How to entertain an almost 2-year-old

We just had our living room carpet and the stairs to our upper level cleaned this morning, so Jordan and I were confined to the kitchen.

I wasn't sure how I'd keep him entertained, until I spotted the pan of eggs I had just hard-boiled.

"Want to help me peel eggs, buddy?" I asked him.
He nodded.

So, we plopped on the floor with a bowl, a towel and the pan of eggs and we cracked and peeled.

He only tasted the shell once. He took a bite of a partially-peeled egg. Crunch. Ew.

Some of his eggs are kind of mangled, but that's OK. I'll just make some egg salad with those ones.

As the eggs ran out, I had another thought.

"Want to peel some onions for me, too, kiddo?"

Nod.

He proceeded to sit there for 45 MINUTES happily peeling onions!





He only bit into one once, like an apple. I *almost* caught it on camera, but not quite.



Anyway, this little project killed an hour, the mess was minimal and easy to sweep up, and he actually helped!

Patting myself on the back today.
Good Mommy.

Jordan's first haircut

Jordan will be two on Feb. 7, and had never had his hair cut. I love that blond baby fuzz, and just couldn't bring myself to have it cut off.

But it's been getting fuzzier lately, in the back. He sleeps on his back, and over the past couple days, the fuzz turned into little dreadlocks. I couldn't wash or comb them out. They just plain needed to be cut out.

He was looking sort of shaggy anyway. Super cute, as always, but a little wild.

Here are some "before" shots. Note the fuzz on the back of his head, wound into tiny little dreads.











So, today we made a pilgrimage to Great Lakes Crossing. I thought maybe taking him someplace fun like Carnival Cuts would go over better than some random barber shop.

At first, he thought it was cool. He got to sit in an airplane.





But then this chick started messing with the dreads.

Mom, I don't like this one bit. Why are you letting her do this to me?





WHAT THE HELL!





The lady was obviously used to this kind of reaction, so she kept going, talking to Jordan in a soothing voice. But notice, not even a lollipop worked to calm him down.



Eventually he was done. It's not a perfect haircut since he was screaming his fool head off, turning it from side to side and hitting at the scissors. It's a little more cleaned-up than before, though.

Happy snappy sitting in the fire truck with his lollipop when it was all over.





Logan had to get in on the action, even though he's too big!



So, we walked out of there, all of us, covered in tears, snot, lollipop residue and lots and lots of blond hair. I had some caught in my throat for quite a while. She put a tiny bit of his hair in a little ziplock bag for me and stapled it to a First Haircut certificate, which made me teary because it stated Jordan had "graduated from babyhood."

I can't handle that kind of stuff.

So, anyway, the deed is done and my little guy looks handsome... and older.

Hair cut

So, I needed a hair cut. But, my stylist moved to Vegas on me. She's the only one I've trusted with my hair. Everyone else has trashed it. But, I had to get it cut, so I just picked a place out of the yellow pages.

Before (and no makeup. scary.)



Bad hair day! (This is after. Me being goofy. Taken upside down. That's why my face is all red.)



Wasn't too thrilled with the cut when I got home.



Like it a little better when I curl it and add some bling.



It was a very fast haircut. Like seven minutes. She didn't even wash it first, just sprayed it with a water bottle, and she was yakking with the other stylists while she was doing it. They all looked bored. No customers. Bad sign.

In my opinion, it's kind of uneven. When I part it, there aren't any layers on one side. It's weird.

But... it could be worse and will grow out.

Bobby pins are a girl's best friend, right?

Setbacks, pushing through and a new 'do

Hello!

Well, I'm healing up from the tooth ordeal. Still can't really chew meat that well and haven't dared to try nuts or crunchy raw veggies yet, but the pain is under control. I don't have to really even take anything anymore. Also, I ran today and the jarring was just slightly uncomfortable. Not enough to make me stop.

Now I'm having another setback, though. I went to the doc yesterday and he did some X-rays and a few other tests and *thinks* I probably have carpal tunnel in my right wrist but wants to set up an EMG (whatever that is) to be certain.

So, for now I'm to take ibuprofen regularly for inflammation (joy. more drugs.), refrain from any upper body weight training (WHAT!?) and wear this wrist thingy when I sleep and if it's bugging me during the day.



The doctor said if it is carpal tunnel, he recommends just having the (outpatient) surgery to take care of it right away. That'll give me time to heal and then train for the WARRIOR DASH!!!

I've confirmed Hubby's and my registration for the Warrior Dash on July 30 in Mt. Morris and am soooooooo excited about it. You can check out the website here, but you'll get a better idea if you just watch this video. It looks like wild, crazy fun times!



