I always knew that when the time came for me to become a mom I would stay at home with my baby.even though I loved my job! I had grown up with my mom staying home with me and remember all the special times we had together. And my husband shares the same memories of his mom staying home with him and the special moments they shared. So when the time came we both agreed this is what we wanted and I was excited. Just like my teaching job, I would get to plan lessons everyday for me and my baby:) But those first months being with baby donft require a lot of lesson planning. Just nursing, holding, doing laundry and sleeping seemed to be the daily activities. I can still remember the day I was sitting and nursing and looked out the window to see the school bus going by and tearing up a bit thinking about how I missed my job. But most of all missing the op-portunity to use the gifts and talents God had given me towards music and teaching. Then one day I ran into a friend who told me about a music class she was taking her infant to and invited us to come. After joining the class for a month and seeing how much my son enjoyed the interaction and how much I enjoyed seeing moms and babies light up with music, an idea popped into my head. (Or rather I heard the still small voice of the Holy Spirit speak into my heart.) \This is some-thing you could do.. How I thought? I would need instruments, a location and would I be able to teach some-thing like this with my son? It seemed like a lot of work, money and uncertainty. Maybe I would just con-tinue taking my son to this class. But I decided to pray about the idea and see what Godfs plan was and sure enough He had it all figured out. Anne Marie said the idea would be great to offer at the Efree Church as a ministry outreach to moms and ba-bies. I found a friend who used to teach infant music class that wanted to get rid of all her instruments and I was able to purchase them from her. And my son turned out to be an excel-lent assistant in the class. And now after having done the class twice, I can see what a blessing from God it has been. Not only have I been able to share my love for music and teaching in a new way (with moms and babies) - but I have been able to build relationships with other moms sharing in the same experiences with me, have my son enjoy the company of other babies and use this class as a ministry to the community also. I really believe God truly wants to bless us and bring joy to our lives in every circumstance when we are open to what He has for us. So I would encourage you to be open to what God may be calling you to at this time in your life. Allow Him to show you where you can use the gifts and tal-ents He has given you.maybe in a unique way you never expected at this time of your life.
Ever since I posted my blog 12 things I couldn't have done without in Tian's 1st year I have wanted to post this blog relaying the 12 things I could have done without. I know when you have a new baby on the way as a first time mom you have no idea what you need to have on hand so sometimes you think you need to get everything to be ready. However looking back I wish I would have heard from some other moms a little more before purchasing certain things. So here are my thoughts and I know everyone might not agree with me and in fact some moms might have loved some of these products. That is fine. These particular items just happened to be a waste for Tian Elliot Mouer:)
So here goes the top 12 things I could have done without.......
12. Food plates - Tian seems to do best eating everything out of bowls now or just on his high chair tray. So at least for now the toddler food plates have not been in use.
11. SwaddleMe Sleeper - Tian was never happy in one of these and so the 2 we got were never used.
10. Too many pacifiers - While we thought it was a good idea to have lots of different pacifiers on hand to find the right one for Tian it turned out maybe we went a little TOO overbored. I would recommend just having a couple to try and see which your baby likes best then getting just enough of that kind. And since Tian only liked the pacifier his first 6 months of life it might be a good idea not to stock up on 6+ ones too early.
9. Best Bottom Diapers - We cloth diapered and decided to try a variety of diapers to see which worked the best. These were not good at all and consistently leaked and did not seem to fit Tian right either.
8. Tots Bots Diapers - Another diaper we found that did not fit Tian good and were disappointed with.
7. Seat protector mat to put under carseat - After purchasing one we found out from a certified car seat installer that these were really not safe to use.
6. Fleece pajamas - Our little one was quite the heat magnet. We found that he was not comfortable at all in fleece sleepers and would actually wake up sweating in these. Cotton, zip up pajamas were the best for him.
5. Baby Food Grinder - Thought this would be a good purchase after seeing friends use it with their little one but found it to be more of a pain than anything. Found it much easier to just cut up pieces of finger food for Tian when it was time for him to eat table food.
