Pack Rat

Yes – I can now confirm that is what I am. This weekend, I was asked ever so nicely by Josh if I could please unpack the boxes in our room, so that he could maybe open his closet doors and get to his clothes without having to crawl over said boxes. And, given the fact that I’ve already been relatively selfish by giving him a closet that is approximately, oh I don’t know, ¼ the size of mine AND has the chimney going directly through the middle of it, I figured it was only fair that I clean so that he can actually get to this “closet” of his.


This is where the problem began and I came to the conclusion that I truly can’t get rid of ANYTHING!! Some examples:

1. My “wedding boxES.” - these would be boxes of various things from our wedding like the ribbon that we used for our programs, the tissue paper that I used to wrap people’s gifts, approximately 15 copies of our cd that I still have and, this is the best – every single one of our response cards that we got back. I mean, seriously? Even if I do ever look at those again, where will it get me? It is just a bunch of people saying yes and no and that’s it. But, alas – there they sit, taking up room in the same box on my closet shelf.

2. My box full of approximately 15 VHS tapes….half of which are exercise videos like abs of steel, Tae Bo, etc. Now, first of all – I don’t even think know where our VCR is or if we still have one. Second of all, I’m pretty certain I don’t see myself EVER doing Tae Bo again. But, just in case I ever want to find our VCR, plug it in AND get motivated to exercise in my living room with 2 kids running around, I will have these to use (because, yes – I kept them).

3. Pens. I literally found probably 50-75 pens that were all in a “junk drawer” in the apartment. So, now where are they? In a zip lock bag (at least I attempted to organize them) in a drawer in our kitchen. But, come on! They all still work! What am I going to do? Throw them away?
These are just a few examples of things that I can’t seem to get rid of. AND, we still have probably about 50 boxes in my in-laws' basement that include things from my parent’s house like HS Year books, old letters from HS, etc. that I haven’t gone through. I’m in trouble.

Anyway…on the Avery front…she’s doing great! We are slowly working on potty training, which is a rather comical process with her. It started about a month ago when she wanted to take off her clothes and sit on the potty and, at that point, she needed to poop. So, she did! It was a very exciting moment in the Holland household (which was obvious, as every member of the family received a phone call from her in which she exclaimed, “poop in the potty! Poop in the potty!” Since then, she has gone pee and poop quite a few times. However, she doesn’t quite understand the concept of telling me before she has to go in her diaper. If you ask her if she needs to go, she will. But, if you don’t – the diaper it is. She also doesn’t quite understand the concept that there is more pee in there than just the initial trickle. As soon as she pees just a little bit, she pops up – “Mama! Pee in the potty! Pee in the potty!” So, I get all excited, give her a high five and then wipe her. Only to do it all over again in approx. 10 seconds when she announces she has to go again. We do this probably about 7 times before we are all done. Oh – one other comical thing? She insists on having a book to read every time she sits down on the potty. If she sits without a book, she will immediately pop up, “Need a book!” Gee…I wonder who she gets that from. I’ll give you a hint…I don’t read.




I’m feeling great with Winker II. My belly is growing rapidly, as you can see. You would think I’m like 8 months along or something. But, nope – 27 weeks. 12 to go! At some point, I really need to focus on getting ready for this child. Not to mention, getting little Miss Avery ready for this child! This will be interesting…

And, just for kicks, here is a funny picture of Avery in her John Deere Shirt, her friend Asher's John Deere hate and Asher's rain boots (totally random, I know), but I figured you would like to see her face (as ridiculous as it is in this picture) vs. just the top of her head (which, note has MUCH more hair on it these days!)...