Post about Tommy :)

So I realized the other day that I didn't really have any posts dedicated to Tommy. Granted, not many things are interesting in a day in the life of a baby, but here are some cute pictures and some info about the Little Dude :)

Here he is all bundled up and ready to weather the cold!

He is learning how to eat by himself, which is VERY good because it keeps him entertained in his little chair! He likes the little puff cereal and yogurt puffs. His favorite foods include bananas and peaches. He does NOT like green beans, peas, or squash. He is pretty picky when it comes to food and gets maaaaaad if I try to feed him something he doesn't like! Spoiled from the beginning...

He is getting pretty good at crawling, but mostly army style. It is pretty cute. He is going to get rug burns on his tummy! haha!

Here he is crawling! so cute :)

Little Tommy is just over seven months old and is biiiiiiig. He is chubby and long, which is totally different than little string bean Ella! He cries a lot more than she did at his age, which is a little obnoxious...but what can you do? He likes being entertained and held...ALL the time. He takes pretty good naps, and goes to bed pretty easy. He is already in size three diapers, which is funny because Ella didn't wear size three diapers until she was one! Even now, she is only in size four pull-ups! Such a string bean. Little Tommy is pretty cute, though, and looooves to giggle! He is really ticklish on his back and head, which is pretty bald. His hair is REALLY fair and in the right light looks red! His eyes are VERY blue, just like his papas!

Tommy and Ella like to play together, but sometimes Ella is a little rough with him...which leads to a bonked head and tears. But ya know, they'll get the hang of it :) Tommy looooves being outside, which is good when it is warm...and unfortunate when it is cold!

Anyway, that's a little about our "Wiggle Dude"! :)

Thoughts?

Okay, so I want peoples honest feedback on this. I think it will help me feel better :)

This is a question to all you stay-at-home Moms:

Do you ever feel like you aren't living up to your full potential when you are just a stay at home mom?

This is how I am feeling right now and I'm not sure if this is normal? I don't want to toot my own horn or anything, but I think I'm pretty smart and a really hard worker and I sometimes feel like playing with play-doh and going for walks is not exactly challenging. I mean, granted I am teaching Ella things every day, but helping a kid wipe their nose isn't exactly rocket science.

I feel like there is more I could be doing. Like, I know I'm a really hard worker and a really good employee. I'm a fast learner and really smart. I've never had a boss that didn't want me to quit and the only job I've ever not been good at was working for my dad (go figure! haha!) I feel like being cooped up in my house is going to drive me crazy. I've had a job since before I was married and was either working full time, going to school full time, or a mix of the two. Even when we were living on the island and I wasn't allowed to have a real job, I ended up being Spouses Org President, teaching piano lessons two days a week, and being seminary teacher. AND having Ella.

Right now I am just being mom. I feel like I am being a big slacker because all I do is laundry, clean, and feed my kids. And a lot of times I don't even want to do those things! I know that being a mom is really important and that there isn't anything else better that I could be doing...but sometimes it is hard to remember that. I read a lot and play with Ella a lot. Is this really what being a stay-at-home mom is?? Or am I missing something??

I've looked into fencing lessons and I can't find any that work around Tom's schedule. I've looked into cooking classes and they are just too expensive. I found a book club, but it is at the same time as Tom's online class. I found some activities at the library, but they are for mom and kids. I want something WITHOUT kids. Is that terrible? I want adult conversations that don't evolve around Mickey Mouse Playhouse or Dora the Explorer...or potty training or baby food. I don't really have many friends in Salt Lake yet and the girls in the ward don't seem like they are very social with each other. Our ward is REALLY transient so it is hard to make friends, but we'll see how it goes!

Anyway, I think I am just getting a little burnt out of being cooped up inside all day, every day. Anyone else feel this same way? What do you do to find more satisfaction out of just being a mom???

Goal setting...

Okay, so now that I am officially a "stay-at-home-mom", I feel like I need to be doing something to prove that I am still a productive person. This is the first time I've actually not had a job since before I was married. Even down on the island, I took up a lot of responsibilities that ended up being like a job: piano lessons, spouses organization president, seminary teacher, etc. So here I am - two kids at home, with nothing to do that isn't part of being a mom!

While I was thinking up this list, there are some goals that are more possible than others, but this is just a little list! I'm not crafty AT ALL, either, so it is hard to think up things to do inside the house that don't involve decorating, sewing, hot glue gunning, etc.

1. Get together the kids baby books
2. Make a picture board
3. Make "Tommy" and "Ella" signs for their bedrooms
4. Take up fencing lessons
5. Organize my closet
6. Organize the kids toys
7. Learn a new cooking recipe every week
8. Take an online class (about what? I'm not sure yet...)
9. Read all the Harry Potter books again
10. Learn a new Beethoven Sonata
11. Put Ella in a toddler pageant
12. Print my blog entries from the island into a blogbook
13. Join or start a book club

Okay, so that is all I could come up with. It's not very many! Anyone have any suggestions?? What do you do during the day? Granted, there are some days that you literally just chase and clean up children all day, but for the days that DO go according to nap schedules....any suggestions?