A Big Dog Party.

[That line is from "Go Dog Go" which Sonnet makes me read every single night] :)

I really, really like dogs. I always have. I think it's part of your DNA- either you're a dog person or a cat person or a fish person or a no-pet person. 

I grew up with dogs. My parents had a German Shepherd named Hoffy when I was born. When I was two, I got a yellow Labrador named Cash. When he died 12 years later, my brother got a yellow Lab named Hank. A couple years later, I got a black Lab named Bear. Bear loooooved Nate. He died right after Sonnet was born. When we bought this house three and a half years ago, we got Blaze. He was awful at first, but now he is such a part of our family and we looooove him.

When I was a kid, my grandparents had a dog named Smoky and my aunt had two Dalmations named Cotton and Chief. It was my childhood dream to run the Iditarod Trail with Cash, Smoky, Cotton, and Chief. I was dead serious about it too. Obviously that never happened, but I still love dogs and I will probably always have one in my house.

Sure, they can be a little annoying. Seeing as how everything in my house is black, Blaze's white hair is a constant cleaning battle for me. Also, he gets a stupid ear infection every year and it costs about a million dollars to get doggie antibiotics to fix him up. Nate has to clean up his monstrous poops and I hate lifting those 40 pound bags of dog food into my cart at the store. And when we go out of town, we always worry about who will take care of him. Oh, and he lays right outside my bedroom door at night and he snores LOUD (thus the reason he is not allowed to sleep IN my room). Really, he's a pest.

But he is so sweet and fun. He knows us and he loves us. When we first got him, he was four months old and had already had 4 owners. He had an ear infection and worms. We had to get him fixed. Potty training him wasn't too hard because he was already so old, but he got in the habit of peeing when he got nervous, which considering he is an inside dog, is just nasty. Then he started chewing. He chewed up EVERYTHING! He'd be sitting right in front of you and he'd just start nawing on the furniture. He was pretty damaged and it took a lot for him to feel comfortable in our house, to feel like he belonged, and to trust that we weren't going to give him away. Eventually, he started responding to training and he got older and now he is awesome. He's pretty chill and he spends his days napping on the landing where he can see everything that's going on downstairs or in my room next to my window where the air conditioning blows directly on him. He doesn't really bark and he doesn't jump. He gets super excited about going for a walk or playing fetch, but other than that he's not hyper. He doesn't chew anymore. He will stare you down if you are eating something that smells good to him. He's hardly ever outside, but when he is, he pulls the pillows off of my swing and puts them in a line and lays on them (No joke. He's too spoiled to lay on the concrete.) He growls like a motorboat when he hears weird noises outside and he lives to chase the pigeons that come in our yard. And my kids adore him.

Sonnet makes him play dress up. She's colored on him with markers and made him wear bows in his hair. She's even tried to paint his nails. She feeds him her leftover food and she sprays him with the hose and she loves to take him for walks. It is her job to feed him everyday and she loves to just lay on him and talk to him. He puts up with it all. For real, the dog deserves Sainthood.

Stetson loves him too. He has no fear of dogs. Every time he catches a glimpse of Blaze he starts laughing. I can sit him on the floor and Blaze will sit in front of him and Stetson gets so happy and excited just trying to grab a fistful of fur. When Blaze licks him, he almost looses it. The other day, I was holding Stetson and we were running around the backyard and Blaze was chasing us and getting kind of hyper. He started barking and running in cicrles (he wasn’t being mean, just playing) and he would run in front of us and bark really loud and then run away. Any other 5 month old baby might be terrified if you dangled him in front of a 90-pound barking beast, but Stetson was laughing his head off. My kids are dog people too.

Sometimes I fantasize about having a huge backyard (and living somewhere cool, so the poor dogs don't bake) where I could have a bunch of dogs just roaming free. I'd just buy food by the truckful and let them run all over the yard.

I have to admit, I much prefer big dogs. Obviously, I love Labs. If I lived on a farm, I would have a Lab in every color...

