Thanks kid. Halloween is fun again!

Halloween hasn't been my thing since, I don't know, about 1991.  Right around the start of high school, Halloween lost it's fun factor.  Maybe it was the fact that I was too old to go trick-or-treating without feeling like a creep.  Or maybe it was that I started caring how I looked in my costume, or more importantly, how I looked to other people.

Then came college Halloween.  The parties were fun, but the candy was missing.  The costumes got skimpier and more creative.  I just couldn't keep up. I didn't care about winning any costume contests so I drank, people watched, and called it a night.

After college the trend of skimpy or creative costumes continued.  I officially gave up.  I think I wore the same pink wig three years in a row for lack of a better idea.  

As a teacher, Halloween was a holiday that made me want to drink the second the calendar changed from September to October.  I embraced the chaos, played into with the hype, and prepared myself for a long month.  At the end of the day on October 31st, I would rip down all the Halloween decor in the classroom and pretend the kids weren't going to show up half asleep or high on sugar the next day.

Now, as a mom of a two-year old, Halloween is fun again.  I know I will be knee deep in holiday craziness for years to come, but for now I am enjoying the Halloween festivities.

On Halloween morning Leila couldn't have been happier to put on her costume. She squealed with delight and was equally pumped that I threw on my tried-and- true pink wig.

Thanks Leila.  Thanks for bringing the FUN back into Halloween!

  

My biggest rookie mistake

As I near the half way mark of this pregnancy, I am beginning to reflect on my experiences as a rookie mom.  Honestly, being a mom of two kind of scares the crap out of me.  Reflecting on my newbie years brings me a sense of control and confidence.

Although I know better than to think I am actually the one in control (Proof I'm not a newbie anymore!), there are things I will definitely try do again with baby number 2 and things that I plan to do differently the second time around.

With baby #2 I will definitely try to...

• Breastfeed again, and maybe even longer this time since I won't be going back to work.
• Sleep train this baby as early as possible.  Me without sleep = crazy person.
• Wear baby #2 in the Ergo carrier.
• Take monthly pictures of baby #2 to document all the physical changes in the first year.
• Limit pacifier use to the crib, stroller, and car seat after the first three months (and then eventually just in the crib).

I have confidence that those things will happen again.  I've done them before.  I have experience making them work.  Doing things differently, well that will be more challenging. 

This time around I plan to...

• Sleep when the baby sleeps just to prove to myself that I can.
• Deal with a messy house instead of allowing the mess to consume me.
• Not be so hard on myself.  I am not perfect and I will not panic when things don't go as planned.
• Give my husband the freedom to do things his way.
• Always be late.  I am not even going to stress out over trying to be anywhere on time.  I will be implementing a 30 minute window rule for our arrival.  
• Pretend I am not being judged.  We all know it happens.  This time around I will be too busy to care.
• Get in the picture. My biggest rookie mom mistake was not wanting to have my picture taken for months after Leila was born.  I even made my family and friends promise not to take any pictures of me in the hospital.  Pathetic huh?

After reading Allison Tate's blog post on the Huffington Post, I was a teary eyed mess.  I know exactly how she and many other women feel after having a baby...low self-confidence, high expectations, embarrassed to still have "fat pregnancy face", and a body you don't recognize. This time I will be in photos with my new baby, sporting my postpartum weight and all.

I did allow Jeff to snap some pictures at the hospital after I finally took a shower.
I deleted almost all of them.  Huge regret. 

At least I am partly in the picture, right, even if I did crop out my entire body and made sure to hide my face behind Leila.

I find it extremely difficult to venture out of my comfort zone. Changing behaviors is never easy.  But I'm not a rookie anymore. 

  

Time to fess up Mommas.  What will you be doing differently the second (or third) time around?  What was your biggest newbie mom mistake?

  

Our {toddler} days

After a lot of trial and error, I have found a daily routine that works for us. I also happen to LOVE it.

I realize it won't last forever, so here's a peek into what goes on around here!

Lazy wake up
Some days Leila wakes up at seven, other days it's eight. I love the mornings that I wake up before Leila does. Although it rarely happens, those few minutes with my coffee and computer really make me happy. I wonder if I will ever purposely wake up before her?! I'll never say never.

Jeff is up and out the door by 7:30, but is lucky to have a flexible work start time. His mornings are not quite as lazy as he'd like.

Milk and cuddles
Just like it sounds, most days. Other days it's straight in the highchair for breakfast so we can get out the door earlier.

Breakfast
I cook, we eat. She makes messes, I clean up. Rinse and repeat.

Get dressed
Some days I get ready before Leila wakes up, other days she hangs out and watches. We always wait to get dressed until after breakfast. You just never know.


Out the door for "adventure time"
We've expanded our short list of favorite activities. I still love lazy days at the park, and make it a priority to go every Friday. On Tuesdays we play and learn with Teacher Lee, and the local library has toddler programs on most Thursdays. That leaves Mondays and Wednesdays open for whatever we feel like doing. I try to keep this time all about Leila but some days we just have to run an errand or two.

