Charlie at 10 Months

Charlie made such a dramatic entrance into this world ten months ago that I thought I was going to in for it with him. Even the nurses commented "He is already giving you a run for your money, you better watch out!" But as it turns out Charlie is anything but drama. From the second he took his first breath he has been  laid back, calm, content and peaceful. Hard to believe we have known this sweet boy for 10 whole months already. It seems like he has been in our family forever and like he just got here all at the same time. We sure love him to pieces!

 

• Has really gotten thi sleeping thing down. He still is not a huge napper ( hour nap in the morning and MAYBE an hour nap in the afternoon...at most) but he sleeps so well and for so long at night that we are not complaining. He usually goes to bed around 6 and gets up between 6-7 am. We usually have to go in one time in the night to replace his paci,  He is back to being such a great sleeper again!


• This boy LOVES to eat. He gets a 6 oz bottle first thing in the morning and then usually eats a waffle or some fruit while we eat breakfast. He eats a jar of baby food and some table food for lunch and usually has some sort of snack in the afternoon. He like to eat supper early and usually eats 1-2 fruits, some veggies, cheese and whatever else he can get his hands on. He also gets a sippy cup of water with his meals and snacks. He wraps his night up with an 8 oz bottle as we rock him before bed. He seriously has not had a single food that he not loved.


• He claps, waves, does "so big", makes funny noises with his lips, says mama and dada and a lot of other sounds.


• He can crawl at a speed that is so crazy! He will spot something he wants and take off after it kicking up dust as he goes. He pulls up on furniture and walks along it but has no interest in standing on his own or walking yet.


• His favorite toys are things that he should not have. Things like the smallest accessories to Drake's super heros or a toy screwdriver that he shoves down his mouth. He also has a special fondness for an empty batman pez dispenser that he carries (either in his mouth or one hand) around with him while he crawls. He has hardly played with any of the baby toys that we have because he always wants to play with what Drake is playing with.


• He is wearing 12 month clothes and is not going through nearly as many outfits a day anymore since he has stopped spitting up as much (cutting down on his bottles has helped this dramatically)


• He loves his dog and brother and people in general. He has made friends with all the people we sit by at church and gets to stay in the service with us the whole time as he sits so nicely and quietly.

We are loving Charlie at this stage-so fun and full of personality- but still our baby. He really is just the sweetest baby I have ever met!

Love you CharChar!

Discomfort

I am a creature of comfort.

From the food I eat to the clothes I wear.

From the music I play to the friends I surround myself with.

All bring me comfort on some level.

Can I be honest for a second?

I LOVE comfort.

Comfort makes me feel safe and in control.

I mean after all comfort is comfortable for a reason.

This year I made a commitment to myself to live life with a little more discomfort.

To try things I would not normally do.

To leave my heart open to opportunities that may come my way that I would normally pass by.

To really feel the discomfort.

Here are a few things that I have already done on my quest to live life with a side of discomfort.

• I bought red skinny jeans. If you know me you might be surprised by that fact considering I am the girl who showed up to college with my collection of overalls.  Actually , I was even surprised by the purchase. I mean not only did I buy red skinny jeans but I bought red skinny jeans when I, myself, am not all that skinny. Discomfort.

• Ben and I joined a small group through our church. We attend church most every Sunday but a small group is something I've only been involved in once before a few years ago. Discomfort

• I am committing to loosing 30 lbs by the time I turn 30 in July. I am down almost 5 lbs but that still leaves 25 lbs to loose in the span of about 6 months. Discomfort.

• I am taking time for myself. Sometimes that means going to the gym and other times it means reading a book behind a closed door. I'm used to putting the needs of the other 3 people in my house before mine so this feels strange. Discomfort.

I know the things above are not huge things but to me they are things that are out of my comfort zone.

You know what the strange thing is?

Once I started doing some of the things above, they did not feel nearly as uncomfortable as I imagined they would.

Which actually gives me even more courage to keep finding things that cause me a bit of discomfort because in the long run they give me a lot of comfort and satisfaction.

Funny how that works out, isn't?

She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. 

Proverbs 31:25

 

My Minivan Doesn't Define Me

I told myself I would never do it.  I would avoid them at all costs.  I would drive the biggest SUV I could find before I would be forced behind the wheel of a minivan.  Minivan?!? Me? Never!!! But somehow here I am. 8 months into being a minivan owner.

The funny thing is that I can't even pinpoint the exact thing that makes me hate minivans so much. I don't think I'm too cool to drive one but it just not..."me".

I know I'm a mom. I know I have two kids. I know that two kids come with a lot of stuff. I know that strollers take up a lot of room. I know that minivans are perfect for all the above because they are practical. But I don't want to be practical when it comes to the car I drive, I want to be fun. I want to have a great sound system that makes all my favorite songs sound amazing. I want to drive something that doesn't feel like I'm backing up a semi. I want to look cool and hip (even if that sounds vain) as I drive through the McDonald's drive thru with my 2 loud kiddos.

One of my dirty little secrets is that  on my way to and from work when I'm all alone I jam out to music. I turn the volume all the way up and sing my heart out.  OK, that is a lie. I actually rap my heart out because there is still a little part of me that never left college.  Do you have any idea how weird it feel to rap in a minivan? Hint- WEIRD!

[caption id="attachment_1803" align="aligncenter" width="288"] Hanging in the Mini[/caption]

Despite my dislike for minivans I am trying to make peace with my new set of wheels. I might still call it a "mini" instead of a minivan (sounds just a little cooler). I might have picked a white one because I thought it stood out less than red or blue. I might even daydream about that cool car that I really wish I was driving. But I have come to the conclusion that my minivan does not define me, so for now I will just crank up the rap and jam out with pride.

Stretching My Writing Wings

I love writing. I love the way it makes me feel. I love the connection that it gives me to other moms. I love the memories that are preserved in my words. Writing has been such a gift in my life.

I love this little piece of the internet that is mine, but I felt like something was missing- like there was something more I could be doing with my words. This summer I found the missing piece. I became connected with the 2 founders of Des Moines Moms Blog (DMMB) and was asked to join their team as a contributor. I now write over at DMMB twice a month.

DMMB has been such a blessing in my life. I am so lucky to have met a group of amazing, beautiful, talented and encouraging woman that I am happy to call my friends. In addition, I have the opportunity to really encourage and share with other mothers which is something that is near and dear to my heart. I

really believe there is something so wonderful about moms encouraging one another and sharing the ups and downs of motherhood together. Motherhood is so fantastic and so hard and it is important to have a support system in place to connect with other women going through the same thing you are.

 So here is what I've been up to over at DMMB-

A Year of Dates

Making Christmas Traditions for Your Family

Keeping the Meaning of the Season in Gift Giving

Five Things I Have Learned as a 2nd Time Mom

I promise even if you do not live in the Des Moines area, even if you do not live in Iowa, you will find content that is relevant to your life. I am beyond proud to be part of this team and hope you will find some inspiration, comfort, encouragement and love in our words.

 

2012 Blessings

This picture pretty much sums up my 2012.

Blessings.

Joy.

Happiness.

Answered prayers.

Love.

Of course the year was not perfect, but it was pretty darn good.

Thanking God for all the blessings in my life.

Happy New Year.