Doing for me

I'm slowly starting to come to terms with my helicopter mom tendencies.  The realization that Kayla is nearly 2 years old and I have yet to spend a night away from her sort of forced me to take a look at how to fit myself in again.  When I first went back to work after my maternity leave was up, I often felt as though I had three full time jobs - wife, mom and employee - and I wasn't truly succeeding at any of them.  Now that I feel more like I have the home/work balance in check, I need to start doing some things for me. 

I finally ordered my 50mm prime lens for my camera.  A small thing, but very exciting.  I can't wait for it to get here.  Hell, I can't wait for the email that it shipped.  I decided to go with Nikon's newest - the f1.8G Nikkor.  It's a very reasonably priced AF-S lens  (I'm proud that I finally understand some of this photography jargon) and with the good reviews of the older f1.8, I couldn't justify the expense jump to the f1.4.  It's not like I'm a pro or anything... but it will be nice to have a new, faster lens to shoot with on the upcoming trips we have recently planned.  I just hope it arrives in time.  I'd hate to have to start scouring local camera shops if Amazon can't ship me mine in time for Kayla's birthday photos. 

In July we are acutally going to go away with some friends for a night.  We'll only be in Philly, a quick trip from here, but it will be nice to kick back and not worry about being home by X hour because I know I have to put Kayla to bed, or will have to get up with her the next morning.  I'm so excited to be able to relax a little more than usual, if you catch my drift.  I know Kayla is going to have a great time staying over with Pepere and Grammy Sue and Gracie. 

We hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend.  We're going to run some errands and then relax for the rest of our last day off! 

Always Remember

Tonight was the first night in a while that we didn't have anything going on .  I took the opportunity to have some real cuddle/play time with Kayla.  I never want to forget how much fun it is to sit there with a giggling pile of blankets, pillows and stuffed anmials with some little toes sticking out from underneath;  how much it makes me laugh to watch her methodically strip all of the clothes off her Baby Stella only to hear her exclaim "Baby Bella!  Where clothes go?!?" in shock and horror; the way she giggles and exclaims "again!" when I do 'this little piggy' or peek out from behind a pillow and surprise her. 

Too often still I get wrapped up in the day to day stuff, and I worry that I'm going to lose sight of what really matters.  It's so easy to rush around trying to get things done and before you know it another week is gone...  maybe it's because we're down to 7 weeks to go until her second birthday... maybe I'm just having a (typical) sentimental moment. 

Either way, it's time for a break.  Counting down until vacation and some much needed de-stressing with the monkey. 

Found my favorite.

Some of you will recognize her, and know why she’s my favorite.  ;-)

Can I just say??

That I LOVE the Google Doodles today!  I really loved the Roger Hargreaves books when I was little, and I really hope to share them with Kayla someday.  Which was your favorite?

I don’t think I can pick!

Happy Mother's Day

Hope yours was as beautiful as ours. 

Mom, Sue, Darcy... thanks for everything you do.  We love you!

Happy Easter!

Hope the hippity hop was as good to you all as he was to us!

Look how grown up she is already...

More catching up to come - we were sidelined by a stomach virus at the end of last week.  We're all feeling better now and ready to tackle everything that's coming up!

Every time I go MIA for a few weeks, I promise to do better.  And every time I end up in the same spot.  Busy.  Rushed.  Frazzled.  Blogging is such a great outlet for me – but finding time gets tough.  I’m sitting here staring at the calendar, and I can’t believe the date.  Is it really the end of April already? 

 

Right now we’re back to working on unloading our house.  We know we have to sell at a loss, but we’re willing to do it.  We need to get out.  It’s currently listed For Sale By Owner so we can try to minimize the financial loss – a realtor’s commission just pushes our bottom line price too close to the max of what we think we can get.  So if anyone knows anyone looking for a lovely little townhouse in the LTZ, send them my way.  The deck is freshly painted, the landscaping tidied and the floors… well… I plan to clean those soon. 

 

Over the last 2 weeks I applied, was interviewed and almost immediately told I was not going to be considered for, a new position at work.  I waited 9 long months for an opportunity to come along and just that quick, watched it slip away.  “Potential conflict of interests” says HR… So this has brought the potential of school back into focus.  Maybe a baby step – an associate’s degree.  Make something of the 70+ credits that I’m sitting on.  It’s difficult to think about doing it on top of the full time job, wife and mom thing… but it may be my only shot. I’m certainly not getting any younger. 

 

Life with a toddler is wonderful.  Challenging.  Infuriating.  Exhausting.  Amazing.  She’s doing and saying so much.  She can articulate her wants and needs pretty clearly.  Although not as articulate, she’s no less adamant when we get it wrong.  She never wants to come inside, and never wants to ride in a cart or her stroller any more.   And heaven help me if I don’t listen when she says “no mommy, DIS way!” and tugs firmly on my hand.  We have our first swimming lesson coming up on Saturday.  I’m looking forward to it, even though it means squeezing into a bathing suit.  In front of people.  Ugh. 

 

I guess that’s it for now.  I’ll report back if we have any news on the house or anything else exciting in the next few weeks.  In the meantime, stay tuned for Birthday Party plans (my baby is going to be TWO in just 10 weeks!) and Easter Pictures.  Hopefully early next week, as long as I finish my essays for my CBCP certification! 

It's a Party!

I noticed this on a fellow blogger's page, and I thought "oh - how cool!"  I'm always looking to connect with other bloggers and moms who share the same (and different) interests from me.  What better way than crashing a blog party?



5 minutes for mom is having their annual blog party and I'm coming through the door, martini in hand!

My name is Kelley.  I'm a working mom of an amazing 21 month old daughter, and married just over 4 years to Shaun - my bestest bud and partner in crime.  We live in a small town in South Central Pennsylvania where we enjoy cooking and spending time with our friends.  I love to write and take pictures even though I'm not particularly prolific at either.  I started my blog as a way to chronicle my pregnancy and help keep family up to date on what was happening, and kept it going as I realized what a priceless memoir it was turning into and continues to be as our daughter grows. 

I look forward to "meeting" more of you and watching my blog roll grow!

Always one more project...

Something I've been wanting to try for a while is blogging some of my favorite recipes.  Nothing fancy, just an easy way to save/share some favorites.  I finally got it started tonight, so have a look!

http://klgshgcook.blogspot.com/

MIA Again

I have to be honest, I just haven’t had much to say lately.  Kayla is growing and learning by leaps and bounds.  She’s also not sleeping very well again.  It’s a good thing she’s cute, otherwise I’d have sold her to the circus weeks ago… (I kid, I kid.)

 

It’s been a stressful time for us though.  The shitty housing market is having more of an effect on us than we ever thought possible.  For five years we’ve apparently been throwing money at a worthless pile of wood and drywall… it’s beyond frustrating.  Last weekend we went over to my Dad’s house and watching her run around in their back yard was great, but it was also heartbreaking.  I want to be able to give her that, and right now we just can’t. 

 

Work has been sending both Shaun and I batty in different ways.  I’m still spending a lot of time on the road.  I like not being stuck at a desk all the time, but the constant driving hither and yon is getting old.  This records project can’t go on forever though; today we decided on a drop dead date of 6/30.  Three more months and we have to be done.  It’s good to see light at the end of the tunnel.  I just hope it’s not a train this time. 

 

Better weather and better times are hopefully around the corner.  I’ve been trying to focus on planning Kayla’s birthday party; even though it’s just over 3 months away, the celebration will coincide with a holiday weekend, so we want to get the invites out early.  It’s also given me something to be excited about.   

 

So long story short, we’re just slogging through real life for now and hoping for the sun to come out soon.