LOST... and found

... no, I'm not a LOST (TV drama) fan (no time for drama, other than my own), but I have been lost in life in the past few weeks and thus the poor updates to this blog. As you know Jeff and I both celebrated another year of life passing us by-- Jeff's birthday marking the significant 30- year mark (which I'll blog about next). But, you may not know that this little boy has cut 2 teeth:

(And that suit? My mom made that for my little brother who is now 21! Gotta love retro hand-me-downs, especially when the elastic in the waistband is crunchy and ineffective.)

.... and this little boy is officially potty-trained!
(Hallelujah!... except, when is it really "official" because he still wears pull-ups to bed, just in case?! And, yes those are Cheerios in the toilet, they help him aim. I know I'm awful for posting naked pics of my son urinating.... he's 2!)

Among the sleepless teething and Gastrointestinal pain for Quinton (which we're still trying to get to the bottom of) the potty-training, the family in town, the birthday celebrations, tutoring, and regular household chores... I've been trying to loose myself in this great book!
It's called Are We Having Fun Yet? The 16 Secrets of Happy Parenting by Kay Willis and MaryAnn Brinley. I'm only 1/3 of the way into it and I realize I'm no longer lost, but found! It has already made my days easier and helped me feel happier, allowing me to enjoy my kids more. The author was the mother of 10 children and is now a professional speaker/counselor. She founded an organization called Mothers Matter and coming from someone who "has been there," you can tell she really knows her stuff!
Here are a few things I've learned/re-learned how to do so far:
1) ENJOY PARENTING, don't endure it (i.e.- be fun, slow down, do less). I'm a role model for happiness to my children.
2) REFUEL, RESTORE, RENEW (i.e.- put myself back on the list, take time for me)
3) Borrow from BIG BUSINESS (i.e.- take breaks, vacations, sick days, learn from other moms, review the past, make changes).
5) ATTITUDE is everything. Be PROUD of my job!
I loved this Quote:
"Think about it: Parenting is the only profession in which the raw material you are working with eventually becomes a human being. We are people-makers. Make parenting a labor of love. The paycheck is phenomenal."
So after a few busy weeks of being lost in my profession-- MOTHERHOOD -- I've now found that I've always been just exactly where I wanted to be, I just needed to change my outlook. Anyway, I recommend this book to parents of all ages... young couples, empty-nesters, and in-betweeners alike can learn or re-learn somethings that will allow you to have fun again in the most important job you'll ever have! I plan to buy the book and re-read it often.