4. BJorn Carrier - Tian hated being confined in this. Although he loved being in Mama and Dada's arms the carrier was too confining for him. Did not even get one use out of this but at least we bought it used and maybe the next kid will take a liking to it?
3. Infant Sunglasses - Can anybody get their baby to keep these on?
2. Full Size High Chair - While we didn't purchase one of these I just wanted to share that I am glad we didn't. Instead we got a fisher price seat that hooks onto one of our dining room chairs and it has worked great. It is portable, easy to clean (the whole seat fits in the dishwasher) and it was cheap! Great space-saver and a lot simplier than a full-size chair.
1. Winter coat for an infant - Purchased a puffy winter coat for Tian's first winter and only wore it once on him to get a picture in. Realized he wasn't suppossed to be in his carseat in a winter coat and used a carseat cover instead which I would recommend getting! Don't bother with the winter coat.
14 months!!!!!
What a wonderful age:) I remember when Tian was just a newborn thinking I don't want him to ever grow up, this is such a wonderful time. Then I think about how each month has just been as great as the last with new and exciting things and I think to myself - I think every age is going to special. To quote the words of another mom who said to me the other day (and she has teenage boys) - "It just keeps getting better and better." I have a feeling she might be right.
So I am enjoying these 14 month old moments.........
Lots of hugs and kisses (he now blows kisses too), giggling at mama's silly faces, thinking it's fun to help me dust and clean, clapping when he is excited, seeing the understanding on his face when we tell him to do things, and wanting to be with mama and dada ALL THE TIME (Which is why I wasn't sure if I would get to write a 14 month blog).
Are there any not so perfect moments? Ok well yes maybe like today when he threw a small tantrum when I wouldn't let him put on his own chapstick or when he wanted to continually try and go across the street to see the dog next door and didn't understand why he couldn't cross the street by himself. Yes there are some challenging moments. But for every challenging moment there are always those giggles or hugs or kisses and the challenging moments are gone in the blink of an eye. And I once again I think to myself 14 months is great!
One year ago today I was filled with excitement, joy and some pain:) I can still remember quite a few of the events of that day but suprisingly I don't remember quite what the labor pains felt like. It is true what mothers say that all that labor pain is erased as soon as you see your new baby. So while I do remember waking up and running around the house cleaning things up, sitting with my sister and counting contractions, calling my husband several times to get home because I was probably going to have to go to the hospital pretty soon, riding in the car to the hospital and arriving at the hospital to relax in the jacuzzi - I honestly don't remember and even have a hard time describing what the labor pains felt like. Most of all though I remember getting to see my baby for the first time and getting to hold him for the first time. Right then I knew what a special little boy he was and have only realized it more this past year.
I thought at first it might be hard to transition into a stay at home mom but I have found the new job/role to be quite fun. I have always enjoyed the differences in my days as a teacher (never knowing for sure what to expect) and I get that everyday as a mom. Somedays are quite easy and it is playtime all day, while others may involve teething or a stuffy nose and require a lot more cuddles and naps. So one year has blown by and I feel like I have experienced and learned more in this year than maybe I did in 4 years of college:) And I would not do anything different.
