Mommy vs. Toddler

Disclaimer:  I'm whining today.  I'm whining about my child today.  This is my space, I do what I want, and today, I whine about having a toddler.

Oh boy.  The terrible two's have hit our house.  As in, I swear L just woke up one morning and decided that, for however long she deemed fit, she was going to give Mommy a run for her money.

I'm exhausted.

She's stopped sleeping through the night-sometimes waking up two or three times a night.  All she wants is to  be tucked back in.  This morning she wanted a story at 4am....um, no kiddo, Mommy was practically comatose and we do not read stories at 4am.  We sleep, thank you very much, I love you, good night.

She woke up again at 4:45 just to say HI!  Literally, I opened the door to her room, she said "HI!", ran back to her bed, crawled in, and waited for me to tuck her in.

Kiddo.....*sigh*

(Sidenote:  The only reason I get out of bed to check on her is because she is crying.  It's crying that worries me.  I don't like crying toddlers in the middle of the night, especially when they have had ear infections out the wazoo like our child has.  I always go to a crying kid in the middle of the night.  Especially if she has been a good sleeper up until this point.)

Oh and let's not forget to mention the full blown temper tantrums we have throughout the day over what's on TV, one of the cats is on the couch, Mommy goes to the bathroom, or her sippy is empty.

..........

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CHILD!?

Where did my good-natured, happy-go-lucky, little girl go?  Who is this child that has inhibited my daughter's body and refuses to leave or give me a friggin' break!?

I have found myself drinking two to three cups of coffee a day versus the one I used to have in the mornings because I seriously feel like I can't function nor keep up with her.  At night, I just sit on the couch, and just.....sit.  I can't think.  I can barely have a conversation with my husband because I am still reeling from the twelve previous hours of full blown toddler hell that has taken over our house.

I'm crabby.  
I'm irritable.  
I want to sleep for a week straight.  
I want to pee alone.
I want to watch what I want to watch on TV.
I want to to have my own temper tantrum and have someone appease me for a change.

Most of all, I just want someone to listen to me.
I just want someone to hear what I am saying.
I just want to not feel so alone, like I have, for the past week and a half.

However...

She's pretty cute, isn't she? 



Thanks for reading today, guys.  I know it's pretty crappy sounding, but I'm just tired and frazzled.  I hope someone else can relate.  I also hope that I may give someone the feeling of not being alone in their struggles with their toddler.  

Maybe we can be friends.
I don't have too many of those left.



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I'M BAACK!

Hello everyone!  I did not intend to take a week and a half off from blogging!  However, I didn't count on how exhausted I would be and how my toddler is still adjusting to the new house, her new room, and the bathtub has been a source of temper tantrums lately.  Let's just say that I haven't been able to think about blogging, let alone sit down and do it.  For that, I apologize.  I hope to get back to posting nearly every day starting this week.

I have a lot to tell you guys about our move, our house, and some of the things we have been already doing to our new home.  Expect this blog to start detailing DIY projects, painting, etc. on top of everything else I talk about.  I am excited to get started on some of the things we have planned for our home!

This week, I also get to finish working on L's birthday party stuff so, I hope to have a few posts on that subject as well in the coming weeks.

How would you all like a couple of pictures from the last week or so?

That's what I thought. :)


Top Left:  Our new living room with bay window (Yes, we will be painting that room!)
Top Middle:  I have genuine lavender in my back yard!
Top Right:  This sign has hung in every place I have lived since I was in my early 20s.  It has always hung above the front door.  It isn't home until that sign is hung.
Bottom Left:  A snippet of L's new room.  We are painting this room, too.
Middle Bottom:  It took me three hours to clean the rental house we lived in for a year.  I took this just before I did my final check of all closets, cabinets, etc.
Bottom Right:  The previous owner left an electric fireplace.  I now have a mantle.  I have never had one and I didn't know what to do with it.  I threw some pictures on it for now.  I foresee a Pinterest board dedicated to just mantles.  


And there you have it!  Stay tuned for my recap of the weekend we moved and how it all went down-complete with surprises!



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The Big Move

Well, it's Thursday, and that means we close tomorrow on the house and we begin moving tomorrow afternoon and all weekend. 

So, you aren't going to hear from me for a little bit.  I have a couple of small things planned for the blog next week, so look forward to those!  After next week, I should be back to posting regularly.

