You Know You Live in Texas When…

A property is worth $1 million because of it’s barns.

 This. Is. A. Barn.

You find a cricket on your pillow, a possum on your back porch, an armadillo as roadkill, and this spider in your kitchen. All in the same day.

Yikes!

The grocery stores sell Dallas Cowboys grocery bags.

I had to find someway to include a picture of the Baby… ;-)

The local Christian radio station has commercials for hair therapy, spa treatments, & weight loss supplements. They have sponsors like the Texas Department of Transportation, the whole City of Grapevine, & “Heaven’s Best Carpet Cleaning.”

Your hair won’t stay flat regardless of how much straightening or hairspray you use. And that’s on a “low humidity” day. Curly is the way to go here!

There’s at least 1 fried chicken restaurant per mile of highway.

There are 2 Anchormen on the local news station named Bud & Babe.

Houses don’t come with refrigerators. When people sell their houses they seriously pack up their fridge & take it with them. Seems irrational to me.

It’s also not typical to find a house with gutters. Which is weird because…

It seriously rains here. I mean, rains. Like, lots of water coming out of the sky. Lots. And, for more than 5 minutes at a time. It’s foreign to me.

 

Gas is $2.82/gallon.

Kids wear just their Halloween costumes Trick-or-Treating. Like, without the winter gear covering it all up. You can actually tell what the kid is trying to be for Halloween.

You can wear a tank top & flip flops in November. I can’t wait to see what happens when it “snows!” :-)                                                                   November 1st!

And finally, a big reason we moved here: Your new house, which is a bit larger, more updated, & otherwise very similar, cost $85,000 less than your old house in Colorado.

Confessions of a First Time Mom- 1 YEAR!!

Well, wow. We made it to a year! What an incredible ride this past year has been. It's really hard to describe just how amazing it is to watch a baby grow in their first year, how sweet and fun my child is, how honored and blessed I feel to be a mother, how much my life has changed, and how hard it all is. It's most definitely worth it, but man, being a mom is hard! 

I've really thought a lot this past month about what I've learned about motherhood in a year, and although I am certainly no expert by any stretch of the imagination, I really have seen myself grow and adapt to the challenges that come with having a baby.

Do What Gives You Peace

After months & months of trying to do the "right" thing, I had to give up because I was spiraling down into self-defeat. I tried & tried to "fix" Isaac's sleeping "problem," using this person's advice & methods from that book & training from what I've heard in that online article & do what I've seen work for those moms. But you know what happened? The more & more I tried to do what I thought I should be doing, the more frustrated, upset & resentful I got. Then I felt guilty for feeling frustrated, upset & resentful. It was horrible self-defeating behavior when all I was trying to do was learn how to be a mommy & my baby was just learning how to be a little human bean!

One of the first pics of me & Isaac

Me & Isaac just before his 1st birthday

If I could go back and change one thing, it would be to just do what felt right for me & my baby in the moment. However wrong, or taboo, or unconventional, or strange it might seem to everyone else. To not read books, to not ask for advice (although I appreciate knowing other mom's experiences), to not seek help with the minor things. Because my baby isn't some problem that needs to be fixed & straightened out. He is a baby, who is learning how to do everything & might just take a little time to learn!

Mama, let me give you permission, just in case you thought you needed it: If you want to work outside the home? Do it! Don't feel guilty! If you want to nurse or rock your baby to sleep? Do it! Don't listen to the critics! If you want to sleep train & let your baby cry it out? Do it! I wish it worked for us! If you want to formula feed your baby instead of breastfeed? Do it! More power to you! If you want to breastfeed your baby past a year? Do it! Who cares what people think? If you're fine with getting up at night & going to baby when s/he cries? Do it! Who else's business is it, anyways? If you don't want to follow a schedule? Don't do it! Do what works for your family!

People will say you're reinforcing bad habits, or, they need to learn to fall asleep on their own, or, letting your baby cry will cause long term psychological damage, or, you know, breast is best, or, you shouldn't pick him up if he cries in the middle of the night, or, babies need consistency. All this so-called expert advice that really does you no good when you're trying to raise your own baby that expert has never met. What do they know? And in all honesty, what do your friends know? What does that blogging mom know? What does that doctor who wrote that book know about your baby?? None of them are in your home or your baby's room in the middle of the night when you just want him to stop crying. You were given Mama Bear instincts by the God who created you to be a mom, so trust in yourself & just do what you think is best for your baby! And do it with all the confidence in the world. Knowing that you love your baby & are doing the best you can, and that is perfect!

