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??