However!  I don't want you guys to miss out on all the packing and moving fun, so be sure you follow me on Instagram (username: selindine) and the hash tag #thebigmove to see sneak peaks of the new house, how we manage to cram all of our junk into a UHAUL, and I usually end up having a freak out moment when we move, so I'm sure that will be documented too! HA!

Thank you to those of you who have offered words of encouragement and support during this time.  I am excited that it is here, but I am ready for it to all be over.

Have a great weekend and I will see you all on Instagram!

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Soul Work

Life is full of unknowns.

Some of us live in fear of those unknowns while others don't give them a second thought.

I know people who live in fear and I know people who choose to live their life out loud.

I have been thinking a lot lately about my position in my life.  I have been questioning if I actually own my life, or if I am too scared to take control.

I believe I am in the in between.

There are some things that I take initiative with and go for it (for example, this blog) while there are other things that I say "Someday..." to and file them away.

But, what if those "someday's" never come?

What if it all falls apart and I'm left to think about all those "someday's" without enough time to think about them, let alone do them?

I think it's normal for us to think about our immortality, especially if you have children.  I don't think it is healthy to dwell on it, but a good dose of reality every once in awhile can keep us on our toes and cause us to re-evaluate our lives.

Which is where I am at right now in my life.

I am re-evaluating.

Not about the face value things (my marriage, L) because I wouldn't trade those for the world.  Those are my dreams come true and I am one lucky woman in that arena of life.

I'm talking about the deeper things, the things that are at my core, the things that make me me.

Because I want to live life out loud without being afraid of rejection, obstacles, and set backs.  I just want to do the things that are at the center of my being, do them the best way I know how, and fill up that portion of my soul that is mine and mine alone.

I want to do it because I want my daughter to know that, no matter what society tells her, she is an individual and the things that are at her core, are hers and hers alone.  No one can take those from her.  She owns them and she owns the responsibility to nurture them and help them grow.

From this day forward, there will be more living out loud going on.  There will be more examples set for L, there will be more of enjoying the little things, and there will be more of quenching the thirst in my own soul.

I have a legacy to carve out and deepen.

I just pray there's enough time.

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Tuesday's Tune


As I am running around like a crazy lady getting everything packed and ready to go for our big move this weekend, I have been listening to a lot of music.  I thought I would share a track that I can't get enough of with you all:


Imagine Dragons
It's Time

Lyrics:
So this is what you meant
When you said that you were spent
And now it's time to build from the bottom of the pit
Right to the top
Don't hold back
Packing my bags and giving the academy a rain check

I don't ever wanna let you down
I don't ever wanna leave this town
'Cause after all
This city never sleeps at night

It's time to begin, isn't it?
I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit
I'm just the same as I was
Now don't you understand
That I'm never changing who I am

So this is where you fell
And I am left to sell
The path to heaven runs through miles of clouded hell
Right to the top
Don't look back
Turning the rags and giving the commodities a rain check

I don't ever wanna let you down
I don't ever wanna leave this town
'Cause after all
This city never sleeps at night

It's time to begin, isn't it?
I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit
I'm just the same as I was
Now don't you understand
That I'm never changing who I am

It's time to begin, isn't it?
I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit
I'm just the same as I was
Now don't you understand
That I'm never changing who I am

This road never looked so lonely
This house doesn't burn down slowly
To ashes, to ashes

It's time to begin, isn't it?
I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit
I'm just the same as I was
Now don't you understand
That I'm never changing who I am

It's time to begin, isn't it?
I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit
I'm just the same as I was
Don't you understand
That I'm never changing who I am


A deeper post is coming, I promise.  Stay tuned!



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Liebster Award!


Well, this has definitely been a great day around here!  Justina from Justina Who... nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award!  This is a really cool way for bloggers to meet other bloggers and give us "small time" bloggers a chance to flourish!  THANK YOU JUSTINA! 


Here are the rules:

1.) Acknowledge the blog that nominated you.
2.) Tell 11 facts about yourself.
3.) Answer the 11 questions that the nominating blogger created.
4.) List 11 blogs with less than 200 followers that you think deserve recognition.
5.) Post 11 questions for them to answer.
6.) Let your nominees know they received the Liebster from you.
7.) No tag backs!

