Brain Dump Wednesday

I have so much on my mind right now that I think if I can get it all down, then my mind will be free to focus on other things, like my daughter's 2nd birthday coming up on Friday!

This week is a stressor for me, but only because I'm making it one.  There really isn't anything to stress about because I have my check off lists for everything that needs to be done this week and I'm pretty sure that I'll get them done, because as Hubby says, "We always do."

First off, yesterday I had a wonderful play date with a good friend of mine. Our daughters are just a few months apart and I thought it would be fun to get the girls together for a play date.  Poor Bug, all the little girls we know live at least an hour away. She's not old enough for preschool and she doesn't have her own local social set. Her friends are my friends' daughters and they all live in different counties or states.

Anyway, it was a good play date for me. I got to chat with a friend who I haven't seen in ages and we were able to catch up.  We're pregnant again at the same time, except this time we have the same due date!  So we have lots to talk about!  But for my kids, I just don't get it.  They are fine when they are just with me, but add another kid to the mix and I'm ashamed to say that they can be horrendous!  They are no longer polite and well-mannered, they are crazy active, territorial, and slightly aggressive. Ugh!

Seriously, if my daughter were a dog, she would have peed all over the house to stake her territory.  She wanted to make sure the other little girl knew that she was in Bug's house.  I was horrified. Thankfully my friend E. has three other children and was a teacher and knows the ins and outs of toddler social play.  My son is used to having his friends over for a play date that having just one little girl (that they have never met before) in our house was too much. He played too rough for the little girls and talked non-stop to Miss E.  Bug kept trying to make sure that everyone knew that everything in the house was hers. *sigh* Fortunately, I made lunch for everyone and that seemed to do the trick. While the girls ate lunch, my son played by himself quietly. When they were ready to get down, the girls played relatively well together, and I think that E. and I might have actually gotten in an hour's worth of conversation without too much interruption.  Soooo much better. I really do stress out over how my kids act in front of other people. I think they are good kids, but I feel like that others may think they are too annoying. But once my kids settle in, they're fine. I realize that this is a phase, but once I realize that they parents aren't going to judge my kids or my parenting skills, I can relax. I bet that helps my kids relax, too.  (Thanks, E! I really had fun and I hope that you'll come down for another play date in the future!)

Next up, Bug's birthday is coming up on Friday. I have a fun day planned for us. We will have our birthday breakfast (cinnamon rolls, eggs, sausage, and juice), Bug will take her 2 year pics, and then I thought we will come home, change, and head to the pumpkin patch. Last year we never made it to the pumpkin patch and we never carved pumpkins. Just too much. But I thought if it did it for Bug's birthday it would be fun. Hubby is taking the day off of work to spend it with her.  Low key, but fun! I'm looking forward to it.

The next day is the family birthday party. We're doing a joint party with my nephew who is 3 weeks older.  So it's family with a few best friends thrown in. I didn't even invite our neighbors this year and that is stressing me out. I don't want to offend them and I've been looking for an opportunity to say that it's just a family party this time around...

When I had originally planned the party, I was not on restricted activity.  I love planning my kids' birthdays, and I usually have a theme, and I love hosting and having people come to my house.  But because Hubby keeps fussing at me to stay off my feet (yes, which he should be doing), I'm concerned that I won't get the house clean enough. Of course, everyone who is coming over knows the situation, loves us for who we are, and will not judge the state of the house, but you know, I still want everything perfect!  I have hired my babysitter/Mommy's helper to come by twice this week to give me a hand. I have my lists and Hubby will be a big help.  So really, nothing to stress over, but I will and I do because that's who I am.

Done. Now that I've written it out and did a brain dump I can focus on what needs to get done for the house and the party.  I can take a deep breath and realize, that yes, everything will get done. I just need to focus. Happy Wednesday!