After a Whole Year Away

The fact that my last post was written on March 5th of LAST YEAR makes me feel incredibly lazy as far as my blog is concerned. For all 2 of you that read it....I'm very very sorry. The good news is that I'm back with new ideas to write about. Where do I even begin?

 Tomorrow I will make it to the 15 week pregnancy mark. 15 down...and 25 more to go!!! This is will be my 2nd and final (planned) pregnancy. Technically Jaxson wasn't planned AT ALL so this is my only planned pregnancy. My point is I don't plan to have any more after this so why am I so anxious to rush through these 40 weeks? I mean I didn't love the first 12 weeks of this journey but I've been feeling excellent for the past 3 weeks. I think I'm just really impatient as far as getting to the point where I can find out the gender. There's a lot riding on the gender of this child and not just knowing if it's a boy or girl. After 3 years of living in our house, Landon has FINALLY agreed with me that we need to replace the carpet. However, we can't replace the carpet until we repaint any rooms that we want to repaint. And thats where this whole gender thing comes in! I know I want to repaint the room but I need to know what #2's bedding will look like. So in a nutshell, I want to find out the gender so I can get new carpet. Crazy woman...I know you don't have to tell me!! I really only have to wait 13 more days to find out the big news but it might as well be 42 days with how the days are dragging.

Super Bowl is this weekend. I'm really sorry that I was using spell check when I wrote this because initially I spelled it "Super Bowel" and I know you would have fell out of your chair laughing at my typo. Funny thing is that isn't the first time that's happened. I remember my Senior year in high school and all of my college years I was pumped about Super Bowl Sunday. Maybe because there were smokin hot quarterbacks that would play back then. I'm talking I had Super Bowl trivia the whole week leading up to the game and nobody could beat me. I didn't really challenge the real football fanatics though. Good thing I didn't know Landon back then. I would've been beat. Some people are really big about Super Bowl parties. I think the last Super Bowl party I went to was when the Dallas Cowboys were playing. That had to of been 16 years ago?!?!?!? Landon and I have sort of created ourselves a little Super Bowl party for Sunday. Just our family is attending but having more than 3 people at our house is considered a party. Landon is smoking some ribs and cooking a sack of crawfish (maybe). It's gonna be one heck of a party. I just hope I can make it to bed before 10!!!!

 2013 is going to be a big year. 2012 was pretty stinkin good but I'm sure 2013 is going to top it. Of course the obvious of becoming a family of 4 but one of my nephews is turning the big ONE, 2 nephews will turn 2, a couple of good beach trips have been planned in my head, pretty sure A&M is going to make it to the National Championship (I threw that one in for Landon), my other BFF is getting married, and best of all.....I'm turning the big 3-0!!!

I've got me eye on you Jake!!!

 

"Dance Like You Can't Dance" Tuesdays

I've started something new. It will make you laugh so hard you will practically pee your pants (that is if you are wearing pants). Starting tomorrow, featured only on My Thoughts Exactly, you will be able to Dance Like You Can't Dance.



For those of you that don't know how to dance, I'm not poking fun. I've danced my whole life. The world is my stage. I mean sometimes when I go into the restroom at work, I stop in front of the mirrors and do a pirouette (a turn); however, if I'm feeling really frisky I'll do a high kick.



My BFF and I started "Dancing Like We Can't Dance" in college. We pulled all-nighters when it came to studying. To keep the all-nighter an actual all-nighter (confused much??) we had keep ourselves entertained. Dad, if you're reading this I swear we really did study...entertainment played a huge role in my impeccable GPA. We played an incredibly ridiculous song and went after it. No rhythm, no technique, NO style...just tons of jazz hands.  Our kitchen was our Dance Like You Can’t Dance studio.  Good thing our neighbor/roomie either came in at sun-up or never came home at all or we would have had one super pissed neighbor/roomie.  I’d like to give a huge SHOUT OUT to the Roomie!