And I really want a Dalmatian. Those black and white spots just KILL me. They are soooo cute! And it would seriously match my house. Plus, Nate is a fireman and Dalmations are like the official fire dog. We totally need one. I've been trying to talk Nate into it for a while. So far, he's holding fast.

I also want a Husky with blue eyes. Oh my heavens, I just think they are some of the most beautiful animals on the planet. They look wild and rugged and strong... and yet they're pets. It's like having a wolf in your house. I want one bad.

My other favorite dog is the Shar Pei. Are they not just the weirdest looking creatures ever? They are so adorable. I can't even handle all those wrinkles. Eeeek! It makes me happy just to look at them.

I keep trying to tell myself that one dog is enough. I have a tiny backyard and two kids I can barely handle and Blaze is all trained up and I really don't want to start over with the chewing and the potty training... but part of me really wants another dog. Really. Someone please talk me out of it. Or buy me a farm where we can have a big dog party! :)

Turkey and Swiss. Clouds and Sunshine.

It is 1pm on Tuesday and I am sitting in my bed eating a sandwich (turkey and swiss… same thing I eat everyday… unless of course I can convince someone to go to Frank and Fina’s with me) while Stetson snoozes in his swing. Sonnet is having a sleepover at my parent's house, which of course, she loves. And I must say, it takes much less brain power to wrangle one kid than it does two. So, as much as I love and adore my Chatterbox, I’m enjoying a little break.

I’ve been kind of a beast the last few days. I have 2 or 3 days every month when I just feel like I am losing my mind. I know how I should feel, I know how I want to feel, but I actually feel exhausted, short-tempered, blue, and basically like I just want to stare at the wall all day long. I know, I’m oversharing. Let me continue…

Nate goes on a campout with his brothers every summer (fun for him, he deserves it, i try not to complain too much...) and they happened to be gone last weekend. Thursday and Friday were good. The kids and I played and had fun things planned and I felt good. But Saturday morning I woke up feeling awful. I swear the 6 months of not sleeping well (thank you, Stetson) just caught up with me and the day went on and on and on. And Stetson was having tummy trouble and he wouldn’t sleep and he didn’t want me to put him down, and well, it was just a long, yucky day. I know it's lame to blame it on hormones, but seriously, it's hormones. Those things suck. It's a fact.

Sunday wasn’t so awesome either. Stetson woke up every two hours Saturday night and Sonnet was whining about going to church. She said, “Church is about learning to be nice and to believe in Jesus. I’m already nice and I already like Jesus so I don’t need to go today.” Seriously, sometimes that kid is too smart for her own good. The problem was, I didn’t feel like going either. But, at the last minute, we threw on some clothes and trucked it over to the church building. Halfway through the second hour, Stetson had a huge blowout and so we spent the better part of Sunday School changing his diaper and his clothes. He thought it was quite funny. I finally got him to sleep and then went back to class feeling whiney and tired and guilty for wishing my kids would ljust eave me alone for a few hours. Then I looked a couple rows ahead of me and I saw my friend who I know really wants to have another baby, but she has had trouble getting pregnant and I thought, “She would probably kill for a crappy night’s sleep and a 20-wipe diaper change if it meant that she had a baby to snuggle.” Especially one as perfect as mine. And that softened me a little.

I still felt junky, but at least I had a little perspective. And we survived until Nate got home Sunday night. And after unloading all his gear, he took the night shift with Stetson while I took a Unisom, put in earplugs, and let myself stare at the wall until I fell asleep... for 8 whole hours! Monday I felt a little better, and today I feel very much myself again. It’s just interesting to me how one day you can feel so terrible and the next you can feel so grateful and calm. But I suppose that’s normal. When you feel like you're in a cloud it's hard to feel the sunshine. I just keep telling myself that the fog will lift and I try not to beat myself up too much. And things always get better.  And no matter how I feel, I know that my life is very blessed. And that was the whole point of that story.

Twenty Nine.

I had a birthday yesterday! I woke up to the sounds of my warm, chubby baby boy cooing in the bed next to me. Obviously he did not care that it was my birthday because he did not let me sleep in. I'm sorry, but anything before 7:00am is early in my book. He did give me lots of slobbery kisses and giggles though, so I think he was trying to be nice.

