ME

What's been going on with ME lately, I know you are ALL dying to know.

When I wake up in the morning, I think, "Man, I am TIRED."  But then a split second later I'm already wondering, "How can I keep Jude and Graham happiest today?"  The key to Jude's heart is to remain in motion and, even better, do so outdoors.  Usually we are outta the house by 9.  Doing anything.  I'm walking with Graham strapped to me while Jude rides his scooter around the neighborhood, and we stop at a few parks along the way.  We go to Pretend City, or a splash pad, or the beach.  We go to our favorite park a couple miles away and meet friends.  We go to this one so often I've gotten to know a few of the moms that are also regularly there.  This week when there were some older punk kids (probably ages 7 and 6) who were bossing around Jude, scolding him, and otherwise power tripping on him, I felt totally comfortable dishing it back to them because I sort of felt like the park was my turf (and my son is definitely my turf).  Jude, by the way, didn't really seem to notice that they were being rude, but I guess this is protective me.  ("He already has a mom, you don't need to boss him around.  If you don't want to share your toy, you don't have to.  Don't go on and on about it and lecture him."  ETC.  The nanny seemed pretty checked out, too.)

Anyway, I am lucky to have good friends in the area with kids that Jude loves to play with.  I feel like I'm getting a little collection of activities that accommodate all of us.  That is solid gold, and I'm so grateful.

I've also changed my seasons tune.  I have always been a winter girl.  I may be evolving into a year-round girl.  I'll never stop loving the fall and winter holidays and the coziness thereof, but the kid-approved activities that are what summer is ALL ABOUT are just tickling my fancy.  And hey, I'm not pregnant this summer, so I have nothing to complain about with the weather that keeps getting toastier.

Anyway, with all these awesome circumstances, here are things I need to figure out, and/or complaints:

- Complaint #1: My hair has been falling out for almost 2 months now, in true post-partum fashion.  Buckets of stupid hair shedding all over the place.  Please, make it stop!
- Complaint #2: Remember how disciplined I was ALLLLL during Graham's pregnancy?  I worked out 6 days a week, ate reasonably, and gained 30 lbs.  Well guess what: it was lame, because both pregnancies now, I've just lost everything but the last 15-20 lbs pretty much immediately, and as long as I'm nursing those lbs won't budge.  The only incentive to repeating the pregnancy health fest with the next baby is just that it was easier WHILE I was pregnant to live life with 30 extra pounds as opposed to 70.  Hmph.  I am actually very frustrated about this, but I've had a few months accept it and am sucking it up for the sake of not paying for formula, and oh, the additional health benefits of breastfeeding my infant as long as I can :).
- Complaint #3: I AM TIRED.  Lately I feel more tired than I did when Graham was a newborn.  I texted my mom a few weeks ago, "I don't remember feeling this tired with Jude, but could it be because of nursing?  I feel like I've been hit by a Kenworth most of the time."  My mom said, and I could hear her laughing in her text, "Merzy!  It's because you have 2 small children!  You're 'on' ALL the time."
- I-MUST-FIGURE-OUT #1: how my morning routine can include working out, showering, and getting out the door for errands and/or to a play date before 10am.  I have never been able to do all of those things successfully together.  Come on, people, it's been 4.5 months.
- I-MUST-FIGURE-OUT #2: I'm trying to get meals planned for the week so I can grocery shop 1-2 times a week instead of like 4 (which is what happens when I decide what to make for dinner at the beginning of every day).  It's pretty crappy when you have to run to the store at 4:30 to grab something to schlep something together.  It's so much easier to have it all planned in advance, but that means 1-2 LONG grocery store trips, or trips to multiple stores if I want to get the best deals on different items, and some days Jude just BRINGS IT and I have to not pick that battle.

Not withstanding these lame-o things, I am really happy.  I'm trying really hard to just enjoy my days and let the things I can't control roll to the gutter in the bowling alley of life.

Ok based on my last sentence I think it's safe to say bedtime has come.