the BEST gifts

It's funny how God will teach us even when we've "not found the time" to sit and learn from Him every day.

Life has been crazy lately - Samuel is now mobile, and moving fast. So, the time I had while he would lie and play is now consumed with chasing him around and trying to stay one step ahead of him in order to head off any major accident. (When did he grow up?! :( )

Needless to say, at the end of the day, I'm tired, and the laundry I do at 10:00 each night is usually the last thing I do before crashing into bed. I hate that. I want to have time to sit and learn and talk with God. I want to have time carved out everyday for Him - that needs to be a priority, regardless of erratic nap schedules and adorably clumsy baby boys.

But, God knows my heart, and teaches me in quiet moments throughout the day.

I want to share one lesson He taught me in the stillness of a napping baby on my chest.

Samuel NEEDED a nap. He was miserable. He, however, doesn't want to miss a moment of life, so refuses to nap more than necessary. This day was no different, except that he was miserable from his short naps during that week. I rocked him, sang to him, but nothing worked to get him to sleep - he had the hiccups.

So as I sat on the bed in the nursery, I prayed and prayed for God to take away his hiccups so my baby boy could get some sleep he so desperately needed.

God did a funny thing - He didn't take away Samuel's hiccups. He simply allowed him to fall asleep and then they stopped. But he didn't fall asleep while I was sitting and rocking him in order to put him back in his crib. He fell asleep lying on my chest in bed.

You see, this doesn't seem special to you, but to me, it was extremely special. and God knew that.
I've always wanted Samuel to fall asleep on me that way, so we could rest together. But he never has - he would only sleep on his daddy that way until that afternoon.

In the quiet of that nursery, God didn't answer MY prayer against the hiccups, but He answered the DESIRE of my heart. He knew what gift to give me that afternoon - He knew better than I, what I wanted. Like always.

So I savored that sweet, squishy baby boy on my chest and we napped together - I was more exhausted than I realized. But God knew. :)

His ways are ALWAYS higher and better than our ways. His gifts are always BETTER than we could ever ask or think.

always.

This boy... my favorite gift of all!

Pumpkin Pie Almonds

Fall is here!

So, I've made a promise to myself to actually MAKE the recipes I pin on Pinterest. Beginning tonight!

Yes, I made these at 10:30 tonight, but that's what happens when your husband works retail hours - baby boy wakes up at 8am, husband doesn't get home until 10pm...needless to say, we have long days in our house!

That's why I'm making nuts and yummy salsa mixes (I'll post about that later) at 10:30 at night :)

 I made these tonight: Pumpkin Pie Almonds

Can I just tell you how amazing the house smelled while they were roasting?! AH-Mazing. They taste pretty spectacular too - probably dangerous that I'll be at home with them all day tomorrow!

 I used "Dark Amber Maple Syrup" instead of the Agave Nectar. They came out perfect.

 To my lovely friends and family: expect these as holiday gifts ;)

Changes

Sunday night, Samuel wore shoes in a size 1. Monday morning, he needed a 2. No joke. Things are changing so quickly!! This little boy is growing up faster than I like!!

He's now eating solid food. LOVES sweet potatoes! He was crying because I wasn't getting them in his mouth fast enough. He was grabbing my hand and shoving the spoon into his mouth and would pull it out wanting more. Daddy said he'd only eat them with brown sugar and cinnamon - Samuel showed him! Here's hoping for a child who makes healthy choices.

On that note, I've started making his food with our baby bullet. It's my new hobby. I LOVE buying the organic produce and making his food at home. I feel so much better with him eating that than the "organic" baby food I find in the stores that contains lots of other ingredients...aka tuna oil in his pears to add DHA. Hmmm...

I will admit that I buy some jarred baby food to have in case we need it or we're out without his homemade food. Don't judge. :)

Samuel is now grabbing toys - it's so nice to hand him a toy to entertain him and he holds it himself. He's formed an attachment to the blanket in that picture. He eats it, growls at it, nuzzles it, and complains to it. (He's a complainer...he'll moan and groan as long as someone will listen and talk back. ha)

He's also started to put EVERYTHING in his mouth. He's drooling everywhere and chewing on everything - my arm when I'm changing his diaper, my face when he's playing, anyone's fingers who will hold his hand. Is it possible that he's teething at 4 months old??

