What is it like to be a new Mama?

This is a LOADED question. Every first time mommy has a different journey to becoming a mom, every brand new brand new mommy has a different journey into motherhood. With all of that going on there are still some things that all new mommies should know (I think).

1. Your Baby is an Individual.

Obviously we all know that no two people are alike. This goes for babies, just because they are brand new and can’t speak yet and are all wiggly with tiny muscles does not mean they aren’t human and don’t have a personality. They absolutely have a personality and likes as well as dislikes. You can read all the books in the world but that still doesn’t prepare you for WHO your baby is.
Don’t freak out, that may sound scary but in actuality it’s a good thing. It can be magic if you let it. Learning all about your new baby is your only job in postpartum. My best piece of advice is OBSERVE. When baby cries observe body language, what is baby doing? What does baby’s cry sound like? I’m not saying let baby cry a long amount of time but just watch and see. Babies have different cries for different needs. (Also read the baby whisperer, this helps you to get to know YOUR individual baby.)

2. Be Flexible.

For those first few weeks night and day are wildly similar. Baby doesn’t know how to read a clock, so pottying and feeding and sleeping happen whenever baby feels like it. (I wish that was me sometimes!). With your new baby, and your new job of learning your baby, try not to make concrete plans. While some babies are naturally laid back, others are higher maintenance. Since you can’t predict your baby, and even if your baby is laid back you are brand new at this job. You want to take it easy on yourself.
The great thing about this time warp is you are literally in a honeymoon phase with your baby. At least, I am. It’s an obsession really. Just staring at your baby, being proud that you are the only one who can comfort your baby. This brand new person you have waited a long time for (some of us a super super long time) needs YOU. This new person is beautiful (obviously because it’s your baby) and they have cute little quirks that you can’t get enough of and that’s why getting up in the middle of the night and showering at 2pm is worth it and actually quite sweet.

3. It is Overwhelming.

Yes it’s overwhelming in obvious ways. Sleep deprivation, the steep learning curve that is your precious new one. That’s not what I am talking about here. I’m talking about from the moment you see your baby’s face for the first time until you settle in to forever. It’s this deep well of love that has no bottom. It is never ending, and it is from all around you. It can feel almost uncomfortable. For me I fell so hard and fast in love with my baby (and again with our newest precious gift) that I felt crazed. Nearly out of breath sometimes. I was so head over heels in love with this tiny baby, I had never felt something so intense so fast before. I definitely wasn’t prepared for it. It was sometime around when he turned 3 months that I felt comfortable in my new skin. I read somewhere recently that motherhood is loud, even when they are sleeping. That is the truth. When they are awake they are cooing, and crying, and giggling, and talking. When they are asleep it is your mind. Are they breathing? Should I wake them to eat? Is that a normal noise? Is that a normal face? Then when they are older the questions get deeper. Should I spank? should I not? Did I teach him/her enough today?  Did he eat well enough?  All those questions are love…overwhelming, deep, never ending love. It is real and powerful and you do need to settle into that responsibility and feeling.

4. This IS Your Most Important Work

By far this is the most important thing you will ever do with your life. You are raising a HUMAN being. A person who will grow up and either make the world better or worse. Your job can not be bigger. It is both and honor and a responsibility to do it well. You can’t do this job well without allowing yourself to change. You will learn patience, selflessness, gentleness, and kindness. The learning process can be painful sometimes as you make mistakes and sin against your child. The only thing I can offer is that your child loves you so far beyond what you feel you are worth and they are champs are forgiving. People have always told me I would be a great mom and that I’m so patient with kids. Maybe that’s true, maybe I am more patient than most. Having a high energy, strong willed, wild and impulsive toddler has seriously tested that. I think I am learning more and more each day about even more patience. The key is to ALWAYS try to see from their perspective. I believe my kid is good hearted, and *most of the time is not intentionally being disobedient. Like I said, he is high energy and impulsive. I also believe that what we believe about our children is what they end up believing about themselves. I make a point of telling him that I think he is smart and funny and sweet and brave. Every day I tell him “I like you and I love you.” You know what? He believes it, and he believes so much of what I say about him that he says “Is this ever gonna end?” I’d say I’m doing my job if my kid knows he is valued in our home.
Don’t take that to mean we don’t discipline because we do. There will be respectful talk and behavior but it’s a two way street. We are learning the fruits of the spirit together.