As always I thought I would just share some of my highlights from the year with Tian. 1. 1st Christmas - Tian actually was able to rip open his gifts even though he may not have quite understood what the presents were. He also enjoyed looking at the tree and all the decorations. I look forward to this Christmas where he understands his presents a little more and gets to help decorate ALTHOUGH we won't be able to put out all the decorations for safety reasons. 2. Trips around the eastern US - We had some great times taking Tian to places during the past year. One highlight was Aunt Manny and Uncle Josh's wedding in Ohio when Tian was only 6 weeks old! He was a wonderful traveler and a great ring bearer. We even took another trip to Ohio in the summer when Tian was a little bit older to visit with Aunt Manny, Uncle Josh and Uncle Adam. We also had a great time in Hilton Head South Carolina with the Hertleins and Rehobath Beach Delaware with the Mouers. Tian seemed to love the beach and so did mama and dada. 3. Crawling and Walking - I never realized how much a baby accomplishes in their first year of life but these 2 things were amazing to watch. With Tian crawling and walking so quickly though it seems like I only had a tiny baby for a very short amount of time and I already feel like he is acting like a toddler even before he should be! 4. Smiling and laughing - I do love the smiles and laughs I am getting now rather than the blank baby stare:) Mornings are so much fun because Tian seems to wakeup with a big smile on his face everyday. I am going to enjoy those days as long as I can. And nothing is better than the baby giggles when I am able to do something silly to make him laugh. 5. Trying new foods - I have really enjoyed making baby food for Tian and have him try new foods. At first it was just new fruits and vegetables but more recently it has gotten really fun as I have been able to make him blueberry french toast and homemade spaghetti. I am really looking forward to making him special recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And I can't wait to get some cookie cutters to make fun shapes with his food. 6. Swimming - Probably one of my favorite things we did all summer was go to the pool. It was a lot of fun taking Tian in the pool with me and getting him used to the water. By the end of the summer he was doing a great job walking in the baby pool. I can't wait until next summer when he is even more into it. 7. Traveling to visit grandparents - It is always fun to go see the grandparents and it has been even more fun lately seeing Tian light up to see them. One of my favorite moments has been seeing him ride on the tractor with my dad and get so excited about it. So while everyday has been a special day and everyday has brought many highlights and fun, those are just a few of some of the things that stand out. I have absolutely had a wonderful year with my 1 year old and look forward to another one. Happy 1st Birthday Tian!!!!!
#12 Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder These feeders were really great in the early stages of introducing solid foods to Tian. I put frozen food ice cubes in these and was able to have 20 minutes to eat my own food while Tian worked on these. They also were great to use with frozen food cubes when Tian was teething.
#11 Around the House Plastic Tub for Bathing We decided not to buy a typical baby bathtub to use with Tian and instead just tried a small plastic tub we had around the house. At first we bought an infant comfy bath sponge to put down in the tub when he was super little but eventually we just went to using the tub and it has worked great! And we are still using it at 1 year of age and will continue until he grows out of it.
#10 Youtube Videos
I didn't spend much money if any on baby videos to put on to amuse Tian for hours at a time. While I thought the Baby Einstein videos were cool I really couldn't bring myself to pay $20 or so per video. So instead I found pulling up short videos on www.youtube.com became a great way for Tian to spend short amounts of time occupied by himself with me able to get some stuff done i.e. get myself ready for the day. One of his all-time favorites seems to be Will I Am singing on Sesame Street. Check out the above link for that.
#9 Favorite Toys Little Tikes Pop Tunes Big Rocker Guitar IKEA EKORRE Toddle wagon/walker While Tian has a lot of toys he doesn't exactly play with many of them. Out of all of them however these 2 items seem to have been great hits. One was purchased for 25cents at a yard sale and the other $19.99 at IKEA. Great deals and great hits with this picky toy player. The push cart was especially great in helping him learn how to walk.
#8 Salvation Army Thrift Store and Goodwill I think it is pretty ridiculous to pay $20 for a pair of baby jeans so one of my favorite stores I have begun to hit more and more is the Salvation Army Family Store and Goodwill. I have found clothes for Tian that are basically brand new and in excellent condition - jeans, t-shirts, sweatshirts, shoes, coats, a snowsuit and toys too. My favorite day is Wednesday when all clothing and shoes is 50% off at the Salvation Army Store!!!!
#7 OXO Tot Baby Food Freezer Tray These trays have been super helpful in making baby food for Tian. I love the lids and how easy it is to just fill them with the food, put the lid on and freeze them without worries until emptying them into freezer bags. While regular ice cube trays could definetly work the convience of these trays with lids is well worth it.
#6 Rumparooz Cloth diapering has gone quite well with Tian but if I could do it all over again I would change one thing and get ALL Rumparooz diapers. I went ahead and purchased several types of cloth diapers to try and while several of the other types were OK the Rumparooz turned out to be the VERY BEST and we love them. The snaps are better than the velcro however as the velcro does seem to wear out but the Rumparooz rarely if ever leaked and were great quality. So for me the ideal cloth diaper experience would be all snap Rumparooz.
