This and That: A Week in Review

Has it really just been a week since we returned home from our holiday trip to the North? Are we really 9 days into the New Year? Here's how we have filled that time...

1. Not feeling well...But fortunately, it was just me who was kinda sick and really, really tired. When I'm home, I don't really sleep all that much because I want to spend as much time as possible with my family. That means trying to get up with my parents in the am and staying awake with my siblings in the pm. And no naps. I think I was just spent after the holidays. My energy seems to be picking up now. Thank goodness. I want to enjoy these final two weeks of being 27!

2. Adrian tries toast! So the boy doesn't seem too fond of baby food. I've tried lots of it - yellow stuff, green stuff, orange stuff, fruit. He twists and turns and keeps his mouth sealed! But bitty pieces of toast he can shovel into his mouth - he loved it! So exciting! Messy, but exciting!

3. Adrian on the move. Adrian is too funny when it comes to movement. He does this pseudo-crawl thing that is part crawl, part bear scamper, part slither. He loves to roll into a sitting position, and he is starting to get really good at pulling himself into a stand. Uh, oh! :)

4. Riley and Adrian interacting. I am completely in awe of the whole sibling love thing. I mean, these kids LOVE each other. Riley gives kisses, sings Adrian to sleep, helps change his diapers, makes him laugh...and Adrian cannot get enough of Riley. If she is sitting on the floor, he wants to get to her. Whatever she has, he wants. If she's in the room, he cannot take his eyes off her. So cute.

5. Another thesis submission done! That means, just one more submission with new material before its time to turn the whole book around for a sixth and final submission before my second reader comes on board. I spent four hours at Panera writing this morning (okay, and eavesdropping...but that's what writers do!). I don't know where the time went. It felt so good to be in the zone!

6. Riley so into sports! This week, we've played basketball, soccer, basketball/soccer, and balloon volleyball. And we've run a couple of races. The girl sure plays hard!

7. Riley, the Boss. Already, she seems to be exerting leadership skills. She gave me three choices the other night (ride the car, ride the scooter, or sit on the bed). She orders Shawn to "Stay right here. You don't go anywhere." She tells him to "be nice to Mommy" (love that one!). She proposes a situation and then asks, "Is that a good deal?" And she even establishes an schedule: "after I eat my chicken, then I can have a Popsicle." I cannot believe how with it she is!

8. On the flip side, Riley and her emerging fears. Lately, she has been big on sounds. Usually, everything is okay as long as we explain every noise that surprises her, but she is really not a fan of Shawn's slingshot monkey and the screech it makes as it flies through the air.

7. A cleaner house. Okay, so it took a week, but I finally got my suitcase unpacked. And Shawn took down the tree. And we put away our Christmas decorations and new presents. And we did the laundry. And dishes. And straightened up a TON. Okay, so we still have some work on the bathrooms and our bedroom, but now that most of the house is clean, I feel like I can breathe again.

8. Internet research. Okay, so I am in the market for a new laptop. I would really like an ultraportable as my birthday and graduation gift from everyone in my family, and so I have been researching like mad online. I had my eye on a MAC, but now I'm thinking I might get a less expensive, more portable machine and also get an iPad. If anyone has an thoughts or opinions, I am all ears. I like the Toshiba Satellite T235 and the HP Pavilion dm1 as a couple of more reasonable machines. And basically, I just want my new laptop for writing and some Internet browsing and research. That means I need a GREAT keyboard, some memory, power, 13-inch screen, and less than 4 pounds. Not too much to ask, right?

9. Shawn: Coach of the Year! Three games this week: lost by one, won by one, and got crushed (of course, I take the kids to the crushing defeat!). It's been a busy week with a couple of close games. But Shawn loves it. We talk shop quite a bit and he plots strategies all the time. Hopefully this coming week he can get back on a winning streak.

10. So the plan with using a numbered list was to just hit the highlights, but I wrote a ton! But, this is a first draft, and I tend to be quite wordy in my first drafts (and sometimes second-tenth drafts!). The end.