Snack

Lunch
Some days we eat at home, other days we pack a picnic lunch. Can you guess which one I prefer? Picnic all the way. More prep, less clean up.

12:30 Nap time
Notice that this is one of the few things I mentioned the time? That's because no day is the same, or that predictable. But, the one thing that I watch the clock for is sleep! Leila is a great sleeper and I credit the sleep schedule she has been on for over a year. Don't mess with nap time!

Lazy nap wake up
Some days Leila naps for two and half hours, other days it's over three hours long. Either way...I love, need, cherish, and look forward to this break. It allows me to exercise, shower, do some daily chores, blog, email, bake, prep dinner, etc. Not ALL of these things everyday! More like three, maybe four things get done, hopefully.

Milk and cuddles

Snack

Afternoon play
Since the weather is getting warmer and the days are getting longer I'm trying to get us out more in the afternoons (yes, this time errands count!).

Leila likes playing at home too. We listen to music, play with her toys, build with blocks, read, take a bath, watch a show, dance, or even do some arts and crafts.

Eventually I have to start dinner. This is what Leila does...


Everything ends up everywhere.

Dinner
After Jeff comes home and settles in, he plays with Leila and I cook dinner. I aim to get the food on the table by 6:30. Some days we go out for dinner (Friday night pizza, anyone?). Most days I make Leila-friendly meals and she eats them, other days she gets pb & j.

7:30 Bed time routine
Jeff puts Leila to bed on most nights. They read, say good-night to things around the room, and then into the crib she goes with her pacifiers and stuffed animals. Leila loves her crib (which means I love it too)!

Once dinner is cleaned up, coffee is ready for the morning, and I've marked enough things off my list for the day...

I grab a second glass of wine (some days it's the third) and relax.

Cheers to another day!

Wondering how our days have changed over the last few months? Check out a similar post I wrote when Leila was sixteen months old.

I'm linking up again this week with Mama G over at Growing up Geeky. This weeks's topic is A Day in the Life. Link up here...

The Rich List {Listable Life}

I'm linking up again this week with Nicole over at Moments that Define Life. Each Tuesday she hosts Listable Life on her blog. You can choose from two topics to write about and link up with her too. It's a fun way to meet new bloggers and a way for you to get to know me better.

It is so hard to wrap my brain around this week's list topic:

Things I would do if money were no object?

My mind instantly imagines traveling, shopping, and lots of boat riding. I want it all but, I will try to stay realistic (if that is possible!).

5 things I would do if money were no object:

Travel-
I want to see it all, but not all at one time. I'd plan an awesome 4-week vacation three times a year (January, June, and November). San Diego's weather is as beautiful as it gets so we'd go to places rich in history, culture, and adventure.

Help others-
I found a quality FREE Mommy-and-Me preschool that I'd love to be able to help out. (Teacher Lee we love you!) This is near and dear to my heart right now. Two years ago I probably would have wanted to open a charter school, but now that I am Leila's teacher, preschool is where it's at!

Man toys-
You know what I mean...jets, boats, motorcycles, cars, tools, electronics, gadgets, and such.

Home(s)-
Three total would be fine. One on the beach in San Diego, one on the beach in Maine, and one in downtown Chicago. That way we could visit family in Maine and Chicago and have our own house to stay at.

Shop 'till you drop-
Obviously, I would buy anything I wanted, whenever I wanted. I would drop the most money on bags, sunglasses, shoes, and jeans that were actually comfortable.

My favorite little shopping buddy

I kept it realistic, right?!?


Check out some other Listable Life posts or write your own and link up!

Celeb dinner party {Listable Life}

Alright. Your turn, what would you do if money were no object?

Me, me, me, me, me, me, me

I've been tagged by Amy over at Our Journey as Rookie Parents in an "Eleven Random Things" survey blog post. You will know me a little better after this list I wrote. (If you can make it to the end...)



Eleven questions...

1. What is your favorite movie of all time?
A Few Good Men is still my all-time fave. I am not much of a movie person...they put me to sleep.

2. When was the last time you laughed so hard you could barely catch your breath?
I'm not sure but my sister, Valerie, made me pee my pants I laughed so hard.

3. What was the best vacation you ever experienced?
Honeymoon in Kauai

4. Who is the funniest person you know?
My sister, Valerie

5. What is your favorite thing from the 80s?
Television sitcoms

6. What did you dream you would be when you were growing up?
A teacher ;)

7. Would you be more likely to sing karaoke or tear it up on the dance floor?
Dance, dance, dance!

8. Do you have any nicknames?
Lil' Jen (I'm 5'1")

9. Who is your favorite Disney princess?
The one and only- Cinderella

10. What is your biggest pet peeve?
Dirty fingernails

11. Where would you be right now without social media?
Reading a book

Camera trick

I just realized that the LCD screen on my camera flips out and around. Now I can actually see where I'm aiming self-portrait shots. I have a feeling you'll be seeing a lot more of these.


Next trick...getting Leila to hold still.