Explosion

I have had several posts in my head, and here they all are in one huge explosion.

Post #1: Let me show you my new therapeutic activity. Playing with blocks.

It started out just having a little fun with Madelyn. But then one evening Madelyn had the worst temper tantrum she had ever had all because she didn't want to get ready for bed. (She got herself so upset, she actually threw up!) I came out of her room that night completely tense and stressed out. I walked into the living room and her toys were all still out on the floor, and instead of cleaning them up, I sat down and played with her blocks. It was amazing how fast my muscles started relaxing and my mind started to thaw out from the stress. There is something about doing something with your hands that helps with the stress somehow. It reminds me of the time when Mitch and I were dating and we broke up for a weekend. In my heart I knew it wasn't over and I wanted to wait by the phone for him to call. So I wouldn't go crazy, I decided to do a jigsaw puzzle. I spent the whole weekend doing a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle all by myself instead of sitting by the phone. (As you might have guessed, he did call back :)

Post #2:

Last week at the grocery store, Madelyn started getting really upset while I was picking out apples in the produce section. I could not figure out what was wrong. She kept pointing to the back of the cart where I had just placed my bag of apples, and I finally realized she wanted an apple. I gave her one (after I wiped it off with my shirt) and she held that apple like it was her long lost friend. She held onto that apple all the way through the rest of the store, in the car on the way home and at home while I unpacked and the groceries. Some kids want a cookie at the store, my kid wants an apple. I can live with that.

Post #3:

Madelyn has discovered the healing power of band-aids - especially when Elmo is on them.


Post #4:

As most of you know, I suffer from migraines. Last week, however, I had the mother of all migraines. Instead of it lasting 4-5 hours, this one lasted 14 hours and instead of throwing up once or twice, I threw up 12 times, I think (After about 8 times, I started to lose count). My dear husband stayed home from work and took care of Madelyn. While laid up in bed or hovering over the toilet, I could hear them in the main part of the house having a grand-ole time. When I finally emerged from the bedroom, this is what I found.

This picture doesn't quite portray what our house looked like. I think every toy was out on the floor somewhere. Daddy and daughter had a great day together.

And that's a wrap.

Just some minor things

I rush to write this down before I head to church. Just a couple of updates:

I had to reschedule my hair appointment to next Thursday because my hairsytlist's daughter has the flu. So I have one more week for my hair to be this long.

Tomorrow Madelyn goes to Mother's Day Out from 9 - 1. Yay! I'm going to clean the house. Boo.

Madelyn can now feed herself with a spoon - sorta.

That's all for now.

Happy Football (& War Eagle!)

Colds and Haircuts

Last weekend, I was kicked in the rear end by a cold. I finally feel like I am over it now. However, Madelyn now has an ear infection. She hasn't slept well the last couple of nights and it dawned on me that she must have an ear infection. Doctor appointment confirmed it, and she is on antibiotics. Hopefully she will start sleeping better soon. Since I haven't done much housework since last week, I am looking at several days of laundry and serious cleaning.

Next week starts Mother's Day Out. Madelyn is going two days a week. I am really hoping this will allow me some more time to write. So be looking out for new posts in my writing blog. For all of you avid readers, don't worry. I haven't forgotten about it. I am going to be hitting my writing hard next week.

And for the most important announcement - I have a haircut appointment next week while Madelyn is at MDO. And I think I'm going to go drastic. That's right. I think I'm getting the mom cut. I have had long hair - for the most part - since I was in high school. This is big. But I'm sick of picking up my hair off the floor - and having to clean out our shower drain all the time. And I'm ready for a new look. So next Thursday is the day. We'll see. I might chicken out.

The Beach & Temper Tantrums

My mother-in-love and father-in-love offered us their beach condo for a week. We had some great family time. Hear are SOME of the great pictures we have of Madelyn.

Here she is at the pier.

Here she is at Gulf World.

Here she is lounging around the condo.

And here she is at the beach with Mommy & Daddy!

We will treasure these pictures for years to come.

Okay, so now for the not-so-fun part of our trip. We had some temper tantrums. In fact, we had a lot of them. Ladies and Gentlemen, Madelyn has quickly mastered the black-belt level of temper tantrums - at 19 months. I'm not talkin' a little fussy because she can't have a toy she wants or being temper mental before nap time. I'm talkin' screaming at Walmart to the level that someone says to me, "Man, she has some lungs! I heard her 3 aisles over" all because I took a phone call with my cell phone and wouldn't let her take the phone from me. I'm talkin' hitting and kicking me during diaper change to the point that I have to put her in her crib mid-change because she just kicked me in the jaw and I have to recover from the pain before I can continue the diaper change. I'm talkin' screaming for 30 minutes straight (red-faced, 'I'm being tortured to death' kind of screaming) because - well, we never found out what triggered that temper tantrum. I'm talkin' tantrums that both grandparents have witnessed and said things like, "Bless your heart for having to deal with that" and "She is high-maintenance, that's for sure."

I know that temper tantrums are normal. I know that every parent goes through this. I know that this is my first child and I might very well look back on this and say, "Man, that was easy." But right now I don't feel that way. Right now I feel frustrated, exhausted and scared that I'm doing it all wrong.

Update: Today I went to the library to check out some books on temper tantrums but I couldn't because Madelyn had a temper tantrum in the library and I had to leave before I began. So I came home and bought $35 worth of used books about toddlers and discipline and temper tantrums and stay-at-home moms on Amazon. (I'm all about the run-on sentences today.)

Baby Mozart

New Blog

I have a new blog! Check it out: http://tonyasblinkingcursor.blogspot.com

My new blog will be about me becoming a writer. I have been wishy-washy about becoming a writer. I have had this idea for a book for about 5 years now. I have an outline and character lists, and even a few pages written. But I have been making excuses about why I haven't finished it. I don't have time. I don't have the talent. It will never get published so why bother. I am tired of making excuses. I just want to do it! So I am trying to become serious about writing. I am going to start working on my book every day. But I need another way to exercise my writing muscles. I also need to get over my fear of people reading and critiquing what I write. This is where the blog comes in. I will try to post in it every day, if possible. What am I going to write about? Not sure. But one thing is for sure. I am going to write!