What Nobody Told Me About Motherhood

Hey, y'all. Being a SAHM sure is hectic, huh? On that note, I decided to write this as my daughter is taking her morning nap.


When I was pregnant, it seemed like the responses were pretty unanimous.

"There's nothing like motherhood."
"There's no way to describe the love you have for your child."
"You'll never have a hot meal again!"
"You're going to be so tired!"
"Being a mother will change your life."

Those seemed to be the main ones. I often thought to myself; "How cliche. I've heard this a million times."

What they didn't do, was specify the "beyond" part of those claims. Nobody told me that carrying her in my own body and feeling her move would make me feel so empowered. That being kicked by your own offspring would actually make you smile (for those few months, anyway). That listening to her heartbeat on my doppler every. single. night. would become a requirement...second nature...and most of all, her heartbeat would become my comfort.  That the moment she was born, my breath would be taken away (quite literally), and my heart would now be sitting on my chest when they placed her on me. That every day, I'd be so in awe, that it brings me to tears. That I'd spend countless hours staring at her, even when she's doing absolutely nothing.

Being a mother changed my life, for sure. I didn't know exactly how deep that old sentiment really went. I will spend the rest of my days with an overflowing heart. I'll worry, I'll discipline, I'll love deeper than I could have ever imagined, and I'll protect her at all costs...and although I am using the "mother" term here, I can assure you that good fathers like my husband feel the exact same way.

I love this hectic life; every minute of it. It is a challenge, but it is a greater blessing. Once you're a mom, you're always a mom. Being a mother has taught me so many things. It has made me feel emotions that I knew existed, but still had no idea how deeply they ran. My outlook on the entire world has changed. I can't even watch the news anymore without feeling a million types of worry and sadness.

So, with all of this being said, is it really so bad after all if my meals are lukewarm and my nights are short? Not at all. If I could trade this love and this life for an endless supply of hot meals and sleep, would I? Of course not. Would you?

                             The moment they placed my heart outside of my body can be seen here. ;)

Baby Bullet recipe series: Bananas and Spinach medley

When I was pregnant, I  searched the web for recipes using my baby bullet I had received at my baby shower.  To my surprise, there weren't that many. So after hearing back from a few people regarding my recipes, I decided to start a series on the blog dedicated to the Baby Bullet! Please +1 or let me know in the comments below if you like this series, and I will continue doing more!

First, I cut up three ripe bananas, took a handful of fresh spinach, and broke off the stems

I puréed the banana first, since are quite runny when puréed. They're still pretty thick (pudding consistency), so if your baby is a stage 1 eater, I suggest adding a bit of water. You can stop here for a simple banana purée if your baby hates spinach ;)

Once the bananas are fully puréed, fill the baby bullet  the rest of the way with spinach. Blend for about 30 seconds. 

You should end up with something like this!

I was able to fill 7 of these adorable containers with .75 cents worth of bananas and about $2 worth of spinach, which I only used about 1/10th of the bundle I purchased for this recipe! So, it was around $1 for this recipe. 

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

Hectic and loving it!

Things have definitely gotten hectic as a stay at home wife and mommy, to say the least. I'm loving every second of it so far! I wish I hadn't missed three months of mornings and afternoons with her when I was working! Honestly, it's almost like I didn't know how much personality she had! About 90 percent of her waking hours were not spent with me during the week. No need to feel guilty and dwell on that now, though. I'm home with this happy girl and that has filled every void!

Nathan's new job is throwing curveballs and adding lots of stress to the insanity of life. Sometimes he's in town, sometimes he's not. Sometimes he's away for a night, sometimes the entire week. Dealing with life with a baby, three dogs, cleaning house, etc, with little or no help when he's gone definitely keeps me busy (which is really okay, because I'm not big on sitting around)! I definitely feel like a super mom sometimes, because when he's gone, I literally NEVER stop going. I wouldn't have it any other way :)

We had Easter pictures taken a couple of weeks ago. So far in life, she doesn't do well with professional pictures, lol. She absolutely can't stand being posed and messed with. Needless to say, she threw a few tantrums. However, Tana delivered, as usual. I have a previous post with Paisley's  Christmas pictures which were also done by Tana. I'll probably add her Easter pictures here too. But if you're on my facebook, you've already seen them. ;)

Moms, tell me how you balance the craziness in your life!

Hey, guys! Remember me?