My Questions from Justina:

1.)  What is your dream occupation?  Well, that would have to be a published author, of course!
2.)  What's your favorite part about blogging? Ooo, it's a tie between meeting new people and the writing itself.  I love to write and I love brainstorming for new ideas.  
3.)  Do you share your blog with your friends and family?  I do.  I don't force it on them, but it is accessible to them if they wish to read it.
4.)  When is the most productive time in your day?  That would have to nap time (from 1-3pm) and after L goes to bed which is about 8:30pm.  
5.)  Do you think Liebster's are productive?  Well, I have never done one, but I certainly hope so! :)
6.)  If you had to choose one:  would you give up your blog or coffee for a week?  Coffee.  Hands down.  
7.)  What is your favorite beauty product at the moment?  Right now, it is my Avon Glimmersticks eye liner, in black, of course!
8.)  Are you planning a summer vacation?  If so, where?  We are moving into our first home in the next few weeks, so no, we are poor and there will be no vacation this year. :)
9.)  Do you own a home phone?  Nope.  We haven't had a land line for about 4 or 5 years.
10.)  Do you tan in a tanning bed, outside in the sun, or always apply sunblock and go all natural?  Well, before I had L, I tanned in a tanning bed and outside in the sun.  However, I ALWAYS wore sunscreen on my face and/or protected my face in the tanning bed.
11.)  What is your favorite childhood toy?  All of my Rainbow Brite toys that are still in my parent's attic. :)

11 Random Facts About Myself

1.)  I never wore eyeliner because I never knew how to apply it until about three weeks ago thanks to Pinterest!
2.)  I hoard herbal tea.
3.)  I have Teen Mom set to record on our DVR and I watch it.
4.)  I enjoy watching "man" shows like Top Shot, Sons of Guns, Swamp People, and Counting Cars.  I am not one of the wives that bitches at her husband for watching Velocity, Discovery, or History channels.  I rather enjoy them.
5.)  I have never watched an episode of Project Runway and have no desire to do so.
6.)  I am a GLEEK. (Meaning:  I watch Glee and I always end up crying at least once during the show.)
7.)  I rub my feet together before I fall asleep.
8.)  I have to sleep on my right side in order to fall asleep.
9.)  I am not a sports fan.  At all.
10.)  I burn incense regularly.
11.)  I own a few very nice, name brand items, but I do not define myself by them.  I have them because they were gifts and I love them. 

Bloggers I Nominate:

Dinah from Sunshine Super Glam
***After scouring all of my blog lists, I could only find seven blogs with less than 200 followers. 

My Questions for You:

1.)  If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?
2.)  What is your favorite book?
3.)  What is your favorite drink? (Alcoholic or Non)
4.)  What is your favorite season?  Why?
5.)  Do you have any pets?  If so, what are they?
6.)  Best advice you have ever received?
7.)  Name a pet peeve of yours.
8.)  Who is your favorite musical artist?
9.)  How do you write?  (Does it have to be quiet?  Can you write anywhere?  Tell me.)
10.)  What is an item on your bucket list?
11.)  Where is your favorite place you have been?

Okay, wow!  I think that covers it!  I hope you all enjoy these questions and getting to know more about each other!  Thanks again, Justina!


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Welcome New Followers! (Thank You!)

I wanted to take the opportunity to welcome all of my new subscribers and to say thank you for liking me enough to want to have my words delivered to your inbox every day!  

A few things you should know:

**I try to write every day (excluding weekends), but sometimes, it doesn't always happen.
**I don't always announce giveaways here on the blog.  So, if you don't want to miss anything, you should head over to my Facebook page and click "like" so you can stay up-to-date on everything that is going on!

**I am a fairly new blogger, but I love doing this so much already!

**I have a toddler and I believe my sanity completely left out the front door about three months ago.  I am almost certain I heard it screaming as it left.

**My humor is different than most (Please see previous statement.) 

**But I can be serious and heartfelt too.

**I pride myself on my honesty and my realness.

**I am stoked that you have decided to join us on our journey!



Words and ideas can change the world.

Welcome!


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Sending Hope Up


I have a daunting task ahead of me this week.  This week, I will be packing up our home that we have lived in for the past year and preparing to move to our first home.  I am happy, I am sad, I am overwhelmed, and I am nostalgic.

L learned to walk here.  She started talking here.   She grew out of her highchair and into a booster seat here.  This was our first house.  Our landlord was lovely.  Unfortunately, she passed away in December of last year and the new landlord has recently taken over.  It just isn't the same.  We are quickly outgrowing this house.  So, it is time to go on to bigger and better things.

