Jumping Jacks.

I miss my blog.

I miss writing about anything.

And also writing about nothing.

And when it came to writing, I was in a groove there for a minute.

But now I'm in a rut.

Kinda like working out, you know?

You're just killing it for a while, got your exercise schedule down pat, endorphins flowing.

Then something happens and you miss a day.

And then another.

And then another.

And then you eat a brownie or three.

Endorphins are gone.

So is your motivation.

And you say screw it.

I'm so far out of my groove I don't even know where to start.

And I don't know where my sports bra is.

And there's no clean socks.

And all my workout pants are in the laundry.

And it is a little too hot out today.

And the iPod headphones are MIA.

And the list just goes on and on and on until you really start running out of 'reasonable' excuses and start saying things like

"I've gone up and down the stairs more than usual today, so that totally counts as exercise".

And you realize you are being a ridiculous freak and that all you really have to do is get off your butt and just run or something.

Anything.

Hell, do a couple jumping jacks in the kitchen to get the blood pumping again.

Well, that's how I feel.

I've been through a whole list of excuses of why I haven't been 'able' to blog.

(Which is total crap because I have been perfectly able. I just haven't. For no reason.)

First it was that I had a lot of pictures to upload.

(what that has to do with writing I don't know, but pictures are fun to look at)

Then I couldn't find my little USB cord thingy.

Then I didn't have anything to say.

(Lie.)

Then too much time had passed and I didn't know where to start...

4th of July? Mini family vacation? Visit to the Splash Pad? Sewing Projects? Home improvements?

(Like it matters.)

Then I found the USB cord but had a 489 pictures to sift through and edit.

Then I had to have a clean house.

Then I had to blah, blah, BLAH...

So, consider this post my literary attempt at jumping jacks.

There.

I did it.

My foot is back in the door.

And I no longer have any excuses to keep me from writing.

And here's a picture of cute little Ellie toes because,

even though it has nothing to do with this post,

pictures really are fun to look at,

especially when the subject of said picture are the toes of an infant.

Enjoy.

Back into it.

We're finally back into our groove.

Well, at least I am, anyway.

I was feeling pretty topsy-turvy there for a bit.

Not really comfortably seated in my new-but-still-my-old life.

It wasn't sad. Or bad.

But it just wasn't working for me.

I didn't really fit the right way.

For the past two weeks I've been trying to find my comfy little spot that means I'm good.

And I think I finally found it again.

Let's see...

This morning I found about $60 worth of beauty products in the toilet.

We're going on Day 10 of no (good) food in the house.

I ran out of Gain the exact moment I felt gutsy enough to tackle the laundry.

And yesterday, I got my first taste of projectile spit-up.

Well, I guess it would be my second first taste.

Thank you, Ellie.

And I don't mean literal first taste, because that would be gross.

But I'm sure it's bound to happen at some point.

Let's be real.

And, strangely, those events make me very, very happy.

(Well, except for the food thing. I like options...)

Yes. That's right.

Why?

Because, according to me, that means we're back to real life.

We've got an extra little puddle of baby to love on everyday now,

but life as we know it has resumed.

Willow was a serious booger for a good chunk of those last two weeks.

Like, to the point where I wanted to crawl under the table and just tell her to

leave. me. alone.

And cry.

Bad attitude, misbehaving, massive fits, driving my insane...

Yeah, serious boogerishness.

Willow taking a much-needed nap at the hospital. Being a big sister is hard work!

But now?

Now we're back to her fiesty-but-likeable attitude,

her funny little mischief that makes me laugh,

(but where she can't see me, of course)

her little spats that end with either a hug or big fat smooch on the lips,

and

she has made me fall in love with her all over again.

I'm glad to have her back.

I was starting to worry.

All the hospital craziness is over with.

We got to bring Ellie home.

We've accomplished the New Baby doctor appointments.

We remembered how to change diapers and work as a team.

Ok, pretend Willow is smiling and that the quality of the picture is a thousand times better...

The idea of our little family of four has turned into reality

and

I think we're rockin' it.

Wanna hear something super cute about the blanket Ellie's got?

Willow made it.

She sure did.

I had a small stack of little squares that I couldn't do much with,

so I asked Willow if she wanted to make a present for her little sister.

I gave her the stack of fabric

and told her to make a square without having any matching ones touching each other.

I sewed it all together, quilted, and bound it while she was taking a nap (it's very small)...

And there you go.

Awesome blanket for Ellie.

Willow is super-duper proud of it.

And I discovered that a stack of fabric squares keeps Willow busy for about an hour.

Everybody wins!!