#5 Planet Wise Diaper Pail Liner and Diaper Dekor Plus Diaper Disposal System My husband and I came up with this system for storing the dirty cloth diapers and it has worked beautifully. No dirty diaper smell in our bathroom and super easy to use. Just pull out the diaper pail liner when it is full and take the whole thing to the wash and wash the pail liner right with the diapers. I would say when the pail liner is in the diaper pail it holds about 15 diapers before needing to put in another pail liner so I purchased two to just go back and forth with.
#4 BabySmart Cooshee Changer This was a wonderful purchase for a diaper changing station. No washing of sheets required just a Clorox wipe every so often to wipe it down. If an accident does happen while changing baby, once again just a quick wipe with a Clorox wipe or wipe. And it is super soft and comfy for baby to lay on even though my now almost toddler continues to fight every diaper change.
#3 Baby Bjorn Smart Potty Since our intention was to have Tian start sitting on the potty as soon as he was able to sit by himself we wanted to make sure we got him something comfortable and his size. This potty has worked great and Tian continues to like sitting on it and reading his books while going potty very regurlarly now:)
#2 Books Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding (La Leche League International Book) The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two by William Sears While I am a big fan of the internet and find out a lot of information just by searching on the web I do like to have some good book sources on hand anyway. The above mentioned books were well worth their purchase and very useful in this first year of raising a baby. I found the super baby food book very helpful on how to make baby food and the amount of food to feed baby and look forward to trying a lot of the recipes for meals for my soon to be toddler. The breastfeeding book was very encouraging in making sure I was doing everything right with breastfeeding and when I had some difficulty early on it was very useful to go to and find out what exactly was the problem and how to fix it. And the baby book was great to read and make sure we were doing everything right with an infant and to make sure Tian was developing ok during his first year. All are great reads and I highly recommend them all.
#1 Troy (Husband) And of course I couldn't have done without my #1 help Troy my husband. From help with diaper changes, to mid-night going back to sleep rockings, to playtime so mommy can give music lessons, to all the household help including changing cat litter - definetly the #1 thing I couldn't have done without in Tian's first year was Troy:) Love ya Troy!
While it feels like just yesterday I was sitting here feeling bloated, tired,like I was carrying a watermelon and getting kicked at all hours of the day AND night it also feels like Tian has been with us forever. I can't remember what it was like when he wasn't here in my life.
11 months have flown and at times maybe dragged a bit (like the days I chase him all over the house from 7am - 7pm.........very minimal naps). But every minute has been wonderful and everday brings a new highlight and momentous occasion i.e. saying mama and dada or taking that first step or wanting to feed himself.
Some of the highlights from the past month have been the following. 1. Tian is now walking like a pro. His balance is excellent and he has very few falls throughout the day. He is constantly on the go! 2. While still only 1 tooth is visible there are signs of about 3 more teeth coming in soon........no more snaggle tooth:( 3. Tian loves finger foods and feeding himself. Usually this includes bananas, peaches and other types of soft fruits and more recently scrambled eggs. He is also wanting to try and use the spoon more by himself so we are trying to suck it up and let him even though the mess isn't always fun. 4. It is evident that Tian is expanding his vocabulary and understanding a lot of words. He knows bathtime because every night when we start singing the bathtime song he crawls up the steps and pulls open the shower curtain. Just the other day for Troy he crawled up the steps and went to his potty when Troy told him to go potty.
In just a little over 30 days Tian will turn 1. Somedays I sit back (when I get a moment) and think about how quickly he was a baby and how I will miss it. But then he comes waddling over to me with his arms out and a big smile to give me a kiss and I think why would I want anything but this. And I have a feeling I will feel like that when he is 2 and talking my ear off and when he is 3 and wanting to show me his latest drawing or when he is 8 waving at me from the soccer field. I don't know about those teenage years though:) we will wait to see when those come!
