First Impressions of Life with Two Under Two

No promises on how accurate these are as they are simply first impressions and not anything wise and knowledgeable. I am still way too new in the "mama of two" club to dish out any advice!

1. I really cherish a hot shower and a cup of coffee in the morning. They are like little gifts from heaven.
2. God has given us an amazing ability to love others. I fell in love with Sean instantly, but I adore Trent just as much. My cup overflows for both of them.
3. Multitasking takes on a whole new level. Nursing a baby while putting on someone else's shoes or reading a book is the new normal.
4. I have much more patience with sleepless nights and breastfeeding the second time around.
5. Diapers, Diapers, Diapers - I am thankful that newborn diapers are nowhere near the mess of the 20 month diapers.
6. I am blessed that my Mom is willing to stay with us for a week. Her help with Trent, cooking and cleaning is a godsend.
7. Jesse is an incredible dad. I'm impressed daily at how natural he has become with bonding with the boys, swaddling, changing diapers, etc.
8. My boys LOVE to eat. They are born average sized and then the race is on to get to the 90th percentile.
9. Personalities show up instantly. Trent was an easy, laid back baby. He might grumble if he was hungry or tired, but he usually didn't ramp up to screaming very quickly. Sean is feisty. He is either totally content or screaming his head off. He can go from calm to full out, high pitched scream in about 2 seconds flat. But, as soon as he's fed or his diaper is changed, he's completely content again.
10. Sibling Rivalry starts immediately. If I'm feeding Sean, Trent needs to be thisclose to my lap and having a book read to him. If I'm about to give Trent my full attention, there's a good chance that Sean will pick that as the opportune time to start yelling.

I wouldn't change a thing. I am loving life and feel so privileged to be mom to two handsome little boys. Blessed, blessed, blessed!

November - A Month of Thanksgiving

I love November. The leaves change. The weather is cooler and perfect for hot apple cider and nice warm soups. November also brings us Thanksgiving. What a great occasion to have a time a year that causes us to remember our blessings. It's so easy to get wrapped up in a poor economy or daily frustrations, but we, especially as Americans, have so many things to be thankful for.

So... today I'm thankful for my husband. He has been great about doing a lot of the housework so I can get off my feet. He's so good about playing with Trent and doing bathtime and bedtime. He's such an awesome dad. I normally rest during Trent's naptime, but being idle is hard for me. I see things that I want to get done and just do them. Unfortunately, my very pregnant body doesn't always agree with me being on the move all the time. I'm ready for this baby to come out, but I still have a few weeks left. I'm not sleeping well. Aside from the inevitable trips to the bathroom, my feet and legs have been cramping up on me. My lower back has been spasming. I have random contractions throughout the day. So, I'm attempting to take it easy so this baby makes it to full term. I'm incredibly thankful for a husband that's so supportive.

What are you thankful for today?

Pray Expecting Results

How often do we pray half heartedly, not fully expecting God to answer? Are we praying because we feel we should or in hopes that He hears us?

I've been thinking about two verses this week that really hit home with me at a bible study I'm in at church.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

Do we want God to do more than we ask or exactly what we ask and no more? God knows the ultimate plan for generations to come and yet he listens to (and answers) our prayers. We often only see a tiny little window and don't realize the much bigger picture. What a great reminder to pray with intention and expectation!

Thought of the Day

Today seems to be a particularly messy day. At various points throughout the day, I've had sidewalk chalk, grass, rocks, lunch, cleaning products, and bodily fluids (mostly toddler snot, thanks to the change in seasons) on me. In spite of all this messiness, I still believe I have the best job in the world!

Pregnancy Hormones or Odd Sentimental Attachment?

I moved into the Hillcrest dorms (boarding school) in the fall of 1997. Upon my arrival, my parents bought me a laundry basket and I wrote my name and room number in red marker on the bottom of the basket. Now fast forward almost 13 years... This weekend, we were at Walmart and decided it was time to upgrade our laundry baskets. While it'll be nice to have the sturdier, newer version that contours to my hip, it seemed so odd throwing the old one away. I'd thought about replacing it many times before (you can't hold it with one hand or all the clothes fall out), but it always seemed to do the job "good enough." Room 304 is faded now, but that laundry basket followed me through high school in Minnesota, college in Alabama, my short time of living on my own, and six years (and three moves) of married life. So, I don't know if it's the pregnancy hormones making me mushy or an odd sentimental attachment to an object that was with me through my twenties. Alas, out with the old and in with the new!

