Mommynanny Needs a Vacation

I've tried not to turn my blog into a full-on whine session, but I have to be honest today. I'm tired. Not just, "Oh, I could use a nap" tired, but bone weary, exhausted, my baby hasn't stopped whining or taken a full nap in a week tired. The kind of tired that a caramel chai latte can't fix, and it just keeps getting worse.

However, I must be doing at least okay, because I still managed to get dressed today, whether I was tempted to drive Cody to practice in my sweats or not. That at least has to count for something, right?

And on the bright side, I managed to get him to practice today without scoring myself a ticket.

Half a year

And by the way, Happy Half Birthday to my little man, who is 6 months old today and eating rice cereal like a champ!

FRAZZLED

Tell me, friends. Do I look frazzled?

Because, by the time I took this picture, I'd already had quite a day, and it wasn't even 2:30.
Good thing I ran this morning. That's all I have to say. I felt confident and energized as I rolled back to my street, but was stopped by the ROAD CLOSED sign at the end. A gruff City of Lufkin worker motioned to me to roll down my window, and I found out from him that when they said they were re-surfacing the road, they meant that they were starting at 7:00 a.m. and no one could use the street. I told him we'd be out by 7:45 for Nate to go to work and we'd plan on going to my sister's for the day, and he sent me on my merry way.

Everyone was still sleeping when I walked in my house at 6:50, so I headed out back to water the garden. Well, they weren't sleeping for long, because another city worker decided to ring our doorbell until his finger was tired, and then proceeded to bang the door down, wake Milo up, and get Nate out of bed. After he was finished with that, he hollered over the fence to me, telling me that I would have to drive our car to the end of the street and then we would have to walk to it when we were ready. Excuse me? Nate was going to walk in his work clothes a block and a half? I was going to haul my baby and all his stuff? And did I mention I'm mommynanny again this week, this time to my nephew Cody who had baseball practice at 9 a.m.?

I'll be honest. I was in a tizzy for about 3.5 seconds, and then I calmly got into the shower instead of moving my car. Luckily, I'd already had an outfit in mind for today, so getting dressed was a snap. I packed the car with everything we'd need for the day, including every single one of Milo's toys, his boppy, his bumbo, Cody's giant bat and equipment bag, the stroller, a cooler of water for practice, and a bag full of groceries for Jen's house. We made it out in time, got Nate to work, and headed to Jen and Mike's for breakfast. No problem.

And then the car ride to baseball practice in Diboll (15 minutes away) happened. We were running a few minutes late, and I tend to have a tiny bit of a lead foot, but I felt I was quite reasonable this morning. Officer Young thought otherwise when he clocked me going 68 in a 55 (ooops!). I handed him my license as I apologized profusely, and then dug in the glove compartment for our insurance cards. After shuffling through a stack of papers, all I could come up with was the card that had expired in February.

"I don't know what to do, Officer. How can I prove that our insurance is up to date?"
He responded, "It's fine, ma'am. I'll take this and verify it from my car. But did you know that your registration is expired?"
At this point I threw my hands up in the air and cried, "Are you kidding me? I'm so sorry..."

Thank you, officer, because I got away with a verbal warning on the speed and a citation for the registration that will drop off as long as I register the vehicle in the next 10 days. Cody was only 5 minutes late for practice, and at this point, Milo had begun his nap in the car. I drove at a very reasonable speed to Jen's to get him into his pack and play to finish the nap, but of course, as soon as I got him out, he woke up. I tried to entertain him for a while, but let's face it, the baby needed his nap. He was fussy and whiny, but still sweet, and we hung out until close to 11. Then I happened to think, "Wait a minute, Cody doesn't have my number to call me when he's finished with practice! I'd better head back there!"

I drove at, again, a reasonable speed back to the field, and Milo managed to fall asleep for another couple of minutes. And then we waited. We waited 20 minutes and Milo woke up screaming. I got him out of the car and into his stroller, and we walked around in the 100 degree heat for 20 more minutes, and finally practice was over. Cody and I got Milo into the car, and he'd just plain had enough. He screamed all the way back to Lufkin, all the way to Nate's work to pick him up, all the way to Jen and Mike's, and I thought for a second about screaming right along with him. When we finally got him there, he was crying so hard I didn't think I'd be able to get him to eat, but he finally calmed down. Nate took a drive over to our road, scouted it out, and decided that he was taking us home no matter what happened or who tried to stop him. He's my knight in shining armor, by the way.

