More excitement

This weekend we went to a birthday party for one of Jayden's best friends from preschool (Greyson, for those of you keeping track).  It was at Chuck E. Cheese.  I was totally dreading the Chuck E. Cheese birthday.  Turns out I was right to dread it, although the pizza wasn't quite as bad as I was expecting.  And they did have fountain sodas, which in my mind makes everything better.  :)

Greyson and Jayden are totally the odd couple, but they are oh so cute together.

Greyson started opening presents, and Jayden went over to him, handed him the wrapped present and said "wanna know what I got you?" two second pause "it's a Spider Man hand that sprays webs!"  So yeah.  Greyson got a not-so-sneak preview of his gift.  His parents were cracking up.  Chuck E. Cheese wasn't so bad, but it was hectic.  Turns out I just don't do well in hectic, especially with the kids.  But we survived, mostly, and Jayden had a great time, which is what was important.

We now have a SEVEN month old.  Her mini photo shoot from this morning:

                            

And now a brief section on me:
I finally got to go for my first run since having Dakota on Sunday.  I am still sore (it's Tuesday) and I have terribly shin splints.  But it was so seriously amazing to get out and run.  I am going to really try hard to do it once a week.  It probably won't happen in the next month with all of Carmen's travel, but even if it's ten minutes on the treadmill, my mental health will improve greatly.

I ran out of steam on this one.  But yesterday I flew up to Sacramento to testify in front of the California Assembly Banking Committee on payday lending and short-term and long-term installment loans.  It was a really great experience.  But it was also really sobering to have such a motivating and inspiring day and to come home back to bottles to wash, milk and food to prepare, a baby who wakes up at least two times a night, a four year old who wants to do the opposite of anything I ask him to do and a husband who is about half helpful, but who, last night, couldn't barely say five words to me.  Talk about polar opposites.  All in all, a good experience.  But

My cute little rental car. 

The State Capitol!  My first time there.  

An exhausting day of traveling, strategizing, testifying, and then resuming mom duties as if nothing changed.  Oof.