Give and Take

I like writing. I've always had this dream of writing fiction, and lately I decided to finally do something about it and write some short stories. It's been fun, and it feels good to work out my writing muscles. I'm finally doing something I've been wanting to do.

But I'm discovering that when you add something into your life, even if it's something good, it takes away from other things you were doing. For me, the sad victim of my fiction writing exercises has been this blog. My blog has been my writing outlet for years, and now that I have a different outlet, I don't feel the need to update this one as often. So here March is almost over and I haven't even posted this month yet. It kind of makes me sad. But I promised myself years ago that I would NOT be one of those people who starts blogging and then gives up. (why? I don't know. Pure stubbornness maybe. Let's be honest, there are worse things in life than starting a blog and then forgetting about it.) I am still going to try to post at least once a month, mostly because this is my family's "journal" and I like to think my kids will thank me one day for documenting our early family life. (I hope they will....)

Here's some stuff we did in March:

~Visited our cousins in Annabella for Quintin's blessing and Carson's birthday. We went shooting and swimming.

What a sweetie.

Meeting baby Q for the first time.

Spiderman had to be in the picture. Also, Eleanor doesn't know how to smile for the camera.

Carson was so cute at his party. He was SO EXCITED for all of his presents!

We had fun shooting but it got cold quick!

~It snowed, just as our crocuses (crocii?) were coming up. I thought for sure they would all die, but the next day new blooms were poking through the snow! It was really pretty. And sort of inspirational. Dustin jokes that our neighbors probably think we're weird because we spend a lot of time examining our front flower bed. (I say our neighbor's probably couldn't care less about what we do.) It's because we're still amazed that we got anything to grow! Lia and Enna love finding new blooms when we leave for daycare every day.

~Second visit to the dentist. I don't remember if I blogged about their first trip 6 months ago, but I am always proud of them at dentist time! Eleanor always goes first for x-rays and cleaning. That girl is fearless and I love it. Lia talked non-stop about the dentist the entire day before the visit--and she actually remembered everything we did last time and described it in detail. That girl has the most amazing memory and I love it. Being a mom you learn there are different kinds of brave. Eleanor's brave is following the hygienist into the back of the office without even checking to see if Mom is coming, plopping yourself into the chair in the x-ray room, and grinning at Mom and Lia through the window. Lia's brave is hiding behind Mom, watching sister go first to make sure it's okay, watching everything happening with big scared eyes and then take a deep breath and calmly and quietly sit through the x-rays and cleanings even though you're scared. I love my girls.

If it seems like I'm making a big deal over something small--after all, everyone goes to the dentist at some point--it's because I HATE going to the dentist. Just thinking about it makes me want to vomit. I am shuddering right now thinking about that little sucker wand thing they use to suck the water and spit out of your mouth and it always sucks your cheek instead and it makes that awful sound and ugh make it stop. I don't want my kids to have the same fears as me so I am really trying to stay upbeat and excited about the dentist trips. Hopefully it works. I had the most amazing dentist growing up and I still ended up traumatized. 

~Aunt Sara visited!  My girls LOVE their aunts. We haven't seen much of Sara lately, and they were so excited to see her. Also, I took Sara out for birthday ice cream and I should have gotten a picture but I didn't. It was super fun. I love my sisters. 

~Finish it off with some pictures of daily life!

I pulled this shirt out of the drawer and she shouted "My only sunshine! You make me happy!"

I am really loving her drawings lately.

Wish I was this photogenic.

Eleanor refuses to take naps at daycare and then crashes on the couch at 6:30. Those nights are not fun. We try to keep her awake but there's only so much you can do.

Well, hopefully it won't be a month before I post again. We'll see.