In my last blog post, I said I needed to do better with posting more frequently. I have completely failed at that! But I have my reasons.

I have recently joined the stay at home mom workforce. It was kind of a surprise, and it didn't go down the way we had it mapped out, but nonetheless, it has worked to our advantage. It's been a busy few weeks for me, staying home, picking my nephew up each day, and dealing with my husband never being home because he travels so frequently for work. I'm one exhausted mama!

But really, I will try to do better once I get settled in to this new life of mine.

This past Saturday, we had our first big Midlands Mommies meet up. It was so much fun! There were about 10 mommies with their kids. We had a really great time, and I'm looking forward to the next one in April.

This weekend, we are going to Georgetown to visit my family. They're so excited to see miss Paisley! The weekend after that, we are getting Paisley's Easter pictures done by Tana Goodwin,who did Paisley's Christmas pictures. They are going to be so cute!

I'm currently recovering from having my four wisdom teeth removed yesterday. Go figure, after I make the appointment,my husband finds out he will be gone ALL week for work. Thank goodness for my mama. She has helped take care of Paisley and me SO much.

I think maybe I'll be posting a Mudpie & Mommywise haul as my next post.

Also, check out my makeup and beauty blog. I am going to be doing my winter hits and misses!

Valentines, earrings, and bows, OH MY!

So, after a small hiatus from blogging, I’ve finally returned! I promise I am going to try to do better!



Life has been hectic with this sweet little four month old. She got her shots last week, and her ears pierced this week! I was so surprised at how she handled both of them with little to no crying! I know there has been a lot of negativity regarding getting her ears pierced so young, but trust me; I AM NOT the first parent, nor will I be the last to do such a thing. I had my ears pierced at age 9, and I remember how much of a tomboy I was. Those things were infected and had to be surgically removed within a couple of months.



I also have several friends who say they’re so glad their parents did it because they would have been too scared to do it at an older age, even though they would have wanted them done. Not that I feel the need to defend myself with the choices I make for MY child, but for other moms who are worried but thinking about getting their child’s done…Don’t worry, just do it. If it’s not your thing, that’s fine. Again: MY child, MY choices. You can rest assured that I would never make any choices that would harm her in any way, shape, or form, whether in the present or future.



On to the next! Friday was Valentine’s Day, and I made a few things for my daughter’s class. Bowties for the boys and a hair bow for the other girl. I clipped them to a card that said “You’re BOW-dacious, Valentine!” I’m so glad everyone loved them! I thought about making burlap bowties, but I went with blue seersucker to be on the safe side since it’s more universal.



Whitney and I made some bows the other day…Well, I made one, she made two. I think we’re both just a little excited for our babies to be wearing their super cute summer and spring clothes soon. Could MudPie make their stuff any cuter? I just don’t think anyone can top the cuteness level of MudPie. I just wish her stuff would hurry up and get here and that the warm weather would just make up its mind to stick around.

 Here are some pictures of her earrings and the Valentines I made!

Until next time, y’all.

Something to blog about

I haven’t blogged in over a week because believe it or not, I have been busy. Busy with a 4 month old? Who would’ve thought, right?

 
This weekend, I actually had a mommy date with my friend, Whitney. We went to Starbucks, Target, Hobby Lobby, Bed Bath & Beyond, and even had a lunch date with a couple of other moms at Wild Wings. It was such a nice day! Even though every time we heard a baby crying in a store, it was like a flashback that made us stand in silence while thinking of our little ones! Saturday night, Nate and I had a couple of friends over to eat pizza and play board games. So, I’d say my Saturday was pretty much a success.

This weekend, I think Whitney and I are going to do it all over again. Except this time, lots of makeup will be bought, babies will be spoiled, and us two mamas might even get a little bit of pampering time! Heck, I might actually buy myself something nice for the first time since I found out I was pregnant!

 
It just doesn’t seem as satisfying to shop for myself as it is to shop for my little girl. I find so much excitement when looking at clothes and toys for her. Thinking of how stinkin’ cute she’s going to look in this outfit, or how her face will light up when playing with this toy…You can’t buy ANYTHING for yourself that makes you that happy!

Sunday I sat at home and relaxed until later in the evening. Our friends Kayla and Jay came over to have dinner and watch the midseason premiere of The Walking Dead. Kayla even snapped a few Valentine’s Day pictures of Paisley while she was there! I am so ready to see how they turned out.

That’s all I’ve been up to lately! How about you?

