Christmas Tips and Tricks

We are now less than a week from Christmas day. The month of December seemed to go by quicker than it normally does, which stresses me out. If we're all being completely honest, most of us (especially moms) are extremely stressed and frazzled this time of year. I have only been a mom for 17 months now but even before I was, I stressed out around this time of year anyways. All the shopping, decorating, cooking and preparing can be so much fun and yet so exhausting. My problem is that I am a perfectionist about everything. The ornaments on the tree have to be perfectly placed, the sugar cookies have to have an even amount of sprinkles and lets not even talk about wrapping presents...! My husband is better at wrapping presents than I am so sometimes I have him do it LOL! 

This year I have made it my mission to have fun and try not to stress myself out so bad. I made a list of all the things we wanted to do as a family, which we have done almost all of them. I also started my christmas shopping before Thanksgiving this year. My Christmas cards were done in November and sent out the first of December, this was a record for me! Other things that I have started to prepare for early this year was wrapping presents, I have tried to wrap the gifts as we got them. I also started making lists for what I would potentially bake/cook for our famiys' Christmas gatherings, Pinterest has become my best friend. 

Christmas morning with Hadley this year is going to be a blast! Last year she was only 5 months old and needed us to unwrap her presents for her. Now she knows how to say "wow" and "cool" and you know when she is super excited about something because she typically starts making this humming sound and running in place LOL. We got her a table and decided to give that to her early this year and I'm so glad because she loves it! Her big gift she will be opening Christmas morning is a kitchen. We had planned on buying one from Ikea but I wasn't as impressed as I was with their kids table we got there. Instead, we ordered it from Amazon and it came in two days! It is a KidKraft kitchen and is called the retro style, I linked it below. They have other styles and colors but I loved how big this one was. My husband built it and I spray painted the hardware, because I don't care for the silver, stainless steel look. I hope she loves it for many years to come! 

https://www.amazon.com/KidKraft-Retro-Kitchen-Refrigerator-2-Piece/dp/B00PAAO466/ref=sr_1_21?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1513828729&sr=1-21&keywords=kidkraft+kitchen

If anyone has any extra tips on how to make Christmas stress-free please comment below or shoot me an email. I can use all the help I can get! I hope you all have a Merry Christmas! Enjoy the little things and don't stress, believe me its not worth it!

ENOUGH

Enough. This is a word with many definitions. You may read this word and think of it in terms of anger. For example, "I've had enough!" How many times have you said that phrase to your children...I'm guilty of it for sure! Or maybe you read the word, enough, and feel a sense of self doubt as in "I'll never be good enough." Enough can also mean you have plenty of something, as in I've had enough coffee today... so I'll have a diet coke instead haha!

The average woman says about 20,000 words a day while men only say about 7,000. I read this statement to my husband...he replied by saying, "surprised by a show of hands?" LOL. But its so true! Women typically talk more than men. I remember a guy I had dated talked a lot compared to most. Every time we hung out I thought, hmmm this can't work, he's talking more than I am! I couldn't even get a word in LOL. All that being said, it makes sense that a woman would be more likely to say the word enough more than a man would.

Think about this for a minute. Out of all of the examples of how the word "enough" can be used, which one do you use the most?

For me, I use it the most in thinking of self doubt. I have struggled for years with the horrible feeling that I will never be good enough; as a daughter, a friend, a believer, a wife and now a mom. I know that I am not alone on feeling this way but when you have these horrible thoughts about your self worth you can't help but feel alone. I can't tell you the number of nights I have laid in bed and cried myself to sleep because I was so discouraged with how I had been with Hadley that day. Being a parent is the hardest job I have ever had and yet its also one of the most rewarding. I've only been a mom for sixteen months now and while I have learned so much I know there is so much more ahead of me.

When I had met Ross, (my now husband), I had so many insecurities and fears. I instantly started to think that I wouldn't be good enough for him. He was so kind, mature, handsome and had his whole life together while I was still in college trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. That didn't matter to him though, he told me that he too had been there at one point in his life. He always encouraged me to try and be comfortable with where I was in life and still does. As time went on I started to change the way I looked at myself and started to gain some self-confidence. I began to see the person that he loved and the person God had made me to be. God doesn't want us to think of ourselves as not being good enough for Him. He made the ultimate sacrifice for us because to Him we worth dying for.