Confession: I believe I gave some advice on this blog around 4 or 5 months... I apologize. I hope to never give unsolicited advice to a new mommy again. It's funny because even I am not following all that advice I gave. At this time, with Isaac at a year old:

~I am still breastfeeding. I plan to continue until he shows signs that he's not interested anymore.

~I nurse Isaac to sleep every single night. And I have no regrets. Our bedtimes are so peaceful. 10 times out of 10.

~Isaac usually wakes once a night. I go in to his room within a few minutes of him waking up & nurse him right back to sleep. Usually I fall asleep in the chair with him for awhile.

~I nap with Isaac twice a day. We cuddle up in our Green Comfy Chair (GCC! I am so thankful for you!), I nurse him to sleep, & he sleeps anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. I usually read my Kindle for awhile but then fall asleep myself! I do not feel bad or guilty. The time he is this little is so short & I can wash dishes later! And I’m tired. So there.

Let. It. Go.

Ok so just in case you've been following me this year & for some strange reason you haven't been able to tell, let me just start by saying I am slightly Type A, uptight, anxious, & I like predictability and when things follow the rules. Well if I have been challenged in any way in becoming a mother, it has been in letting go a bit of this side of my personality. My baby was born as a psychological spitting image of his father: Type B. He has challenged my need to be in control, organized & find answers. It has been extremely difficult at times but I am so thankful for this lesson.

If you are the more Type B person, you probably aren’t going to get a lot from this, because you’re probably already a pro at this. But, for those of you who are anything like me, let me tell you, you have to learn to let it go. No matter how many books you read or experts you consult or how consistent you are, things will blow up. I can guarantee you will run into one of the following unexpected bumps at some point in the first year: Baby will nap in the car for 20 minutes no matter what you do (music, open windows, reaching back and tapping his forehead- not me, of course). He will sleep late and mess up his nap schedule for the rest of the day. He will wake up early and mess up his nap schedule for the rest of the day. He will sleep when he’s supposed to be awake & be awake when he’s supposed to sleep. He will scream for no apparent reason. He will reject food for no apparent reason. He will not go back to sleep with any amount of bouncing, singing, or rocking, even though you know he’s exhausted. He will go through sleep regressions & suddenly wake up multiple times at night after consistently sleeping through the night for weeks. He will make you emotional & sensitive from your lack of sleep.

Oops.

If you worry & become anxious about each of these bumps, you will spend your baby’s first year stressed, depressed, & unhappy. I was totally there. For a long time, I was anxious when anything came up that I thought wasn’t “supposed” to happen. I couldn’t let it go when I thought my baby was doing something atypical. I subconsciously thought all other babies were behaving differently, and all other moms were getting an A+ while I’m here with Isaac failing miserably. Which, I can see now, is most certainly not true. But at the time, I equated Isaac’s “bumps” with failing.

He must think I'm an ok Mama :)

The best thing I could have done is to just let. it. go. So he doesn’t nap very long? So he doesn’t sleep through the night? So we don’t have a predictable schedule? To help in not getting worked up, keep the long term vision in mind: All children will learn to sleep without their parent’s help. Someday he will stop napping all together. He doesn’t have any physical or mental problems (praise God), & these minor schedule variances aren’t going to create any. You know, sometimes your situation just is. It just is! And you adapt. You as the adult change. You have to find a way to work with the unique temperament of your baby. Do your best, breathe, keep yourself healthy, and know you love your baby & that is more important than their sleep schedule.

At one year, Isaac is healthy & happy, & I'm sure it wasn't my anxiety that got him there. 

We've come a long way!!

Confession: I'm still Type A. I like when Isaac wakes up within 15 minutes of the same time every day. I like to have him nap at the same time every day. I still get a little flutter of anxiety when he wakes up in the middle of the night, especially if I think it's earlier than he should. I still do everything in my power to keep him awake in the car so he will take a real nap at home. And yes I have tapped him on the forehead from the front seat to keep him awake. I can't always just let things go & pretend they don't bother me. I often still wonder if he will sleep through the night consistently... ever. I am not a pro at letting it go. But I have gotten better. :)

Well friends & family, that's the end of my 1 Year blog. I would like to continue (the Lord knows the embarrassing confessions have not ended) but also have some other ideas in mind for this blog. Including but not limited to: motherhood devotionals, crochet/craft projects, & life updates & photos. So I probably won't be doing monthly Confessions after this, but I'll keep a list going & update as it fills up, how's that? :) My hope & prayer is that someone has found this blog helpful, or at the very least that you got a laugh out of it. We are all imperfect people just trying to figure out how to live the best lives we can. And often funny things happen in the process. I'm thankful to you for following me, & I hope you will continue to do so! 

