Bits of my Brain

Snippets of what's been on my brain over the past week...

1. Speaking at MOPS - I spoke on child discipline as discussed in Ginger Plowman's book, "Don't Make Me Count to Three" and in her oh-so-helpful chart, 'Wise Words for Moms.'  I was beyond nervous about it going in, but I survived and none of my friends laughed me off the stage.  So it was a good experience overall and I am pretty sure I would do it again if asked...and I'd be a little less nervous.  It just was not necessary.

2.  I accepted a leadership position at  MOPS also for the 2011-2012 year heading up Creative Activities.  I think I will enjoy the challenge and outlet for ideas.  In the meantime, I am trying to talk myself out of my fear of the commitment.

3. I hosted another play date at home this week with 8 other moms and kids from my meetup group.  It was a nice time and gave me a good excuse to clean up again. :)  Then today, we headed out to a play date again at a friend's here in our neighborhood.  We all wore turquoise in honor of CDH Awareness Day tomorrow, a birth defect of which her daughter is a survivor. 

4.  I've been enjoying my new toy - a Galaxy Tab.  It took us awhile to decide whether to do that or an iPad and in the end it came down to price.  Galaxy Tab does everything I need and want it to do and then some ... for a fraction of the price of an iPad.  Suits me just fine. :)  We call it the baby iPad around here and coo over it in high pitched voices saying, "It's so cuuuuute!"

5.  This week is Noah's Spring Break and he is enjoying the extra free time with his video games and friends at play dates. Tomorrow we hit the zoo with Josh!  We've never done the zoo without extended family with us before so this will be a real change of pace, but I am really looking forward to the leisurely excursion.

6. I had a really weird bout of crazy moodiness, anxiety, and agitation a couple weeks ago.  Coupled with not sleeping again, it was an unpleasant mix in my head. Since I am only taking Welbutrin to help me sleep, and it's not even doing that for me anymore, I'm pinning the rest of those few weeks' issues on the unnecessary medicine, too.  So last week, I started taking half the dosage and next week, I'll stop it altogether.  I picked up some melatonin to try again for sleeping and it has been a total help.  I am feeling so much better about everything.  I hope my doctor doesn't get upset with me for coming off the Welbutrin without her supervision, though. 

7.  We are booked and inked on the calendar to go to the beach in a month for Noah's birthday. :) Don't mistake me for a beach person, though.  I am anything but.  But, I thought it was important that our babies finally see the ocean.  And Anna adores playing in sand.  She'll be flabbergasted when she sees Gulf Shores!

8. Word of the day - enuresis. We got Noah an alarm to help with that.  We like the alarm, though we may decide after a few weeks that it's better if we wait on using it regularly.  Noah likes it, but I am starting to be convinced (again) that his body is just not ready and that that is perfectly fine.

9.  Noah and Anna went to the dentist yesterday.  They BOTH went back without me.  I grinned so hard at their positive, obedient, and calm demeanors (Anna's especially since this was her first solo flight there) that I teared up watching them follow the doctor away from me.  I'm not gonna lie.  I am proud of those two.  I adore those two.  Having kids is such a fun, fun experience.

10.  Noah had some blood "sucked" yesterday and he is eager, eager, eager to tell anyone about it who will listen.  He was so brave about it and I am so interested to see how the results come out at his allergy check up next month.  It's been two years since we tested his blood about the peanut allergy and I want to know if the levels have gone up or down.  Even after a year of non-exposure at 3 years of age, his levels had significantly increased. Wondering if that trend has continued.

11.  Had an almost run-in at our vet when they expected me to pay them $12.50 to write down a prescription for heartworm pills.  I needed it to order his medicine with a Petmeds-type company that sells them cheaper.  Apparently, our vet thought they needed to fine me for saving money elsewhere.  What a crock.  We'll be finding a new vet shortly.

12.  We lost Anna's diaper bag somewhere and its absence has really been cramping our style when we are out and about.  Boo on that!  We loved that little diaper bag!  Guess it's just one more reason to finally wrap up the potty training. ;)  Hear that, Anna?!

13.  One of our neighbors got a new roof yesterday.  I was looking forward to seeing what they upgraded to when I noticed that they were putting up a really dated (dare I say, ugly) green shingle.  Seriously?  To be fair, it DOES match their shutters, but still, what an opportunity lost to improve things.  Still, I couldn't help but grin with Mr. Dady when he came out and asked what I thought about their "gall-bladder green" shingles.  (His words, not mine!)  When I laughed about how I did not know that gall bladders were green like that, he went on to tell me about bile and all its shades.  What a sweet old man.  We'll keep him and his wife...and their new green roof, I guess.

14. I tend to avoid big crowds.  I enjoy music and sporting events from home.  BUT, I did tell Josh I would enjoy a concert at a place like the Grand Ole Opry for a few specific performers.  Turns out, 2 of my 3 picks will be there on the same night on June 7.  So, buy ourselves some tickets, we did.  :)  Looking forward to seeing Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, and a little Martina, to boot.

15. Shhhhhh... Don't tell Noah, but we got him a Wii for his birthday and it will get here none too soon.  His precious Lego Star Wars game went kaput today.  It's been coming for awhile, but the boy took it in stride.  He didn't panic.  He just asked me to make sure to put a new Star Wars game on his birthday list.  :)  Check!  We have that and THEN some!  Josh can hardly contain himself.