falling falling falling

im sick of snow falling.
im also sick of tree branches falling.

i am so angry we got robbed by a friend of ours.  you trust a friend who owns a landscaping business and then he steals your money and the harder you fight to get it back, the longer the wait.  i wish i would have gotten my money back to pay an honest person to trim our trees.  ugh!

we have like 7 trees on our property (well 3 of them are like 2 connected) and they are all very tall and branchy.  the snow outside is so heavy that they are bowing and falling under the weight.
i am TERRIFIED that there will be damage to our house or our neighbors' houses.  i dont want that.

it doesnt show any signs of stopping until tomorrow evening and i am WORRIED.
i also dont want anyone passing by to get hurt if something were to fall.

at least my car got in the garage and didnt get stuck.  one positive thing in the midst of this white hell.

the idiot police

lately i have been more and more afraid driving.
people are just.... well, idiots.

here are some occurances from this week alone (i am not exaggerating ANYTHING):
-i was trying to get onto hwy 100s to get to work and a fedex express truck was trying to race me and not let me on (there was a lot of early morning traffic) and i almost ran into the concrete where the lane ends.
-i was stuck behind a guy in a fancy car who was trying to drive, drink a redbull and text.  ne2edless to say he stopped short alot and i couldn't get around him.
-i had a truck do the "switchsignal" move... A TRUCK- switched lanes and signaled while switching lanes..... a TRUCK!!!
-i was trying to get from the left lane to the right lane to make my exit for work and got stuck behind the lane shifter.... the lane shifter that forgets he has a signal.  needless to say this jackass got off on my exit which has 2 lanes that he decided to drive down the middle of.... then he got off at the same stoplight as me and would NOT signal that he was turning or anything....just random brake lights here and there.
-the 4 way stop lady.... there was a guy who was going straight to the left of me, i needed to make a left hand turn and there was a lady across the way who was going to go straight.  i got to the stop sign just a hair before she did.  i should have thought that she would be braindead.  the guy who was going straight had the right of way so he went.  then i decided to make my turn and she decided to go straight.... just as i was turning she decided to lay on the horn for a good grip... she was just a blip in my rearview mirror and i could STILL hear the horn!
-then there's the usual "tailriders".... the "one second pause stoppers".... the "fly into oncoming traffic"-ers....the "slowman in the fast lane"-ers...


i feel like a seinfeld episode with all these nicknames.  but i get so nervous still when i drive.  i'm terrified someone will be so careless and hit me from behind or on the side where audrey sits...

i wish people would just wake UP and be CAREFUL.  some of us have some precious cargo on board!

you think by now...

you think by now josh would have gotten it....
you can NOT have guys over and drink late anymore!  more importantly, you can NOT have guys over and drink late on a SUNDAY!!!  you and your guy friends can NOT be LOUD when it's late regardless of the day because AGAIN i get stuck with a cranky baby!

i get up for work at 530....
i have to pump, shower, get breakfast, get audrey up and fed, get her dressed and get out the door to work.
i do NOT have time to alter my schedule and cater it to a stranger being on the couch...

sometimes i just dont think guys THINK!  you have a KID and a "wife" that goes to bed early and gets up early.... NOT time for parties anymore.

i am so irritated right now.  they are being SO loud in the basement which is right under audrey's room so you can hear EVERYTHING!  she is having a hard time sleeping tonight as it is so i am getting even more irritated right now because i am worried she is going to wake up.

i want to screeeeaaaaam!!!!!!

guys out there, if your wife is pregnant and you like to drink and have people over, understand this:
YOU need to take a backseat once your kid is born, step up, and HELP!  stop thinking of YOU and what YOU like to do and HELP!

i feel so burdened right now and have i mentioned IRRITATED?
i have been alone all weekend because of people and jiu jitsu.... i get to take care of audrey while everyone else is out and about because she's been sick.  i didnt even WANT anyone over.....
and now, it's sunday and we work tomorrow so, WHY drink so much that someone can't drive home??

plus, the LOUD VOICES in the basement under my kid's room are driving me NUUUUUTS.

AAAARRRRRRGGGGG!!!!

at the end of 7 months

i cant believe audrey will be 8 months next week!  it is insane how time has flown by.
the sad thing is, this almost ends our time of nursing together.  my supply has gotten BEYOND low and i dont have enough to send to day care for her.  so, we have started supplementing 1-2 bottles a day at day care ONLY with formula.  sucks cos i really didn't want to give her formula at all, but it is helping me get some milk stored up so it wont have to be an every day thing.  it is sad cos i think i will miss her nursing more than she will.  it's our snuggle time and i love when she looks up at me and just smiles her big toothless smile.  it is awesome though that she self weans.  she weaned herself off a nuk at like 3 months old and could really care less what she is being fed as long as she is fed it.  i like that she is so adventurous and likes to have new tastes and experiences.  im actually quite lucky to have such an adaptable baby - unless it's bedtime!  she needs her bath, her jammies, her books, and her bed ONLY.  sucks when we're out somewhere!  then it's meltdown city, population 1- audrey!

