Thank you for being a friend...

...travel round the world and back again. Your heart is true, you're a pal and a confidant! And if you threw a party and invited everyone you knew...you would see the biggest gift would be from me and the card attached would say "thank you for being a friend" (da...da da da daaa da da!)...who sang along with me? C'mon, admit it...you loved those old gals as much as I did! For those of you who don't follow...the above is the theme song to the good old "Golden Girls" television show. My girlfriends in college and I decided to name ourselves after each character on that show because for some reason our senior year we became obssessed with them. I was Rose (Betty White's character)...and today you will get a little bit of the Rose in me. :)

If you know me, you know that I am a very open person...a "sharer" per say. And yet I still find myself struggling all the time as to what I want to write in this glorious world of blogging. My brain is always busy thinking of things that I would like to say...but lately I have been talking myself out of a lot of them.

As many of you know I read dooce.com regularly and think she is so freaking great. I am currently reading her first book, "Things I learned about my dad (in therapy)" which is a compilation of blogs and essays that she edited and put into a book. Its AMAZING so I would highly recommend, especially to parents because it hits the nail on the head on a lot of things that all of us have been through...namely when it comes to poop, HA! :)

I have felt driven to one subject lately though and the reason I mentioned dooce above is because she is VERY open about her struggles with EVERYTHING (which is one of the reasons I like her) and I think in turn she helps people. Its kind of a goal in my life to help anyone that comes my way that needs it so here I go with a little more of me...

A year ago I was kind of a hot mess. Not like crazy face mess but I was all KINDS of tired from JD STILL not sleeping through the night (and then resorting to bringing him into bed with us which I would not recommend to ANYONE because you don't sleep in that scenario either). I have always been in control of my feelings and so this hot mess situation threw me and my body for a loop.

I talk about the lack of sleep FIRST because I know that it contributed to what ultimately happened. In fact I would say that it had probably 80% to do with it. I also decided (for the wrong reasons) to sign up to run my FIRST mini marathon right after JD was born. I did train through the insomnia and a newborn but it was about a year ago that the final month of training was here and the stress that surrounded that just about put me over the edge. I also had no help during the days with a baby that refused to nap and at night I felt so guilty asking P-Daddy to help because he worked that I PUT MYSELF in a corner (for the record P-Daddy did help a lot in the nights even when he wasn't asked but somehow I would still end up wide awake stressing out that JD wasn't going to go back to sleep). And I also mean by no help because we don't have family in town and so we didn't have grandparents calling us every five seconds to see if they could come over and play with their newest (and only) grandson. I guess in a roundabout way I am trying to say "I didn't get out much" for about 9 months. Also, as I have mentioned before working was a huge part of my life prior to JD so being in my pajamas, taking no consistent daily shower, and dealing with the reality that is horrific daytime television I kind of started to have an identity crisis.

So...just about one year ago exactly I had a pretty severe anxiety attack (gasp)! HA! I laugh now because I know what it was. It was NOT funny then. I was physically ill, couldn't catch my breath, had sweaty palms like you wouldn't believe, at one point thought I was having a heart attack...I mean this girl was a HOT MESS! I didn't even really know what an anxiety attack was until a very nice doctor at a Med Check told me and sat and listened to me wail about how my life was turned up-side-down and I was sad and confused (insert more wailing). He just sat there and told me that I was completely normal and that I had put WAY too much on my plate and that I would be okay (insert breath a sigh of relief).

In that moment...or really that week of anxiousness I was so scared. I felt really alone (even though P-daddy was UNBELIEVABLE) and really uneasy that for the first time in my life I wasn't in control. I had completely lost what I considered to be control over my own life. I started looking at every aspect of my life and questioning it. Friends, family, work, lack of work...you name it. I started trying to figure out what had put me in the anxiety situation so that I could fix it. All of those things had always contributed to what could be anxiety in someones life. They just never affected me until I had a newborn that wasn't sleeping and so therefore neither was I and for anyone who knows what that feels like...you understand exactly what I mean when I say the words I.WAS.TIRED.

So a year later I am blogging about this...and its because I know I am not the only one that has been there or WILL be there. Lets face the facts people, parenting is HARD work. And its hard from the first day your little one breaths (which is a glorious day). Its different hard for everyone and it effects everyone differently but it does effect us all. And really, no one talks about it...or few do. I felt the same way about pregnancy. Everyone in my ENTIRE freaking life had always referred to pregnancy as a blissful time where you eat whatever you want (you can if you want to end up on the Biggest Loser, but the doctors don't encourage it), you glow (or rather, swell in the most inopportune places), and the belly is just beautiful and FUN (I am not sure that I ever looked at myself in the mirror, bare belly during pregnancy and thought of the words "beautiful"...but the belly was cool because it was actual proof that I had a child growing inside of me).

