Ups and downs....

Life seems to come in waves - some days better than others.  There are ups, and there are downs...

I had my hair cut a few weeks ago....and my awesome stylist posted my pic on Instagram....I am not a celebrity...but sure felt like it after my style:)

The ups and downs are not limited to daily moods - we are still having crazy weather.  Warm one day, cold the next.  Emma LOVES to be outside and play on her playset.  It's been nice to have her get some energy out.

This little munchkin has a lot of personality.  She is such a mama's girl.  She can be screaming bloody murder, and as soon as I take her and hold her, she is fine.  She is 14 lbs and already in size 2 diapers.  She is also fitting into her 3-6 months clothes easily -something which seemed so far away when I got them out from Emma's old clothes.

I'm slowly getting back into making things.  I'm working on earrings...and have ordered new hang tags for my pieces when they are at shows or stores.  My next goal is creating a website, and perhaps doing away with my etsy shop.

One Sunday, we went to Duke's campus to hear a friend sing who is in the Due Choral Society.  We took both girls because it was last minute, and we want them to be cultured (eye roll....)  I knew it might be a disaster, and it wasn't completely.  But I didn't get to listen to most of the show.

I spent it here.....on the floor in the bathroom....nursing my sweet babe (insert another eye roll).

This was a low point....I have been trying to accept my fate as a nursing mother.  I don't love it...I don't mind it when I do it at home, but going places has become a challenge.  We keep trying bottles....probably not as much as we could.  We did try that night and it worked for 5 minutes....see below.

Emma has become so independent lately.  I found her making her own sandwich the other day!

After some failed outings (and nursing in cars, bathrooms, etc...), I did venture out for the Duke/Carolina game to a friends.  And while I did need to nurse there for a short time, the rest of it went well.  Merritt was content to just hang out and chill!  It was reassuring...I miss people and friends!

Bundled up for a cold day over the weekend.... 

Snuggles with dad on Saturday morning!  I love Merritt's sweet smile looking up at Brent here.

and these cheeks....good gracious, I could eat them!

Friday, I met a friend for lunch at Living Kitchen - a great, healthy place in Chapel Hill that just opened up.  Merritt did take a little bit of the bottle there, and sweet Sarah held her so I could eat.  God, I'm so so grateful for friends who hold my babe so I can be a REAL PERSON:)

Meanwhile, Emma is such a diva sometimes.......I really hope she doesn't think this is what I look like when I talk on the phone!

We are still loving the Binxy carrier....and all the old ladies at the grocery store do too:) 

I even got bold enough to have one of Emma's friends over for a playdate.  Her mom, Sally, was getting her hair done and LORD knows taking a 4 year old to a hair appointment is NO FUN.  So I offered to have her over.  It was the first time someone had come over besides the neighbor friends.

Sweet Merritt all dressed up for an outing....

Can we talk about these rolls for a minute....good gracious!!

I also accomplished going back to the gym for the first time this week.  I went for 30 minutes, and Merritt did great!!!!  I was so worried, especially since she won't take a bottle yet.  She was all smiles and the ladies at Stay n Play loved her.  I was very pumped and cant wait to keep going.  Little glimpses of regular life make me soooo happy;)

Merritt is still getting up once a night, sometimes twice.....so while I am trying not to wish this stage away...I am ready for some regularity and more sleep.  I took a break from activities last week because I had been so discouraged - I was always missing out because I had to nurse.  But this week, Merritt slept through the entire church service and I was able to actually sit and listen (and it was awesome, thanks to the RUF minister that spoke this week!).  And mall group was a cookout with the kids, and I didn't have to nurse Merritt at all while we were there.  I know all this sounds stupid, but getting Merritt on a schedule and being able to live a life is HUGE for me right now:)  I hope everyone else has a great week.....and could it be the possibility of some snow this weekend?!?!?!?