Love Letter No. 1

I pick you up from your crib when you cry out in the middle of the night and I see the tear stain on your pink little cheek. As I wipe the tear away we walk together to the rocking chair, me holding you, with your head fitting perfectly on my shoulder. I hum to you the sweet songs of how much I love you, your breathing patterns slowly start to slow down to match mine and I feel your heartbeat against my chest. As the sniffles start to die away your stunning blue eyes flutter shut and with every blink your eyelids get heavier and heavier. The next thing I know you have drifted off to sleep and I know you are having sweet dreams because I see a smile cross your face as your eyelids twitch mid-slumber. I realize that you will not always be this little so I hug you tight against me. In just a few short years you will wiggle away from my hugs and kisses, and one day you will hold ME in YOUR arms. Rocking you to sleep is not a chore to me, it is a privilege. I shuffle back to your crib and kiss your forehead and breathe in your sweet smell. One more hug before I gently lay you in your bed. As I touch your angel face I tell you I love you. You quietly stir at my touch and roll over to your belly. One last look before I leave you to dream and I realize that this is what i was always meant to do. I was born to be your mom.

So once again I have neglected my blog. I hope you're not mad. To catch you up, we are still staying with my parents. Josh has lost his job, and at the moment we are both jobless and searching for jobs with no success. Bryant has learned to stand on his own and is getting a lot of teeth. I tell you, those teeth of his are brutal! I thought he bit through my fingernail last night! I hesitate to put any part of my body in front of his mouth now. He LOVES food. Just like his mommy and daddy, he will be a foodie. His bright blue eyes light up when he sees a plate of food being prepared. I don't blame him though. To him, each new taste is a new adventure. The boy loves lemons! What baby not only likes but LOVES lemons? I have been baking my booty off these last few weeks. When I am in the kitchen I have a little monkey-man attached to my leg. He is not interested in the plastic containers I give him to bang and throw around. He wants to see what sweet concoction mommy is making. He is my little chef, I call him the cake baby. I like to let him feel the flour, and sugar, and other dry ingredients. I let him watch me mix, and whisk. He bangs on the oven door with impatience when I need to get the cakes out of the oven. I cannot wait to see if he will be a baker when he grows up!

It's been awhile

So, it has been almost a month since my last blog. I have been neglecting my writing because honestly I did not feel very positive about the way things have been working out recently. Our job situation has not been the greatest lately, and unfortunately we are having to move to my parent's home for a few months until we can get things worked out again. I feel this will benefit us in the long run. With all of the bad news lately, I feel that it is so hard to concentrate on the little things, but even as I type, I find myself disagreeing with myself. I can always find joy in my son, and the things he learns and does daily. This time in our lives is very humbling and is proving to be difficult to stay positive, but it is also providing my family with a fresh start and brand new outlook on our short term and long term goals.

Through this entire month, I have felt a peace about the situations that have been brought forth in this economy's fragile state...I wont pretend I haven't lost sleep or fretted to the point of tears, but there has always been a peace. The peace I find is in God and all of the ways He provides for me and my family. We have yet to do without anything we need. I have the most wonderful family and friends anyone could ask for. We have had groceries given to us, somehow our utility bill was paid...and I still haven't been able to figure out how, our landlord is more understanding than I could ever expect her to be, we have the most amazing neighbors, and we have prayer warriors continuously praying for us. All in all I have to say we are beyond blessed even in our trials. Sometimes you have to step back and look at the grand scheme of things to truly see all of the goodness in your life.

In the past month my son has become an entirely different person. His personality has grown so much. He is crawling (with some encouragement), he has cut two teeth, and he will be six months old in two days! Bryant crawled for the very first time while the three of us were sitting on the couch. Bryant was looking at me and I could tell he was hungry, I told him to come to me and he crawled from Josh's lap across the couch to me. I cried like a baby! It still amazes me that the tiny life that started in my belly just last year has learned so much and grown so much. I cried because I am so proud of him, because time has flown by so fast, because I worry for his future, because I am so emotional now that I am a mom, and because he is becoming more and more of and individual daily. Teething has been a little difficult but Bryant is a champ and has handled it relatively well. I tell you though, his chompers are sharp! I am hesitant to put my fingers within biting distance of him anymore. For Bryant's six month birthday I will be making him some kind of baby friendly cake, I haven't decided exactly what yet. But it will be in the form of a half cake...for his half birthday...get it? I will definitely post some pictures of the cutie.

