mommyhood

Saturday (Pictures)

Did you know the first day of Spring is in just a few days? That’s insane! I’m so glad, though. I can’t wait ’til the weather finally breaks. Although, we’ve had quite the mild winter–no complaints there. I’m just ready to wear flip-flops and skirts and traveling and taking pictures. So ready!!

Work news:
During lunch one day, Shannon, Justin, and Patty had a “puppet show” of sorts with spoons. Hilarious. KA told me that I’m getting good at proofing the reprints. YAY because I enjoy doing it very much.

Amanda’s last day was yesterday. She was my cubemate and so awesome. I get my own cube, but I won’t get Amanda. I’ll miss her.


Amanda looks pretty.
I look like a dork. My hair is awful. πŸ™

Aidan news:
He is climbing all over me and it’s driving me crazy. There are a million places to sit in the family room, and he insists on sitting ON MY BACK. It’s not comfortable at all. He’s trying to force me to eat a Pringle. A Sour Cream and Onion Pringle for breakfast. HONESTLY. Ew. He’s also learned how to ask for every single toy he sees. Oh my.

I got him REAL underwear in hopes that it will speed up the potty-training process. I figure, if he wets himself and feels it, he’ll be less inclined to do so in the future. I know this will mean lots more laundry over the next few days to several weeks, but hopefully it will mean the end of buying diapers and Pull-ups soon. He’s getting there, but he gets lazy sometimes. Way too much, actually. So yeah.

I feel like I’m constantly running the vaccuum because Aidan is forever spilling crumbs or something all over the floor. Our family room carpet is awful, and the shampooer is broken, so I just have to live with it. *sigh*

He pronounces “butt” so funny. I keep asking him to say “butt” or “nut” or “cut” because I love the way he says those words.

I feel like all I say is “NO!” He gets into so much stuff. All the time. He climbs like whoa, nothing is safe!! He’s so destructive if he’s not being watched or monitored every second. It’s exhausting!

Writing news:
In April, I ‘m going to Spring Fling Writer’s Conference. I’ll get to meet other writers there, authors, agents, and mandywriter!!! It’s gonna be fun! πŸ˜€

I haven’t done much with my WIP. I have ideas all the time, but once I start working, I seem to lose steam. Not sure what the deal is. Well, it’s hard to focus. I’m trying to write romantic scenes, and that’s hard to do when Aidan is asking for help with something every five minutes, or when Chris is slamming things all over the house. I think I have to get away to be able to write those scenes. Also, there is so much I have to do, write, revise, change, that I feel overwhelmed by the idea of it all. I simply need to FOCUS, get in my zone, and let go.

I heard from my agent. He’s had to expand the submissions list to include Christian publishers. I’m getting discouraged because my book is on that fence: too Christian for mainstream, not Christian enough for the Christian publishers. I don’t know if Only Yours will sell. All the more reason I’m glad I have a super agent–he’s working his butt off to sell my book because he sees merit and that’s incredible to me. I always let him know how much I appreciate him.

Pictures:
It’s been a while since I’ve posted loads of pictures. I know certain people have been requesting them (ahem davidd), so here we go:

Captured!

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Question for People with Preschool Aged Children:

Is your child as needy as mine? Meaning that s/he asks for something LITERALLY every three minutes?????????

Seriously, Chris or I are getting up every few minutes to do something for him, and I don’t think this is normal or okay.

HELP!

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The Art of Negotiation: FOOD/Conversations with Aidan

Aidan does not get a lot of variety in his diet. Part of the reason is that he is super picky, and has a list of five foods he’ll eat with gusto. Part of the reason is that I’m not a creative cook at all, and when I’m hungry, I’m HUNGRY, so waiting forever for a meal is not an option. It has to be quick and easy. So last night, I made creamy chicken rice (Aidan thinks rice is short noodles LOL), peas, tator tots, and chicken nuggets. As soon as Aidan saw his plate, he began the whining: I DON’T LIKE PEAS. (I know that this is a full out lie. He eats peas all the time for my mom with full gusto). So, I made a deal. I said to him “If you eat ONE pea, you can have root beer.” Thus the bargaining began.

Ronni: One little pea. And you can have root beer.
Aidan: No, I eat one CHICKEN! Then I have root beer.
Ronni: No, one pea.
Aidan: No, I eat one tator tot, then I have root beer.
Ronni: No, one PEA. Just one little pea.
Aidan: I DON’T LIKE PEAS!
Ronni: They’re sweet. Just try one pea. And you can have root beer.
Aidan: One noodles.
Ronni: One little pea.

At this point, I got up, went to his side of the table, and put a pea on the fork. Aidan started to freak out, but then I calmly repeated my offer:

Ronni: All you have to do is eat one pea, and you can have some root beer.
Aidan: One pea?
Ronni: Just one.

Aidan ate the pea. I gave him a little bit of root beer. He asked for more, and I told him not until he ate more peas. Then I told him the more peas he ate, the more root beer he could have. He then ate several fork fulls of peas. A few tator tots. One chicken nugget, and a few forkfuls of rice/noodles. I felt good. πŸ™‚ He didn’t finish his plate by a long shot, but I got some veggies in the boy (and myself, for that matter).

He got hungry around 9:30pm and ate two packets of oatmeal. He’ll always love his staples.

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I Need More Writing Time

Anyone have any suggestions?

It’s getting to the point where the only interrupted and peaceful time I have is like … NOW and I can’t take it because I have to be up for work in six hours, and work (not counting the commute) means at least eight hours of writing time gone every day. In addition to that:

– Aidan stays up later and later;
– Chris comes home and spends all his time doing other stuff which leaves ME to entertain Aidan all evening;
– Traffic seems to be taking longer and longer to get through every day (and I use BACK ROADS);
– The house NEVER stays clean for longer than an hour after I get done picking up;
– Life, obligations, friends, family, church stuff…all that jazz.

Does anyone have any suggestions???? I feel like I’m part of a losing battle here. :(

When I wrote ONLY YOURS, I didn’t drive yet, so I had to wait for Chris to get me after work, which meant an extra 90 minutes at my desk everyday. As I wasn’t getting paid for it, I used to time to write. Aidan also had a decent bedtime–he’d go down about 9 or 10. Now, it’s more like midnight or one, later if he can help it. He fights it so much and I’m the enforcer. With me being a night owl, it’s hard to get him to sleep when that’s the last thing on MY mind.

Now, it’s HARD to find time, it truly is. And guess what? I have a cough, a scratchy throat, and probably a fever. Guess who is tempted to stay home tomorrow/today? But it’s not as if I’ll get writing done…Chris won’t take Aidan to be watched if I am home sick. :[

If I ever sell a book and make loads of money, I am SO hiring a nanny.

(In the meantime, thank goodness for legal pads and little note pads. At least I can jot things down, even if I can’t seem to find the time to put them into fruition ever.)

P.S. Aidan is still awake. So much for my peaceful, uninterrupted late night time. :( Anyone have any advice on getting headstrong/nightowl/three-year olds to bed before 2am???!??!?!?!!?!?

(Originally published at Anywhere Is…)

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