Finally, after a loooooooong morning and a headache the size of my Texas hair, I am home. Milo is napping; Cody is watching tv. I'm headed straight for my bed for as long as Milo will sleep, and when I wake up, I will feel rational and under control. Right?

Sweater, because Texas is cold inside in the summer...

Feeling extra sassy

The flash hides my messy hair, tired eyes, and unmakeup'ed face

Little Shop(s) of Horrors

What on earth is up with the Lufkin florists?
As many of you might know, my baby sister Ann is getting married at the end of July. Everything has been going smoothly as far as planning... Well, everything except the flowers.

Poor Ann has been getting the run-around from not one, not two, but three different florists here in Lufkin, all of whom seem to think very highly of themselves. One of them gave her an informal quote when she met with her, and then came back with a bid that was twice that. When asked for a breakdown of the estimate, the woman got an attitude with Nate, which was evidence to me that she was being shady. Ann called to tell her that she was going to go with another florist, and the woman simply said, "Fine, thank you."

Another agreed to work with Ann, gave her a bid, and the day Ann was supposed to put money on it, called her and said that she has another wedding that same weekend, and it's considerably larger, so she won't be able to do Ann's. Oh really? So apparently if you're not spending a certain amount of money, you aren't privy to common courtesy.

And then there's the florist who was going to call her back last Friday afternoon and still has yet to.

Really, Lufkin florists? Are you really all that? Do you really feel that customer service is a thing of the past and that people having small weddings don't deserve the same quality of service as those having larger? I'm not one to blast a place by name, but if pressed, I could give you the names of all three of these horrid shops. And let me tell you, they're the ones most used around here.

So here's my plea. Do you know a good florist with a shred of decency and an eye for design? Because otherwise, Crown Colony is not that far away, and Jen and I will be forced to hit the road with our running shoes and some scissors and make some very lovely arrangements...

Show and Tell

Could I just show and tell for a sec? Because, in case you forgot, I have the most beautiful babyson alive...

Given the choice between a cookie cake and Ann's college tax book, Milo chose the book.

Could he be any cuter?

I think he was talking to his daddy

Helping me fold the laundry

What's the opposite of a hot mess?

Ahhh, good old hot, humid Texas. I think it's literally 100 degrees today, and my hair has the consistency of a thick, scratchy wool sweater. Not a good combination. I'm loving this Anthropologie dress, though, even though it's a little shorter than what I'd normally wear. The lightweight material is perfect for around here. I rocked this look to the grocery store (ahhh, the exciting life of a housewife), because last time I went to the store looking like a crazy woman, I ran into the most pulled-together person I know. Of course, the day I look like I have it together, I saw absolutely no one I knew. I guess the lesson is this - if I want to see someone and have some adult conversation, I must look a hot mess. Hmmmm...

There's Jen's shadow - she took my pictures. Thanks, Jen!

The magic of pull-on pants

You know what I really miss about being pregnant?
Pull-on pants. There was something so satisfying about waiting until the last second to go to the bathroom and then being able to just pull those pants down. I'm still in that bad habit, and from time to time I feel personally offended when I actually have to undo a zipper.
These shorts are a leftover from being pregnant. I mentioned the other day that they were Heidi Klum... I didn't mention that they were from the Heidi Klum maternity collection. Love that girl. They're just great-fitting denim bermudas, but with a stretchy waistband that came under my then-pregnant tummy. I can't let them go, no matter how many preggo friends I have (sorry, guys!).
I also threw in an extra pair of shoes, since some of my 30 items were two belts, a hat, and a necklace, which I now realize are accessories and don't count for the 30. The lessons I learn along the way. I'm not going to go crazy adding things to make up for it, but the shoes were a must.
Anyway, here's the outfit for today. I didn't get dressed until at least 4 today, and had I not needed to go get my bridesmaid shoes for Ann's wedding, I may have stayed in pjs all day long. And that's okay. This outfit was the next best thing.

I bought these shoes, even though I knew my friend Janet already has them. Janet, if you're reading this, I'm so sorry! I stumbled upon them in Apricot Lane and they literally called to me.