Where do the months go. I can't believe 10 months ago I was delivering a tiny baby and today I have a small child starting to take steps without any help. My baby is growing up! I think this is one thing I never thought of - how fast the time goes and how quickly they go from babies to toddlers to kids and OH NO! teens!:) All I can do is sit here in the moment and enjoy every new day I get with my boy. I am finding that every moment and every day is just as special as the last with much to look forward to and much to look back on and feel blessed.
Tian is up to his usual tricks lately. Trying to be a big boy before I am ready for it. He has taken 4-5 steps on his own and seems to want to try and walk places now more than crawl. He continues to talk to and try and pet the cats to no avail. They continue to run away as soon as he starts reaching his hand out and screaming at them. (We are working on soft talk and being gentle with them.) One of Tian's new favorite things is finger foods and SNACKS! He seems to know the words Puffs and Snacks and starts opening and shutting his mouth when he hears these words. He loves Puffs, freeze dried yogurt, watermelon, pear pieces, raspberries, etc. He is quite the eater. Tian has also learned how to say both dada and mama now and seems to know who is who:) When he is tired or hungry = MAMA. When he wants to play and when he wakes up first thing in the morning = DADA. While he still is not doing and sign language back to us we continue to try and teach him words this way. I am hoping one of these days he will wake up and all day long just sign this and that like he has been storing it up in there or something. But regardless.....he seems to know the words kitty, food, juice, and potty too. And my favorite is now when he has to go poo poo on the potty he starts to grunt, stops, looks at me to make sure he has my attention, grunts again and when I say poo poo or potty he gets all excited. Good enough communication to me that he needs to go:) One of our favorite things to do lately is go to the pool. It is so neat to have an infant in the summertime and try to find things to do with them outside. It is like being a kid all over again. Tian loves the kiddy pool and even more the big pool when I take him in with me or in his floaty. No matter how cold the water is he is smiling and splashing. I think he will have lots of days at the pool in the future - and me too! We have also been having a great time teaching an infant music class together. A way I have been able to use my music education degree and a way for Tian to get out and meet other infants, socialize and play some shakers too! It has been a blast and we look forward to teaching some more classes together in the future! So with 10 months here all I can say once again is what a wonderful thing to be a mom!
With the final season of the Oprah Winfrey show this spring it was only fitting that Oprah (the guinea pig) decided to make this her final season as well. Today June 6, 2011 around 6:00pm Oprah took her last breath and was buried in our backyard. Oprah came to live with me almost 5 years ago - not intentionally - but more out of duty. After brainstorming with my younger sister for many days as to what to get our brother for his birthday my sister said "I got it. The perfect gift would be a guinea pig. A soft, furry pet that Adam can hold and pet but would not be much work to care for." So after agreeing with her that maybe it was an ok idea we contacted my mom who found a "guinea pig breeder" and off we went to pick her up. When we picked her up I have to admit she was pretty cute and I was excited for my brother. It seemed like we had gotten him the perfect gift. We loaded the cage in my car, told him we were coming over for a birtday celebration and knocked on the door. Needless to say we pretty much knew right away how excited he was by the look on his face when we shouted Happy Birthday and showed him his new birthday gift. A mixture of shock, diappointment and maybe a little bit of disgust towards this furry little creature. He decided to try it out for a week or two (probably just to make us feel a little better about getting him such a crappy gift) but after she chewed several tv wires, computer wires and he found out he was allergic to her she became my new pet. But not without Adam giving her a name that I decided to stick with Oprah. While I would have never gotten a guinea pig for myself the experience of having one for a pet was special. It was really cool to just go to the fridge and pull out some fresh fruit and lettuce and watch her chow down. Her vocalizations (that really sounded like a squelling pig) were very amusing and comical. When I was still single and living alone her squelling was nice to hear in a quiet house. And the times she raced around her cage full speed either because she had too many blueberries or to get excercise always caused me to smile. She also provided much amusement for my 2 cats and more recently my 9 month old infant. So Oprah thank you for bringing laughter and amusement into my life in an unplanned, unexpected way. You were a great pet and will always be remembered. P.S. Thank you Troy (my husband) for the many cage changes and feedings over these past several years Oprah lived with us.