This little girlie came sneaking in my room shortly after that because she was so excited that it was my birthday that she "couldn't possibly sleep any longer." (I'm not kidding people, she really talks like a Disney character). She had helped Nate pick out my presents and decorate the house and she drew me a special picture and wrapped it herself and she just couldn't wait for me to get up and see it all.

 Nate was home (yay!) and he (kissed me!) bribed me out of bed with the promise of chocolate chip pancakes. They were yum!

Since we rode bikes on the beach in San Diego, I have been talking about wanting a cruiser. I am the worst bike rider ever, and you will not see me anywhere near a mountain bike, but cruising around on a little beach bomber is something I rather enjoy. So Nate got me a bike for my birthday. And it is the cutest bike you ever did see!

 I mean seriously, the seat is black and white damask! If this bike wasn't made for me, I don't know what is. I love love love it.

 Nate also got me some chocolates (smart boy, I know) and some clothes. I have a little list posted in my closet of the clothes I want to buy so Smart Husband looked at my list and then went shopping. I wanted a cute white shirt, a mint green shirt, and some black swimsuit bottoms. He picked them all out by himself and he did a great job. Isn't that the cutest?

 I had such a nice day. My friend Rushelle took me to lunch at our favorite mexican joint and it was nice to go out with no kids! :) My friend Daisy brought me some of her famous chocolate chip cookies and seriously, those things should be patented. They are yum! (I know, pancakes, enchiladas, and chocolate chip cookies all in one day? I could die a happy woman). And I got lots of nice emails, calls, texts, and facebook messages from friends and family. I feel loved.

 

My parents watched the kiddos so Nate and I could go out to dinner. There used to be this mexican restaurant in Boulder City called Carlos's and I was obsessed with it. It closed a couple years ago, but supposedly the people who owned it opened a new place called Sonrisa at Lake Las Vegas. They even have the same amazing prawns salad with sweet tomato dressing. Yum! So, Nate and I went out to Lake Las Vegas to eat. Problem is... there was a sign on the door that said "Closed July 18." Waaaaaa. What are the odds? So we ended up at Red Lobster instead. It was pretty darn good too. And it was nice to just be alone with Nate and talk. We talked about parenting, work, grandparents, and just for fun we decided what we want to do when we retire (read books, go on a mission, visit every state in the US, and fish fish fish!)

 So, I feel OK about turning 29. I'm not as content as I felt last year. I feel like right now I'm worried about a lot of things (money, a business we're trying to start up, Nate starting the Engineer Academy, the fact that I haven't slept more than 3 hours straight in 5 months), but I AM blessed with a lot of things and I am happy with my life. But let's be honest, I'll admit I'm the tiniest bit freaked out that I am just one year away from 30. I might just be turning 29 again next year.

What I Wore Wednesday.

Black shirt with flowers- Dress Barn (i think that's a dumb name)
Teal pants- Target
White fedora and houndstooth pumps- Marshalls

Polka dot sweater- Old Navy
Red pants- Kohls
Brown belt and gold necklace- Target
Brown wedge sandals- Marshalls

Gray shirt- Target
Floral pants- Kohls (they're new and I love them yes I do)
Black pumps- Marshalls

White tee- Downeast
Skinny jeans- Target (they are not very comfy... and not very flattering now that I look at the picture)
Pink loafers- Target (they were only $8!)
Floral top and pink necklace- Kohls

Peplum top- Ruche
Same skinny jeans
Same black pumps
Pearl and flower necklace- New York and Co.

Same Downeast tee (I have lots)
Blue gingham shirt-Kohls (I like this tie your shirt in a knot trend)
Red pants- Kohls
White wedges- Payless

5 Months.

Stetson is 5 months old today! 5 months. I cannot believe how quickly he has changed from that tiny, skinny newborn angel to a screaming, colicky grouch to the energetic, bouncing, hunk of little man that he is today. 5 months have flown by and dragged on and on all at the same time. :) But I tell you what, I fall more in love with this boy every day.

