what is the problem?!?!

I have been trying to blog for weeks now - weeks!  I realize you cannot tell this but I have started and stopped the same entry repeatedly.  It's even an easy topic - baby J.  So instead I'm getting back on the blogging horse with a tried and true entry - a list.  Oh, how I love lists.  In fact I have recently discovered the "sticky note" application on my Mac's dashboard.  I LOVE it.  I use yellow for work, purple for t-shirts, and the brighter colors for deadlines and other must-do items.  I wish they offered some of the day-glo sticky colors but generally I like the muted shades.

Oh were to start?

• Since I'm online I'll start with social networking.  I used to be on MySpace but I've abandoned it for Facebook.  Funny that I joined Facebook bcs my Aussie friend sent me an invite.  I thought 'oh good she's using that and we can stay in touch.'  Well, I think it was an honest attempt but she's just not an online kind of girl so I don't get to stay as much in touch that way as I'd like.  Instead I'm friends with a bunch of people from high school and my former work place.  I must say I hate social networking sites.  They are a huge time suck and they offer little silver lining in their existence.  I have gotten back in touch with people from high school and college that I barely talked to and still barely talk to online.  So I'm not sure of the purpose of the site but yet there I am sending little greenspace plants and taking quizzes.  I've learned 25 random things about a lot of people and more importantly I've allowed my self-esteem to sink a bit at times.  Yep.  At least I have not gotten involved in any interpersonal dramas so that's a plus.  I really just need to delete everything or make a point to only sign on 1x a week (or better yet a month!).  We'll see what I can do.  I cut the cord with MySpace without issue (even before Facebook).
• I love spring.  I'm so excited it's warmer out.  Granted it's only in the mid 40s today and that's probably the average winter low in Dallas, but we had 20s for so much of this winter that I'll gladly take 40s.  Of course I cannot wait for 60s and 70s (dare I dream of days even warmer than that?!?!) and I hope they are just around the corner.
• Speaking of spring which officially starts next week,  baby J becomes toddler J next week a well - he'll be a year!  I can't believe it.  It's gone by fast but also it's just amazing how much growing babies do in the first year.  I heard a newborn baby crying at the pediatrician's office this week and it's such a different cry.  I forgot.  This should really be it's own blog considering I've included no updates at all for way too long.  If nothing else sooner than later there'll be the birthday party pics and blog.  
• So why the Dallas shout out a few lines ago?  Well, we had been considering moving down there.  We're still planning to sell the house - or I should say list the house - in late spring.  I hope we price it right and it sells quickly.  Based on some research D has done it seems like transferring to DFW in a lateral move would not be the best plan.  It could happen but it's not the route D is wanting to take.  So we're going to stay in Ohio but we're not sure how long-term that choice will be.  We want to rent a  house but with our dogs, cats, baby, and budget that just might not happen.  Hence we are prepared to buy, knowing that with the current market that means a commitment to stay a couple years probably.  I'm trying not to focus on selling, moving, renting, buying, TX, OH, blah, blah, blah.  It's too much.  There are so many unknowns and I want to be positive.  The best way for me to do that is not to think about it at all.  I'm taking the Dorrie approach (as in Finding Nemo's Dorrie) . . . "just keep swimming; just keep swimming; just keep swimming."
• Work is happening.  I'm so happy to have a job!  I'm excited that it's a return to photo research which I've been away from for a couple years now.  It's going well.  As with nearly all freelance projects I've ever done there have been moments of frustration, but overall it's going really well.  I just hope there are more jobs available down the road.  In part due to the freelance job and in part due to other issues the t-shirts are not moving as quickly as I would like.  I hope I will still be able to have samples to take with me in May but I worry I'm getting to a point that it's going to be cutting it close.  Yikes!
• Mom's group:  I went to a meeting here for a Mom's group.  It's a branch of an international club so there was cost associated with it.  The cost is not high, but because the group is specific to my town I opted out for now.  If we move even a few towns/suburbs south of here than I would want to join one in that location.  I did send an email out to a big group of women all with kids under the age of two.  I heard back from most everyone but so far there are very few people who have similar availability.  I was giving people a little more time and I wanted to get past J's birthday and Daylight Savings before diving in to planning that.  I would like J to meet more babies and have playtime.  The daycare at the gym normally has a bunch of 3-5yr olds and that's just a little too old for J.  It's free though so while the hourly place would have kids his age I use the gym.  I may just have to take him to the hourly place 1x a week and the gym the other time.  I'm trying to socialize him more for our vacation May in which he'll be staying with his aunt.  He's a mama's boy and I'm super concerned he'll have one huge week-long meltdown.  We'll see.  He could be completely different in a few months!

Okay, it's not much of a list but it's a lot of words!