For a few months now I have told myself everyday that I am enough. As long as I'm living my life for God how can I not be? So what if Hadley's socks don't always match or if the house is still a mess when Ross comes home? Does that mean that they will love me less? Absolutely not. I have come to realize that I am my worst critic and I need to put an end to that. I'm not doing myself or my family any favors by thinking that way. When I start to tell myself I am enough, I start to live that way and everyday seems to get better and better. Sure I still have some rough days but when I do, I know I have a loving husband and a wonderful daughter that will love me no matter what.

I bought myself an early Christmas present this year. It's a necklace with the word "enough" engraved on it from an amazing company called, Made by Mary. I have worn it everyday since I got it. It has become a great way to remind myself every time I wear it that I am enough. I am enough as a daughter, a believer, a wife, a mother and for myself. It's time we start using this word to lift each other up and use it in a positive way. I am enough and so are you.

A GUIDE TO SURVIVING THE SICK DAYS

You might not be able to tell by looking at this picture, but Hadley had a double ear infection and was running a fever that day. Kids should not be allowed to get sick, especially when they are too young to tell you what hurts. I feel helpless at times when trying to make her feel better because I don't always know what is hurting her. The best way I know how to comfort her is by either cuddling up on the couch or doing some sort of low-energy activity. Hadley was sick for two and half weeks with this infection so I was able to see what activities she liked best. I have made a list below of our top low-energy activities to get us through those dreaded sick days.

-Melissa & Doug Puzzles

Hadley especially loves the puzzles that make sound. I have provided the link below for our favorite one.
https://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Animals-Sound-Puzzle/dp/B0029NFSMQ/ref=sr_1_13?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1506045035&sr=1-13&keywords=melissa+and+doug+puzzles

-Sunshine and Pine
This online shop has so many amazing toys/activities. They are all handmade and are custom made as well. The link below will take you to the shop and to our favorite item we have from there.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/554821901/handmade-natural-wood-bead-abacus-color?ref=shop_home_active_5

-Coloring
I recently found theses great non-toxic stackable crayons that are designed for toddlers. Hadley enjoys coloring but she always ends up just stacking her crayons. Link is below.
https://www.amazon.com/Toddler-Crayons-Stackable-Non-Toxic-Primary/dp/B01N7COQ3R/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1506045967&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=toddler+non+toxic+crayons&psc=1

-Reusable Sticker Book
These sticker books are awesome! Most of them are only $5.00 and come with a lot of stickers.
https://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Reusable-Sticker-Pad/dp/1223080846/ref=sr_1_10?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1506046094&sr=1-10&keywords=reusable+sticker+book

-Movie Time
Hadley got a pop-up tent for her birthday that also has a tunnel and ball pit, super cute! One of her favorite things is to sit in it with her blanket and watch a movie, especially Moana. I linked a similar tent below. Ours folds up and we hide it behind the couch.
https://www.amazon.com/Tunnel-Pop-Playhouse-Adventure-Gamehouse-Toy-Zippered/dp/B01MY6DFZ7/ref=sr_1_36?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1506046506&sr=1-36&keywords=pop%2Bup%2Btent%2Bfor%2Bkids&th=1

-Reading
In my last blog post I listed a lot of our favorite books. Reading books has always been one of Hadley's favorite activities. I listed a classic sick day book below.
https://www.target.com/p/sherm-the-germ-hardcover-dr-john-hutton/-/A-16825382?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Entertainment+Shopping&adgroup=SC_Entertainment&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=c&location=9015013&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_IHmt9231gIVl7fACh0yzQR6EAkYByABEgIIXPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Please let me know if any of you have another sick day activity that has work for your child/children, I would love to have some more ideas!

B O O K S !

Reading books has been a favorite activity for Hadley since she was only five months old. Of course she wasn't the one "reading" them but even when I wasn't there to read, she would still flip through and look at all the pictures. Now that Hadley is old enough to walk up to the shelf, choose a book, and go sit down with it, our reading time has reached a whole new level. She now has favorite books that she chooses every time and instead of just flipping through the pages, she will point and make sounds, which I believe is her way of reading. 

I started reading books out loud to Hadley since she was first born. If I'm being honest, it was easier to read to her back then than it is now LOL. Now that she can turn the pages herself I can hardly make it through the first sentence on a page! Instead of trying to go back to that page and frustrate her I pick out the key words or phrases from each page. I also stick with those same words and phrases every time I read that book to her so that it becomes familiar to her. My husband even reads the books the same way as well. 