In the past month I have learned so much. About faith. About my son. About me and Josh and the wonderful relationship we have in spite of stress. About how things always tend to work out, but not always how you want. To my readers, is there any advice you would share with families who are having a tough time in a recovering economy? Do you have a story about hard times in your life that you learned from? How do you find joy when it seems like nothing will work out?

This is my reason for everything I do. :)

Mothers

Mommy Moment #1132: When I was at the grocery store this past Saturday buying diapers, the cashier looked down at my purchase of Huggies and wished me a Happy Mother's Day. It felt so odd to be recognized as a mother for the first time, but it also felt so great!

This past Sunday was the first time that I had the privilege to be celebrated as a mother on Mother's Day. It was such a wonderful feeling. Josh built me a flower box for our single open-able window so I can grow some fresh herbs for cooking. Bryant and I napped together, it was a quiet and perfect day. I couldn't ask for a better family.

Now that I am a mom, I have an even greater appreciation for all of the mothers in my life. I was blessed to have so many female mentors to teach me and guide me and make me the woman I am today. My mother, my step mother, both of my grandmothers, countless aunts, but one lady in particular I always looked up to was my late great-grandmother. Lonnie Bell Isom was one of the strongest, sweetest, caring, honest, loving, concerned, and nurturing mothers I have ever known.

While my mother and my father worked, my grandmomma would keep me and my brother and sister. I can't remember a time in my childhood without her. Her and my grandaddy would bicker back and forth, he would send us outside to pick the pine cones up out of the yard and she would bring us some gloves because those pricks were gonna hurt our little hands. We never left her home empty handed, she would buy kit kat bars, fruit, pudding packs, and anything else our heart desired so we could pack our treats in a brown paper bag to take home with us. I miss her so much. We would sit and watch tv with her, she liked watching soap operas. She would tell me stories of her grandmother, her children, her courtin' days, her daddy...she had a way of telling stories that always kept me intrigued. Grandmomma always adored her roses, they were her pride and joy. She never raised her voice at us, not a single time, she didn't have to. She was a lady that got respect without having to ask for it. I hope to be like her, if I can be just a shadow of the lady that Lonnie Bell was, I will be doing good. I miss my grandmomma so much, but I am glad I had her around as long as I did.

Raspberries

Mommy Moment #1323: Last week Bryant learned how to "blow his tongue" at us. He sticks out his tongue and blows it, making a raspberry sound. Now when we do it to him, he does it back.

It am so in awe at how much Bryant has learned in five months, and how much I have learned in five months. I wish a lot of things that I had to learn would have been shared with me while I was pregnant. I read books and blogs constantly while I was pregnant and some things were never addressed. Now I am giving advice to my friend Jen about her pregnancy and delivery and newborn baby and I compiled this list of "10 things books won't tell you."

Most of these things people won't normally tell you. This list is made up of things I WISHED I would have been told going into my pregnancy and delivery of my son.


1.Breastfeeding isn't easy:
It will hurt a lot, and it may hurt for a long time. You may have bleeding and cracked nipples, your baby may have to be taught how to latch correctly, let down is going to be painful, you will probably have clogged ducts at some point, you could get an infection, and your going to cry...a lot. Be sure to let your partner know that HIS support for you will make all the difference. The women who succeed in breastfeeding are the ones who had the most support. During the painful days ask him to hand express your breast while you feed with the other. Just know that no matter how much pain you go through, breastfeeding is one of the most rewarding things you can do for your child.