Savoring Quiet Time

Since Trent was born and I stayed home, I have made it a habit of having a little quiet time every morning while Trent takes his morning nap. Prior to being pregnant again, this usually consisted of a nice cup of Joe, curled up under a blanket, my Bible and a journal. As winter ended, a baby started developing inside me and now the mere thought of the smell of coffee makes me want to gag, my routine has changed to sitting outside with my morning protein concoction. I love these times and cherish each remaining morning as I realize that the days are numbered. Trent won't always take a morning nap and getting two babies to nap simultaneously (if even possible) is going to be a challenge. During my reading this morning, I came across the verse, "From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God." How comforting to know that God is with us, even at our most infant stage. I always worry that I am making the right decisions with my child(ren). I desire for them to grow up to be people of strong character. Every decision I make regarding discipline, values, health, etc. has an impact on them. As Chuck Swindoll said, "Each day of our lives we make deposits into the memory banks of our children." I'm so thankful that there's a God much greater than me, with a massive capacity of love and wisdom, who is also looking out for my kids!

Mom Habits

Today I was trying to clean up the house so that when Trent returns to it, he can go about life as usual and we won't have to worry about cleaning the mess up with him in it. Makes sense, right?
As I was cleaning the bathrooms, I found myself finishing the first bathroom and wondering how much time I had left to finish the second bathroom. Then it dawned on me that I didn't have a time limit today. Trent's still at Grandma's so I could clean the whole house room by room in one day. Normally, I break it down and clean during his naptimes so bathrooms get done on one day, the floors get washed on another day, etc and eventually by then end of the week, everything has been cleaned. Even with him not here though, I find myself efficiently working at the same hasty speed as when he's here (naptime only lasts so long, ya know!) There's no off switch for mom habits.

Random Tidbits of Life with A Boy

Raising a boy can be just plain funny. Yesterday, I got my haircut. It was long overdue. I hadn't had a haircut since August so I had 5 inches chopped off. Now it is full of big curls and much healthier. I can barely pull it up into a ponytail. Anyway, I was going to try and keep it nice since hair salons tend to style my hair much better than I do. Trent had other plans. He's been on a wrestling kick lately. He loves to roll around on the floor with me. He'll come up and jump on top of me and then put his mouth on me (not really a bite, not really a kiss). So after wrestling for a good part of the afternoon, my hair was no longer salon chic. Nothing screams great new haircut like wrestlemania hair topped with slobbery little boy kiss-bites. A delightful sight ;)

After dinner, I gave Trent a bath. He was sitting contently, playing with his bath toys and having a good time, when he stood straight up, aimed at the tub faucet, peed, and then sat back down and starting playing with his bath toys again. Maybe you had to witness it to see the humor, but it cracked me up to see how deliberate he was in standing up and peeing on the faucet. I haven't seen him do that before!

The Breakup

Tonight was actually a tough night. Trent had his last nursing session. It has been a mutual weaning. Both of us were ready and because of that it has been a smooth transition. The last feeding to go was the one right before bedtime. It felt like a breakup tonight. It has been a crazy year with him being born, me opting to stay home, Jesse working two jobs and then quitting the second job, me starting and stopping nursing school, but through it all, Trent and I continued to breastfeed. It wasn't always easy. I had two bouts with mastitis and hated having to pump in the car while I was at school. However, it was such a bonding time for the two of us. As I left his room tonight after putting him to bed, I couldn't help but tear up. I felt like it was the first of many things where he has outgrown the need for me to help him. People tell you that kids grow up so fast, but you don't fully understand the statement until you're a parent. Trent's first birthday is a week from tomorrow. He's almost 20 pounds heavier than when we brought him home. He's walking and starting to talk. He understands when you talk to him. He can point to objects when you ask him where they are. He can give high-fives and sign that he's done with his meal. He purposely gets the dogs riled up to play. He can kick and throw a ball. His development in one short year amazes me.

And since there have been a few posts without any pics, below are some pictures taken while we were playing on the porch on a rainy day.

Hanging Out

Discovering coasters

Always playing IN the box

Seven Sanity Savers

Organized Chaos

1. Bluetooth

Jesse gave this to me for Christmas. I never thought that I would be one of those ubergeeks that walks around with the ear piece. (I still don't wear it in public!) But this has definitely been a huge help! My hands never seem to be free. They are feeding a baby, playing with a baby, changing a diaper, making a meal, cleaning up, gardening, the list goes on and on. But, the phone still rings! This handy little device makes it possible to keep up with family and friends, and make appointments and plans without having to stop everything else that I'm doing.

