A Sweet Moment

Tonight, Colin snuggled with his Uncle Clark until he fell asleep in his arms.

These are the little moments I don't want to forget. ♥

Mommy's night in

Tonight, my husband and brother were out of the house (at a NEEDTOBREATHE concert. We love us some NTB!), so it was just Colin and me. After feeding him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (Hush, you've fed it to your toddler, too. Besides, we are in desperate need of groceries), I was feeling ambitious and decided to take my little guy for a walk. I plopped him into the Radio Flyer wagon and off we went.

From another day, but you get the idea.

So there we were, having a grand old time walking around the neighborhood, and I decided I needed to remove Colin's socks, as it was really quite warm out. I turned toward him, let go of the wagon's handle, and ... (oh, I feel awful admitting this) the handle flew into the wagon and hit my poor baby right in the face. I felt like the world's worst mommy as he burst into tears, and I proceeded to pick him up and carry him home on my hip, pulling the wagon behind us. So much for the walk.

The rest of the evening, Colin pretty much looked like this.

Yes, that is Secret Life of the American Teenager on the TV. It's my guilty pleasure show; leave me alone. I know it's terrible. Also, yes, it is ironic that the dog appears to be laughing at my noticeably agitated son. Anyway. I wondered if the wagon handle to the face gave Colin a headache or something, and when he continued to fuss and cry off and on, I gave him a dose of Motrin for good measure. Finally, for a short time, I got some high-quality snuggles with my boy.

Shortly after taking this picture, Colin started rubbing his eyes like crazy, so I put him to bed. He immediately started crying, which is unlike him. So after a few minutes, I went in to check on him and could tell by the raunchy smell that he had pooped. Awesome. He cried through the diaper change and through the cuddling I thought might comfort him. Nothing worked, and he was rubbing his eyes again, so back into bed he went. Within minutes, he was asleep. Poor little guy. He spent the afternoon with Mema and Papa (Justin's parents) after they picked him up early from daycare today, and apparently he was worn completely out.

What did I do with the rest of my evening, you ask? I got drunk as a skunk, stripped down to my underwear, and took the neighbor's lawn mower on a joyride around the neighborhood.

No, not really. I ate a whole bag of popcorn, watched the movie Courageous, ugly cried, cleaned up the kitchen, took the bathroom trash out, and sat my butt right here on this loveseat to stare at Facebook, Pinterest, and Blogger. Good times.

And now it is 11:30 and my tired eyelids are begging to close, so off to bed I go. Good night!

 

Gains and Losses Since Becoming a Mommy

Throughout my journey to becoming a mom, and in my first 15 months of parenthood, my life has changed pretty drastically. Those commercials say it best: "Having a baby changes everything." It really does. There are moments of pure joy and moments of feeling like a failure; some days filled with desperate tears and others filled with blissful laughter. And my son isn't even two yet. It's been an adventure, to say the least. Here are some of the things I've lost and gained along the way.

Things I've lost:

• Sleep. My kid was definitely not the one who was sleeping through the night as soon as we brought him home. The sleep deprivation was rough and that's no exaggeration. Thankfully, he does sleep through the night now, but he doesn't sleep in. We're still up pretty early most mornings, even on the weekend.
• The ability to remember anything. What did I have for lunch yesterday? When was our last oil change? I have no idea. Apparently having a baby really screws with your short term memory (thank goodness for the little sticker they put on my car at the oil change place).
• Money. Kids are expensive. The cost of diapering and feeding your baby is only the beginning. Don't even get me started on daycare, baby gear, clothing, and trips to the pediatrician's office.
• Time alone. I can't remember the last time I did something by myself, but that could also be related to the short-term memory loss issue. (ha.) I have also started showering at night, which I do not actually prefer, but it is necessary for the time being (remember those early mornings I mentioned? Yeah, they'd be even earlier if I got up in time to shower and primp).
• Spontaneity. In our former lives, hubby and I used to jump in the car at a moment's notice and start driving without any idea where we were going. We would often end up at a restaurant or a store and talk, eat, people watch.. whatever. Now, we must "be spontaneous" when Colin is well rested and fed (unless we want to see him melt down in public), during daylight hours, and only after packing the diaper bag full of diapers, wipes, sippy cups, pacifiers, snacks, and toddler distractions.
• All sense of dignity. The thought of going to the gyno used to give me sweaty palms, and now it's no biggie. After being poked and prodded during my pregnancy and labor, and finally having my child surgically removed from my body, you can't hurt, scare, or embarrass me.

