Blonde Moment Monday

• Happy Monday Ya'll! How was your weekend?? Ours was spent in major party mode to get ready for Ryder's 3rd Birthday party this coming Saturday. We're doing a Trucks & Bus theme party so I have scoured the internet and every store in a 25 mile radius looking for ideas for Ryder's big day. Can't wait to show ya'll what I found :)

•  We've started recycling! Well we live in a somewhat large city, but recycling just made it's way here finally, so we now have a nice blue recycling bin in addition to our trash can outside. We've been trying to go more organic and natural, shopping at Trader Joe's and Earth Fare but now we are also trying to be more green by recycling. I've wanted to recycle for awhile now but our city just wasn't up with the times and didn't offer it, and as much as I love Mother Nature, I was not going to drive to Charlotte to dump my plastic and paper items!

• Here's my latest tummy shot- the tummy 8 weeks post partum. (I took this on Friday). I've been working out the past 2 weeks, now that I got the green light from my midwife, but I know that it's also helped that I'm burning additional calories pumping so much. I'm trying to watch what I eat and make better food choices too, but I really want to get in shape for some upcoming trips this March. I knew in order to achieve this, I had to start right away. So far so good, but I know I have a long way to go!

• This is what our Living Room looked like Saturday night after Scot and I got everything unloaded from the attic and car. My mom and stepdad offered to watch both kids (over night too!!) so that we could finish all of our birthday planning and shopping for Ryder, and we went ahead and finished up their Christmas shopping too. With just a few weeks before the Holidays, I didn't know when we'd have another chance to get out (without the kids), so we went a little crazy. I'm sure we'll see a few more things for Christmas as it gets closer, but we're done for the most part which  is a really good feeling!
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• Love these two, but it was so nice to get a little break from these two on Saturday! I missed them both like crazy, and I had a few times where I about started crying, because I missed Brynley so much. However, that being said, I also needed some sanity back. I also needed some uninterrupted sleep. My mom has offered to spend the night since the day we came home with Brynley, but Scot and I refused the help because I had been nursing and there wasn't really much she could do to help with all of the early am feedings. Fast forward 2 months and I was more than willing to take her up on the offer!
  
  
  
•  We have really been tested to our limits with this guy lately. I just don't know what's changed. Is it because he is out of routine and now sleeps on a mattress in our room because he refuses to sleep in his room anymore because everything is spooky? Is it because we now have a baby and he has to share the attention and is acting out. Still? Is it because the terrible threes are approaching and they're way worse than the terrible two's? Is it because Scot and I are so tired and occupied with Brynley that we aren't taking the time like we used to, to follow through and discipline him appropriately? I have noticed we seem to be doing a lot of empty threats, but after a tantrum filled afternoon yesterday, he received plenty of spankings and timeouts, and finally broke down and he did eventually take a nap. He was a new kid afterwards, so I'm also wondering if this is the reason for the recent tantrums too.
• I don't have much on my mind other than trying to get organized party planning. We are doing a trucks and bus theme for Ryder's party. Last year was so fun planning for Ryder's train theme, but with having a just-turned- two month old, my party planning skills just aren't what they could be! For fun though, I thought I'd share pics from last years party. And yes I even made a life size box car for the birthday boy. Can't say I'll be painting a life size dump truck this year though!
•  I loved looking back at Ryder's birthday from last year and I can't wait to see his face when he opens his presents this year! We haven't even really told him what the theme is (because I didn't want a repeat of his Halloween costume). This time of year always gets so busy for us. Ryder's birthday, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas, but it's always a lot of fun too. I love my little turkey (Goose) and I can't believe he will be turning THREE this Friday!