I tell people the TRUTH when they ask about pregnancy. That its hard...it makes your body morph into something you didn't know it was capable of doing (minus the fabulous looking pregnant women at my gym that spend their entire lives there...and if you are one of those people I don't know how you do it but you do look darn good), that for the first 12 weeks you are going to feel like someone slipped you a sleeping pill 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and that scheduled c-sections are the best thing to ever happen because you walk yourself to the O.R., get all numbed up but are completely awake, have no labor pains leading up to this and have your beautiful baby in 10 minutes flat! I will also give any other details when asked but those are my basics!

For me the anxiety attack was such a blessing. I did not end up running in that mini marathon, I was forced to take a step back and really look at what was going on in my life and what needed to change, I learned that I HAD to ask for help and that I couldn't do it all and really it made me realize that I am not really in "control" even when I think I am. God is...and P-Daddy and I have put faith as a priority in our lives since that moment...and that is always positive! A lot of changes, good changes.

One big change was that I put myself BACK on my to-do list. I am still on my to-do list. I have always looked at me taking this time to spend with JD as a blessing and that it was a great moment in my life to stop and smell the roses around me. It didn't start out like that, but it is more and more like that everyday (meaning the stopping to smell the roses part). I never thought I would be that "mom" or even "that girl" who would completely get lost in everyone else and forget about herself. I totally did that...and know that many of you out there are either doing that now or have been there too. Gosh its WAY easier to get there than I ever thought. But its also WAY easier to STOP being that way than many of you realize. :)

So this bloggers block has really been surrounding this subject. I really wanted to share but wanted to do so in the "right" way...who the hell knows what the right way is so I threw that out the window this evening and just wrote.

Something I have found in blogging and reading blogs which I believe is important to mention right here, right now is that there are complete strangers in this life that can say the perfect thing you need to hear right at that moment and your real life friends will not have a word to say...they may even turn their cheek. Which is why you get to hear my story...because you would have probably (and may still) had kind words for me when those closest to me had nothing to say...didn't understand (didn't want to bother to understand maybe...who knows). The point is that your GOOD friends don't mean anything by it, they just see you a certain way and probably want to keep it that way. They are still going to be there...but they just can't help you through this crisis (because they may have one of their own). I say this right now because if you need someone here are my words...

1. Quit stalking blogs and start your own! Even if you don't "share" it with anyone and use it for your own personal journal...you will be amazed at how awesome it is! Or if blogging is too scary...start writing in a journal. :)
2. You are not alone...someone out there is going through it now, has been through it before, are worried about going through it, or will go through it soon.
3. No matter what...stay true to yourself. And get help real help if you need real help. If you are just having a rough day, do what it is that you need to do to make that day better (and turn off that horrific thing called daytime television...it will rot your insides). :)

I wish all of you the very best on your journey through life...and am glad you stopped by to see a glimpse into ours.

So Much To Say...

...So little to blog about! I am having a bit of "bloggers block" right now. I do have a lot to say...I still sit in bed at night and think of things to write about...but I just can't seem to do it right now!

Here are my excuses (even if you don't care I'm gonna tell you anyway) :)

1. Spring has Sprung and its way more fun to play with JD outside than to sit inside and blog.

2. What I have to "say" right now is more about my life than it is anything and I still sometimes have an internal battle about how much is "too much" to share with blogger. :)

3. My mom is in town and we are trying to soak up as much time with her as we can because she lives far away and we don't get to see her as often as we would like.

4. I have upped my workouts to 5 days a week instead of 3 and that is taking up a lot of time (and energy).

5. i have been doing other things rather than blogging...like projects P-Daddy and I have wanted to get done forever and haven't had the chance due to a rather needy 18 month old. :)

...so that's where I am at. I promise to return soon with most likely some pretty juicy stuff. :) I didn't want you to think I had become one of those bloggers that had completely disappeared, never to return. Oh no folks...I love blogging too much for that. Just on a hiatus! I will return just as soon as I gather my thoughts into something that resembles intelligence of sorts. :)

On a side note...a friend of mine from college just had an adorable baby boy a little over a week ago. He was born with Pulmonary Hypertension and is in the NICU fighting like crazy!! He is a fighter though and the news from his parents continues to be good. You can read about him here. If you would, please keep Baby Cole and his family in your prayers.

I wouldn't leave out some pictures of JD as I know that some (okay most) of you come here just to see his smiling face (I don't blame you at all...I love to see it every single day!) :)

JD and his two favorite things...milk and his golf club (following in P-Daddy's footsteps already...he is so proud!)

Our first attempt at JD trying to eat with a spoon by himself (why we chose chocolate pudding is beyond me!)

February Fun Fotos!

February is normally the month in the winter that I dread. I know, I know its the shortest month of the year BUT it always feels like the longest. It typically brings lots of snow, short days (meaning it is dark when you wake up and dark by the time P-Daddy gets home), and bitter cold temperatures. February is the reason I wanted to join a gym last fall...one with "daycare" so that JD and I could get out of the house on those days where we would have normally been all cooped up! February is the reason that I started a play group last fall. So, as you can tell I don't like winter...and February is the "spokesmonth" of winter in my eyes.