Things I've gained:

• The ability to love someone at first sight, deeply and unconditionally.
• Prioritization. Since becoming a mother, I have made a conscious effort to hold God and family closest to my heart, and to live my life in a way that reflects that.
• Perspective. Once upon a time, I was easily bothered by some pretty insignificant things. Now that I have experienced some of the highest highs and lowest lows, the little things don't get to me quite as much and I find myself more able to let them roll off my back.
• More respect for other parents. If there is one major lesson I have learned, it's that parenting is not a "one size fits all" type of deal. Every parent is different, and every child is different. What works for you may not work for me, and vice versa. Cloth diapers vs disposables; breast milk vs formula; non-medicated hypnobirthing vs an epidural; bed-sharing vs using a crib. Can we just agree that a happy mom equals a happy baby, and we all just need to do what's best for us and our babies without judging each other?
• A closer relationship with my husband. He's always been my love, but it's so amazing to see him in the role of Daddy. Navigating this together has really strengthened us, I think.
• The ability to handle all things yucky without thinking twice or gagging. This includes snot, vomit, pee, poop, and chewed-up food. In my former life, I don't think I could have handled any of these things. My husband is still working on this skill.
• The ability to say with confidence that yes, I want more children. Despite the tough moments, parenthood is so worth it. When my little boy reaches up to hold my hand, smiles so big at me, or runs into my open arms when I catch his eye at daycare, every hint of negativity melts away and my heart overflows with pure love.

Being a mama is just the best.

Wordless Wednesday: My Little Man

Diaper Bag Must Haves

Today I'm linking up with Melissa @ Growing Up Geeky and Nancy from The Chrancy Family for the Toddle Along Tuesday blog hop. Today's topic is What's in your diaper bag?. When we picked a diaper bag, we chose a neutral one in brown and green that can be used for future children. I'm not into buying patterned bags or gender-specific baby stuff, you know? Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's just not my style. After weighing the options, we went with the Fisher-Price Carryall bag. You can pick this baby up at Walmart for the very reasonable price of $24.00. (Saving money most definitely is my style, ha!)

And here's what's usually inside it:

• 5 Luvs diapers
• 1 travel-sized pack of baby wipes
• 1 small pack of Boogie wipes 
• 1 sippy cup of milk
• 1 pacifier
• 1 change of clothes
• 2-3 small toys including one teething toy
• My wallet (who needs a purse AND a diaper bag?)
• My keys
• The changing pad that came with the bag
• 1 snack container filled with Cheerios

And there you have it! If we're going to be out longer than a few hours, I might also bring a second cup with water in it, more snacks, a few more diapers, and possibly a second change of clothes. This is how I pack it for a trip to the grocery store, a restaurant, or a visit to a friend's house. What's in your diaper bag?

11 (More) Things!

A while back, I was tagged in an "11 things" Q&A post, and I've been tagged again by the lovely Kerry at It's the Little Things. As I've recently acquired some new readers (thanks for reading, by the way!), I thought I'd share some more tidbits about me. Here are the rules of being tagged:

The Rules

1. Tell 11 Things About Yourself

2. Tag 11 other people and ask them 11 questions.

3. Let them know you have tagged them.

4. Don't tag someone previously tagged.

Let's get started! Here are 11 {more} random things about me:

1. I have a weakness for fast food, which is probably the main reason why I had a hard time losing the baby weight after having Colin. French fries and ketchup? Don't mind if I do!


2. At one time, I owned the cassette tape for Michael Jackson's "Bad" album. I also had a plastic card that stated I was an official member of the MJ fan club.


3. I love fruits that most people don't. Grapefruit, cranberries, tart apples... I love them all. The only fruit I'm not a huge fan of is mango, but I'd still eat it.


