because this is more exciting than cleaning the kitchen

I keep thinking that I'm going to update my blog, but then I either don't make time or, like now, I have time but can't think of anything super spectacular to share.  Well, except maybe that this is the current scene at my house:

Milo (who, FYI, has pooped NINE TIMES in the past 24 hours) is crawling around the family room on his knees using a kid Iowa State bat as a cane.  And Ivy (dressed in her gymnastic leotard, blue tutu, Minnie Mouse tshirt, sparkly headband, and baseball cleats) is rotating back and forth between reading (well, "reading") books and dancing to Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe".  This is all after we spent the first hour of the morning all trying not to have nervous breakdowns (I would call it semi-successful because I think Max was the only one who actually cried at any point of it all), and then the rest of the time at Ivy's gymnastics class at Triad in Ankeny, which I have decided is pretty much the most adorable thing to ever take place in the history of the world.  For realsies.

Also of note from recently:

*I willingly signed up to coach Ivy's Wee Ball team.  I'm actually a little terrified, but I figure one can only screw up Wee Ball coaching so much.  I don't think anyone will end up in remedial Tee Ball because of my lack of skills.  And I'm positive that our team will have the most fun.  I mean, have you guys seen me on the co-ed softball field?  Where I lack in actual softball skill I make up for greatly in entertainment value.

*Max lost his first tooth a few weeks ago.  That was just when I didn't think it was possible for him to get any more handsome.  I didn't realize how much a little space in someone's mouth could make him that much more adorable.  Plus he was so brave in letting me pull it out.  It's the first time that I haven't seen blood or (even the most minor) pain freak him out.  In a related note, he also said at one point last week when he hurt his finger that he didn't want a band aid because he wanted "to be brave like Daddy".  Granted, this is coming from the child who wouldn't walk down stairs from someone's deck this weekend because he was scared.  But still...those moments of bravery are pretty endearing.

*Milo is still refusing to walk, and whenever I try to get him to say anything besides Mama or Dada or meow, he looks at me with an expression on his face that is sort of saying, "I'm not interested in learning to speak your language when this screeching thing is so much more fun".  Thankfully I'm in no hurry whatsoever for him to grow up, and I know it'll all come in good time anyway.  And in the meantime, I think I'm going to look into speed crawling events.  He would win.  Hands down.

*We (finally!!!) finished our basement.  Our furniture got delivered, the TV is on the wall, and we've already spent many an hour down there as a family.  The kids love it, and Brian and I love it.  The only thing I'm sad about is that basketball season is over and football season is months away.  I might have to get myself back into MLB again just to fully appreciate the room right now.  Watching the Celebrity Apprentice just isn't as fulfilling.

*I ran four miles last weekend.  Like, in a row, without stopping.  I know that people do this every day and it's no big deal.  But this is me.  Kara.  Uber big deal.  Just don't remind me about how much longer I have to go to get to be able to run that 10K in a month.

Okay, I think that's enough randomness for today.  As always, I hope to blog again before the next month's calendar page is turned.  No promises though.