Read Seven Habits of the Highly Effective Person by Stephen Covey. You seem to like books and you seem to need some motivation to get your ass in gear, like me.
I still look back on it when I get lazy.
A few of my favourite quotes in the book….
-”There is no real excellence in all this world which can be separated from right living” -David Starr Jordan
-”You must always reap what you sow. There is no shortcut. What we are communicates far more eloquently than anything we say or do.”

Realizing that you are the only one that can change your position and having the balls and perseverance to do everything necessary to make your life the one you want will change your life, sister.

And to repeat everybody else (because sometimes you need things drilled into your head)

YOU CAN DO IT.
seriously.

Mrs. Kittys last blog post..Gym bunny my ass

Here’s the thing, and I know you’ve hard it a gagillion times before, BUT…Kids do not come with manuals. Because of this, we are forced to learn from our mistakes. As long as those mistakes are minor, you’re all good. Cut yourself some slack.

(I have a temper, too, and TRUST me, I’ve had a few moments that I wish I could pretend didn’t happen).

Oh and TV? BWAHAHAHA. I gave up feeling guilty about that a few months ago. The TV goes on as soon as we are home. I am not the type that likes to get down on the floor and play. I often tell my son’s dad that I feel guilty about that (because he DOES like to do that) and he tells me that he feels the same way about me, but because I engage in different activities with our son (*ahem* like shopping). So really, you are doing more than you realize. It may not be traditional, but your girl will appreciate whatever you do, nonetheless. The teachers at my son’s preschool are constantly telling me what a sweet, caring and kindhearted child I have and those kinds of kids don’t come from neglectful parents. I know it sounds like I’m talking about me, but I’m trying to make a point for YOU.

The control thing is HUGE for me. I never realized that I was such a control freak until I became a single mommy. I completely understand how your space is driving you bonkers. I’ve lived in my tiny space for almost a year and I can tell you that you will make sense of it all, it just takes time. And a lot of rearranging.

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Marias last blog post..I’m in dire need of your assistance.

anyways, don’t sweat the mommy stuff… you provide love, security and some good eats for your little one. that’s the bones of being a good mommy.

and one thing that i quite enjoy about your parenting is how you do make playdates with other little ones and create appropriate activities for her.
so many parents these days just do the “kid as an accessory” thing and drag their kid along to adult activities that the parents would have done before the kid was around.
i know someone that just had a bday party for their 5 year old, and there were NO KIDS there. only the kid whose bday it was and their sibling. the rest was adults… family and friends. i thought it was super weird and really lame for the kid.
kids need kid stuff. not adult stuff. and you do that quite well from what i can tell.

so you just keep on keeping on.
you’re doing far far better than you think you are.

As long as you continue to genuinely want them to.

Good luck m’am!

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You can do it, and you will. And we will all be here cheering you on.

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And, you are beautiful chica, I so seriously mean it. Even when you take non-smiley pictures. I hope you see that too….soon.

I hope you can force your landlord to change what needs to be changed about the apt. And, the other stuff will come with time. I have huge buyer’s remorse and can never seem to afford the things we need. Or, the things I think I need (esp for our home). But, ya know…people have done so much on so much less before. Not to make your problems seem little, because I’d be having the exact same reaction I’m sure…but YOU CAN DO THIS.

And, for the record, I have a hard time “playing” for long periods of time with little kids too. I think it’s just how it goes. Maybe you could get a free cardboard box from a store (a big one) and make it into a house or SOMETHING …and get paints out and markers or crayons and let her help you make it pretty…or something. It’s more of a grown up activity so you might like it more, and yet she’ll enjoy it too…esp if you describe what you’re doing as you do it. Or, if she wants to jump on it and tear it down, then great for her. She can do that too. Sometimes I buy games and toys that are too big for L slightly but more on the creative side, so we can play together for longer periods of time…and there are a lot of times that our “play” is her dragging stuff out of the laundry basket while I try to fold it. Or, me laying in the floor half dead rolling a ball back to her or letting her jump on me or pretending to be asleep and then saying “boo”.

Love you

Ashleys last blog post..Sometimes, all it takes is a threat (of beheading).