Leaf and Steel

motherhood - growth - living

March in Review

Goodbye March! You were insane.

March was a crazy month.

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I got a Vizsla puppy! I feel like I have two toddlers. He is full of energy and curiosity.

5 Reasons We Chose a Vizsla as Our Family Dog

The Not-Great:

  • This puppy is killing me. We paid for a Vizsla and got a piranha. This dog BITES. He is constantly nipping. We redirect with toys, yelp loudly, do time outs- you name it, we’ve tried it. This wackadoo just wants human flesh. Also, there’s nothing like living on a 20 minute timer to make sure he doesn’t have an accident in the house. He’s lucky he’s so cute.
  • I usually feel better this time of year. This year, I don’t. And I think sleep is the answer! This is typically the time of year when I feel “lighter” and “happier”. I think the sleep deprivation from the puppy and baby is preventing this! Hoping to feel “spring-ier” soon!

The Good:

  • I started an Instagram. I know, I know, I was all about kicking Instagram earlier in the year. I still am, for my own personal account. I did start an official Leaf and Steel account that is just centered around this blog! I had been putting it off for awhile.
  • The dog is learning a few commands. Let me tell you, “leave it” is the most underrated command. “Sit” isn’t really that helpful. “Paw” is adorable. We are working so hard at training, and I think he’s starting to get the hang of it.
  • Calendar. I finally got a calendar for my fridge. Now, coordinating child care and dinner is so much simpler! My husband and I both know what nights we need to be out or keep free. I can’t believe I’ve managed to stay married for 3+ years without a shared calendar. It even has a little notes section so I can list things we need to talk about. Not bad for under $10!

April Hopes

  • Creative writing. I desperately want to set aside some time to do more creative writing. My goal is to participate in a Reedsy prompt competition this month. I have a lot of stories in my drafts that could use some attention!
  • Build up the blog. I mean, this has been my goal for the past 5-6 years, right? I have some posts planned that I’m pretty excited about. I hope I can get back to posting a few times a week!

How was your March?

Did you check anything big off your list? Learn anything new?

What are your hopes for April?

Let me know below!

O

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February in Review

Can you believe that February is over? I know, I know, it’s the shortest month, of course it went by fast. Maybe it’s the whole getting older thing, but time really does seem to be flying by.

We have almost made it to spring! I can’t wait until the birds start chirping and I can bring Baby M out onto the lawn to explore. We’ve had a few 60 degree days here, so I feel like I missed out on winter. I love the promise of March. It’s never quite “spring”, but we do get a few teases here and there.

So long, February.

Here’s a wrap up of my month.

The Not-Great:

  • I fell off of the early morning train. Oh, how I’m looking for the willingness to be willing to wake up at 5:30am again. I miss my quiet mornings!
  • I didn’t write as much as I wanted to. I would love to say that this is a direct result of missing my early morning writing window, but the truth is that I have numerous pockets of free time during the day. Writing consistently was a habit. Like most habits, once I stopped for a week it was difficult to get back into it. Restarting now!

The Good:

  • I’m continuing my Instagram break. It really does feel pointless once you step away. I check now and again, but I’m not interested in posting anything or seeing what’s going on in the lives of peers I haven’t spoken to in 10 years. Pass.
  • I read a book. I stuck with my girl Liane Moriarty and read The Husband’s Secret. Highly recommend if you like mysteries stuck in suburbia.
  • I lost weight. I started using My Fitness Pal and was in shock to see how many calories I needed (like, double the amount my body needs, triple on the weekends). By simply making better choices, my pre-pregnancy pants began to fit!
  • I went into puppy prep mode. I feel like I’m having a baby! All month I’ve been getting ready for our little guy’s arrival. We have the huge crate, the harness, the Chuck It, etc. Knowing that we’re pretty much going to have another toddler running around here has given me motivation to wrap up some home projects that I may have started when I was pregnant (like, 2 years ago…).

March Hopes

  • Survival mode. Freezer meals, takeout, paper plates, babysitters, and Netflix. That’s my March plan. House training a puppy is pretty close to breastfeeding. Let me tell you, I am not looking forward to dragging myself out of bed every 3 hours to wander into the depths of my dark backyard with a puppy. At least with the baby, I never had to leave my warm room or put on pants…
  • Turn the lights off. I want to get into the habit of turning out the light when I leave a room. I also want to be more conscious of how many lights I keep on when I leave the house.

How was your February?

Did you check anything big off your list? Learn anything new?

What are your hopes for March?

Let me know below!

O.

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