A little bit of everything!

Well this week sure has been hectic to say the least! Paisley's diaper rash had cleared almost one hundred percent by Monday, and by Wednesday, it was back to wreak havoc! Now this may be TMI for some of you out there, but the poor baby is so raw! Her skin is split open in several places, and she is beet red from front to back. We've done literally everything, so I finally caved and took her to the doctor when she began to scream in pure agony Thursday morning. She's on two special creams, and I have to give her 2-3 baking soda baths per day.

Other than that, this hectic week hasn't been so bad. She got to see her first real snow, and it was a blast. She kept giggling at the snowflakes. It was way too cute! The only part she wasn't fond of is how bright it was outside. Here are some pictures:

I just love that snow suit from her Aunt Blakely!

I never thought I'd say this, but I'm ready to get out of this house and go back to work Monday. I was only supposed to be out Tuesday-Thursday, but of course I ended up having to take today off to take her back to the doctor. The doctor actually said that she is extremely intellectual and makes great eye contact. She's very focused, which means she is already showing signs of high intelligence levels. Her exact words!! (YES, I'm bragging! Hehe.) I am looking forward to watching her continue to grow. As much as I hate that she is getting bigger, I absolutely love watching her discover new things. For instance, she has recently discovered that she has delicious fists!!! ;) She's teething, which I'm not looking forward to her being in pain, but I just know how cute those little nuggets will be! Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks this way!

Enough of that, though. I'll talk to you guys later. Have a great weekend!

A journey through my pregnancy.

So, this is an awesome tag that i absolutely cannot wait to do! What you hav to do is this: Answer each question with a photo. I'm tagging mommy bloggers Whitney and Melissa. You can find their blogs by clicking on their names. Let's get started!

A photo of you and your husband/family before this pregnancy.

How did you announce your pregnancy?

What were your first cravings?

First ultrasound photo. 

First belly photo

Belly photo from second trimester/12 weeks

How did you announce the gender of your baby?

Did you travel or vacation while pregnant?

Favorite part of being pregnant.

Favorite maternity photos.

Third trimester/28 week belly photo.

Photos from your baby shower/s.

Final belly photo
-This is me at 39w1d, a few hours before labor started.

Last thing you did before you gave birth?
-Made this pie. While in labor, lol.

First picture of your baby

This was SO much fun! Thanks to my YouTube friend, Rachel for tagging me!!

I tag any other blogger moms who read this post. Happy posting! :)

Date night

So, I would like to say first and foremost, CONGRATULATIONS to my awesome husband for landing this wonderful job! I am so proud of him, and so proud to be his wife. He is the hardest working man I've ever met, and even more importantly, he is the best daddy a girl could ask for.

As soon as we found out this Tuesday that he got the job, his siblings immediately volunteered to come babysit so we could go out for a celebratory dinner. Now, I have to be honest....before Tuesday, my babysitting contact list was one single person; my mother. So, of course I was hesitant in some ways. My sister in law is absolutely wonderful with Paisley, so that wasn't a concern. My brother in law has a five year old. He's pretty familiar with this, so that wasn't a concern either.

The thing is, I never really considered it "babysitting" when my mother came over to watch her. It might sound weird, but I guess it's because she's my mother. So, tonight felt like our first real date night. My mother has watched her while we ran errands, and once while we went to dinner a mile away at CJ's Chop House. Other than daycare, I'm never really without her!

We ended up going to Fatz in Camden, and it was wonderful. I made a promise not to text them, because I know wholeheartedly that they would certainly call if problems were to arise. So, I put my phone away, and my husband and I enjoyed each other's company. (Although, I did eat as expeditiously as possible!) We enjoyed each other so much, that it almost felt like we were the only ones there. We are 3 months away from our fourth wedding anniversary, and just passed our five year mark of  being together. Keeping the fire alive, especially with a new baby is so important. It is hard to fully focus on each other with our sweet girl around, and that's fine with me. It just felt good tonight to "reconnect" with each other in a sense. It also felt good to have a few drinks while I was there. ;)

All in all, date night was a complete success. Coming home to my sweet baby with her sweet giggles and heart melting toothless grin was the icing on the cake. If you've seen my Facebook, you'll know I haven't slept (literally) in days. Somehow, I'm okay with that. Every minute with her makes me smile.

