This, My Friends, Is My Life. And I Love (Almost) Every Minute of It!

Yesterday, Sadie was a Category 2.  She was leaving a path of destruction everywhere she went.  What got into that child?

I should have known it was going to be an interesting day early on in the morning.  The dogs were barking their "we need water" bark.  Well, of course they needed water, because the water bowl was missing.  Gone.  Nowhere to be found.  No traces of spilt water.  How in the world did Sadie carry off a water bowl without spilling any?  I walked all over the place with tiny steps hoping to find a wet spot to clean it up.  Nothing.

She has a push toy/walker thing that she was using as.....a horse?  To herd the dogs.  She was chasing the dogs with it, running over tails, herding them into a corner, and laughing hysterically.  I have to admit, it was really funny.  At one point I couldn't catch my breath from laughing so hard at her.  And if you know my dog who has social anxiety disorder, it was complete torture for her.  Wherever she ran off to try and hide, Sadie found her.

Little things like this went on all day.  When Kris came home, before he made it into the house, I warned him of what he was about to face.  And what did he have to face?  Here are a couple of examples:

She has quite a library next to her potty, and these are just a few of the books that fit into the picture.  There were others scattered on the other side of the room and into my bedroom.  And where, you ask, is the bowl part of her potty?  Who knows - I had to go search for it.

Yes, that is a bottle of pepper sauce in her hands.  She discovered the she can open the spice drawer and reach in to pull out a surprise.  See how proud of herself she is?

By the end of the day, I was worn out.  But what's new?  That's ok, though.  I love spending my days with my girl.  Even if she is a storm waiting to happen!

Oh, and that missing water bowl.....she handed it to me later in the afternoon.  I still have no idea where it was.

Jazzercise (yes, it still exists)

Back in the day, my dear friend Elizabeth and I used to be hardcore workout buddies.  During the summer we were taking whatever step, aerobic, strength training, kill-me-now class they were offering every day.  When the school year rolled around, we were at the gym by 5:30 a.m. playing racquetball and lifting weights or running stairs.  However.....things change.  I've pretty much fallen off the wagon, with the exception of a stroller aerobics class I took before summer got here.  I had planned on keeping up with walking during the summer, but my excuse has been that it's just too hot for me (and Sadie) to be out exercising.  Sooo.....

The next best option I have is Jazzercise.  It is the only class that offers childcare at the gym just down the road from me.  Literally, less than a mile from my house.  I no longer have a reason to not exercise.  I signed up and went to my first class yesterday.  Here are my thoughts and observations:

• I found myself a nice cozy spot on the back row and gave thanks because there aren't mirrors on all the walls.
• Why am I the only one wearing shorts?  Seriously, the ONLY one in a class of maybe 30?  I would much prefer the bottom half of my legs to show rather than having yoga pants that cling to every little big inch of me.  hhhmmmm.....will I stand out more by wearing shorts or by wearing fitted pants?  Yeah, I'll stick with my shorts for now.
• Lots of music with a Spanish/Latin flare, a little bit of Shakira mixed in.  Does the teacher realize that makes me focus on chips and queso?
• Just who is making those catcalls in the middle of the songs?  Oh please!
• She expects me to do a cha cha and moves with "attitude" without laughing?!
• mmmm.....quesadillas, please!
• I might have been able to rock out to step aerobics years ago, but it's going to take a few more classes before I get the hang of this.

Thankfully I made it through the class without having to stop for a break.  It sure would have been nice to have Elizabeth with me, though.  I needed someone to laugh with!  I plan on keeping it up.  And maybe, just maybe, in a few months (like by next August) I'll be to the point where I'm confident enough to wear fitted yoga pants.  

Fix You

Is this night number seven?  nine?  twelve?  I don't know, but it feels like number fourteen.  What has happened to my Sadie?  Why is she not sleeping?  She's been waking up each night and staying awake from one to three hours.  It's killing us.


Tonight she woke up at 12:30-something.  I decide that I'm going to go all Super Nanny on her.  We've tried patting her on the back, holding/bouncing her, rocking her, going to the guest bed with her....we can't do that every night.  Something's gotta give.  So Super Nanny it is.  I went to her room and told her to lie down.  She did.  I stood over her and prayed.  I thought she was out, left the room, and as soon as I sat on the edge of my bed, the tears started again.  I go back.  Sadie, lie down.  She did.  But she cried.  And I prayed some more.  And she cried some more.  I gave her a bottle, told her to lie down, I left the room.  (We're on about minute 40 here.)  She drank the bottle, was quiet for a few minutes, and then stood up crying.  Again.  So again, I go to her room.  Sadie, LIE down.  I have no new words to pray.  I'm so thankful that we can go helplessly/wordlessly to the Lord.  


