a trip back in time: the maryland renaissance fair

one of the perks of being in a relationship is broadening your horizons via your significant others interests.  so, for the past few years, Jeremy and I have made an annual trip to the Maryland Renaissance Festival, aka one of his interests since he's been going there for a decade or something like that.  we missed out last year since we had a new baby and i wasn't ready for public appearances in those early days....

after our year away, we were ready to go back and decided to make the trip in to a family adventure/way to entertain the toddler.  this isn't your average county carnival, it's literally a village built in the woods for the sole purpose of hosting the renaissance festival each year. 

there are people in costume who work there, but the real sight is the people watching. apparently the incredible hulk lived in the renaissance era?

levi was unimpressed with most of it, but, luckily for us, he is easily entertained by shoulder rides. 

in spite of staying there for 8 hours (we drove 2 hours to get there...gotta get your money's worth!), levi napped for a hot second and didn't have any big meltdowns, so all in all it was a successful trip!  it wasn't incident thought, since we've entered the "dead weight" stage when he throws a fit. we had many episodes of him stubbornly pouting/sitting in the dirt when we wouldn't let him eat the gravel, walk down the hill and back up again 20 times, or just be confined in any way.....you know, typical toddler activities.

we actually saw lots of friends while we were there, which made the extravagant ticket price and overpriced food a bit more bearable. since we were there on the last day of the fair, we were able to watch the final jousting match...most of the matches are a bit "scripted", but this was the real deal and determined the champion for that year's fair.

 

the other baby with us was all in to it and would clap when the jousters hit each other, but levi was all like...

apprehension mixed with why aren't you letting me run around in the dirt?

i'm actually looking forward to going back next year when levi is older and can enjoy some of the shows more, although i don't think he'll be able to grasp the gravity of how awesome Johnny Fox, the sword swallower/magician extraordinaire actually is.

oh well, it was a fun (yet exhausting) trip.  see you next year maryland!

xo-
crystal

for my ladies out there.

listen up ladies (and gentlemen too cause this could certainly help you out)-

i was recently made privy to some very pertinent information by way of my chiropractor (of all people).  it involves what i like to call my "second personality" that rears itself each month.....do you see where i'm headed with this??

let me just be frank with you here:  having a baby is hard work...from some very intense back labor to recovery, it all just kind of sucks. then comes the return of the "second personality" and its all like...hey-you've been through labor, you can handle me again right?

hahaha no. i'd rather not.

i used to run to my old standby painkiller & debloater all-in-one, except, now it doesn't work...such a cruel joke! instead, for days on end, i'm so lovingly reminded of the back labor i endured. again, a cruel joke.  so here's where my chiropractor comes in.

after an appropriately timed session (help me get rid of this back pain please!) and expressing my pain woes to him, he suggests magnesium.

 

and not the magnesium you find at the grocery store "pharmacy" aisles either...you want the physician grade stuff.  i'd attempt to explain the science to you and show off my mad skills from college, but i'll save us both the embarassment.

cue the angels singing cause gosh darnit, this stuff works!

about a week prior, i start taking a 2 pills a day per my chiropractor's recommendation.*

 

i don't think the magnesium actually does anything for my second personality that comes out, but i sure am a happier person without constant back pain and everything else. i think my husband would agree, and instead of snapping at him for putting a fork where the spoons go, i'll just roll my eyes and mutter under my breath (maybe a true story, maybe not).

 yay for being a lady!

xo-
crystal

*check with your doctor first obviously.  also, please don't sue me for trying to help you out.

on the process of adapting

change can be a funny thing if you stop to think about it. we all lust for change of some sort, but how often is that desired change acted upon?

for me-not that often...until recently.

i say this because, ever since having Levi, i've become much more decisive and motivated to make those changes i've always wanted.  like cloth diapering, for instance.

before i was even pregnant, i'd thought about cloth diapering for environmental and financial reasons, but didn't think it was for someone like me. i know i'm stereotyping here, but i always saw cloth diapering as a hippy-type of thing to do and something i couldn't manage. "yes, it can be gross. no, it's not that bad. yes, it's worth it....kind of."

i was also afraid of the things other people would say and think about me if we chose to cloth diaper.  


but this isn't a post about cloth diapering, although i could go on for days :)

Levi is in a constant state of change, especially these last 2 weeks.  within that short time frame, he's gone from not being able to crawl to pulling himself to standing and is starting to cruise. pump the brakes dude!

since my life feels like it's in constant motion nowadays, i'm learning to adapt and make quick decisions regarding what really works for us as a family.  i used to be pretty stubborn and stick to my guns if i had already made a decision, but life with Levi has (not-so-gently) taught me a lesson about selflessness.

now that Levi is 9.5 months old, i'm determined to throw out my preconceived notions and really look at whats best for us and for him as we approach the whole time in vs. time out deadline (yes, i know the date and no, i won't count how many long, painful days i carried him)

and this change/adaptability concept isn't just reflected in my parenting.  oh no, it's spread to decorating, house hunting, and cute baby outfits! 

i blame pinterest. always.

xo-
crystal