Time for a Post

Sorry, I've been less motivated to get a post down. Lately I've been feeling a little lacking in my posts. They're always about Scarlet or me being a mother and I feel like a broken record. But since that is about 90% of my life, that's probably gonna still be 90% of my posts. I feel like I used to be such a witty blogger and I've lost my interesting touch. Oh well.

Life has been really good. Sometimes I feel bad saying that and in a way I'm not USED to saying that. Like, when I say it, I feel like people must think I'm lying- 'cause who's happy, right? But we really are. Things are just really good, and they have been for awhile. Things sucked for so long (unemployment, new baby, breast feeding problems, Greg hating his job), then when things got better, it was like I was still recovering from everything that was horrible, even though it was over- it was like I wasn't over it. And now things have just been good for a long time, now. Scarlet is almost a YEAR!!!! Oh my gosh. I love it and HATE it, all at the same time. I want her to stay a baby. I love every moment that she does something new and "gets bigger" but at the same time I'm like, "NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Stay my perfect, sweet, wonderful baby forever!" I've been really trying to take advantage of all her cuddling. She goes through waves where she wants to cuddle A LOT in one day, and then not at all the rest of the week. So when she does, I just do it with her because I don't know how much more of it I'll get to soak in. I just love her. I really do. It's crazy. Ick, there is this fly just flying around the house. I seem to be seeing it everywhere and it's grossing me out. Yuck. Why must we have bugs? Anyway, back to the perfectness that is Scarlet.

Chris and Laurel got this for Scarlet. Isn't it sweet?

I bought a kiddie pool and was so excited to use it and we've used it . . . twice.

This is her licking the water from herself. She kept bending down to drink the water too, but she'd dunk her whole face in every time.

I just remember thinking her hair looked really funny like this. We left it like this for so long I eventually took a picture.

Greg bought a hammock.

This is at our neighborhood's little playground.

Greg would sleep in a hammock every night, if he could. Or so he says . . .

The only real event of the summer . . .

TEETH!!!! She got one about a month ago and the other a week later. She was so good. She was just a little cranky, I didn't even realize she was teething until out one popped. I felt really bad, because I didn't think she WAS teething. I thought she was just being cranky for no reason so I kind of had this, "I'm not going to deal with you" kind of attitude. Then I realized (possibly days later) that she had a tooth! And I felt really bad. It seems this happens here and there. Where I think she's lost her perfection and I need to let her cry it out or she's just throwing a fit and then it turns out she has a fever or is teething or constipated or SOMETHING. This girl just doesn't cry if something isn't wrong. I'm going to remember this here on out. But unfortunately, I've said that before.

Greg and I just went down to Eugene to pick up a BOB stroller. We found one on craigslist for less than half the original price and so we jumped on it. We feel soooooo blessed to have gotten it. We were just about to pay full price for one and Greg hopped online and found this. We LOVE IT!!! Oh my gosh. This stroller is amazing! It just glides, as if you're strolling through clouds. I'm not kidding. It literally pulls itself. It's amazing, that's all I can say. The moment I pushed it I freaked out and said, "Oh my gosh! We're getting a double one of these. For sure!" You know, when the need for a double stroller arrives. We stayed at Chris and Laurel's in Eugene. It was good to see them, but they Laurel had to work and Chris had school, so we didn't see them a TON. We went out to PF Changs and I like that place! It's a little swanky! I don't know if that's the word, but I felt like I was in New York or something in there. It just felt "cool". Scarlet was sort of not in a good mood, since she was supposed to be in bed, so that was a little frustrating at times, but other than that it was fun! Oh man, we thought we'd be fine with me on a camping mat and Greg on the floor. We hardly slept and Greg said he felt like he was beat up. Second night, we moved to the couch, but it still wasn't a bed. We're getting old. I don't like it. Why do things hurt when you get old? WE'RE NOT EVEN OLD!!! I'm 29! But it is NOT the same as a teen. Not at all. I keep thinking I'm 28. I was so stressed out when I turned 29, I barely realized it happened. I used to be so obsessed with my age. I never felt "caught up". Last one to get married, last to have kids. But this year, I don't feel that way anymore. I know I shouldn't have felt that way, but I did.

Don't you just HATE thinking you're pregnant? And then you get a negative test and even your period but you're still a freak and every moment you're unusually tired or SOMETHING you think, " Am I pregnant?" I hate this. I know I'm not the only freak out there that experiences this. Maybe I am. But I don't think so.

I am so tired. There's just not that much to blog about. Life is just the same. Work is good for Greg. We ARE getting a bit tired of the schedule, but other than that it's good. Greg and I made a goal to go to the temple once a month. Last month was the first time we went to an endowment session in around a year. We haven't been since Scarlet was born. WAY TOO LONG. Especially when the temple is 4 minutes away. Pretty shameful. Anyway. I got a nice wake up call when "donating your time and talents" came up. Oh man. I've been such a whiner about my calling. I need to get over it. I have a talent, I need to be willing to serve. What is more important- MY OWN desire to sing, or the desire for the ENTIRE WARD to sing as a congregation. Yeah, that's not a difficult one. Anyway, I'm glad we're going again. We used to be so good about it!

This month I've made a MAJOR change. I've stopped being a freak about the house. I let it get messy now. I'm trying to be more in the moment and playing with Scarlet when it's right. She doesn't always WANT to play with me, sometimes she's into her toys. But sometimes she IS and ONLY wants to play with me and what a waste to spend that time doing the dishes. So I'm trying to basically not ignore her unless I need to make dinner or have an appointment. And so far it's going well. It always balances out. I feel like a much better Mom, I don't feel like I'm missing out on her life and yet the house is clean enough. I would always like it to be spic and span, but it's not worth it. I became obsessive. I'm also trying to be more in the moment with Greg. I'm a planner and when he suddenly wants to go somewhere, I can very quickly say, "Scarlet needs a nap in an hour. I need to get groceries. No it's just not going to work." But that leads to a very dull day/week. So unless it really IS a problem, I've been trying to just go with it, and THAT has been a lot better too.

My house is BASICALLY decorated. The last concern is the bedroom, which I'm almost done with. I've hung a lot of stuff myself, which makes me feel good. I don't LOVE drilling into the wall, it's hard for me to get everything straight. But it's working out. I've realized things get done faster if I just go ahead and do it. Decorating was another thing I was overly concerned with. I just really wanted the house to be US. I didn't want blank walls around me all day. And now I don't have to stress out about it anymore. That is nice. It seems like such a superficial thing, but I don't know. It's our home. I wanted it to be a bright and beautiful place to live!

I started Grey's Anatomy and am watching it from the very beginning. I love that show. It's so good. But so bad. They're hour long episodes! I waste so much time watching tv!!!! Before this I was hooked on Scrubs. I wish I had the brains to just throw my tv out. I'm truly hooked.

Well, I think that's all my updates. I am exhausted.