Bed, sweet bed

  I have a new appreciation for the little slice of pillow top heaven also known as my bed. 10 nights of shacking up in your Mother-in-law's boudoir will do that to a girl.  Yes, my MIL insisted that we sleep in her air conditioned room while she spent her nights in Paul's bedroom.  In a twin bed.  With no air conditioning.  During a heatwave.  So as happy as I was to get back to my bed, I'm pretty sure my MIL was even happier. 

My bed is seriously effing up my program, however.  I have 2 loads of laundry to fold, a shower to take, dishes to put away, and ice cream in the freezer that NEEDS me to eat it,  but I just. can't move. 

This hotbox on my lap is not helping matters.  Note overflowing laundry basket in background.

Well now there's really no hope of me leaving my bed...I just realized that NY Med premiers in T minus 2 minutes.  That's right, my reality TV addiction does not discriminate, people. I watch it all- the trashy and  the informative.  The smarts I get from this show will certianly cancel out the brain cells I'll lose as my devotional to Big Brother begins on Thursday.  Holler!

So, needless to say,  my serious intentions of uploading my pics and posting about our Jersey trip are on hold.  At least until my bed is ready to release me from its death grip #dontholdyourbreath. 

Home

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We got back from our NJ trip yesterday.  Felt good to be home-home.  Family.  Hugs.  Nights out with friends.  Mani/Pedi. Pork Roll, Egg & Cheese sammies.  Dunkin iced coffees every. single. day.  Peeing in private.  Visiting the cemetery. Home cooked meals.  Driving without GPS.  Real pizza {it's called pizza PIE for a reason, people! Ohio pizza is cut in squares. What the eff is up with that?!} Bachelorette with my bestie.  Play dates.  I could go on and on.  You get the picture, yes? All of this goodness and then some.  Filled me up.  To the brim. 

But, BUT, it kinda-sorta felt really good to pull into our driveway in our new home.  Our Ohio home.  Maybe this place is growing on me.  Just a smidgen.

Pics and trip low-down to come....For now, I'm off to continue my Bachelorette text fest with the bestie.

Lunch Date

This doll face was my lunch date today. 

I had some running around to do and figured since it was so beautiful out, I'd hit up Easton, which is this fabulous little outside mall here in Columbus.  I got caught up at one store and didn't realize how late it had gotten.  It was lunch time. 

Elena likes to smack her mouth together to let me know she's hungry. Sort of like a cow chewing cud.  #girlfriendputstheassinclass

I knew she'd never make it the 20 minute drive home and I was starving, too.  So I decided on a little impromptu lunch date. Now what happens next might not seem like any big thang, but if you have ever shared a meal with a toddler in a restaurant, you can appreciate.  I shall also throw in that I have NEVER in 34 years on this planet gone to a restaurant alone to eat {by alone, I mean without another individual that could order for themselves}.  I have also never taken Elena to a restaurant solo.  I was skeered. 

Cheesecake Factory was nearby and I figured a loud, crowded place was a good choice.  I'm lying.  I really wanted the BLT salad.  It wasn't packed so luckily we were seated right away.  I had some snacks on hand for Elena so she was a happy camper once I got her settled in the high chair with some grub. 

I'm forgetting to add that I am a total social-phobe and would never do anything like this normally.  I have found myself really stepping out of my comfort zone with this move.  I also think that now that I'm responsible for someone else, I'm making a conscious effort to lessen my crazy so it doesn't rub off on Elena. 

Surprisingly, my little love even let me eat.  She was too preoccupied with her own lunch and waving bye bye to every person that walked past.  Until I got my cheesecake.  She was totally eyeballing it.  Just look at her.

Then raspberries started going overboard. Check, please!  Had the rest of my lunch boxed and took my cheesecake to go.  It made for a lovely dinner dessert.  All in all, it was a lot easier than I thought.  Certainly a lot easier than trying to pee with a baby in a public restroom when you don't have an extra set of hands or a stroller.  #poppingasquatwithakidonmylap

When in Rome, right?

Oh, Monday.

Mondays are not my best day.  I am coming down off of the high from my drug of choice.  Also known as- The Weekend.

Today was just one of those Mondays.  I couldn't get my shit together.  My patience ran thin.  I was not productive or effective even in the few things I did accomplish.  Mom fails left, right, and center. 

Paul leaving for Cleveland did not help my Monday. Or the fact that Elena smells my weakness  in his absence and feeds off of it. I have underestimated her craft at this.  She absolutely knows when he is gone. Paul must think I'm crazy b/c I'm always telling him all the things she does when he is not here that she NEVER does when he's here.  It's a good thing she's so effing cute. 

Laughing at me while throwing her lunch on the floor. 

With 30 minutes to spare on this Monday, I'm feeling a little silly and petty for being so dramatic about what a bad day I was having. It wasn't really a bad day.  It was a Monday.  You know what I'm saying, right?  We're all allowed our Mondays.

