Summer Loving

This week has been a trying one to say the least. I'm home with Remy Jones by myself in our brand new house and not enough furniture to sit next to him and not be touched.  Everything has a sticky spot and the ants are finding them more quickly than I can.

This week I have learned a few things about myself as a mom. I had lots of anxiety going into this week, but am trying to enjoy it more than count down until Daddy comes home. 

I have learned that I can squeeze myself onto the tiniest slice of my own queen sized bed to make space for my cuddle bug. That slice on the right is my piece of dream land.

I have realized that I love the movie Trolls, and we watch it for me more so than him.  

I have learned that he loves water when playing and hated bath time because it was a chore.  Thank you, Splash Pad for fixing bath time for us

  

I have come to be okay that popsicles and the stains to follow are perfectly acceptable. 

Mostly, I have learned that I am a good mom. The world is quick to try to tell me otherwise, to tell me he can't have a popsicle because he may stain his shirt... I am a good mom and my child is so happy.  I am learning that God is using my anxieties for reassurance, to remind me that I can (He can) even when life is telling me I can't. 

Reboot!

I've taken some reflection time here lately, and I realize that I really miss the community I had blogging. Really. I missed the friends that kept up with us and the friends I kept up with, although many have given in just as I did.   Contemplating rebooting somewhere fresh... as I seem to do every couple of years... and starting over.... I started this right after we got married and it was great to document the lessons that married life was teaching me... humility... grace... contentment. It's where I dealt with the pain of losing my dad and where we announced our pregnancy.  As much as I hate letting it go, the thought of a clean slate does things for my heart. I sometimes take a gander at my blog I had in college that started six (!??!?) years ago and it's just comical. No, for our friendship sake, I won't be sharing that here.  Maybe for a laugh someday, but not today. I posted letters to my someday daughter... haha... and reading about before we were engaged is almost too much to handle. haha.  I plan to do more than "Life Lately" posts... maybe... I'll probably stay here and just try to get a good rhythm down before jumping into something new I can't maintain. I just know I need an outlet. I'm still finding the balance in my life as a mom, full time employee, wife, and still being my own person. Self care is always last on my list, but maybe a fresh start or an outlet is what I need to make that more of a priority.  Insert shrugging emoji here. Still figuring out life; thanks for hanging in there with me.  Quick update: Remy is one. How did that happen? Just how? He has a heart of gold and two nasty molars. We live in a state of snotty noses and temper tantrums.  Life. Is. Good. 

Mom Thoughts

I love my baby, but some days I love nap time and/or bed time more. I always gasped when moms said that. Moms, I get it. Some days are exhausting and leave me at my end. Props to you stay at home moms. I was not made for it. I wish I was, but I'm just not. 

I blinked. My tiny baby who had just learned to roll over now eats cheerios out of a cup and claps when you say YAY or at the end of any song, he says "mama" and "dada" and "Barbara".... who is Barbara? I don't even know how it goes so fast. I'm taping my eyelids open so I don't have to teach him to drive next week.

How do you find yourself in the midst of motherhood? I'm Mama to the sweetest boy, wife to a great husband, and have not had time to be me in almost 11 months.  How do you shake the need to be present at home to have you time? How do you shake the mom guilt that is built into the "me time" to be able to press the reset button? I have had maybe five days to myself since Remington was born and I'm just worn. TELL ME YOUR SECRETS! 

See also: How do you get all of your housework done? I can't peg that one down either.  Remy had to sleep in 12 month pajamas the other night because I forgot to swap his laundry to the dryer before bed. Doh. How to you get a handle?!

How do you find time to write? I would love to jump back in over here, I just literally cannot ever find time. I mean heck, I had to choose to go against our work firewall for this just to be able to dump my brain. 

How many times a day is it normal to look at your child in awe of God and His great grace? I get to be this wild child's mama for the rest of my life.  I am blessed beyond what I deserve in that one tiny thing alone. :) 

Remy Jones: 10 Months

(everything is blurry now. everything.)

Sleeps:  from 8pm-1am in his bed and the rest of the night with Mommy and Daddy in their bed.   Eats: 6 ounces per bottle, lunch, and dinner. We have tried adding thicker, more textured foods this month with no luck.  Cheerios have been about as far as we've gotten. And Avocado. But I figure it does not count if it induces vomiting. So much vomiting.  Wearing: all 12 month clothes. Except for pajamas because the loose fit warning tag wrecked me.    Nicknames: Remy Jones, Remy, Chunk, Brother Bear, Baby Bear, Bubs, Booger, Chomper, Booger Bear, Bubby. Celebrated: New Year! Likes: standing unsupported, eating cheerios, car rides, being flipped by daddy, and STILL everything Mommy.  Dislikes: being tired, hungry, put down, told no, or too far away from Mommy. Still. Send help. 

Remy Jones: 7, 8, and 9 months!

So, we are closer to 10 than 9 months, and I am realizing how busy life has been. Too busy.  No one told me how busy holiday season is with a little.  WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME!? 

My little baby is an almost toddling toddler, mama obsessed, and 25 pounds, 28 inches of love. Being his mama is my favorite thing I've done in my short 26 years. 
Sleeps: See also: still doesn't. Every time I think we are hitting a good run, Remy gets sick, or starts cutting teeth again, or hits a sleep regression. Send help.   Eats: 6 ounces per bottle, lunch, and dinner. And crunchies. So many crunchies.  Wearing: 9 month clothes, 12 month jeans. Baby's booty doesn't fit in his 9 month jeans anymore.   Nicknames: Remy Jones, Remy, Chunk, Brother Bear, Baby Bear, Bubs, Booger, Chomper, Booger Bear, Bubby. Celebrated: Christmas, Thanksgiving, Mommy's birthday, Grams' birthday, and lots of little milestones in between! Likes: standing unsupported, eating, car rides, being flipped by daddy, and everything Mommy.  Dislikes: being tired, hungry, put down, told no, or too far away from Mommy. Send help. 

Fall Checklist!

This being our first Fall with Remy means that our to-do list has become more baby oriented than years prior, and I cannot wait!! Everything is going to be so much sweeter with a little to celebrate with!! It's so hard to think about this time last year - we didn't know if the little in my belly was Remington or Morgan, but we knew we loved him/her so so much! Life can change so so much in a year's time!! 

Here's our Fall Checklist Visit a pumpkin patch Make chili/soup once a week Spend time outside playing in the leaves Have Fall Christmas Card pictures taken Dress Little Man up for Halloween Go to Gatlinburg (still playing taking Remy by ear) Take two Mommy Daddy only dates (we are still mastering this) Make leaf crafts

RemyJones: 6 Months

(Month 1) ( Month 2) (Month 3) (Month 4) (Month 5)   Sleeps: We hit a regression. A mean, angry, every two hour regression. Send Help. haha.   Eats: 3-4 oz of formula every feeding which is about 6 times a day. We still have him on the easy to digest formula. He eats organic oatmeal cereal and baby food every night. We LOVE sweet potatoes, peaches, carrots (anything orange), bananas, and pears so far.  Wearing: Mostly nine month onesies now.  Break my heart, why don'tcha.  Nicknames: Remy Jones, Remy, Chunk, Brother Bear, Baby Bear, Bubs, Booger, Chomper, Booger Bear, Bubby. Celebrated: The Lunar Eclipse! Likes: standing (supported of course), sitting up, naps on his belly, his Dr. Brown giraffe teether, and his fingers Dislikes: being hungry or tired... so hey! He's still normal!