I've spent much of today making a To-Do list and very little time doing anything on said list. By nature, I just feel more at peace when life is in order; and by life, I mean everything from closets to schedules to correspondence. Lately, though, nothing is actually in order, so my list is mostly composed of ways to organize the things to do. (Is anyone following what I'm saying?) In other words, my To-Do list doesn't say 'Exercise'; it says 'Make a Schedule for Exercising.' And instead of  'Cook Dinner'; it says 'Create a Weekly Meal Plan' and so on... Nowhere on this list is blogging mentioned, but because writing also makes me feel at peace, I decided to forgo the list entirely and opt for the quick fix.
Speaking of meal planning... curious as to what's cooking at my house? You'll find a boiling pot of this on my stove at some point most every day:

Once the meal planning-plan is complete, this pot will contain food.

Until then, Baby Wright will have the most sterile pacies in town.

Murphy often steals my phone and uses the voice dictation feature for typing. Today she sent my mom a text that simply read: 

Hello. I'm black.

Carter is learning to read; this both excites me and tries my patience. After correctly reading the site word 'has' at least ten times, she came to it and began sounding it out phonetically:

H-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-s-s-s-s-s-s
only to look up at me and emphatically conclude, Dog! 

A cousin by relation and a dear friend by choice hopped on a plane with her four month old little love in tow and visited over the holiday weekend. I did actually use my stove for something other than paci cooking, and we enjoying noshing and wine-ing together while loving on the babes. We opined on important topics such as choosing between bangs or Botox and whether or not the consumption of non-organic meat will cause our girlies to sprout boobies in Pre-K. She did not arrive empty-handed and gifted Wright with my absolute most favorite baby gift. Ever.

Precious, right?

Now, take a close look at that right bootie...

It's inscribed with Wright in MY handwriting!

And, the left, with her middle name, Genevieve,

again in Mommy's handwriting. 

What a precious keepsake, and I've never seen those feet look so darn adorable. A thousand thank yous to you, Kyndal, (and to you, too, Kacia!) 

Remember that time our Mommies had a little vino

and wanted to take our picture? Yea, we rocked that pose.

Back to my list... which, now that I think about it, is really more of a 'How-To-Do List' than a 'To-Do-List.'

Monday Musings

Baby Wright is two and a half months old and is consistently sleeping a minimum of 8 hours straight each night. (She actually pulled a crazy-long 12 hour shift one night!) This coupled with bright, sunny days (current day excluded), school being back in session, and an overall 'good' feeling has been just the combination to lead to this exuberant declaration... the fog is lifting! And, in honor of this significant milestone here in Newbornland, I've decided a little random, stream of consciousness blog is in order.
A new Disney princess, Princess Sophia, has come on the kid scene. We have the inaugural movie on our DVR list, and the girls have watched it several times since it premiered in early November. Like most kid shows, I tend let it fade into the background and generally tune it out as much as possible whenever it's on. Yesterday, though, I caught a scene in which Cinderella, the mentor princess, was giving Sophia a little advice on all things princess. She relayed to Sophia that she made a big mistake by not befriending her own step-sisters, suggesting that they could have been 'best friends' and 'forever sisters.'

If you need a little princess refresher, she was referring to the evil gals who taunted her mercilessly, forced her to perform manual labor, and tried to keep her from her prince charming!
As I heard her little spiel (in the form of a cheesy song), I was reminded of how ridiculously rose-colored we try to paint life for children these days. I see Cinderella's point and, of course, I encourage our girls to get along with everyone. But my word, Cinderella! have some respect for yourself! Those witches didn't deserve your friendship and certainly not your sisterhood!
In a society where bullying (sadly I've even seen it with preschoolers) seems to be evermore prominent, I'd prefer a princess with a message of self-worth and dignity. I also think that a little (soft) dose of reality can't hurt even at a young age. The earlier we can get our own little princess(es) to realize that not everybody is going to like her and not everybody is going to be nice to her and not everybody will want to be her friend, the better.
Last night Lindsay and I left all three girlies with our sitter for the first time went to see Silver Linings Playbook. The movie was fantastic (Lindsay placed it in the top two of all movies he's seen in the past couple years), and I'd highly recommend seeing it while it's still in theaters. I was a bit distracted during the film, though, as Lindsay and I had a continuing, whispered argument as to the hotness quotient of Jennifer Lawrence. In short: his tongue was basically wagging, and I just don't see it. We did not engage in a similar discuss surrounding Bradley Cooper's level of attractiveness (as if an argument could even be made...)