Story time is my go to activity. For example, anytime Hadley is getting upset or getting ready to through a fit, I tell her to go pick out a book and we read it. This is why I always keep a book in the car, diaper bag, grandma's house, etc. When I was sick a couple months ago, all we did was sit and read. She loved it and I loved that I could sit down and relax a little. Going to story time is also one of our favorite things to do, especially on a rainy day. Most libraries offer a story time where they have songs, open play and sometimes even bubbles! Another place we discovered that has an awesome story time is Barnes and Noble. They have their schedule posted on their website after you search by your location. It is usually quiet because not a lot of people know about it and they have an activity afterwards! We also love to go to story time at the Disney Store. We just call our local store and ask for the schedule for the week. 

The amount of children's books in my house is insane. As a result of teaching experiences I've collected a mass amount books over the years. I also kept a few of my young childhood favorites, some of which are now Hadley's favorites too. My sister-in-law came up with a great idea for my baby shower that helped build my collection. On the shower invite, she put to bring a favorite children's book instead of a card. This was a big hit and everyone loved the idea! I also collected quite a few books from a book subscription that delivers right to your door called Lilly Post Box. What I loved about Lilly Post was that they were geared towards your child's age and they sent ones that I hadn't heard of. 

Below I have listed the books along with their authors that are our favorites. Hope you all enjoy them!

OUR FAVORITE BOOKS

MY FIRST BOOK OF COLORS - ALAIN GREE

MY FIRST BOOK OF ANIMALS - ALAIN GREE

FIVE LITTLE DUCKS - LITTLE BEE BOOKS

MY VERY FIRST BOOK OF COLORS - ERIC CARLE

MY VERY FIRST BOOK OF NUMBERS - ERIC CARLE

TEN LITTLE LADYBUGS - MELANIE GERTH

UP DOWN ACROSS - CORINA FLETCHER

BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR, WHAT DO YOU SEE? - BILL MARTIN JR/ERIC CARLE

SHAPES ALL AROUND (DISNEY BABY) - SARA MILLER

ALPHA PRINTS BOX SET - PRIDDY BOOKS

BABY LOVES SUMMER! - KAREN KATZ

(This series is great and there is one for every season!)

DADA - JIMMY FALLON

THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR - ERIC CARLE

THE PERFECT HUG - JOANNA WALSH & JUDI ABBOT

A BOOK OF SLEEP - II SUNG NA

GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU - SAM MCBRATNEY

GOODNIGHT MOON - MARGARET WISE BROWN

INDESTRUCTIBLES - AUTHOR VARIES

(This is another book series that is for babies. They are chew proof, tear proof and non-toxic! I always found them on Amazon for $5.00 or under!)

Please feel free to email or comment with your favorite children's books!

Hadley's One Year Old Photos

I am still editing pictures but I wanted to go ahead and post some because I am so in love with all of these photos! I hope you all enjoy! Hadley is officially a one year old!

To our Baby Girl on your First Birthday

How do I even begin to sum up this past year? The amount of laughter and tears that has filled our home this year could fill the whole ocean. We've cried tears of joy, love and sometimes stress because yes having a baby can be hard at times but it is worth it all. The first seven and half months of my pregnancy I was sick, it was miserable but I was so excited just to make it to July. I can remember being so scared at times when it came to thinking about the delivery part of it all. I am terrified of needles, hospitals and basically anything that can cause pain LOL. The closer I got to due date the more anxious I became. However, I ended up going almost two weeks past my due date with still no baby. The doctor suggested I be induced on July 18th and I of course agreed because I was so ready at that point. I went in that morning to be induced at 8:00 am. The staff was all so amazing and put me at ease about everything. I wasn't sure who would be delivering Hadley but I didn't care who because all of the doctors were super nice and lets face it...when your baby is finally ready to come out you don't care who is there to help! I had one main nurse who took care of me for the first 12 hours until her shift was over. We really bonded and she told me that she predicted I would have Hadley later that evening or early morning. She said as soon as she comes in on her next shift which was at 7:00 AM on the 19th she would come see me so she could meet Hadley. Well, instead she came in for her shift just in time to help me finally deliver! Hadley made her big debut at 7:21 AM on July 19th, 2016. Wow was that a huge moment! I was so thankful to finally have her with us! I wouldn't have been able to bring her into this world without my husband. He stayed awake and stood by my side through it all. Even when I was allowed to sleep for bit he stayed awake and rubbed my back and would try to comfort me in anyway possible. I fell in love with him even more in those moments together. Then to see him with our baby girl...my heart just continued to melt. He is the sweetest husband ever and I am so blessed to have him by my side. He cared for both Hadley and myself in the hospital and when we got home as well. I am just so in love with our little family. Someday I hope we have another child but for now we are enjoying every minute with our sweet girl. This age is my favorite because they are learning so many new things and yet they still depend on you and typically like to cuddle. However, I still cry every time I think about the day we brought her home or when we celebrated our first Christmas all together. There have been so many amazing memories and I know there are more to come. When I say that we are blessed it seems like such an understatement. Who knew a little girl who weighs about twenty-three and half pounds could bring so much joy into our lives. I thank God everyday for giving us such an amazing daughter and I pray that we always lead her in the way the Lord wants us to. Thank you to everyone who has already made such a positive impact on our daughter's life. We are so grateful. Happy 1st Birthday sweet girl, I hope you always know how much we all love you and that you always find joy in everything you do. We love you so much!

