Happier Days...

So I do have a better update to provide. I don't have time to elaborate too much, but we are having much much better days with our dear Sydney. We have been having a great time singing, playing, and generally getting along. I have also accepted the fact that 1. she needs help to learn how to act right because they don't just come out that way and 2. It is only going to get worse in the next couple of years so I better just put on my big girl panties and get used to it. Patience is a virtue and hopefully over time it will become my virtue too! :) Thanks to all of those who have been sending encouraging and loving words my way, I definitely appreciate them!

Distraught...

My toddler, who also happens to be approaching the age of two, is terrible. I know that I should be more politically correct about the message coming across in this post, but I cannot help it. I am completely distraught with the events that have been going on with our little monkey. This post may seem all over the place but I am going to just try to talk this out...

I just don't know what is going on here since about Saturday. We had pink eye over the weekend so at first I thought we were just cranky because of that. Who wouldn't be cranky when they had pink eye...in both eyes. Sunday was sooo trying on the patience. And then Monday was ok. We spent the day at home together and it wasn't that bad. We painted and danced and had a good time. Tuesday doesn't stick out in my mind but Wednesday was HORRIBLE. Well horrible in the morning. And to put it very honestly...she broke me down. There was so much fighting and kicking and squirming during our morning get ready routine that we both ended up in tears on the way to and at daycare. Yes...I ugly cried for the daycare manager about how I didn't know what was wrong with my toddler but it was just "one of those mornings". Now I am pretty sure that she thinks that Sydney is out of control and that I don't know how to handle her. Which is a sentiment that I am fearing may be right as well. Cory isn't the picture of perfect patience either so I think it stresses me out even more when she misbehaves because I know if it is bothering me that he is about to go insane. I try to stay so calm. I try not to raise my voice. I try to calm her down with words to get her to start verbalizing and stop with the "EH! EH! EH! EH!" as she is pointing at what she likes. I am trying to not tell her "no" so much but to start guiding her to something else or doing something different. I thought that would help me have some control but not be so demanding on her. But apparently that doesn't do anything and only makes me look like I have no control. Then if I try to be forceful and show her "who is boss", she has the same reaction. Oh and we are at the "legs just lost their bones" falling and kicking and screaming stage. At that point I just walk away. I don't know if that is right either. So who knows. I have no idea what I am doing. But I am trying to figure it out.

She really is like super cute though. and super smart. She is eating completely independently with a spoon, at least with her yogurt. It makes me proud. She is counting on her own now from 1-10. ABC's are coming out clearer. And we sing songs like B.I.N.G.O, Where is thumpkin?, and many more. So the point is that although she has me emotionally drained from the terrible two's, I still love her to pieces and she is the highlight of my life.

Baby Boy Wright

So I am not sure if I have mentioned this before on here (shame on me if I have not) but my sister-in-law Leslie is pregnant and due to give us our second little baby on March 15th. Second baby in the group but not second grand"baby" I should say. Leslie has a 13 year old (?I think he is 13 now) son James and then Cory has Ella so we inherited some extra "babies", but Sydney and Baby Boy Wright are the first real babies during our time. Leslie and Brett got married in September of 2010 and I could not be more excited that they are about to welcome BBW in about a month. I will be abbreviating him as BBW since they do not yet have a name chosen for him. Again, I am so excited to have a little baby nephew and to watch my brother experience the amazing feelings that come along with the beginning stages of parenthood. His experience will be different because he already IS a parent. He is a GREAT parent to James so every knows of course that he will be fantastic, but now he gets to experience all of the joy from the start.

Thinking about him getting to this stage, and the very brief conversations that I have had with him, I am remembering all of the anxiety that comes along with that 1 month to go feeling. But nonetheless, I know that the anxiety is always that much worse than how it turns out. It always works so much better than you worry it will once that little joy is in your arms.

This weekend was Leslie's shower and since they are in Madison, WI and we are in VA...I wasn't able to be there. But my mom was able to book a ticket about 2 weeks ago so that she could *surprise* Brett and Leslie by showing up today. I wish that I could have seen that. I love surprises. Other people's surprises always make me cry and I definitely would have cried to be able to see this. Brett and I pulled off the ultimate surprise about 6 (wow) years ago when we flew him in from CA to surprise my mom at her college graduation ceremony. It was amazing ha ha. So I can only imagine how amazing this was. Anyways, I have stolen a few pictures from other people from yesterday already so I will do a slight photo drop here just for my own enjoyment.

 I love this stinking picture LOL

Sue, my Grammie, Leslie, and my Mom

 Add one hairy Wright ha ha

 Adorable cake!

At the risk of sounding creepy...I want to rub that bump!!! I will honestly say that I refuse to be the random person that tries to touch people's bumps but for family---they would not be so safe ha ha

I am also pretty sure that no one reads my blog so I have no problems posting this next picture. We all know my resolution to be more creative this year. So the idea of cross stitching came up and although Cory is giving me a hard time about it, I am jumping in. In addition to sending some necessities up to Brett and Leslie before BBW comes, I am going to start this piece for them. I will have to wait until he comes to finish it obviously but I am pretty excited for it to get here this week so I can start. Have I ever mentioned my love for Amazon?



