My First Year as a Mama

And just like that my baby is One! I have officially  been a Mom for a whole year and I can honestly say I have learned more in this one year than in many others combined.

I've learned how to make my own baby food, how to put a child in a car seat, how to work several strollers, how to pump, how to breastfeed, how to store breastmilk, how to change the diaper of a moving child, how to pack a diaper bag, what to never forget to put in a diaper bag, how to assemble a high chair, how to wear a baby carrier, how to baby proof a house and then do it again and again, how to give myself grace, how to sterilize bottles, how to be a working Mom, how to entertain a busy baby, how to balance being a Mom, Wife, Sister and friend, how to sleep train a baby and how to love someone else with my whole heart. Many of these are lessons I'm still learning, but I will forever be a work in progress and I'm okay with that.

It's been a year of great joy, of giving my worries over to God, of letting others cook and clean for me, of sacrificing and hard work, but also of feeling more loved than I ever have before.

When Aiden says Mama and looks at me with those puppy dog brown eyes, I can't help but smile and thank God for the biggest blessing of my life. But it's such a bittersweet time. I'm loving watching Aiden grow and do new big kid things, but I'm sad he's not my little squishy newborn anymore. (See below. Aw!) The last few days have been extremely emotional ones for me. I've been smiling big watching him do new things and then the next minute I'm squeezing him close to me and getting weepy because he is growing up too fast. Everyday he needs me less and less, but I have to be okay with that. I'll keep giving him my best each day and loving him with all that I have.

Happy birthday to the boy who made me a Mom. I am forever grateful.

Dear Baby Boy {A letter to my almost 1 year old}

Dear Baby Boy,
The last year with you has been the best year of my life. I wouldn't change a single thing about you or the time we have shared together...except maybe that time would slow down. Because of you I am a stronger woman, a more loving woman and most definitely a more patient woman. Every night when I put you in your crib I thank God for sending you to me and I want every moment with you to be etched in my mind forever. Here are some things I love about you as an almost one year old...

Your furrowed brow and those big brown eyes melt my heart.
The way you study things so intently.
Your love of reading and how your little fingers turn the pages.
The way your hair curls up when you get sweaty.
The way you smile and bounce when you hear the Thomas theme song.
Your face when I get home from work and the way your little legs start kicking when you see me.

The feel of your fingers touching my face.
When your little arms wrap around me tightly when you are afraid or nervous.
Your belly laugh.
The way you demand Apples 24/7.
The way you make me feel like you missed me when I come get you out of your crib in the morning.
Your hairline (never could I have imagined how much I would love someone's hair line. Ha)
The way you smell after a bath.
The sound of your voice when you say "Mama."

Your brave spirit. You are fearless my little man.

How much you love animals (your kitties in particular!)

The way your face scrunches up when you are really happy about something.

Your little toes.

The sound of your laugh.

How laid back and easy going you are. You have made every transition so easy!

The sound of your little voice when you say "Hi!"

How you stick your tongue out at me every time we look in the bathroom mirror.

The way you pick up your stuffed fox and drag it around your crib with you.

The way you look when you sleep with your little butt up in the air.
Your mischievous grin when you are up to no good.
How incredibly smart you are! You pick up on things so quickly.
That gummy smile of yours.
The way you make me feel like the most loved mama in the whole world!

You have been worth every sleepless night, every dirty diaper, every load of laundry, every turned over basket of toys, every pair of broken sunglasses and every work pump session.

Thank you for making me a mama and for trusting me to take care of you. You will forever by my baby boy. I love you to the moon and back.

Love Always,

Your Very Thankful Mama

My Mom Uniform

Lately my go to outfits are comfortable and simple and I'm drawn to everything that says any version of MOM on it. My go to sweatshirt lately is my Mama hoodie from The Blue Envelope. Add a chunky scarf, my TOMS and throw my hair up in a top knot and I'm out the door with my favorite sidekick.

Here are some other shirts I would love to add to my Mom uniform...

The Mama Bee shirt collection from Annabee
The entire Mama Bear collection from Loved By Hanna And Eli
The Best Job Ever shirt from Ezra and Eli
Top Knot, Yoga Pants, Coffee, Bring it on from Jumping Jack
The Mombie shirt from Still Rad Clothing
Mama All Day shirt from Little Arrow and Co.

A week to stick your tongue out at

Last week was tough. My Mom had to be taken to the ER last Sunday night after not being able to breathe and was in the hospital for 8 days straight. My little sister came in from out of town to be with her and was then in a car accident totaling her (new to her) car. Thankfully they are both okay, but it was one of the scariest and most stressful weeks I've yet to face.

So even though last week was terrible, I have so much to be thankful for. I have the most loving and supportive family ever,  Fall is here and at the very top of my list...my little sidekick has a new trick. Every single time we walk into the bathroom and he sees the mirror, he sticks out his tongue and laughs. Now how can you not smile about that?