I’m no techy but I think this should work.  I'd like everyone to join me and post a video of yourself on You Tube and copy & paste the link on the comments section every TUESDAY. I'll do it too. It will be HILARIOUS.   Wait for the actual weekly post though.  Don’t do it on a random post day.  It won’t be nearly as fun.

Mind over Matter

I took a bazillion month hiatus but I'm back. I know you missed me....right?



So I've lost my mind and I'm running a half marathon on March 10th. The insane part isn't running the 13 miles. Insanity comes into the mix when I'm running 13.something miles extremely unprepared. By this point in my training I should be accomplishing long runs at least 10 miles long. Go ahead and guess how long my longest long run was....go ahead..



6.something miles. Not.even.half.way.



THAT’S IT! I've lost my mind. However, I'm coming to believe this is a mind over matter type deal. Stay with me with my next couple of thoughts because it's going to be a windy road. I don't know how he feels about this but I'm going to go ahead and blog about it. My dad was diagnosed with cancer recently. He is currently wrapping up his first week of some heavy duty treatment. Mix of chemo and radiation therapy. (Insert sarcastic remark) Now if that isn't a good time I don't know what is.(End of Sarcasm) I was able to keep him company on Wednesday during his busy day of appointments. One of the most important things that we can be doing collectively to help his treatment is to keep a positive outlook during this process. I'm not going to lie...its tough.  I watched so many people going through the same thing Dad is going through.  Each person in that hospital is a warrior, an athlete in their own way.  They have more courage and forgive me, balls, than I will ever have.  Their inner endurance, stamina, strength is better than Bruce Jenner in the 80’s.  I have a million thoughts going through my mind and I'm having a hard time putting it into words.



Stay with me.



It's easy to give up when your negative about things. It's easy to say it’s never going to work, that I may never make it to the finish line. They say nothing good ever came easy. I don't know who "they" are but I'm going with it. "They" must be smart or nobody would quote "they". I just lost my train of thought. "Footloose" just came on my Pandora station and I started dancing. Sorry. So back to my training part of the story.  If my Dad can run his marathon of treatments (metaphorically speaking), then I know I can finish a measly 13.something miles.  It really is a mind over matter kind of thing.  There is no reason that I can’t. Except maybe tripping and breaking a bone somewhere along the way…



I’ve been reading a number of blogs that “runners” have written.  I’m more nervous about having to stop to use the bathroom than anything else.  I know that’s kind of TMI but I’m being honest here.  Last weekend I ran a 5K and came in 2^nd place in my age group and 10^th overall for Females.  Kind of awesome I know and I really hate to brag but I was pretty good that day.  I even set a PR of 27:50.  Yes it was a small race but I accomplished something! Not to mention it was a flipping 38 degrees at start time and the wind was blowing 25 mph.  Landon was even kind enough to run as well.  He set a PR also! Way to go Babe. 



I’m like 98% excited, 1% nervous, and 1% scared about this half-marathon on March 10^th.  I more scared of letting myself down more than anything.  I promise to keep blogging about progress made towards the date. 



 

2 Years Ago Today!

Two years ago today, I started the most amazing journey.  I began my journey walking out of a front door, down an aisle lined with flowers and tea lights, and to an alter surrounded by the best family and friends a woman could ask for.  Standing at the end of was my husband-to-be.

I feel like I've been married to Landon for a lifetime.  We go together like peanut butter and jelly.  It's funny how we compliment each other.  I'm terrible at math (like have to count on my fingers kind of terrible) and he can't spell worth a flip.  We both like our hamburgers the same way...mustard and pickles only. We both find getting in bed at 8 o'clock an eventful evening and that was even pre-Jaxson. 

It's remarkable to me how some people can consider marriage to be the end of your "good times" in life.  My life has improved 100% since being married.  I've thought about this post for a solid month and right now I have no words to describe my happiness.  Landon, thank you for being the perfect best friend and husband I could have ever dreamed of having.  I love you to the moon and back. 