4. Yesterday I had a huge craving for oatmeal cookies, so I made some. They were amazing! Confession time: I let Colin eat some bits of cookie with breakfast this morning. What? They had oatmeal in them! ;)


5. Even though I have "lattes" as part of my blog title, I haven't had an actual latte in weeks. I drink brewed coffee in the mornings, and only splurge once in a while on fancy coffees. I sometimes miss working in coffee shops and getting to experiment with lattes and cappuccinos.


6. I realize I'm talking a lot about food. Ha. Okay, switching gears. I currently have no nail polish on my fingers or toes. Since I never have time to touch them up or remove polish, I've just been annoyed by trying to keep up with them and currently prefer to keep them clipped and unpolished.


7. I hate spending money, especially unnecessarily. When the hubs wants a new video game or the latest electronic thingamajig, he has to plead his case, and even then I cringe at the thought of spending our hard earned money on something we don't necessarily have to have.


8. I hate seafood. Have I mentioned that before? I don't really know why, I just think it's gross. Fish, shellfish... all of it. Yuck.


9. I firmly believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins and that this life is just a temporary existence. I believe that what we do here on Earth matters more than most people realize, and there will be consequences for our actions in the afterlife.


10. I love babies; especially my own. :) But seriously, I love reading blogs about babies, seeing photos of bellies and babies on Facebook, etc. Now that I officially have a walking, talking (well, kind of) toddler on my hands, I miss my squishy baby and want another one - stat. No, we aren't trying yet. Money is tight and we need to pay down some debt first. But if money were no object, baby #2 would probably already be on the way.


11. I have a strange sense of humor and can't help but LOL at movies like Bruce Almighty and Napoleon Dynamite. Depending on my mood, I can appreciate dry humor, slapstick, and the ever popular poop and/or fart jokes. I'm ridiculous, basically.

And now on to Kerry's Questions:

1.  Do you have a special talent? Once upon a time, I sang in choirs and played the drums. Now, my talents include changing the diaper of a wiggly little boy and whipping up something for dinner out of a seemingly bare fridge and pantry.

2.  What is something you know you are bad at? Saying exactly what I feel. I tend to be a people pleaser and have a hard time expressing when something upsets me. I would rather "grin and bear it" rather than be honest about how I'm feeling.

3.  What is your natural hair colour? Mousy brown. I dye it a similar color, but a shade lighter or darker (depending on the season and my mood) to keep it shiny and bouncy.

4.  Nightowl or early bird? I used to be a night owl pre-Colin; now I'm an early bird.

5.  Do you have a bad or annoying habit? I laugh too much, especially when I'm nervous or uncomfortable.

6.  Sweet or savoury? Sweet! I love sweets.

7.  If you could have dinner with one celebrity who would it be and why? Oh gosh, that's a really hard one. I should probably say something really deep, or political or something, but in reality I'd love to meet Tom Hanks. 

8.  Who would play you in a movie? Maybe Katie Holmes?

9.  What is your favourite Summer activity? Swimming in my in-laws' pool!

10. Do you sing in the car? Oh yes, all the time.

11. Aside from charitable donations, what would you do with a million dollars? Pay off my student loans, see the world, buy a new house, and have lots more children. LOL.

My Questions:

1. What is your favorite time of day and why?

2. Any favorite recipes you'd like to share?

3. Be honest, how much time do you spend on the Internet each day?

4. What do you think would happen if you and your husband switched jobs for a day?

5. Cookies, brownies, or ice cream?

6. Tell me a memory from your childhood.

7. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

8. What's your favorite flower?

9. If you could change anything about your wedding day, what would it be? If you're not married, have you planned out one aspect of it that's really important to you?

