15 Weeks

Since I'm now 16 weeks, I figured it's time to edit and share the 15-week photo.  With Ella and Henry I took photos every 5 weeks, starting at 15 weeks, and was so happy to remember to do it this time!

I'm rather surprised at how big I am, but I really haven't gained much weight {for my obscene pregnancy weight-gain standards}.  We'll see.  Snort.

Survived.

I know this is, like, nothing for some {most?} of you out there, but Nic has been out of town for two weeks.  And if you're my real-life friend, you're sick of hearing about it.

But he comes home tonight, so I thought I'd blog about my survival.  Of course, I had help from friends and family who watched the kids for me, fed us, and listened to my complaining.

So to survive, we...

...enjoyed the not-freezing weather that lasted 4.6 seconds.

...went on a pilot visit to the dentist.  No cavities for Ella, I had a slew of complications from my out-of-control teeth that required an afternoon with a numb mouth.

...went to church looking semi-presentable.

....cut down a tree.  This was a surprise for Nic.  How exciting am I?

...got brave and ventured to Red Robin when the need for greasy sustenance arose.

...went swimsuit shopping.  Hank came home with a speedo.  Not even kidding.

...classed it up at the store and read mags without buying.

...installed a tip-out false drawer under the sink.  I *hate* sponges {shudder}, so I did this mostly for the future ease of changing hardware.  Signs of a home improvement junkie.

We made it!

4 Things I Won't Regret

Not to be confused with one-million-things-I-currently-do-that-are-unspeakably-stupid.

I've had a couple run-ins lately with some Negative Nellies, and it's been weighing on my mind.  I just don't get the my-way-is-obviously-better-than-your-way mentality.  Life, and especially parenting, is full of gray areas, and there are very few ways to do it 'wrong'.

So in an effort to shift my thinking away from the negativity, here are 4 things that I'm positive I won't regret in the future.  I guess I should qualify that just because you don't do or agree with these things doesn't mean you're doing it wrong!  Don't think that I think that.  I'm just sick of feeling negative energy and so, like I said, here are a few things that I do that I love:

Non-negotiable nap time.

A dear friend recommended a sleep book when Ella was just a babe, and the darn thing changed my life.  I'm a self-proclaimed nap nazi and it works well for us.  In this house, sleep is revered and protected.  I've missed out on lots of fun and social stuff because I was busy 'protecting' the nap schedule or a bedtime.  There are some pretty obvious benefits to *not* having a schedule for your kids, but my 2+ hour break every day is pretty darn fantastic.  There's no way I'll look back and regret that!

Eating dessert.

I'm not one of these rail-thin mommas.  I'm not overweight by any means, but no one will ever think I'm malnourished.  I could weigh 100 pounds if I wanted to, but I just enjoy food too much.  I can't imagine giving up my daily Starbucks or my after-dinner dessert.  Same goes for exercising.  There was a time when I was super into running.  I'd end up spending most of my Saturday running and then recovering from the 15-mile run.  I enjoyed it, but by the time I was ready to hang out with the family, the day was gone.  It works for many people, but I much prefer my daily 2-mile jog whilst pushing 2 kidlets in the jogger.  I don't think I'll regret choosing yummy food and family time over being a size 0.

Picking my battles.

At Target the other day, I was getting 'the look' because Henry was being loud.  He wasn't whining or crying, just getting excited about seeing different things.  Let me tell you, I wasn't about to shush him.  Sometimes I feel like 90% of my job as a mom is to say 'no'.  So I say 'yes' as often as possible.  I don't think our kids are bratty, but I absolutely pick my battles.  You win some, you lose some...and excited behavior in Target at 10:30 on a Tuesday isn't a battle I'm choosing.  I don't think I'll regret letting my kids be kids.

Blogging.
I've been blogging for about 6 years, and there are few things I enjoy as much as looking back as what I wrote years ago, and even months ago.  Sure, it helps me keep track of what our family was doing, but there is also an honest, open aspect to blogging that I adore.  I love seeing where I've come as a person, and remembering my emotions that were behind every post.  Sometimes {ok, a lot of the time} I'm a little embarrassed when I read back, but I like that a part of me is exposed like that.  It's good for me.  People seem to either love or hate blogging, and I feel like it might be losing its gusto.  Love or hate, I know I'll not regret sharing and recording our life.

So there.  Out with the negative, in with the positive.  :)