What more could possibly happen?

I still exist. Barely. 

My job ended and last week I worked a total of 2 days. I was busy running around getting my car fixed, going to a concert, hanging out with the girls, and finding out we were losing custody of Madi. 

Just like that, the mediator thinks she should be with her biological parents as much as possible so she now lives with her mom and will see us on her father's days off. But when Madi's mother didn't want her, she fought for me to keep her 7 days a week, and almost got her way then too. Funny how things work out for some people no matter what they do. We are not those kinds of people. 

I'm hoping to start a new job in the next week or two. I was supposed to hear back about when I start training Friday that just passed, but they didn't call. Hopefully I'll get a call tomorrow. I need this job. We cannot survive with just Eric working, especially after losing Madi. We'll soon be paying child support again. Joy. 

I've started selling some stuff we don't need and putting it away for a damage deposit for a new apartment. We need a cheaper place as soon as possible now that we don't need the 3rd bedroom for Madi. I can't explain how much I do not want to live in a smaller place. We've gotten really used to having our 'hang out' area in the basement when the kids go to bed. We have a tv, bed and all our crafts down here. I don't know where we'll fit any of it when we move. I think we'll also have to sell Madi's dresser and a lot of her clothes to fit her stuff in the room she will have to share with Chloe when we move. 

Things are just too crazy to wrap my head around. 

Yesterday was my birthday. It doesn't feel like it. I'm 26 now. I spent the day with cranky Chloe, and had dinner with her and Eric when he was off work. Luckily Chloe was pretty easy to deal with during dinner. The most surprising part of my day is that my father's family was all having dinner behind us at the restaurant. I didn't notice at first. I haven't seen or spoken to my father in about 11 years. My step-mother came to my babyshower and met Chloe afterwards. She stopped and said hi to us on her way to pay for her meal. Then my father did the same. First time in 11 years. It was kind of nice. 

Here are some pictures from my 26th birthday. 

Our new kitten, Jasmine

The Weekend: Boyfriend's Birthday and a New Dog

I need a new blog design. I am so bored with the one I have now. I have the newest Windows on my computer at home, so I hate it and almost never use it, and I don't have photoshop at work. I just don't have it in me to play with my design myself like I've done in the past. 

Sadly, I just can't dish out the money right now for something as unimportant as my blog design when half of our household needs new shoes before the spring weather hits. Sadly shoes are priority. But I think if I had a new blog design I'd be a lot more interested in blogging. I just hate looking at my blog these days. 

The weekend flew by. As always. Saturday was boyfriend's 25th birthday. It was nothing too special since he convinced me to give him his birthday present about a month ago when I first bought it. The beads we play with so often. 

My mother got a dog this weekend. Chloe is a pretty big fan. She's also a little rough with him. It's just a little thing - a Shih-Poo, I guess it's called. We didn't know what to name him, but the first name Mom jokingly suggested seems to have stuck - Winston. It's fitting. 

I finally put together the wagon I bought for the girls for Easter. I pulled them in it in the house a couple of times and they were in giggling fits. I guess they love it. Even my brother thought it would be fun to hop in. 

Mondays are my least favorite part of the week. And it's not even for the same reason as everyone else. Yeah, the weekend is over and a long week is stretching ahead, but mostly it's because I take the backseat to wrestling on Monday nights. Yeah, wrestling. Ew. I'd try to give it a chance, I really would, but any little bit I've ever seen has always been so dumb that I'd rather watch Chloe's tv shows. They seem more mature. 

So by 9:30 pm tonight, I'll be laying in my bed watching the first episode of season 6 of Boy Meets World. What about you?

Happy Monday!

Two Important Dates in January

This weekend was a special one. It marked two the the most important dates in January for us.

The first one was Saturday. January 19. It means exactly nine months until my birthday, but that's not at all important. It was that date one year ago that I said "what the hell" and went to meet boyfriend for the first time. 

There was no love at first sight, no immediate attraction. It was more of a "He seems okay, a little weird. Maybe we could hang out again." Before I knew it, we were officially dating, and before he even said the words himself, I knew I was in love with him. 

It's been one full year, and we have not had one. single. fight. yet. 

We've had a few different moments where we were starting to get snappy at each other, and one of us said "I think we might have our first fight today." But nope, not yet. 

To 'celebrate' our one year of dating, we had supper, a few drinks, and had a night out. Just us. Except we ran into a couple of his friends at a bar. It was a good time. I enjoyed the next night more. 

Hangover day, January 20th, was Madi's second birthday, so we went to boyfriend's sister's house (an hour away) for a party. The  girls were so good. Slept on the way there and back, and were happy girls throughout the whole party. One of boyfriend's older cousins even commented on how happy they are and how we must be doing something right. 

Babies, on party day, January 20

Once we finally got the girls home and in bed, we had a quick supper of tacos then laid on the couch to watch some Raising Hope. As usual, he's so comfy that I started to fall asleep pretty quick, so I rolled over to get even more comfy and only woke up again when the episode was over. Best feeling in the world. Only to find out he slept through most of it too. 

So we were officially laying in bed by 9:30. We are so old. 

I am driving in style

Friday was my birthday. 

It was nothing too crazy. 

Maybe I should rewind to Thursday. Thursday was a bunch more exciting. 

On Thursday I went out and got myself a huge birthday present - a huge bank loan. 

But it got me this:

My amazing 2010 Kia Forte. For someone who only owned a 2001 hand-me-down Chevy Cavalier, this is big news. It's all power windows, mirrors, keyless entry, and it hooks up with my phone by Bluetooth, so I can basically use my phone over the radio in my car. The radio even displays the caller ID. I am in love. 

So this was Thursday, then Friday was my birthday. 

Chloe wasn't feeling well in the morning. I blame teething. I drugged her up and put her to bed to wait it out and she woke up super happy. I shipped her off to daycare and made it to work a bit before lunch. 

I worked all day, then had dinner with my boy, then met up with my mother and her boyfriend and a close friend and we all had a couple of drinks and went out to a pub. It was pretty low-key. 

Maybe I'm growing up, because spending the afternoon shopping with boyfriend was probably my favorite part of the weekend. 

Scratch that. The nap I had Sunday morning was probably my favorite part of the weekend. 

I'm terrified for my financial future, but super excited about the car. Things are finally coming together. 

Next up? Apartment hunting. 

Birthday.

The little girl in the pink pants? She had just turned a year old that day.

Funny how fast 24 years fly by.

Today she's 25.

She feels old.

Chloe's First Birthday Party

Chloe's first birthday party was Sunday. It was a great day.

A bunch of family and friends came over for food, cake and presents. We started the party at two, although most people arrived long before. The birthday girl put on her party dress and the fun started. 

She got a bunch of great presents: Some Megablocks, Elmo who plays the drums, finger painting set, a purse and accessories, a bowling set, a bunch of clothes, and a bunch of other things. She also got a blanket made out of her baby clothes from me. 

I took a million photos, so I'll share a few with you of the birthday girl. 

And a few of family and friends, including the actual birthday boy and girl in the middle, my brother and sister. 

Overall, a great day, and I was incredibly sad to see it and end have everyone leave. 

And today? It's baby girl's actual birthday.