Eliotisms

in the bathroom: Mom, can I have privacy?

dancing to music: Ladies and gentlemen, presenting rock roll Eliot!

at the dinner table: Oh, this is scrumptious.

in the dressing room: Mommy, that dress is not pretty. Why is it all scrunchy?

in the car: are we going this way? Yes or no?

at the computer: I'm texting a email.

Okay. Now it's too fast.

I really wanted to be done being pregnant. Now I'm not sure I can handle what comes after... or what I have to do as it gets close.

Don't get me wrong. I am absolutely miserable. It's 105 outside (at 9 am) and I cannot do more than one errand before being so pooped that we HAVE to head home. Sad thing is that I still have errands to run. I don't know how I'm going to do it.

I feel like I've been hit in the crotch with a baseball bat and someone is constantly playing the "I'm not touching you" game with their knees in my stomach.

Poor Eliot has had to watch TV for entertainment. She has now seen EVERY episode of Dora, Wonder Pets, and an occasional Olivia or Blue's Clues. I'm sure she's in heaven. I don't even care about being a good mom at this point.

I've lost my appetite. I still feel the need to make dinner but I don't eat it.

I'm feeling extremely anxious about how I'm going to schedule having cutely painted toes for my delivery. I know this is dumb, but how do you get a pedicure early enough but then have it last so it still looks cute when you have the baby?

I have the same issue with book reading. If I put a book on hold at the library, I can only have it for three weeks. How do I schedule those three weeks so they fall during my time while I'm in the recovery room at the hospital?

On a side note, we bought Eliot's big-girl bunk bed and put it together last weekend. I wasn't planning on having her sleep in it until well after the baby was born but she's had different plans. Since it's been assembled, she's slept in it every night. She starts out in it and then wants to get in her crib, but eventually ends up in the bed. My baby isn't in her crib anymore. She's getting so big. It makes me sad.

What if I don't love the new baby like I love Eliot? What if I love the new baby more?

Cold, Dark Place

sometimes you want to go

where everybody knows your name.

sometimes you just want to hide.

don't forget your shoe.

and watch your head.

How It Is

Remember when I didn't post for like a whole month? Yeah, me neither.

I know I said I was going private (and I may still) but then I realized that my favorite brother, Scotty (sorry Chris ;), is on a mission in WV and checks my blog to see what he's missing and if I go private he won't be able to see all the chaos in my world. Still going to have to weigh the options.

I have depleted all reserves of patience while trying to clean the house from the 16 month old tornado. She's learned to climb stools and tables and desks and entertainment centers and she likes to hit. It's amazing how much I can screw up my child when I've only been at it for such a short amount of time. If we take x amount of screw up and multiply that by years living under my care and add in some traumatizing experiences that I'm sure to cause her, we end up with YEARS and YEARS in counseling. She may have to have some too.

The half marathon is next weekend. While training for it, we went running on South Mountain and I got lost. YEAH! WHO'S NUMBER ONE? Three hours later, I was home and swearing at everything natural and dirty and nature related.
While we were in Chicago, Tyler bought me this amazing little gadget. It even talks to me and tells me my song names. The most amazing part about it is the sweat I drip that slides down the headphone cord and causes the controls to malfunction rendering my volume, skip, pause, play, and this song sucks buttons useless. It sure looks pretty though. I've fixed the problem but I don't feel like going into it. If you're curious, let me know and I'll let you know what I did.
Eliot still refuses to let me do something with this she-mullet she's got going on. She screamed for the whole three minutes she had her pigtails in yesterday.
And, finally, Eliot has developed a taste for Dr. Pepper. I was wondering if she was really my child every time she hit me or got out of the shopping cart or stroller (seriously, I was never that naughty!) but then she stole my drink and was in instant heaven. I guess she is mine!

What to wear?

Is it time to get your party on? Well, you definitely need to have the right thing to wear.

A tutu is always a good bet but is best worn topless. Only really accepted in strip clubs and bath or popsicle time.