Happy Independence Day!

What a crazy couple of weeks we have had here in the Rodman household. Between finalizing plans for Hadley's party, teething, sickness, the holiday week/weekend and Ross finishing up his second crop of beans we have been on the go for awhile now! We had so much fun celebrating the 4th of July and of course I took a ton of pictures. More pictures than anyone on Instagram would probably want to see haha. I had several questions come in on where Hadley's outfits and bows were from. I tried to answer most of them but I thought I would list them below with pictures. This being Hadley's first Independence Day we of course had to have more than one outfit! Between the cookouts and gatherings she was able to wear them all and I couldn't tell you my favorite, too many cute styles. So here they are listed below...feel free to email me if you have any questions! Thank you for tuning in and I hope you all had a great time celebrating this wonderful country of ours!

 ***My shorts and tee shirt are from American Eagle, 

kimono is from Pink Blush and shoes are Birkenstocks***

***Bloomers are Vivie & Dash, shirt is June & January and bow is Zozubaby***

***Skirt, shirt and shoes are from Gap---bow is from Minted Tulip***

***Bow is from Zozubaby, dress and bloomers are from June and January, mat is from Gather***

***Shirt, bloomers and shoes are from Gap---bow is again from Zozubaby***

***Those ruffles get me overtime!***

***Jean skirt is from Gap***

***Hadley's sweater is from Gap***

Happy Father's Day

My dad is one of the most amazing men I know, along with my husband. From the time I turned four, my dad would talk with me at night before bed and pray for my husband. As a young child, that made a huge impact on me and the way I viewed dating and marriage. My dad always said, only date someone you would consider marrying someday, as well as consider being the father to your children. I've always kept those words near to me and they were the reason I knew Ross was the one after the first week I started talking with him. Ross came into my life after a period of time when I was broken and left with a lot of insecurities. God knew this was the man I needed in my life at that time and for the rest of my life. Immediately I felt comfortable with him and it was like I had known him for years, which is ironic considering I knew of him and his family. We grew up in the same community and he even worked for my dad's company at one point. However, I didn't know him, but my dad did. I remember my dad told me that he was one of the nicest young men he had ever met and one of the strongest. After dating for a few years Ross proposed outside of the house we would be living in if I said yes. Of course I did, and know were here, living on the farm with our beautiful baby girl. 

There are many reasons why I fell in love with Ross, but the main reason was his kindheartedness. I had never met a guy who was as patient and understanding as him. In a lot of ways he reminded me of my dad and I think that is why I felt so comfortable with him. I knew in my heart he would be an amazing father to our kids and he has already exceeded my expectations with our daughter. I can remember when we found out we were pregnant, we both just stood there and cried with tears of joy because this was something we had looked forward to and knew that God was giving us such an amazing gift. One of the most dearest moments Ive had with Ross, (besides our wedding), was when I was giving birth to Hadley. I was the most scared I had ever been in my life and was in the most amount of pain I had ever been in. Ross being himself, stayed calm and collected. He stood by my side throughout the 23 hours of labor, even while I slept. There were a couple of times when the nurse finally convinced him to lay down and get something to eat but other than that he stood there, comforting me in anyway he could. I could not have done it without him. He was the man I always dreamt of and the man God knew I needed. He does so much for us and works so hard. He has overcome so much struggle with farming and getting where he is now. These are the qualities that I admire so much about him, his patience, persistence to push through any circumstance, his kindness towards others, tenderness, strong, smart, his sense of humor and his yearning to follow Christ. I know that Hadley is going to marry an amazing man someday because her father will guide and pray for her just as mine did. Thank you Ross, for everything you do and everything you are. Hadley and I are truly blessed to have you guide our family the way God wants us to go. 