He's bursting with energy. He's kinetic. Or frenetic. Or... something. He just wants to move all the time. He has no interest in sitting quietly in his carseat or laying contentedly on a blanket. He's constantly bouncing up and down, rolling over, trying to sit up, scooting backward like an inchworm, or climbing up your shoulder to get a better look at something. He kicks his legs and flaps his arms over and over. When he's on his belly he'll get up on all fours and rock and it looks like he's just going to take off across the floor. He can't actually control his limbs in any measured way yet, so crawling is still a ways off, but I know in his heart of hearts, he would like to be running a marathon. It's like he's done with all this baby crap already. 

My favorite thing is: he'll get so excited about something that he just yells and shakes and turns red... it's like he can't contain himself. I'll say, "Oh you're just so cute, I can't even take it!" And he'll scrunch up his face and wiggle his whole body like he just can't take it either. I die.

But at the same time, he is kinda snuggly. He loves to be held. He wraps his arms around you and buries his head in your neck. He just doesn't like to be alone. He wants to be doing whatever you're doing, so as long as you take him along for the ride, he's pretty happy.

The boy is a tank. He weights 17.8 pounds and he is solid and heavy. He loves to eat. He doesn't eat a lot in one sitting, but he eats often. I started him on solid foods a couple weeks ago because he kept trying to grab food out of my hands and he would yell when we were all eating or drinking and I wasn't giving him anything. We started with rice cereal of course, which he gobbled right up. I've also given him baby oatmeal and cream of wheat, both of which he seems to love. We tried sweet potatoes, bananas, and applesauce too. He makes really horrible faces when he eats those things, but yet he keeps opening his mouth every time you hold the spoon up like he wants more, so I keep feeding him. When he's had enough, he starts chewing on his bib and he refuses to let it go so you know not to stick anymore food in his mouth. Sonnet never wanted to eat anything so this is a whole new experience for me.

He's never wanted a binkie, but he loves to chew on his blankets or burp rags. And he sticks his pointer finger in his mouth all the time. He doesn't really suck on it... he mostly just gnaws on it. It's pretty cute. He drools all over the place so everyone thinks he's teething, but he's been doing this since he was a few days old, so I don't think it means much.

He's still an awful sleeper. I think part of it is that he was so colicky and messed up for the first three months, that we're a couple months behind where a "normal" baby would be. And part of it is that I don't really believe in sleep training, so I'm mostly just waiting until he gets older to really set a routine. He just likes to eat a lot, so he still wakes up 2, 3, or sometimes 4 times at night. And during the day, he takes "crap naps," little 20-30 minute stretches that give him just enough energy to be hyper and crazy and funny for a couple more hours.

He thinks Blaze is hilarious. Seriously, he'll catch a glimpse of the dog from across the room and just start laughing. When I sit on the floor with him and let him pet Blaze or let Blaze lick him he just goes nuts. Stetson laughs so much that it makes me laugh hysterically and I swear we could win a million dollars on AFV if I ever bothered to get my video camera out.

He also adores Sonnet. He just stares at her like she's this amazing creature. She really likes to hold him and she considers herself the official diaper changing helper. She doesn't actually want to touch anything, but she gets really mad if you change a diaper without telling her. Kids are weird.

Stetson loves to pull hair. Those little fists will wrap themselves around the tiniest fly-away and yank before you even know what's happening. He has seriously pulled out handfuls of my hair. And he has an iron grip. If he gets anything in his paw, you're doomed. Sonnet says he just wants everyone to be bald like him. I'm a bit nervous when I wear dangling earrings.

Speaking of that bald head... it is so soft and fuzzy and warm and perfect. I estimate that I spend 68% of my day just rubbing it and kissing it. I swear, Bald Baby Boy Heads are magic. If everyone had a warm baby head to kiss, there would be world peace.

