Miller Time: Deep thoughts (and lots of pictures)

Before Ellison was born, I was a Pinterest junkie. I spent hours pinning thousands of things. Part of me really thought I was going to do them all - make fabulous meals, do tons of cool crafts, get fit post-baby with awesome workout plans, and have a clean, organized house. Oh, and I would also buy perfectly coordinated outfits and have great hair, makeup and nails!

The reality? I'm terrible at hair - I don't even know how to use a curling iron. I bite my nails, they will probably never look fabulous. My schedule makes it hard for me to find time to even consider working out. Even before having kids, I didn't cook fabulous meals, I wasn't perfectly coordinated (and couldn't afford to be), and my house wasn't even close to spotless and organized. After the kids? Forget it. I'm all about ponytails and yoga pants. I don't work out, unless you count chasing Ellison. And the house...let's not even go there. It's clean(ish) if we are having company, otherwise...it looks like a toddler tornado went through. Because one did!

Point is, being a parent in this social media age is hard. Everyone posts their kids' accomplishments on Facebook, and it's hard to help making comparisons when you see so and so has a kid the same age as yours who does this or that thing your kid can't do. People post pictures of their wonderful dinners and their perfect looking houses, too. Moms blog about all the "sensory activities" they do with their kids. I don't even know what that means. How do these moms have time to blog about their activities every day, anyway? I barely have time to write a blog once a month! I've been working on this one for almost 2 weeks already...

Pinterest and Facebook have also exposed me to things like Elf on a Shelf, and making boxes to catch leprechauns on St. Patrick's Day. If I don't do these things, are my kids going to feel left out when they go to school? Because I feel like I have enough on my plate working a full time job and keeping my kids alive and well. Do I really need to also convince them that leprechauns were at my house? Honestly, the thought of leprechauns running around my house is creepy!!! Why do I want to creep my kids out? (sidenote, we do have an Elf, but he has not left the box yet and I don't know if we will ever use it like some people do...he might just be a decoration! Also, he is kind of creepy too...)

I guess what I'm saying is, I hope I'm doing ok as a parent. I want Ellison and Kellen to think I'm an awesome mom, even if I don't plan daily crafts and "sensory activities" for them. Even if I'm not home at bedtime every night because I have to work 3 nights a week. Even if I don't make the most impressive dinners on Earth (let's face it, Jay is the better cook). I love them more than I ever thought I could love anyone, and I hope that's what really matters to them!!!

Besides those deep thoughts...Kellen is growing way too fast and is almost 6 months old (tomorrow!). He's working on sitting and can army crawl like a champ. He also gets up on his hands and knees and rocks, but hasn't figured out how to coordinate forward movement from that position yet. Ellison seems to still be getting used to the idea that Kellen can find a way to get to things that she leaves laying around. Lots of her stuff has ended up in his hands (and probably a few things have been chewed on).

Speaking of chewing, Kellen has 2 teeth already! He's such a happy baby usually, so it's been tough seeing him sad and in pain. He has had a really hard time with naps (even worse than usual, and he's never been much of a napper), but we have finally gotten a few nights where he has slept all the way through!

We still haven't officially introduced solids with Kellen, but he has tried a few frozen fruits in a mesh feeder. Watermelon seems to be the favorite. He's also had grapes and blueberries. Planning on starting solids for real after his 6 month appointment next Monday!

As for Ellison...she is 2 1/2! Seriously, slow down, time!!! We haven't done a "block picture" since she turned two, but she gets a little jealous that we take them of Kellen all the time so I thought we should do a 2 1/2 year (30 months) one. She was not very cooperative, but I managed to get one decent one...

Ells just finished up her first session of gymnastics ("ma-nastics"). It took her a few times to really seem comfortable, but she seemed to enjoy the last few sessions! She's really into jumping now and seems to think the couch is a trampoline. Yikes!

Her big things right now are puzzles and coloring. And more puzzles. She's a puzzle fanatic. I think I have to move up from the 24 piece ones because she whizzes through them so quickly now! She also loves to swing, which works out because we now have a swing set in our yard. Jay and Ron spent 12 hours putting it together, and it's awesome!

We just spent some time "up north" this past weekend with Grandma and Grandpa Miller. Ellison loved being outside, eating S'mores, and seeing animals (frogs, fish, and deer...and a dolphin, according to her). Kellen enjoyed all the extra love and attention from Grandma and Grandpa. Really cannot believe that the unofficial end of summer (Labor Day weekend) has already come and gone!

Here's some pictures from our most recent trip to the zoo (we went after I got done working a night shift, not sure what I was thinking...). Kellen was there too, but either sleeping in the stroller or riding in the Ergo!