2.Most newborn clothes will go to waste:
Do not waste your money on a bunch of newborn sized clothes, you will not use them all. I have an entire box full of newborn clothes that were not even worn. Be sure you have enough to last a month at the most, ten to fifteen outfits will be plenty. And don't try to buy dressy newborn clothes because as soon as you dress your baby he/she will pee, puke, or poop on them and you will have to change the outfit.

3.Newborn poops are noisy:
A newborn baby's first poop is called meconium. It is a tar-like black substance consisting of materials that were ingested during the time the infant spent in the womb. After that, baby's poop is pretty much liquid until he starts eating solids. Liquid poop makes lots of noise and can be forceful coming out. Beware of projectile poop while changing your baby's diaper. Be sure to put the new diaper underneath him/her so you can keep poop from going everywhere if this happens.

4.“Getting to know” baby takes a while:
It is completely normal if you have a hard time adjusting to mommy hood right after child birth. Not everything comes naturally and not everyone snaps into “mom mode” immediately. Give yourself a break and remember your body is going through a lot of hormonal changes and they should subside gradually after birth. If you feel depressed, or if you feel you want to harm yourself or your baby talk to someone. Do not feel ashamed. Sometimes women have postpartum depression and the sooner you tell someone the sooner you will feel better.

5.You will bleed postpartum:
For a few weeks you will be wearing pads and changing them so often you will feel like you are wearing diapers just like your baby. The bleeding is normal for up to three to four weeks as long as it does not get heavier. You can spot for up to six weeks. If you get the chance, lay on a towel on your bed without any panties or pads and let yourself dry out and air out. All of the moisture can cause infections if you are not careful.

6.You will hurt postpartum:
Not only will you bleed but recovery will hurt. Your uterus will continue to contract when you breastfeed especially. The first time you try to poop you will feel like you are turning inside out. You will be constipated, your back will feel out of alignment. Your shoulders will hurt. You will be emotional over every little thing. You will be sweaty, and still look about four months pregnant. It will probably burn when you pee. Your tears will hurt and burn. Your feminine area will be loose and stretched for a week or so. As stated above, your breasts and nipples will be going through hell. But believe me, it is ALL worth it. I would do it all over again if I were given the chance.

7.You wont have time for anything else:
It is so nice to think that when you come home you will have a clean house, laundry done, and dinner on the table every night. Wrong. A baby takes so much time to care for, even with two people doing it. Learn to let the housework go and rest with your baby. The housework will be there when you come back to it. And the more rest you get, the quicker you will heal.

8.You wont know what your crying baby wants:
At first you will not know the difference in your baby's cries. The more time you spend with him/her the better you will get to know them. Just remember, a low pitched cry usually means they are hungry, a high pitched cry means they are in pain (usually from gas), if the crying builds in intensity he or she is tired, and if the baby is bored it will sound like a whimper.

9.Baby might mix up night and day:
To help prevent or correct this try taking baby outside in the sunshine for a few minutes a few times a day, let her feel new textures, smell new things, and hear new noises. When it is night time keep the atmosphere sleepy. No light, no talking, giggling or singing, no loud noises. Wake her up to feed, burp, change the diaper, and immediately lay her back down. She will get the idea eventually.

10.Your sex life will change:
After having a child you will be more attracted to your lover than ever before, but for a month or more sex will be off limits. You need to obey this rule to allow your body to heal. The first time you try to have sex after you have a baby be sure to warn your partner that it may not happen completely. If you feel discomfort, stop and try again after a few more days. Once your feel comfortable enough proceed with caution, take things slow. And if it does not feel like it used to, don't worry that is normal. You will eventually get back in the groove of things and it will be better than ever!

This was written from my experience of a vaginal natural birth. What would you add for a c-section delivery? Or for those of you who had an epidural?

Wives Tales and Pregnancy Myths

Mommy Moment #1316:  I find myself telling an expectant mother the same things that I once laughed at (less than one year ago) as an expectant mother.