His little personality just gets more and more apparent everyday. If he likes something, he laughs and smiles. If he's mad about something, he lets you know. He raises his arms up when you get close to him like he knows you're going to pick him up. He puts his hands on my cheeks and attacks me with his mouth. I like to believe that he's kissing me because he loves me. But really, he puts EVERYTHING in his mouth. Seriously, hand him anything and he'll stare at it for a beat, decide he doesn't know what it is, and conclude that the best way to figure it out is to taste it. Babies are weird.

He's high maintenance, but he's so sweet and funny too. I'm exhausted and Nate and I seriously need a date night, but it is just so good for my soul to soak up all this baby love while I still can. I love when Stetson wakes up first thing in the morning and he's kind of groggy and happy and we just hang out in my bed and snuggle for a few minutes. I love when he falls asleep while I'm holding him and he melts into my chest and I can kiss that head all I want. I love when I tickle him and he laughs so hard I have to stop because he can't even catch his breath. I love that he already has opinions about what food he likes to eat and what toys he likes to play with. I just love that I have a boy. I wanted a boy so bad. I love that he's happy- most of the time- and that he's healthy and that we've survived the first 5 months.

The Wardrobe Department.

I was taking pictures of our closet last night and Nate's like, "What the heck are you putting on the blog now?" Not that he really cares. He just laughs at me.

Seriously, I don't know what possessed me to write this post, other than it's been on my mind this week because I read another blog where the girl was talking about being more conscious of her style and what she puts in her closet and well, I'm trying to just be more "me" on the blog and write more often, so...

I like clothes. I really like shoes. I really, really like bags. And while we're on the subject, I'm pretty fond of jewelry too. I'm kind of like a raccoon: I'd totally stick my paw in a trap because I'm a sucker for shiny things.

But, as we all know, I'm also cheap. I don't have a lot of money to spend on clothes and accessories, and honestly, I have no problem with cheap stuff. I'd rather have 5 pairs of $20 shoes than one pair of $100 shoes. I like options. Plus as my mama always says, "It's a look, not a price."

I have never spent more than $50 on any one article of clothing. Seriously, I just can't handle it. $50 is my limit. Shoes, purses, jeans, dresses, shirts, jackets... it must be under $50 or I won't let myself buy it. (My only exception is my Fossil watch that I talked Nate into buying me for Christmas.)

I'm also not really a big shopper. Really. I love to wander around and look at stuff, but it's rare that I actually buy stuff. I'm kind of particular about what I buy. I refuse to have anything in my closet that I don't wear. So, I won't buy anything without trying it on. I can create great outfits on the hanger, but you just never know what it's going to look like on you or how you're going to feel in it until you try it on. There is no point in buying something and taking it home only to realize that it's too tight, too loose, too itchy, too short, or whatever. And I hate making returns.

I also won't buy stuff unless I know I have something to wear with it. Sometimes I fall in love with a dress or something, but then I think, "Oh, I don't have any shoes to match... I better go buy shoes." But I gotta draw the line somewhere, so unless the piece I want fits in with what I already have and doesn't require a lot of new purchases, I probably won't indulge myself.

And of course, I'm Holly, so I have to have an organized closet. I like to know just what is in there and be able to see everything. Our closet is not that big, and it's already pretty full, so I don't want to add stuff to it unless it's something I really love. I guess you could say I am deliberate about my wardrobe.

I clean my closet out twice a year... usually once in the spring/summer and once in the fall/winter. If something is totally tattered or stained or doesn't fit anymore, I get rid of it. If something needs to be cleaned or patched up, I do it.

I also make a list of pieces I would like to acquire. If summer is coming and I have no shorts, I'll add a pair to my list. If there's a trend that I'm really wanting to try, I'll write that down too. I'll come up with the 5 or 6 things I most want for the next couple seasons and then when I do shop, I try to limit myself to purchasing those things. For example, last fall I really wanted brown riding boots. I found some at Target that I loved and I wore them a ton. A couple months ago when I made my list, I found that there were lots of trends I liked and I wrote down red pants, floral pants, and a peplum top. I also wanted a white blazer and a new swimsuit. I have since acquired all of those things and they have totally made me feel excited about my wardrobe again. Last winter I really wanted a black and white striped sweater, but I never found one I liked. I'm still wanting one, so it will probably make it back onto the list this fall.