As I left her room (now over an hour from the first time she woke up), Coldplay's lyrics kept going through my mind.  I'm sitting here at my computer while keeping an eye on the baby monitor, and now I have this stuck in my head:


When you try your best, but you don't succeed (yeah, we've tried night after night to sleep)
When you get what you want, but not what you need 
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep (AMEN!)
Stuck in reverse (that's what it feels like - we went from good sleeping to.....)

And the tears come streaming down your face (for hours and hours)
When you lose something you can't replace (can you truly replace lost sleep?)
When you love someone, but it goes to waste (my love for Sadie will NEVER go to waste)
Could it be worse? (yes, things could be much worse than not getting sleep - I should be thankful that's all I have to complain about)

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you (I wish I could "fix" her)

And high up above or down below (she's upstairs, we're downstairs)
When you're too in love to let it go  (I love her too much to let her cry in her room alone)
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Tears stream down on your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down on your face
And I...

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you 


Yeah, I know, not exactly what the guys of Coldplay had in mind when they wrote this song.  I felt it applicable this evening (wait, morning) to my situation.


Good news, though!  After only an hour and a half, the monitor is now silent.  She's wiggling around, but she's not crying.  That's a start.  Please, Lord, help her go to sleep and STAY asleep!  Feel free in joining me in this prayer.  If you are awake at 2:03 a.m., that is.

My Child, My Child

The last few nights have not been the best in the Westbrook home.  Actually, Sadie slept all night last night, but she didn't go to sleep until almost 10:00.  We battled for over an hour.  Usually all we have to do is put her into bed with a bottle (shame on us) and she's out within a few minutes.  Not last night.  We are blaming it on teething.  Poor baby.  Anyway, it's been frustrating and tiring.  However, I quickly get over that frustration (not often getting over being tired, though) when I look back through pictures like these:

Go ahead and make yourself comfy.  Yes, she did this on her own - reclining in a laundry basket with a pillow while watching television.

And proof that we don't take things too seriously around our house:

Our little white trash orphan baby.

Yes, those are pajama bottoms on her head.  Yes, that bib is about two sizes too small.  Yes, her outfit (complete with watermelon juice) is about three sizes too small.  Yes, I should be embarrassed for posting such a picture.

And finally.....

And yes, those are two different shoes.

So what did Sadie and I do today?  We shopped.  She has new play clothes that fit and new shoes.  

What's my point?  None whatsoever.  I'm just crazy about my child.  No matter what.

Why....?

• Why is there always laundry to do?  I mean, we're only three people living here.
• Why am I not skinny?  It seems that much of every meal is given to a little girl who can't seem to ever get full!
• Why won't God send rain?  I mean, I'm praying daily for it.
• Why has my child turned into an insomniac the past two nights?  Up from 4:30-6 one morning and 1-4 the next?  aaahhhh!!!  
• Why does my dog have to bark at everything?  Probably because I have him conditioned - the only way he will come inside is if I shake the box of dog treats.  So does he go outside and bark simply to get a treat?  
• Why am I not toned from carrying/bouncing/lifting said insomniac?
• Why am I sitting here when I need to run errands?  Well, it's kind of nice to be able to sit for more than two minutes without being disturbed.
• Why am I happy?  Because I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart!

So, What Do You Do?

That's a good question.  A question that keeps popping up in my mind over and over since I was asked that a couple of nights ago.

Kris had a customer in town from Canada this weekend, and he stayed with us a couple of nights.  Friday night he asked me - so, what do you do?  I sort of looked at him confused.  I told him that I honestly don't know....I take care of Sadie.  He responded - yeah, but when you don't have her, do you go to yoga?  Do you meet up with friends?  Do you go have coffee somewhere and unwind?  I laughed.  1. I do not have the body to wear yoga clothes, so I don't go to yoga.  2.  Yes, I occasionally meet up with friends, but Sadie is always with me.  3.  Coffee?  No thank you.

Yes, I have Wednesdays "off" when I take Sadie to Mother's Day Out.  However, those days are usually filled with errands and other little things that I need to do around the house.  Not much time to do extra things just for fun.

