shirt was too tight, my feet hurt and I was having a constant heat flash all day. My hips were sore and my skin was itchy. My bump is getting in the way now and I couldn't even tie my shoes. I was just not feelin' it. I wanted to punch a small child and hang out in my house butt naked sitting in front of a fan.

 It was 75 degrees. 

I might not make it through a Utah summer.

Poor Bart might not make it either! He was teasing me as we were getting ready for bed (which we do on a regular basis. Not mean, just fun and loving) but I ended up bursting into tears and bawling for a solid 30 minutes. This is the 3rd or 4th complete emotional breakdown I have had and it's kind of wonderful. I sleep perfectly afterwards and wake up the next morning feeling a little lighter. Those tears just release all the stress that has been building up and every few weeks it's filled to capacity. Bart just stares and grabs me tissues and water. It's pretty funny AFTER it happens.

Bart is a trooper and hopefully he still loves me in July.

THAT Person

I have turned into that person...

the person that buys their dog a $.99 toy in the check out at Walmart (only to have said dog chew it a part in less than a minute. ya..my dog is too bad ass for cheap toys. now I know.)

the person who inhales a cheap bag of potato chips in her car so she doesn't have to share with Bart when she gets home

the person who cuts her own hair and has the stylist shake their head in shame

the person who tells the boys in her life "NO PLAYING FETCH IN THE HOUSE"


#dontjudgeme

Basketball, Football and B-Day Ice Cream

Yesterday at my birthday dinner I couldn't have my free birthday ice cream. I almost cried.

I ate WAY too many potato chips on the road.
(but I don't care too much because I was denied all the goodness of sugar and candy that belongs on a road trip)

"Blink" is a totally interesting book about your subconcious and how we aren't in as much control as we think we are.

Sometimes the only pictures I want to take are selfies with Bart

Here was my weekend: Friday night go to dinner because we have a coupon (booya). Come home to watch Aggie Basketball game. Do homework and laundry. Wake up Saturday and drive to Vegas. Go to Aggie football game. Sleep. Drive home. Go to birthday dinner. Sleep...hello Monday.

I told Bart that going to dinner and then sitting on the couch to watch basketball does NOT count as a date. He looked at me confused and continued to watch the game. Silly boys.

Responsibility is shooting me in my broken foot

I come upstairs to get started on homework. Because I'm responsible like that. Too bad my technology isn't on the same page as I am. My hard drive won't ready any of its files. NONE. The only way to do the work is to open up the video files on the hard drive. ...the hard drive that won't open anything. See the issue? I emailed my professors and the members of my group hoping someone else has their hard drive to lend me. So much for being an overachiever and getting things done early.

Plus...I may or may not have broken my foot. okay...it's not broken...but it hurts like hell and I can't walk much less run on it so it might as well be broken. I went out for a run this morning and 2 miles in Bart had to come save me. I was limping my way down 3200 West (and NO ONE stopped by the way. I was clearly in pain and NO ONE stopped. You suck residents of South Jordan) and luckily Bart was home to come get me. I've been icing it and limping on it all day. Who knows what happened...maybe it heard Bart and I talking about running a full Marathon and got mad at me. Low blow foot...low blow.

I am also taking offers for anyone who wants to come decorate my beautiful new house for me because I'm not crafty and have no idea where to start.