How July? Why July?

July has turned me into a big fat complainer and for that I would like to apologize to my family and friends. Would you believe it's been one of the worst months I can recall? I've been stressed to the max and dealing with some big changes underway, and well, the one thing I can say is that I have not yet shed a tear. That is baffling to me, everything considering.

Yes it's true that I had a great work trip to Denver and yes it's true I spent the weekend in sunny Arizona with some of my favorite people on the planet, but as soon as I get back to normal every day life, things fall apart! Is it me? I try to focus on the positive and good, but the littlest things just defeat me lately. I hate being defeated, but when you get $250 worth of tickets in one day for your dumb overdue registration on your car, you can't help but crumble in a heap (particularly after you woke up at 5:30AM to go to the DMV to fix it to no avail. Don't get me started on the DMV.).

But. Good news! It's July 30! I am convinced August has some sweetness in store for us. I'm throwing my friend HH a baby shower and we are scheduling a Mark and Julie only getaway and maybe I'll even see a movie! Heck.

See you in August! Where things will be different and shiny and new!

My adoring fan.

Hi Henry, it's me. Your most favorite person on the planet. Sometimes I wonder how I got to be so loved and adored. I always wanted to be the first on someone's list, and now that I am - uhhh when do I get a second of alone time?!

Oh, I know it's been a hard month. You miss your Tia (so do we). You've been dumped on the front door of many a people in the past couple of weeks, and it's long days with the new babysitter, but you're doing a great job. I love the afternoon hugs and rejections of bedtime without at LEAST 5 songs from yours truly. Oh my darlin', Home on the Range, Edelweiss, Polly-wolly doodle (your favorite, you funny thing), are all on heavy rotation these days on my old pipes. 

I think I'll just be putting away the maxi skirts for awhile because you find it way too easy to pull me around by my skirt and it's hard to say no to that.

 

You're growing up oh-so-fast and doing new and funny things all the time, so it's hard for me to be away from you during the days right now. Who am I kidding, it was never easy and it probably never will be. But I'm proud of you - the nice boy on the playground, the high-fiver, the eater of broccoli, the singer of "baby, baby" and "E-I-E-I", and the sweetheart who gives me a goodnight slimy peck on the lips every night.  How lucky can one mama be?!

The week that wasn't.

Hi, it's me, and I'm still alive. For the record, so is Mark. And Henry is the most alive out of all of us, if I'm being honest here. After a week of kidney stones that ended in emergency surgery Friday night, paired with our car being broken into Tuesday morning I thought last week might be the end of me. I'd been looking forward to a long weekend in NYC with Mark and Henry - our third try this year to make it up. But Friday night, as Mark was being rolled into the operating room, I acquiesced and realized - ok, I guess we're not going to NYC. After laying on the floor all week and moaning in pain, I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner, but that's what happens when you are in denial, right?

My tribute to NYC - a black and white cookie - in the hospital cafeteria.

 The view from the hospital room. Pretty sunset and a nice view of Virginia suburbs.

My mother-in-law honestly saved my sanity and rescued Henry from a long day following us around the hospital offices, swooped in and took him home for the night while Mark and I stayed in the hospital and had a late night date at CVS to pick up prescriptions. Exhausting for everyone, but finally he had relief - the pain was gone! The kidney stone was out! Everyone was happy!

Saturday we met up for breakfast with Marks parents and Henry, broke into my Dads house so we could nap on his couches, then spent the rest of the afternoon at the pool. It wasn't NYC, but it was ok. I was with my family, we were all happy and healthy, plus - the pool, right? Not a bad way to spend a 95 degree day.

Just when we think we're safe from bad times, our nanny hurt her knee (ligament, ouch!) and has not been able to work this week, and honestly she might be out for a while, so added stress of childcare and is Henry happy with new people and oh my gosh when will life be back to normal?! I stayed home yesterday, a friend is watching Henry today, and hopefully we got childcare lined up for next week in case we need it.

Despite the hard times, I have to say that I've been reflecting on the family and friends who have been so selfless and generous in offering their help. I am not good at asking for help and I hate feeling like I'm burdening others, so this has been a growing experience for me to be able to say - yes, please help! I could really use it! My mother-in-law, my neighbors who helped call the police and clean up broken window glass, my friend who is watching Henry, and countless other friends and family who have sent emails and called to check in on us. It warms my steely heart right up and I have to say I'm a pretty lucky girl to have all these wonderful people in my life. Trials come, as they do, but I'm happy that they help show me a little slice of all the beautiful and lovely people in our life.We are blessed.

A man and his dog.

Henry is completely obsessed with his little doggie. So much so, that this weekend he uttered his first sentence: Doggie walk outside?

So you better believe we took that doggie outside for a walk around the block.

For the past week or so, he has also been saying More...(insert word here of whatever he wants more of). Like in church, after sacrament, he'll say more...bread? He also says it when he just wants something, that maybe he hasn't already been eating. More cheese? More eggs? It's cool that he's able to communicate what he wants, but boy you'd better get it for him right away and not tell him we don't have any and we need to go to the store because darnit that answer is not good enough!