Back to work

It's official. I AM BACK TO WORK! It has been a little crazy I will have to say. Trying to get myself ready, Keldon ready and then go out of my way to take him wherever he needs to go so someone can watch him is a chore in itself. Then to have to muster enough energy to give a few decent massages is a almost more than I can handle. I am starting to realize that I was a bit of a super woman before I had him and now I will have to settle with being an average woman. Not to say average is bad just that I can't expect to be super woman anymore, although I do have to admit that I am trying. We went to a Mexican fiesta the other night that our friend had at his house and we took Keldon with us. We were outside the whole time and he just hung out with us until about midnight and the night before we had movie night with our friends until 1:00am. When we got home I woke him up and fed him and then he slept all night long. Chris and I have always been night owls so it probably isn't that big of a surprise. I will have to tame it down a little though now that I am back to work. I have to conserve every little bit of strength that I have or else when I get home I feel like I got hit with a mack truck. I am trying to work a couple of hours at night. I am going to start out slow for the summer. Chris can be home by 4 some days so I am doing a 5pm and a 6:30 Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and then a couple in the mornings on Wednesday and Friday when I have someone to watch Keldon. I have a couple more girls in my office renting and sharing space...4 girls, 2 rooms which has been interesting to say the least. I am hoping to work on building the business more and focus on marketing and introducing some more retail products to increase cash flow. As much as I love insurance, it would sure be nice to have more clients willing to just pay cash.
My new goal this month is to save more money than I did last month. With the state helping out with Keldon's insurance, formula and a small amount of groceries, I figure I am saving about 300 a month. I am clipping coupons for the regular things we buy and I am committing to buy only what we need at the store instead or what sounds good or the occasional treat that I shouldn't be eating post baby body anyway. Working out is another goal I would like to get to but then reality hits and with an average of 4 hours of sleep and two month old, doing massages and trying to run a business it doesn't seem like a priority right now. I will just wear the one pair of jeans that I can fit into until all the threads break down and I am forced to lose 2 more sizes and get back into the old ones. You laugh but it is so true. Turbo Jam... I haven't forgotten you, we will bond one day.....SOON!

Day Five: Love is not rude

Nothing irritates others as quickly as being rude. Rudeness is unnecessarily saying or doing things that are unpleasant for another person to be around. To be rude it to act unbecoming, embarrassing, or irritating. In marriage, this could be a foul mouth, poor table manners or a habit of making sarcastic quips. However you look at it, no one enjoys being around a rude person. Rude behavior may seem insignificant to the person doing tit, but it's unpleasant to those on the receiving end.
Do you wish your spouse would quit doing the things that bother you? Then it's time to stop doing the things that bother them. Will you be thoughtful and loving enough to discover and avoid the behavior that causes life to be unpleasant for your mate? Will you dare to be delightful?
1. Guard the Golden Rule. Treat your mate the same way you want to be treated.
2. No double standards. Be as considerate to your spouse as you are to strangers and coworkers.
3 Honor requests. Consider that your husband or wife already asked you to do or not to do. If in doubt, then ask.

Today's Dare: ASK YOUR SPOUSE TO TELL YOU THREE THINGS THAT CAUSE HIM OR HER TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE OR IRRITATED WITH YOU. YOU MUST DO SO WITHOUT ATTACKING OR JUSTIFYING YOUR BEHAVIOR. THIS IS FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE ONLY.

What things did your spouse point out about you that need your attention? How did you handle hearing it? What do you plan to do to improve these areas?

Shootin 22's

Chris and I have been working on "Dating," again. This month seems to be outdoor themed. My date (a couple weeks ago) was going to the batting cages and out to Red Lobster for dinner. Chris was really surprised. He kind of laughed and then told me it was a cool idea. We had fun and we were both a little sore the next day actually. Chris has never been to Red Lobster before. He ordered the big plate and was excited for the fancy lobster tail. He didn't know how to eat it but he managed. His mom stayed at the house and watched Keldon for us. Soooo nice to get out.
Last Saturday we went out to Finley and left Keldon at my dads house while we took off to Hover for some 22 shootin. I was sort of nervous but liked it. I felt bad because Chris went to all the work to get stuff ready and I think he was excited but I was kind of a bum. I had a super bad headache and trying to focus with the scope made my brain hurt. We brought our binoculars and watched each other try and hit different targets. It would probably have helped if our guns were sited in. I am itching for a 22 pistol now.