10. Name one cool place you've been to and one place you want to visit.

11. You're pregnant with TWINS, and they're due TOMORROW! One boy, one girl. What do you name them?

I tag....... {sorry if any of you have been tagged before!}

1. Melinda @ Life With Blog

2. Rachel @ Lines Across My Face

3. Jill @ Momma Totally in Love

4. Betty @ Unscripted Journey

5. Vicky @ Mess for Less

6. Amber @ Educating Miss Amber

7. Libby @ ELF: A Family Blog

8. Tottums @ The Froggy and the Mouse

9. Steph @ My Not-So-Little Guy and my Little Punky Pie

10. April @ Praises of a Wife and Mommy

11. Melissa @ The Mommyhood Chronicles

Pinspired Framed Letter Project

There are two things I've been itching to do lately: save money and do something creative. The two don't always go hand in hand. For instance, we don't have very many personalized touches around our house (other than the crazy mess of toddler toys) because we just don't have a lot of money to spend on decor. Well, this afternoon, after an awesome grocery trip at Wal-Mart (hello, price matching and coupons!), I set to work on a project inspired by some findings on Pinterest. I picked up the necessary pieces at Michael's yesterday, and spent less than $11 for everything! You can't beat that, people! So, here's what I used:

Shadow box style picture frame

Wooden wall letter

Piece of scrapbook paper

Paint of your choice

Paintbrush

Packing tape

Glue stick

I debated which color to paint the letter, and finally decided on the same grey-blue we used for Colin's bedroom. We had some leftover paint just sitting in the garage, so I gave it a good stir and painted the "V." I set it out to dry; it only took a couple hours, as I used a pretty thin layer of paint.

Next, I cut the scrapbook paper to fit the frame and used a glue stick to attach it, pattern facing out, to the cardboard piece that came inside the frame. I chose a burlap pattern for the background.

Finally, when the "V" was dry, I used pieces of packing tape to attach it to the patterned side of the scrapbook paper. Then, all that was left to do was to stick it inside the frame, and voila! My brand new framed wall letter with a burlap background.

I'm so thrilled at how it looks, and even more thrilled that I was able to do it on the cheap! I wonder what other pinspired things I'll get into next? :)

A few of our favorite things: Toddler edition

It's been a little while since I've done a "favorite things" post, so I thought I'd fill you in on some of the things we use daily with a 15-month old little dude. If you blog about your favorite things, let me know! I love to see what other toddler moms are up to.

 Cheerios

What is it about toddlers and Cheerios? Colin loves them with a meal or as a snack. We take a snack container full of them in the diaper bag when we're out and about, and always have a stock of them at home. It doesn't hurt that they're fortified and low in sugar.

Special agent Oso!

Colin gets so excited when he hears Paw Pilot call out, "Special alert! Special alert!," and he runs from wherever he is (yes, he can run now!) to get to the TV. Judge us if you wish, but the kid loves some Oso. He'll watch some other Disney Jr. shows, too, but Oso seems to be his favorite.

Mam Air pacifiers

Yes, Colin is still on the paci. We're not sure when exactly we'll try to wean him from them, but I'm afraid of the thought of teething without a paci (he still just has his 4 incisors; no molars yet). He only has them at night & naptime now, and sometimes when he's especially fussy. Most mornings when I go in to get him, his paci is outside the crib and he doesn't seem to notice. I have a feeling we'll be done with it soon, but I can't say that with confidence just yet.

Nuby sippy cups

Colin didn't take to sippy cups right away, but when he finally gave in and ditched the bottle, Nuby cups quickly became his favorite. They're easy to grip and have a soft silicone spout. I have found them at both Target and Wal-Mart for great prices. Despite the fact that they don't have lots of little parts, they don't leak easily, and they wash well without getting grimy-looking. I wash them in the dishwasher and they've held up great.

Store-brand baby products

  

In an effort to save some money, I've been trying to do use coupons and make more frugal choices. One way I've been doing this is by trying store brand products instead of name brands. And you know what? A lot of the stuff is great! I actually prefer Target brand wipes to the thicker Huggies or Pampers ones, and I have found that their diapers are great, too... and so affordable! The Great Value brand stuff from Wal-Mart is another favorite. I exclusively buy Great Value dishwasher detergent now, because I actually prefer it.

Homedics SoundSpa white noise machine

I've mentioned the SoundSpa before, and I'm bringing it up again because it's just that awesome. We still use it on the "waterfall" setting every night and for naps, and it helps Colin make the connection that it's time to sleep. It really seems to soothe him.