Nate made me pull the shirt closer around the waist to get a good shot. Now I wish it actually fit this way!

What's with the cheerleader leg pop?

Hat - Target; Necklace - gift from Nate; Shirt - Target; Shorts - Heidi Klum; Shoes - Apricot Lane

Two parties

Nothing at all special or extremely flattering today, but here's an honest Saturday outfit. I had two parties to attend - my niece Kaylee's 1st birthday party (an awesome display of chocolate cake smearing action) and a fabric flower making party to get ready for Ann's wedding. So here's something based on function and comfort.

Shirt - Gap; Shorts - Target; Shoes - Apricot Lane; Necklace - birthday gift from Sarah

The runner up

Well, it happened. One of my favorite shirts, one of the chosen pieces for the 30 for 30, is no more. I was wearing it for about 5 minutes the other day when Milo moved wrong, and the entire front tore. I'm not quite ready to let it go, but I think it might be beyond repair. So, ladies and gentlemen, we're calling up a shirt from the bench - a little number I like to call purple stripes.

Just a casual little errand outfit

Birthday necklace from the Dants!!!

Dancing in the yard

Look at Bruiser peeking out, trying to look sweet.

Shirt - Gap outlet; Shorts - Target; Shoes - Target; Necklace - Apricot Lane

Sleepy Bubble Baby

Poor Milo was so tired the other night, but so in need of a bath. Nate popped him into the tub, and he couldn't stop rubbing his eyes, despite the amount of bubbles he ended up with on his face.

Over the hump

I spotted this peach striped cardigan in the major clearance section at Target, and for some reason, I was drawn to it. It's a complete departure from anything I'd normally wear, especially considering the color, but I find myself wanting to put this on nearly every day.

SUPER wide-legged jeans

That's enough, wildfires...

It's a rainy day, which means several things. Number one, I'm not fixing my hair for any reason. Number two, as Nathan has often claimed, God loves Texas. It's like He said, "Okay, that's enough, wildfires." In fact, Nathan mentioned that it was because this is God's country...

But enough joking. Here's the outfit of the day. I'm wearing wedges in the pictures, but I guarantee you, if it doesn't stop raining, I'll be wearing my galoshes, skirt or not. I already wore them to explore my little garden in the midst of our yard that's standing under at least an inch of water. The good news is that the garden seems to have perked up.

Necklace - Anthropologie; Tunic - Target; Belt - hand-me-up from Ann; Skirt - Gap; Shoes - Payless

Baby feet

There's something about baby feet... Perhaps it's that they're so tiny. Or maybe the fact that they're perfectly formed, with no wear and tear from walking. Or could it be that they're always moving?

I was about to head out the door for my run this morning when I heard rustling from Milo's room, followed by a dull thwack. I sighed, assuming that he was awake and that I was going to have to cancel plans. I tiptoed in and realized that he was actually fast asleep, but his little feet weren't. He had them kicking and scooching, then raised them straight into the air and let them fall back to the mattress (thus the thwack). All while he was fast asleep.

With that said, here are a few shots of those precious, busy little feet (when they slowed down enough to snap them).

Outfit of the Day: After-lunch Spectacular

I have a great outfit on today. Unfortunately, I do not have a great picture to showcase it, because I did not have a great outfit on when Nate came home for lunch. I, in fact, was still in penguin boxers and yesterday's tank top... But I got my act together in time for the afternoon and simply couldn't be bothered with too much messing with the self-timer on my camera. So here's what you get today.

Artsy no-face shot

Dress - Acquired at clothes swap; Sash belt - Express; Shoes - Anthropologie; Super-dangly earrings - Target

Wildfires a'burning

It is entirely too hot in Texas to a.) have hair and b.) be outside. Nonetheless, I am doing both in my outfit today. East Texas is having the second largest wildfire in its history, and we've literally been able to see the smoke painting the sky interesting shades of taupe and salmon. As far as I know, we're not in harm's way, but stepping onto my crunchy grass is quite an experience in and of itself. I've been watering my little garden every morning, though, and it seems to be holding out!

Squinting? Scowling? All of the above?

Not posing, just trying to keep my hair away from my face.

Here I am, pretending I like my dogs... Haha. You know I do (most of the time).

It's much easier to pose for a picture with your eyes covered. Nate kept telling me to stop squinting, which was physically impossible.

