Today…

Outside my window: The sun is finally shining again – it was a long, muggy and very rainy weekend with enough crazy wind to make you want to avoid the outside world at all costs – not that we did that, but we wanted to. We’ve got a high of 82 today and with the morning thunderstorms behind us, I’m thinking it should be a nice day, but the slide at the playground is probably still soaked (right??)

I am hearing: The dryer just buzzed to let me know the towels are dry (probably) which means I can throw the baby clothes in and then the cloth diapers… and then MM’s clothes… And then I might be done. I also hear Curious George on tv which means snack time is fast approaching – hurray!

I am thinking: that fun and learning awaits me! Dan and I decided to try learning foreign languages together with this fun website called Live Mocha which uses a sort of flash card / repetition learning system paired with a community of people who are learning different languages and are fluent in different languages who can peer evaluate each other and give feedback on written and oral lessons. I’m relearning French while he learns it now – and if it goes well, he’s going to help me learn Spanish next, then if we are still into it, we’ll move onto other languages like Italian or Japanese. I hope we stick with it because it sounds so fun to me!

I am hoping: that I can pick up some packages that are at the apartment office today before my doctor’s appointment this afternoon; that my serious lack of sleep last night doesn’t ruin today; that something sweet is waiting for me for dessert tonight…

I am reading: 10-10-10: A Life Transforming Idea by Suzy Welch – the basic idea of this book is to make decisions based off how things will affect you in the short term, semi-long term and majorly long term and using that information to decide what is most important to you, what really matters and then making a decision – which sounds like a lot of work and for some decisions I’m sure it is, but I used the method to decide “to cloth diaper or not to cloth diaper” and it took me about 3 minutes to decide that, for now at least, cloth diapering clearly wins out. We are however going to start using disposables at night and occasionally when we are out of the apartment.

I am creating: happiness for two children and two adults? I’m doing my best anyway. Sometimes I feel so irritable and grumpy, but I know I’m tired and this is normal and I’m lucky that MM is so easy going in some ways (stubborn sure, but very quick to bounce back).

I am wearing: A pair of my favorite capris (in a size 18, which might not sound brag-worthy, but for me it totally is, as I was a 22-24 before the pregnancy) and this pretty top that I got on sale at JC Penney’s – at least I think this is the right top, the website is acting a bit wonky. Mine is kind of a dark reddish brown with a floral pattern. I love how easy it is to nurse in, while still looking like a nice, respectable blouse.

In the kitchen:

• Monday: Chicken Parmesan
• Tuesday: Spaghetti & Meatballs
• Wednesday: Hamburgers, Hot Dogs & Macaroni & Cheese
• Thursday: Grilled Cheese & Soup
• Friday: Enchilada Pizza

Around the house: I’ve decided that I have too much laundry to pile into one day a week now. Especially with cloth diapers to wash every day, I’m going to start doing the major loads during the weekend so I should mostly just have cloth diapers to do during the week. Because this huge Monday laundry day thing is starting to stink and with the machines right in the bedroom there’s just no reason to suffer.

Plans for the week: I have a routine check up at the doctor’s today, I’m planning to call and schedule dentist appointments for the family ASAP, I have loads of packages coming between stuff for the review blog and things family and friends are sending (my parents got me the Maya Wrap I’ve been ogling for eons now so that should hopefully be coming soon, which I’m hoping will make baby wearing just that much easier to do on the spur of the moment and for nursing especially). The nice thing about having so many of the baby essentials from our last child is that I’ve been able to get some of the nice things that I really wanted for this one, like the Maya Wrap and our gorgeous, amazing Graco travel system (soooooooo worth the money, I’m planning to do a real review of it soon because I love it so much).

A few of my favorite things: Dan and I are losing weight in a major way – he’s now wearing the smallest size jeans and tops I’ve ever seen him wear – like so small it almost looks unreal to me when I’m folding his laundry, that he could squeeze into them! He looks incredible and has lost over 60 pounds in the past year. As for me? According to the bathroom scale and Wii Fit, I’ve lost 25 pounds since the baby was born. I lost the first 15 or so pretty much in the first week and another 10 since then. I’ve gone from a size 22/24 that I was wearing before pregnancy (I know that’s a scary big number) to a size 18 that is almost just a tiny bit big on me – that’s less scary for sure and maybe just maybe it won’t be much longer until I can shop in any store I want to? That would be pretty sweet. I can’t wait to start working out when I’m out of “recovery.”

A picture thought:

I’ve been so impressed with MM’s imagination lately – for instance, these are not blocks you see him playing with – they are the houses and stores in a village – and the black blocks are all the people who live there. Obviously.