 

To all you new mommies, and mommies to be out there. Get your tiger stripes on. You are about to learn what you are capable of and, believe me, it is far more than you can imagine.

~B

Christmas 2011

Christmas this year rocked my socks off! I had all these dreams that Bean would come downstairs in his cute jammies and just be so excited at all the new things to look at! Granted, our magical morning began a tad early. 6am….which wouldn’t have been too terrible if Santa went to bed before 2am. Either way, it was awesome. Bean was at an awesome age for his first Christmas. (Tempts me to have all January children!)

Hubsy found his gift from Santa right away. Too big to wrap. Hubs does Krav Maga. If you don’t know what it is google it. It’s nuts. But he loves it and I want to be a wife that fuels passions rather than drive him away…no matter how many times he comes home from class and says “let’s practice chokes.” Yeh…..he likes being fake choked so he can inform (dramatically show) me how to escape. That boy always keeps life interesting 🙂

Bean found his first treasure from Santa. It’s called a pewi bike. Basically it’s a walker that you don’t sit them in. Traditional walkers are terrible for their spines, not to mention they stifle their ability to learn how gravity works and to fall correctly. Plus later on they can ride it around. This was a big hit. Walking was the big deal those couple of months and so he played with this for like a half hour.

He was interested in just looking at his ball pit from Santa. He was not interested in going in.

Someone else, however, would not come out of the ball pit. She thought it was for her! She still does, those two are always in the ball pit together.

…yeh.

Still going!

Puggy found one of her stocking stuffers from Santa.

Someone else found his stocking too! Santa had specific toy ideas for Bean. No noise makers. All quiet toys that encouraged imagination and creativity and challenged motor skills and critical thinking. Too much for a one year old? We agree with Santa. We don’t want to limit Bean’s possibilities with distracting toys. Now, all of his toys from relatives are noise makers and that’s fine. Toys, in our opinion, are like anything else. Food, reading, movies; you want to have a good varied diet in all those areas. Say you are an avid reader. If you only read historic or biographic non-fiction you are missing out on all the great fiction like thrillers and comedies and romance. You want to challenge all sides but every now and then your brain needs to veg out….that’s where family comes in with the loud twirly colorful toys.

Someone else found his stocking too….his toys are just nonsense. Pretty much there to chase me around and try to start wars with 😉

This one was also a BIG hit. We do the baby reading program with Bean. Believe it or not it worked. That boy reads like crazy, and he loves letters and words.

After a wonderful morning with our tiny brood we headed over to Mimi and Poppi’s for some more Christmas fun with the whole gang. I love spending all day with my family. Wish it happened more often. Kids everywhere, the big kids (us) crashing on the couch after the inevitable and childish sugar overloads (sugar wins every year), and Mimi and Poppi always finding batteries and scissors. BTW my folks rock at getting each other meaningful gifts. Every year one of them is bawling, all of us big kids are in on and it and just waiting in anticipation…it’s awesome.

So I’m going to walk you through Christmas at my folks because you won’t believe it. This is the FIRST tree. There are so many of us now that the trees span a couple of rooms (and one day I predict several floors as well). There are my two folks, us four kids, our chosen honey-doos, and 5 grandbabies (at the time, since then we added a grandbaby and another one is coming in May!). All in all that is 15 people. Yes. 15 getting gifts and giving gifts. It’s so awesome. Everyone is in on secrets with one of more person and there is just so much anticipation in the giving.Like I said Mimi and Poppi are the champion gift givers. They have real generous hearts.

This is the second tree.

The big kid stockings. Even though now there are 8 big kids (us original four each found our honey) the couples each share one. You get married you become one! Mimi and Poppi make sure there are gifts for both hubs and wifey in there.

The grandbaby stockings. Mimi needs to make two more for the next Christmas! Mimi and Poppi stuff them so much that they are too heavy to hang. It’s awesome.