Close-up detail of my fabulous flowers. Yes, I made them myself.

Bright blue ruffle shirt - Old Navy; Navy cardigan - Target (with homemade tweaking); Shorts - Heidi Klum; Shoes - Target

Family Photo

Loved this picture, taken by the gorgeous and talented Delaney Harbuck.

• • IMG_5
  • 
    

The Ultimate Party Recap

I don't know how to put into words my amazing 30th birthday party, but I'm going to do my very best. Imagine the classiest, coolest event you've ever been to, and then go above and beyond. Nate brought to the party everything that I love - earthy, natural, vintage, crafty, green, and the feeling of not being in Lufkin... If I were a party, this is what I would have been. Plus he had awesome black and white photos of me everywhere (can't go wrong there, right?), including tons of me growing up (and a big 8x10 of me and my dad).

I should have known how perfect everything was going to be when I saw the invitation, which looked like a newspaper with my birth as the headline. And seriously, who doesn't want a great shot of this chubby baby heinie hanging on the fridge? Good thing it also made a tasteful framed decoration.

Nate is a whiz with decorations, and he didn't disappoint on this one. The color scheme was green, yellow, and wood, and he used old doors as the tables. One night I heard him rap-tap-tapping away in the garage (which I was banned from entering), and come to find out, he was creating these amazing "30" table decorations. Need one? We have 6 now!

Tons of my friends and family were at the party, which was perfect. I feel sorry for anyone who missed, because it was amazing. Nate had probably the best idea ever when it came to food - a salad bar that put Jason's Deli to shame, and an ice cream bar with every topping I could have desired. They were both so brightly colored that they were decorations in and of themselves, and they combined my favorite foods with my love of preparing my own food. Plus my brother made the most amazing punch based on my favorite lemonade at Olive Garden. These people know me too well!

Some of my family tattled on me and told funny stories, and my brother-in-law wrote and performed a song about me. I have to say, I make pretty good inspiration, and Chad is beyond talented, so everyone got quite the treat. I'm sure it will be a radio hit any day now, so make sure to look out for "Kater Potater," coming to a station near you.

Nate also knew that I'd want all my nieces and nephews and childfriends at the party, so he set up a little movie theater area for them, and Jen handled the set-up of a kids' craft table. I loved having all the babes there, and I also loved that their parents could just relax and let them play without worrying. Seriously, there's nothing Nate missed.

And as if everyone hadn't done enough, I got a myriad of amazing gifts. Let me just say, I am one spoiled girl. THANK YOU to my wonderful husband who always thinks of everything and makes me feel like the most important person on the planet. And thank you Jen, Ann, Tree, Mom (Kath), Mom (Pegs), Becky, Gary Foy, Chad, Michael, Mikey, Sar, and anyone else who helped put together the best party Lufkin has ever seen. I love and treasure you all.

Here I am, looking thoughtful and sentimental, which is how I feel about this gorgeous event.

Oh, and Mom, I forgot to get you a gift for birthing me, even though I blogged about it not too long ago. So let me just tell you this. You and I spent some time butting heads over the years, probably because we can be so much alike. But having Milo has given me such a new perspective on the wonderful and supportive mom you've always been to me, and I can't believe that I haven't spent every day of my life telling you that. I love you so very much, Mom, and I know that who I am today is because of who you were to me.

Outfit of the Day: Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to every dad who reads my blog... and I know there's a ton of you...
I've spent Father's Days in mourning since my dad passed away, but now that we have a Milo, celebrating Nate makes the day pretty exciting. However, Nate made me promise that we could just have a day at home today. He didn't want big plans or anything elaborate, just peace and quiet after at least a week of full-blown birthday party planning mode (more on that later). So he slept in a bit today, and we've just been chilling. I gave in and bought him some Sperry's, which he's wanted forever and I've told him I hate. But check this out - matching baby/daddy Sperry's are pretty adorable!

On to the outfit of the day. This super-soft Anthropologie shirt is beyond comfy. I mean, I practically wanted to cuddle with myself! And I had to go with the flattest of flat sandals for my running shoe shopping at Academy. Somehow wearing a peep-toe wedge didn't seem quite right for the occasion...

After watching loads of America's Next Top Model, Nate now reminds me to "elongate my neck" when I take pictures. Here's my best attempt.

