Oh Hey

Hm. 
Hey. 
Hi. 
I took a leave of absence, but I'm back. For good. Pinky promise.
The last two months have been one of the busiest of my life, but they have yielded incredible blessings and joyful memories, especially during the holidays. 
And looking back at everything, I've come to a very simple conclusion: I've got it made. Somebody upstairs has been unbelievably good to me and I credit every good thing in my life to Him.

So, first of all, Happy New Year! 
Ahhhhh a fresh start. It's that time of year where we've reevaluated our lives and made goals for personal betterment. There's a beautiful thing in that.
My resolutions? 
Consume less cholesterol. 
But somehow eat more chocolate. 
Incorporate new and exciting ways for Jude to learn new things. 
Cook more. 
Sprout bigger boobs. 
Save up for a second car. I mean, Adam on a little scooter is cute, but come on. 
Work on my fitness. 
Read. More. Books. The classics have been calling out my TV-stoned name. 
Date Adam more meaningfully. Putting Jude down early and watching The Lord of the Ring's is getting old. 
Become more motivated to be more spiritual.
Look for ways to reach out and help those around me daily. 
Convince Adam that we need a soft serve ice-cream machine. Sooooooon. 
Like I said, I'm back. And I've decided to dedicate the rest of the week to updating you on all of the stuff we've been up to. I can't even believe how much has happened. And, no, I'm not with child. :-P 

And just for now, he's a few photos of Jude's Christmas present that came late (yesterday) due to spending Christmas in Pennsylvania. We decided it was time for his very own table and chairs when he was determined that the new subwoofer for the TV was purchased specifically to rest his round tush on. 

He's pretty stoked. See you tomorrow :) 

Honesty

In my line of work I communicate with some fascinating people. And aside from their crooked bone structures and false teeth that never seem to be able to stay put, their honesty is what I find most interesting. 
Yeah, ok, most of the time I find it offensive, uninformed, and pretty radically racist, but seriously--how much time and emotion would we all be spared if we were completely and irrevocably honest? 
People would tell you when you're getting fat, that they're really not interested in seeing a movie with you about some teenager who thinks she's in love, that they wanted to go home three hours ago, that your house really does have a weird smell, and your child's chubbiness is actually kind of alarming and when you dress him up in bright red pants and a light-brown turtleneck he looks like a piece of fried chicken dipped in ketchup. 
At any rate, honesty saves us all a lot of guessing and concocting of those exhausting theories about why that one couple stopped hanging out with us and how come my Halloween candy keeps disappearing. 

So, to be totally honest: 
I've eaten three Kit Kats and two Reeses today and I don't see a trip to the gym anywhere in site. 
It requires every fiber of the goodness in my bones not to mess with the old lady at lunch who asks "is this breakfast?" 
The back seat of my car is currently my second closet. 
I laughed uncontrollably throughout the entire 10 pages of reading I had to do about penile cancer. 
I bought expensive makeup to cover up my chin that's been breaking out for weeks because of Adam's facial scruff and his inability to keep his hands off of this. 
And I daydream on an average of 8.65 times a day that Adam is Captain America. 

Birthday and Lately..

Sooo...I turned 24 last week. It's cool. I have some anxiety about turning 25 and every year that I get closer I become more and  more nervous.
I mean, for goodness sakes, 25 isn't 45. omg I'm going to be 45 in 20 years..

Anyway, I had a great birthday. Over the weekend I had a girls sleepover with some of my closest friends, dinner and pumpkin pie with the two men in my life, and enjoyed some delicious pork chops and tuxedo cake at Mom and Dad Stevens' for a fabulous birthday dinner. 
Life is good. And the people in mine are so good to me. 
Adam's present to me is an over-night trip to the San Juan islands up in the Puget Sound this week and OH hunny, I need this. 

Hope you're all enjoying this wonderful time of year and getting just as fat as I am. 

Nursery

Guess what??...

Jude attended his first day of nursery today at church!! 
We were a little nervous that he wouldn't be able to make it for the full nearly two hours (especially since he's constantly pooping these days...), but he took it like a champ and did really well!
When Adam and I went to pick him up, the nursery leader said that he did really well and that he really likes to eat.
Apparently during snack time, Jude ate so much that they had to get extra snacks from the back cupboard or else he'd steal from other kids. That's my boy!
So weird that my son--MY son--is old enough to be a nursery kid, but I'm excited for all the little projects he's going to come running to me holding, and also that my husband can now attend his church meetings again. Sinner. 



Here's to new beginnings and the rest of my youth, and somewhat perkiness, flashing before my eyes.

Who's birthday is it again tomorrow....?

The Pumpkin Patch

On Saturday, we went to the pumpkin patch. This year, in comparison to last year, was basically the Jude Show. The child commands attention, and I mean, come on, who doesn't when they look like a baby Justin Bieber rocking yellow chino's? Totallllllyyy unintentional, but nevertheless, undeniable. The kid's a stud, whatever. And he's got a lot of hair. 
You're welcome. 

This pumpkin patch was run by a local family farm and soon after discovering that the rocks in the driveway weren't edible (ugh, boys), and finishing harassing the animals, Jude found a little red Radio Flyer wagon and didn't leave its side. 
Fall is definitely my favorite time of year, and although it was uncharacteristically warm, and not to mention sunny, I could feel the nostalgia in the air. 

Also, this weekend is ma birfday. Feel free to stop by with cake--because I'm too tired to do anything but watch Grey's Anatomy and make sure my kid is fed. 
How you mothers of multiple children do it is beyond me. 

Just give me a minute

I have a new excuse for not being a consistent blogger--and it's only one word this time: Pathophysiology. 
Basically, I'm graduating this December with my bachelors of science in nursing and I saved this dreadful class until my last academic, dying breath. 
So anyway, until I get the hang of 120+ pages of notes per exam and can stop staring at that picture of that guy with neurofibromatosis, I'm going to be a little absent. Follow me on Instagram if you miss my bad habit of posting too many pictures of my child--I'll never kick it. 
I also included a video of us at the park a few days ago. Jude's main thrill in life is a slide, as you can very well see. 
Warning: click on that link if you're curious. but you might die. 

Fall Wishlist

While on my break during work today, I got an email from Gap.com, kindly informing me that their fall "New Arrivals" are in stock. At first I thought, "Psht, heck yes. This is happening." I scrolled through the pretty new sweaters and plush coats and scarves, only to realize that I wasn't getting the same rush I usually do. You know that if-I-wear-this-I-will-live-forever-in-an-endless-fall-Gap-catalogue high. Instead, I was left wanting more.
And then I clicked on the baby section and my wishlist went from a chunky oatmeal sweater to I'm basically going naked this fall.
Any mom can testify that squeezing a chunky baby, soft in fall fleece and beanies--while watching their little marshmallow butt-cheeks run around the house--is for some reason far more gratifying than buying stuff for themselves.
Gosh, we're just so selfless. 
Anyway, here's my ever-growing Gap wishlist for the little man this fall: 

Adam said that little lamb beanie is too girly. Gosh, is my little guy really a little guy now?

I guess so.

No more unisex accessories, I suppose.