this week

downs:
-being stuck inside for weeks with a poor, stir-crazy baby*. (have i mentioned my car finally gave up and broke down? we're on the hunt for a new vehicle.) *ok this is a bit of an exaggeration. we've had visitors and sometimes when Tyler gets home from work we make him take us out. also, there is the backyard. otherwise, yes. we have full-blown cabin fever.
- that time we found THE car. "the one". the one that made my heart sing. and then it was sold faster than we could even get to it.
- that time when we found another car we liked enough to buy, then ...well, it's a long story. basically satan was our salesman and he took out his fury on us. we didn't buy it... i will state here, for the record, that used car salesmen really are as bad (and worse) than they're made out to be. also, i lost a little more faith in the human race that day. i never want to step foot in another car dealership again.
- stubbing my toe. stringing together a long list of expletives in front of my impressionable toddler. immediately feeling guilty and embarrassed by my low pain tolerance... you know how you stub your toe and your brain screams "OHMYGOODNESS! MY TOE! IT'S BROKEN! IT'S SURELY BEEN RIPPED OFF OF MY FOOT ALTOGETHER! I CAN'T EVEN LOOK! IT'LL BE TOO GORY!" (i even try to throw my hands in the air and drop to the ground theatrically just for the extra drama)

...and then you realize you're fine and it feels better after about ten minutes, and you're a real wuss, you know?? well it was kind of like that except it never stopped hurting and now it's puffy and purple and i'm walking with a limp. i've diagnosed myself with deep tissue/emotional trauma... also hypochondria and sailor mouth.
-that time Ruby dove in to a rosebush. technically her chair tipped backward during one of her intricate gymnastic routines. her entire upper body, down to her waist was dunked. the poor thing is now covered in cuts and scrapes. picking rose thorns out of a screaming toddler is awful. i don't recommend roses.

ups:
-Ruby's been super cuddly lately. this does have it's flaws (like how she can't seem to be more than 2 feet away from me without having a meltdown), but she isn't normally the cuddly type so i'm soaking it all in.
-green smoothies.
-my sister who has babysat Roo countless times for us so we can run errands, look at cars, or have a date night. she has been a huge help to us and i don't know what we would do without her.
-sweet friends who have pity on me and come visit, or pick me up to run errands. being a single-car family (even just temporarily) is tough!
-going to h&m on a saturday and not having to wait in line for the register for an hour. anyone who's been to that store lately can agree that is a small miracle.
-having a gender reveal party for my sister (to see whether their babe is a boy or girl). it was such a creative idea and it felt so sweet to be involved in such a special moment.
-how the bubs has started connecting words together ("hi, daddy," "uh oh. dropped it," "no no, coco!"). she likes to tell her daddy all about her day when he calls. it usually sounds like, "hi, daddy.... lkgainvhgbluhhgasg doggie! faininbluveoj'pwa go sigh (outside) lkblugadflanciran eat bababa (banana) alkdugblivaninr buh-bye, daddy!"