Aiden {11 months}

My little bitty baby is now looking and acting so much more like a little man. He is 11 months old and is so much fun to play with these days. His favorite things lately are wagon rides in his red Radio Flyer wagon, eating and saying Apple and saying Hi to every person and animal he meets.

He is very chatty and has increased his vocabulary this month. He is saying Apple, Banana, Kitty, Hi, Night night, Bye, Brown bear, Mama, Dada and I swear he says Happy Birthday. He is signing "more" for everything. It has been so cool to watch him transfer signing more for food into now signing more for when he wants other things, "more wagon ride, more books and even to me...more milk." It really is so cool to watch his brain making connections.

My favorite time of day (on the days I work) is when I come home and see him waiting for me at the door. He gets the biggest grin on his face, says Mama and jumps up and down until I snatch him up. I have never felt more loved. He makes me melt.

Being outside is still his favorite thing. We take lots of walks to the library and park near our house and he especially loves swinging. He still loves Thomas the Train and hums along when the theme song comes on. He gives me this look like "hey, I know this song, don't you?" He is just the sweetest and smartest baby ever, but I'm not biased at all.

A few stats about Aiden at eleven months:

Weight: 20 pounds

Height: 28 inches

Size Clothes: 12 month outfits are still a little big so he's still in 9-12 month clothes and size 3 diapers.

Sleeping: VICTORY! This month after Aiden got a cold and reverted back to wanting me to feed him every few hours I finally said enough and looked into sleep training. In the previous months I had taken small steps like creating a bed time routine and giving him a lovey to sleep with and those things all helped, but Aiden was still not sleeping for more than 5-6 hours a night consistently and it was taking me about about an hour to get him to bed each night. I still didn't like the idea of having him cry it out so I decided on a mix between the Ferber Method and the Pantley Method and after night number 1, Aiden realized he liked to sleep and slept from 7:30-5. The next night was easier and better and he slept longer and these last few weeks have been amazing in the sleep department. Sleep training worked and I am a new woman. Now someone please tell me why I waited so long!!!!

Eating: He's eating 3 meals a day and is eating lots of big boy food, but still no honey, strawberries, peanut butter, tomatoes, etc. Just trying to put lots of healthy clean goodness in his body. His favorites right now are spaghetti, apples, and a pumpkin-apple quinoa I've been making lately.

Random stuff only parents want to know:

Nicknames: Pumpkin, Beebo, Baby hunny, little man.

Likes: Signing "more," apples and bananas, saying hiiiiii to his kitties, walking behind his push toy, being read to.

Dislikes: Being overtired, when Mama has to work.

         One Month Update          Two Month Update         Three Month Update        Four Month Update

         Five Month Update          Six Month Update         Seven Month Update        Eight Month Update

         Nine Month Update          Ten Month Update         Eleven Month Update                 

The importance of GIVING in a friendship

The older I get, the busier life gets and the more I truly appreciate other people's time. The time you give away is truly a gift. As a Mama, my time with my baby and my husband are precious. While my friendships remain very important to me, my time is divided differently now. While I still do my best to have girl's nights and celebrate the important events of my close friends lives, I will admit that I can't give away my time as freely as I once did and I have to choose to be okay with that.

All that being said, it is for these reasons that I truly appreciate when people sacrifice their time to be a part of my life. A few weeks ago my college roommate traveled from Indianapolis with her almost 4 year old and her 7 month old to spend the day with Aiden and I and that meant the world to me.

We ate a delicious lunch outside, walked and played at the park with our boys and then ate ice cream. It was such a sweet day and it made me realize just how much I value my friends and the time they give up to spend with me and my little family. If you have friends like this, treasure them. One way to make any of your Mama friends hearts grow 3 sizes bigger is to make time to get to know their kids and love on them!

How do you invest in the lives of your friends who are Mamas?

Hello October, Goodbye September!

Hello October, Goodbye September!

Hello sweaters, scarves and boots, Goodbye shorts and flip flops.

Hello to having a 1 year old, Goodbye wittle bitty baby Aiden. Boo hoo.

Hello to Aiden's first official Halloween. I can't wait to put him in his costume!!!

Hello Pumpkin Beer. I missed you last year!

Hello Baby Jeans and Flannel, Goodbye Baby Swim Trunks and Sunglasses.

Hello Apple Orchards and Pumpkin Patches, Goodbye Splash Park.

Hello to planning a first birthday party!

Hello Haunted houses, Goodbye theme parks.

Hello to sleep training and Aiden sleeping through the night. Goodbye sleepless nights (for now.)

Hello The Lake House, Goodbye waiting for a new Kate Morton book.

Hello new carpeted basement, Goodbye cement floors and wood paneling.

Hello Husband, Goodbye to another season coaching football.

Hello Apple cider and warm cinnamon donuts!

What are you saying Hello to this October?

Use the button below or link back to this post if you want to do your own Hello, Goodbye post!

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