Growing Pains?

Yes, having a child is painful,

...and mah belleh did grow!

...and I still get the odd twinge were I had the cesarian, but

...that was a long time ago, seems like ages ago and time does heal.

...for now, I'm not talking about giving birth

......or the bonks, headbutts, and fat lips.... the hair pulling, the pokes in the eye, the small finger up my nose (quite the nose bleed too!), the not-so-gentle caresses, the tickles that don't tickle yet, or the headaches from lack of sleep .... then there's the sore feet from all the outside walks (in slippers, because a fast bounce on the trampoline in the backyard never ends there, it ends up being a walk around the neighborhood.... not to mention the painful view I'm sure I am for neighbors.

...or the sore hips from sleeping on the floor beside her bed, not to mention sore neck. And before the floor, it's the rocking, which starts out in a comfortable position, but it never ends that way, and with her drifting off to sleep, I dare not move, holding my legs up like they are still crossed... but really... they aren't.

Anyway, I could go on about it forever, but that's not the point of today's post... growing pains is. Or rather, you tell me.

Alexiss has been having fun pointing and tickling "belbows" (elbows), today she decided that her belbows and arms needed a little Calamine lotion slathered on them. Me being the Momma that I am, happily obliged. What started out as her belbow, turned into her arm, wrists and palms. Once slathered, she was much happier indeed! I started wondering if she's been having growing pains and remembered how the Calamine lotion helped her insect bites.

Then there's the pain of a short walk turning into a looooonnnggg walk. Tonight, true to form, a quick backyard bounce turned into a walk around the neighborhood, I was smart enough put on pants (instead of pajama bottoms) and shoes this time!  We walked out for about 5 mins, then to get home... I swear it took me all kinds of tricks; Oh, Alexiss, look at THIS rock (10 steps ahead). Oh, Alexiss, can you walk like THIS? (backwards). Oh, Alexiss, aren't you getting hungry yet? (rumble rumble goes my tummy). Oh, Alexiss... well, they weren't all "Oh Alexiss" some were "kiddo", some were "Bubba", some were "AliAliAli" and the one that seems to get her attention lately is "Oh Little Miss!".

Today's mid-day bounce was with Dad, and thanks to an idea I saw on Pinterest.com, Alexiss had a fun wonderful time using chalk on the trampoline, still remembering the plane from earlier and happy to share the story, Alexiss rambled away and had lots of fun. If you listen close (cup your ear), you may hear Alexiss's rendition of what a pig says. I'm afraid she's going to loose it because neither Mark nor I can do it.

  

Today's earlier "bounce" resulted in us standing in the backyard, just listening. No pain at all, it was really kinda sweet and made my heart smile. We watched a plane fly overhead with our hands cupped at our ears. We watched it soar until it disappeared. Then the train "tooted" and we listened. Are you waiting for me to say there was a head butt involved? lol. Not today, but maybe tomorrow, who knows what tomorrow brings. Tonight brings a bath to get off all the pink on her arms.... 

Alexiss gets a pillow! My pillow!

So tonight, I asked Alexiss if she wanted a pillow in her bed.... She looked at me for a few seconds, grabbed mine and ran to her room, threw my pillow in her bed and looked at me with a huge smile!

.... now to keep checking on her to make sure she's okay. Ack, it's tough to let her grow up and not be overly worried!

Today Mark and Alexiss went outside as I was trying to rouse from sleeping in late.. and trying to tidy up too... I looked out the window to see Mark jumping on the trampoline and Alexiss sitting at her small picnic table, sippy cup in hand, watching Mark. I found out later, through Mark, that she'd directed Mark to get on the trampoline as she was getting off, such a good dad, he obliged. 

Mark's a pro at matching dance moves on the Backyardigans show. He had me in stitches tonight!

Last long weekend, Summer 2012

As a family, we saw the last of summer out with a bang.... and boy and I tired! I bought Alexiss some early birthday presents to help keep her busy, a small tote for water play and pouring practice indoors, some play doh AND some washable finger paints. Whew... then all the walks and trip to the park on top of it all!

We've been sleeping through most nights again but trying to figure out just what the reason.. is a hard thing to nail down. It could be the full piece sleepers again, it could be that the nights have cooled, it could be drinking more water during the day (which means less at night), it could be less outside time now that I'm home more, it could've been teething, it could've been growing pains. Who knows, but whatever it is.. I'll take it. Smart as a whip that little girl! She can pick out what she wants to watch on netflix, play DJ on the iPad and is starting to communicate well as far as telling us where to sit beside her as she plays, and telling me what she doesn't want for breakfast/lunch/dinner/snacks.

My modified work schedule.. didn't work. So I'm finally taking life by the horns and resigning to start the business from home that I've had in my head for 4 or 5 years. A woman in the neighborhood refinished her barn into a meeting/arts and crafts building and has been looking for a knitter for a few years, so... here I go! A local yarn store it is! I've got the room visualized, the furniture picked out and know some of what I want to stock, and the flyer is made for the drop in knitting nights at the refinished barn (no where near enough room at home). On Friday Alexiss and I went into town to talk to the woman that's done our taxes for years, about what I need to do to get registered and a license. When I tried to give my notice at work, my bosses wanted to discuss if they could offer me a leave of absence instead, I'll find out more on Tuesday, but either way... come the end of Sept I'll be a stay at home, work from home Mom. It's been a tough year and I've held tightly to the old me while trying to incorporate the new me and the new life, it's okay, but I know I don't have the brainpower to play and have fun, let alone grow as a person. So I finally realized it was time to let the old go and grasp the new for all that it's worth. The store doesn't need to be super successful, just enough to bring in some extra money and give me a grown up outlet. I sure hope I can manage being a full time mom again, it's the toughest job out there and I do tend to sometimes get impatient with the constant demands. Hey, who knows, maybe I'll even get to mop the floor more often!

 Oh my goodness! Pinterest! Need I say more? Okay, for some of you.. probably. It's a website with a simple concept, people create albums and "pin" everything and anything from pictures to how they'd like to refinish a room, to do it yourself home tips, gardens, hair and nails.... quotes.. you name it, you can pin it. I've found so many great ideas for the house and for play ideas for Alexiss, and home made recipes for bubbles, toothpaste and playdoh with koolaid coloring. I've been spending way too much time looking and pinning, but honest... it's all good stuff!!!!

Okay, time to sweep and mop as Alexiss naps. This is the second thing on my to do list so I better get going. Here's our fun filled action packed day yesterday. Alexiss helped me clean out my yarn stash, I made a "de-stash" basket so people can trade old yarns they don't use or need, kinda the same as "take a penny, need a penny" trays. Then we went to play at the park, then home to finger paints!