Layering is a must in climates where the weather may be iffy. If you get tired of carrying your extra layers, just wear them around your neck like and necklace (or a cape).
Foundational items are a must. Bras are considered a necessity. To check appropriate cup size, simply place on your head. Again, wear extra bras (for later?) around your neck as an almost-fashion statement.
When you have finally found the perfect dress for the occasion, make sure to not keep it clean. Dirt, leaves, rocks, and bugs will accomplish this task rather effortlessly.

Move big trucks while wearing selected outfit to test maneuverability and ease of wear.
Lastly, don't forget about your shoes. The more Dorothy-like, the better. Don't worry about color. Shiny goes with EVERYTHING!

To recap

We've returned home from Colorado. I'm not sick anymore! (Tyler was sick with it though yesterday. STAY AWAY FROM US IF YOU WANT TO REMAIN HEALTHY!)

Eliot loved all the attention from Doobie and Grandma.

She's learned that trying to squeeze into things that are too small is WAY more fun. I wonder if she'll still feel that way when she's trying to squeeze into jeans that are way too small or a bathroom stall or shoes or...

When I got home, I felt the need to remake my mark on my house. These rugs are what transpired. A nice little outdoor rug and a few cans of spray paint makes for nice artistic expression.
One is actually going outside and the other is in the kitchen.
I'm glad that I'm back, but it took a few days for it to actually feel like my home. I was walking around thinking that whoever lives here decorates nicely but it didn't feel like mine.

When I'm with my parents, it's so easy to feel all comfy and free- like I did when I lived there. Yet, at the same time, I knew I was a visitor. It's a weird place, being grown up. You are your own and yet someone else's all at the same time. The old and the new. I sure liked having my mom take care of me!

That is NOT a kitty

Eliot calls everything furry a kitty.

These were definitely NOT kitties.
She was not fooled by their size. She wanted nothing to do with them.
Do you know what it's like having 12 tongues lick you all at once?

Sure, she had no problem with the fake deer.

Oh yeah. I'm wearing jeans. And I wasn't even hot.
Here's to the mountains of Arizona!
If anyone is ever in Flagstaff, go to the Grand Canyon Deer Farm.
It's so fun to be swarmed by a bunch of pushy deer who know where their food comes from-
all the stupid tourists who spend $3 on a food cup (it's a souvenir cup) and think it's worth EVERY PENNY!

My Baby is ONE!

She started as this
And now gives looks like this
She's full of spunk
And inspires me to create this
And watch her open this
And she's not too sure about happy birthday.



Miss Ellie Lou, I LOVE YOU! Happy Birthday!

Scary!!!

I must tell you that I love to create. Sometimes, it doesn't work out so well.

I found the cutest pattern for a stuffed cat. I didn't make it so cute though. Even Eliot was afraid of the scary homeless kitty.

Crazy

My baby is almost a year old. I can't believe I've been without my sanity for that long. I'm getting really good at it.

I was watching my nephews play in the pool and I thought, longingly, about the days when I didn't have any responsibilities. I felt a twinge of annoyance as my daughter required yet more of my attention. I wished for a second that I could be back in a place where it was just about me.

Then, as my daughter laughed at my silly face, I realized that my time is up. I've had my me time. Yes, I can still have moments of time to myself, but it's my turn to have it be about my daughter... just as my mother did for me. And when it was just about me, I pined for a little someone who would be the recipient of all my time and love. I am living in this moment of my life. My me moment is passed. I'm not supposed to be able to run quickly into a store. I'm not supposed to be able to get dressed or go to the bathroom without interruptions. All of those things are overrated anyway.

Besides, this moment is already so much better than my me time ever was. Her smiles make the mess on the floor worth it. Her cute sleeping positions make my hairy legs and dirty hair acceptable.