I was "Hip" once....

Even I am having a hard time making myself believe it, but yes, I once was "hip", "cool", even "stylish".  I think I've lost it.  I found wrinkles under my eyes!!!  This is probably worse than finding a gray hair in my book. According to Johnny Depp's character in Alice in Wonderland, I've lost my muchness.  I am desperately trying to find my muchness really quick.  According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, muchness means "the quality or state of being in great quantity, extent, or degree." What the Mad Hatter was talking about, in his odd and slightly delirious way, was that Alice had lost some of who she used to be. He was inferring that she had lost some of the true essence of herself as she'd grown older.  So how am I going to get my muchness back?? 

Step 1:  Paint my toes any color EXCEPT for pink or red.  I think this one will do just fine thank you. 

Step 2:  Go skydiving.  I haven’t told Landon this one yet but I think I’m going to make it happen.  Babe, if you’re reading this, I’m sorry I haven’t told you my plan a little earlier. 

Step 3:  Cut my hair off.  Again, this may come as a shock to my husband, SORRY!!!

Step 4:  Listen to Katy Perry a little more.  This girl is the true definition of muchness.  I’m going to go ahead and throw Little Wayne into the mix as well just to keep it fresh.

Step 5:  Start cooking a little more.  I stopped and I really don’t know why.  I used to live with my nose in a cookbook.  I need to start experimenting with spices again. 

I’m not sure exactly if these five steps are going to help me reclaim my muchess but I feel like I’m going to have fun doing it.  I want Jaxson to never feel like his mom is “old”.  I felt this way about my mom probably only 3 times in my 28 years but I was quick on my feet to do something to change those feelings.  Most of the time I just helped her to pick out another outfit before she walked out the door and it worked!!!    

Catchin' Up!

So things have been happening lately and I've failed to write about them.  I'm going to play a game of Catch Up with you.

We bought a boat!  For the longest time, my hubby has been talking about getting a boat.  He wanted something big enough that Jaxson and I could tag along and go for rides with him.  About a month ago he asked pretty please and I said yes.  How can you deny a man when he says "pretty please"! On a side note, I probably enjoy the boat just as much, if not more, than he does.  We've taken Jaxson on the boat 3 times.  Not a big fan of his life jacket but he wears it without a fuss.  He has found that early morning fishing excursions are the best for napping.  Landon and I took him fishing last Sunday morning.  We crawled out of bed at the wee hour of 4:30 to load the boat.  We woke Jaxson up right before we left.  Talk about confused!!  Not only was it still dark when we left the house, but I left him in his pajamas to ride out to Keith Lake.  In fact, I left him in his PJ's the whole time!!!  Once we arrived at our first fishing spot, I cracked open a Nutrigrain bar for Jaxson to eat for breakfast.  Nothing like breakfast on the water. 

Thirty minutes later the breakfast bar was gone and so was Jaxson.  He fell asleep and didn't wake up until we were about ready to get off the water.  My little man loves to be outside.  I've said it many times that he would sleep outside if I let him and this boat outing proved it!!  Turns out the life jacket makes a pretty good pillow.

Note: To anyone who is about to blast me because his life jacket isn’t zipped and fastened:

                                                                             1) the boat was stopped and anchored

                                                                             2) the boat was turned off

                                                                             3) this was a photo opportunity

                                                                            4) the rest of the ride it was fastened

Another new item we have added to the Wright house, specifically to Jaxson's room, is a toddler rail for his crib.  I'm sure I've written about this before but we are struggling with Jaxson to sleep in his own room.  I am an enabler.  I admit my mistakes.  I haven’t been firm with this sleeping in your own bed deal.  I gave up trying to get him to fall asleep on his own in his own room.  I then gave up trying to move him into his crib because he would wake up every time I laid him down in his bed.  I don’t let him cry it out.  It hurts me just as much as he thinks it is hurting him.  SO my solution was to basically make his crib into a big boy bed so that I could lie in HIS room with him until he fell asleep and then ever so softly crawl out and into my bed.  The only glitch in this perfect scenario is Jaxson’s exit strategy.  Instead of sliding out of the side of the bed when he wakes up, he tries to crawl HEAD FIRST over the toddler rail, resulting in what could be a head injury.  I’ve already been to the emergency room one time in the past 2 months for what we thought was a head injury and I’m not going back.  I guess we are going back to a full crib.  Plan failed!

