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!