7 Quick Takes-Still Here

1. So. Umm, yeah. A little bit of blog neglect going on around here. Every time I start to excuse my pathetic blogging skills by the way of, "but I have THREE kids now!" I remember that some of my favorite bloggers are breezing through their seventh pregnancy and still updating on the regular. So in reality, I'm just lazy. I do, however, want to start updating more (and what better time to do so than the month of December? Nope, nothing going on this month at all, right folks?!).

2. All that being said, having three children under the age of five has been much easier than I anticipated. Sure, there was an adjustment period, especially with Tony going to preschool four days a week, but I settled into a routine early on, and for the most part, I have things under control. Or at least, that's what I tell myself. 

3. After promising myself that I wouldn't fail at Advent this year, I'm failing at Advent. We meant to start decorating the house last weekend, but, well, that didn't happen, so our Advent wreath, Christmas decorations, what have you, are still in the basement. I DID manage to pick up candy at the grocery store, but without the Advent calendar displayed in the living room, I did the only responsible thing I could think of, and ate my kid's chocolate for the first few days of December. You gotta do what you gotta do. 

4. This face. Makes those multiple night feedings a little easier when Gianna gives me one of her baby smiles. Oh, the feels.

5. For those of you who know the whole story with my back, well, I have an update. I had an MRI about two months after I had Gianna, and I had an appointment with my neurosurgeon a few weeks ago. In addition to degenerative disk disease, I also have a "massive" (his words) herniated disk. I officially need surgery, and while I'm not thrilled about it, I'm also not surprised. I'm glad I finally have a diagnosis, and a solution to the problem. I'll have the surgery either this month or the first week in January. I have to say, the thought of NOT being in excruciating pain all day every day is pretty dang appealing.

6. I made my annual trip to Penzey's yesterday, and spent way too much money on vanilla extract and spices. If you receive a gift in the form of baked goods from me this year, you can sleep easy at night knowing it was prepared with a $23 bottle of single strength vanilla.

7. After spending the last three years in the South, I insist on having a white Christmas. We haven't had one since we lived in Boston. C'mon Colorado, don't let me down. 

Okay, one more. Because you know you want to see the hair.

Happy weekend!!