Where to begin?

I compose little blog posts in my head frequently, only rarely do I find the time to sit and write. I don't actually have the time right now, but I'll steal a moment or two before I get to my chores.
Never mind the nap that I should be taking.

The new shopping carts at Target make me feel like I am a Lego person. I like the look, but I don't like feeling squarish and made of plastic. Target is probably my favorite store, however, I'm a little let down by the "glorious" new grocery department. They got me so excited for the arrival of fresh produce and I was expecting great things. The selection is alright, but they're selling fruits in itty-bitty quantities that wouldn't last fourteen seconds at my house. I'll just have to stick to the farmers' market and Costco for my berries.

My life is a little bit wacky.
One day I think I have the hang of this motherhood, staying-at-home, master of the universe thing because everything goes smoothly. I accomplish multiple tasks around the house, run errands, and go for a walk, all while juggling flaming torches. (Substitute "poopy diapers" for "flaming torches" for a more accurate description.) The next day everything falls apart and all I want to do is sleep, but there are still chores to do and torches to juggle, if you know what I mean. My mood is on a roller coaster, complete with flips and turns that make my husband want to vomit. Will I ever get the hang of this? Why did those 1950s idealistic family television shows ever exist? I am fairly certain that I will never have dinner ready for my family by the time Barry comes home from work. I've only made dinner twice in the past seven months. Granted, I have never been the type to make dinner on a regular basis, but still.

Fall is definitely in the air and I am grateful. I love the change of the seasons, the coolness, the holidays, and the sense of something new in the air. Driving with my windows down, that air gave me a brief recollection of an earlier time in my life. It felt like college, maybe high school. I remember when autumn meant that a new year was beginning. Life was full of possibilities and I was full of hope and anticipation. Things were simpler, responsibilities were fewer, and my heart was light. It's interesting how life changes and I move forward without realizing the world I've left behind.

This is my world now:
Emma is now about 7 and a half months old. Her first tooth started making its entrance two weeks ago. It is still a little thing, but it is definitely there, sharp as can be. She had been rocking on her hands and knees for some time and could pseudo-crawl in a circle (always turning to the left) for a little while, but began to really crawl at the end of last week. It is amazing to see how quickly she masters new skills.

She loves to crawl towards the cats, or any colorful object. She gets great pleasure from banging things together to make a little noise. One of her favorite activities is crawling to the vertical blinds and slapping them around. Her language skills are blossoming with a whole new repertoire of sounds. There are too many to name and when she is in a good mood she meshes them all together into a fun world of baby talk. My favorite is her gargling, it is adorable. Her appetite is ravenous, and she gets extremely cranky when the food is not getting into her face quickly enough. (She is clearly related to me.) I can't wait until she figures out how to feed herself so that I stop getting yelled at in baby language at the dinner table. She is not sleeping through the night. She is still nursing at least five times a day and once to three times at night. (Yes, I am exhausted.) She has become very good at napping. Her hair still sticks up straight and the mullet is regrowing. Her smiles are huge and amazing.
She is the brightest light in my life.