You know how the moment you get pregnant, people start giving you advice?  You get advice on everything from "indigestion means your baby will have a head full of hair" to "sleep now, because once the baby is here you wont" and "don't lift anything over your head or the you will choke the baby with the umbilical cord."   Many of the wives tales and myths surrounding pregnancies are obviously just that-tales and myths.  That doesn't seem to deter well-meaning friends and relatives from recounting these tales and myths over and over to you, and insisting that a pencil or needle and thread can predict the gender of your child.

The past few weeks I have found myself reminiscing about my pregnancy and recounting many moments that I remember fondly, and I start to realize that there are many things that are said that are completely true.  For example,  "you will miss being pregnant", "time will fly by", "a baby will bring the mommy and daddy closer together", "you have never known love until you have a child", "trust your instincts", and my favorite "you won't remember the pain."  I do miss being pregnant.  I miss having my baby safely in my womb where no one could harm him, I miss having that extra bond between us.  Time is moving by at the speed of light and I feel like I cannot even catch my breath some days or I will miss out on something.  Bryant has brought Josh and I closer together in a way that we never would have known without our son.  I loved many people before I became a mother, but the love I have for my son could move mountains, and calm seas if only I could harness it and use it as a form of energy.  My instincts as a mother surpasses most anything that a doctor could tell me.  And finally, my memory of the birth of my son somehow ignores all of the pain that was involved (and that is saying a lot considering I delivered him one hundred percent naturally.)

Now, when I come across a friend or loved one who is expecting their own precious angel, I find myself offering the same words of wisdom that were passed on to me not even a year ago.  I must admit that when loved ones originally shared their experiences and advice with me I doubted much of the reliability of their words.  I now know that every sentence uttered to me was completely true, and every word was spoken with love.  And you will now find me sitting right beside the pregnant lady in the room telling her everything I can remember about my own experiences, offering her as much advice as she will tolerate me giving, and recounting my own stories with a knowing twinkle in my eye that as a mother will always be there when I speak of my child/children.

Once you are a mommy, you are a lifetime member of the greatest club in the whole world.

Here are a few of my maternity photos:

Do you have any wives tales or advice to offer expectant mommies and daddies?

He gives me butterflies...

Mommy Moment #1233:  All my baby has to do is give me one little smile, and I instantly get one thousand butterflies in my tummy.  I cannot believe this perfect little person in my arms is my son.  Half me, half Josh.  I couldn't ask for more.

If you guessed from the title of this post that I would be gushing like a school girl about my love for Josh, well--you are half right.  This blog is dedicated to my son, but in recognition of how much I love my son I must make this clear.  I am totally enamored with Josh.  Someone once said, when referring to their love, "you are the butter to my bread."  I feel that way sometimes.  Without Josh I am still me, but a much more bland version of me.  Had I never met my love I would have continued in existence, and maybe have been perfectly content.  But once I found him I knew I would never be the same and could never be without him, because without him I am a butterless piece of bread.  And how can you eat bread without butter once you have had the joy of trying it WITH butter?  It just cannot be.  So Joshua, I love you, you are my butter.

With that being said, I now have a rosy cheeked, chubby legged, snorting, dimpled, angel to show for the love Josh and I share.  Every time I see my baby smile, my heart skips a beat, my tummy fills with butterflies and I am happier with every moment of the day.  I am thrilled to be a mother, and consider it a privilege to be Bryant's mommy.  Okay, enough of all the sappy stuff here is a picture of my angel. 

Not so funny.

Mommy Moment #1150:
Last week Bryant was laying in the floor with his daddy, and everytime daddy laughed, Bryant laughed.  So I decided to join in the fun with my pretend deep voice "Green Giant" laugh that I thought Bryant would love, and he started crying!  Of course this made me laugh which in turn, made Bryant laugh once more.

I guess, everyday, I am learning as much about Bryant as he is learning about me.  About two weeks ago I found out I was laid off from work.  As hard as this is on our finances, I cannot help but be thrilled with the fact that I get to spend all of my days with my favorite chubby guy.  By spending more time with Bryant I get to learn so much more about my little man.  He is so smart already.  His brain is literally a sponge soaking in everything that he sees, hears, smells, feels, and tastes.  For instance, he already knows a genuine laugh from a pretend laugh.  And let me tell you, there are no smiles from his little dimpled face unless you smile and laugh genuinely.