I'll leave you with some pictures of Isaac's first birthday party!

Birthday Party!

He cannot wait for cupcakes!

Mama wants some!

Leggos!!!

What is this most amazing toy ever?!?

Rody is a hit!

Kisses for Mama. Moments like this confirm that I did something right!

He's walking!

10/11/13- 1 Year Old!

Confessions Of a First Time Mom: Month 11

This has been a bittersweet month. It is so fun to watch Isaac grow, but we’ve been without Dad now for a few weeks. Michael started a new job in Texas on September 3rd so he left on the 1st. Isaac & I have been packing, cleaning, & missing Dada terribly! I will admit that I do love all the extra cuddles because Dad’s not there to steal some… :) But hopefully by the beginning of October we will be reunited!

Helping Dada pack… :(

Best moment of the month: He said Mama! It may be one of the most tender feelings you’ll ever have, when your baby looks at you and says, “Mama.”

But let’s be honest: Isaac loves men. Seriously. He will go straight to one he’s never met, go out of sight from Mom & Dad, cuddle, & be held by any man. Bill the Electrician? Loved him. Random men in the nursery at church? Love all of them. Grandpas at the grocery store who stop to say hi? I swear he would go home with them if I let him. But when you hand him over to a woman, even if Mom or Dad is right there, even if it’s Auntie Anna, who he’s known since day 1, he’s not ok with that. Just this morning I was holding him at church & he reached out for one of our pastors who held him for a bit. When I took him back, he reached out to get back to Steve & cried until we got to the car!

He now has 5 1/2 wee little baby teeth (the 1/2 is just about to break through), 4 words (Mama, Dada, Zzzzz (for Grizzly, which he calls all dogs), and Nana (which we don’t know what that’s referring to quite yet)), he’s almost walking (!), and can stand for a good 5 seconds on his own. I am so excited for his first birthday next month!

Officially a Distraction

There was a time when we could take sweet baby Isaac to a restaurant, or out to ice cream, or whatever, & still have a nice adult conversation. We could look each other in the eyes & just bask in how lucky we are to have such a wonderful baby & to have the amazing life we do. Every now & then we would look over at baby Isaac & he would most likely just be staring at something. Possibly sucking on a pacifier or handling the same toy for 20 minutes. We were so peaceful. We wondered why people got babysitters & didn’t just take their precious angels with them when they wanted a date.

Then baby Isaac turned to almost-toddler Isaac. We rarely enjoy such peace & calm at restaurants anymore. Don’t get me wrong, Isaac is still a wonderful baby. But he’s so… active. He doesn’t stop grabbing for things, trying to get down, testing the flavors of everything, and throwing things. He’s nonstop. Restaurants are dangerous. Salt & pepper shakers spill. Knives are usually on the table when you get there. Crayons are too tempting to chew. Menus are fun to lick (gross). And food is just generally fun to throw. We still like to go out to eat, but he demands so much attention that I definitely wouldn’t qualify it as a date for the parents anymore.

We need a babysitter. And, if you read above, it must be a man…

Confession: We were at the restaurant Hops in Lakewood & sat in a booth. I let Isaac sit on the booth seat next to the wall because he was a little fussy & I’m sure wouldn’t like to be strapped down in the high chair quite yet. I’m trying to get myself situated, while watching him, while choosing something I might find decent from the menu, when Mike says from across the table, “Ooo” with wide eyes. Isaac fell off the booth seat & onto the floor under the table. Of course he starts screaming, and I awkwardly reach under the table to pick him up while trying not to smash his head (again) on the table. He’s doing the crying thing where he’s not really breathing, so I take my blue faced baby past all the concerned faces & out the front door. He’s ok & eventually calms down, so we go back to our table. Not the end. When we are finally eating, I had just taken a bite of my Reuben sandwich, when the lady from the table catty corner to us comes up and says, “I want to see the little baby that fell off the table. Are you ok?” I’m chewing & trying to giggle at her very-not-funny joke. She plays with him for awhile & finally leaves. People around us keep smiling empathetically. Like they’ve never dropped a baby. C’mon.

