August 28, 2008

So it’s been a month since I “officially” started my 300 in 3 years list. I am proud to say that I have accomplished 19 of the 300 tasks and am currently working on a lot more. I credit my success with looking at my list everyday so that I keep my goals in mind.

Today was also the day that Obama became the “official” candidate for the Democrats. Obama seems like a nice guy and I think it is wonderful that MLK’s dream is finally coming true and a black man *may* be president. I really don’t care for either candidate but vote pro-life, so normally republican. What I read in a blog last night though changed how I viewed Obama. Go to Jillstanek.com and look at August 27th posts. Then go to factcheck.org and verify it. Obama had the chance, as a senator, to support the “born alive” bills and he did not… twice! I’m going to research this more over the next couple days.

Today’s Challenge: Do you really know what the candidates believe? If you are going to vote in this election (which I hope you are), you should know where each candidate stands on the issues.

August 26, 2008

I decided today that I have entirely too much junk. I am a “pack-rat” and always keep things because I might need them some day. Jacob’s closet has been being used as a storage closet for various toys and items that I want to keep but don’t know what to do with. I finally took most of the items out today and created a big pile by my desk of items to give away or sell. Jacob will finally have a closet for all his clothes and I won’t have to have stacks of bins in his room which is nice because it kind of looked tacky. Plus I figured that I should pull the large toys out because he will be playing with them soon enough and I want to clean them before he does. Poor Sinisa, when he comes home he is going to have to navigate his way around our apartment. I seriously have considered getting a storage space or renting a garage to have a place for all my stuff. Next Friday I am babysitting two children here at my apartment so I have until then to clean everything up and organize it. Giving myself a deadline will hopefully ensure that it gets done but may just mean I find a hiding spot for it.

Today’s challenge: Join your local Freecycle if you haven’t already.

August 23, 2008

I haven’t been on the computer much these past few days. I have really tried spending my time on “real life” activities. I’ve spent time with family, started making new friends, and worked on projects around my house. One thing I’ve realized is that I’m not going to miss anything important while I’m away from my computer (with the exception of my email because I did miss out on a free travel swing for Jacob because I did not see an email in time). If I don’t read my RSS feeder though, I might miss someone’s insight on life or a funny story but I am not going to look back on that time and wish that I had been on that website instead of spending time with my son. If I don’t check my facebook ten times a day I might miss out on a friend’s pictures or an update on what a friend is doing at that exact moment but I won’t look back on that time and wish that I had been online instead of spending time with my fiance. And if I don’t update this blog every night I might not get as many hits to my site as I would like but I won’t look back on this time and think that I should have been updating my blog with my day to day comings and goings instead of living the life that I would one day like to write about. At the end of the day I am doing what I should be doing…. living.

August 19, 2008

Lots of things going on lately… This is just a short update because I am feeling like crap (allergies and a cold).

-Jacob slept from 7:40pm-6:20am last night. He did not wake up once so I was very grateful for that.

-I had the worst experience at a dentist ever! When I scheduled the appointment I asked them if they took my insurance and they said yes. Then I confirmed that they took it for adults (and told the lady I was 25) because I had called other places and they took my insurance but only for children. She said yes. So I drive all the way to another town for this appointment. I can’t find the building and when I finally do I get in a chair soon after filling out paperwork. I get x-rays taken of my mouth and the dentist looks in my mouth. He confirms what I already know: I need two root canals. He then says my insurance will pay for the front root canal but they won’t pay for a cap so I’d be walking around with a giant hole between my front two teeth. He also says that my insurance won’t pay for the root canal for the back teeth but they will pay to get it pulled. Ok. I can deal with all that. Then he tells me that a cleaning is $50 and my insurance will not pay for it. Great. So I came all the way down there, dealt with a rude dentist (didn’t tell you the story of how he laughed at me), and couldn’t even get my teeth cleaned. Great. What a waste of time.

-I picked up a garbage bag full of free clothes last night. They are really cute. I’m trying to find 9 month clothes but am not having much luck. Just a couple of items in the bag were 9 months.

-I went to Starbucks this morning with the mother’s of infants group. I had a caramel frappucino and it was soooo good. I enjoyed talking to the other moms and it was nice to be reassured that I’m not doing everything wrong when it comes to raising my child (which is how I feel sometimes).

-My scrapbook area is almost set up. I have the chest emptied of toys and most of the scrapbook supplies organized. I am discovering items I didn’t know I had so I am really looking forward to making these scrapbooks.

-I was thinking last night about why I always put off doing things that are important. I realized that it is always because of two reasons. The first reason is that the task takes more than one step or could possibly take a long time. I don’t like starting things I can’t finish at that moment so I put it off until I feel I will have more time (as a mom time is never in abundance so these tasks get pushed off continuously). This happens a lot with phone calls I need to make. I want to call old friends and family I haven’t talk to in a while but then I feel like I need big blocks of time in which to do so because I don’t want to call and then have to hang up because my son woke up or I have to leave. The second reason is that I don’t want to mess up or not complete the task perfectly. I worry so much about doing something just right that I put it off until I feel I can do it correctly, which normally results in having to finish the task quickly because I have a deadline of some sort. The most recent example of this is my thank you cards. These should have been completed a long time ago but I never feel like I can write just “thanks for coming and thanks for the gift”. I get such anxiety over what I’m going to write that I put it off until I have to do it because I am going to see the person. I still have yet to write thank yous to the two people who have done the most for me and Jacob because I can’t figure out how to let them know how important they are to us, but yet I know that by putting it off it only hurts them. The completion of important tasks is something that I am really going to work hard on these next couple of weeks.

-As I wrote this post my son woke up twice. I guess he thought he was too nice by sleeping through the night last night….

Today’s challenge: Get some sleep! (and take some for me too)

August 17, 2008

I failed. I did not get everything done on my list. I did, however, succeed. How do you fail and succeed at the same time you might ask. Well I might not have accomplished everything on my list but the fact that I even finished one project, instead of sitting around watching TV and playing on the computer, shows growth in this procrasinator. I ran some errands, washed and put away all Jacob’s laundry, cleaned up the nursery, almost finished setting up my scrapbook area, cleaned out a file cabinet, organized all of S’s paperwork, vacuumed, and put the rest of Jacob’s older clothes in bins by size. I also spent time with my son, my fiance, my sister in law, my nephew, and my mom. I guess looking back I did do quite a lot. I think that I make unrealistic expectations as to what I can get done each day. I always wish each day had even just one more hour. Why can’t we have 25 hour days? Then again if we had 25 hour days I would want 26 hour days.

Today’s challenge: Look at your to-do list… Are you planning for a 24 hour day or a 25 hour one?

August 15, 2008

Yesterday I went to a “mom’s of infants” group and was so excited to meet other moms that had babies. I joined the group because I am trying to get out more often and I want Jacob to get used to being around other children. Not only did I leave my house to go to the group, I made an even bigger step by going alone (well obviously I brought Jacob). In the past I would never have went anywhere alone so I can see myself growing in that aspect.

Tomorrow I am going to an annual yard sale that helps raise money for the homeless. I’ve gone in the past and found wonderful things. I am going, list in hand, and have decided I’m only going to buy things that I am looking for. After this I am going home childless because my sister-in-law is taking Jacob overnight. (Thanks again Jen!)

I am looking forward to accomplishing as much, if not more, than I did last weekend (wow it seems like my last time alone was a lot longer than a week ago…). On the list of things to do between Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon: go to Target, go to Hobby Lobby, empty out car and wash it by hand, wash and put away all laundry, rearrange furniture in nursery, dye my hair, put together a shelving unit, setup my scrapbook area, finish baby announcements/thank you’s and send out, vacuum, put pictures in frames, find and print out a living will form online, empty contents of one file cabinet into a box to sort at a later date, compile week’s menu plan and grocery list, packup Jacob’s clothes, clean kitchen/wash bottles, rearrange my 300 list, and lastly blog about my 24 hours of accomplishments. (Congratulations if you read that entire list) I listed these things because I am hoping reporting on what I have done at the end of the time will push me to work harder. I probably won’t post tomorrow night because I want to spend as much time as possible working towards my goal but I might post an update, we’ll see.

Today’s Challenge: Choose one thing you have been putting off and do it! It will feel so good to cross it off your list of to-do’s.