Hot.

Not. 

(My blog. My opinion.)

As for tangible signs that the fog actually IS lifting, last week I BOUGHT A BOOK, an actual book that has nothing to do with babies or breast-feeding or strong-willed children or site words. I plan to read this book (Atonement) in my free-time (not a typo) after all three girls are tucked-in in the evenings. I also threw my hat back into the Words With Friends ring. Not only do I have a little time to play, but I am also finally feeling like my brain may actually be able to function on a level beyond that of pure survival. 

Better skedaddle... the biggest sister's show is wrapping up; Murphy in the Middle is ready to get up from her nap; and Baby Girl is ready to eat again. The evening will consist of goulash and corn on the cob for Monday family dinner, and a Honey Boo Boo special after the girlies are in bed for the night. 

Ahhh, I'm rejoining the land of the living...

The Sweetest Things, Q4

A couple points to get out before beginning... {1} I've never been totally happy with the title (The Non-Thing Things) of this recurring post, so I've been toying with a few ideas. You may or may not see this one again. And, {2} the last time I stepped foot into this Starbucks, I walked out in labor and gave birth four hours later. Feels pretty, pretty weird to be here.
And speaking of the little one who began to show signs in this very place of her impending appearance, I have to give her a great big Whoopie! for giving Mommy a 10 hour stretch of sleep on Sunday night followed by an 8 1/2 hour stretch last night (and I realize that by simply typing that, I'm pretty much guaranteed to be feeding her every three hours tonight.) I'm sitting here on this Tuesday afternoon having showered, dried (and flat-ironed!) my hair, applied make-up, and crossed five items off my to-do list (no need to mention how many items it contains.) Better get to bloggin' before I crash from the largest burst I've energy I've felt in six months!

The Sweetest Things in the Final Quarter of 2012...

1. Just Wright... how can the birth of our latest (and last barring some supernatural intervention) little love not top the list this quarter? It's hard to believe, really, that we've only known Baby Wright for ten weeks as it feels like I've been in love with her forever. As babies go, she really is the cream of the crop. She cries so infrequently, that I can barely conjure a mental sound of her cry, and just thinking of her precious smile can bring tears to my eyes. It's not just me who feels this amazing love for our itty-bitty, both her Daddy and Sister Bears are equally smitten. It blows my mind that we were a family before she came into our lives as her addition has truly felt as if we've located a missing piece to the puzzle. 
2. Miss Congeniality...Carter has always been a bit of a social butterfly, but that butterfly has seriously spread her wings over these past few months. It's been such a joy watching her integrate into a new city and a new school with such ease, and she quickly acquired a much busier social calendar than I. At times I actually worry about her being so friendly since she thinks nothing of rolling down her window at stoplights to say a quick 'hello' to neighboring drivers or of standing on the front porch and shouting pleasantries to passersby. As of late, her manners have also made this Mommy quite proud. 'Yes Ma'am' flies frequently from her mouth as does 'Excuse me' and 'May I please...' By no means is she perfect - current challenges include incessant, nails on a chalkboard-style whining and tattle-telling - but she's pretty darn terrific to this Mommy (and it goes without saying that she's the apple of Daddy's eye.) 
3. Southern Hospitality...prior to our move back to Charlotte, I'd been excited about returning to the culture of the South. As the move became more imminent, though, I wondered if I was idealizing the reality: would little girls really show up to preschool in darling smocked dresses? I'm happy to report that it's all I imagined and more (the first day of school was a sea of smocking!) I was so touched when the moms from Murphy's class put together a calendar for bringing meals to our family after Wright was born. These ladies didn't even know me or our family, yet they took the time to bring us tasty dinners (each complete with dessert) during a hectic season of life. Other moms have offered advice on everything from elementary schools to pediatricians to summer camps and welcomed Carter into their homes for playdates. And the kind gestures haven't been limited to just the Southern ladies. Though Lindsay has less time for socializing, two of his professional contacts have used business meetings as an opportunity to invite us to social events. Over the holiday season, we were added to Christmas card lists and fresh baked goodies were delivered to our door. Despite being the new folks in town, we've felt a warm, Southern welcome everywhere we've been. 
4. Quite the Character... I'm not sure there's a better word to describe the gal who, when asked, insists her name is 'Jelly Samich!'; Murphy is really, something. She turned two during the final quarter of 2012, and with that increase in age came an explosion of new language. She went from saying demanding screeching 'milky' when she wanted a cup of the white stuff, to sweetly voicing the entire phrase 'May I please have milky?' for the same request. (I so wish this post had audio because the way she dictates each word so precisely is just plain adorable.) The equally screeched 'UPY!' when she desired to be held (pretty much during any time that a normal person would be walking) has become 'May I have upy, please?' One of her longest sentence to-date came as she expressed her desire to drink from the sweet springs of Mommy-milk: 'Mur-Mur drinkin' Baby Wright's milky? Booby?' Her stubborn nature continues to be mind-boggling; a favorite new phrase is, 'My turn! I do it all myself! And, as eager as Carter is to please, Murphy is equally eager to portray an I-don't-give-a rat's-fanny-what-you-think attitude. Girlfriend spent over twenty minutes sitting and thinking (our version of time out) about getting her left shoe (she was already wearing the right one) out of the basket so that we could go to lunch. Once the entire family was loaded up in the car, ready to pull out of the garage, she hopped up, found the shoe, and put it on while muttering 'Silly me!' to herself. As I said, a character. 
5. Fallin' in Love...here's the thing, and I know you moms will get this, there's just something about watching your husband love fall in love with your children that makes you fall even more in love with him. As a Mommy to three darling daughters, I get to experience this triple-fold. Lindsay and Carter are kindred spirits in so many ways, and watching them bond over Batman or work on a drawing projects together makes me feel all fuzzy inside. I never see that little girl's face more gleeful then when her Daddy pulls in the drive-way after a work week. He is equally smitten with our Murphy in the Middle and has even admitted that her pretty face hides a multitude of sins in his eyes. And, now, our sweet little Wright has taken another piece of Daddy's heart. Like me, he can't get enough of her and has been soaking-in each sweet newborn snuggle. Additionally, he has been superbly playing the role of Superdad! by doubling up on diaper and burping and swaddling duty since the feeding duty is falling solely on Mommy's shoulders. His willingness to help where needed and to recognize when I've needed rest, especially during Wright's first few weeks, has been such a help. I'm not trying to say that our relationship while in the trenches of Newbornland has been all cupids and rainbows, but I can say that this variety of fallin in love infinitely surpasses the flutters that first appeared nearly ten years ago. 

