Ten Things...

Ten random thoughts on this day in March...

1. Today is Brooke’s birthday. Today is Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Beau read One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish to Cruz this morning before school. I wanted to make cupcakes and celebrate the Zooks and Wumps and Sam-I-Ams in true birthday style, but realized my time was better spent reading and cuddling with my little bookworm.  Cruz loves his Dr. Seuss and I look forward to introducing him to Horton, the Lorax, and that mean-old-Grinch when he gets a little older.

2. If there’s a mental picture I could freeze in my mind forever, it would be yesterday. A picture of my son, sitting up big and tall, strapped in a four-person plastic stroller, going for a walk at ‘school.’ He was much smaller than the other three riders, but that didn't seem to phase him.  He looked SO FUNNY strapped in that little seat, and best of all, he flashed me the most adorable smile when he spotted me.  It was his first, "Mom, look at me!" smile, and I melted onto the floor in a puddle of love.  A-DOR-A-BLE.

3.  Bless you, NU Panthers.  For the fourth year in a row, the boys basketball team has made it to the Iowa State Tournament, meaning that our Spring Break starts a little early and our 'school days' consist of a trip to Des Moines to cheer on our boys, followed by a yummy lunch with fellow teacher friends.  The energy around school is pretty high right now, and the 'Dog Pound' is getting pretty comfy in those front seats at the Des Moines Event Center. 

4. This morning, Cruz decided to serenade me on my way to work.  He's usually incredibly quiet in the car; however, this morning, I was fortunate enough to listen to him sing/talk/growl the entire way to work.  And trust me, that sound is better than any Cee Lo song on the planet.

5.  Last night, I 'forgot' to bring my school bag home.  And Cruz and I?  We played.  We cuddled.  We talked, and giggled, and sat face to face during tummy time.  Some nights, I want to be Superwoman; some nights, I just want to be 'Mom.'

6. Today is day TWO of my water binge.  I upped the ante, however, and am committing to drink 64 oz. of water a day.  That's eight, eight-ounce glasses of water, the recommended amount for us according to Mayo Clinic.  It may sound easy for some, but for me, it's going to be a challenge.  I'd much rather down a Diet Mountain Dew than a glass of H2O, and usually only crave a glass of ice water after a great run or a hot day outside (to which none are going to occur in what looks like the near future).  Fortunately for me, I've been battling a sore throat and frequent 'tickle' in my throat, so water has not been far from my reach this week.  

7. My 10th graders would be the first to admit they can be quite the unruly bunch.  So this afternoon, after giving them a day away from class to help the kindergarten class roller skate in the gym, I was shocked and humbled to see them in this environment.  Watching them help lace skates, secure helmets, and get started on their feet was amazing.  I didn't know what was cuter...the kindergartner or the helpful 10th grader.  I was proud of them and kicked myself for not having my camera.  I could have watched them shine in this light all day long.

8.  Shamrock Shakes have arrived at McDonalds.  I rewarded myself with one today after finishing my 64 oz. of water.  Just when I thought the Shamrock Shakes couldn't get any better, the McCafe did it.  Now, in a clear plastic frappuccino cup, with more than a dollop of whipped cream and a perfect maraschino cherry on top.  It was pretty, refreshing, and kind of made me feel like I was drinking a frozen grasshopper at work.  

9.  I am longing for Spring more than I ever have.  I am suffocating and need fresh air, a clean car, and walks outside.  And more than ever, I need a shopping trip.  I need Express and American Eagle, Gap and Ann Taylor.  I need to forget about Baby Gap and Focus on Big Gap. 

10.  This weekend, I'm going to begin my new culinary endeavor of making my own baby food.  I'm ready for my baby to try some carrots and parsnips, apples and pears.  After all, we all need a little color in our lives...

Dearest Express...

“I will never be the mom who stops shopping for herself after she has kids.”

This was a line I often used on my own mom as we shopped together, pre-pregnancy. As I spoke these words through the walls of the dressing room at Express, I never dreamed I would think differently. Shopping has been a hobby (some would say an obsession) of mine since junior high. I love clothes. I watch TV to analyze the latest trends and wardrobe decisions of the rich and famous. I shop to relieve stress, to reward myself, and to counteract boredom. I spend weeks looking forward to a shopping adventure at Jordan Creek and have now embraced the beauty of the online shopping world.