I am patiently awaiting Jaxson to form words.  He's a busy little boy with a whole lot to say, he just doesn't know exactly how to pronounce it yet.  Mama and Dada are pretty much concrete in his dictionary and I think he either says Nana or Nene (one of his grandmothers and his caregiver) but nothing further.  My dog is about to have a nervous breakdown.  For the first couple of days after Jaxson's birth, I struggled with the relationship (or lack thereof) that the dog would have with him.  Boy I was so wrong about this.  Poor thing can't even retreat to her safe place (her kennel) without Jaxson bombarding her.  Jaxson is growing taller by the day.  He can reach things that I'm not ready for him to reach just yet.  I'm about to label the kitchen a danger zone.  All items have to be moved to the center of the kitchen table.  Little fingers can reach a plate of food in no time! 

I have a bagillion pictures that I need to upload and post one day.  If definitely would have helped with this whole catchin up idea I had. 

+1 for the Angels

Yesterday was a very scary day for my family.  My mom was in a car accident.  She is alright, pretty bruised and banged up though. 

I took a late lunch yesterday, around 2:30, and was on the phone with my insurance company.  I was trying to get some matters straightened out when my dad beeps in on call waiting.  I hate being left on hold when calling insurance companies so I clicked over told my dad that I would call him right back and when right back to the insurance people.  I called Dad about 3 minutes later and heard those horrible words, "Mom has been in an accident".  Instantly I panicked.  Not my mother, I need my mother.  She has to be alright, nothing ever stops my mom.  I ran into my office told my supervisor that I'd be leaving to go to the hospital.  I got a text message from my sister, Kaitlyn, who works at the hospital that the ambulance was taking Mom.  She said she was waiting in the ER for her to arrive and she didn't know what happened.  The drive to Beaumont seemed to take FOREVER.  Hello…. 20 minutes that seemed like 2 hours.  I called Dad again.  He said he spoke to Mom on the phone.  Praise Jesus at least she was conscious and talking.  I remembered a story I read, I think it was a Nicholas Sparks book, about a woman getting chopped in half by a car and she was still able to talk to her husband on the phone and tell him she loved him just by the adrenaline in her body keeping her alive.  I let my mind get the best of me sometimes. 

I arrived at the ER and my sister brought me to the slot my mom was stuck in.  Relief…SHE WAS OK!!!  Of course it's tough to see your mother strapped down on a board with a neck brace so big that she could only move her eyes to see me.  If you know my mother at all, she dresses very appropriately for her age and profession and yesterday was no exception.  She makes laying on a backboard look good.  She had on cute white capris, a flowery springy shirt and some cute tan wedges.  Who knew my mother wore wedges.  I respected the situation we were in and didn’t take any photos so this is a photo-less post.  Sorry! 

Beaumont PD came to visit my mom while we were waiting on the doctor to assess the damages.  She told her side of the story and it was pretty scary.  There was defiantly an angel riding in the car her.  By the grace of God, both she and the other driver walked away with minor injuries.  There was no blood, just tears.   Mom’s car is totaled but that can be easily replaced. +1 for the Angels, 0 for Satan!!!  We aren’t sure why the other driver ran the red light causing the wreck.  I’m not making any assumptions, just a plea to all the other drivers on the road.  Pay attention to your surroundings, do not text and drive, do not Facebook and drive, and stay off of your phone unless it’s an emergency. 

Mom was released from the hospital last night and was able to try to rest in the comfort of her own bed.  Everything is OK!