Josh and I are about to reach a milestone. We may be dicontinuing the use of his breathing monitor. In the past week it's become more of an annoyance than a help because a certain little boy turns circles in his sleep. The monitor comes loose and then alarms, waking us and Samuel. So, I may have to trust in God LOTS these next few weeks until Samuel reaches 6 months old and the risk of SIDS declines.

God gave us this little boy and I have to trust that He'll sustain him. He always can, better than we could ever know how. Isn't that a relief?? :)

Belly Sleeping and Mommy Guilt...

As I type this, I am obsessively staring at Samuel's video monitor to make sure he's still breathing.
This is his first nap on his belly. Don't judge me.
If there is any mother who is obsessive about anything that comes in contact with her child or anything concerning her child, it's me. I was extremely obsessive about all things before Samuel was even a thought, and his appearance has created more of a monster...ask my husband. :)

So, I've done lots of research and lots of thinking about this issue. I've also done lots of worrying because my 3-month old refuses to do anything during tummy time but suck on his hand...(no joke). He can lift his head when he's up on our shoulders, and he'll hold his head steady while sitting up, but lay him on his belly and he goes limp. So I'm determined for him to learn to lift his head - if for no other reason than cute pictures ;)

So, he's on his belly for his afternoon nap today (which, by the way, was a rare occurance until today - maybe belly naps are the secret). He's wearing his breathing monitor (see my post: Products We Can't Live Without), and I keep checking on his every few minutes...so much so that I'm not getting anything accomplished while he's sleeping....

We've also been having issues with the 45-minute intruder. Anyone else having this issue with naptime being interrupted at 45 minutes for no reason at all?? His tummy sleeping has seemed to resolve this issue. My fear is that he'll no longer want to sleep on his back at nighttime. If that's the case, cue the psycho-obsessive-mommy....

First Foods...obsessions

Lately, I'm obsessed...

Samuel just turned 12 weeks old this past Sunday and I am beyond excited about him starting solid foods in 4 weeks. I'm obsessed with it. I received a Baby Bullet as a baby shower gift and have been waiting to use it. I squealed with delight when I opened it (ask my husband - he experienced the pandemonium).
Last night I began reading the Baby Bullet recipe book and menu - I'm a bit overwhelmed by it all right now, so any tips on making food and first feedings will be much appreciated. I'm so anxious to begin shopping for his food and making it - I was heartbroken to read that it only freezes for 30 days... :( I'll have to restrain myself for a few more weeks....

I know I'm one of THOSE moms - I plan to have the video camera set up, camera in hand, ready for his first experience with food. I'm not ashamed - I pushed his stroller on his first walk around the neighborhood with camera in hand - I'm obsessed, I don't deny it. :)

...I'm also obsessed with these sweet treats:

Easter and Valentine's Day are the two holidays where my chocolate allergy REALLY stinks! So I stock up on these delicacies (candy to some...bits of heaven to others...) when I can - donations appreciated ;). My post-baby weight loss is not benefitting from these holidays though!

..speaking of post-baby weight...the beach is coming up in less than 2 months - at this point, I'm considering a moo-moo - my pre-baby Victoria Secret 2-pieces aren't going to cut it this year....::sigh:: - but I have ZERO motivation/energy to workout - can shopping count as a workout? - that I can do! :)

baby carriers

humor me for a moment and let me write an entire entry about a mommy issue - baby carriers.
I have tried a few slings/carriers/moby wrap and am having no luck! :(

I ordered a sling, and it seemed the right size, but when my husband tried to put Samuel in it (yes, in our house it's a 2-person job), there was not enough room...

I tried the carrier on the front of my body, the kind that looks backpack-ish, and Samuel hated it. I can't blame him, it was snug in all the right places, but his head seemed to have no support and it seemed like his body was just dangling...

I tried the MobyWrap and it seemed like a form of toture getting Samuel in it. (he actually screamed the whole time - not that I blame him on this either, wouldn't you scream if you had a nervous, clueless person trying to strap you to her body using only an incredibly long strip of fabric?) Also, I felt unsure that this wrap would hold him securely - so I held him up with my arms negating the point of the carrier....::sigh::

So, I'm at a loss - maybe Samuel and I are not compatible for carrier-life. Any suggestions???

Would you judge me if I told you....