9 months ago today at about this time I was sitting on the couch having contractions about 6 minutes apart and getting excited to see my baby for the first time.
Today I am sitting on the couch holding my baby as he drifts off to sleep and marvelling at how much has happened over the last 9 months.
My baby has turned into a much bigger baby now crawling everywhere, standing up on everything and even starting to walk while holding on to things. (He especially loves to walk with his little blue push cart.) No longer is he a little baby that needs held constantly and snuggled (although luckily he stills likes those things some) now he is my "little buddy". Going from room to room with me as I clean house. Or sitting on the rug by my side playing with toys while I fold laundry. Or helping me teach a baby music class to other boys and girls. He does everything with me and goes everywhere with me.
My days are filled with fun and wonder as I watch him experiment with new things for the first time. And get a big smile at discovering how to make mommy laugh. Or giggling at funny sounds I make.
I am realizing that being a mom is wonderful! My job is no longer just a "teacher". I am a comedian, a cook, a nurse, and of course a teacher. And I love every aspect of it - even the late night drill sergeant role when it comes time for bedtime.
So I wanted to blog about this so #1 others can share the experience and #2 so I actually have a record of what is currently happening with Tian and THE POTTY.
That's right THE POTTY.......Tian just turned 8 months and for about 2 months now he has been sitting on his potty. BUT not just sitting.......actually going to the bathroom.
For a month and a half now I have had to wash very few (probably 5 poopy diapers - I am cloth diapering) and the diapers are starting to get less wet now.
How did this happen you may ask?
Well it all started with a book "Diaper free before three" that I read. And then running into another mom at a sign language class who confirmed that she is using this same approach "And it works". And finally reading some blogs about other mothers trying the same thing.
So I figured why not what will it hurt. I just start by sitting him on his potty a couple times a day to get him used to sitting on something. (I waited until he was sitting up on his own which was around 6 months). I would just sit him on the potty and give him some toys to play with or read some books. He thought this was fun! We would sit there for maybe 10-15 minutes and just play. I would sit him on the potty first thing in the morning upon waking and then during diaper changes. Some moms leave the diaper on at first and just sit them on the pot. I don't know if I was just being risky or what but I just sat him on there without anything on. He seems to like being naked anyway:) I also started trying to communicate with him while he was on the potty by doing the sign language sign for potty and making bathroom noises such as grunting and "ssssssss". And before I knew what was happening I looked in the potty after the first couple of times and there it was.
So what has happened since.......Tian continues to go poo every morning upon waking......that's right.....every morning like clockwork. Then throughout the day I sometimes catch him stopping and starting to "grunt". We race to the potty and he once again poos on the potty. I also set him on during diaper changes and many times he will just pee. Diaper changes after lunch and dinner have been good timed opportunities for him to also poo/pee.
So while I wouldn't say Tian is potty trained I would say he is getting used to sitting on the potty and actually starting to get excited about it. Everytime he uses his potty I praise him highly and now he has started to show signs of excitement when he goes - waving his hands and clapping!
As I have read starting this early can be great for many reasons but one being giving the child a positive experience with the toilet early on so when they hit the "terrible twos" or time of rebelling it isn't so hard. I can definetly see the positive thing happening at this point.
And if nothing else it is making diaper changing and cleaning a lot easier!
Well initially I was going to just post every other month because it seems hard to find the time to sit down and write a post with a new found crawler. But since he is currently napping and I have some free time I decided I guess it wouldn't hurt to go ahead and break tradition and just post a 7 month post.
A lot has happened during Tian's 7 month too so I guess it would be nice to share it - and also nice for him to look back at someday and read.
During this month of April Tian had the chance to go to the ocean for the 1st time on a family vacation with the Hertlein family - Nana, Papa, Uncle Adam, Aunt Manny and Uncle Josh. We had a wonderful time in Hilton Head, SC and probably Tian's favorite thing was swimming in the pool for the first time. There were lots of laughs and giggles. He also got to enjoy some time on the beach and looking at the ocean.