When Lindsay and I were introduced as Mr. and Mrs. at our wedding reception almost seven years ago,  we chose U2's The Sweetest Thing as our entry song. On that day, I had no idea what the years would bring or how that magical day was just a precursor to years and years of even Sweeter Things. As always, writing this particular post reminds me of just how wonderful life is in Lewellen house.

Favorite Things, Q4

It's kind of ironic that I'm composing this blog about Things during a time in which I am completely sick of stuff. If I find one more tiny plastic horse in my bed or baby doll shoe under our kitchen table or speck of glitter A-NY-WHERE, I may just explode. Yet, for the first time in quite awhile, I've actually had a hard time narrowing down my list of My Favorite Things this quarter. So, before I get too distracted and resume my rampage of stuff collection throughout the house, here goes...

My Favorite Things of the Final Quarter of 2012...

1. Ring Holder...I know lots of ladies never, ever slip off their wedding rings, but I find that I remove mine constantly. Whether I'm bathing the girls or washing rinsing dishes (who was I trying to kid? I hand wash a dish, I don't know, once every few months?), I was always laying my rings down somewhere and then having no clue where that somewhere was! I remembered that my Grandma Sumner always had a darling little dish that said 'Rings and Things' sitting by her kitchen sink and wished that I had something like that, too. I can't remember when I'd last seen one in a store before I found a selection of adorable novelty ring holders at Paper Skyscraper. I chose the kitty (though that mouse is pretty darn cute, too) and have loved having a spot for such a valued possession. Fun Silver Ring Holders by Umbra
2. The Ally McBeal TV Series... when Baby Wright was a fresh itty-bitty, I found myself up for 2-3 times a night at 45 minutes a pop. (Nursing in those early weeks takes tiiiiiime.) Now, not that I didn't enjoy simply gazing at her sweet face during these sessions, but Mommy was tired and a tad (dare I admit?) bored. Couple that with the fact that my experience with newborn nursing is a touch, how shall I say, uncomfortable unpleasant excruciatingly painful, I needed a distraction. So, on our first day home from the hospital, I rummaged around our DVD collection for something to watch to help take my mind off the pain and limit the mental screaming of the F word (I wasn't kidding when I said EXCRUCIATINGLY), I selected Ally McBeal, season one. I flew through those episodes in less than a week and was dying for more. So, I hit up Amazon, ordered the entire series with a couple clicks of the mouse, selected overnight delivery, and continued on through the series. The show totally takes me back to college days when folks used to comment on how I reminded them-both in looks and expressions-of Ally. I found myself so engrossed in the lives of each character that I didn't mind the middle of the night feedings so much. Truly, I could go on and on here: love the show. Love Ally (the character.) Love the music. Love the story lines. Ally McBeal: The Complete Series
3. The Music of Robert Downey Jr... this favorite piggy-backs the one above. Most people are familiar with RDJ as an actor or even RDJ as a criminal or, now, RDJ as a redeemed superhero (Hello, he's IRON MAN!), but few are aware that he is quite the musician. Several years back, I fell in love with his album, The Futurist, and the song Details from that album was one of the 'must play' songs from our wedding reception. As I was watching Ally, I was reintroduced to his amazing version of Joni Mitchell's beautiful song, River. Over the holiday season, I'd often find myself playing it over and over on either my phone or on my laptop. Now as I'm blogging, I'm looping the soothing song over and over as I type. RDJ: River
