Quick Takes

I haven't blogged in a looooong time.  Mainly because the thought of trying to detail everything that has happened in the past few months is more than a little daunting. So here, in no particular order, is what has been going on over the past few months.

1. Our little girl turned one.  If anyone knows how this happened, please let me know.  She has turned out to be such a funny, bright, silly little girl.  In so many ways just like her brother, in so many ways, she is so different.  I think perhaps the most noticeable is her individuality and her ability toward self amusement.  I've mentioned this before but it's become more and more pronounced as she gets older.  She loves to sit by herself and play with whatever is handy.  Today that happened to be a dishtowel and a measuring spoon.  I sat across the room watching her and was just consumed by how freaking amazing she is.  She's really beginning to talk now and loves to repeat words.  In case you're keeping a tally, we have Mommy, Daddy, Tucker, car, ball, bear (rrrarrrrw), bubble, Buggy, tree, poopy (yep.) and HIIIIIIII.  She.  Is.  So.  Cute.  Can't stand it.

2. I ran a half marathon on the 4th of July.  I began training for it in January and expected to run it solo.  I was so, SO glad when my sister-in-law, Josie, decided she wanted to run it with me.  We trained together on a number of long weekend runs, including one rather miserable 11 wet, rainy, cold miles.  We thought we were going to die but we didn't and a few weeks later we tackled 13.1 miles with style.  Ok, there was no style but we wore matching tank tops and we finished without dying so, I count that as a success.  It was pretty freaking awesome and I am so glad we did it.

3. I went back to work.  Oh yeah, kind of a big one.  My first day was May 19th and I worked 2 or 3 days a week until I went back full time near the end of June.  I spent a few weeks working in our Lake Oswego office and then was transferred out to our Clackamas office.  I was not happy.  Clackamas is a long way from Tigard.  Turns out I totally fell in love with the group of people who work at the Clackamas branch.  I'm now back in Lake Oswego which is much better for my commute but I really, REALLY miss those people I got to know in Clackamas.  Funny how you can become so attached so quickly.

Working has come with its challenges and its rewards.  First of all, I LOVE being back at work.  I just really am meant to be a worker.  Which is not to say that being a stay at home mom is not work BECAUSE IT IS, just that, I really like working out of the house.  My pay checks barely cover day care and gas (and in fact, didn't cover day care and gas when I was out in Clackamas) but it doesnt' matter.  I love working. 

I do face challenges though.  I struggle everyday with trying to maintain a perfect image (not looking perfect - those days are long since past) but trying so hard to make sure everyone thinks I know everything and won't make any mistakes.  This is the pattern I had gotten myself in before at work and it is so hard to keep that up.  So, guess what, I make mistakes.  A lot.  Just when I think I can't make any more mistakes, I'll make one.  And that's ok.  It turns out that everyone makes mistakes.  That seems like a really simple thing but I have a hard time accepting that I'll make mistakes.  Or, more accurately, forgiving myself when I do make mistakes.  So, I'm working on it.

(secret whisper voice:  I don't miss the kids as much as I thought I would. Oh my goodness, I can't believe I said it, but IT IS TRUE!)

4. I did Portland to Coast again this year.  This year I captained our team.  It was great when I wasn't working because it gave me something to do.  My little project.  It got a lot harder when I went back to work.  I was all set to pass my captaining duties to someone else for next when I went and set up both a Portland to Coast walking team and a Hood to Coast running team for 2012.  Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking either.  Oh well.  It's always such a fun event and next year Morgan and I are both on our running team.  Just a little challenge that will be fun for us to take on together.

5.  We bought a house.  Well, we haven't closed escrow yet but hopefully on October 12th, we'll be happy homeowners again.  Our house is going to be awesome.  Right now it's a little dated and needs some TLC but Morgan's taking a week off of work after we close and I trust in his vision to make is perfect.  I can't wait to move in and start our life there.  We plan to stay in the house until after our little darlings have graduated high school.  Wow, hardly seems possible that my little babies could ever be in high school.

6.  Conor is a giant.  A giant monster, sweet, smart as a whip giant.  We're still struggling with potty training but so many other things are awesome right now.  We went to the circus yesterday and he was completely enthralled.  Enraptured even.  If I loved anything half as much as Conor loved the circus I would be the happiest woman on earth.  We also got to ride the MAX to the circus and that may have even been better than the actual circus.  Even though he annoys me greatly sometimes (a lot of the times) I am so lucky to  be his mommy (yeah, he still calls me Mommy - I love it).  Ask anyone, he is one cool kid.

7.  Morgan and I had our 7 year Meet-a-versary.  We met on Labor Day weekend in 2004.  I was coming off a bad breakup, Morgan was looking to get married.  We were most definitely NOT in the same place.  We spent one super amazing day on the beach together in San Diego and felt so comfortable with one another it was kind of, well, shocking, I guess.  Seven years later we hung out in the beach in Seaside with our kids.  It wasn't quite the same but, looking back, both days make me smile for different reasons.  Two really good days out of life built, mostly, of good days.  That's saying something, right there.