Go Go Gadget Baby

Somehow, being 2 feet tall, he’s able to reach almost anything. I swear. I don’t understand. Tables, desks, upper shelves, even the kitchen counters aren’t safe anymore. He reached onto the desk & pulled a dog bowl of water all over himself. He cried but I laughed. Because it was funny! He pulled the camera off the kitchen counter & clonked himself in the face. I didn’t laugh that time. Neither did Michael. That’s an expensive camera. He loves to open & close drawers & pull everything he can out of them. And he usually closes them without smashing a finger.

You think you’re putting something out of arm’s reach, in a safe place. You’re extra careful about putting cups, scissors, the remote, small things, & breakable things in a place the baby can’t reach. Then all of a sudden he’s spilled the cup, he’s smiling because he thinks holding scissors is fun, he’s reprogrammed your TV, he’s eating something your not sure how dangerous it was, & he’s snapped your sunglasses in half. All in 30 seconds. It’s amazing.

Confession: Just imagine everything that has spilled, broken, cracked, fallen, or disappeared from shelves. Oh, and Isaac literally pulled a shelf off the entertainment center & sliced his forehead. Totally his fault. This Mama is not taking blame for that. ;-)

Attacking Mama. With a little slice on his head… No biggie.

No Screens. Absolutely No Screens.

Ok, so I look back at how I thought I would parent, & already I’ve let up on a lot that I thought I’d be strict about! So, I said I didn’t want Isaac exposed to screens as a baby. Phones, TV, IPod, tablets, computers, etc. You get the gist. And honestly I do try to limit the amount of time he’s staring at a screen (because that’s what he does- stares in awe) because I just don’t think that exposure can be good for baby’s brains. Sometimes watching the TV gives me a headache. I’m also a firm believer that TV does not help you fall asleep, & the good Lord knows we don’t need anything else hindering Isaac getting a good night’s rest. So, I do try to limit screen time.

With that said, it’s like babies gravitate towards your phone! Why is this the absolute only thing you will be happy playing with right now?!? Let’s preface with the fact that my phone costs 10 bucks. I’m not super attached or worried about him breaking it (in fact, please do!). If I had a fancy schmany phone, I might protect it a little more. I hope this is normal, but Isaac is at the age where he seems to associate getting what he wants with being happy. If you take something that he wants, or he can’t do something that he wants, he ain’t happy. And what makes Baby stop crying? Oh here! Take my phone!

            

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok and let’s talk about TV for a minute. In case you live under a rock, you know that football season has started. What am I supposed to do, like, not watch?!? You crazy?? I live in DENVER. (Go Broncos!)

Confession: Maybe I am teaching my son to cry enough to he gets what he wants. Maybe if I get a better phone (hint hint) I'll take a little better care of it. Maybe I shouldn’t let him chew on my IPod. Maybe I should set boundaries & stick to what is & isn’t ok. But you know what? Sometimes a woman’s just gotta have some time to put on some mascara! Let it be.

Pray

Oh dear, you’re thinking. Here goes the weird religious girl again. Ok, wait. Before you skip this section, hear me out. We as parents want the best for our kids, right? And if you’re anything like me, you’ll do anything & everything in your power to give your kids the best life you can. See, we’re not so different after all… Anyways, my belief is that yes, I will do everything I can for my child, but there really is only so much I can do. I try to keep him safe, but he still falls down stairs. I try to eliminate dangers, but he still gets into things he shouldn’t. I don’t want to see him cry, but he still does. I try to protect him, but he’s still going to get hurt. As much as I hate to admit it, I have limited control over his life. And I’d rather be in communication with the God who is in control of what I’m not, rather than just hoping I can control his life enough to keep him safe. Put the weight on His shoulders instead of trying to carry that yourself. Now, if you don’t believe in God, ok! Think of this as hopes & wishes for your child. Speaking them out loud & writing them down is very powerful!

Physically: I pray for a healthy body free of disease & sickness. I pray for strength & I pray against any accidents that may cause harm to him. And I pray he would love sports (sorry, ok that’s not serious. Actually yes, yes it is. But that’s not in the Bible so I will accept that as secondary importance).

3 John 1:2 says, “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.”

Mentally: I pray Isaac would have a strong mind, seeking knowledge & understanding. I pray he would enjoy & thrive in school. I pray he would not be ignorant of his beliefs about the world. I pray he would see the value in lifelong learning. I pray he would not become boastful or prideful but would always stay humble, knowing that God is the supreme wise one.