 As I search for a job, I find myself wishing that we were at a point in our lives that I could stay home with my baby boy,  tend to all of the chores that I could never get around to when I work, and wait for Josh to come home, instead of coming home later than him.  It never hurts to dream, right?  Oh well, back to the job hunt.  But meanwhile, time to get some more kisses and hugs from my prince...and of course the KING of the house.

I love my chubby, piggy, man.

Lift off!

Mommy Moment #1136:  I think, soon, my son with lift off like a helicoptor from the floor.  He is kicking himself into spinning circles on his back and you should see him go.  This boy is a spinning machine!

(here is a nice action shot!)


Today, I am working on-line and Bryant is on his jungle gym mat on the floor beside me.  Periodically I find my self glancing over to watch him play.  I'm telling you, he is one rowdy boy!  Every two minutes or so he has rotated one hundred and eighty degrees.  His position changes every time I look away.  When I speak to him, he gets even more excited and starts kicking his feet so hard that he is stomping them on the floor.  Not to mention how cute he looks in his pooh nightgown.  (His daddy calls it a dress, I fear that he will develop a complex.)  The most joy I have found in motherhood is not the special occasions or the moments captured in professional photography. No, the most rewarding moments in my life are the days when we as a family, do nothing.  Just sitting around, looking at each other, talking to each other in our own language, enjoying the company of our little family.

Early teething...

Mommy Moment #1256:  So, just when you think you have this mommy thing down pat, your 3 1/2 month old starts teething much earlier than you thought he would.

Bryant is only 3 1/2 months old and has started teething.  He hasn't learned to chew yet so any remedies I know of don't work because they all involve teethers, frozen washcloths, etc., etc.   The only thing that seems to console him so far is a cold bottle.  Poor guy, if I could take the pain away from him I would.  Oh, the best part is, he is teething just in time for our weekend mountain trip, that his dad will not be attending so I have my precious teething son all to myself this weekend.  Well, I say "all to myself".  I am attending a ladies retreat...all women.  Let me repeat, all women.  So I am sure that among the one hundred and fifty ladies there, there will be at least one with a comforting remedy for me.  But what to do with all of the hundreds of other tidbits of advice?  It should be an interesting weekend to say the least.

As I sit here, I become more appreciative of the silence that consumes our apartment.  For now.  As I am typing I hear him start to cry...well, time for round nine, or is it ten?  Anyhow, I will soon lose count.

To catch you up on the last three months...

My son was born December 6, 2010.  When he was about one month old, I started jotting down what I call "mommy moments".  These moments were just tidbits of information that I would notice throughout the day and keep track of since an in-depth journal is near impossible with a newborn.  But as I continue to watch my son grow I find more and more things to make note of.  And as I get more accostomed to being a mother, I find my time management skills improving, making time for a more detailed account of our day to day lives.  This first posting is a summary of the past three months with my newborn son.  As you can see, there are many milestones that have already been reached.  I will continue to add postings, and future postings will hopefully be a bit more detailed and thought out.  I hope you continue to join me in this experience.

 

Mommy Moment # 112:  Well, this Christmas season...we didn't get a tree up, totaled a car in an accident, and lost a job. BUT...we had our precious son on December 6, SURVIVED a car accident, somehow we have been provided for in every way, had our first Christmas and it was a white Christmas, families brought together for the holidays, and GOT a job. Our God is good, and I feel so blessed. Merry Christmas to you all, all year round!

Mommy Moment #123:  As I sit here reminiscing about the last ten minutes events....Josh feeding Bryant, Bryant throwing up half of his last bottle on Josh and the couch, Josh proceeding to give Bryant a bath and I clean up the disaster area, helping get Bryant ready for bed and rocking my baby to sleep...I am reminded how truly blessed and happy I am. I wouldn't trade one detail of my life...it is bliss. I love my guys.