Radio Flyer Ultimate Family Wagon

My in-laws bought this for our niece, Emily, when she was about Colin's age (she's 4 now) and recently they let us have it. This thing is awesome! You can seat-belt your child into either side, or you can seat two kiddos in it. There are multiple seat configurations, most of which leave space for a diaper bag, blanket, toys.. whatever! We're planning a zoo trip in May, and we'll probably take the wagon instead of the stroller so Colin can see all the way around. So far, we've just used it to walk around the neighborhood, which he absolutely loves!

Mommy's iPhone

Last but not least.. our kids all have some unconventional favorite things, right? Well, Colin loves to grab my phone and use his thumbs to pretend like he's playing a game on it. LOL! There are a few toddler-oriented apps he likes on it, but none of them hold his attention for very long. If we're at a restaurant or the doctor's office and he starts getting antsy, we pull up a Youtube video of Oso or Mickey and he is good to go! Let's face it: I love this thing, too. It's glued to me pretty much 24/7. But, I digress.

What are some of your favorite things?

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Reflection

I was doing a little bit of reflecting this morning. Sometimes I like to flip back through old blog posts and read thoughts from another chapter in my life. I notice a common thread through a lot of them. For a long time, I ached to move forward in my life. It's like I was always waiting for something to happen. I wrote this post in April of 2008, and this one in 2009. For a long time, I felt stagnant. I was waiting to find a house and move out of our apartment, waiting to finish my degree, waiting to have a full time job with benefits so we could start trying for a baby. One after another, we watched those things happen and checked some pretty major items off of our "to do" list.

Closing on our first home, May 2009

Accepting my Bachelor's degree, August 2009

Our first look at our baby and first time hearing his heartbeat, July 2010

Eagerly awaiting Colin's arrival! (With my brother and sister, Christmas 2011)

Meeting my son for the first time, January 2011

Our little family playing in the backyard, just last weekend

Because we know we want more children, I don't yet feel "complete." However, I do feel more complete than I did when I wrote those daydreamy posts so long ago. It's so funny to look back at the times I longed for more, for a different life. I do sometimes wish I had savored the moments when things were different, but at the same time, I always wanted this and I'm so glad I have it now. I'm so blessed by my boys, and despite the fact that we have to work hard for what we have, it has all been worth it. And you know what? I don't really miss what I had before we had all this. Yes, I am thankful for the journey, but I think the time and hard work has only made our lives sweeter. All the experiences we've shared together as a family have only strengthened us. And I can't wait to see what else the future holds. Thank you for sharing in my journey.
 

{Co-hosting!} Toddle Along Tuesday: A Day in the Life

TGIT! Okay, that was a little overzealous. I normally couldn't give two poops about a Tuesday, but today is extra special because I have the honor of co-hosting the Toddle Along Tuesday blog hop over at Growing Up Geeky! If you're here because of TAT, welcome to my blog sweet blog! I'm Katie. It's nice to meet you. :)



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This week's Toddle Along Tuesday topic is A Day in the Life. Share what a typical day is like for you in prose, pictures, videos, whatever you like! There are no rules, except that you link up a relevant post (old or new) rather than your whole blog.

A day in my life begins at 6 am during the workweek. My husband's cell phone alarm goes off, I take my temp and plug it into my Fertility Friend chart. {We use natural family planning as a birth control method, and I "temp" to keep track of where I am in my cycle.} I hear soft white noise coming from the baby monitor and note that Colin has slept through the night again. Yes! It's been about a week since he had any night wakings, and I feel like I'm getting spoiled by sleeping so well. Thank you, sweet boy!

Hubby and I both stretch and roll ourselves out of bed. We don't talk much in the mornings, usually. Our bathroom routine {with one sink to share} is like clockwork. We take turns going to the bathroom, weighing ourselves like we do every Monday {I've lost a pound this week for a grand total of 15.5 pounds lost so far. Hooray for Weight Watchers!!}, brushing our teeth. Justin rinses his hair in the sink and styles it. I run the flat iron through my hair and put on minimal makeup.