Would you judge me if I told you....

-lately my days off with Samuel have been "pajama days" spent lounging in my husband's heavenly robe a little too late in the day...with no desire to go out and share Samuel with anyone...(can you not just hear the helicopter mom hovering over him???)

-I'm so beyond excited to go to the beach this year that my mind is already there...it's all I plan for, all I Pinterest for...so much so that I purchased this body butter, which I love, to make me feel like I'm at the beach...it's my mid-day pick-me-up while cooped up in a room full of teenagers :)

-I lose sleep because I spend my sleeping hours watching Samuel on the video monitor (I'm sure my husband appreciates the bright blue glow in the room from leaving the video monitor on :)....

-I'm earning my certification to teach English, but I'm bored by most classics (ah!)....

-I'm completely turned off to any reality shows...American Idol, The Voice, (the 84 other reality shows on these days)...

-I'm not a movie person - if I'm not into it in the first 15 minutes, I turn it off...

-I would love to be paid to write Sunday School/VBS curriculum and skits...I'd like to get paid to create/improve curriculum for private schools (they should be held to a higher standard than public schools....//soapbox??)

-As I am typing this, I'm watching my son to lick the side of his swing....(whose kid is this, anyway??)

...I should probably stop him..... ;)

another day

So, this morning was the most difficult morning I've had...it's hard to leave Samuel each day, but harder when Josh takes him to my mom's instead of me being able to drop him off.
UGH! Each day gets more difficult, but brings me closer to the end of this placement. My hearts feels for those mommies who must work but want to be home with their babies (no matter how big!).

My whole life, I've only wanted one thing - to be a mommy. I'm now learning that being a mommy can consist/demand more than staying at home with those sweet faces. My dream is to stay home while my babies are little and to work as a teacher when they go to school. We'll see if it'll work out as I hope! :) God knows the desires of my heart - He also knows what's best for me and for my family. Which, amazes me! As much as I love my husband and my baby, God loves them even more than I ever can. It's mind-boggling and so comforting at the same time. He has all of our best interests in mind and will always do what's best for us - ALWAYS.

Samuel doesn't sleep during the day - he takes a couple 20-30 minute naps each day. He falls asleep at 5 or 6 for the night. This leaves me SUCH little time to see him and interact with him. ::sigh::

On a positive note: I find I get SO much more accomplished when I'm busy than when I have little to do. I accomplished more yesterday after getting home from school than I accomplish when I'm home all day with Samuel. (although, he is an "all-day baby" as my mom and I say - he requires all-day attention as he never sleeps and never stops moving - the pediatrician even commented on his constant movement - I think we're in for it when he becomes mobile. ah! :) )

Anyway, I'm getting really excited about Easter - Samuel has a "lady-killer" outfit (as my husband says)...can't wait to share pics of it!

Smiles for Mommy

I'm back to student-teaching. I had hoped to finish it before having Samuel, but he had other ideas. He decided to try to arrive at 25 weeks, so I was put on bedrest half-way through my student-teaching position.

Now, he's 10 weeks old and I'm back in the classroom. I have to leave this little face everyday:

It's so hard bc he's now starting to smile at me and kick his little legs when he hears me or sees me. But it's all worth it when I pick him up at the end of my day and he smiles at me. :)

It's hard to leave him when this wasn't what I had planned (isn't it funny that I can still think that MY plans determine the path of my life when I ask God to guide me???). But God reminded me this morning of this promise:

"I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you" - Psalm 32:8

God's best for me is always BEST, better than I could ever imagine, even if it's not always fun at the time. I just need to remember that and relish in baby smiles and kicks at the end of the day :)

Mommy Brain & Pinterest

I thought when I had Samuel that my preggo-brain would fade and I would return to my usual obsessively-organized brain. Sadly, this has not happened. I'm forgetting EVERYTHING! I make a list for the store, even if for a few things, and then forget my list.

Last night, it took 6 hours for me to make a necessary online purchase because I would get on my computer only to be distracted by Facebook and Pinterest (I blame the crazy creative mommies on Pinterest for distracting me from my mommy-tasks). :)

On that note - I'm in love with Pinterest. I love the recipes and crafy ideas - I have a board entitled "FunMommy" in hopes of remembering the great ideas for Samuel when he's old enough to enjoy them.