All the stockings together. Mimi and Poppi don’t do stockings for each other but…I think they should. They deserve it and they are so good at it. If anyone agrees with me leave a comment for them. If I show them the world agrees too then maybe they will take some time for each other and not just all the kids and big kids!

Another view of the first tree. It’s soo stuffed to the brim and overflowing.

Yeh, stuffed so high that there were presents in the bookcase.

Ray is crazy about Bean. If she’s around I usually don’t see him for hours.

Cheese was super happy about a gift from Ray and Matt.

Mimi loves her Puddin 🙂

Ray is getting married in the fall so we got her some stuff for her future walls!

We got Bud this helicopter thing that you stomp on it and the thing goes flying. I dunno, hubs picked it out. I’m not a boy. All I know is Bud loved it.

Puddin has been into putting things together lately. I think she might be a handygirl!

Bek was a bit confused with one of her gifts…

I got her some peepee teepees for my sweet nephew (who was nearly all done cooking in there!)

Just loving the lights!

He loves his Uncle Matt.

Ray is always grossed out by hubsy’s gag gifts every year. This was actually a regift from the white elephant Christmas party we went to lol.

Bean got many many cuddles on Christmas. It was another one of those perfect days. Christmas was so much better this year, just having a little one to re-live the magic of my own childhood with. Watching him experience it for the first time, he was just wide-eyed for the whole season.  I honestly feel like I would do anything (perhaps to the point of people questioning my sanity) to see his smile and hear his laugh. It’s the most incredible thing. Love my little man, and love is not a big enough word. There should be a new word invented for this kind of feeling!

~B

More Random December 2011!!!

December just has many random activities. I figure I can post a few different days in each post until I’m actually caught up!

I was happy when my brother dropped off a couple of his kiddos to go do some Christmas shopping. I don’t get to see Cheese much. She was born a short 6 months before Bean. When she was born I was so excited but at the same time overwhelmed knowing my turn was next! Then Bean was born and the rest of her first year whizzed by and I felt like I just didn’t get to know her as well as my other nieces and nephews. Any time I get to spend with her I really cherish, just watching her and seeing what she likes and what she’s learning. Not to mention she’s gorgeous!

I have yet to meet a kid that doesn’t like keys 🙂

She just kept playing with those keys and looking outside. I love being outside year round but I hate exposing the little ones to such cold. I think around 2 I feel better letting them play outside in winter. Their immune systems are a bit tougher.

Bridge and I think that Bean and Cheese might be quite the team growing up. Cheese has figured out how to manipulate us adults with her cuteness to get what she wants, and Bean has just figured out physically how to get it by climbing or building something to climb on. Right now they go back and forth between sharing and kissing to taking and pushing. Once they figure out that they are stronger together we all know we are in for some big trouble.

Bean is also pretty infatuated with Bud. He’s the cool big boy and Bean copies everything he does. Bud is so sweet to him too, sharing and letting Bean just take toys. Bean lately just follows Bud and sits right next to him and just jumps in with the playing. It’s so great to see their relationship developing.

Bud caught me 🙂

Someone else was pining to go outside….my heart went right along with his!

Making sure the tree was ok 🙂

Yes…the pug has a dress on 🙂 Tab got it for her for Christmas. Somehow it made her look even larger!

I don’t think a rounder dog exists! Puggy Cupcake!

One last one of that pretty girl 🙂

Betcha can’t find me mama!

Love those baby legs:)

Little trouble maker!

I think I’ll post Christmas Eve photos too and then the next post will be a big Christmas post!

My two handsome boys! Bean loves a good three piece suit 😉

BEFORE Santa came. These are our gifts to our families and friends.

For years I have been known as the gift giver who has the worst wrapping skills. (I’m terrible at it and have been known to wrap a gift in a piece of fabric held together with a chip clip….yeh). I really made an effort this year. I tried to go vintage thought it would be simpler. Turns out brown packaging paper….not so easy to fold or tape. Either way I think they turned out alright.

I have made all of the stockings for our family. A tradition passed down from my own mama. Left to right: hubs, mine, puggy, and Bean! I (as does my momma) think that most store bought stockings are tacky (red santa fabric….ew. rudolph? again ew. ) Not for us. I like the idea of spending time making something beautiful for people you love. Makes the stockings even more special on such a special day.

