Hi, my name is Jessica, and I am not a perfect mom.

Hi, my name is Jessica, and I am not a perfect mom.  Whew.  Well now, that feels much better.

Sometimes in our household we have chocolate chips in our pancakes. For breakfast. With syrup on the side.

I've been known to buy diapers and other baby supplies at the drugstore or grocery store, without a coupon, and without price checking, because I'm tired and I don't have time.

I don't buy organic everything.

We co-slept with our son for way too many months. and there are still more than just a few days where I not only cuddle my baby to sleep, but fall asleep next to him because I'm exhausted.

I don't know how many fruits or veggies my kiddo has eaten today.

I don't know what my kiddo has eaten today.

Some nights he asks for milk before bed, and I give it to him.

My son knows what the five second rule is.

I didn't breastfeed very long. 

He still has a pacifier, and I have no idea how to help him break the habit.

After a rare, but occasional 14 hour day, I might eat buggles and a cupcake for supper, in front of my child.

He gets juice.

He has tried pop.

He knows what a Snickers bar is.

One day I bribed him with a spoonful of pudding to eat his green beans.  I'm sorry, but it worked.

He knows that Arby's equals french fries...and a shake.

Sometimes I forget to count every object we see.

We use disposable diapers.  I have no guilt about that landfill.

He won't know a foreign language before preschool.  After four years in high school and one semester in college, I only speak Spanglish related to food items.

We watch TV.  He's seen every episode of Doc McStuffins 100 times.

Sometimes when we watch Doc McStuffins, I read Vogue.

We do not use the correct words for private body parts. 

At Wal-Mart, I let him play with the toys in the toy aisle. 

We dress for swimming at home, not at the YMCA...against their policies.

My husband and I have argued in front of our child.

We don't always pick up all our toys.  No one in this house does.

He will be two and doesn't have a sibling.  I'm sure he's already "spoiled" according to some. 

I hate the word "spoiled."

He wears shoes at the playground...WAIT! That's a good one.

Not only will he get to choose a piece of candy to eat on Halloween, I actually bribed him with M&Ms to try on his costume.  He wouldn't take them.  He hates his costume.

He knows Grandma Judy brings cake. 

One of his first words was cake.

I'm not perfect, and I don't pretend to be.  But what I do is the most important thing.  I love my child unconditionally, forever, and always.  I try my best, and my best means sometimes he sees me, his mama, in a very real light.

I pray, I teach, I praise, I build confidence, I hope, I love.

I dropped off the face of the planet. But I'm back with a list of "Stuff I Love."

It's hard to believe that October is nearly over.  It's been a great month filled with celebrations, stomach flu, and the best of graduate school. 

So, to commemorate the end of my favorite month, I'm sharing a "Stuff I Love" edition of the blog. 

1. Who doesn't love Trader Joes?  And if you don't, I'm not sure we can be friends.  Kidding...but not really.  Specifically, I love Trader Joes soup in a box.  Healthful, delicious and not too crazy on the calorie side of things. I love every flavor!  I give this little box of soup credit for my super-duper work in grad school, because without it I'm not sure I could study over my noon-hour almost every day.

2. If I was a song writer, I think the first song I'd write would be about my new Keurig (sorry Kevin and Jett, you get the next songs,) but I love it that much! My grandma surprised me on my birthday with a darling bright red ingenious coffee maker, and it's been love since first sip.  I've found myself wanting one for the office building, and one for my personal office, and one for the car...

3. Why do I love this fabulous brewer so much?  Because I very recently learned how to replicate the Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks... This bright blogger A Farm Girl Dabbles has a fabulous recipe that makes enough pumpkin stuff to last for latte drinking all week.  Add this perfect pumpkin goop to a cup of strong Keurig coffee, and you'll be happily buzzing for far less than $5/cup.

4. And what would be a great cup of coffee without something to put it in? I won't give away my secret as to how or where I got this... only this hint: in order to be bestowed the honor of a microwave safe, dishwasher safe, awesomely branded mug with a silicone top, you must impart "knowledge" upon a group of sleepy college freshman.  Well worth the feat! 

5. If you haven't caught on yet, I was obviously cold in October, because the first things I love all have to do with warming up.  Fall is my absolute favorite time of the year, and I love, love, love it when the days are chilly and gray.  In my mind, that means it's fleece wearing season, and this year for my b-day my wonderful husband surprised me with an update on an old favorite, a new North Face Denali coat.  I bought my first one back when I was walking backwards giving tours to hopeful incoming freshman a the U. 

6. The title of this blog is, Bananas On My Skirt for a reason.  Today, as I pulled into the parking lot before a big meeting, I happened to look down at the lapel of my suit jacket (which I never wear) and notice something dried and peanut buttery.  I'd like to tell you that it was from that morning, but I highly doubt it because I had granola...eww!  So, in a panic I reached into my purse to pull out a recent impulse buy from the laundry aisle, a Tide To Go Stain Eraser.  This product is sold in packs of about a million...or 24, and if I have your name for Christmas, this is going in your stocking.  Saved. The. Day.  I smooshed that stain right out, blasted hot air from the heat vent on it to only one round of Gangnam Style and I was good to go!

7. After a long day of stain fighting and coffee making, it's good to know that there really is a Helpful Smile in Every Aisle at my local Hy-Vee store.  I can't express how much I love this store, and it's a good thing because I'm there at least three times a week.  So much so that it's my place where "everybody knows your name."

8. I have been so blessed to get to re-know someone fabulous from way, way back when.  Becky Novacek is the mom of one of my grade school classmates, and way back in fourth grade she was the mom everybody wanted to sit by when she came to visit at lunch.  I remember thinking she had great hair and was really cool.  I still think she has great hair and is really cool, but now I also think she's a fabulous photographer. This past month she took pictures of Jett, who will be two next week. You can see some peeks on Becky's blog. She has taken pics of our family since J was 10 days old.  Literally if I could order a 8x10 of every single shot I would. Forget "only child syndrome" the only thing holding me back is the wall space!

9. We all had the flu.  And by all, I mean ALL. I'm still not entirely convinced that we didn't pass the flu via text message to a friend who's daughter puked while I was telling her about our week.  Clorox Wipes to the rescue!

10. "The Doc is in and she'll fix you up, if you're a toy, then you're in luck! It's okay, don't be afraid, the Doc really knows her stuff! Doo, doo, doo..." This song runs through my head at all hours of the day, and boy am I thankful!  Doc McStuffins is a delightful little girl who has captured the heart and imagination of my little boy.  She's smart, witty, and fixes broken toys.  The storyline is interesting enough, thank goodness, that the whole family doesn't mind watching it...a hundred times a day. 

11.  And finally...what would be a "Things I love" list without Banana Republic or JCrew.  I hesitated, I waited, I pondered, I read reviews, and finally when BR ran their latest 40% off one item Wednesday promotion I went for it...the Gemma Wrap Dress.  It is fabulous, fits great, and goes with everything. 

I hope you get as much enjoyment out of some of this stuff I love as I do!