I hope that everyone has a great Father's Day tomorrow. Thank you for tuning in!

South Haven, MI

We took our first vacation with Hadley last week. Originally, we had planned on going to Chicago and spending a day at the Shedd Aquarium and then sight seeing for the rest of the time. However, after thinking about how far away it was and other reasons we decided it would be best to stay somewhere closer. We wanted to stay near a beach but only wanted to travel about 4-5 hours. Thats when we stumbled upon South Haven, Michigan. Some of our friends have stayed there and raved about how beautiful the beach was. Biking is very popular in the area and they even have a beautiful bike path that goes for 33.5 miles from South Haven beach to Kalamazoo. We did not do the whole trail haha. But we did bike in both cities on the path. I could not get over how clear the water was at the beach. You could walk out waist deep and still see your feet perfectly! It was the perfect first beach for Hadley to play at because the sand and water was clean, they had baby swings on the beach and even had a small restaurant on the beach that served hot dogs, ice cream and other beach friendly food. Hadley ended up loving the water and sand. This will be the first of many trips we will take there. I took too many photos so I only shared some of my favorites. Thank you for tuning in, happy Monday!

My First Mother's Day

As I prepare for my first Mother’s Day as a mother I still find myself in awe that I am a one. Being a mom has always been a dream of mine. In fact, if you ask my friends from high school, they would tell you all the same thing, “Calley will be the first of us to settle down and have kids.” It actually ended up being true. I was the first of my circle of friends from high school to get married and to have a baby. Fulfilling the “mother like” role has just always been in my nature and something that I had always anticipated getting to be.

I have been a mother for ten months now, nineteen if you count Hadley still living in the womb. When I reflect on the last year or so I can’t help but think, where did the time go? It feels just like yesterday that Ross and I were anticipating the birth of Hadley and getting her nursery ready. Now she is eating (most) table food, can say mama & dada, has four teeth (one on the way) and can walk with her push toy! Our baby girl is growing up and the desire for another is becoming stronger.

Being a mother is a privilege and a blessing. My heart goes out to the women who have fertility issues or have lost a child. I can’t even imagine their pain. Ross and I were blessed to be able to have healthy and beautiful baby girl. I don’t think of being a mother as a job, even though it is a lot of work! I think being a mom is a gift from God and the role should be taken seriously. I worry all the time if I am doing a good job. I am blessed to have an amazing mother who has set a great example for me. My mom and I have always had a great relationship and now that I am an adult with a daughter of my own we have something that has bonded us together even more. My mom has been my best friend for years, she is the one I run to with any good or bad news, the one I can always trust and the one who has always been by my side no matter what. She has always set a godly example for my brothers and I. Having this bond with my mother has made me who I am today and I want to have the same kind of bond with Hadley. My hope and prayer is that Hadley feels like she can always come to me with anything and that I set a godly example for her like my mom did. I know there will be times, (most likely in her teenage years), when we may butt heads and argue, but I know that if we keep God in the center of our relationship and family we will be able to get through anything.

I would like to end this post by saying to all the mothers out there, hang in there…you’re doing the best you can. Enjoy the little moments and even the hard times and most importantly cling to Christ and follow in His example. Below I thought it may be encouraging to leave you all with some scripture. As always thank you all for taking the time to read what I have to say, I wish you all a Happy Mother’s Day!

“She is clothed in strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.” – Proverbs 31:25

“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”

- Proverbs 31:30

“As is the mother, so is her daughter.” – Ezekiel 16:44

“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him.”