At 6:30, I wake Colin up. He isn't too thrilled about this.

We head to the living room where he gets a diaper change and a clean outfit.

There's no time to dawdle on a Monday morning. I sit Colin down in his high chair and feed him some yogurt. He isn't too interested, and prefers to munch on some cheddar "crunchies" this morning. Usually he loves yogurt, but you know how toddlers can be!

At 6:55 we're getting into the car and heading out. I worry that we're running a little behind schedule today, but we make it to daycare right on time. Colin gets settled in with Ms. Cindy and his {stinking adorable} little buddies, and I'm out the door.

I drive to work, which is usually about a 45 minute commute, and I listen to Catching Fire on my Audible.com app while I drive. I'm working my way through the Hunger Games books at the moment, and I'm hooked. I get to work right on time - 8 am. I get settled in and eat my breakfast - pineapple Chobani Greek yogurt, my favorite! Instead of brewing coffee today, I try a Starbucks Via packet someone gave me. It's not bad, but I still prefer a good hot cup of coffee, I think.

From 8 to 12, it's all work, work, work. I won't bore you with the details of my busy morning. Fast forward to noon. I brought my lunch today - a Lunchable with turkey, cheese, crackers, Mandarin oranges, and a teeny rice krispy treat - so instead of driving somewhere, I walk across the parking lot from my office building to a picnic table overlooking the street. It's designed to be a smoking area, but no one is ever there when I I watch people walk by, eat my lunch and listen to a couple more chapters Catching Fire until my hour is up.

From 1-4:30, it's more work, work, work. Nothing too exciting. I'd rather be kissing my baby's chubby cheeks or listening to my audio book, but you gotta pay the bills. So I stay confined to my desk all afternoon which, by the way, has no windows. I feel a bit like a caged bird on this beautiful, sunny day and 4:30 can't come fast enough. Finally, it does come, and I'm off like a rocket, headed out to my little black Ford Fusion and then driving to daycare and, of course, listening to my audio book. I collect my adorable son and we're on our way home.

We get home, and Daddy is waiting to greet us. Daddy and Colin walk around and admire random things in the garage.

And now that we're home, it's the daily dilemma: what's for dinner? Colin, of course, is starving and must. eat. right. now. so I give him some strawberries and turkey sticks, and I make myself a peanut butter and banana sandwich on toasted bread with fresh strawberries on the side. Not fancy, but delicious!

  
After dinner, the three of us went on a family walk. Colin hung out in his wagon and enjoyed the beautiful evening as much as we did.

When we got home, he wasn't done playing outside yet, so we went to the backyard and played some more. Now, I'm spending a few minutes on the computer while the guys talk (my brother is staying with us until August) and Colin plays with his birthday cake toy that his great grandma got for him in January. As soon as I hit "publish" on this post, Colin is getting a bath, and then he'll get his teeth brushed and get tucked in for the night. Then, like most evenings, the hubs and I will take showers, tidy up the kitchen, and prepare ourselves for another work day.


Whew! Now that I have it all in writing, I see why I'm so exhausted at the end of every day! Thanks for hanging around long enough to read all this. I hope you've enjoyed it. I can't wait to read all of your posts and see what your day is like. Have a great week! ♥

Guess what?

I'm going to be co-hosting the Toddle Along Tuesday blog hop over at Growing Up Geeky this coming Tuesday. The theme will be "A Day in the Life." If you've already done a "day in the life" post, you can come link it up. If not, get your cameras ready and get to blogging! I plan to document the details of our Monday to give you an idea of what an ordinary day is like for us. And I use the word "ordinary" loosely, because there is never a dull moment in the life of a working momma. See you Tuesday!


Oh, and just for fun, here is Colin eating a popsicle. :)

Toddle Along Tuesday: Bloopers

The theme today for Toddle Along Tuesday is "photo bloopers." Here's one from Colin's 1st birthday party back in January. He, um, wasn't a big fan of the smash cake that his mother so lovingly prepared for him. Haha.

"It's my party and I'll cry if I want to!"

The good news is that he eventually came to his senses and discovered that cake is, in fact, a very good thing. That's my boy.