4. Ugg Slippers... just before Wrighty Pie was born, I decided that I could use some comfy slippers to have both at the hospital and at home afterwards. Since I've been using up a fairly large Bloomingdale's store credit for well over a year now, I decided to check out their website for some options.  Though I initially wondered if these would be too hot, I love my selection and where them almost every day! They couldn't be cozier and have a nice, solid sole for the times when I run outside in them to take out trash (or forget that I'm wearing them until I look down at my feet at Target.) Ugg Dakota Slippers
5. Long and Comfy Tanks... as I've mentioned before on the blog, I managed to get through my entire pregnancy without sporting a single piece of maternity wear. This isn't to say that I didn't gain weight (I did) or that my belly wasn't ginormous (it was), I just found pieces of clothes made of just the right material to grow right along with me yet not stretch-out too much to be unwearable post-pregnancy. One of my most-worn pieces was a long, black tank that I picked up at a favorite shop in Denver last summer. It's the only tank I had that was long enough to cover my belly right up until the end of the pregnancy. Then, after Wright was born, I found myself wearing it just as often as it is a great layering piece. After growing tired of digging through the hamper for it and washing and drying it at least twice a week, I did an internet search by the style number, found the websites with the best prices, and added several more to my wardrobe. I now have the tank in five colors (white, black, blue, hot pink, and purple) and cleaned out my closet of several so-so tanks. (I look forward to the day when my tummy is flat enough for me to wear the form-fitting tanks solo!) Did I mention these are made of the softest material imaginable? How I love feeling like I'm wearing my jammers all day!Three Dots Viscose Tanks
6. Hanky-Panky Modal Undies... while I'm on the topic of cozy/comfy-wear, I cannot leave out my new favorite unmentionables. I've been a wearer of Hanky Pankies for several years now. In fact, I was pretty sold from the first pair I ever wore, and now my undie drawer is full of them. The company claims to make the 'world's most comfortable thong' and that tag-line is no exaggeration. It never occurred to me that they could be improved until, accidentally, I picked up a pair of the new modal version during Nordstrom's semi-annual sale. After wearing them, I headed right back to the store (still taking advantage of the sale) and picked them up in every color they came in (which isn't too many at this point.) Hanky Panky Modal Low-Rise
7. Our Nativity... I love the house when it's decorated for Christmas and actually feel like it turns from a house to a home in some ways. In addition to our tree, we decorate with nutcrackers and snowmen and Santas. But, for me, the crown jewel of our holiday decor is our Nativity set. I realized that a tasteful Nativity was hard to find but fell in love with this one when I was out shopping with my mom several years ago. She noticed how much I liked it and gifted up with the first few pieces the first Christmas Lindsay and I were married. She added more pieces to it as gifts for several occasions thereafter, and it's now a complete set. It always seems to draw compliments of those who are in our house around the holidays, and I feel a tinge of sadness as I box it up each year. It's such a perfectly beautiful depiction of the true meaning of Christmas. WillowTree Nativity Set

Reading back over my list, it's funny how several Favorites were triggered by the life change of having a newborn in the house again and others were focused on my love for all things cozy. 

(Keeping in tradition of the Favorites list consisting of strictly seven items per quarter, I'll just have to give an honorable mention to Bolthouse Holiday Nog: tasty stuff + low calories = a new favorite holiday beverage in our house.)