Bye Bye Breastfeeding....Hello Bottle

I have officially given up breastfeeding. Keldon was eating anywhere from and hour to two hours and still needing topped off. At first he we were doing good and then after a growth spurt I think my body never caught up. I was getting frustrated because I wasn't getting any sleep, and when I had to give him a bottle my milk supply was getting messed up and in the mean time everything was stressing me out. I have always been the kind of person that would "definitely breastfeed no matter what." Well, I told myself each week to try and make it another week and my goal was to make it at least 6 weeks. It has been nice to have more freedom and he is definitely happier.I can leave him with someone and actually feel relaxed that I don't need to run to him every time my milk lets down. It is bitter sweet though, the whole trading breastfeeding for bottle. I miss it actually. I love having him snuggled up close to me and looking at him. Now that we are giving him a bottle and he still takes an hour to an hour and half to eat, I can't believe I made it as far as I did. He seems to have his dad's temperament, easy going and in no rush at all. While it is an admirable quality..... it's quite annoying to a new mommy trying to learn and master the art of Patience and breastfeeding at 3 a.m. Keldon weighed 10 lbs 14 oz this week and is getting so big. Everybody tells you they grow fast and you know it is true but it doesn't really hit you until you go from newborn diapers to size 1 or when his newborn clothes only fit him if you stretch the necks out and pull them up over their shoulders to fit. Another good sign that they are growing is when your arm goes asleep feeding them. He is so stinkin cute. He is starting to smile and and has a little laugh I have heard a few times. I have been at my sister's house a few times in the past couple weeks and it is so fun to see her kids interact with the baby. They call him BABY KELDON and eagerly wash their hands so they can be next to hold him. A while back, the kids were all examining baby's hands and feet and commenting on all his little fingernails and so on. The oldest girl Whitney said, " Mom.... how come Keldon's toes are all mixed up?" We cracked up over that. His left foot has a couple funny toes. One overlaps the other and is kind of crooked looking. Chris keeps freaking out that they are going to stay that way and has made a couple suggestions of correcting them, all in which I am totally opposed to. They are just fine the way they are, mixed up or not!! Here are some of the latest pictures. Be sure to check out the toes and don't mind the flaky feet. Keldon always falls asleep in the car and always has his feet stuck out at the end of his car seat.

Day Four: Love is Thoughtful

Love thinks. It's not a mindless feeling that rides on waves of emotion and falls asleep mentally. It keeps busy in thought, knowing that loving thoughts precede loving actions.

TODAYS DARE: CONTACT YOUR SPOUSE SOMETIME DURING THE BUSINESS OF THE DAY. HAVE NO AGENDA OTHER THAN ASKING HOW HE OR SHE IS DOING AND IF THERE IS ANYTHING YOU COULD DO FOR THEM.

What did you learn about yourself or your spouse by doing this today? How could this become a more natural, routine, and genuinely helpful part of your lifestyle?

Love is not Selfish

Day 3

Be Devoted to each other in love; giver preference to one another in honor. --Romans 12:10
Todays Dare: Whatever you put your time , energy, and money into will become important to you. It's hard to care for something you are not investing in. Along with restraining from negative comments, buy your spouse something today that says, "I was thinking of you today."
What did you choose to give your spouse? What happend when you gave it?

Day Two: Love is Kind

Kindness is love in action. If patience is how love reacts in order to minimize a negative circumstance, kindness is how lover acts to maximize a positive circumstance. Patience avoids a problem; kindness creates a blessing. One is preventive, the other provocative. These tow sides of love are the cornerstones on which many of the other attributes we will discuss are built. Love makes you kind. And kindness makes you likable. When you're kind, people want to be around you. They see you as being good to them and good for them. Four ingredients to kindness: Gentleness, Helpfulness, Willingness, and Initiative.

Today's Dare: IN ADDITION TO SAYING NOTHING NEGATIVE TO YOUR SPOUSE AGAIN TODAY, DO AT LEAST ONE UNEXPECTED GESTURE AS AN ACT OF KINDNESS.

What discoveries about love did you make today? What specifically did you do in this dare? How did you show kindness?