on another note, i realize how much moms do.  moms spend their time taking care of their children, worrying about their kids, keeping up the housework, and being exhausted.  dads work and have hobbies.... (at least in my world).  i cant even remember when i had a minute to get a hair cut or go to the dentist or doctor for my own self .....  i think working moms deserve an even bigger reward for getting everything above done and working 20-40 hours a week!  it is so hard! (that's what she said....)  i feel like when audrey needs mommy LESS, daddy will be a bit less hesitant to keep her for an afternoon for me.

im kind of thankful he chose to stay home with her monday when she was sick.  he even told me himself, "you don't really have time to do anything!  i thought i could nap when she napped but then there was just so much to do and just when i thought i could do stuff she woke up again..."

that was actually the biggest joy to hear of all things.  we had a nice conversation how exhausting it is to wait til she goes to bed at night to get stuff done or get up extra early on the weekends to get things done.. i just don't ever want her to think a clean house comes before a happy house.  she does like to watch me cook and plays with her measuring cups or in her exersaucer by herself but still....

life is so busy and is flying by so fast.  i'd rather memories than a clean house and gourmet eats... plus, when audrey can walk and explore more i am so sure she is gonna want to be outside with daddy on "the great cat hunt" and not inside with mommy all the time.....(they go chasing after our cat together and it is SO cute cos audrey goes "tuhhh tuhhh tuhhhh kuh kuh kuh" at the cat....

a picture's worth a thousand words

so the guy that did my half sleeve books up REAL quick.  REAL quick.
so, i know a want a tattoo to honor audrey and just how awesome she is and how happy i am to have her but i am still at a LOSS for what to get.  since he books up so quickly, i already made appointments and have a consultation for dec 11.
soooo here's the ideas so far:
- a half sleeve of a page in our favorite book "Mommy Calls Me Monkeypants" of the momma monkey and baby monkey (since audrey is my little monkey)

-then there's the mommy giraffe/baby giraffe idea since her favorite toy is a giraffe named Sophie and she has a stuffed giraffe and a giraffe dress.... here are some pics i found

so, i guess- vote on your favorite idea or pic.  just remember, i have a very dark half sleeve on one side with some cherry blossoms.... i kinda want another half sleeve but dont wanna be too matchy matchy or too out there so it looks stupid.

post your votes in the comment spot below and HELP ME before december 11.

are you able to operate a motor vehicle? (a short quiz)

after nearly being in a ton of accidents due to the carelessness of others (honestly), i decided to make a quiz to see if you really CAN and SHOULD operate a motor vehicle....

1) Is your cell phone glued to at least one of your hands at all times?
2) Do you feel that turn signals are optional or should be used at the very last second?
3) Do you forget to turn on your head lights?
4) If there is inclement weather, do you drive below half of the posted speed limit?
5) While driving, if there are cars approaching from an oncoming ON ramp, do you speed up to make sure they don't get in front of you?
6) Do you STOP completely at a yellow light?
7) While at a green turn arrow, do you sit in your car organizing things on your front seat or space out or send a text?
8) Do you believe in multi-tasking and feel that you can put on make up, fix your hair, send texts or talk on the phone while driving?
9) Do you feel the need to stop and stare at every flashing light/police car/stalled vehicle/accident on the side of the road??
10) Is your car just so awesomely expensive and brand new that you have this sense of entitlement or an overprotective nature about you that you just can't seem to drive normally?





If you answered yes to any of these questions.... GIVE BACK YOUR LICENSE AND GET A STATE ID AND BUS PASS!
I am sick of driving near you people and having you share the road with me. 

the ever growing audrey

it would be unfair to say i love my daughter now more than i ever could. some days i feel like that though. 
lately audrey has just been TOO cute.  she is learning to hug, kiss, and cuddle.  at bed time she gets all snugly on my shoulder and falls asleep on me sometimes..... there are times she grabs my face and smiles and squeals, and then there are days she grabs my face and tries to give me a kiss.
she is so loving.  she LOVES to squeal and smile and shriek and laugh. 
of course this comes with the ever painful squeal that turns into a grunty whine that turns into tantrum crying.  but most often, audrey is a happy girl.
she's also started feeding herself.  she reaches out for the spoon and helps dip it in the bowl and bring it toward her mouth and feeds herself.  if we dont hold onto the spoon though, she does think the spoon itself is the food and is able to gag herself which is NOT fun.

she loves story time.  she hits the pages and smiles at the pictures.... she lays on me and cuddles me...
i honestly cant get enough of my little girl.

she may lack the "motor skills" of crawling, standing and rolling over, but she is such a smiley, happy, and social little girl that is CHATTY.