Hey y'all. We have returned from our week at the Jersey Shore, tanner and bigger than when we left. Body weight percentage-wise, Wesley got the biggest. I got the tannest. Lou got the sandiest. It was fun. But now we're back, and it's time for some changes around here. If not changes, at least progress. I'm not talking about refinishing dressers or making some art, though I do want to get there. But before we get there, we've got some less sexy but super important things to do. I have shamelessly appropriated John and Sherry's "Dude, Get on That Already," convention to propel myself to get these things done.

Thank Yous. If you're reading this blog and you sent us something sweet to herald the arrival of Wes (and let's be honest: the odds are good), please know that we really, really appreciate it. I will write thank you notes this week. Period. I promise. I hope.

Pre-K. So, Louisa is 4. She is eligible for universal pre-kindergarten in NYC this fall. We applied for the lottery-based system and received our 11th (of 12) choices. It's far away and more than a smidge reminiscent of a penitentiary, so I'm less than excited about it. This week marks round 2 of the process, when we can try, try again to get a slot at a school we're more into. I'm going to investigate and apply for any programs that look appealing, but barring acceptance at a new program, I think we've decided to pass on Pre-K. The full-time program for my wee four-year-old lady just seems like overkill. And did I mention it's far away? If anyone has thoughts on how you dealt with pre-K, feel free to share in the comments!

Bathroom "Refresh." Our teeny, tiny bathroom, though sporting the organizational tools like shelves and a towel bar that we added when we first moved in, has not adapted to our growing family (Wes + my sis Alex) or changes in needs well. And the white shower curtain got (sort of inexplicably, really) trashed - kid toothpaste and hair dye smears being mostly to blame - so I'm going to do a mini overhaul this week.

Unpacking. Mostly done. Almost.

Transitioning. My little chunky monkey, who eats about every hour and 45 minutes (oh, how I wish I was joking) has put on more than fifty percent of his body weight since birth and has outgrown his newborn wardrobe. I've culled those clothes and want to develop a quick and easy system for sorting and storing his duds as he continues to grow.

Clothes and wardrobe finalizing. So I'll probably dedicate a whole post to this (lucky you, dear reader!) but this stage, when I'm still sporting most of my pregnancy pounds and needing to frequently nurse Wes, is super, super hard to dress. Throw in lots of spit up, blow outs and hot summer activities that make for frequent wardrobe changes, and I can say, for possibly the first time in my life, that I sometimes actually have nothing to wear. I need one or two more items, which I'm going to source, and then see if I can get dressed two mornings in a row. And if I nail it, I will tell you about it. If I fail it, I'll tell you about that, too. I'm mostly looking to Old Navy at this point - oh, vaunted destination for clothes you don't like enough to pay a lot of money for - but if anyone has other suggestions, please, help a sister out.

Sugar Elimination. My sis and I (and maybe Bret, but he'll be traveling, so has no accountability) are embarking on a two week no-added sugar challenge. We're keeping fruit, and I'm keeping a Stevia packet for my morning coffee, but we're trying to avoid added sugar and the fake stuff. It's 4 hours in and I'm already sad. Thank goodness for my Chai smoothie, which is thick and creamy enough to mimic my heretofore nightly milkshakes, and my banana magic, which is a lot like ice cream. Once again, throw some no-sugar-added recipes our way if you've got 'em.

And that, dear friends, is my list for the week. Also: still working on my cleaning schedule, getting back into the groove of menu planning and cooking from scratch, and getting outside as much as possible. Thanks for reading and see you Wednesday!