Every time I actually get a chance to sit down and post, I feel so fulfilled. And I check my friends’ blogs daily for updates. Yet, for some reason, I have a hard time just taking the simple step of logging in and beginning. Much like a child and a bath; don’t want to get in, don’t want to get out. So I am going to make more of an effort to just simply sit down and type, remembering that I don’t have to have a specific topic in mind, and that I don’t have to write volumes.
Today I am thankful for my sweet husband. As it gets harder and harder for me to do every day tasks as my belly grows daily, I appreciate simple little things even more. Today, Mark sent me an email asking what I wanted for dinner, and that he’d have it ready for when I get home since he’s leaving soon after to go skiing with some friends. The end of the day is hard for me, especially on Friday, especially after a week of Carter not sleeping well. Dinner’s the last thing I want to tackle. Somehow, though, Mark has the energy to work a full week, pick up and entertain Carter, make dinner, and then go skiing under the full moon.
This is why we complement each other well. We each seem to reach our limit at different times and are able to be the support and strength for the other. This past Monday, as I was feeling overwhelmed by bills and being pregnant and taxes and all the other minutiae of adulthood, Mark took the initiative to clean up the house. I hope that Mark is able to feel like I step up and support him on occasion as well.
Although somewhat of a mixed blessing, Mark and I have had one thing taken off our very full plate. After having a realtor do a market analysis of our house, we’ve decided not to move this spring. We would lose too much money and would not be able to afford a house we want in the mountains. Although both of us were looking forward to living in a place that suits us better and were very disappointed about how little our house is worth right now, it does mean that we won’t be in the process of moving with a newborn. We can focus on the other changes going on in our lives, not a short list right now.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Photo review
I have a hard time getting around to downloading pictures from my camera, so I rarely post pictures here. Here are a few from the last couple of months, mainly of Carter, since he's the cutest of the three of us!
Below is Carter and his "cousin" (I don't know how to explain how they're related, other than the other cutie is Addison, Devon's daughter). Devon and her family came to visit a few weeks ago, and Carter got to hang out with another little person. He loved it.
Carter is almost successfully potty-trained, but we're still working on #2. We often sit for awhile, and he enjoys a good book while he's waiting for things to move along.
Carter got his first opportunity to drive on a Colorado dirt road this winter, but he didn't quite connect the idea of looking at the road and turning the wheel. He sure did love it, though.
Carter has become quite the trooper in the snow and will go just about anywhere with us, as long as we have some chocolate. Below we are taking a break from sledding and skiing to have a little snack.
Here's our sled setup that Mark pulls behind him on skis. If you look closely at Carter's expression, we obviously have not kept the chocolate coming nearly fast enough.
Here's a video of our sledding trip. Not great footage, but it gives you an idea of our outdoor adventures in winter with a two-year-old.
Below is Carter and his "cousin" (I don't know how to explain how they're related, other than the other cutie is Addison, Devon's daughter). Devon and her family came to visit a few weeks ago, and Carter got to hang out with another little person. He loved it.
I went to visit my good friend from college, Noelani, and we went to the alligator park with her friend. It was so great to go to warm and sunny Florida in the middle of our snowy Colorado winter.
Carter is almost successfully potty-trained, but we're still working on #2. We often sit for awhile, and he enjoys a good book while he's waiting for things to move along.
Carter got his first opportunity to drive on a Colorado dirt road this winter, but he didn't quite connect the idea of looking at the road and turning the wheel. He sure did love it, though.
Carter has become quite the trooper in the snow and will go just about anywhere with us, as long as we have some chocolate. Below we are taking a break from sledding and skiing to have a little snack.
Here's our sled setup that Mark pulls behind him on skis. If you look closely at Carter's expression, we obviously have not kept the chocolate coming nearly fast enough.
Here's a video of our sledding trip. Not great footage, but it gives you an idea of our outdoor adventures in winter with a two-year-old.
One day Carter and I went to the National Western Stock Show, a big event in Colorado. John Deere had a tractor display, and Carter made sure to try out every one. He loved pretending to drive, and told everyone about the tractors when we got home.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Wee hours
Have you ever heard the term, "wee hours of the night"? I had and never thought much about it. Now I am certain of the origin; it refers to the wee people that are up at that time. This past Friday night, Mark and I were tired after a long week of working and having some friends over for dinner that evening. We have all been recovering from some kind of cold/flu/cough thing that's been going around, so after finally getting Carter down for bed an hour past his bed time, we went to bed ourselves, looking forward to a good night's rest.
In my pregnant state, I predictably woke up and had to go to the bathroom at about 12:15 am. I returned to bed and waited for sleep to come. Unfortunately, the universe had other plans. Carter woke up 20 minutes later and claimed he had to go potty. This happened three more times over the next hour or so, and then he needed milk. Then he just plain couldn't sleep. Each time we heard his little voice at the door, Mark and I would sigh the sigh that only sleep-needing parents can do. We took turns turning him around and putting him back in bed. No one slept through the whole process.
Finally at 4:30, Mark and I were feeling out of solutions with no end in sight. Carter wasn't upset or crying, he just couldn't sleep, so Mark decided we may as well just get up. We all traipsed into the kitchen, and Mark made blueberry pancakes while Carter and I played trains. I wondered what our neighbors would think,if they looked out the window in the middle of the night and saw our little family's activities. As odd as we would have appeared, I bet it would be a happy sight to see the three of us merrily making the most of our circumstances.
We finally could see Carter was winding down at about 6am, so we went through the bedtime routine again, and then Mark and I crawled back into our now-cooled sheets. Much to our dismay, Carter woke up again for the day shortly before 8:00, but we knew there was no way we'd get him to go back to bed again. We accepted that we had a sleepless two-year-old and got up to proceed with our day.
We experienced the "wee hours of the night" in their full glory. It's the wee ones and their parents that are awake during those hours. I bet you could open a business based on that concept. I'm picturing breakfast foods, slides and swings for the little ones, and cots for the parents. Hours: 7 nights a week, 10pm to 6 am. I may be onto something . . .
In my pregnant state, I predictably woke up and had to go to the bathroom at about 12:15 am. I returned to bed and waited for sleep to come. Unfortunately, the universe had other plans. Carter woke up 20 minutes later and claimed he had to go potty. This happened three more times over the next hour or so, and then he needed milk. Then he just plain couldn't sleep. Each time we heard his little voice at the door, Mark and I would sigh the sigh that only sleep-needing parents can do. We took turns turning him around and putting him back in bed. No one slept through the whole process.
Finally at 4:30, Mark and I were feeling out of solutions with no end in sight. Carter wasn't upset or crying, he just couldn't sleep, so Mark decided we may as well just get up. We all traipsed into the kitchen, and Mark made blueberry pancakes while Carter and I played trains. I wondered what our neighbors would think,if they looked out the window in the middle of the night and saw our little family's activities. As odd as we would have appeared, I bet it would be a happy sight to see the three of us merrily making the most of our circumstances.
We finally could see Carter was winding down at about 6am, so we went through the bedtime routine again, and then Mark and I crawled back into our now-cooled sheets. Much to our dismay, Carter woke up again for the day shortly before 8:00, but we knew there was no way we'd get him to go back to bed again. We accepted that we had a sleepless two-year-old and got up to proceed with our day.
We experienced the "wee hours of the night" in their full glory. It's the wee ones and their parents that are awake during those hours. I bet you could open a business based on that concept. I'm picturing breakfast foods, slides and swings for the little ones, and cots for the parents. Hours: 7 nights a week, 10pm to 6 am. I may be onto something . . .
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