James 3:17 says, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.”

Emotionally: I pray he will experience & express emotions in a healthy way from a young age. I pray he would be empathetic & compassionate with those he is close with. I pray he would love deeply & be able to express his love through actions & words.

Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Socially: I pray he would have many close friends who share the same values & morals. I pray he would be a leader among his friends to display strong character & integrity. I pray he would boldly stand up to those who are hurting others. I pray he would not fall into following the crowd & doing the wrong thing because of peer pressure. I pray he would be a courageous man.

Joshua 1:9 says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Spiritually: I pray, more than anything else, that God would capture his heart from a young age & show him the joy of a life devoted to serving Christ. I pray he would believe, not because his dad & I do, but because he really believes it & experiences faith on his own, as his choice.

Acts 4:12 says, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Sexually (if you think it’s weird to pray for your son sexually, just take 3 seconds to watch a TV commercial, look through the magazine isle at the store, or browse a sports website & you’ll see why these innocent young boys need our prayers for protection in our extremely sexualized culture): I pray his eyes & mind would be protected from sexual images, I pray he would flee from sexual immorality, I pray he would never view or especially develop an addiction to pornography, I pray he would wait to be with a woman until marriage (wow, now she’s really getting weird), and finally I pray he would honor all women as whole beings, not just sexual objects.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 says, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God”

Finally, I pray for me. I pray for strength to be involved when I’m tired. I pray for discernment to do what’s right when disciplining & teaching him. I pray for wisdom to know how to handle difficult situations which are bound to come. I pray for a healthy marriage to be an example to him of what love should be like. I pray for answers to questions that I know he’ll ask but I don’t have answers for. I pray that he would always know how much I love him.

Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Confession: I don’t think I have ever prayed for anything more earnestly as I have prayed for sleep. For Isaac to sleep, for me to sleep. I’m serious. I have begged and pleaded with God to let us sleep. And although at the time it seemed so incredibly important, I look at the list I created above & realize that in the grand scheme of life, sleep is almost the lowest thing on the priority list. Yes, life is hard without sleep, but baby-sleep-deprivation really is a short period of life that will pass. Not that it’s wrong to pray for sleep, but when I think about praying for my son’s character vs. praying for one night of sleep, I’m almost embarrassed that I have prayed so hard for sleep but so little for the bigger things…

I pray for this little man every night before bed! I can’t wait to see what kind of boy & man he becomes! God has blessed us abundantly & I am so thankful!!

 

Sorry there aren’t too many pictures. My camera card is packed away somewhere & I’ll probably find it in 6 months. Well, next time I write Isaac will be one year! And hopefully we will be reunited with Dad! Love you all, thank you for sticking with me for so long!!

Confessions of a First Time Mom: Month 10

So, I’m a bit late. But in case you didn’t know, we’re moving, so I’ve been a bit busy lately. Therefore, this post is late… and short…

Either way, I can quickly think of many ways Isaac has changed & grown this last month. He is typically down to one waking at night. One, people! That’s awesome! He slept through the night once (7pm-6am). He is cruising along furniture, “talking” a lot more, drinking from a straw, & “telling” us what he wants (with grunts & arm pointing). He’s found his tongue & likes to play with it. He can now open some lids (uh-oh). He went to his first Rockies game. He finished his first series of swim class. He’s learning the value of entertaining us & making us laugh. He put a bowl over his head & was talking into it & then fake laughing while I’m sitting next to him cracking up. He falls face first into a pillow then comes up for air checking to see if we’re watching. Oh, and he’s very talented at doing headstands. 

 

 

 

 

That’s Gross… Just Not to Me

Think back to before you had kids. Or if you don’t currently have them, think about your reaction when you see a mom give her baby a drink of her water then take a swig herself. I know! Disgusting! It’s like you want to walk over to her and say, “Excuse me, lady, but you do know that your baby practically just spit in that water you’re drinking, right??” Then you walk away, muttering under your breath, “When I’m a mom I will never do that.” Or maybe you’ve seen moms “share” a meal with their slobbery baby? Like, you take a bite, I take a bite. Same thing. Maybe you’ve known the mom who shares a plate of food with her baby, or lets baby feed her bites of mashed up, squashed baby food (‘Aww it’s so cute!’) or “cleans up” her baby’s tray by eating the half-eaten, practically regurgitated leftovers. Sickening. I am so grossed out when I see other moms do this! Who wants to eat baby slobber?!?!

