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.

Seven Months of Pure Joy!

If I had to use one word to describe my sweet girl Hadley, it would be joy. Her smile is so contagious and can light up any room. I remember the first time she had ever smiled, I believe I broke down and cried...ok I definitely cried. I am such an emotional wreck when it comes to her having "firsts." From her first laugh to her first time rolling over, I cried. I just want to stop time and enjoy this baby stage as much as possible. As I write this I keep thinking to myself, where has the seven months gone?! We have had so much fun as a family and enjoyed so many moments together.

Hadley turned seven months old today, I believe she weighs 20 something pounds and is 28 and half inches long. She enjoys jumping in her Finding Nemo bouncer, watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and of course eating. She has started eating table food as well as baby food. Her favorite food is bananas, especially if you add some blueberries! Hadley already has her two front, bottom teeth and her top two seem to be coming in as well. She is not fully crawling yet but is rolling and dragging her body around the floor constantly. I'm no expert but it looks like she is going to start crawling any day now! Hadley's newest thing that she does when she gets excited is to clap, she loves to clap! Below, are the pictures I took today to document her turning seven months old.

We couldn't have asked for a nicer day to celebrate Hadley turning seven months old. It is February 20th in Ohio and was 65 degrees outside today and sunny! Ross and I decided to take her to a local park to walk and of course push her in the swings, one of her favorite things to do! Hadley had so much fun being outside today and so did Ross and I. Thank you all for checking in, we hope you all enjoyed this beautiful weather, have a wonderful week!

Happy Valentines Day!

Normally I put no thought or energy into Valentines day. Now that we have Hadley,  I decided it was time to get over not liking this holiday and learn to embrace it. I had so much fun taking pictures of Hadley but planning out the pictures with props and what not is always my favorite part. As you will probably notice in the pictures below is that Hadley was not her usual smiling self. She has been getting more teeth which has made her quite the grump. She still did well and of course looked beautiful in all her pictures. Celebrating holidays are so much sweeter now that we have her! Happy Valentines Day everyone! 

Memories are Made Best by the Lake

Looking at the picture above of Hadley and I makes me laugh because she looks so irritated. I promise you, she was so happy and very warm. In fact, by the time I took her out of her snow suit and she was sweating! This picture was taken at Lakeside, Ohio. It is one of my favorite places to visit. Of course everything is closed for the winter season so the shops aren't open and most of the cottages are vacant but I still enjoy being there. The reason behind my love for the lake is that I spent most of my childhood vacationing up there with my family and grandparents. My dad's parents owned a small home on the bay, it was nothing fancy but it had running water and it a place to dock our boat. Our days were spent fishing, visiting the lighthouse, playing puzzles inside with Grandma, swimming and biking around. The photos below is what the place looks like today, I remember looking a lot different but I think as children everything seems bigger.

Being here at the lake when it was so vacant was actually nice and made it a bit more meaningful. I was able to take in the beauty of it and felt as if I was a little closer to my Grandma at that moment. This was only the second time I had visited the lake since she has passed and it wasn't any easier this time. Every where we visited I could remember special memories spent there with her. The lake was her favorite place to be, especially when all of our family was up there. I am so happy that I can tell Hadley of all the memories we spent there and make new ones with her now. I hope that Hadley learns to the love the lake as much as Grandma and I did and maybe she'll even get to know her Great Grandma a little more by spending time there.