For each stocking I try to pull in details that remind me of that person (or furball!) Other requirements are there has to be a bell on the stocking and either a bow or tassel (or both) and something else special.

I found these anchor buttons on etsy. They reminded me of Bean’s Cracker Jack party.

I also found a star bell which seemed fitting considering he’s the star of our show now 🙂

I made a bow tie…it reminded me of his Halloween costume 🙂

Another tradition passed down from my side is Christmas Eve jammies. Everyone gets to open one present on Christmas Eve and it’s always new jammies! Bean got pirate jams!! Hubs got superman jams!

Yeh, he’s the cutest pirate ever!!! I think this ranks as top three most anticipated Christmases ever. I am normally sick to my stomach with excitement but I actually had to take some homeopathic tummy stuff this year before bed! It was my first Christmas as a mama and I was up until 2am making sure everything was perfect. Bean was up for the day at 6 am! I was pooped but so worth it. Can’t wait to show you all the Christmas photos!

~B

 

A Couple December Events

Bean met Santa (I think this was the REAL Santa!). He didn’t cry, just stared. He’s not shy, actually he’s pretty outgoing. I thought he’d pull at his beard or say hi. He did nothing, just stared. Maybe it was the funny north pole clothes.

He dressed to impress the big man…didn’t want to miss out on gifts because of a bad first impression 😉

hmm….

Who are you again?

We hadn’t gotten his bathroom put together yet so he was getting bathed in the kitchen sink. I think something about that is sweet. I think maybe because when I was his age I had many baths in the sink. I have seen many photos of my baby buns in the sink!

His new bath tub has a textured bottom so his seat wouldn’t suction to it. I wasn’t sure at the time that he would sit well but we began working on it and these days he is a little too comfortable with the freedom in there! He also realized he can get in and out on his own just this month.

These next few are just having some good old family fun in the family room. We weren’t really doing anything just hanging out, but I love the times when were are just together doing nothing. I think most people don’t take photos of nothing, but it’s the nothing that I want to remember.

He’s so crazy!

If anyone out there has a pug too then you know this face. This is a normal pug face….pugs are always on the brink of sleep. It’s a constant battle for her to be awake at any given time…but past 8pm? Forget it…she’s like a zombie.

This guy is a different story, he would never sleep if I didn’t make him.

He likes to play airplane but only if the plane is crashing.

I don’t think doggie likes to play airplane….

One of his crazy faces!

I love that we feel like a family now. When Bean was little it felt more like we brought home a high maintenance puppy. We didn’t know him, he didn’t talk with us. Just demanded food, sleep, and a clean booty. Granted we loved him waaay more…like an overwhelming amount, but I wouldn’t say we felt like a family right away. Just that we fiercely loved a stranger. He definitely feels like ours now. I can usually guess what’s going on with him when he’s in the rare grumspy mood. I know what food he likes and doesn’t like. I cam guess which toys will be his favorites. I do know he’s hilarious. I have a feeling he will get sent home from school with many notes about distracting others and being the class clown. He’s already told three jokes, and it was obvious what he was trying to say. I seriously cracked up.

It’s incredible how you have 9.5-10 months of pregnancy to prepare to bring home a HUMAN and yet when the day comes you are still totally unprepared. You go to the hospital and have what I can only describe as a very surreal animal experience and bring home a person that you know nothing about and have to care for.

All I can say is I am glad God gave us this one! He fits in so perfectly with our family and he’s such a charmer. Some days I look at him and think I can’t believe God gave me the privilege to be his mama. I know many women never get the chance to be a mama and here is my chance and I get Bean. Talk about blessed. I try to not to get flustered on those nights when he’s teething and can’t sleep from pain. (Most nights I have lots and lots of patience…something I’ve worked a lifetime for). I just rock him and sing and think to myself I actually get a chance to comfort my child. How awesome is that. (Too many teething nights in a row, though, has me calling in back up troops so mama gets some rest. Thanks hubsy!)

Until next time,

~B

 

 

December 11, 2011

Ahhh Children’s Wonderland. A family favorite tradition. Those that married into this family may not agree (it has gone kinda down hill since we were kids) but either way the little ones LOVE it! So much to look at and lights everywhere! A perfect mixture for tiny Bean!