Shirt - Anthropologie; Shorts - Old Navy; Sandals - Old Navy; Fedora - Target

Birthday Party Outfit

Okay, here's a quick recap of yesterday evening. I had an amazing birthday party, and my wonderful hubs has been working on this party for weeks. Here's what I wore (Nate took the camera for most of the day, so we didn't get a picture of my outfit until last night). There will be a description (with pictures) of the party to follow, as well as my Father's Day Outfit later today.

Who doesn't love a list?

So today I turned 30. And instead of looking at any of the negative aspects I have anticipated, I decided to focus on what's good about me, and why being 30 is so much better than being 20. I've compiled a list of 30 things I like about myself, some silly, some serious. So if you don't want to know all about me and how fabulous I am (haha), stop reading this very second.

What I like about me:
1. I have lines around my eyes. This means I smile a lot.
2. I have the loudest laugh most people have heard, which used to embarrass me, but then I found a man who thinks it's one of my best qualities.
3. Sometimes I don't pee because I don't want to wash my hands. But the point is, I never pee without washing my hands.
4. I am extremely unselfish at least 95% of the time.
5. My legs are ridiculously strong.
6. As an addendum, my heinie is quite strong as well. These are both excellent qualities to have when you're a runner who likes to tackle hills. Neither my bootie nor my legs have ever let me down.
7. I'm a runner!
8. I had a baby, and I'm still a runner!
9. I have two college degrees and several assorted certifications. Although this does not make me a better stay-at-home mom, I am still proud of myself.
10. I type at machine-gun speed.
11. Fabric-flower making is one of my secret specialties.
12. My style is always changing. This says two things about me - that 13. I'm flexible, and 14. I'm current.
15. I never go a day without shaving my armpits. This really hits home for me as I recently attended a baby shower with someone who does not shave hers. And good for her for having that confidence.
16. I'm extremely good at laughing at myself. Good thing because...
17. I'm usually pretty darn funny.
18. I never ever gave up on Nathan, and I'm now I'm being rewarded with the most amazing, wonderful, thoughtful, loving husband on the planet.
19. Most days I'm a pretty fabulous wife and chef (cooking is my newly acquired art form).
20. I made a Milo.
21. I'm working on being an excellent mommy, which is a never-ending process. But I feel good about the direction I'm heading.
22. I like my eyes. Sometimes they're brown, and sometimes they're olive, and they're always very expressive. Plus I'm decent with eye makeup,which I also appreciate about myself.
23. My discernment is getting stronger and stronger the older I get. Like, I can spot a liar a mile away.  And even if I don't always call someone out, I still know...
24. I love to learn.
25. I will always give someone the benefit of the doubt.
26. I'm finally learning to speak my mind and not let people run over me.
27. When I was little in the church nursery, I used to cry when the other babies cried. As I got older, life forced me to lose that sensitivity. I've regained it in the last year or so, and I really like that.
28. I really miss my dad. I know it's an odd thing to like about yourself, but it makes me treasure every moment that I have with Milo (and really with anyone special in my life).
29. I'm becoming wiser all the time. I've always been pretty smart, but wisdom and common sense haven't come as easily through the years.
30. I am divalicious, and that's what you really need to know (snap snap).

Hope you enjoyed this bit of self-indulgence. This is what happens when Nate and Ann are busy making me a birthday party (tomorrow night - I have no clue anything about it and I'm so delighted), and Milo's taking a nap. I get rather thoughtful. But since I ran almost 8 miles this morning and have been up since 4 a.m., perhaps a birthday nap is in order? Happy day of my birth to you.

Happy Birthday to ME!

A very wise woman (my fabulous Grandma Marilyn) told me that I'm not getting older, I'm getting better. I'm choosing to believe her on that, and I will tell you this - 30 doesn't feel much different than 29 did. My 30's are bound to be so much better than my 20's, because, after all, I've learned quite a bit, and I'm well on my way to being a pretty amazing person.

So today I'm celebrating my birthday in something comfy and understated, but something that makes me feel gorgeous and elegant and earthy all at the same time. Pair that with lunch at the tea room and a great pedicure, and I'm having a fantastic birthday.

Yes, my head is cut off in this shot. But other than that, it's such a cute picture!

I love love LOVE the back of this dress.