I also have a board of preggo-pic ideas that I wish I'd had when I was preggo with Samuel - but who feels like getting their pictures taken when they're bloated, on bed-rest, cranky, and sleep-deprived?? (insert dramatic sigh here). I def hope to use these great ideas for my next pregnancy but hope Samuel doesn't think, "why didn't you do this for me? You love him/her more"...but he's a boy - boys don't think of that stuff, do they??

New Mommy Blog! - Products we can't live without!

So, I've fallen behind on blogging - but I've had a new little 7lb bundle of love taking up my time. I'm completely in love and cannot believe he was born on Christmas Day! He's my world, and like any new mommy, my time has been completely consumed by him - and I don't mind one bit! :)

I have a friend who recently had a baby and posted a similar list - I thought it was a fantastic idea (especially since I have LOTS of friends due within the next few months) - (there really must have been something in the air! lol)

I want to share some things we've found indispensable since we've welcomed Samuel into our lives...so here's a list of products we love and cannot live without!

*First off, a SNUZA HALO alarm.

I am obsessive - completely obsessive with control! :) I was like any new mom and thought for sure that Samuel would stop breathing if I didn't watch him ALL NIGHT LONG. My poor husband got no sleep as we stayed up with him night and day to make sure he kept breathing. We found this alarm and it changed our lives! It's not like the motion alarms that are put under the crib mattress - those are incredibly touchy and increbidly LOUD - this is a small alarm that clips to the front of the diaper. If the baby stops breathing/moving for 15 seconds, it vibrates to startle the baby. If after 3 vibrations the baby still isn't moving/breathing, it alarms to alert you to check the baby. The alarm doesn't sound like a siren for the end of the world either - it's loud enough to be heard in the room or on a monitor, but not nightmarishly loud enough to cause a heart attack upon waking.
It's about $150, which is pricey, but we were more than happy to pay up in exchange for sleep!

*Summer Infant babytouch color Video Monitor

This is another component to my obsessive-sleep-watching. :) This monitor is wonderful! It had great night vision, can be controlled/moved using the parent-unit, and has a charging base as well as a battery pack. We've already put our little man in his own room only because we had no room for his bassinet in our bedroom - so this is wonderful!
This has also been used by my husband to freak me out when I'm feeding Samuel in his room - I'll suddenly hear a voice through the monitor saying "Hello, Beautiful" followed by the camera follwowing me around the room. lol
It's great now, but will be great when Samuel is a toddler and gets out of bed - we'll be able to scan the room to find him!

*Aden & Anais Muslin Swaddlers

Oh my! These little guys have been used for everything - swaddlers, burp clothes, changing pads, blankets, nursing covers...
I put them on my registry, not expecting anyone to pay $50 for 4 muslin blankets...but one kind soul purchased them and they've been one of my favorite gifts! They wash so easily and are light enough and big enough to use for anything!

*SwaddleMe Swaddlers

Samuel LOVES to be swaddled - only one arm in and on arm out, though :) These swaddlers are amazing because they're so easy to swaddle a squirmy baby and they velcro to keep a squrimy baby swaddled all night. They have a velcro flap at the waist so baby doesn't need to be completely unswaddled when changing a diaper.

*Arm & Hammer Diaper Pail
Short and sweet: cannot even smell the explosive formula diapers once they're in the pail. Explanantion enough :)

*Bourdeux's ButtPaste
There are two kinds - the pastey kind and the cream kind - I hate the pastey kind - it's too hard to get out of the tube while holding still a squirmy baby and trying to hurry so a little baby boy doesn't christen his surroundings. The cream kind is the best - easy on - except the first few times when I ended up with it all over me, all over him, and all over his clothes - ha - rookie mistakes!

Last, but not least...

*Phisoderm Baby Wash

My baby boy smelled SO SWEET in the hospital, but once I got home and washed him with Johnson&Johnson, he didn't smell as sweet. Later I found a sample from the hospital of the wash they used - Phisoderm - (buried in the piles of stuff brought home from the hospital and thrown in the floor for the first week home - aka - survival week!)
It smells SO sweet - makes their skin SO soft, and is great for diaper rash, or so I hear :)

Anyway, those are a few of my choices. I'm sure I'll have more "must-haves" later on (aka - Baby Bullet, once I can break that out of the box)!

Thanks for reading!