Oh wait. That’s me.

Something changes your perspective when it’s your baby’s slobber. Gross in theory, still, but not so much in practice anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I still don’t like to watch other moms share baby spit, but I now do it all the time. But before I go any further you must know that sometimes I do draw the line. There is only so much slobber sharing any mom can handle. But, I have to admit that it’s cute watching Isaac reach for my water bottle & learn to drink. I do feed him off my plate sometimes. With my fork. I do think it’s cute when he feeds me pieces of his food. What’s happened to me?!?  :)

Confession: I have cleaned up Isaac’s high chair tray by munching on the leftovers. Hey, I don’t want to see food go to waste! Plus, that’s like a half a slice of peach that hasn’t really been eaten. Or some cheese cubes that I really don’t think he’s touched. The worst is this: I have “cleaned up” macaroni & cheese from the kitchen floor after Isaac so haughtily refused to eat it. Hey, when you spend $5 on a freaking kids meal, that deliciousness is not going to waste. Plus, 5 second rule. Totally acceptable.

Mommy Brain

I know you probably think moms use this as an excuse to do stupid things & just blame their babies. Which, ok, might be true. But, I swear having Isaac has changed my brain chemistry most of the time (ok, some of the time) it truly is not my fault that I say or do dumb things. I don’t know if it’s the constant tiredness, the fact that you have less adult interaction than you used to, or the repetitive nature of wake, play, sleep cycle every day is affecting your brain. But something happens & you find yourself saying things that you later regret. “Did I really just say that??”

Next time a mom you know uses that excuse, instead of rolling your eyes & muttering, “sure” under your breath, give that mama a hug & buy her some coffee. I guarantee she needs it. :-)

Confession: I typed a large portion of this blog a few weeks ago & didn’t save it. I have gone to the grocery store with a handful of coupons & forgotten to use them at checkout. When Isaac was at his pediatrician, I didn’t bring enough diapers so I wrapped a spit rag around his bum & called it good. When the pediatrician looked at me funny, I just smiled and said, “We use cloth diapers.” I have seriously had this thought before going to an event: Ok, Isaac needs to nurse but we’re also hoping that he’ll sleep in the car on the way there… Oh! I’ll just nurse him in the car on the way there! Umm, Sara, that’s illegal.

That’s all I’ve got for now! As Isaac nears the end of his first year I’m already reflecting a lot on what I’ve learned & how much he has grown! I can’t wait to share my thoughts with you! When there’s a bit less going on in our lives, that is. :-) Until next month, bye bye from my little 10 month old!

Confessions of a First Time Mom: Month 9

This has been a great month for me, personally. I really feel like I’ve turned a corner in dealing with anxiety & stress over how things are going with Isaac. It’s so interesting because I swear the day I stopped worrying so much was the day things seemed to start to become more predictable. Isaac is waking 1-2 times per night, will eat & go right back to sleep (well, usually). He usually naps 2-3 times a day, & he’s finally getting a little more predictable. I just haven’t worried as much, and therefore I have less to worry about. It’s amazing the way that works!

Isaac has learned so many new skills this month! He’s copying us, which is so adorable. He can shake his head, fake cough, wave (although that one is still a bit unpredictable), clap, & copy a few other noises. He’s a crawling machine but more than that he’s pulled himself up on furniture & he tries to pull himself up on anything: couches, tables, his high chair, his exersaucer (which is funny because it rolls), and mom & dad. I swear he even balanced on his own for like 2 seconds last week. He’s crawling up the stairs, getting into everything, saying dadadadada all the time, dancing (well, what I think he’s doing is dancing), & generally being quite entertaining. This is a really fun age!

 Back in Shape

I’ve felt for awhile that I need to get back in shape. Start eating healthier, exercising, you know, the stuff we all know we should be doing but usually don’t. But let me tell you… uuuuugggggghhhhhhhh. That’s all. It’s the working out thing that’s really tripping me up. Well, that and giving up Oreos. Can’t a woman just be flabby and happy?!? Apparently not. Thanks a lot American culture of Skinny-Is-Beautiful!! You suck.

Although I would like to say that I’m starting a new routine where I’m going to start running & eating salads every day, I’ll tell you right now that’s never gonna happen. I equate running to a form of torture, & salads are good but are better when covered with Ranch. So, my plan is little bitty baby steps.

