Mommy Mondays {hush little baby}

Hey guys I know it's been awhile!

We have had a long vacation and move to hawaii!! But we are finally here and moved into our new house. It's been a slow process but we are finally getting everything in it's new place and it's starting to feel homey. I will be blogging a ton of new stuff soon. Vacation, family pictures and of course hawaii! So please check back!

So my little monkey is turning 7 months this week! Already !! I know it's not fair how fast it's going.
A huge milestone for us is making it this far exclusively breastfeeding. Longer than I did with Riley. He is now a 14lb chunky little man. It took us a bit to get into our groove. It ended up being a lot easier than I thought it would be. But now we face the challenge of sleep. This kid still doesn't sleep through the night. He still sleeps right next to me in the pac n play. Now that we are in Hawaii I plan on setting up his room finally. I never had this issue with little miss. She was in her own room by this time. Some people have suggested his tummy isn't full enough. I tried baby food and nursing him and he still doesn't really sleep. The Dr said that it's more for comfort that he is waking up throughout the night. Have there been any things you may have tried that worked?

Mommy Mondays: Props to the Single Mom

I am wrapping up my very long 2 1/2 weeks as a single mom today. 

Being a military wife we have constant "single mom"days, weeks, and months at a time. 

With one kid I had a small taste, a tiny little glimpse of what it is like to be a single mom. But this was the first time alone with two kids.

Let's be real folk! No one is perfect and there are no perfect moms. I don't like the different stereotypes there out there. Or the constant mom judging that goes on on a regular basis. I know we've all been judged and I know we've all done some judging. But one thing I learned this time around. That infamous phrase that has been passed down through generations is so true. "Don't judge a person until you've walked a mile in there shoes."

....And let me tell you my feet are tired!!! I am so burned out this time around that I can't even imagine how moms do it with more than two kids. 

If you don't know what it's like to be a stay at home mom or even a stay at home mom/blogger/entrepreneur/photographer/home-schooler or whatever your vice may be. Let me give you a glimpse into our world. 

It's not always good days. 

It's not always hair curled and makeup done.

It's not always well-behaved children.

In fact I'm not sure I curled my hair the whole time. I barely wore any makeup and most certainly did not always have well behaved children. I do not always have it all together. I'm sure I'm not the only one either. I know it can't completely come close to being like this but sometimes I compare being a stay at home mom/mom in general to being on deployment. It's quite often a war zone sometimes not near death of course but playing referee to kids all the time can be exhausting. But I think it's mainly the on edge feeling. Being a mom you can't really let yourself relax.You have to be ready at a moments notice to jump out of bed to tend to a crying baby or child. With a newborn you are afraid to fall asleep in case they stop breathing, roll on their stomach, pull a blanket over their face. You have to be ten-twelve steps ahead of your child. Constantly thinking of consequences and different scenarios of a child hurting themselves. A million and one things can happen when you turn away to take a drink or bite to eat. Even take a shower or go to the bathroom. You can't be selfish even in the tiny bit. I wake up every morning doing my children's bidding. Feeding them, cleaning up after them. Being pulled in a million different directions. When I said we live on edge...I mean on EDGE!!! 

I am so blessed beyond measures to have the husband that I do. He cooks dinner/breakfast, he does dishes, he changes diapers, he brings me chocolate when I'm literally going insane. I'm glad that I have him. But some do not have a team-mate to tag in on those crazy days. So this one goes out to all the single moms/parents. They meet each day being brave and fearless. They keep it together not only for themselves but for those babies. They continue on most of the time without getting any kind of break. I salute you Mom's!!

So do something nice for a single mom/parent out there today.

They most certainly need it!

Mommy Mondays: stop growing!

                       

                                          

As I sit here still in my pjs with a sleeping babe and one off to school I pondered.......

So this is what life looks like as a mom of three? Two itty bittys and one angel baby. I still can't believe I've birthed three human beings. I don't feel old enough.. Ha I don't really feel young enough either. 

I'm in mommy limbo!

I am a week away from little man turning 4 months old. Where has the time gone? I'm still gathering my bearings here and I already have a 4 month old!! That's almost half a year and then what he turns  one!!?? 

When I sent my little lady off to kindergarten I was an emotional wreck. But now I have the blues! This is a real thing. The realization that time goes fast at a dramatic speed. And your once tiny little babies will be going to high school and getting married and driving cars before you even have the chance to blink. I have a hard time being in the moment with them. Because I'm trying sooo hard to cling to this age, this time in their little lives that will never happen again. I find myself staring {too long actually} trying to memorize every part of their little faces and little hands and little feet. 

Tell I'm not the only mom out there who does this? 

One thing they don't tell moms who bring home second baby. How instantly it makes your older child look like a giant. My sweet, precious little baby girl grew drastically overnight. I'm not even kidding her arms and legs were longer! Her hands were the size of human adult hands! She wasn't a baby anymore she's running around having grown up conversations with me. She's even reading to ME now!! I seriously want to cry! Time is seriously precious and is over  like that {snaps fingers}. No do overs, no pause and rewind buttons just one chance. 

I can't be bothered to waste time with silly things like cleaning, bathing or watching my shows. I have to spend every second just soaking up my time with them! Because I could never ever live without them! 

P.S I was kidding about the cleaning and bathing part. ;)

My heart's desire

I used to be scared of having kids. Was I really made to be a mom? I didn't even see myself as a stay at home mom really. In my somewhat small town, I would dream. I would dream big of being a famous actor/singer or fashion designer. Anything that would take me away from that somewhat small town.

When the idea of being a military wife first came up. I was most certainly not interested. Well, I was scared. The only picture I got of the military life was a non operational, run down George Air Force base. Or way out in the boonies, middle of nowhere Edwards Air Force base. I was scared! Who wouldn't be at the sight  of those places? 

But God had other plans!

I had been working hard on dreaming up my life plans in high school. The idea of being a mom was far from my mind. And the possibility of being a military wife was lost. 

I focused on my life and my dreams this time. I looked into photography schools, performing art schools, Christian schools. 

Not really making a decision. 

Then this boy walked into my life... Like they always do. He changed me, he changed my heart. He was in the Army so close from graduating basic training. Uh- oh a military guy? How did this happen again? I couldn't help it. I fell... I fell hard. We started talking and two months in he deployed to Iraq. 

And I had my first taste of the military life. I stayed faithful and true. I was honest and attentive. We lasted the entire 12 month deployment. { well minus a couple months but that doesn't count} 

I knew what sacrifice meant now, I knew what I wanted now. 

I may have never had the college experience. After all we got married at 19/20. I may have not experienced the normal young adult life. But I have gotten so much more.

After all God knew what he was doing when he brought Evan and I together. When he made me an Army wife to an amazing man. When he made me a mommy to two precious babies. One in heaven and one precious girl who loves to dance, loves footie pajamas, and loves to make us smile. I didn't need to be scared because my life was in Gods hands and he knew what was best for me even when I didn't. He knew the desires of my heart and he followed through on his promise. I know it's only the beginning.

And you know what I still got out of that somewhat small town. I am still avid about my passions. {Fashion, Photography, Music} I still get to pursue them in one way or another. I've had a life full of trials AND blessings. A life full of adventures!

PSALM 37:4

"Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart."