So here we are

A couple months later than my last post. I have sat for a while now trying to decide what I wanted to do with {the nuthouse} and whether or not I wanted to keep putting energy into it.  

It seems like life is fairly predictable right now:

Wake up

Get ready

Get Lainey ready

Go to school

Go to work

Pick up Lainey

Evening stuff

Go to bed

Do it again

Consistency and routine is what a toddler needs, though. 

So we roll with it.

All of that being said...

I am not done.  This blog was first intended to capture each moment that I could while I was pregnant.  Then it morphed into a lifeline for relatives to see how Lainey was progressing.  As she grew, so did {the nuthouse} and now... here we are.

I have some great ideas in my head for what I would like to post in the future.  Don't worry - you can still keep up with our family antics but I am also going to try to add some extras!

So, sit back... let the journey begin.

xoxo,

Linda

Why I am Never On Time

"On time" is such a relative term... right? I mean... who is ever really "on time" these days any way? Ok, maybe that's just my friends.

But, not even kidding. I am never on time. Ever.

I am either really early or I am late... borderline really late.

You may be asking yourself, "Why is that?  Kind of odd to be one extreme or the other isn't it?"

Here is my answer...

Why, yes, yes it is a little off to be on both of these extremes.  But in our household, we run on Lainey Time.  So, you see, depending on how things are running in our house, that is what determines which end of the "on time spectrum" we are on.
 
Example #1: Saturday Morning

Lainey woke up (on her own time, of course) and had breakfast and then asked to get ready for dance class.  Well, I don't know about you, but I hate chasing a toddler to put tights on her so, I said "Certainly! Let's do this!!"

Well that made getting dressed drama free. But that also meant, she was ready to leave about 35 minutes before we needed to be walking about the door. But when I told her it wasn't quite time to go yet, she was not a happy camper. And, honestly, I would rather be early than hear a meltdown.  So on to the studio we went.  Not a big deal, there's classes all morning and Lainey enjoyed watching the big girls dance.  But, nevertheless, we were 40 minutes early for our 10am dance class.

Example #2:  This Morning

Lainey has been battling the plague 2.0 since late yesterday morning (because it's 2 days before a holiday and every toddler should be sick for the holidays, duh) so she slept snuggled up with me last night. This morning, when she heard me getting ready she started cry "I neeeed my mommyyyy." So, of course I stopped what I was doing to sit with her.  I told her I had to go to work and she got really cranky. So I sat some more - watching the minutes on the clock as I tried to break down the last possible minute I could leave and still be "on time."

Well, that time came and went. And a few minutes later, I told her "Ok, girl. Here's the plan. When Dad gets up here with your breakfast, I have to go to work. Deal?"

"Deal, Momma."

Seriously?! That easy! All because I gave her the few extra minutes she needed.

Other reasons we run on Lainey Time...

I hate to disrupt a nap. So if we are supposed to be at your house and Lainey is napping when it's time to go... if I know it won't mess up the day, we are going to be late. Sorry/Not Sorry.

Potty breaks. So, we are running out the door, headed to the car and Lainey stops to yell she has to go to potty. You bet your butt we are turning around and going in to go potty.  Even if we just went before we walked out the hous.  Dammit, we are in underwear most of the time now and do not want an accident in the car! So, yes, I will trade being on time for a potty break.

Her highness picked out her own clothes, let me do her hair and somehow did it all without an argument.  This means the meltdown buffer that I added to our routine was not needed so we are now 20 minutes "early."  But - as we have already discussed - if I try to tell Lainey it's not really time to go, she just gets antsy.  So I would just rather have a jam session in the car and hope our friends don't mind that we are early.

Stay tuned for some Christmas round-up posts coming later this week.... even if they are after Christmas. 

Merry Christmas Eve Eve, folks!!

xoxo,
Linda

Surviving Thanksgiving and the plague

My friend, Blair, recently posted this question in her blog:

"How does the rest of the non-childrearing world celebrate Thanksgiving without sick kids?"