1) Drink more water! I’m horrible at drinking water! My goal is to drink 3 750ml water bottles of water per day. That’s really a stretch.

2) Eat smaller portions. We do a fairly good job of eating healthy. I taught a healthy foods class for 3 years so I hope I would know something about eating right. But it’s not so much the actual food as it is the amount. I get so hungry by dinner that I pile my plate & of course have to eat the whole portion. A healthy late afternoon snack (fruit or veggies: Oreos don’t count!) should help me eat a little less at dinnertime. I probably shouldn’t be consuming more than my husband…

3) Exercise. Bleh. I know you can’t really lose weight without exercising. But what do you do if you hate exercising?! The only realistic thing I can think of is the start small. I wonder if I could do this circuit every day:

100 Burpees

50 Push Ups

100 Crunches

100 Lunges

100 Jumping Jacks

4) This one is sad, but oh-so necessary. I love sweets. But I do realize that a diet of chocolate covered anything, cookies, & ice cream probably aren’t helping me. It’s completely unrealistic for me to give up sweets (why would anyone want to do that anyways?!) but I probably don’t need a lunch-dessert and a dinner-dessert. So, one sweet treat per day! What a sacrifice!!!

Confession: Ok so I haven’t actually started this plan yet. But, now that it’s written & made public, I’ll start… today?! Tomorrow. Monday. No! Today! (Which means tomorrow.)

Baby Led Weaning!

I’m trying not to attach myself to too many methods, with all their rules & guidelines, but this one is great! In all honesty, this one is probably just more natural anyways. I’m sure babies were fed this way forever & we just now are attaching a name to it. To explain, I have to start with my confession:

Confession: I made a ton of homemade baby purees. Sweet potatoes, peas, green beans, carrots, avocadoes, etc. From scratch! I sliced, diced, steamed, tested, blended, stored, labeled & cleaned like a mad woman. Look at me all healthy & frugal. I was so proud of myself. I even thought about filming myself for a youtube video to show all you inexperienced moms how to make the perfect baby purees. That is, until Isaac refused to eat any of it! Little punk!  So we decided to try something different…

Basically instead of feeding purees, you allow your baby to feed themselves. I bought little baby puffs from the grocery store because I had a coupon (remember I’m frugal), & I noticed that one day that Isaac was grabbing the puff & putting it in his own mouth. I didn’t realize he was able to do that because I had been putting foods in his mouth for him since the beginning. So we started with puffs & here he is, eating basically whatever we eat, just a little modified.

I can take chunks of what we’re eating (a sausage, potato & pepper skillet for example), & take out the main ingredients before I add any spices or sauces. I make sure everything is cooked really well (a la mushy), has no salt, sugar, etc, & I put it on his tray & he goes to town. We all eat together, which I love. He can basically eat whatever we eat & it’s much easier! One warning: this method is awesome, but very messy!!!! (Which is kind of fun…)

Cheerios 

Avocados are a favorite. And sometimes he gets a bit in his mouth…

Bread

Messy, messy, but delicious oatmeal 

Um, you have a blueberry stuck to your chin.

Isaac has had so many foods it’s hard to keep track!  We’re hoping he won’t be a picky eater when he’s older!

 Every Stage is the Hardest. Every Stage is the Best.

If I never have to hear something like this again, it will be too soon: “Oh, it was so nice when mine was that age. That’s the best age. You don’t know what it’s like to have a teenager. I’d give anything to go back to the little phase.” I’ve had friends, acquaintances, & even old ladies at the grocery store tell me I better enjoy this phase because apparently it only gets worse! Sheesh, people, I didn’t realize being a parent to a child over the age of one sucked so bad. 

Let’s all try a little harder to enjoy whatever phase we are in right now: childless, with little ones, teenagers, or empty nesters. I know sometimes it’s not easy. Trrrrrrust me. I know. Every stage comes with it’s difficulties. Every stage is hard. I’m sure we’ll face challenges at every new phase. But believe it or not each stage is also the best. You’ll never experience this again. First it’s, 'I can’t wait for him to sleep through the night.’ Then, it’s, ‘I can’t wait for him to be out of diapers.’ Then, ‘I can’t wait for him to be in school.’ Then, ‘I can’t wait for him to be a little more independent.’ Then, ‘I can’t wait until he’s out of this awkward tween phase.’ Then, ‘I can’t wait for all this adolescent drama to be over.’ Then, suddenly, he’s out of your house forever & you just want him back. Don’t live like that. You won’t cuddle in the middle of the night forever. You won’t have to answer the incessant “why?” forever. You won’t have to pretend to be interested about the friendship & relationship drama at school forever. You won’t get to have them under your roof forever. So please, whatever phase you’re in, accept that there are challenges. Yes, it’s hard. But it’s also wonderful & worth relishing in.