In keeping with the theme of Monday, I decided not do any of the things I should have been doing like catching up on Words with Friends getting ready for our trip back home or cleaning.  Instead, I spent the night detoxing with my good friends, Joseph (see his handsome self below) and Emily and her bachelors. I'm fine with that.  And ready for Tuesday. 

Weekend Review

I've been living for the weekends lately.  The pool is pretty much the only thing on our agenda.  The weather has been great.  Hot, yes, but that's how I like it.  It's also so nice having Paul home...another adult to interact with aside from the Target return lady, who, by the way, knows Elena by name.  True life. 

So, yeah, we spent some time at the bar pool Saturday and Sunday.  Have we discussed the fact that my gym/pool serves alcohol?  An added bonus is the fact that everyone else seems to be a-okay with drinking at noon with a kid on your hip, so I don't feel like such a lush.  We're talking moms with cozies. For real.

Mama's gonna need one of these.

  

Elena loves the water.  She also loves to hoard all the other kids' toys in the baby pool.  #notmakinganymomfriends. Did I hashtag correctly? I'm so lame, I know.  I discussed in a previous post how I just recently learned what a hashtag was.  And that I liked to say the word hashtag.  Maybe it's the teacher in me, but I like to put new things I learn to use, hence my attempt at hashtagging.  {Can hashtag be a verb?}

Lunch break

In other HUGE news, my child fell asleep in the stroller this weekend.  And I've got the proof.  Elena probably has not fallen asleep in her stroller since she was 6 months old.  She is such a busy body.  Always has to see what is going on.  I could walk this kid for an hour in circles at nap time and she will. not. fall. asleep.  Girlfriend loves her crib.  Loves to catch a few Z's in the car seat.  Stroller?  Not so much.  So this? This is huge! Pool must've kicked her little tush.  

 

As if this stroller nap wasn't enough for this mama...She also slept through the night the same night.  The entire night.  As in almost 12 hours.  She's always been a decent sleeper but still wakes once a night to nurse.  She's done the 12 hour thing a time or two but it's always been a fluke.  Fingers crossed for another solid night. 

Saturday night we went out to a Mexican joint near our house.  We've been there once before...food is good, margaritas are strong, and the loud music, whirling ceiling fans, and plastic salsa bowls (for banging, of course) make it very kid friendly.  

When we arrived, I headed straight to the bathroom, leaving Paul to settle E in her highchair.  As soon as I get to the table and sit down the waitress comes over with a shot of tequila, hands it to Paul, and says it was from another couple in the restaurant.  Apparently they'd seen his USMC t-shirt and were thanking him for his service.  Yes, people in Ohio are really this nice.  My Jersey ass was thinking some hooch saw my man alone with a kid and wanted to get a piece.  Ha! 

So Paul waves, mouths a thank you, and we dig into our salsa & chips exchanging niceties about the couple.  A few minutes later, waitress returns and informs us that the couple would like to pay for our meal.  Say what?  Now come on people, this cannot be for real.  Paul is way too proud and humble to accept such a kind and generous offer (meanwhile, I'm thinking, SWEET...fried ice cream for dessert!) 

To make a really long story short, Paul makes friends with them and they come sit with us for a drink after we finish our meal.  Maybe the nicest couple ever.  I couldn't help but wonder if maybe they were swingers though.  I swear my mind is always in the gutter.  

In other weekend randomness, I saw two cows getting busy. We were driving down a country road and we saw a herd of cows....you know how it goes..."Hey look! Cows!" like you've never seen one before.  Then I saw what I thought was a mutant, giant cow, only to realize it was one cow mounting another cow.   I found it hysterical as only a 13 34 year old would.  Laughed so hard that I had Elena mimicking my hysterical laughter in the backseat.  I'm sure you found that tidbit totally blog worthy.  Well, Paul took a video.  Ewww, not of the fornicating cows...of me hysterical over the cows.  I am too lazy at the moment to try and upload it.  And honestly, I don't really know how.  But to hear Elena pretend laughing is funny enough for me not to care what a jack ass I look/sound like and so I may consider uploading it.  Stay tuned for that gem. 

As the weekend closes, I'm living for the WEEK.  The week I get to go home!  4 more wake-ups until I'm in Jersey.  Looking forward to family, friends, and all things Garden State.  What are you looking forward to this week?

Friday in Photos

Paul got home from Chicago last night which meant he was able to be home today. Which also meant I could brush my teeth and change out of my pjs before it was time to put on new pjs and brush my teeth for bed. Glorious!

Paul started the day by getting his concealed carry license.  My man can now pack some heat. You take that however you want.  wink. wink.  No, my man is not a gangster,  just an average American who loves his rights.  He left us girls home to have breakfast.

Is there anything on my face?

After cleaning up breakfast I tried relentlessly to get Elena down for her morning nap.  She ALWAYS goes down without a fight around 9/9:30.  Pssht.  Girlfriend was having no part of it.  Clearly she had her own agenda and napping was not involved.  When Paul got home we decided we'd all head out together to run some errands. 