That whole paragraph was depressing, so I will cheer you up with this next one. This February we were freaking busy!! I don't know why but it just literally FLEW by...and I don't even think we had much snow to speak of! I didn't really even blog that much because we were so busy. We had the norms, like the gym and play group to attend, but we didn't stop there.

Here is some highlights of our FUN FEBRUARY! We hope every year is as great as this one! We also hope your February flew by as fast as ours did! March is here and we are crossing our fingers that means more nice weather and days we can at least walk outside!!


We traveled to Ohio to play with our friend Max...

Max: "JD this is the "baby Nelson hold"...I will teach you in a minute!"

Mommy and Daddy had a fun night out with friends (and our camera died so we only got one picture, which is the below but SAD that we didn't get one together, in a bar, without baby and having adult beverages...P-Daddy was there and having a blast, he took this picture!)

L to R: Aimee, Godmom, JBU, me

We went to the Children's Museum with Addy, Lilly and Mallory...

L to R: Mallory, JD, Addy, Lilly

Addy: "I think I am going to take a fist full of this stuff and eat it up"

JD: "Addy I tried it and I promise its not good, but it is kind of fun to put in your mouth so go for it"

Dad needs to learn a few tricks from me...TWO lawnmowers! This is awesome!

I couldn't resist...look at how he is holding them? HA! He is all boy for sure...just one holding baby dolls (or swinging them around) :)

We got JD's haircut (again...and it already needs cut AGAIN)...

This...AGAIN?? C'mon mom and dad, seriously??

Combs are fun to chew on...we should look into some for my toy box okay?? :)

And last but not least...we met our friend Leo for the first time!

L to R: Anne with Baby Leo, Me with JD

We are so excited for the what blessings March will bring us! We already know one...GranBeck is COMING!! She will be here for a WHOLE month beginning this Friday and we are sooo excited! Happy Spring!

Food Fight

I titled this "Food Fight" because JD has been our little food fighter for months! I must go back and say (just to I guess make myself feel better) that I thought I would have the best baby eater of all time (and by best I mean HEALTHY) because I made all of his food from scratch via the food processor and fresh or frozen vegetables from when he was 4 months to 1 year. It was a great time for me and like I said it made me feel like I was introducing foods, without preservatives or additives (even though that's all I feel like we eat-HA!) and he would then LOVE vegetables and fruits and lean protein.

This stuff is pretty tasty! I like that its messy too!

Well...I have to admit when we went to JD's one year appointment with our pediatrician and he said all foods were fair game and that I needed to step up the finger foods...I kind of panicked. Meaning...I didn't even know where to begin! Prior to that JD had a fruit and grain for breakfast, a protein and grain for lunch, and a few different kinds of vegetables and grain for dinner (mostly pureed). Sure he ate Cheerios and crackers and had cut up chicken breast or lean pork but other than that I was clueless how I was going to get him to eat a piece of broccoli.

Fast forward to now...he doesn't eat that piece of broccoli or any vegetable for that matter. He will eat (on occasion) a veggie corn dog which makes me feel like he has to be getting some sort of good vegetable (right?). He only eats dried fruit and as far as protein goes...Tyson Chicken nuggets (the all white meat, no preservative kind...yes I am justifying). There goes my venture of not buying anything for him that is processed! AHHH!

Its kind of slippery though...maybe I will use a fork next time!

I do however still provide him with options at every meal. I give him a fruit and grain for breakfast still and he will typically just eat the grain (a dry piece of toast), lunch is kind of a give and take and then dinner is a fruit, chicken nuggets, and some sort of vegetable. The vegetable is thrown on the floor, the nuggets are eaten and the fruit is half eaten half on the floor. So there is the food fight!

Will you please get me a rag because I have something on my face.

The other day I put Spaghetti and Meatballs on his tray (hesitantly) thinking it was something new and tomato's are good for him (right?) :)...well as you can see he enjoyed it! I was eating up because he normally doesn't have this much fun when he is eating. His little undershirt is ruined (so don't try this at home without a bib...yet another thing JD refuses to keep on!)...but well worth it!

It was good but I am done! Can I please get down?

We did tell our pediatrician about JD's "food fight" and he told us that this is totally normal! And JD grew a ridiculous amount so he wasn't concerned. I will say that even though the Dr. says its normal you still feel bad as a parent when you don't feel like your children (or child) is getting the appropriate amount of fruits and veggies (at least I do)! Our fallback though is good old Vitamin D milk (makes a body strong right?)...he loves it and will drink it all day if I let him!

I am starting to try to teach him to eat with a spoon and fork ("spork" really) so wish me luck! So far...the oatmeal in a bowl ended up on the floor with not one spoonful in his mouth. The spork was really just a toy so it may take a while! Wish us luck!