I don't shop at fancy stores. I pretty much only go the mall to eat Hot Dog on a Stick. :) I shop at Target, Kohls, Down East, Old Navy, New York and Co., and Marshalls. Of course, there are other stores I like, but you gotta draw the line somewhere. I couldn't care less about name brands or labels. In fact, I sort of pride myself on the fact that I can name maybe three famous designers. And I have no idea what Toms are.

But, I do know what my "style" is. I know what I like. I'm totally into comfort... but I also love high heels. :) Of course, I love anything black and white. I love dresses that are just that- simple, one-piece dresses that aren't too short that you don't have to put a shirt under or over to feel modest. But I'm not against layering. In fact, I kind of like to layer. I pretty much wear a white tee shirt under everything and I swear I go from sweating to freezing in two seconds flat, so I really like cardigans and blazers. I'm not really into super "structured" looks. I love the way a crisp, starched button-up shirt looks, but I've realized I don't really like wearing them. I also don't like pants that are too tight. I try to wear skinny jeans or leggings sometimes, but honestly, I hate them. I'm really into the flowy, feminine, vintage-y look. I don't really know how to achieve it, but I love it. I would dress like a Ruche model everyday if I a)knew how and b)could afford it. :)

I do not like butterflies, skull and crossbones, or shirts that make my boobs (or lack of) hang out. I love to wear royal blue, kelly green, black, and bright pink. I'm not all that fond of red, brown, or white on me. I love polka dots and houndstooth. I can only handle so much plaid. I know it's not cool, but I like "matchy-matchy."

Compared to some girls' closets I've seen, I don't have that many clothes. I do have quite a few accessories though. I have a bunch of hats, belts, scarves, flower pins, and jewelry that can be added to simple tee shirts or cardies to totally change an outfit. I love to layer jewelry too. I'm usually always wearing more than one ring or necklace or bracelet at a time. My friends says she always knows I'm coming because she can hear my stack of bracelets clinking around on my arm.

Since I'm not all that creative, I like to copy outfits I see on other people, on the internet, or in magazines. I actually have a bulletin board in my closet where I tack up pictures that I rip out of magazines and then I try to interpret the outfits using things I already have in my closet. It's my own version of Pinterest. :)

I'm a believer in having things visible so that they get used. If you stuff things in drawers or boxes, you forget about them and they never get used. Nate and I share a dresser where we keep things like undies, socks, pajamas, swimsuits, and workout clothes, but all our other clothes are hung up in the closet. I have a hanging basket for tights, beanies, and flowers pins. I have my bags lined up on one shelf, my hats on another, and my scarves and belts hanging on hooks on the wall. My shoes are about as organized as they can be given my limited space.

I'll admit that if I won the lottery and built a custom home, my closet would be pretty huge-- complete with built-ins for everything, skylights, a full-length mirror that made me look really tall and skinny, and a huge crystal chandelier. For real. But I'd probably still shop at Marshalls.

Nate gets the top shelf. I have everywhere else. :)

Habits.

So, I just read this book called "The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business" by Charles Duhigg.

I'll be honest, it wasn't amaaaaaazing, but it was quite fascinating and I learned a lot. I'm always interested in human psychology and why we do what we do.

This book explains how habits are created in the brain, why they are so powerful, and how they can be changed or used to our advantage. A lot of good information there... especially if you're looking to change something in your life... like the way you eat or how much you exercise.

Anyways, I won't go into all the details, but there was one explanation at the beginning that just totally fascinated me and it kind of sums up why habits are so powerful.

