I am not...

I am not...

• Tolerant of close-minded people. Seriously. It baffles me that others do not understand that we all have our own opinions. This does not make what each individual thinks reality. It makes it an opinion. 

• Excited about the election. Or either candidate. Still haven't decided who I'm voting for this election. You know what I am excited about? All the political commercials and hype and debates going away.

• Patient with whining. Luckily, the whining has improved drastically in our home lately. Not sure if it's because I get so much time with my little buddy now and can now better shape his behavior (hello, child psychologist in me. I see you've just made an appearance...) or is just reflective of the developmental phase we have now reached. Regardless, I am grateful. So is my patience.

• Sure who is more excited about Halloween this year. Me? Or my kiddos? Apparently, our new neighborhood makes a HUGE deal out of Halloween, complete with an evening of trolley tours around the neighborhood to check out the Halloween decorations, Halloween crafting and cooking events for the kids, a full-fledged Halloween party and parade the weekend before Halloween, a Halloween-ie party the day of Halloween to kick things off, and of course, lots of trick-or-treating. I cannot tell you how thrilled I am about all this. I love holidays. Can't wait to see what the Christmas season holds...

• As punctual as I used to be before having children. Duh. Despite my best intentions, it is just so hard to get where I want us to be, by the time I want us to be there. Inevitably, there will be a last-minute potty trip, a few extra minutes to get both kids locked and loaded in the car, a quick run back inside to grab whatever I have forgotten for the kids, an aha! moment as I remember I need to put the dog up so he doesn't destroy our new home, another quick run back inside to grab whatever I have forgotten for me, etc. You'd think practice makes perfect? You'd be wrong. Or late. As I tend to be these days.

• Ready for football season to be over. I know, I know. We are only mid-season. But this is one of my most favorite times of year: When the temperature starts to dip, when we get to start bundling up on the couch after a day of playing outside in the just perfect-o weather, when Saturday plans are a given: college football of course! And it's already half-way over. Or, maybe I should retain my usual glass-half full kind of attitude and say, Yay! It's only half-way through the season!

• Meeting my own self-set deadline for submitting my children's book to publishers. The manuscript is ready. The cover letter is (almost) ready. I was planning to mail it out three days ago. But I still haven't. New goal: Mail out the manuscript by Friday. And work on being more punctual with my own deadlines.

• Sure who is more surprised that I have already created the Christmas lists for my kiddos this year. Me? Or me? Seriously. It is October. And they have been brainstormed and created (thanks to a request from my mother-in-law so that she can start her Christmas shopping early). This makes me REALLY excited (and in disbelief!) that the holiday season is right around the corner. Side note: Do you know how hard it is to try and create a gift list for a little girl after spending the last three years drowning in boy? I know about every piece of sporting equipment created, fort-making supplies, bug collecting kits, and cars, trucks, and trains galore, but purses? Baby dolls? Tea sets? I am so out of my league. Guess it's time to remember what it's like to be a girl.

• Just a little excited but a LOT excited that I get to spend the upcoming weekend with some of our favorite friends: catching up, holding their new babies and snuggling their toddlers, cheering on our Clemson Tigers, and having an adult beverage or two, all the while my own babies get some QT with their beloved Nana and Pop. To me, carving out time for our own social needs, time that is spent away from our babies while allowing them to realize that they are still safe (and able to have lots and lots of fun!) when Momma and Daddy are away, only makes my hub and I better parents.

• Sure how the weekends go so quickly? But they do. So, off I go to kick start another week...