Confession: If you’re a parent & you’ve said that you wish you could go back in time, stop it. If you’ve said that your child is at the worst age, stop it. If you’re one of the bazillions who say, “My child is growing up too fast!” I know it probably feels true, but stop it! If you’ve said anything like, “You just don’t understand how hard my child is,” you really need to cut it out. I am annoyed with you. That’s my confession & I’m kind of sorry.

Not every stage has been easy for us, but if you look, there are amazing & wonderful things in each & every moment. I promise you.

Why Not?

Ok, ok, I know I only have a baby, so I don’t really have to deal with discipline or guidance yet, as my life with Isaac basically exists of keeping him entertained without hurting himself all day. But lately I’ve seen all these parents who try to direct every little detail of their child’s existence. Like, I was at the park & this dad was telling his child how to play on the playground. In restaurants I hear parents tell their children how to eat their dinner. I hear parents tell their kids not to do something that even I want to ask, “Why not?”

I get that you need to guide & direct your children’s behavior. I understand that you have to teach your children how to get along in the world. I see how putting limits on what they can & can’t do is important. But why can’t he climb up the slide backwards? Why can’t she play with your pile of magazines? Why can’t they explore the world (including the dishwasher, the grass, the pile of whatever) for themselves a bit & figure a few things out on their own? Doesn’t it get tiring putting all that energy into telling your child what they can & can’t do? Instead of putting my precious parenting energy towards such little things, I’d like to save it for the big things. Like teaching my child to be a good friend. To teach him to be unselfish & not greedy. To love Jesus & decide to live for his faith. To make a positive impact on the world. I guess I’m just a bit more open with what Isaac can get into, because I believe there are bigger things to worry about.

So what if he wants to pull all the DVDs off the shelf? It’s not the worst thing in the world if I have to pick them all up…

He loves to get into Grizzly’s basket, including the bag of dog treats. Ok, fine! Just don’t eat one! On the other hand, I’m sure it wouldn’t kill you…

My way does have a few dangers of it’s own, however…

Confession: I can’t believe I’m going to say this. Um, ah, well, I have an excuse, but, ok, here goes…

Isaac has fallen down the stairs. Literally, tumbled.

Oh the horror! The guilt! What a horrible Mommy moment! Long story short: Before I realized how quickly he learned to quickly move, Isaac was playing in the hall. I come out to get him after like 5 seconds of not supervising (it’s not an exaggeration! I’m serious!), & all I see are his legs sticking up & his top half already headed down the stairs. I scream, run to him to try to catch him, but he’s flipping & bumping down the stairs, just out of my reach. He lands at the bottom & is of course crying (maybe because I’m frantically screaming my head off), but he calms down in less than a minute while I’m still worked up wondering if I should call an ambulance. He seemed surprisingly ok, but I watched him like a hawk for the rest of the night to see if I could spot any signs of traumatic brain injury. Thank GOD our stairs are carpeted & thank the good LORD above that my baby is ok. You better believe there will be no more playing in the hallway.

Ok, is this bad? But I have a second confession… Maybe I should reconsider my opinion on being more open with what your kids get into… Anyways.

We painted our bathroom this month, so we had brought everything out & put it in our bedroom while the bathroom was being painted. The morning after, Isaac is playing in the bedroom (with the door to the hallway CLOSED, mind you), while I’m getting ready. I’m in the closet getting dressed & I peek my head out to see what he’s getting into, & he’s got the toilet cleaner brush. I gasp & run buck naked out of the closet, trying to cover myself with one hand as I attempt to sneak under the open window, hissing, “dear God Isaac no! Please no!” and grab the brush, slightly gagging in the whole process. There are a few things that should be off limits...

But I’m doing a good job, right?!?

Can he play well with others? Can he be a good friend? Those are things I really care about! 

 

Well, that’s it for this month! I keep thinking this whole “confession” thing has got to slow down at some point. Yet, here we are, 3/4 of the way to a year & each month I have more missteps, hang ups, frustrations, joys, & accidents to report! So I’m sure we’ll be back next month with more. Until then…

 “The Lord bless you & keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you & be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you & give you peace.”