Tian also learned how to change from an army crawl (which he started late 5 months) into the real thing. This happened around mid 7 months and since then he has been crawling everywhere and not getting so worn out! Besides the crawling another favorite thing is pulling himself up to stand on everything (which he started early 6 months). Now he is able to move from one thing to another while standing and walk along things while holding on. He also does a great job of getting down from standing and has learned to slowly fall on his bottom while still holding on. It amazes me each day how quickly he learns these things and remembers how to do them and just keeps getting better and better. He is growing into a little man:)
He is eating quite a variety of foods now too - bananas, mangos, apples, pears, carrots, green beans, peas, broccoli, sweet potatoes, squash, rice cereal, oatmeal cereal, tofu, avocados. And he seems to love everything but the peas. So I just decided to mix the peas in with some other veggies and voila - He loves his peas now too. Soon we will be trying meat.
Everyday is a new adventure for Tian and mommy. We have a lot of fun going out shopping, staying home exploring the house (the toys just sit there while Tian opens all the drawers in the house to see what is inside) and playing instruments to get ready for our baby music class we are going to teach in a couple weeks. And soon we are really looking forward to going to the pool!
This month has been a reall treat and a lot of fun and I look forward to the next:)
So last year at this time I guess I could have been considered a mother since Tian Elliot was 5 months old inside my belly........however as another mom told me you really don't understand the whole Mother's Day thing until they are born.
And so Happy Mother's Day to me for the 1st time this year!
So I thought for my first Mother's Day post I would share some of the reasons why I love being a new mom.
#1 - Enjoying getting up at 6am.....I mean 5:45am..... because I get to see the smiling, wide awake face of my son.
#2 - Seeing the laughs and hearing the giggles when I am making a complete fool of myself.
#3 - Getting those first slobbering kisses.
#4 - Watching my baby grow up and learn new things everyday.
#5 - Getting to play with toys again.
All I can say is I can't imagine not having this joy in my life of being a mother and I look forward to many more Mother's Days to come.
Also Happy Mother's Day to 2 great Gran-moms' - Nana Hertlein and Nanny Mouer!
Thanks to 2 great mom's that did a great job raising their babies!
September - March can seem like a really long time and yet a really fast time. I remember when I was a teacher and September - March seemed REALLY long especially at the beginning of a new school year in September AND during those long winter months of January and February. But I also remember how fast it went by and once March arrive looking back and thinking where did the time go.
And so that feeling continues in my life with the arrival of my 1st baby on September 3rd. It seems like just yesterday I was waking up on September 3rd with contractions and sitting with my sister waiting for my husband to get home to take me to the hospital for the arrival of our baby. And it seems like just yesterday I was hold a week old baby in the rocking chair while he slept in my arms. AND YET it feels like I have had this little baby boy with me forever and don't even remember what it was like without him. I can't imagine him never being here.
Now I hold a 6 month old in my arms (doubled in size) and am loving every moment of it because I realize that although it may seem like forever until he is able to walk, talk, run, go to school, get married..........IT IS GOING TO GO FAST! So I am treasuring EVERY moment that I get to spend with him - even when I am tired and cranky, unshowered or showered, busy or free. I want to be a part of every moment with my little boy and enjoy the days, months and years.
Thank you God for giving me this wonderful boy and thank you Troy (daddy) for the opportunity to be able to stay home with him on a daily basis and take care of him:)
Several days ago I got to feed my baby solid foods for the first time. How much fun! After several weeks of turning to find Tian staring at me while I ate breakfast, lunch and dinner - and then noticing him trying to reach out and grab what mommy was eating - and realizing he was sitting up in his high chair really well - I decided it was time to try some solid food. And the choice - BANANA!
How precious to see him open his mouth wide and reach for the spoon on that first spoonful. And after the initial "poopy" face of uncertainity came the big smile after mommy assured that it was YUMMY! Then he couldn't get enough banana.
So I continue to be excited to see how he continues to eat and does with new food. Just today he tried a little avacado and success again.
Being a mommy is the most exciting and fun-filled job!