The guy later asked me - ok, so when Kris has baby duty and puts her to sleep, what do you do?  Again, I had to laugh to myself.  Oh, you mean when Kris isn't working or going to HOA meetings, or finance committee meetings, or working, or golfing, or working?  Kris actually was home this afternoon and asked me if there was anything I wanted to do - like go get a manicure or pedicure.  (Yes, a pedicure would have been wonderful, but I don't feel like I deserve to spend that money on myself after having just written a check to the city of Houston for a parking ticket - aaahhhh!!  I still can't get over that I got one.)  What he doesn't understand, though, is that I'm perfectly content staying at home and doing nothing with him.  If he's home, I want to be home too.

So, what exactly do I do?  Well, I blog at 12:41 a.m. when I can't sleep.  That's something, I guess.  But that's pretty lame.  I need to do something so I'll have an answer to that annoying question that I seem to get fairly often, not just this weekend.  If any of you out there have suggestions of what I can do in all my free time, please let me know!

My Week in a Nutshell

In a very large nutshell.  Like a walnut shell.  Or a Brazil nut shell.

• Sunday - flat tire, thankfully at home, Kris was working and couldn't change the tire, so roadside assistance showed up at 8:30 p.m. to fix it.  
• Monday - took the tire to shop, they fixed the wrong tire (long story), had to wait longer for them to fix the correct bad tire.  In-laws came to keep Sadie while I went to a doc appointment.
• Tuesday - I honestly don't remember what I did Tuesday morning, but I know I got out of the house.  The washing machine died, I spent the afternoon checking the breaker, all the outlets, etc.  No luck.
• Wednesday - took Sadie to "school", went to Target and grocery store, came home with a migraine.  Waited around for someone to come look at washer.  Picked up Sadie.  Visited someone in the hospital, came home sick (from headache).
• Thursday - woke up with the same headache.  Had to have a biopsy on my thyroid (no worries, I'm sure everything is fine.  Power of positive thinking.), five needles poking in my neck.  Not supposed to be lifting Sadie - should have been spending the day taking it easy with ice on my neck.  However, I was dealing with the washer issue.  Went to Lowe's to check some out, came home to give a report of what I found to Kris, dropped off laundry at a generous neighbor's house, back to Lowe's to make a purchase, Sadie flips out of the shopping cart landing on head and then flat on her back, she screams, manager wants to call an ambulance, I frantically try to get in touch with Kris, take her to an emergency clinic, she's fine, pick up laundry from friend's house, back home.

And the week isn't over yet.  I think tomorrow I'll find a cave and hibernate for a few days.  Anyone care to join me?!

Ways to Spend Money

There are the fun ways:

1. new clothes
2. home improvements
3. travel
4. dining out

And there are the not-so-fun ways:

1. electric bills in the summer
2. medical stuff
3. parking tickets
4. new washing machines

Why are the not-so-fun ways more necessary than the fun?!  bbboooooo!!!!

Regrets

OK, I'm already regretting my last post.  As I thought more about it, I realized how much I sounded like Eeyore.  You know, from Winnie the Pooh.  Those things I listed still bug me, but I'm not in a bad mood.  I promise.  I am happy.   And I know it.  So I am clapping my hands, stomping my feet, and saying AMEN!

Things That Are Really Bugging Me These Days

• the heat - that just goes without saying
• the radio - why are all radio stations so annoying?  I can never seem to be able to find any good music on.  I'd often rather listen to Sadie's silly music.
• the price of gas.  And groceries.  And everything else.
• other drivers - aaahhhhh!!!!
• coming up with new things to cook for dinner - although I did come home from the grocery store today with a couple of ideas.
• headaches - why are they back?!

Wow, who sounds like a grouch today?  Yeah, me.  I had to get out in the heat today, but before I was able to go to Target and the grocery store I had to get gas.  After spending a fortune to fill up my car, I had to drive behind people who didn't take driver's ed.  I obviously came home with a headache.  However, there are....

Things That Really Make Me Happy These Days:

• the Funfetti cookies that are in the oven
• my home that has wonderful a/c 
• my husband who works so hard every single day
• this girl who I get to go pick up very soon - I miss her!

I caught her in a rare moment of seriousness before going to "camp" this morning.

Things may bug me, but....life is still great.  I have much to be thankful for.