What is Normal Anyway?

My husband got back from Afghanistan well over 2 months ago and that's how long it has been since my last post.  Honestly I thought things were supposed to get back to normal.  Well, I was far from wrong.  No less than a week after he got home did I get the call from my Mom saying my Grandfather was sick and I needed to come home.  Well, we were already planning a trip home on his leave and it didn't make financial sense to go, come back and just go again.  So that meant 6 weeks in my parents house, and leaving my husband again.  New people, new routines and no Daddy again all for a 2 year old.  Right after her Daddy got home from a 9 month deployment.  She may have adjusted well, but we finally returned home close to 2 weeks ago, my husband returned to work last week and we returned to our much needed "routine".  Well now she is having major anxiety issues.  And honestly who could blame a girl?   This anxiety is hard on me.  And she wants nothing to do with Daddy.  Which is even harder on him.

That is all the 2 year old stress.  Which is 90% of my stress level.  But of course there is always more.  Since I was home and I have a military ball scheduled for July 2nd my Mom and I decided to make my ball gown.  This is nothing new for my Mom; she made my Junior Prom dress, Prom dress and Wedding Gown.  For me though, a giant undertaking.  We were done with the whole dress minus the hem before I brought it home.  The hem is probably the hardest part to do by yourself.  And boy did my machine not like me.  Did you know they make blind hem presser feet?  Well Brother decided my machine wasn't going to come with one even though it comes with just about every other foot you can think of.  And it was my first time making a blind hem.  And I had to stop 18 times because my needy toddler is super super attached to Mommy right now.  And I don't just mean my shadow.  That would be cute.  I mean she straight up tells Daddy "Go away.  I want my Mommy. Leave me alone".  To a guy that was just gone for 9 months.  It's gotta hurt.  Got the hem done (and mind you I still have 4 days till the ball!)  It's not excellent.  But it's good enough, and unless you are crawling around on your knees then you shouldn't notice.  Who am I kidding?  I bring everyone to their knees!

Oh yeah, then there is this other stress - called weight gain.  Seriously annoying.  9 months of ice cream.  Then all the stress eating during travel.  I'm back up to my highest weight. I want to say I've been trying my best to get rid of the weight, but it's not true.  I'm getting there though.  I really want to have that motivation to work out.  I've been doing it a little, but I like when my body wants to do it and that's where I need to get to.  Hopefully in a month I will be back to myself, and my family will be back to normal.  Of course I say this and we also have some big news we are awaiting.  Something that can really change the course of our future.  In a hugely good way - although still stressful.  (AND NO - NOT PREGNANT)  Everyone always thinks theres a baby when we say we might have news.  I don't get that.  Oh yeah, then there is knitting, or the lack of.  I'll leave that for another post.