I didn’t take swimming lessons until I was in college. Probably 19. Go me.
I took the basic class by myself a couple times and than I took an actual lap swim class with my sister Kateka. We were really excellent swimmers, if you count sitting on the edge and whining about getting cold and wet. Or treading water in the deep end. Yes. I am still as good as Michael Phelps.
I signed Gentry up for swim lessons last year and every time the teacher wanted him to do something, he would stand on the side of the pool and say, “I CANNOT DO THAT!” Everytime. He was petrified. Scared and nervous. Until he realized he really could do that. Towards the end of the summer when I was to fat, pregnant and hot to be happy sitting on the side of the neighborhood pool watching him, I would get in and play with him. His favorite game was for me to push him to the bottom of the pool and he would shoot up like a rocket. Once in a while he would punch me in the stomach and Amelia in the who knows what when he was down there and than shoot up like a rocket. He was just getting her ready for the big brother he is today.
So learn to swim. Even if you are old and have not done it before. There are classes for 3 year olds and classes for you.
Also, look at this guy. Holy cow! I could never do this without dying first.
A womans life is a hard one. For me at least. A woman is always doing and being torn in 100 different directions. We have to find the things that are most important to us and do those things well. The rest doesn’t matter so much.
I remind myself, one day my house will be clean. One day I will make good dinners every night. One day I will know my worth. One day dumb things won’t stress me out. What are your things? What do you remind yourself of? Cause, I know that this part of my life is only temporary and that this part is fleeting. I look forward to the change and also relish this part where my kids are little and smiley and sweet (in general). I am thankful for our good health and that we are still together after 10 years (9-ish married + 1-ish dating).
And She fights for her life
As she puts on her coat
And she fights for her life on the train
She looks at the rain
As it pours
And she fights for her life
As she goes in a store
With a thought she has caught
By a thread
She pays for the bread
And She goes…
Nobody knows
My mom said my 30 days of life skills was not complete. That she was waiting for more than 5. Hmmmm. I am obviously struggling with this.
This one probably applies more if you are married to a boy, or have male children or grandchildren. Cause there are times when JJ will try to relate gospel truths to the the life that is Yoda. Learn, I will. Or times when the man child asks me my favorite character or asks me which character I want to be by selecting a colored pencil as my light saber and I get it very wrong. Or there is also the roaming catalog of Star Wars Legos and I am supposed to know which numbers apply to characters and ships.
So yeah, I don’t know and apparantly I am missing out. How do you do?
But seriously. If you are not doing it, you need to.
What amazes me is that you can create something from a tiny little seed and then you can feed your family with it. And you are feeding your family organic magic food. And possibly if your kid is a picky eater, he may start eating the stuff he picks off plants himself. Plants that he put in the ground and helped water and watched you lovingly sing AC/DC songs too.
Here are two books I am using for gardening advice.
Um. This is an art. I mean. Wielding a round brush and a blow dryer. Can you handle it?
I LOVE my hair after it has been blown out. The body. The softness. The good smell. Clean hair day is a good day.
So here are some videos illustrating how to do it.
This one is good for longer hair and if you flip it. The stylist really has good technique for an easy style.
This is one is a two part series. You can see the other one in youtube. This girl has a ratting problem and also dumps a gallon of product on her head as she says not to use to much product. But I think before the ratting starts it is a pretty good example of short hair styling. This girl says at one point that she is from Texas. I have heard that the Texas state slogan is, “The bigger the hair, the nearer to God.”
And here is Kandee Johnson hair and makeup feed. I really like her and I follow her instructions when I cut my bangs.
Have you tried this baby bum ointment? It works so well and it smells like rosemary (the herb, not my neighbor). It is super thick so it really does protect a babies bum instead of wiping right onto a diaper. We used to use it on Gentry for something that I cannot remember. It doesn’t seem like he had a lot of diaper rash, but I don’t really remember. We had some left over from Gentry’s diaper era and Amelia was getting a little bit of an irritated bum. I put it on her and the irritation is gone.
Also, the royal eye jelly. It has a lovely faint smell, which is not really why I buy eye cream or creme rather. I used to buy the Clinique version, but didn’t love it. I am on my second round of this and put it on my eyes EVERYDAY. I really like it and I think it has helped combat wrinkles. I tell myself this anyway, I hope it really is working.
I wash my face with this Garden Tomato Soap, after washing off my makeup with Dr. Bonners Baby Mild soap. I do the same process as needed by the Clinque steps except I wash my make-up off first. I really like this soap and the way my complexion looks when I am using it.
The Replenishing Lipbalm smells so lovely. I keep it in my car, which is were I keep all my favorite lip treatments for easy application before heading off for my weekly romantic lunch date with JJ at Costco. It also works really well to keep my kisser ready for smooching soft baby heads and darting about little boy heads and rough guy whiskers.
And finally the Lifegaurd’s Choice. You cannot use this in public unless you are a ski teacher or swim instructor because it paints yours lips white. But on those days where my lips are weather burned, dried or just generally beaten up, I will use it at night after I put in my retainer. It is an amazingly sexy look. JJ thinks so anyway. Just ask him.
Who knew I was such a hippy? Not I until I typed this all up and realized I buy this stuff all the time.
I thought I would write about things I love this month. One thing everyday.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Have you smelled this?
I know it is so late 90s. But a friend got me some for my birthday this year, along with a pair of naughty underwear that I have not put my pregnant and recovering rear in.
Anyway, back to the lotion. I have relished it. It is so delicious.
My sisters told me yesterday that I needed to start blogging again. There are only like two times in the day, ok, three that I have time to myself anymore. Going potty, nursing, and showering. I can do stuff one handed while nursing. It is just a lot slower. Guess which one I am doing now. Ha ha. That is a fun game.
Things are going pretty well with two kids. Gentry has gotten really good at programming the tv to do what he needs it to do. He can turn on the Wii or a movie. And he has gotten really good at the Wii games. Is that something to be proud of? He was going to learn sometime. Now the all powerful threat is that if he doesn’t listen I am going to turn off the Wii. It has happened a few times. Beware the mean mommie.
The baby yells at me all the time. Especially while eating. She will pop off and scream, scream, scream. I will force her back on and she will begrudgingly reattach. And then pop off to whine just a little more. And then once more. And one more time for good measure. I think we are on track for some great drama and debates. My mom and I can both imagine her at about 5 with her hand on her hip, telling me how to run the house.
Gentry loves her so much. He wants to hold her all the time and if I have not let him hold her in the day he will get really sad and cry. I have taught him to see if she is hungry by rubbing her cheek and see if she wants to suck. He loves to let her suck his fingers and I let him do it as long as they are clean.
JJ and Gentry went to buy me and her presents for Christmas. I talked to Gentry about what he was going to get her before they left. He said he wanted to get her a really pretty blanket. He came home with a knit purple and white blanket. It is so sweet.
I am really impressed with the way that Gentry is handling this. There have been a few bumps in the road. But he has always been good for me and been good at home. He likes to choose the clothes that she wears and he helps me bath her in the mornings. He gets to wipe her legs and arms.
The other day I took a nap with her on my chest. When I woke up he asked if she could lay on his chest. His chest is a lot smaller than mine. So she kept rolling off. But they were so sweet together. I am so excited for when she sees and responds to us. I think she is going to love Gentry. I know he loves her.
