The Best Things In Life are Free

Ever since I joined the mom club, I’ve always been fascinated by people who claim their favorite age is newborn. To me, parenting a newborn is the most challenging age I’ve lived through. Why? Because newborns are the neediest form of human being you will ever encounter. And satisfying their needs is incredibly difficult, sometimes impossible. Take for example, breastfeeding. If you are a mom you know that newborns need to eat every two hours. And if you plan on breastfeeding then you can expect a feeding to take anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour. This leaves you approximately a one hour break before you need to feed again. And this cycle doesn’t just stop when its bedtime. Newborns don’t care if its 2 am or 4 am. They just need you to feed them. And change their poopy diaper before the ammonia from their urine burns their skin and makes them bleed (yes this happened to us!)(and I wasn’t being negligent either! the diaper rash was so lightly colored, I thought it was just her normal coloring until next thing you know it was bleeding!). Also, you don’t really get much back from newborns. They really aren’t capable of much other than crying, eating, spitting up, defecating, and cat napping.

As you can see, the challenges of newborn parenting are still vivid in my mind. It was a fairly traumatizing period to say the least. In the past, whenever I would see a pregnant woman who looked like she was about to pop with her first child I would chuckle and say to her “your world is about to be turned upside down!” If I saw a couple taking home their first child from the hospital on TV, I would say to myself “I don’t envy you guys! I’d hate to go through that stage again!” But my feelings towards newborns are starting to change.

It all started a couple days ago as I was going through Heidi’s old clothes looking for some hand me down’s for my best friend’s baby due in a couple weeks. As I peeked through all those outfits a wave of nostalgia washed over me.  Each little outfit flooded me with memories of the newborn Heidi wearing it. There are so many feelings from that time period that I had forgotten about and still can’t quite describe even now. The anticipation of the unknown in pregnancy, the love so strong it hurts when you finally get to hold them, the miracle of holding a being that you created with man you’ve loved since you were a child. The realization that your life is more beautiful than you ever thought it would be.

As I think about all of this, my heart swells once again with appreciation. I’m so grateful to have been allowed the privilege of being Heidi’s mother and Austin’s wife. God is too good to me, even if he does make caring for newborns one of the most difficult jobs on the planet.  And if he allows me to have another one, I will savor it for the gift that it is – and this time, I will bear the difficult parts with a smile on my face.

My song for Heidi: 

(yes i know this is a love song from a guy to a girl, but the words so describe how new parents feel)

Love this picture, because it was taken at 4 am. You know you love your baby when you just have to get your camera out and take a picture at 4 am. 

 

Hello Kitty Rain Stuff

 

Nana bought Heidi a new rain coat and boots.

Seriously, the cutest things ever right?

Also, that second to last picture really reminds me of Robin Hood.

On an unrelated note, just heard the most awesome song ever for moms. You have to hear it.

We are so naming our first son Trace.

(thats right dad, we’re naming him after Trace Adkins, not you.)

Jordan, the Kitten

Halloween isn't part of our family tradition, but I have to say - children dressed up as animals are just plain adorable. This is Jordan - the other little girl that I have nannied for. Is she a beautiful child or what? 

Guess it runs in the family :)

Mrs MacKenzie Knits! Scarves.

There was a time in my life when news of girls I knew who got together to "craft" would have me rolling my eyes. Like a few months ago. Not so anymore. People, its official. I now knit. 

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking I'm too cool to knit, right? Well thats what I thought too, but I was wrong. I had to learn to knit to adapt to the times. You see, the rules for being a respectable mom have changed. It used to be that, to be respectable, you just had to know how to use a crock pot and follow basic box cake mixes. Those days are over. Now, if you want any of your fellow moms to respect you, you have to know how to make stuff. And when I say stuff, I mean articles of clothing that your children will model each time you go out in public. If you don't know how to crochet, sew, knit, hand-make your son's ties or your daughter's headbands, etc. then other moms look at you like you're boring when they are all taking turns showing off their handmade accessories in the nursing room. Hence the knitting. 

I have to say, I never imagined I would have the patience for knitting. I hardly have patience enough to watch my own daughter walk down the stairs. Knitting, however, is actually kind of relaxing. If you're thinking about learning, I highly recommend doing so. I took a class at Michaels, but am probably going to take some more to expand my horizons. If anyone is interested in taking one with me, please email me! Would love a partner. 

Here are some pictures of Heidi wearing her first ever hand knit scarf from mummy. 

Monkey Baby

 

This is the baby I nanny for - Bradley. 

Can't resist posting the highlights of our photo sessions. He is just the cutest.

Endless Energy

My daughter is almost two.

She is changing. Rapidly. A true sleep trained child, Heidi loves her crib to bits and always has, but lately she hasn't been doing as much sleeping as she used to. In fact, little miss has decided that napping only seems like a good idea now after about an hour of quiet playtime.When I leave the bedroom, I come back and listen with my ear on the door every 10 minutes and hear her talking to her toys, singing her ABCs, jumping in her crib, etc. I tell her to go night night through the door and she responds cheerfully "night night time mommy!" and then continues to play, just more quietly.

I've decided that she is not getting enough exercise and that this is the reason she is not going down for her naps as quickly. So I have devised a plan.

A while ago, we borrowed a bouncy house from a friend. Heidi loved it. She has not stop talking about it since. Seriously. 10 times a day Heidi will stop whatever activity she is doing, point outside and ask in the saddest most heartbroken voice that could possibly come out of a two year old "Bouncy House?"

In a few days, when she asks about the bouncy house again I will be able to lead her to this thing of beauty:

 

Concentrated Happiness

(poorly photo-shopped children not included)

I am so excited to show her! 

On a side note - Can't believe I am at the point in life where I can actually purchase a bouncy house. I am fulfilling my 7 year old self's biggest dreams. Being a grown up is pretty cool. 

I Love Prince Erik from the Little Mermaid

So I’ve been on the look out for some artwork for Heidi’s bedroom.

Just had to share some of the uber cute prints I have come across.

How cute are these?

 

  

and these?

 

and these?

Would be so cute if they were all individually framed and lined up in a row!

Also came across these which I kind of love.

All of this makes my heart ache for a trip to Disneyland. Still haven’t taken Heidi. Just can’t bring myself to spend so much money on passes when we have other amusement parks that are so much closer…. Sigh… Some day.

Oh and can’t end this post without sharing what I decided to buy -

Pretty sure Heidi is gonna love this print of Prince Erik.

These Pictures Would Never Have Been Taken 20 Years Ago

As I look through photos from just a year ago, I feel so grateful to have birthed a child in the age of digital cameras. Having done so means so many more captured memories. I come from a family of camera users – several generations so. My mothers aunt was the first to own a video camera and thanks to her my mom is able to show off her toddlerhood via captured video on her Iphone. I find it incredibly fascinating to be able to not only picture in your mind’s eye what life was like in  years past, but to be able to actually view it. My own childhood was well documented but back then film was expensive and no photograph was to be wasted. As I look back I wonder how many more images would I have to look through if I had been born just 15 years later. I feel a little sad because having the ability to capture so much more in this day and age has me realizing exactly how much has been lost from my own childhood.

Today I share with you a luxury of modern day living. Photos of nothing but a simple walk around the neighborhood with my toddler.  

   (Upon being told it was time to go home)

I can’t wait to look back on these in 5 years and remember just how precious Heidi was at almost two.

Also, can’t wait to see how this new Baby Alive holds up.