I am working on dropping the extra weight because I bet it'll be a heck of a lot easier to do the Dash at 140 than it would be at 160! Also need to work on my cardio endurance, core strength and upper body strength, but I guess the upper body's on hold for the present time. It doesn't make me happy, but what are you going to do?

Oh, and I ordered this super cute T-shirt from Ford Warriors in Pink. I've wanted one of those shirts for a long time anyway, it's a good cause, and I found this one to be both inspirational and fitting for the upcoming months as I train for the Dash.

Also, I'm bored with my hair. It's blah. Now, I look at it and if I'd just let it go for another year or so, it would be long again. BUT... my hair's thin and this in-between phase is soooo annoying and I'm not sure I'd like it much better once it was really long again, because it is so thin.

I have considered shorter layers (nothing too drastic, but a couple inches off the length and more layers) and highlights. I pulled out my hair photos (I kind of have a little album of past hairstyles I've had to refer back to) and conferred with Hubby. He likes the layered look that I like, too, and said he likes my natural color, but would be happy with the highlights, too. (By the way, I don't base my hair on what HE wants, but I like having his input).

I think I'm going to go for the cut for now, and then keep thinking on the highlights. That's something I like to do in spring, anyway, to brighten me up for the summer months. I also have to find a salon that uses Shades, because that's worked best for me in the past.

I'll probably post before and after pics if there's a big difference when I get it cut.

So, yeah, that's about it for now! Have a fantastic weekend!

Easy art gallery

Logan and I threw down the other day because I wouldn't let him tape his Mr. Men drawings and paper snowflakes to his bedroom door. I didn't want the tape to pull off the paint or leave marks.

It got ugly until I promised to figure out a way to display his art, so I thought about it for a few, then went to the store and bought a package of Command bathroom hooks (the kind that are supposed to remove without messing up your walls).

I put them up in the entrance to the playroom, threaded some clothespins with some yarn I've had laying around for years, tied the yarn to the hooks and VOILA!

Instant (cheap) art gallery.

Abscess makes the heart grow fonder

This is a special year for Hubby and me. July will mark exactly 20 years since we met back in driver's training.

20 YEARS! Two decades.

Holy crap.

In October, we'll celebrate our ten-year wedding anniversary. (That's the tin, aluminum or diamond gift year. Hmmm... think I'll ask for some tin earrings. Ha!)

Ten years of marriage. Twenty years together.

And it hasn't all been pretty.

But you know what? Sometimes the ugliest times make you realize how great your relationship is.

And it doesn't get much uglier than this. This is me Monday morning.



On New Year's Eve, I developed a bad toothache in a tooth where I had a root canal years ago. For years, this tooth has bothered me from time to time. I'll get a toothache for a week or so, and then it'll go away. A few months later, I'll get another one. Then it'll go away. I've been to the dentist and had it checked out a couple times during the toothaches, and the X-rays didn't really show anything. The dentist said it could be a cracked root in the tooth, but it was hard to tell. There wasn't much that could be done.

Well, this time it turned out a bit different than other times. The toothache got REALLY bad. Of course, it was a holiday, so the dentist's office was closed.

The pain got worse and worse. I was taking ibuprofen and acetaminophen at the same time as well as sucking on mass quantities of Orajel, and still, it barely touched the pain. I couldn't even THINK straight, it hurt so bad.

Luckily, Hubby was off work at the time, so he could help me with the boys.

Sunday I woke up in such extreme pain--I had considered going to the ER the night before, and had begged Hubby to punch me in the face and knock me out--I gave in and called the dentist at home. He called in a prescription for antibiotics and vicodin for me and said come in the office later in the week.

Well, overnight the pain got even worse, even though I was taking the strong pain killer, and my face swelled up. (See above photo)

I pulled an all-nighter Sunday night, feeling like a junkie, counting down the hours until I could take more vicodin. I couldn't make it more than three or four hours even though I was supposed to wait six between doses. I watched TV, I went on Facebook, I cried, I watched the clock. It was like really severe labor pains, but in my head, with no break. Fun times.

Monday morning found Hubby back to work, Logan back to school and me counting the minutes until the dentist opened at 8, all while trying to manage Jordan. I could barely talk by the time someone answered, but managed to make an appointment for 12:30. Longest 4 1/2 hours EVER!

My BFF came to pick me up (I had driven Logan to school earlier on Vicodin and realized it wasn't a great idea for me to be driving) and dropped me off at the dentist. Then she took Jordan and her son to the store to shop while I was in the torture seat.

