Epiphanies and other fun stuff...

So, I wrote an awesome post Friday. Really, it was awesome, if only in my mind. Apparently, I was having some connectivity issues which I failed to notice, and since the laptop wasn't plugged in, I lost it before I could get to the cord.

That, in and of itself, frustrated me immensely. So, I just caught up on reading my blogs that I follow. I thought a lot about this fledgling little blog as I did so, because I read some really good posts about blogging, homeschooling, marriage, God, green living, motherhood, family... this list is pretty lengthy. It has set the little hamster in the wheel to a flat out sprint. My head is spinning, all full of ideas and such.

So, for the remainder of the month, it's my intent to stick with Mama's Mission of the Month as I wrote that, but there are some other things that I will be working on. I don't want to throw in the towel on Mippy Mommy, and I think that I can figure out a way to make them both work, together but separate. If that makes any sense. 

I will be doing both, hopefully with an ever-increasing regularity. We shall see, as more is revealed. :)

Frustration...

So, Landry woke up about 7:00 yesterday. He took a little nap in the morning for Daddy so I could run a few errands. I got home and cut him loose in the backyard with Ryli. Then, in a fit of stupidity that looked like exhaustion on my part, we all took a late nap around 5:00.

Flash forward to the present, and I'm sitting here watching Chicago Fire with a little boy who will NOT go to sleep. You name it, I've tried it. My old ace in the hole is a non-starter with my medication. Warm milk didn't work. A snack benefited the dogs more than anyone.

So, we sit here in Daddy's recliner, rocking away. I have a sneaking suspicion that before all is said and done, Ryan will come out to the living room, pick up Landry-Sack-of-Potatoes, and tell me to come to bed. Either that, or I'll luck out and he'll fall asleep soon. He has fallen asleep once, but woke up when I tried to move him.

All that being said, if he falls asleep soon, he's going to sleep in Daddy's recliner.

The beginning of the end...

From the start, Landry's been a co-sleeping champion. Since the first night that he was out of NICU, he's been sleeping next to Ryan and I almost every night. There was my birthday in 2011 that my mom and step-dad watched the kids overnight so Ryan and I could go out on one of those fabled date things. The other time was the two nights I spent in Iowa with my family.

As I started taking medication again last week, Landry got weaned cold turkey after 596 days (I used an app to figure that out because I really wanted to know how long we'd made it). The main reason he was still sleeping with us was that he was still waking up at night to nurse. Secondly, we still haven't really gotten around to getting replacement parts for his crib. (The fact they made four moves intact is amazing... unfortunately, the move to Garland was move five).

Yesterday, I made up the crib mattress and slid it under Ryli's bed for the day. When Landry was showing signs that he wanted to sleep, I pulled out the mattress and sat on the floor, rubbing his back as he drifted off. Once again, he slept the night through. 

So, my baby's growing up. Bittersweet, but true.

Happy Birthday, Ryli!

She's officially three now. All day, she's just been randomly saying "birthday". She insisted on pizza for dinner, and being that it's what she wanted and the clean up is rather quick and painless, I obliged. 

Just wanted to touch base. The new medication and the cold turkey weaning of Landry has me in a bit of a zombie-like state which is causing all kinds of havoc with my creative process. Neither he nor I are sleeping well, that's for sure!

February's Mama's Mission of the Month

And here it is... my mission for the short, birthday and Valentine's Day laden month of February. Here's to a much calmer month than last month, and definitely healthier!

Personal:

• Take my medication(s) and chart moods (I use the free version of Mood Tracker)
• Finish making (and keeping) doctor and dental appointments
• Journal regularly... the old fashioned, pen and journal way!!

Marriage:

• Rough routine for Ryan and I
• At least one date night... sans kids!

Parenting:

• Chore Chart for Ryli (starting on 2/4)
• Check ups for Landry & Ryli
• Work on a routine with them

Homeschooling:

• Teach Ryli how to use a computer and start her on ABC mouse
• Read 8 chapters of Mary Pride's Complete Guide to Getting Started in Homeschooling

Homemaking:

• Make a meal plan and STICK TO IT!!
• Make a budget and get us back on track
• Do Fly Lady (start it up 2/4)

Friends/Family/Ministry:

• DFW Cloth Diaper Group
• Call Grandma more
• Look into local playgroups/Meet-Ups

Blog/Online Activity:

• Blog a minimum of five times per week
• Come up with planner until I can get one printed

Miscellaneous:

• Read some Bible daily

That's it for the month. I do have a feeling that this month will be a lot better than last month. Now, I have a house to clean and a two year old to get ready for her early third birthday party! 

Mama's Mission of the Month January Recap

So, as I was saying last night, January was one hot mess for me. In some areas of Mama's Mission of the Month, I didn't do too bad. In others, I was awful. Here's the outcome:

Personal:

• Keep all counseling appointments and make more as needed
• Make doctor and dental appointments.
• Call G'ma every day (I started this one on the 31st)  Only got it done about 1/2 of the time

Marriage:

• Routine for Mommy and Daddy (we SO need some us time)
• Work on communication.

Parenting:

• Routine for Ryli and Landry for the sanity of all those involved!
• Landry back in cloth by January 7 (I took the holidays off and I have HATED it)
• Landry sleeping by himself... in his own bed.

Homeschooling:

• Read Mary Pride's Complete Guide to Getting Started in Homeschooling (finish at least half of it)
• Start gathering materials to start out.

Homemaking:

• Routines for all (even Zeke and Katy, our fur babies)
• Consolidate, organize, and/or get rid of everything!   Started... and still going strong
• Start Fly Lady (for real, this time)

Friends/Family/Ministry:

• Get back into DFW Cloth Diaper Group and all it entails.
• Go to lunch with Mom, Alan, Corey, Annie and Brynn... I can't wait!!!

Blog/Online Activity:

• Blog consistently (20/30 on Mippy Manor and Mippy Mommy)
• Print out blog planners
• Read my followed blogs DAILY! (when I get up sounds like a good plan)

Miscellaneous:

• Mama's Mission of the Month ALL year! That's twelve of these bad boy posts... and hopefully as many "Mission Accomplished" posts!  One month down, eleven to go!!!
• Mama needs to schedule some weekly down time... preferably, solo!!  Really should have stated to do something other than going to run errands or go to appointments... oops!!!
• Start Fly Lady

As you can imagine, I am not entirely thrilled with myself after the month was said and done, but this is progress I'm going for, not instant perfection. Heck, I think a month that went that "perfectly" would be a little dull. Don't get me wrong, I don't like stomach bugs that run laps through my house, nor backs that become strained, but stuff does go wrong. Things that aren't planned keep you on your toes and usually teach you something.

Where the heck did January go?

Okay, I know just where it went. Between stomach bugs that hung around far too long, Ryan's back taking a vacation on him, family coming up for a visit, obscene amounts of laundry and trips to and from the laundromat... it was ridiculous. The best thing that happened in January was Ryan started back to school part-time. Woooohoooo! I'm so proud of him!

 

Tomorrow, I'll recap my Mama's Mission of the Month for January and unveil my hopes for the blissfully short, birthday and Valentine's Day filled month of February. It is my hope that it is nothing like January, and I mean that in the most positive way imaginable.

 

Things are definitely on the upswing, I can tell you that much. I finally got in to see the doctor, and am happy to report that am now on the road to getting back on my rocker. The only thing that remains is to get to my regular doctor and get back on blood thinners. Admittedly, I'm not really excited about that, as it means cutting back on my green veggies. I love my greens!!!

 

Time to get ready for the other half to return home from work... more tomorrow, I promise!