Family Living: Abbott Style

Well I am in the last week of my second trimester.  Almost to the home stretch. So kinda funny.....I wanted a photo I could compare pregnancies at 27ish weeks so I found a photo of myself pregnant with Haley:  And I have to be real honest, I am not a fan of orange and I think the only two articles of orange clothing I have ever owned are picture below--this was totally not planned, but after comparing the photos I realized both photos I am wearing orange while standing in the kitchen.  I just want to assure you that I did not put that much thought into it.  It was a last minute, "Oh hey, I actually have my hair down and I am not wearing spandex, let's take a pregnant picture." Side note, the above jeans were not maternity jeans.  At this point, with baby no 2, I couldn't even think of wearing my regular jeans.  My $12.99 dress.  Love a good deal. So there you have it.   Things have been going well.  I have gotten the gr...

I don't really want to talk about the big girl bed. I somewhat want to run out of the room in tears every night.  But then there is that pride.  Pride that I kept a human alive long enough to see a big girl bed.  And the joy of watching her grow up.  But it is bittersweet for sure.  And it's only just begun.... You see that bed there.  That way MY bed through high school and college.  My extra long twin bed.  We put down some plywood and omitted the box springs for a toddler friendly height.  Knock on wood, she has never fell out of bed, but if she does, I'll install a safety rail.  I have some Pinterest inspired wall decor that I would like to do to "Haley" it up a bit.  It now has stuffed animals EVERYWHERE and books and other misc items that make the room look like a toddler lives there.  But for the past two weeks now, she has slept through the night in her bed without issue.  Every now and then, before bed,...

You know how, when you have been with someone long enough, you start to loose your own identity.  Some say you even start to talk, dress, and think a like. It's starting to happen. This afternoon the doorbell rings and I run to the door.   Hoping .   Anticipating .   AND ALSO PRAYING THAT THE DOORBELL DOESN'T SET OFF THE DOG AND WAKE UP MY NAPPING TODDLER. Whew, not a peep from the little one. When I see the small box sitting on the front porch, I immediately realize it was not my package, but my husband's.  Something for his motorcycle.  A new seat or something like that.  I resentfully pick up his package and set in on the island.  Feeling a bit pouty that it was not the package I was expecting. Let me rewind.  Last week we traded in my car.  If you have been a regular fixture in our lives over the past few years- your totally not surprised.  I can't really speak to that, besides saying, in my defense I had owned the car...

Except when there is. I want to move here.  Here being Colorado.  I went as far as to look up police and trooper jobs in Colorado.  Even picked us out a nice modest home we could see ourselves in.  But for Ian, there truly is no place like home. So for now, I will have to live with a week long  visit now and then.  We will see.  I will try to sell my "Let's move to Colorado" pitch when we return to 100 degree nastiness.  I think I might have a better chance then.  

Boundaries. They are a part of life. Hopefully I am not speaking too soon--but I think I have vastly improved my life by purchasing a play yard.  I know, I know, Haley is TWO not 6 months.  But somewhere along the line, Haley did not develop a  particular skill.  That is, to sit down and play with toys--independently.  She is SO active, which I totally love and embrace, but I think she is sometimes too much for herself.  And after a day of the play yard, it is now apparent to me that she craves the boundaries. I suppose I just figured, with an open floor plan, and some baby proofing--what is the harm in allowing her to roam the house?  Well the issue is, there are too many options.  Too much freedom.  And way too much destruction in my life. I tried a play room.  Thinking, having all the toys in one place, she would be more likely to just go play on her own.  WRONG.  She doesn't want to go in there unless someone is sit...

Can I please just say how much I LOVE Haley at the age of 2? I have never enjoyed being a mom so much.  This is a great age!  Sure we have our moments.  We have our meltdowns.  They are usually very public.  And most everyone else is watching your parenting under a microscope and harshly judging your every move (which I am so over and could care less, I'm an amazing mother.)  But all that aside, this is amazing.  This is what it is all about. In a way, your child's experiences become your experiences.  Their joys, your joys.  Like, taking your 2-year-old to the zoo for the first time: It is not like I really enjoy seeing lions, tigers, and bears---but I enjoy seeing her see lions, tigers, and bears.   Everyday, I see Haley learn and get excited about new things--which makes me excited about things in life that I either grew too old to get excited about or started to take for granted. It is simply amazing. But gosh, isn't is so flee...

And today, I slowly started breathing again.  Also regaining a certain part of my sanity. Relief. But first things first, you are here because you want the goods.   Back story  I didn't want to know the sex. Ian did.  But after our 13 week appointment, when I was diagnosed with placenta previa, things changed.  I needed some good news.  I needed a focal point other than the negative things I had been experiencing in the previous months.  For weeks I imagined the worse.  Preterm labor.  Loosing the baby.  Bed rest.  At first, I most feared a c-section, I eventually fully embraced that idea as long as the baby and myself made it safely to full term. Basically, the diagnoses felt like I was told I had a rug under my feet, and without notice it could be ripped out from under my feet and how bad the fall could be "all just depends".  For a control freak like myself, all these variables were not good.  I needed t...