When?

When did she become such a big girl? I swear it happened out of the blue. And recently, too. I don't remember her saying so much so clearly...or looking so wise. Not truly a Peanut anymore. Perhaps more a widening and heightening bean stalk? I don't know, but I do know that she isn't a baby. And, she isn't even "little". Regardless, she becomes more entertaining, silly, and perfect every day. I still don't want more children, and I also do not want to freeze us into this instant. I am, however, surprised at how much changes in such short spurts of passing time.

Life is (as ever) never dull, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I wouldn't have her any other way.

Better late than never???

Vacation has come and gone. It was beautiful while it lasted. What am I saying? It was BEYOND beautiful. It was awesummerific! (new word, soon to be picked up by Webster, I'm certain). Sometimes coming home from vacation and getting back "into it" can be difficult. Oddly enough, though, we were home on a Friday night and totally unpacked before even going to bed that same night. So, I guess that part wasn't hard. The laundry was done over the course of the next two days, and the lawn work was put to rest, too. I was back at my fitness routine (although, I never really took off during vacation, as I logged 10 miles of running while away). Finnley and I even managed to get out and do our usual fun friend-outings and classes. Ok, so maybe it wasn't so difficult afterall! The only thing I have been slacking at is the blog. Bad me!! Bad me!!! I think I have just been so busy during Finn's nap time that I don't commit to the updates. And, when bed time rolls around for her, I really just want to decompress. Typing, thinking, prosing, musing, editing...whatever it is that I do...does not really fall into the decompression category.

And, for all of those reasons (and the fact that I possibly suck just a little), I didn't post a "Happy Father's Day" post to my husband. I should say that I didn't publish that post in a timely manner. Because? Because HERE I AM NOW doing just that. Better late than never, right? RIGHT (so says me) !



Without a husband committed to me and to the rigorous and emotionally-draining trials and tribulations of becoming a parent, there would be no Finnley. And, without Finnley we wouldn't be celebrating these hauntingly simple yet incredibly special holidays during the overly-filled up Hallmark-calendar year. So, thank you to my husband for sticking by me during a very difficult journey to parenthood. Thank you for wanting to be a daddy as much as I wanted to be a mommy. Thank you for seeing the humor in our painful journey, as levity is the only medicine that works sometimes. Thank you for appreciating what a gift we were given even on the hardest of days. I am a lucky wife to have you as a husband. Finnley is a lucky girl to have you as a dad. Batman even thinks you are the cat's meow dog's bark. Our little family is perfect in all of its imperfections, and I am grateful for that notion every day. I hope you know how much you are loved and appreciated. You put yourself out there in your workouts, your work, your everyday character, your life in general...all with the thought of your family front and center in your mind. Just know that this is never lost on me...on us. So, on this (belated) Father's Day...happy day to you!



Now that I am sort of caught up with laundry, house-cleaning, workouts, being a mom, diaper-changing...you name it...I hope to be "around" a bit more. Most of you who continue to read this blog know that I am never gone for long, so thanks for sticking around and following our "whatever it is" life. As an added bonus for your patience in waiting for a new post, I have updated the sidebar to include a slideshow of our Outer Banks vacation pictures. Enjoy, and you are welcome!

Come again soon...I am sure I will have something of little to great importance to say!

Good thing that I am the one doing the packing...

We are headed out to the Outer Banks (OBX), North Carolina. A family vacation to the truest extent. We will be hosting my parents, sister, brother-in-law, two nephews, one of my best friends, her husband, and their son. For one whole week. Phew! We cannot wait. Finnley cannot wait! (well, she doesn't really know she is going or what it all means, but if she did know...she would be beyond excited! TRUST ME!)

I spent the whole day running around, doing laundry, packing, packing some more, getting sprayed tan (seriously, it is necessary as the whitest woman on the planet), organizing other stuff, then packing that other stuff, then packing a few more stuffs. You get the idea. Who hasn't done it? Adding a kiddo to the mix certainly complicates the whole process, but in the end it is obviously all worth it.

The one thing I am still thankful for at this point, though? That "said kiddo" cannot pack for herself. If it was up to her, she would be wearing clunky pink rain boots with skirts on a 90 degree humid hell-oven of a day. You know, just like she did today.

For the record, I am leaving the rain boots at home. Shhhhhh....don't tell Finnley!

See you all when we return!

The end of the world.

Seemingly, anyway.

To Finnley, skinned knees just might be enough to bring about the apocalypse. In any event, they certainly did bring about lots of tears, some exaggerated puffy-cheeked huffing, and a definite need for numerous "huggles".

I hate to see what a "real" injury might do to her. Or to me, as a witness to the spectacle. Let's hope it never happens, and we never have to find out. I like utopia. Yes, utopia will suit us just fine, thank you.

Since that might not be an entirely realistic possibility, though, I will make sure to go into this summer armed with lots of pink frilly band-aids and loads of healing mommy kisses. That just might get us by!