Ponytails, Stride Rite, Playgroup, & Bright Ideas

I used to do my hair. I vaguely remember a day that I did my hair....I think. It seems like a good day lately that I take a shower and actually blow dry it, but even then its swept up into a ponytail the minute its dry! And some days...it doesn't even get dry. I don't know when babies stop pulling hair but my kiddo has a knack for pulling mine OUT! I asked the question on my facebook this weekend, when do they stop pulling so I'll stop wearing a ponytail and a friend mentioned this point. When do I think I have the time to actually STYLE hair?! She's right...ponytail it is. I actually went in today and cut nearly four inches off...my biggest criteria to her haircut. I MUST still go up. Has to...no if...no kind of...it absolutely MUST go up. And thankfully she listened and it does. Its nice and light and I'm hoping that with less of it to do I just might be able to wear it down once in a while. I'm laughing at myself because I had a big victory today. My big victory of the day??? Getting Stride Rite to replace shoes they sold us that didn't fit my child! We went in a few weeks ago and purchased two pairs of shoes. They fit her and tried them on her while she was in our arms or sitting on the ground, they never asked her to stand in the shoe, much less walk. So when she'd only worn them a handful of times and they were too small and physically hurting her toes I was NOT a happy camper. I asked around and all our little friends wear Stride Rites too, there just isn't another great option for early walkers but a friend told me to call them that they were great about working with you. Incredibly they had me come back in, re-fit her, let her walk and run in the shoes and then EXCHANGED them for us!!! I was shocked! Of course they didn't have the ones we'd picked last time in her current size so I had to pick new ones and they are a little more fall/winter looking than I'd planned but it is September so they'll be great. She said she should be able to wear these until Spring so I really hope she's right. Nevertheless...I definitely recommend Stride Rite. They are awesome. Just make sure to do your part and know that they need to stand/walk/run and that if the shoe Velcros...the entire Velcro needs to attach, otherwise they don't fit. Tomorrow's our busy morning. Kindermusik and then playgroup at the park and picnic. Emilie will be exhausted by the time we get home for her nap but our little group is SO much fun to play with. She'll love it! One of the big reasons I joined Kindermusik (other than the educational reasons for Emilie of course) is that I needed to meet other Moms with kids Em's age. I felt like it was important to have a network of Moms and kiddos. I was honestly frustrated because for our first several classes there weren't Moms my age and when a few joined they were uninterested in getting together outside of class. Thankfully I'd gone to one makeup class with the early group and ended up running into one of those Mom's in the toy aisle at Walmart! She added me to their playgroup list and I was AMAZED at this group of Moms that found time to get together routinely. When Emilie's nap changed I did a happy dance that we could switch into their class permanently and we now have an amazing group of wonderful friends to play with. We meet up at least once a week, sometimes several times a week to play and eat and just enjoy each other. It's been such a blessing to me and I'm incredibly thankful for it. On a totally random note, I read a friends blog today. She wrote "Lately, I feel like I'm not doing enough. And by that, I don't mean having enough on my day-to-day agenda. Because I do. What I mean is that I feel like I am not doing enough that is significant. I have this passion to serve, to help others, to make a real difference and most times, I feel like I fall flat of my potential." Wow...Its like she stole the words right out of my heart. I feel the exact same way. I have so many passions about helping others, specifically kiddos, and so many ideas, but I fall flat on the doing part. On finding ways to get involved and reaching out. I find myself talking the good talk, or thinking it, but not on doing it. So I'm giving myself a challenge. By the end of the year (just over 3 months) I need to find a way to serve, even if its a small start I need to do something until I find what I'm supposed to be doing to serve. I feel deeply within myself that there is something I'm supposed to be doing, something that will make a difference (even if its only in the life of one person), and I'm going to work harder to be proactive in finding that something. Thank you friend for reminding me not to allow myself to fall flat. Ok...I'm in a million places tonight but that's how my minds working these days! Night ya'll! P.S.--No one commented to tell me you were reading when I asked last time, but Blogger has this wonderful new stat that shows me that post had at least twenty views...so please let me know your there and if there are questions or topics you'd like opened to discussion :) And since I know you love them...here's a cute pic of my crazy bunch for your viewing pleasure :) Em was requesting a pony ride (fitting since we talked about ponytails, lol) and the dogs decided to line up for their turn too!