Yeah, that's right.  My man packs heat and gets groomed.  Meow.

Paul is totally not the metrosexual type.  No manis for this former Marine, however, he does partake in some hair pluckage in the eyebrow region.  That only took me about a decade of convincing.

 By the time we got downtown, Elena was conked out.

Chillin' out, Maxin', Relaxin'.  She's loving her new big girl car seat. 

 While Paul was being groomed and Elena snoozed I decided to get gas. And yes, I'm gonna post a picture of that because it is a big deal.  People in NJ do not pump their own gas.   So the fact that I am now among the ranks of self service gas pumpers, I shall be an attention whore. We won't talk about the first time I pumped my own gas and continued pressing the nozzle thingy while removing it from the car.  Yeah.  Gas pretty much all over. 

By the time I got back to the salon, groomer pick up Paul, I was ready for a bevvie.  All that gas pumping plum tuckered me out.  Luckily Sbux was right across the street so I ran over for a cold one.  Sidebar- No matter how often I order my drink, whatever it is...simple or complex...I always get a little nervous when I'm giving my request to the barista.  I have no idea why.

My guilty pleasure.  Moreso on the wallet than in calories.  I could seriously mainline this ish.

We went home to feed Elena and pick up Paul's car so that we could take it to get serviced.  While Paul was inside I noticed an umbrella of sorts in the middle of the parking lot that caught my eye.  I was pretty certain it was a hot dog cart of sorts.  Could it be? Dirty water dogs? Yes, please! Another travesty of the Buckeye state....no weiner stands.  I know, I know, it's almost too much to take.  In Jersey, you can find a food truck selling dogs every few blocks.  Definitely something Paul loves and misses.  

2 sausage and peppers for Paul, one marinated chicken, cheese, onion and peppers for me.

It tasted like home.  And it was heavenly.  We ran a few more errands that went pictureless because I was in a food coma.  We hit up Toys R Us to get some toys for Elena with some of her birthday gift cards. We decided on a  three-in-one trike and a water table.  Can't wait to see how she likes them. 

Paul also got all productive on my tired ass, which happens often, and decided he wanted to hang Elena's newborn pics in the nursery.  Which reminds me, I have to order her 1 year prints. 

Uh huh.  A groomed, heat packing, honey-do-list-completer. Score! 

We rounded out the night with some dinner, a very messy baby, who had a tubby and was a sleeping baby by 7:00.  Just in time to for us to watch the Yankees whip some Mets ass, although at the time of this post, we're down by 5.  No bueno.  May try to talk Paul into watching Wanderlust.  Hope you all have a great weekend!  Cheers!
               

Gotta love Lola trotting in the background.

                                 

One Week

Loving the fact that I can finally say I'll be home a week from today.  Can't wait to breath me some fresh Jersey air.  Aaaaahhh.  Some of the things I am simply giddy about:

• Seeing Paul's parents.  Yes, I really like my in-laws.  We'll be spending the entire week at their house, which is in our hometown.  Did I mention we shack up in his parent's bedroom.  Mother-in-law insists.  Awkward. 
• Showing off Elena to everyone who can't wait to love her up.  She's just started standing without holding onto anything so I'm hoping she'll take her first steps while we're there.  She's changed so much in the last month.  Wait until they get a load of her new big girl attitude. 
• Spending time with my sister, sisters-, and brothers-in law, nieces, nephews, friends, aunts, uncles, cousins.  That is the good life. 
• The 10 hour car ride.  Seriously.  I love a road trip.  Even with a child in tow.  She's all pimped out in the back with the portable DVD player Paul bought her.  Can I get a Yo! Gabba Gabba? Not to mention road trips are the perfect excuse for multiple Starbucks, an entire bag of combos, followed up with a gummy bear chaser.
• Getting a mani and pedi.  Having a traveling husband while living in a new city where you know no one, with a baby= no way for this mama to get her nails did.
• Bagels, pork roll, pizza that is cut into a 8 slices, 7-11 Slurpees, Dunkin' Donuts Ice Coffee, and all my favorites that I know my in-laws will make.  So, yeah, I'll be coming back to Ohio a cow. 
• Visiting the cemetery.  That's one of the things I miss most.  I went weekly and have missed tending to my parents' grave, visiting with them, feeling close. Hoping for some nice weather so I can do some gardening.  And, because I'm a total stalkerazzi, hopefully I'll be able to get a glimpse at Whitney's final resting spot.  Yes, Ms. Houston is laid to rest in my hometown cemetery.  Cray cray.  
•  Lord and Taylor.  How I miss thee.  Mama is going shopping. Friends and Family- It's on. 
• The Atlantic Ocean.  I miss water.  I miss living on a coast.  Salt air, sand in your crack toes.  Jersey Shore meatballs, gorillas, and grenades.  NO place finer to people watch.  

All of this goodness will re-charge me and give me just enough wind in my sails to push me through until our TWO WEEK visit at the end of the summer.  Boom!