Miscellany Monday: First words, Spring wishes, and Sugar Avoidance

Some things that are on my mind this Monday morning:

1. I can't be certain, but I'm pretty sure that sometimes when Noah babbles "mamamama," he means me. Not every time, but sometimes. I try to encourage it as much as I can by responding each time he says it, whether I think he's saying my name or not. I love it.

2. I am sooo ready for spring! I'm done wearing socks and long-sleeved shirts and jackets. My spring wardrobe is calling, calling me from the bottom of my closet. I want to take my Noah to the park to push him in the swings and eat picnics on the grass. I should move somewhere warmer.

3. I want to stop eating so much sugar. I've been craving it like crazy! Ok, I actually don't eat a ton of sugar. The only sweet things I have in my house (besides fruit) are hot chocolate, marshmallows (to go with the hot chocolate) and graham crackers. The graham crackers are really for Noah, but I'm pretty sure I've been eating most of them. And if an opportunity arises to eat sugar somewhere else, I am ridiculously weak and indulgent.

Ideally, I want to steer clear of sweets and other processed foods until the weekend. And then I want to indulge within the bounds of moderation. I want to feel in control of my cravings. I'm rather tired of craving things that aren't good for me. So, I'm going to try much, much harder to be in control and stop thinking about when I'll get my hands on a piece of chocolate. Any tips/tricks?  

4. I'm in need of some bloggy inspiration. I feel like I've hit a bit of a slump in my writing, but I can't quite figure out how to get out. Any suggestions?  

5. I'm still dreading Spring Cleaning. But I'm slowly gathering the courage to tackle it. My biggest motivator is that I need clean walls in order to paint downstairs during Tyler's spring break. And they are far, far from clean at present....*sigh*

6. I only have two books to finish for my February Book Project goals! So far I have read a small collection of Emerson's essays, a book of poems by Emily Dickinson, a collection of short stories by O. Henry, and I Am the Messenger by Markus Zursak. Thi is my best reading month by far, and I'm just a little proud of myself. Next up is Angels and Demons by Dan Brown and The 5,000 Year Leap by Cleon Skousen. I have only week and a half to read them...wish me luck!

Have a happy Monday!