2. Planning a Menu

This goes hand in hand with coupon clipping too because you can eat what's on sale. By planning a menu ahead of time, you alleviate the 4pm stress of "Oh man, what am I going to make tonight?!" This also saves money because you don't go out to eat or call for take out as often. Plus, you can save money by reusing leftovers in a different fashion. For instance, this week, I made a whole chicken in the crockpot on Monday. This will be used up later on this week in a chicken pot pie or chicken tacos. This also helps to make sure your family is getting a variety of foods. I usually make a pasta one night, a soup another night, a hearty meat dish another night, etc. Sundays are usually a clean out the fridge/brinner (breakfast for dinner) night so I don't have to cook.

3. Refrain from Being a Pack Mule

One of my Christmas presents was a small wallet that just holds my license, a credit/debit card and some cash. I have an iPhone that multi tasks as phone/grocery list and about a gazillion other things. Add my keys and you have all I need for me 99% of the time. I can throw these things in a small purse, the pockets of my jacket, the diaper bag, or wherever else may be convenient at the time and I'm not loaded down like a pack mule!

4. Take Time to Rejuvenate

I have to give it to stay at home moms. I have been a full time professional. I have been a full time professional while being a full time student. I have been a professional, student and triathlete at the same time. At no point were there days that wore me out like some of the days I've had as a stay at home mom. I'd be willing to bet, most moms would agree. In the workplace, you have time for yourself. You can drink coffee or go the bathroom with few interruptions. At home, it's a different ball game. Someone else is entirely dependent on you and at this point in time needs you all the time. And at work, you get attaboys and raises. No one is going to pat you on the back for changing the 5th dirty diaper of the day. So after the kid(s) go to bed, take time for yourself. Whether it be a "date" at home with the hubby, reading a good book, or whatever your interest may be, take time to recharge.

5. Plan the Day

Have a general idea the night before of how you'd like the next day to go. I am VERY protective of TJ's morning nap. I'm more lenient about pushing back his afternoon nap if we're out running errands, on a play date, etc. I do a little cleaning every day so I'm not overwhelmed by having to get a whole bunch done in one day. I throw a load of laundry in the washer in the morning and wash dirty diapers every night. Knowing what I'd like to accomplish and how I'd like the day to go down gives it some order and helps things run smoothly.

6. Keep the Diaper Bag Packed

This makes it so much easier to get out the door. Anyone who has ever attempted to go anywhere with a child quickly learns that it takes twice as long to get out the door than you expect. Just when you're trying to get to the car, the baby could spill food/drink on you, spit up on you, make it necessary to change his diaper immediately, lose a shoe, fight you getting a coat on... there are endless possibilities. This is one less thing you need to do to get out the door. Ours is always packed with multiple diapers and wipes, a nursing shawl, a place-mat and spoon for dining out, a burp cloth, antibacterial wipes, and a wet bag for dirty diapers.

7. Have a Sense of Humor

Smile and Laugh! This is a definite! We have had our share of "oops" moments in our short time as parents. Just this past weekend, we went to a childrens museum with my parents. When we got the museum, we realized that neither Jesse or I had put the stroller in the car! Rather than turn around, we all took turns carrying TJ around the museum. He's a big boy and we all probably have stronger arms this week because of it! Did we have fun? Yes. Will we remember the stroller next time? Yes. Yes.

It's the little things

Exploring while Mom cooks

Shopping with Mom and Dad

On a mission with Grandpa

One of the goals I set when I first had TJ was that I would always make time for play. I did not want to get so wrapped up in a daily "to do" list that I missed the everyday moments that make life precious. I still clean the house regularly, but I've come to terms with the fact that at this point in time, my house may be spotless for a moment in time (and even that's rare because all the cleaning doesn't get done in one session), but it will not stay in that condition. As soon as I wash a mirror or glass, the very next second, there will be little boy fingers and dog noses smushed up against it. But I adore those little fingers and noses! They are what make life great!