Apparently there were some scientists who did some experiments with rats. They put a rat in a small maze. The rat started at one end. At the end of a long, straight walkway the rat could turn right and eventually run into a wall, or the rat could turn left and eventually find a piece of chocolate. Apparently rats like chocolate even more than me. :)

So, it's not complicated. A rat runs straight for a while, turns one way and finds nothing, tries the other way and finds a treat. But rats are rats, so it takes them a minute to figure out what is going on. At first, the rats would walk really slowly down the straightaway. They'd stop and smell the air. They'd scratch at the walls. They'd turn around and go the wrong direction. They'd get to the end and go right and find nothing but a wall and just sit there for a while. But eventually they'd get to the end, go left, find the chocolate and eat it! Even after the rat successfully navigated the maze and found the treat, the scientists continued to put the rat in the same maze over and over. Here is what happened:

THE SCIENTISTS REPEATED THEIR EXPERIMENT, AGAIN AND AGAIN, WATCHING HOW EACH RAT'S BRAIN ACTIVITY CHANGED AS IT MOVED THROUGH THE SAME ROUTE HUNDREDS OF TIMES. A SERIES OF SHIFTS SLOWLY EMERGED. THE RATS STOPPED SNIFFING CORNERS AND MAKING WRONG TURNS. INSTEAD, THEY ZIPPED THROUGH THE MAZE FASTER AND FASTER. AND WITHIN THEIR BRAINS, SOMETHING UNEXPECTED OCCURRED: AS EACH RAT LEARNED HOW TO NAVIGATE THE MAZE, ITS MENTAL ACTIVITY DECREASED. AS THE ROUTE BECAME MORE AND MORE AUTOMATIC, EACH RAT STARTED THINKING LESS AND LESS.

IT WAS AS IF THE FIRST FEW TIMES A RAT EXPLORED THE MAZE, IT'S BRAIN HAD TO WORK AT FULL POWER TO MAKE SENSE OF ALL THE NEW INFORMATION. BUT AFTER A FEW DAYS OF RUNNING THE SAME ROUTE, THE RAT DIDN'T NEED TO SCRATCH WALLS OR SMELL THE AIR ANYMORE, AND SO THE BRAIN ACTIVITY ASSOCIATED WITH SCRATCHING AND SMELLING CEASED. IT DIDN'T NEED TO CHOOSE WHICH DIRECTION TO TURN, AND SO DECISION-MAKING CENTERS OF THE BRAIN WENT QUIET. ALL IT HAD TO DO WAS RECALL THE QUICKEST PATH TO THE CHOCOLATE. WITHIN A WEEK, EVEN THE BRAIN STRUCTURES RELATED TO MEMORY HAD QUIETED. THE RAT HAD INTERNALIZED HOW TO SPRINT THROUGH THE MAZE TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT IT HARDLY NEEDED TO THINK AT ALL.

Fascinating, right? You do the same thing enough times and a habit emerges. The thing about habits is that once they are formed, they literally occur on autopilot. Unless, you deliberately fight the habit and purposefully change your routine or your reward, your activity will proceed automatically. Your brain doesn't even have to think about it.

Scientists say that habits emerge because the brain is constantly looking for ways to save effort. Left to its own devices, the brain will try to make almost any routine into a habit because habits allow our minds to ramp down more often.

All this is great if the habit in question is a good one. But what if you start doing something that you know is unhealthy or wrong? You do it enough times, and your decision-making skills-- your free agency-- literally disappears. And unless you exert great effort to defy the bad habit and create a new habit, you are going to be a slave to that bad habit for a long time.

HABITS NEVER REALLY DISAPPEAR. THEY'RE ENCODED INTO THE STRUCTURES OF OUR BRAIN, AND THAT'S A HUGE ADVANTAGE FOR US, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE AWFUL IF WE HAD TO RELEARN TO DRIVE A CAR AFTER EVERY VACATION. THE PROBLEM IS THAT YOUR BRAIN CAN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BAD AND GOOD HABITS, AND SO IF YOU HAVE A BAD ONE, IT'S ALWAYS LURKING THERE, WAITING FOR THE RIGHT CUES AND REWARDS.

So, I guess all I'm saying is: make good choices.

That Face.

I know, he looks the same in every picture, but to me every little face he makes is special and adorable. I swear, I do nothing but kiss those handsome cheeks and that fuzzy head all.day.long.