The Price of Sanity... $4 per hour

Yesterday began something that will probably be the Very Best Idea I've ever had. I hired a neighborhood pre-teen to watch Lexi while I got things done around the house. I've accepted that Lexi is not a napper. In fact, if she does fall asleep during the day, I know I have exactly 20 minutes before she is awake again. That's just how she is. Best to accept it and make it work for me.

I got the idea months ago, but my anxieties were not allowing it to move forward (more on that later.) Finally, after a neighborhood BBQ and the realization that I was baby sitting at the age of the neighborhood gals, Claire was scheduled. And she'll be here three days next week! Ahhh it felt good to work in the yard. And as for Lexi, well she LOVED the attention. She was all smiles and playtime for two hours! And after Claire left, a 20 minute power nap followed.

As for my anxieties, I just read an article that stated two things that accurately describe how I feel. 1) Bad things always seem to happen when you least expect them, so the smart thing to do is simply expect them, and that keeps them away. And 2) Anxiety is paying interest on your troubles, like feeling sick about cake that you might eat in the future.

On a recent visit to my doctor, I tried to explain the feeling I get, and I felt like she could never possibly know what it is like to be trapped by anxiety. She dispenses her anxiety med RX and off I go to face the world she probably knows nothing about. So that brings up more anxiety about taking meds while breastfeeding, and I'm still researching. But as for #1 above, many of my friends, family, and especially Jon, Benji and Lexi have been more than covered on the many scenarios that could happen that I've already prevented by worry. You are welcome! -Jenni

Family Pics

Here are some recent family pics and some of just Lexi at 6 months old. She is such a gorgeous little girl!

Jenni of Very Little Brain

Lexi and I have been reading the original Winnie the Pooh stories. I am learning a lot about the characters- Piglet is meant to be carried in Christopher Robin's pocket, Tigger lives with Roo and Kanga because he can eat the same food as Roo, and Pooh is often referred to as the Bear with Very Little Brain. In fact, if he has a Good Idea, it is capitalized for emphasis. Since Lexi was born, I have had many Very Little Brain incidents. Some examples-

When I tried to cook dinner for Jon's birthday, when Lexi was a month old, I was fumbling with raw chicken and recipes while everyone else was ready to eat. Luckily my 10 year old niece stepped in and helped me. Thank goodness for Angie or everyone would still be hungry (and what a great cook she is!)

When we went camping a few weeks ago there was something I had to tell Jon before we left and it had something to do with the garage. I never did remember, until we were walking around the campground and I saw people fishing. "Hey Jon, if you bring your fishing pole this weekend you can fish without a fishing license." He would have liked that!

For about a week I was taking 2 ibuprofen every night before bed because my back hurt really bad. During this same time my stomach was going through some digestion issues. I spent a lot of time in the bathroom, and I wondered if I had eaten something bad, but I just couldn't pinpoint the problem. Since my back wasn't getting any better, I decided to take 3 ibuprofen one night to see if that made a difference. I had the pills in my hand, and realized it wasn't the ibuprofen I had been taking, it was the colace, a laxative.

Yesterday was the culmination of Jenni of Very Little Brain, I backed our new vehicle into a parked car. I've never done that before. What is more amazing is that I do not recall checking to see if there was anything or anyone behind me before I started backing up. I went from driving a Dodge Ram Truck to a station wagon, and it's only now that I hit something?! (The new car.)I blame it all on my lack of thinking skills. I have those random moments where I can't recall why I entered a room, and I know that is normal for all of us, but it's not normal for me to be THIS forgetful. I believe it has something to do with breastfeeding and not having slept a full night in over 7 months. I do hope my mind returns. I'd hate to have to start capitalizing my Good Ideas! -Jenni