Back to the point: Congratulations again to Nathan, and a HUGE thank you to Monica and Josh for being so great to their niece. And of course, I can't forget her sweet big cousin, Caleb, who absolutely loves and adores her. He is truly an amazing kid, and I'm so lucky to be his aunt.

I love all of them more than they'll ever know.

Until next time, my friends!

The truth about those aspirator bulbs!

If you read my last blog post, you'd see that I am absolutely in love with the Nosefrida. Upon researching the item, I found something very interesting, but also very disturbing.

We all love those bulbs we get from the hospital, right? I mean, let's be honest...how many people said to you, "save that bulb from the hospital, you'll never find another one as good!" I know I must've heard it ten times. I still like the bulb for getting her mouth and throat clear of build up and gunk. But did you know that you're required to wash the inside with alcohol? If you didn't know that, then I highly suggest just tossing it in the garbage now, to save yourself from what you're about to see. What happens when you don't fill the inside with alcohol?

That. Yes, that's mold. Disturbing, right? I thought so. I really wanted to post that because I know so many mommies that use them. So from one mommy to the next, use alcohol. 91% is the only strength that can kill the bacteria to prevent the mold from building up, so keep that in mind. Also, it only takes about a month to look like that, so if you haven't cleaned it with alcohol by now, it's probably too late. Once the mold forms, you can't get rid of it.

Yuck!

The Nosefrida!

I realized I hadn't written a blog in FOREVER, so I decided today would be the day. I've been dealing with quite the miserable baby. First it was a ear infection that turned into major congestion and a horrible cough,then it was a tummy virus, and now we are back to the congestion. Poor thing can hardly sleep from coughing! The joys of daycare! (Although I LOVE her daycare, I hate when she's sick.)


So, after lots and lots of persuasion and hesitation, we ordered the Nosefrida, and let me tell you...it is the BEST investment ever! That handy tool gets everything out. It may look like a terribly gross concept (and it kind of is) but I can guarantee you, nothing will get in your mouth, as most people fear! Unlike the rubber bulb straight from the hospital, it creates a suction around the baby's nostrils so there is absolutely no air. This causes it to be able to suction every last drop of yucky! Don't get me wrong, the bulb is still good for getting everything out of her mouth when she's try get o cough it up; but, the Nosefrida might just be the most disgusting but genius invention out there.


I'd really like to meet the inventor and ask "What even gave you the idea to make a tool that sucks snot out of your kid's nose BY MOUTH?" And then still give her/him a hug and say thank you.

Bottom line, if you have a child who can't blow their own nose yet, you need a Nosefrida. If you have Amazon Mom or Prime, it's eligible for free 2 day shipping, and it's only $15.

You can find one by clicking here.

Happy snot sucking, y'all! ;)

You know you're a new mommy when...

·         You could probably run the country on 3 hours of good deep sleep

·         You dress your baby up like a baby model everyday but you have been wearing the same yoga pants for a week.

·         You use your bare hands to wipe runny noses, or catch spit up

·         You sometimes never even make it out of your pajamas that day

·         You have forgotten what a hot meal is

·         You feel relief when you hear your baby pass gas or have a bowel movement because you can see how uncomfortable they are….really. Sometimes I think I get more relief than she does when I hear it! ;)

·         You’ve used the Similac website to check out your baby’s poop….more than once

·         You pick up items with your toes because you can’t set the baby down, and you can’t bend over

·         You finally do set the baby down, and you immediately miss them, even if they’re beside you

·         When your diaper bag is full of unnecessary "just in case" items & ends up being heavier than baby

·         Your phone's memory is suddenly insufficient due to the thousands of pictures you've taken in the last month...and clearing them out is sooooo not happening!

·         When eau de spit up is your newest perfume and you don't care!

·         When sleep sounds like a better option than any other event

·         When your new nightly routine consists of brushing your teeth, checking on baby, washing your face, checking on baby, getting in bed, getting out of bed, checking on baby…Then finally getting back in bed again just to think of needing to check on baby again

·         You're packing for a trip and realize you've packed more outfits for your little one than for yourself. There's the cute outfit, the casual outfit, the warm one, and the short sleeve one just in case the weather is unpredictable. After all, the little princess has to have options

·         Your wedding day suddenly becomes the second best day of your life

·         Your little one’s toothless smile brings you more joy than anything else ever has

·         You know where all of the best diaper, wipe, formula, and baby food sales are, but you can’t remember when Victoria’s Secret is having their semi-annual sale anymore

·         Spit up has become an accessory

·         You feel weird talking to some of your non-parent friends because you can’t think of a single non-baby related topic to discuss

·         You feel like you won the lottery every time you get formula or diaper coupons in the mail.