When I walked in, all the people that worked there looked at me with extremely sympathetic eyes. They could tell I was in a lot of pain just by my face. The novocaine shots made me feel better than I had in days, though, and the extraction wasn't nearly as rough as I thought it would be. It was done before I knew it.

I went home even more swollen with hunks of bloody gauze in my mouth. Yum.

But then, Hubby came home early so he could pick up Logan from school. Just after they got home, the novocaine wore off and the pain hit me like a brick in the face. I had the most severe headache I'd ever had, on top of the throb in my jaw and mouth. I seriously thought I was having a stroke. I took some more Vicodin, cried for a while and then passed out for a couple hours and then I felt good enough to get up and try to eat some soup, but my stomach wouldn't allow more than a couple bites.

During that time, my WONDERFUL Hubby took the boys to the basement to play, so I wouldn't have to even hear anything. He also VACUUMED down there (it was badly needed) and cleaned up and then went out and got them Subway for dinner and got soup for me in case I'd be able to eat it. He basically just made all the noise and mess disappear, and that was by far the best thing anyone could have done for me.

Then, when I apologized for looking so bad, he was so nice. He said "You don't look gross. It's just what happens. I know it hurts."

My sweet, sweet man.

I slept well last night and woke up today feeling much better. I've been off the vicodin since last night and am just taking ibuprofen now, and the swelling has come down a bit. The pain is WAY less than it was with the tooth in there.

So, anyway, I don't think I could have ever made it through yesterday evening without my husband. I know it must have been difficult for him to come home early after being off work for almost two weeks. I'm sure he has tons of phone calls and emails and meetings built up, but if I had been home alone with the boys when that numbness wore off, I don't know what I would have done. I was a mess.

I am so, so very grateful for my husband coming home from work and taking charge when I needed him most. It's the times like these that make me realize he really, truly does love me. In sickness AND in health.

Even if I'm really, really not pretty!

Body After Baby: Year of the Warrior!

Hey y'all!

It's been a nice long holiday break, and I've eaten and lazed and fully enjoyed having my men at home with me, and now tomorrow it's back to the same ole same ole.

I weighed in yesterday and it wasn't pretty.

Also not pretty? This evil toothache I've had for three days. Yes, of course it has to happen over a holiday so there's no chance for help! I finally gave in and called the dentist at home this morning because I can't even think straight, let alone sleep, eat or even close my teeth. I have an old root canal with a suspected cracked root that has given me problems in the past but nothing ever like this before. The dentist was kind enough to call in a prescription for an antibiotic and VICODIN for me. I read the warnings list with the prescription and the Vicodin scares me but it hurts so bad, I actually took two and that was about 40 minutes ago. IT STILL HASN'T KICKED IN!!!

You know that scene in Cast Away when Tom Hanks knocks out his own tooth with an ice skate? Yeah, I'm considering it.

Anyway, I'll have to have it pulled this week. No getting around it anymore. What a drag. For now, I'm tryin' to survive on soft stuff but it even hurts to chew oatmeal.

It's the fourth week of the 8-week Body After Baby challenge at Mama Notes, and I haven't done a thing except gain a pound. I'm thinking the holidays weren't such a great time for this, but whatever. I'm not quitting.

So anyway, the New Year dawned kinda crappy here because of all this pain, BUT... I have a goal for the new year that I'm really really excited about.

Hubby and I are signing up for a race called the Warrior Dash, which is coming to Michigan for the first time. It's described as a "hellish" 3.3-mile race and there are 10 insane obstacles like cargo nets, plank walking, slithering through mud under barbed wire and fire jumping, just to name a few.

Check out the course here

Hardcore.

I just was thinking and I haven't been motivated to get back into shape. I needed something to kick me in the butt. This race will definitely get me far out of my comfort zone, and it sounds like so much fun. I am looking forward to working hard to get into killer shape and rock this thing.

Plus, if I do it right, I should come out in the best shape of my life. After all, I need to eat right and train hard to do well in this race. I want to rock my new age group! (I'll be turning 35 the month before the race, which pushes me into the 35-39 age group!)

And it would be really sweet to be in the best shape of my life to celebrate my 10th wedding anniversary in October!

So, the plan is, as always, to eat RIGHT and work out HARD, but with a renewed determination so I can be strong and make this race fun. I really, really want to FEEL like a warrior and show myself that I can do it.

It's so exciting to have a real, tangible goal that is not just some random number on the scale or on the jeans label!

I'm ready to rock! (Well, after this tooth stops torturing me, anyway. Right now I can barely even blink without wincing in pain!)

Happy New Year!