I Survived Swim Suit Shopping!

I did it. I actually went shopping to buy a bathing suit. I still can't believe I did it. My body image hasn't been the best since I gained weight. Just before Easter we went shopping for me a whole new wardrobe. Since then I've felt better simply because I have clothes that fit. Well, today I took the BIG plunge. I tried on swimsuits. I even bought 2! One if just so-so and will probably only be worn around the house or around very close friends. The other I really like. Both are 2 piece tankini's. Both have the little skirts for the bottoms. Everywhere I looked big or small, the skirt bottoms were all over. I'm very proud of myself for conquering the fear of almost every woman I know! :)

Can I go back to work yet?

Really. Can I? Please? I have enjoyed my long weekend. I've painted a chalkboard wall for Paige. Ronnie completely took apart the kitchen and laundry rooms, cleaned, organized, and put back together. We went to our first party at Pump It Up. Paige jumped and slid till her heart was content. We had some friends over today for a cookout. We spent our morning painting the back patio with Crayola washable sidewalk paint. Sounds like a good weekend, right?

Wrong. Someone, I won't say who, is teething. She's been cranky, whiny, and even cried a couple of times. Very not like her. She has been sent to her room at least 4 times over the weekend. These 2 year molars are awful! I thought she had all of her teeth. At our 2 year check up I was told she was done. Dr. Laycock miscounted. I didn't even realize until Saturday morning that she had more teeth coming in. By then the bottom molars are almost through. I haven't checked the top. You could lose a finger that way. At least now I know why she kept saying things hurt her mouth. And yes, I do have a big heap of Mommy guilt for not realizing she was teething. At least it explains why she hasn't been herself.

Growing Feet

This is insane. A month ago Paige wore a size 6.5. When I bought her summer sandals I bought a 7. They were still big, but she would grow into them. Wednesday I had to go shopping for size 7.5's!!! Can you believe it? OMG. She's outgrowing her shoes so quickly I don't want to spend a lot of money. Luckily, Payless is having a BOGO half off sale. She can still wear the sandals for now since they're open toe. Her toes aren't hanging off the end yet, so we're still good. I bought her a pair of pink princess shoes and a pair of Airwalk tennis shoes. Now, I just have to find a pair of pink sparkly shoes.

My favorites were the pink Converse hi-tops. They're an 8, so they're still too big. But, they were on sale now, so I bought them. I had to hide those. If she sees them it's all she'll want to wear. Especially since her sparklies are too small. This girl is all about shoes.

Communal Living

This isn't for everyone. That being said, we definitely make it work. We live in a large home, about 3200 square feet. We have 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 2 living rooms, kitchens, dining areas, 1 dining room, and a den. Our household is made up of 4 adults, 1 teenage boy and a 2 year old. It's nice that we have our own sections where we can close off and be our own separate families. Then, we can open up and be a big family.

I think Paige is doing well in this environment. She's got lots of attention for the adults, and a teenager who dotes on her. We have built in support if we need it. Oh, and built in babysitters. Ronnie and I can put Paige to bed and go out. Wii Wii is happy to listen out for Paige. She sleeps through the night, so not like it's a real hardship there. There are other advantages too, like when Paige needs to go to the doctor, but I have to work. If Wendy is off, she can take Paige in.

Of course there are downsides to everything. If one couple has a fight, everyone else knows about it. There's privacy, but only so much. We don't always agree, but we do come to a final agreement about things. We thought about moving out, but the time just wasn't right.

The house is definitely going to get more interesting soon. We have at least 3 more people moving in. Marc and Wendy's older 2 sons are returning. One is coming home from the Army. He'll be with us a bit, we're not sure how long. The other son is being restationed from Guam to close to home. His wife will be returning home first before she gives birth to their first child. We're not really sure when the son will be returning, but his wife will be here soon.

The house may get a bit crowded, but it will be fun. There's nothing like community suppers with a table piled high with food. Leftovers abound for days after one of these. Usually it involves a grill and the men both cooking and cleaning. Eventually we'll buy a home and the community living will come to an end. For now, we're definitely enjoying it.

Wow. It's been a while.

Things got so hectic with tax season and school that I just didn't have the time or energy. I'm happy to report that both are now over! April 15th meant a day of filing extensions. Monday marked my last day of school. I have now graduated with a 3.53 GPA, enough for Cum Laude after my name. That was enough to make me happy. I get the summer off then back to school for 2 more classes. Once I complete those I will have enough credits to sit for my CPA exam.

We're off to an exciting summer. A day off from work today to run errands and get things done. Tomorrow a birthday party, then Sunday family pictures and an afternoon of beer brewing. WooHoo! What an exciting life we lead!