I need to stop expecting myself to accomplish everything. I don't need to have it all together all the time. I'm starting to realize that. A mess is just a mess. If I don't get to it today, it will be there tomorrow. If I wait to clean it till tomorrow I'll be saving myself time by not having to pick up today's mess separately. A mess is a beautiful expression of chaos and randomness. I think I'll leave all the messes and refer to them as art.

French Mint

Let's have three cheers for Photoshop. Look at how blue my eyes look!

And for a daughter with SPUNK!

And for chocolates...

covered in mint...

and sinks to clean up at.

For Scotty

When life gives you lemons, make a sour face

She loves the bath!

We think she's pretty cute...

Three months, laughing, and teething

Yes, I know three months (and a few weeks) is early to be teething, but Eliot is. Aren't we so lucky? The other night she was crying/screaming and refused to take her bottle unless we fed it to her while she was sitting up, in our laps, while sitting two feet away from the TV and watching the Daily Show. How we figured this out I don't know.

She's also started laughing.

I want to make her some cute headbands. I've seen several cute ones on your little ones. Would you please pass along your info as to how to make them? Eliot needs to be cute, too.

Jealous Much?

Tyler and I were married 4 years before I got pregnant with Eliot. Everytime one of my friends would get pregnant, although I really was so happy for them, I felt jealous. I wanted a baby of my own. That kind of jealousy can be understood, right?

So why is it that I felt jealous as I was looking at my facebook page yesterday and noticed that several people had just given birth? It can't be that they have a baby and I don't- because I do now. Is it because their babies are cuter than mine? No, my baby is the cutest ever (except for all of your babies who are equally cute, I'm sure :) Is it because their babies are smaller than mine? That could be it although I didn't like the really little baby stage. I much prefer a smiley baby. So what is this jealousy?

The only baby that I can understand why I'm jealous is the one that belongs to the boy I had a crush on all through high school. Again, I'm happy for him and his wife. I'm still a little urked that he didn't fall head over heels in love with me (I mean, come on, what's wrong with him? I'm AWESOME!) but I got the perfect man for me. But I still don't really LOVE seeing this crush having babies. I think the jealousy toward the crush is understandable but why am I jealous of my good friend and her baby? Maybe I got so used to feeling jealous that I'm still working through it.

I do have to say that my jealousy is fading thanks to my wonderful daughter. Today I joined a gym and was able to work out for an hour and a half. It was fantastic! I took Eliot to the Kids Klub (aren't they so clever with that second K?) where she was watched the whole time. The babysitter lady (what do you call her?) even held her for like 45 mins. I don't even do that. The whole time I was gone, Eliot didn't cry once. Yes, I have the easiest baby!!! And, for the cherry on top, she fell asleep on the way home and has been asleep since. I'm sure it's because she knew that I needed some time to post on my blog.

Buy My Stuff!!!

I've started a business. I think it's a great business. I'd like you to think it's great, too.

I made Eliot the cutest bracelet EVER! Everyone else thought so, too. I decided that I'd share my talents with the world. So, check out the website. Go ahead and order. I'd be willing to give my dear blogging friends major discounts if they'd agree to give out my cards when people comment on the bracelets- which if your experience is anything like mine, lots of people comment.

I'm using only the best quality stuff. Sterling silver on all the clasps and silver beads. Glass and Swarovski crystals for all the colored and fun stuff. And, I'd love to do something custom for you. I like the funkier stuff (blacks and patterns) but if you'd like softer and cuter then I can do that, too.

So, check it out. Let me know what you think. Check the website often as I'm slow to upload all of the inventory I've made.

Thanks!

Blessings

Eliot has brought us so many blessings. What a wonderful day where we were able to witness her first blessing. I know that Heavenly Father knew what he was doing when he created families. How wonderful that I have the opportunity to spend eternity with my wonderful husband and the sweet spirit that I've been charged with.

Live Action Shot

Eliot is just starting to smile. I learned today that sometimes she's tickelish (not while she's being filmed, though). It's so much fun to have a little buddy.

sorry it's sideways.