My Time...

Today I did something that I NEVER do... Well I should rephrase...Today I did something that I have never had the OPPORTUNITY to do.

Truth be told...I have really been feeling crappy for about 2 weeks now. I have very poor drainage in my sinuses because of crazy inflammation from allergies and really bad ears in terms of drainage (and hearing) so sicknesses just tend to stick with me for longer. For the last few days this week I have been in training and haven't been able to take any sick time and for the next 5 weeks or so I will be in training and then after that we are in the thick of tax season. So I chose today as the last available day that I had to try to get better. So I did it...I called in sick to work.

*sigh* It has been so nice.

Cory got me a gift card for a massage/mani/spa pedi package at Knuckles N Knots for Christmas and I used it today. Yes you heard that right. Not only did I call in sick today to try to get better, but I furthered that goal by going and pampering myself. Hold the mother freakin' presses. lol. And I don't feel bad about it either.

I also came home and spied on my baby girl, because I can't access her daycare's cameras at work.

I also worked on invitations to my bestie's "thing" that we are putting together for right before her wedding (it is neither a bridal shower or a bachelorette party). They are super cute and I am hoping to send them out...today.

Other than that...I am resisting (and it is very hard to resist) the urge to do something productive. I have a mental list of things that would be perfect to get done. And I am not doing a single one of them. Part of resistance was writing this blog. It definitely helped. Everyone should take advantage and have one of these days. It is very good for the soul. And I am even thinking that I am going to take a nap here soon :) Gotta be quick though. Only 2 more hours until I am back to Mommy duty.

Happy weekend!

Chuck E Cheese!

So this past weekend we went to Chuck E Cheese for a fun day with Nana and Opah. It was Sydney's first time going and she definitely (for the most part) enjoyed herself. At some points, we kind of felt as if Nana and Opah were there so that Mommy and Daddy could get away with playing like kids. We were pretty excited and had a great time!

 Skeeball!

 Someone was not a fan of the rides at first---takes after her Mommy!

Slides are our favorite! 

Popping bubbles!

 Daddy was so good at the games

We finally found a ride we could be ok with!

Why did it stop?

Thoughts...

So I know that I have been extremely crappy at keeping up with my blog. Cory is in school again and it makes him really busy and therefore, he hogs the computer a lot, ha ha. I need to try to do shorter blogs more often rather than longer blogs very rarely. And I need to get better about my pictures because I am kinda slacking. I do have some thoughts going on in my head and brace yourselves, its not all positive...

• Today is officially 1 month since the first of the year and although my goal of losing weight is on my mind every second of the day, it has not been as successful as I wanted it to be. I have lost 9 pounds total and its a struggle every day. I think that the moral of my story at this time is the the working out side has.to.happen. I have *in my opinion* done all that I can from simply eating right (based on what happened last year and the tough wall that I have hit this year just even starting losing weight. So I need to figure it out. No more excuses, just figure it out.
• Some people on my team at work are also losing weight and we are doing a team weight loss challenge. Winner gets free lunch *ironic* and I want to win. 1 pound lost in 2 weeks isn't going to get me there.
• Tomorrow is my late grandmother's birthday. She would be 70. I miss her like crazy every day. I really miss her now with Sydney growing so much every day. She was pretty dang awesome.
• Does anyone else ever feel like they are an outcast in their own family? I have really been feeling like this lately and it bugs me. Annoys me. Infuriates me even. Let's just say that it bothers me in all senses of the word. Initially when I thought about getting that off of my chest, I had a lot of other thoughts to piggy back on that, but right now I am just at a loss for words. It makes me so thankful that I do have my husband who understands me and gets me fully. So when I start to feel like this he is really great at making me brush it off. But it still is a super bummer.
• I wish I had a career that I felt like I was putting my heart and soul into.
• I also wish that my workplace was a more pleasant atmosphere. I don't want to speak too direct but when Cory and I met we worked in an industry where you always felt like you had to look over your shoulder. When I graduated and got my first job, I didn't think that I would be made to feel like that again. Guess I was wrong about that too.
• Sydney is amazing these days. Every week she is talking more than the previous week. Because of her steady and accelerating development, they have started to transition her into the 2 year old room at school (she doesn't turn 2 until June). I am a proud mama! I will always let my child move at her own pace and whatever pace that is I am fine with. But I am a loving and excited mama. And I am just going to end on this happy note :) Happy rest of the week!

Quick Update

So I am very much past due on a post but I don't have a lot of time so I am going to do a quick briefing and then get on with my Grey's watching...

- I gained 2 pounds during week 2, but I am adjusting and trying to get back on complete track

- I went to Vermont for the weekend of MLK for my besties Bridal shower and it was an AMAZING trip, including when it was literally -8 on Sunday morning when we woke up (-21 windchill)

- I am devastated that the Packers are out of the super bowl...I only got to wear my new jersey once this year!

- I did a great job getting up this morning to do my walking before work today. It worked out very well for the day.

- The week has gone by quickly and that is GREAT! ha ha

Talk to you all more later!