– Psalm 127:3

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” – Proverbs 31:30

Spring Fever

Hello everyone! I apologize for my long absence. Ever since it has finally started to warm up in Ohio, Ive had spring fever! Hadley and I enjoy being outside so much so we have been on the go and try to get some outdoor playtime everyday! Now that Hadley is crawling its even more fun to take her to the park and other places where she can crawl around and explore. So far, the only thing she doesn't like about the outdoors is the wind. She always holds her breath when she is in strong wind, I think most babies have this reaction as well. Some of the activities we've been enjoying have been visiting the zoo, several different parks, swinging, playing in the grass, going on walks and getting ice-cream! Of course not everyday is bright and sunny. Unfortunately, spring in Ohio brings on a lot of rain and cloudy days. On those days we stay inside and watch movies, have lots of story time and even do some art activities. I'll be sharing a post with you all soon that shows some of the art we've done so far and some other ideas for kids of all ages. One of the main reasons why I love art and music so much is that you're never too young or old to enjoy them! I have posted some photos below of what my little family has been up to for the past few weeks! Thank you all for tuning in and be on the look out for my upcoming art blog post!

Baby's First Easter Basket

Easter Basket Goodies

Although Hadley won't remember her first Easter, I still wanted to make it special. I went with some goodies that are practical and that we will use everyday. Books are always a great choice for an Easter basket for a child of any age. Bunny themed toys are easy to find at just about any store, I found Minnie Mouse at Meijers as well as most of the books pictured. Bows are perfect for any little girl's basket, the ones pictured above are from A Precious Girl Shop. Since Hadley can't eat Easter candy so instead I added a pouch of one of her favorite foods, as well as some adorable utensils. Everything pictured is listed below and where I found it. Hope this helps give you all some ideas!

Minnie Mouse with bunny ears- Meijer (DisneyBaby)-----Miscellaneous books- Meijer and Tjmaxx-----Headband with bows- Precious Girl Shop-----Plush chick- Slumberkins-----Dory bath toy- Meijer-----Burts Bees bath soap- Target-----Minnie Mouse spoon and fork- Babies R Us-----Earth's Best pouch- Target-----Fresh Food Feeder- Target
  

An idea for an Easter basket for a newborn baby would be to buy a cute and reusable tote or basket and add some practical goodies to it. The basket below I found at Home Goods and added a new baby blanket from Lila and Rose Shop. A cute stuffed animal and some baby lotion could complete this basket.

Mom Guilt

Mom guilt... most moms have felt this at some point. That horrible pain you feel when you maybe don't spend enough time with your child/children or don't take advantage of every moment you have with them. I never thought as a semi stay-at-home mom I would feel this so often. I work part time and mainly from home when I do. I have been so blessed to be able to do this and I am so lucky that when I do go to the office, it is full of my family members. However, recently in the evenings I begin to reflect back on my day and what all was accomplished and how I spent my time...and too often I feel guilty. There are certain things that I feel the need to do everyday that do take time away from Hadley. Normally when I am doing these things/chores, she is playing on the floor or watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, her favorite show. A couple of months back she was not mobile so she would typically just lay there and I wouldn't have to worry about her getting into things if I was in another room of the house. Now, she is almost crawling but she is rolling and scooting all over the floor! It's such an exciting time with her, she is growing up so fast. Because she has been getting into things I am usually checking on her every minute, literally, she makes me a nervous wreck. Every time I check on her she seems to be doing the most adorable things and it pains me at times to walk away and go back to what I was doing. Some of my favorite moments with her are just sitting on the floor with her and watching her. She is so smart and is constantly learning new things every day, I just don't want to miss out on a thing. The times we spent together when she was a newborn were so special. I took advantage of every minute I had with her, whether she was awake or sleeping. Some of my favorite moments with her was just rocking her while she slept. I hardly ever put her down for naps. Now, it seems like I am so excited for nap time because it means I get a little break when I don't have to necessarily worry about her. Does this make me a bad mom?... absolutely not. My worry is that I will look back and feel an immense amount of guilt that I didn't take advantage of more moments with her. Was having a clean house every day worth it, could the laundry have waited a little longer, did I need to take time to do my hair and make-up, did I need to watch another episode of Gilmore Girls...I ask myself these questions everyday. I don't really have an answer either, not yet at least. I always knew I wanted to be a mom, it was something I craved for years. To have that kind of bond with someone is so special, it is best feeling in the world to be a mom. Every morning when she first sees me, she smiles from ear to ear and every morning it melts my heart. I'm not sure if I'll ever stop feeling the mom guilt, but my hope is at the end of the day to feel that I tried my best to spend every moment I had with her and make the most of it. So whether you're a working momma or a stay-at-home momma make the most of the time you have with your kiddo and try not to feel that mom guilt. We're all out here doing the best we can and we all do it differently and thats okay because thats what makes everyone special in their own way.