I was thinking about all of this this morning while I was browsing Instagram, and a woman I follow posted the above quote as a caption on one of her photo's.  (Sidenote:  Her family is doing something so amazing!  Her, her husband, and their four kiddos are traveling the country for the next six months with a trailer in tow.  They sold most of their belongings and set out on Monday on their grand adventure.  If that isn't living life, I don't know what is!  Check out Joy and keep track of their amazing adventure here.  So inspiring!)

We are finding ourselves at the beginning of a new adventure and, while it certainly has been a roller coaster and scary, we need to give hope a chance to float up.  So, here I go off to pack up a few boxes, all the while giving hope a chance to float up!

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First Hair Cut and Tornado's

What a weekend!  Phew!  I'm kind of glad it's over, honestly.  We didn't do a lot, it is the events that took place that kind of threw off the whole weekend and made it kind of blah.

However, that doesn't mean there weren't a couple of bright spots that didn't make it a complete wash-out.  Friday, I took L to get her first hair cut and it was a total success and Saturday morning L and I went to get some lovely, older furniture for our new home (for free, I may add!).  The rest of the weekend we just spent laying around.  The weather was chillier than usual and it was dreary, so we didn't do much outside.  For the past several weeks, I have been trying my best to get L outside more, but the weather keeps making that almost impossible.  *sigh*  Hopefully, soon, we can get outside and enjoy some good sunshine!

Anyway, here are some pictures from L's first hair cut!  


She was a total dream!  The stylist let her pick out her own sucker (she chose Blueberry), we sat her in the chair, and the stylist started trimming.  L just watched in the mirror and laughed and smiled the whole time.  The only time she didn't agree with something was when the stylist was going to blow dry her hair the rest of the way.  The stylist turned the dryer on low, let the air blow over L's head, and L promptly said, "No."  So, we stopped and let her air dry. HA!  

Then, we came home and Mommy did this:



(And now I seg-way into the next part of my post...)

It was this little box that I was thinking of later that evening.  I had placed it in one of my dresser drawers for safe keeping, with the date written on the inside of the box.  Those fine, tiny hairs from my little girl's head tucked safely away for her to find one day when she is older and ask, "Mom, what is this?"  And then me, flashing back to the day in May when I took her to get her first hair cut, and how good she was, and how she had the stylist and me both in tears from laughing so hard.

It was that box and those images that were flashing through my head Friday evening as the tornado sirens were blaring and I was in a basement with L; waiting, praying, hoping, and trying not to lose it.

According to news reports, about 8 miles from where we were in a basement, an EF3 tornado (about 140 mps winds) tore through and left a path of destruction.  We had lost TV reception shortly after the sirens started going off, but the house we were in (luckily) had a scanner, so we were able to stay informed that way.  Once we heard over the scanner that it had been spotted, we trucked it to the basement.  

I am terrifed of storms.  And by storms I mean the ones where they sound the sirens, the whole TV screen is red where you live, and  the hair stands up on the back of your neck.  I do not like them.  I do not play with thing's like that-the minute the sirens go off, L and I take cover.  I would rather be safe than sorry.

I have to keep my terror at bay because I have a child.  My job is to protect her and keep her calm in any and all situations.  So, in a basement that wasn't our own, I was looking at Caillou books with L and praying in my head to whoever would listen.  I kept thinking about those things that you don't want to think about.  I kept thinking about how I was going to throw myself over her if I had to.  I kept thinking about my Mom's last text message to me before we lost service and how terrified she probably was being two hours away and not being able to do a damn thing but listen to the news and watch it creep in on where her only daughter and granddaughter live.

It was too much.
It was way too much.
I now have a glimpse of what countless others have gone through and it was too much.
I actually prayed that we wouldn't die.
Someone heard me because we are still here.  
We are all still here.  
No fatalities, just minor injuries in the surrounding areas.

It's amazing what you think of in moments like this; like a tiny box with locks of hair in it.

All you want at that moment is for your daughter and you to both live to see the day she asks what they are.

And so you pray.

And you are heard.


***I do realize that there are people who have not been as lucky as I.  To them, I send the sincerest condolences for their losses.  My heart breaks for all who have lost someone in a tornado.***


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