Random Acts of Kindness

So often we get wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of life. Our pastor has a phrase, "parade of providence" that he uses when he refers to seeing God at work in everything. Yesterday, I was at Costco. It was pouring rain all day and because it was the first day that February coupons were valid, it was very crowded with senior citizens and homemakers. The store was chaotic and I found myself playing bumper carts with the same women over and over again. I had my grocery list on my phone and Trent was bound and determined to grab my phone, which made it difficult to read my list (which was entirely too long), all while I attempted to push a Costco cart one handed... it took some work! Anyway, when we got to the checkout, the checkout lady rambled on (for what seemed like forever) about how I need to upgrade to an executive membership. I listened to her spiel and gave her, an "I'll think about it" response. I was ready to pay, but got carded for the one bottle of wine that was in my buggy. At this point, I had to laugh. No one ever gets carded at Costco, but ME. *Sigh* Someday, I'll look my age... Anyway, I digress. So, as Trent and I headed to the car, I was dreading the whole situation because it was still pouring down rain and I had a shopping cart full of bulk items. I got to the car and loaded Trent in first. At this point, one of the old men heading into the store (with a massive golf umbrella), stopped and held his umbrella over my groceries while I got TJ strapped into his car seat. He then continued to keep my groceries dry while I loaded up the back of the car and then he took my shopping cart into the store. I will probably never see him again, but he made my shopping trip so much easier. It made me smile to see that there are still people out there that will take 10 minutes of their time to help a stranger. It made me think of the "parade of providence" and to be mindful of my interactions with others as well. I had bumbled along through the store just wrapped up in my own little world, but this guy took the time to think of someone else.

What does your autograph say about you?

"Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your work with excellence" - Author Unknown

I read this quote this morning and it made me think - what a great attitude to take towards any career, but especially towards staying at home. While you don't get paid monetarily for being a homemaker, your son or daughter could be the next president or could find a cure for cancer. We do not know what our children will become in the future, but we do have a major impact on their character. More and more of my friends are opting to stay at home with their children and I love to see it. You don't get the same kind of "attaboys" as you would working outside the home, but it's so rewarding. The job itself has the potential to get a little monotenous without the right attitude. Cleaning, dealing with children all day long, cooking, not having much adult interaction throughout the day, could get the best of you if you let it. I think it's all in the approach. Set your goals to create an environment where your family will thrive and in turn, you will thrive as well.

So what does your autograph say about you?

New Perspective

Trent is seeing things from a new perspective these days. He has figured out crawling as a means of transportation. However, he is not content with this particular method. He attempts to stand up on everything or have you help him walk to where he wants to go. If he's left to crawl, he screams and grunts to let us know that he's frustrated.

He much prefers the view from a standing position. The dogs are a little intimidated by this because when Trent is standing, he is taller than the dogs. (Trent has attempted a few open field tackles on them in preparation for his future as a linebacker, fortunately for the dogs, they're faster!) Crawling and discovering everything all day long can be a little tiring as a mom, but it's also exciting! My role has switched to full time spotter, friend, encourager, rescuer so he can be an explorer. Pre-baby, Jesse and I did a lot of traveling. We love nature, but we also love getting a glimpse of how other people live. I always loved the anticipation of seeing a new place. As adults, we have preconceived ideas of how things should be done, but a baby has a blank slate. No wonder there's no much joy in Trent's voice was when he lets out a shrilly yell! EVERYTHING is exciting and new and each day is a new discovery!

Babies Change You

I saw a quote yesterday morning that said, "Happiness is not a state to arrive at, but a manner of traveling." It is so true. I have always been an overachiever, but I am absolutely loving staying home with Trent. I feel so blessed to be able to see him smile, discover new things, develop, and enjoy his daily moments.

Everyone gives you advice when you first have a baby. I was thinking of the things that I have taken from my first eight months with TJ. Can you believe it has been that long already??

1. Never leave a room empty handed.
There's always something somewhere that belongs somewhere else, whether it be toys, laundry, dishes, etc.
2. The crockpot is your new best friend.
What a GREAT invention. I used it some when I was working, but the fact that I can put dinner together during a morning nap and have a delicious meal ready (with very little effort) when Jesse gets home - AMAZING.
3. Having a baby fall asleep on you never gets old.
4. Always have a camera on hand.
You never know when a funny face, a sweet smile, or tender moment may happen. Be prepared.
5. Breastfeeding is cyclical.
Hang in there. There will be times when it's smooth sailing and times when it's not.
6. Your partner will never be more apparent as a partner.
You tackle everything together whether it's grabbing a burp cloth, finishing up chores that the other one started, taking turns not sleeping, etc.
7. Cloth diapers ARE just as easy as disposables - give them a try!
8. You will never be able to keep a schedule, but you might get through your to-do list.
9. Baby Smiles make everything better.
10. Shopping for baby is way more fun than shopping for yourself. Baby consignment shops are the new favorite shopping destination (especially when the baby grows as fast as ours!)

We had our first family pics taken last week. Here are just a few of our favorites:

Fabulous Fall

Cool nights. Sleeping with the windows open. Auburn football. Tailgating. Falling Leaves. Change of Colors. Pumpkin Patches. Apple Cider. Long runs. Cozy Clothes. Campfires. Apple Pie. Comfort Food. Jeans and Sweaters. Boots. Pumpkin Pie. Hot Cocoa.

Fall, I am glad you're almost here!