Mommy Moment #127:  Loving being back at work...even though I miss being home. Work is good for me, getting back in the groove of things. Bryant is staying with his Pa and Gran all by himself for the first time tomorrow...if he knew what was going on I know he would be excited!

Mommy Moment #130:  Wearing my pajamas all day, making some creamy tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches in a bit. But for now I think I will have a nap with the two best guys a girl could ask for! CUDDLE TIME!

Mommy Moment #132:  According to the u.s. government my darling boy is now a person...got Bryant's social security card in the mail today...Happy I'm-finally-a-citizen day!!!!

Mommy Moment #213. Watching your dear son play in his bouncy seat, admiring how sweet he looks when all of the sudden you hear a horrific noise come from somewhere inside his pants and you wonder how can such a loud noise come from such an itty bitty guy....so you prepare yourself for the worst when you see that there is baby poo on the OUTSIDE of his diaper and on his legs! You think "Dear Lord, if it is this bad on the outside, what will it be like on the inside?!?" As you cautiously peel back his diaper you discover that there is NO POOP on is precious little bum. its magic poop that can teleport....how does that happen?

Mommy Moment #226: Waking up for your 2 o' clock feeding...as your baby finishes nursing you lay him down while you readjust for the burping. In the blink of an eye he had puked, and this puke goes two feet in the air (no kidding) and lands on me! There's nothing like baby puke down your entire left side to wake you up...I love my baby boy

Mommy Moment #256: You see your precious boy smiling at you and those dimple are oh-so-precious, then he starts snorting and rooting around. And you realize you have a chubby pink snorting rooting piggy for a son. I don't think anyone has ever loved a little piggy so much!

Mommy Moment #304: When did I realize I am really a mommy? I mean, not just a mother but a mommy? When 3 out of 4 conversations I have involve the words poo, wee-wee, and passie, all of these in a high pitched voice that I swore I would never use.

Mommy Moment #441: I realize why all baby things are made of plastic...because it is inevitable that said baby things will get puked, pooped, or peed on at some point. This discovery was made after Bryant threw up in his car seat and I realized for the first time, that the car-seat can be completely taken apart and put in the wash. Who would've guessed?

Mommy Moment #432: I have NEVER been a morning person, so when my son wakes me up much earlier than I planned on getting up on a Saturday you could say I was slightly annoyed. But when those beautiful eyes meet mine, I could care less about sleeping in.

Mommy Moment #442: I do not like feet, or anything pertaining to feet (including my own). So who would have ever thought one of my favorite parts of my baby is his cute little toes…you can be sure though that his toes are the only toes I will EVER kiss.

Mommy Moment #511: You realize babies really DO grow up fast when you start sorting through all of the newborn clothes that your baby has ALREADY grown out of. I have to admit, a little tear rolled down my face. right now I am wondering where seven weeks has gone. Tomorrow I will wonder where eighteen years has gone!!!  Mommies hold on to the precious moments, you'll never get them back.

Mommy Moment #527: Sitting here thinking over the past year, the anxiety and elation of finding out I was pregnant, my pregnancy, labor and delivery, and being a mom. A woman's body is a miracle. We are provided with a vessel to grow a life from the size of a microscopic single cell to a fully functional baby.

Mommy Moment #525: Just a year and a half ago I gave my sister a hard time for not wanting to leave her infant son with a baby sitter (or our parents for that matter), and today I understand the way she felt completely. My son left for his Pa's house at eight thirty this morning and I feel like I haven't seen him in days. And I have to go through it again on Thursday.

Mommy Moment #557: Today, I heard my mother, my father, my step-parents, my grandparents and all of my mentors' words coming out of my mouth when I was talking to my baby boy telling him he can be anything he wants to be. Anything-as long as he is 1. happy, 2. healthy, and 3. proud of what he does.

Mommy Moment #638: Having the "perfect rock", you know the one.  Perfect cradle, perfect rocking movement, just the right patting rhythm on his back, perfect song to hum, and the perfect cushioning. My baby is out-every time-in 3.5 minutes flat.

