A few days behind...

I'm working on Maddox's invitations right now.  I have to send them out this week.  His party is in 3 weeks!!  AHHHH!!!!!  They aren't exactly what I envisioned-- but think they are turning out really cute, nonetheless.

 

(the front)

(opened once... and the brown bag will hold a pic of him)

(opened all of the way up)

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I skipped my Friday High Five this week because I was feeling far from high on Friday.  I didn't want to fill my blog with negatives and whining.... And I'm going to do my best to leave it out of this one as well.


I have a lot on my plate and have been focusing more on the negatives than the positives.  My patient husband and I are working hard to get it all worked out, and I will be Jolly Holly in no time I am sure!


With that said, I won't itemize all that is stressing me out-- because that would not be moving forward-- but I will tell you that I am afraid we really did hit the terrible two's this time with Maddox.
He  has been a royal terror for a week now.  The past 2 times that I thought he was entering the TT, we ended up with gastro and were happy as a clam once the vomiting ceased.  This time, we started with gastro-- but no cease in the barbaric behavior yet.
We have been without the binky since June,  2.  I can imagine that part of this is due to the adjustment to losing his mood-soother... And maybe to the fact that I don't think he is sleeping well

 (since we have found him crashed out all over the house this past week)

but not all of it.  He's not bad all of the time either.  Most of the time, he is my sweet little monkey, playing and laughing away, having a great time playing trucks, reading books, or naming letters-- then, something small will activate the bomb.  This tantrum is like nothing you have never seen before.  It is Unreal.
Last night ended with a 45 minute fit over his sippy cup, me in tears, and Lance drawing me a bath and taking over.  The bath was nice.  My husband is great.  I needed him to take over.  I was losing the battle.

[I taped one of Maddox's fits-from-hell but decided not to post it.  We all throw fits sometimes, and I wouldn't want mine videoed and shared!]


I realized, over this difficult week with Maddox-and-everything else,  that I depend on my mom alot.  Still, at the age of 26.  When I am a mom myself.  Maybe too much?!
Since they were on vacation, I did my best to not call her every time I was bored, needed some advice, wanted to laugh, needed to cry, craved encouragement, wanted to brag on Maddox,  etc.  But I still did some anyway.
I love my mom so much and am very thankful for her not only as my mom, but as my friend and as Maddox's Gigi.  She understands that I strive for perfection in all that I do-- and hate to fail--  and she has a way to pat me on the back and remind me that I am not alone-- and this too shall pass. (I just wish she knew how to speed up the boat.)
I find myself understanding her more and more everyday as I deal with the stress of being a mom, a wife, and just the stress of life.
It sucks that I had to be an adult though, to really get that.  [My high school years could have been a lot easier on her, if I'd have grasped the idea sooner!] 


And while I am handing out Thank yous... I fell like I should mention my friends.  God has been really good to me in this department.  I have some that I talk to A LOT.  And some that I don't talk to often at all.  But I love each of them separately and differently.  I feel blessed that each of them are a part of my life.

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I think I'll end this blog with some pictures of Maddox and Cambrie from this past Thursday at the pool.  They start swimming lessons next week in Keller, so I am sure I will have more pics to come... but these will do for now.  I also should mention that Kimberly and I do not pose them.  Well, Cambrie poses herself in her little model stance when she sees the camera-- because she's a little diva, but the pics of them loving each other is just raw emotion!  The moment that they see each other, it is hugs and kisses all of the way!  

Maddox even asked for more sunscreen, and then rubbed it on Cambrie's back...  This is all cute now-- but Cambrie's daddy is a BIG guy.  Maddox might have to learn boundaries before their teenage years! ;)

 Our HOA made these covers mandatory this year--even though they were already wearing swimming diapers-- silly rule, but Kimberly and I really got a kick out of them!!

 And this was my favorite pic of the day-- look at his little hand wrapped around her side.  Is that not the cutest thing ever?!