August 13, 2008

(*This was entered as a page yesterday accidentally…)

I cooked today for the first time in a couple of years (other than something in a box, can, or bag). It wasn’t much but the fact that I went into the kitchen with the intent on making anything is a huge step for me. I have always considered the kitchen to be my least favorite area in my house because it seems to get messy so quickly and I don’t think that I’m a very good cook. What did I venture in the kitchen to make, you ask? Zucchini. I know…I know… It wasn’t a meal but I have to work up to that. I cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and added salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese. I broiled it for about 15 minutes. It was so good. My dad had given me the zucchini a couple of weeks ago and it had been sitting in the fridge because I did not know how to make it. My dad has a great recipe but I didn’t have any salsa so I couldn’t make it. I hope this will be the first of many adventures into the kitchen for me. I looked at a cookbook today and found a lot of great foods that seemed easy enough to make and I can’t wait to try them out. (If you are wondering if I always eat out- the answer is no. I just have a wonderful fiance who after work comes home and cooks me delicious meals.)

Today I was watching a recording of the Oprah show and it was about the health care industry. She was talking about Michael Moore’s movie “Sicko”. Though I am not a fan of Michael Moore, this movie sounds interesting. It’s sad to hear stories of people who die because they can’t afford the treatments that they need after their insurance companies deny them. And then Oprah said that treating cancer can be around “600 thousand dollars” and some insurances have a “150 thousand dollar” cap. $150,000 sounds like a lot until you look at what that amount will get you if you become ill. I was amazed and I think you will be, too. I plan on trying to rent this movie or find a copy of it somewhere.

Today’s Challenge: Look at your health insurance policy. How much coverage do you really have? If you get sick will they pay a portion of the bill, all of it, or none at all?

August 12, 2008

I finally figured out what is going on with my whole job situation… I am now officially a stay at home mom! My maternity leave was set to end tomorrow but my new availability does not work for them so I had to quit. I am still unsure as to how I feel about this whole situation. I’ve wanted to be a SAHM for as long as I can remember. When asked what I wanted to be when I grew up I would occasionally say things like “a teacher” or “a writer” because you couldn’t study for a career as “a mom”. I never thought I would actually be able to be a stay at home mom and even throughout my pregnancy and since I had Jacob had assumed I would be returning to work. It will be hard to say goodbye to the wonderful people I’ve worked with and goodbye to the colorful conversations we had, but it is what I have to do.

Today I worked towards meeting my goal of becoming involved in “mom” groups. I went to a park play date with Jacob, Jennifer, and Camden. We got there early and nobody was there so we waited and waited and nobody showed up! I was disappointed because I did not get to meet anyone but proud of myself that I had made the effort to go. The old me would have stayed home. As for my other goals: today I finished a Nora Robert’s book and the crossword puzzle I had been working on. I started a sudoku book and tasted a snack item from another country that I had never had before. I also started working on cleaning/organizing my room. That is going to be a very long process. Tomorrow I’m looking forward to eating the papaya that S bought for me, spending a day at home with Jacob, reading the posts in my RSS feeder (481 and counting), and going through my books to see if there are any I’d like to donate.

Today’s Challenge: Make a list of your goals. It could be five or fifty or five hundred. What is it that you want to complete this month or this year or over the next 60 years? They can be little, they can be big. What would make you happy and fulfilled? Take as long as you need for this challenge. If you write down your goals there is a better chance that you will complete them. Please feel free to put a link to your post in the comment section. I’d love to read them :)

August 11, 2008

Yesterday was a very busy day for me so I didn’t post anything. I had picked Jacob up from my mom’s after a relaxing morning spent with the man I love. My mom told me that Jacob had slept through the night. I was so proud of him and happy that we would be getting some relief from middle of the night feedings (well, his dad would since he wakes up with him- I know I’m spoiled). After I picked up Jacob we went to my Aunt’s house and spent the whole day with extended family. My cousin was in town with her two girls. They are two and four years old and this was the first time I was meeting them. They were so cute in their matching outfits- definitely something I plan on doing when I have multiple children. I was never close with my cousins like some people are but now that my oldest cousin and I both have children we have something in common. I found it easier to talk to her because of this. She gave Jacob an adorable bedding set with jungle animals on it and it will be great to use in the crib (which is currently sitting half finished in the middle of his room).