 Express has always been my shopping haven (heaven?). I usually have a difficult time finding things I don’t like, which makes shopping there a blessing (in my eyes), and an absolute curse (in my husband’s). Whether I’m looking for something new to wear to work, to a wedding, or to lounge around the house, it’s almost a sure fire bet that I can hit the jackpot at Express.

I hadn’t really stopped to think about how much I’ve changed since becoming pregnant, well, besides the bodily changes of weight gain, swollen feet, and the never-ending back ache. Yesterday, however, I had a reality check. On my way out the door yesterday morning, I grabbed a couple of bills and noticed an Express coupon that was sent to me for my birthday. Although my birthday was just a few weeks ago, I remember receiving the $20 gift card mid-summer. A year ago, a coupon of this nature would have lasted approximately a week before it started burning a hole in my purse pocket. Receiving a coupon to Express was like Christmas to me, a chance to justify my reason to hit the mall.
 
This morning, however, I grabbed the card noticing it expired August 31, aka, today. I absolutely couldn’t stand the thought of it going to waste, although I didn’t know if I would have the time or the energy to head to the mall after a full day of school in an excessively hot building.

After school, I had to literally force myself to pull in the mall parking lot as I drove by on my way home. I picked up a hair product I was almost out of, a birthday card, and some new, more maternity-esque underwear. As I walked by my once favorite store front, I again, forced myself to go in. I felt like I had walked into a foreign country. I didn’t know the store staff (shudder), the styles had changed (shudder), and nothing looked close to fitting my belly. I instantly felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, only instead of the knee-high black pleather boots, my swollen feet bulged from my $10 Target flats. I felt completely out of place.

I quickly found a cardigan on sale that I could wear now and after Baby J arrives. I brought it to the register and thumbed through my purse to retrieve my debit card. Before I knew it, the contents of my billfold spilled out across the desk, revealing my Babies R’ Us Rewards Card, a Baby Gap coupon, and a coupon for a complimentary sample of Enfamil Baby Formula.

This is when it dawned on me. I have officially entered a new world. One where women no longer enjoy trying clothes on in a dressing room, spending hours picking out the perfect outfit, or wasting hours in a clothing store. I have traded in my stilettos for a comfortable pair of flats. I have officially entered motherhood.

When I trade in the flats for a pair of lime green crocs…well then I’m really in trouble.

After my experience at Express, I happily browsed the sale racks in the baby section of Von Maur.

I think a relocation is in my cards.

A Twenty-Something Momma...

Last Friday, Friday the 13th to be exact, I turned 26. 

No longer closer to twenty than thirty...

No longer under a quarter of a century...

No longer a UNI student, an Express fiend, or a Diet Mountain Dew addict. 

No... at 26 years old, I go by a few new labels...

I am now a 26 year old mom-to-be, with a little baby boy that rumbles, tumbles, and rolls in my tummy constantly throughout the day, making sure he already stays the center of my mind, my attention, and my focus (especially during back-to-school professional development days).

I am a 26 year old mom-to-be who prefers celebrating with a quiet walk in a pretty park over a crazy night out on the town.  

I am a 26 year old mom-to-be who considers the perfect birthday party one that involves an ice cream cake, corn on the cob, and families gathered around a finished baby crib (it is done!  pictures to come...) 

I am a 26 year old mom-to-be, content with all-you-can-eat crab legs and a big glass of root beer over a girl scout martini or shot of 'birthday cake.'  

I am a 26 year old mom-to-be who actually considered purchasing a nursing bra with my birthday money...

Yes, times they are a changing...

Even though I think I've cried on every birthday since turning 16, I still love them.  I have no idea why tears are shed, but sometimes growing up does make me a little sad.  It's like every year that passes, I feel myself getting farther and farther from the innocence of childhood.  A time when life is simple and quiet, and birthdays mark a little extra magic in an already fairytale existence.  

This year...I feel a little closer to childhood.  

Six weeks closer.