Just because it's cute...

Birthday Girl

I can't believe that it's already been a year since we got our McKenna.




She's such a happy girl!


With one of her new birthday presents.


Today McKenna had her one year check-up. She is still TEENY TINY! She weighs 17 lbs, which puts her in the 4th percentile. The doctor said that she can't be in a forward facing car seat yet, so I'm trying my best to fatten her up! She is totally weaned, and LOVES her milk so I'm giving her as much as she'll drink in addition to giving her lots of snacks between meals. Hopefully she'll put on 3 more pounds by her 15 month check-up so that she'll get her new car seat.

Undecided

Dr. Laura: Brilliant, or a Total Psycho?

Sometimes when I'm driving in my car in the afternoon I'll turn on the radio to listen to Dr. Laura. And I just can't decide what I think about her. She advocates for women to stay at home and take care of the kids and housework, then feed and boink the man as soon as he's home from work. (James would say, "Sounds about right to me...") I'm not sure if that's a recipe for a good marriage or if it's just totally degrading. Either way, it's pretty entertaining to listen to people with problems get yelled at.

A New Leaf

I have been looking forward to 2009 for a LONG time. I decided to officially declare it to be the "Year of Marianne!" It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? This month I have ambitions to both wean McKenna and to potty train JJ- as soon as I can find at least a few days in a row when I don't have anything going on. Once McKenna is weaned this will be the first time since October of 2004 that I haven't been either trying to get pregnant with someone, been pregnant with someone, or been nursing someone. The idea that I can have my body to myself for a while and the idea of having only one set of diapers to change instead of two thrills me to no end. Also, while I LOVE having a little baby, it is so much work. To me the first year is the most tiring and demanding year. Yes, having a mobile toddler presents it's own set of challenges, but the fun of being able to really interact back and forth and watch a little personality develop outweighs all the toilet paper unraveling, dog food taste tests, and attempts to scale baby gates.

Also, my own personal mantra is, "You can do ANYTHING on 8 hours of sleep!" And while I have a hard time letting a little tiny baby cry to sleep, I have no problem whatsoever letting a toddler do it!

At our house January also brings on another meaning: Tax Season. In years past I have looked at these 4 months with dread. I usually think of long, isolating days by myself with no break from childcare and housework, and an exhausted, worn-out husband that is rarely home. But this year I'm looking forward to it. (Well, not the exhausted husband part.) I think this Christmas really put me over the edge when it comes to all the holiday stress. I feel like I've been running here and there so fast, I haven't had any time to catch my breath. (Or clean my house.) So all I want to do now is be at home, get organized, read some good books, and have a great time with my kids. I'm sure tax season will start to take it's toll around March or so, but I'll deal with that when it gets here. Also, I made a deal with a friend/neighbor who is also a tax widow; we're going to send our children to each other's houses before we get the urge to beat them. :)