Once we got home from my Aunt’s I played with Jacob a little and put him to bed. He slept through the night again. I normally put him in his swing between 8 and 9pm and then when he was waking up between 12 and 2am we would take him out and, after feeding him, place him in his bassinet for the rest of the night. I found that at night he was so tired that he was not happy anywhere other than his swing. Tonight I decided I wanted to break him of this habit so I put him in his pack-n-play which is in his room. It took him an hour and ten minutes (and multiple times of me going in there to put the pacifier back in his mouth) before he fell asleep. I hope that he sleeps as well tonight as he has been.

Ok, enough about my son. I could go on and on and tell you everything about his day from his smiles to the toys he played with but I will spare you :) Instead I will tell you all about our stroller fitness class today. I went to the class with my sister-in-law and nephew with the idea of meeting new people and getting in some exercise. I was not prepared for the high intensity workout that was to come. I was exhausted half way into it and was amazed at the other moms who were doing the workout with ease. They assured my sil and I that we were doing great and that everyone had a hard time at first. Watching them I did not believe that they could ever have been as uncoordinated and out of shape as I was. (Though, to make myself feel better, I decided that this was because I had just given birth a couple of months before. I would not admit that I would have been just as lost pre-pregnancy as I was post.)

After we finished up with the class the instructor reminded us that this was a free trial class and asked if we had the pricing list. We of course didn’t and I assumed it was because they want to get you excited about the class before showing you how expensive it was. I assumed correctly. It was $50 a month. That is twice as much as my gym membership. I laughed when I saw it (in my head of course because I didn’t want to be rude). As soon as Jennifer (my sil) and I were out of earshot we quickly decided that there was no way in hell we were going to pay that price. We could meet on our own to push our strollers and buy $5 bands at the store to workout our muscles. Or I could just go to the gym and put my monthly membership to use.

Today’s Challenge: Call one person you haven’t talked to in a while.

August 9, 2008

At 4:45am I was awake with Jacob and desperately wanting to crawl back into bed. At around 6 I was not just wanting to return to bed; I was wanting to stay there. By that time Jacob had fallen asleep and woken up about four times and each time he had done so after I returned to bed. The day seemed to improve when I actually was able to rest for a couple more hours. I then enjoyed playing with Jacob. We sang and danced, played with toys, and looked at all the colors on his mobile while it spun around. He also enjoyed time in his swing. Aunt Jennifer came over to spend time with mommy and Jacob. Then everyone went to Starbucks to meet Grandma Kelly. Jacob slept at the beginning but then woke up just in time to see mommy spill coffee all over. He was not very happy that he had to wait to eat while everyone cleaned coffee off themselves. After that Jacob went to stay with his grandma. Mommy and Auntie then got to spend some time “baby free” and remembered what it felt like to be “women” instead of “moms”. We started off getting pedicures (my treat for Jen’s birthday). It was so nice to be pampered. We then went to Subway to eat and Walgreens to pick up some essentials (and some things that were on clearance). After saying goodbye to Jennifer I walked up to my apartment and was thankful that I didn’t have to lug a heavy carseat and diaper bag up the stair with me (three flights of them!) I then wrote a list of tasks that I wanted to get accomplished this evening and set about doing them. I’m going to brag a little because I am so proud of myself… In three hours I managed to: do four loads of laundry, clean my closet, put clothes away, do a load of dishes, wash a sinkful of bottles, read all blogs in my RSS reader, e-mail three people, update facebook, go through some junk mail, read three chapters in the Bible, put away everything I bought at Walgreens, and read a chapter of the Nora Roberts’ book I am reading. I love when I set goals for myself and meet them. Tomorrow I hope to: write the rest of my thank you’s and birth announcements, wash two loads of towels, vacuum my apartment, dye my hair (brown this time), cleanout my e-mail inbox, go to the gym, visit family, and setup my scrapbook area. A lot to do but hopefully I will get a majority of it done before I pick up my son at two. Now I am off to spend time with my fabulous fiance and enjoy a night alone… reminds me of when we were dating :)

Today’s challenge: Do something nice for yourself- get a manicure, buy the shirt you have been wanting, spend some time outside in the sun… whatever it is that YOU want to do! Enjoy your Sunday.