These are the best ones I’ve read and I contributed some of my own! Comment here on the blog to add your favorites!

Spoiling a newborn

Can you even spoil a newborn? Some say yes and some say no. Me? I'm one of the "no" people.

"Don't pick up your baby every time she cries or she will learn that it's okay."
"She should be on a schedule to prevent cluster feeding."
"She should be sleeping in her crib, not in your room."
"You shouldn't hold her all the time, you'll never be able to put her down without her crying."

Blah. Blah. Blah.

I appreciate everyone's concerns with my child, but here's the thing...to put it simply, only my concerns count when it comes to my child.

When she cries, I pick her up. I comfort her. She doesn't want it, she needs it. My body housed her for nine months, and holding her pressed up against it is familiar and comforting for her.

When she's hungry, I can tell. I will not wait one more hour just to keep a schedule. She sometimes snacks on two ounces at a time ALL day instead of ever drinking one full bottle, but that's okay by me. She is hungry, I will not deprive her.

She'll sleep in her crib when I'm ready for her to sleep in her crib. The sweet sound of her breathing has become my white noise and it comforts me. Whatever she needs, I am there immediately with her beside my bed. We do not co-sleep simply because I'm terrified of rolling over on her, but to mamas who do, good for you!

I hold her all the time. Period. I let her sleep in my arms, I hold her upright while she watches tv, I snuggle her when she's not feeling well. When it comes time to put her down, she doesn't cry. She's only going to be a snuggly baby for a short time before she wants to walk around and explore rather than being held by mommy. I will take advantage of it until she is just too old to be held anymore.

I don't think there's a single thing wrong with spoiling babies, if that's what you want to call it. They're only babies once, even though we are mommies forever. #snugglesforlife ;)

Look out, we're cleaning green!

I recently discovered how to make my own household cleaning products for just about everything, and I AM SO happy! My absolute favorite so far is the all purpose kitchen cleaner. It's nothing more than white vinegar and orange peels. Sounds stinky, right? Not at all! I eat halos this time of year as if my patronage is what keeps those little nectarines in business! I thought I'd start sharing my DIY cleaning product recipes for all of you other mamas who want to eliminate bleach and ammonia from your house now that you have a little one.

SO, what you do is quite simple.

Fill a spray bottle about 2/3 of the way full with pieces of orange peel (I keep them in larger pieces and roll them up to fit them in the bottle opening rather than having a bunch of teeny shreds)

Pour white vinegar in to fill the bottle

Close the top, and set it aside for two weeks, shaking it here and there whenever it crosses your mind. (Yes, the first batch takes a long time, but if you have two spray bottles, just start a new one when you notice the first bottle getting low.)

Drain the orange vinegar into a measuring cup, pick out the orange peels one by one, and pour the vinegar back into the bottle.

Now, I know that it seems silly to pick out the orange peels from that little top, (another reason I keep them in larger pieces) but it's really not too bad. You can use this same recipe in mason jars if you think it would be easier, but my only gripe about that, is you need to fill 2 or 3 jars to make the amount of cleaner  you would make by just pouring everything directly into the spray bottle. So all in all, making it straight in the bottle is a much quicker process to make the cleaner. Pulling the peels out really doesn't take that long, and then at the end you only have to funnel one container back into the spray bottle, rather than 2 or 3 jars. Whatever method works best for you is fine, though. :)

The orange oil from the peels seep into the vinegar, which makes for one AMAZING (and great smelling) cleaning product. It just smells so clean and citrusy. There’s no other way to describe it. The smell of straight vinegar is gone, and the orange smell is just heavenly. The natural oil from the peels breaks up dried on messes from your counter SO well, and it also helps pick up dirt and dust, etc. The vinegar is a natural cleaner and disinfectant. You can even clean grease or lots of dirt off of hands with this stuff before washing them. If you're interested in learning more, please tell me what type of cleaner you're looking to make, and I'll share my recipes for it if I have one (which I probably do)! :) Until next time, mamas!

*DISCLAIMER* - Do NOT use this product on granite counter tops. I am not sure about marble, but my mother has granite, and they specified no citrus and no vinegar. You may want to do some research before using this product if you have anything other than standard composite counters.