Family Living: Abbott Style

You know what drove me nuts before I had a kid?  When people referred to their toddlers as XX amount of months.  Anything over a year really.  In my mind, a 1-year-old is a 1-year-old & a 2 year-old was a 2-year-old.  Everything in-between was all the same. But here I am, I have a 20-month-old daughter.  Because when they are this little, every month matters.  There is a big difference between 12 months, 18-months, 20-months, and 24-months.  There just is.  I decided after she turns two I will probably stop counting by months.  I will just say, I have a 2-year-old.  But then again, I am not there yet.  Number 1 rule in parenting: All bets are off. But today marks Haley's 20th month of life.  She is a third of a year away from being 2.  I say it that way, because 4 months seems like such a short amount of time and I am having difficulties comprehending that I will be having a 2-year-old soon. ...

I am emotionally and physically drained.  It stands to reason as my body's attempt to bring us child number two ended in  miscarriage .  I am doing well and am at peace with this loss that occurs frequently in the whole baby making process.  Despite my best attempts to talk myself out of the emotions, I still find myself feeling that sense of loss.  But again, rationally, I understand these things happen.  And often.  And probably for a good reason. But we move forward.  Regrettably, Ian has been so busy at work we haven't had time to really process together.  And then my mom has been in Texas attending to my grandfather who is also having some health issues.  I miss my mommy and I want my grandpa to be better!!!  So my broken heart, is being healed by this face here: Haley had been fighting the worse cold and respiratory problems; therefor, she has been in a funk for awhile.  But suddenly--my healt...

Here were mine.  I was.... ambitious: Eat Exercise at least 5 days a week.  I got up to 6 days a week and ran a half marathon!  Start planning meals a week at a time to help with my organization and grocery shopping. Haha Eat balanced.  Forget diets, I am so over that stuff.  Just eat like I hope to teach my kidlet to eat.  Moderation, moderation, moderation! Still needs work Loose 15 lbs. by the time the new house is finished. I am not sure if it was by May but I ended up losing close to 25 lbs!  (And gained a few back) Redefine my definition of  a glass  (4 oz.) of wine per day.  Apparently a 16 oz. solo cup isn't the same.   Glass, I just drink out of the bottle now.   Pray   This area will need to be addressed..yikes! Attend church every Sunday until summer, then at-least 2 out of 4 Sundays (we often go out of town to the lake during the summer) Yikes, we need to work on this Start attending...

Wow--Blast from the past.  First off, if you are one of the people that get my blogs via email.  I am SOOO sorry.  I went back and re-published all the drafts I had once published on my blog.  A lot of it was pictures of Haley and posts about her development, and I didn't want to loose that stuff, so I wanted to make sure it was published.  Little did I know, it was going to re-email ALL of those posts AGAIN.  So sorry for 100's of emails.  Yikes. So, we tired to break the binkie habit in the past and I caved. This time, it is for real.  She let the dog eat her last one, so enough is enough.  Tonight was night one.  She cried for awhile.  Threw a fit.  Even asked for the binkie by name and ask please.  But now she is asleep and all is well with the world. And so we move forward.  Nap time will be a whole new battle tomorrow.  Wish me luck.

Before I became a parent myself--I had a whole list of things I would never do.  Naturally, I have slowly done each of those things on that list. One of which was creating an entire room dedicated to toys.  The dreaded "toy room".  I am not exactly sure why that was on the list.  But it has happened.  I gave up my beautifully decorated guest room for a room full of toys.  Now, this toy room is temporary--as eventually, God willing, we will need that room for another child or two.  I am at peace with this decision and I think it will be great for Haley to have an entire room to go play in and not have to be told "no-no" about something.  An area totally for her.   I have to mentally prepare myself for the idea  that the room will never be organized and she will constantly be dragging stuff out and having it scattered about.  I am limiting myself to picking up the toy room only once a day at the end of ...

Haley has a full blown toddler mullet. The back just keeps growing and growing; the sides....nothing. Mullet, mullet, mullet. I am at odds with myself about what to do here.  My current line of thinking is to just let it grow and eventually it will even out.  But it looks bad. My only other option would be to cut it....and what...give her a bowl cut?? Full disclosure.  When I found out Haley was indeed a she--one of my first thoughts was---crap I'm going to have to do her hair.  I am not even good at doing my own hair.  Let alone a toddler who can't sit still. I have envy for the mom's whose daughters rock perfectly wonderful pig-tails.  Or the mom's who daughters always have the cutest bows and headbands.  Not my daughter.  She has a mullet.  Mom of the freaking year.  This is something I am going to have to work on, because I can't have my poor girl walk around life with some ratty mullet . Isn't it nice.  A 19-month...

Wow!  We are well into December now aren't we? After cleaning house all morning and folding laundry, I now have just a few moments to enjoy some downtime. There is no feeling like having a completely clean house and all laundry clean and put away. The puppy is snoozing and my child is playing independently   Because she does that now.   This is a pretty awesome age.  Sure she throws epic size fits, and usually in public.  She is all toddler.  But with that some some independence that I have learned to embrace.  But what never stops amazing me is her mind.  Sure, I expected and understood that I would someday have a person as a daughter and not just a baby.  But emotionally, it was just something I never could comprehend until it happens. You know, when I tell people I have a high energy child.  I don't think people take me seriously.  They chalk it up to a first time mom who may or may not be overwhelmed. ...