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.