Oh, how I wish I could answer that.  But the truth is... I do not know! I have no idea!!

The cold of all colds struck our house and it is still lingering! It just won't let go!! Lainey got sent home from school last Tuesday with a fever. I am not one to race to the doctor so I said, "Let it ride..." but as the day went on, she did not perk up at all.  Under normal circumstances, I probably would have kept letting it ride, but I was afraid of winning the award for "most considerate dinner guest" and showing up with a flu-ridden child.  So I sent her to the doctor with my mom on Wednesday.  Just to be safe.  I am totally ok with telling a family member, "Sorry, she's cranky. She has a nasty cold."  I couldn't in good faith show up and say, "Happy Thanksgiving! Lainey brought you all a present... it's the flu!!"

Diagnosis: Nasty cold

Prescription: Benadryl and Tylenol (aka let it ride)

Well lucky for us, Lainey is on a medicinal boycott! How fantastic and well-timed!! Doesn't matter what I offered as bribery, she wants absolutely nothing to do with medicine.  And the few times I got medicine in her mouth, she just spit it back out. Lovely!

After 2 days of holiday fun, I put Little Miss on lock down - house arrest - quarantine. Whatever you want to call it, she wasn't going out.  My goal was for her to sleep this plague away.

But this medicinal boycott is new at our house.  Usually, Lainey takes her cough medicine or Benadryl and Tylenol like a champ.  But I kid you not, her antics could have been a commercial - they were that over the top.  I mean, hiding under the bed, screaming, spitting... you name it, she tried it to avoid taking her medicine.

So, what's a mom to do? 

Oh, you know... hold her down and force it, right? Nope - that didn't work either.

This took some real motherly work.

I took to google, of course. 

Here's what I came up with...

Benadryl is what the pediatrician usually tells me to give her to dry up the ick and then Tylenol for the fever, if there is one.

Thanks be to God - Benadryl makes a dissolving chewable magic "candy."  Yes, I told her it was candy. Don't judge me.

I also found a sample in the medicine cabinet of a honey-based all natural cough medicine called Zarbee's.  Got my girl to drink honey.

Never call either of these wonders medicine.  You will ruin the trick.  Just tell your toddler, "Ok. It's time to eat candy and drink honey!!"  Who in their right mind can say "No" to that?! 

Even amidst the screaming, the fevers, the stress, we must still take time to be thankful.

I am thankful for lots of things this year, but I am especially thankful for these ladies.  I'd be lost without the next generation of Clowers girls.  I know we make our Papa proud every day and he would have loved this picture.

Hope all of ya'll enjoyed your Thanksgiving and that you are keeping well!

xoxo,
Linda

Writer's Block

These posts get more sporadic as the year comes to an end and the bustle of the holidays hits full gear! But I must admit, I have hit a writer's block of some kind.  Perhaps it's the redundant schedule our life...maybe it's the busy weekends that keep me away from my computer... who knows.

So, here's a brain dump of our life.

Halloween
Did I really skip over Halloween in here for ya'll? Ah! I totally did!!  In true Disney princess fashion, Belle went trick or treating.  It was so fun to watch Lainey get into it this year.  Last year, she chased after Dylan and Tyler, but this year, she knew what she was doing.  And lucky for her, she's cute, because she racked in some candy!

Dance
Dance is going so well for Lainey.  I am so glad I decided not to withdraw her.  As much as other people tried to tell me that maybe it was best, I know my girl and knew she just needed a little more time to adjust to the class.  After all, we do everything on her time, don't we? Fast forward a few more weeks and Lainey is LOVING dance.  I even catch her practicing when she thinks no one is watching.  Last week it was plies on the parking lot line and the week before that plies and pretty arms in the kitchen.  She has made some great friends in the class and thank goodness, I like the other moms too! So Saturday mornings aren't so bad. They're actually pretty great!

