Family Living: Abbott Style

That is what the thermometer read right before I went into panic mode.  Fight or flight...we respond to crisis in two ways.  Today, it was flight, panic, and tears. The first thing I did was started calling.  My husband was busy at work, and even after my persistent calls, he didn't answer.  Comes with the job.  I tried to remember all the stuff I've read in baby books.  All the information became a blur.  I couldn't even think straight.  And she just wouldn't stop crying. How could a fever gotten all the way up to 103 unnoticed by me.  I immediately felt guilt.  I threw on my shoes, grabbed the diaper bag, and put her in the car.  My first thought was the ER.  Dramatic I know, I just didn't know what to do or where to go.  All I knew was 103 was definitely not teething. I decided on Walgreens.  I knew they had medical assistance in house, so I figured I would go there so I could pick up...

This pretty much sums it up.....we're exhausted.

The " good ol' days " is a bit of a relative term.  It means different things to different people.  So perhaps I should clarify. I'm talking 50's.  While I was not alive in the 50's--I can only operate based on the generalizations I learned in US History courses and pop culture. It's typical to have trends change over time--keeps life interesting (and me holding my breath waiting for the skinny jeans to RIP..let's be real, these hip, these thighs..were not made for skinny jeans).  During the 50's the trend was hard working men with submissive stay-at-home wives and moms.  Quickly followed by the women's lib movement in the 1960's.  Times were a changing.  And they continue to change. From my narrow perspective, trends are like a pendulum of a clock, swinging back and forth.  The women's lib movement pulled the trend to a new age.  Family, husband, kids--were accessories or even a hassle.  Eventually, the focus beco...

I tried to swaddle Haley today.  It didn't work.. I suppose this 11-month-mark starts the official countdown to Haley being 1-year-old.  Has it been that long already? Here is what is up at 11 months... Sleeping from 8 a.m. until about 7 (waking up a little bit earlier now) Taking two naps a day (sometimes) Eating finger foods (LOVES cheese) --hates when I try to spoon feed her Cruising the furniture like crazy World's fastest crawler Has taken a HUGE interest in stuffed animals.  Loves to cuddle with her stuffed bear but NEVER her moma. Got her first "sickness" a few days ago.  But is a total champ when I bring out the snot sucker Strong willed  Communicates mostly by screaming at momma Jabbers and repeats certain words and sounds but not really in context at this point Becoming more independent and loves to explore No first steps at this point.  Right now, she seems unsure of herself and won't allow herself to stand alone. ...

We live in a world, where we rarely sit back and enjoy the hand that was dealt to us.  Or well, the hand we created for ourselves.  There wouldn't be much point in free-will if our lives were only made up by the decisions of the dealer and a stacked deck. I'm guilty of this.  I find myself thinking, wow--this is great, but wouldn't it be better if.... The last few months, the end of that sentence has been... "Ian worked days instead of afternoons. " This is selfish in it self, because for a year--I spent night after night going to bed in tears--alone, tired of his working  the midnight and extra shifts.  To be fair, I was warned.  Multiple times, by multiple people that life as a wife of an officer would not be easy.  The stress.  The loneliness.  The way the job can change a man.  I thought I was prepared to deal with it all at the ripe ol' age of 20.  Truth be told, I wasn't. So the fact that I would even da...

Two things I lack in life.  Motivation and self-control when it comes to fitness. I tried working out at home to my little Jillian Michaels DVD, but it was hardly anything to get me excited about.  So about a month ago, we joined the gym for the 14th bajillionth time.  We quit the gym when we moved to glorious Johnson County because the branch close to us sucks.  It was probably just my attitude at the time.  At my old gym I had buddies to be accountable to.  They expected me to show up to go on runs and work out, so I was more motivated to go.  The classes were amazing and kicked my butt.   But I couldn't justify the gas to drive all the way to my old gym when the closest branch now is a 2 miles jog away.   Well, here we are, still stuck in JoCo--but I had to suck it up and start back at the gym.  New people.  No friends.  And all geriatric versions of my old classes.   As I am finding a few clas...

The times I had time for blogging, now seems like such a distant memory.  Once I took my break from blogging, I inevitably filled my time with other things.  So starting back has been a bit of a struggle. My motives for blogging are simple.  It is a hobby I enjoy.  Since talking aloud to yourself is apparently crazy, and people will only listen to you talk for so long, I need an outlet, so I can continue to talk.  Slow down this ol' brain of mine that apparently works a million-miles-per-hour faster then the average hyper active woman. So here I am, I am back. And I have added a new hobby.  Or should I saw we. Photography. Here are some picture Ian and I have taken lately.  Ian seems to have a natural talent for it that I do not have, but I still enjoy it. We are just beginning, and I have so much to learn yet; regardless, I have enjoyed the times it has brought us together as a family d...

The past few days, I have had fleeting thoughts about my return to blogging. Where do I even begin.....