Mommy Moment #645: Despite the fact that Bryant was fussy most of the night because of gas, and the only consolation for this was sleeping on his tummy, laying on my tummy (this meant me sleeping on my back for hours, and I am NOT a back sleeper) and he still woke up every twenty minutes or so because his belly hurt, there is nothing else like waking up to your baby’s face in the morning.

Mommy Moment #650: Doing anything, and I mean ANYTHING to make your baby smile, even if it is just for a second. Anything, includes but is not limited to singing a song about a “chubby guy” that his daddy made up, making unexplainable noises is a Pee-Wee Hermon voice, and making faces that, if I were given a mirror to watch myself I would probably have to turn away.

Mommy Moment #705: Watching Bryant play on his Baby Einstein toy (compliments of Grandma Krista and Grandpa Bryan) and he smiles at the little dangling green frog. Then I realize that not only are both Josh and I watching him play, but BOTH of the cats are watching him. All eyes are on him!

Mommy Moment #711: When I was a child, I loved my toys, I thought I knew what love was. when I was twelve, I loved boy bands, I thought I knew what love was. when I was sixteen I loved my boyfriend, I thought I knew what love was. When I was twenty one I met Josh, I thought I knew what love was (and I was getting closer).  Last year I heard my baby's heartbeat for the first time, I thought I knew what love was.  But then...two months ago I laid eyes on my baby boy, and together with the love of my life we are raising our child, I now know what love is.  I love my little family!

Mommy Moment #834:  Bryant is definitely his father's son...his smile, his eyes, even when he burps. Daddy burps, then Bryant burps...so cute!

 

Mommy Moment #921: I never knew that a baby could poop HIS OWN weight...I didn't know...until today.

Mommy Moment #932:  My baby laughed at me for the first time yesterday...while I was singing...made me feel warm and fuzzy inside...but what does that say about my singing?!?

Mommy Moment #921: I was so irritated this morning because my son woke up at seven o' clock and refused to go back to sleep. After being fed, changed, and rocked he still grunted and whined when I put him back in his bed.  After fighting with him till nine o' clock I picked him up, and instantly he smiled the biggest smile I've seen yet.  He just wanted his mommy to hold him.  How can you be mad at that?

Mommy Moment #934:  Folding laundry with Josh, listening to Nora Jones, and Bryant smiling because he hears mommy and daddy singing. It is moments like these that I will treasure always.

Mommy Moment #1054: I realize, no matter how hard I try to do otherwise I HAVE to let go of the little things. I realized this while trying to pose my two month old baby for a valentine snapshot. It didn't turn out exactly like I want but it is still too cute. I just tell myself, "Let it go". this will be the hardest lesson for me to learn...

 

Mommy Moment #210:  I just got hit on for the first time since having my baby....this girl is happily OFF the market, but I still got it!

Mommy Moment #551:  How is is that my child can go all day long without, and then as soon as I come home he poos so I get to change him, talk about impeccable timing!

Mommy Moment #641:  My baby is getting so big.  Today the doctor suggested starting juice and cereal.  He's getting too big too fast.

Mommy Moment #833: As I was reading a Dr. Seuss book to Bryant last night before I put him to bed, I realized his daddy, and Aunt Banana, and Ummple Dabien (all of whom are adults) are enjoying the book more than he is!  It was such a sweet moment.

Mommy Moment #855: Bryant giggled for the first time last night, that was the best birthday present I could ever ask for!

Mommy Moment #726:  My baby ate rice "cereal" for the first time this morning. First juice, then rice, next it will be a t-bone steak!  Where has three months gone?!?

Mommy Moment #428:  You know your a momma when you try to make every single sick person you come in contact with better by making soup, suggesting medicine and forcing them to drink hot tea.  Said persons include but are not limited to, your father, your neighbor, the lady at the grocery store, and your boss...

  

Mommy Moment #1022:  It is amazing what a parent will do for one little smile or laugh.  I am sure if I were in Bryant's place I would laugh at me too.

Mommy Moment #1238:  Bryant has learned to roll over from his tummy to his back.  No more leaving him on the couch or the bed!