The Fam
All in all, our household is doing pretty well.  I survived the plague of a stomach bug over Veteran's Day and thankfully no one else seems to have caught it. (knock on wood) But I scrubbed down the house and changed the sheets so hopefully those germs have vacated the house!  My dad was in town for a three week prior to Veteran's Day and it was so incredibly wonderful to have him home.  A little sad to know that was the last trip for the year, but Lainey loved having her Pappa around every morning before school and her late night bounce sessions before bed.  It's an amazing relationship those two have formed over the last 6 months or so.  Now, just like last time, she tells me every plan has her Pappa in it. 

Work
Work is hectic.

Not So Perfect Photo
Not So Perfect Photo is doing great! I have had some really awesome sessions lately, and can't wait to share them with ya'll!  If you follow the photo page on facebook, you have already seen one that still hasn't hit the blog yet, but there's still at least one more up my sleeve to share!  If you would like to book a session, just hit me up!! I got some really neat craft paper brown CD books to start using for client CDs and all that's missing is a stamp of my logo. (Add that to the ever growing to-do list)

Holidays
Holy crap, it's "the holidays" already?!  Ahh! Guess I need to get my butt in gear!

So, there you have it!

xoxo,
Linda

2 weeks without a post?!

Just when you think you can breathe, life comes at you again.  I am so terribly sorry, folks, that I have been MIA recently. 

Let's get back into the swing of things with a little post of fall fashions I am loving for the mini-me! 
I would have made a polyvore board, but it wasn't working this morning when I tried.  So, instead, you get a scrolling closet!

Plaids

Fun Knits

 

Skinny Jeans

Boots

 

Warm and Cozy Coat

A Bow for Each Outfit

 

What are some of your closet staples this time of year?

 

 

 

xoxo,

Linda

Photos + Cards

It has gone from sunny and hot to cold and dreary in RVA in no time flat.  I hope the sun comes out and starts giving me some real Fall weather soon!

Can you believe it's already October?

It's time to start thinking about those holiday cards... because let's face it.  Everyone loves to get mail that isn't a bill in their mail box.

What, you haven't thought about your Christmas cards yet?! It's ok... I haven't thought tooo much about ours yet either.  I have scheduled a photo session with the Pyle gals, but that's really it for now.

But in case you are a planner, like myself, here's something you don't want to miss!

There’s just something about sending family photos with your holiday cards that go hand-in-hand! So, all Not So Perfect Photo clients will receive a 15% discount code for their holiday cards from Carly Reed Designs. See a design you love but no photo yet? No problem! Order your cards and receive $15 off your session with Not So Perfect Photo!

xoxo,
Linda

Back to normal?

Phew!! Time to take a sigh of relief.... we have survived one of the busiest starts to a month EVER.

I feel like I can breathe again.

Recruitment is finished, Torie's married now and her wedding was beautiful, and my wonderful nephew had a mustache bash for his first birthday.

Friday, I even had a day off.  Sure, it cost me the drop-in rate at school, but goodness gracious did I need the time.  Met with the contractor for the new floors; got to go to Target without losing my mind; annnnnnnd wait for it - could just sit down in my own home and just enjoy a cup of coffee in the afternoon with quiet.

Saturday, Lainey started dance and then we had a brunch date with her favorite boys, the Minetrees.

It was a normal day.  

A day with a little bit of structure/schedule, but for the most part, it was just fun and relaxing.

It was not filled with 100s of sorority women, time crunches, hours of craft projects, or appointments.

It was just a normal day.

And I loved every minute of it.

Sure, I watched through a two-way mirror at my little lady cry for most of her first dance class. But hey! Who didn't see that coming?!  Luckily, her teacher was a trooper and danced around the studio with Lainey on her hip.  After class, with tears still on her cheeks, I asked her if she had fun and in between her sniffles, she replied, "Yeah..."

I think she's going to be just fine.

xoxo,

Linda