Yesterday it felt like I had been back in my house for a max of 9 hours and I could already feel my throat start to hurt. I woke up at six this morning and didn't really go back to sleep. Our house is so dark in the morning it's amazing and Winnie sleeps so much longer. I was missing those extra minutes of sleep before she was up!  I know there are going to be times when I have two kids, or get sick, or am exhausted with a new born some day and I can't go over to my mom's to take a nap while she takes care of my kids. It was one of the best parts about living in Arizona with a new born.  But today when I woke up with a stuffy nose and achy body I tried really hard to push through. I'm realizing I'm capable of alot more than what I give myself credit for. I popped some decongestion and fed Winnie breakfast with a forced smile, at first. I got all the laundry folded, bed made, vacuumed everything, cleaned the kitchen, and still had time for some books.  I barely recognized myself :) I know I used my family close by as a crutch when I wasn't feeling good.  I don't think there is anything wrong with that either. It's so convenient! Trust me, I really really really miss it. But I'm glad I'm getting some experience and practice being in full Mom mode.  Doing it all.  And trying to do it all while being patient and happy.  I was telling my Mom one day how I've been running out of patience recently.  She pointed out, "I know, but you get paid the big bucks to be patient!"  I never thought of it like that.  I'm lucky to stay at home with Winnie and when I think about it more as an actual job, with monetary value, sometimes it helps me try harder.  Dayton doesn't go to work everyday for me to lose my cool at Winnie or let her binge on Elmo when I have a bad cold.  Will it happen occasionally? Probably more often than not.  But I'm trying!

 On our last trip to Arizona, in September, right before Winnie turned a year and a half, we all noticed Winnie was telling us she needed to go to the bathroom. Rondalee and my mom encouraged me to try and help her go in the potty.  So when I got home from that trip, I tried to just get her used to sitting on ours. I would try every couple days thinking she was just too young and I was too lazy to go cold turkey. I spent one hour watching endless episodes of Elmo, hugging the toilet, hugging Winnie, and giving her sips of water. After an hour she did it! What?! I was shocked. I'm still not wanting to go full force because I really don't want to take her to public bathrooms haha. I'm probably going to miss my window of opportunity but for right now she tells me in the morning and throughout the day she has to go, I sit her down, and she goes?! It has required VERY little effort on my part. She's potty training herself and it's the weirdest thing.  As I was sitting there on her bathroom floor, wondering how many germs I was exposing myself to, I felt like a total and complete Mom.  Normally, with any other baby it would gross me out.  Not mine, though.  I'm so glad I'm here for her.  I'm so glad I get to teach her to say, 'bye bye pee pee' when she flushes the toilet.  Or giving her (and the toilet) a big hug when she finally goes in the potty.  

Christmas is going up in our house tonight for family home evening.  Maybe I'll take some pictures of it!............Maybe I wont.

Was it obvious I got our family pictures back?