Beach Day with a Toddler...

Harrison and I went out with some friends yesterday to the lake.

We had a blast!   Even with nap times a bit off, and rain showers at the end of the day... my little man still did amazing.

Now of course, I relied on a couple of things to ensure that this day would go smoothly.

First off,  I packed my essentials.

-Around 12 bottles/sippy cups to ensure variety, and that when one drops in the sand I have another available immediately.

- "The Cage"  this thing has become a mind saver.  If you follow me on Twitter you might have seen a couple of picture posts involving me inside of said 'cage' with my son.  It makes him happy, which makes me happy.
     Plus, sitting inside of it with him takes some of the mommy guilt away.  Part of me feels bad I use it the other part says ... Hallelujah!!!

-  Radio Flyer wagon.  This was a baby shower gift that I've now put to lots of use.  PERFECT for dragging sheets, chair, cooler, and Heck... yes ... BABY all down to the beach.      (Wish I had gotten a picture of that.  Harrison piled in with all our beach junk)

- Snacks, Snacks, and more Snacks... because of course he doesn't want anything I've brought, he wants everything your friends have.  Thank goodness for generous mommy friends who understand.

- Cloth diapers.   Now, I went on a little cloth diaper break, and I've gotten back into them since I've been home.   They've been amazing, and work 12,982 times better than those stupid swim diapers that they just pee right through anyways.  The cloths.... termed affectionately 'clothies' by me.... slide perfect under a swimsuit and hold pee a bit better... and much better if I use the plastic liner.



So if I put all these together correctly, and the hour on the clock hits that magic spot...

I get a sleeping baby in the shade in his amazing "baby  cage"  (I need a better name for my trusted friend, a more affectionate term...)  and I get a very happy mommy on the beach getting to flip through a beach classic, Cosmo.

Thanks Cosmo for the 50 Sex Tips...
   That is now a section I pass through with little to lets be honest, No interest.  Sorry Cosmo...

Ahhhhhh..... A relaxed..... Mommy.   Brings me back to the days where I was able to read a full page only once.
Not three times over.... and still having no idea what I just read because I was interrupted 20 times by a toddler eating sand, rocks, bugs, or yanking at my magazine wanting to eat that.



So relaxing time quickly came to an end when the thunder rolled on in.
Packed the baby up.

Gave him a container I was bringing back to Wallyworld, one of those cylinders with the powdered sugar flavor packets inside, because I figured the rattling noise would entertain him.

It did.

Surprisingly so.

Almost half way into the car ride I smell this super sweet smell.

SHIT.

Pull over to discover this ...  ..  little cutie.

He and his carseat was covered with the red powder.  He looked like the joker.

Worst part about it I had promised hubby I would stop into the store to pick up dinner.

.... Definitely had to bring him in looking like that, baby wipes only went so far.

Just another day in the life with an active toddler, and a spacey mommy.

Tattoos and Regret

I have five tattoos.

Each are special to me.
All of them mean something to me.

Sometimes they mean regret.

My first tattoo I got at 18, brought my mom with me and of course it had the 'typical tribal' markings along with the design.   That part of it I regret.  The symbol inside, not at all.

I love the elegance of the two figures, they are clearly in love.  I got it because I am a believer in love.
The beauty of two people loving one another, and all that other mushy crap.

This hurt, it hurt a hell of a lot.  I remember the sensation of it going up my spine, my face turning white.   What the hell did I know about pain as an 18 year old, minus the old self piercing of the ears.

Time went on and I figured,
     "Hey!  I'm a pro at this tattoo stuff!   None of my other friends have any yet, I'm going to be bad ass and get another!"

Enter regret fairy tattoo here.

Please ignore left over belly button ring hole.  That is now done with, thank you childbirth.   

I wouldn't be cliche enough if I didn't have the 'fairy' tattoo, and the tramp stamp now,   Come on!

(Sighhhhh.... my twenty five year old self grimaces at these)

Anyways...

Time goes on....

Still love tattoos, and hell they're addicting.

Decide to get my name on my body, what will eventually be my Maiden name.  

Now this is where I start to put some thought in?

I get this tattoo, my last name in fancy script.

R. O. Y.

Maiden name, now I'm Married.  Perfect.

Now I love this tattoo, my only regret is that is is very very visible.  In the teaching profession that can be tough at times.  But, times are a changing and tattoos are becoming much more accepted.

To continue... I wanted yet another, a quote that I live by and that is close to my heart.

"This above all, to thine own self be true."   You know, classic Shakespeare and all that.   I'm a classy gal.

A classy gal with a tramp stamp, and a fairy tattoo.   Ha.

Anyways, I wanted it delicate and small.

One of my favorites, my mother was going to possibly get it tattooed on her after a difficult time.   She's a little ink shy, so I got it hand stamped onto a bracelet for her from Etsy.   

As a female, as a person in general I've been through  a lot.   As we all have... 

But, I've went through a lot of personal struggles, identity issues, and over all self image crap that unfortunately still follows me.  It's a reminder to myself to be who I am, and not change myself for what others want.

Deep, I know.

I had to make up for that fairy some how.

Lastly.

My back o' the neck tattoo.   I had a hell of a time trying to photograph this one. I ended up with a blurry, crooked, greasy hair picture.  

Attractive.  Very Attractive.

It's super blurry, but the idea of the tattoo is the birthday of my dad, mom, brother, and I.

My immediate family. 

Well, I didn't think of the fact that this one is SUPER visible, and my immediate family kind of changes as time goes on.  

People ask me if I'm going to put my son's birthday on there.  I'm done with that tattoo in my opinion.  I try to wear my hair down at work, the kids always ask me if I have phone numbers tattooed on my neck.

Enter big regret sign here.

So all in all, as much as I say I regret my tattoos ... Because sometimes I do..... they all hold some kind of meaning to me, I did them all at a certain time of my life and they've become part of me.  Like it or not.

I look at it with humor, and I've learned.  I didn't rush into a tattoo for my son, I'm going to plan it.   

His tattoo I think is going to be another script like piece, as clearly I'm very into simple lines and text.   Also, it will be on a more discreet part of my body.

You live, you learn.

P.S.  This is my first linky party post, and my first time connecting with other bloggers so I'm over the moon with excitement!   Thank you ILYMTC!