Meltdown Moment of the Week

With a moody Mama, a teething almost 6 month old (AHHHH), and a perma tired (and stressed) Daddy.. I'm sad to say there are many a meltdown in this household, and not all of them are Bubba's. Because I am being HONEST in this blog, and not painting my life like it's perfect... I am fessing up that this weeks "Meltdown Moment" belongs to yours truly. 

Last night. John came home, the house was relatively clean and Bubba was relatively calm, I was EXHAUSTED (we woke up at 6 am yesterday..). John took Bubba, played with him, made dinner, cleaned it up, fed Bubba, put him to bed. I didn't lift a finger. It was great. You're wondering, "what's the problem?", ME, I'm the problem. I felt annoyed that he didn't come home and communicate with me that he was going to take care of everything, that he didn't want to act like a team, that we weren't setting up a system beforehand so that when he wanted to go to bed at 10 pm before Jack's last feeding that it was okay with me. Was this a reasonable reason to get upset? Not at all. Was I anyway? YES. I mean tears and sobs and angry upset. Goodness gracious. What it boils down to is that I don't have this "stay at home mom" thing figured out yet. I don't keep the house perfectly clean, I don't organize our life to make it easier.. sigh. I want to though - does that count? I felt like him "giving me the night off" and not talking to me about it was a comment on the way I "run our household". It wasn't. 

I just really want to get back to being that crazy organized, neat freak, color coded woman - and I honestly think the main reason I am having trouble with it is because John wants that too. How stupid/messed up is that? I am a strong willed person, I ALWAYS have been (it made for a hellacious teen experience for my parents). I am stubborn to my own detriment and this is a perfect example of it. John wants me to keep our house clean and be organized and productive. Obviously he wants this, it makes our lives easier and more manageable. But I know, deep down, he mostly just wants it because he knows that it will make me happy. AH-HA MOMENT. Meltdowns are good for something sometimes right?!

Because my husband has put up with SO many meltdowns, loves me anyways, and even thinks I'm pretty despite the constant absence of makeup on my face (and the really STUPID acne I've started developing on my chin post-bubba) this post is dedicated to him. I am "linking up" (Oh blogging and the crazy lingo, html coding, & other things I had no idea about 6 weeks ago) with this amazing Mama Blogger to tell John and I's Story (even though I already do it here... I am going to do it again because this is my blog and I can!) 

1. How long have you and your significant other been together?

16 months. I usually don't like to call attention to this. If you don't know us, it seems like OMG they already have a 6 month old and are married?! I've mentioned that I don't like people thinking that we only got married because of Da Bubba. And well, if you just went based off the age of our relationship you would think that that is so.. but in all honesty. We knew from the moment we met (At least I DID) that we were going to be together forever.. so things were a bit, um, accelerated.

2. How did you meet? {What's your "love" story?}

We met at a party my roommates and I were throwing at our house after a football game. John came with my sorority sister's boyfriend (they were roommates in college). He was playing beer pong in my basement. I was down there hanging out and when he introduced himself he shook my hand.. then he taught me how to "Dougie". The song started playing and he started "Dougie-ing" with his friend. I didn't know the dance, so I asked them "how you do it". John took one look at his friend, looked back at me and said, "So, you want me to 'teach you how to dougie'?". It was so cheesy, SO John, and I will never forget it. He did indeed, "Teach Me How to Dougie". I then found my friend (The one he came with) and asked her for "the stats", age, availability, "is he a douche-bag". We ended up talking ALL night and after he left I texted my sister at 3 am "I just met the man I am going to marry!".. while John was texting me cheesy things like, "Start of something good? I hope so :)". We got together the next weekend, and we have been inseparable since!

When we first started dating.. we went out.. a lot

3. If married, how long have you been married? If not, is this the guy you hope to marry? {do tell}

Our 3 months of marriage anniversary will be this month on the 19th.

4. If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding?  If not, where would you like to get married? And will it be big or small?

We got married in my hometown of Grand Rapids. Our ceremony was in my FAVORITE catholic church. It's small and old and ABSOLUTELY beautiful. My great uncle is a priest. He married my grandparents, my parents, and all of my aunts and uncles. He married us, and that was the most special thing to me in the world! Our day was magic. I have never felt as happy in my entire life as I did when I rounded the corner and saw John (CRYING) at the end of the aisle. I had the most GIGANTIC smile plastered on my face.

*Photos by the amazingly talented Emily Zoladz

When we said our vows, there was so much meaning in them. We have already lived a lifetime together. I could promise to stay by John's side through it all, no matter what, FAITHFULLY, knowing that there was no truer statement in the world. FINALLY we were husband and wife

Our wedding was relatively large... just under 200 guests. We are lucky to have the BEST family and friends on the planet and they celebrated with us like no one else could have. John and I had our first dance to the song "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green. We sang to each other, smiled, & laughed. Towards the end, we had the DJ cut off the song and start playing.. what else?

Teach Me How to Dougie :)

5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another? Do share!

Babe. Yup, we're boring. John also calls me "Kakes" which is my family nickname. No idea where it came from or why it started. 

6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.

1. He's hard working

2. He's the BEST DADDY EVER

3. He's passionate

7. Tell us how he proposed? Or your ideal proposal?

John was commuting to me every weekend last winter. I waited alllllll week to be with him. One weekend (just about a year ago) he told me he wasn't going to come until Saturday because he was going to go to a birthday party for one of his friends. Initially I said it was fine. As the week wore on I decided it wasn't. By Friday I was PISSED. I whined and complained (I would deserve a Meltdown Moment of the Week x100). I made him stay on the phone with me for 2 hours. I was supposed to go and get dinner with one of my roommates and I put off getting ready. Finally I let John off of the phone. I decided to pamper myself getting ready. Take a LONG hot shower. Do my hair and makeup at a slow pace, even give myself a pedicure. We went to dinner about an hour later than scheduled. I resigned myself to a night of movies and magazines and decided to head to blockbuster after dropping my roommate back off at home. She kept trying to get me to come inside but I just didn't want to get out of the car. Finally she said really sternly, "Kayla, I REALLY think you should come inside." Lightbulb moment. When I walked through the door my house was covered in roses and candles. John was standing in the middle of our living room. We just hugged for a while (I was so happy to see him after a long week!). Then he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. It was the best! 

Celebrating our engagement with friends!

The ring :)

8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals?

Flowers and teddy bear. We'll see what he has cooked up. Last year the engagement kind of took the cake as BEST valentine's day ever...

9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch?

Movies on the couch. We love movies!

10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?

Travel. We both want to go so many places. We want to explore Europe, explore the U.S., heck explore MI. We have lots of places we want to go (With and without kids). 

11. Tell us what you plan on doing on this Valentine's Day.

We are just going to make dinner together at home. We are both having fun getting better in the kitchen so we are just going to enjoy having the space to cook together. 

12. Are you asking for anything this Valentine's day?

Nope.

13. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love.

Communication. Remembering to put each other first. Communication. And always, the little things. 

14.  Show us a picture of what love means to you.