Bean’s obsession with Mimi and Poppi began around this time. They are his buddies!

Hubsy LOVES frosted sugar cookies…..so this mama gave him a dollar…he was a happy camper.

Puddin got to meet Santa! Bud was going to go but got too shy.

Bean’s walking had gotten out of control so fast! He had been walking two months at this point already!! He’s much harder to keep track of these days 🙂

He was just so happy with all the lights and the moving parts 🙂

He loved the train, he kept pointing at everything! So excited.

Puddin and Bud found the craft station 🙂

Puddin is such a little mama. She’s the oldest of all the cousins and is baby crazy! She wants a big family someday 🙂

Off and running again!

Crazy Bud!

Cheese loves Mimi and is usually unwilling to share 🙂

I still think Children’s Wonderland has some Christmas magic 🙂 Even more now that I get to watch Bean enjoy it so much. Seeing everything through his eyes makes it fresh and new. Best visit ever!

~B

December 6, 2011

We took Bean out to get his first Christmas tree.  Normally we go a couple weeks earlier but we were in the midst of packing and moving. We had a ton of rain and a smidge of snow and so the trees were super super heavy and weighed down with water. Great for lushness however near impossible to chop down and drag to the front. It was cold and windy but Bean loved it nonetheless. He loves wind so much. Even when it’s freezing!

He looks like a big boy nowadays….watching the world go by from his car seat. 🙂

He caught me as usual! Enough photos momma!!

We let Bean pick the tree. We waited until he pointed to one and he just kept on pointing to that one!

Hubsy had to work really hard this year!

Yeh….ew

He is always victorious. Even in harsh conditions

We waited a few days to decorate because we were both pooped from having moved this same weekend! So the decorating photos are from a few days after this.

Watching Daddy put up the lights 🙂 Sometimes it’s hard to get clothes on my wiggle worm…don’t judge.

These two are just best buds. Always playing and wrestling 🙂

They are both so roly poly!

We moved upstairs to watch hubsy finish the lights….note Bean is half dressed lol.

Yes they were both trying with all their might to get out there. Puggy was crying.

At this time Bean’s favorite thing was lights, so it was great.

Bean was the decorations director 🙂

Bean discovered bells and he loves them!

🙂

They both found some ribbon to share as a snack…..yeh. This is them in a nutshell.

Needless to say this past Christmas was incredible and magical in every sense of the word. Watching that boy I love….his eyes light up and get so excited. Not just about gifts but all the traditions and activities. This was just the beginning of making memories in our new home. He loved the tree, the lights, the bells, and the music. So fun.

~B

Last Bits of November

I know, again my bad. It’s been so hectic! I am vowing to all my readers that I WILL update at least once a week! This mama needs to get caught up so we can all start talking about real things now! I’ll start with some random fun ones and end with a session Tabitha from Wellspring Photography did for us 🙂

I walked in one day to find my nicely folded laundry apparently wasn’t folded well enough since Bean decided to help 🙂

What mama? I’m helpin!

I think these socks go together mama 🙂

There’s that blink 🙂 Only a photographer’s kid right?

I freakin love his crazy faces!!!

During this month hubs and I bought our forever home…which meant we had to leave the home where we brought home our baby. Yeh. That was super hard for me. So so many memories…and powerful ones.  We became a family in that house. I wanted some of the every day remembered so I asked Tabitha if she would come do a lifestyle session…basically just photographing our typical routine so I could remember those days in our first home as a family.

Haha!!! That’s his trouble making face!

At the time he was about the craziest kid to dress that I’ve ever seen. Nowadays it doesn’t take this long but still….it’s rather wild.

He sure makes a lot of faces….don’t know who he gets that from;)

I can’t even tell you how many books we read in a day. This is one of my favorites, it reminds me of my Papa 🙂

Yeh, when the book is all done so is Bean 🙂

I allowed him to teethe on my jawline until his top teeth came in. I think I was his favorite teething toy!

We taught him sign language since we knew that he knew what he wanted nut couldn’t verbalize it yet. Really cut down on tantrums!

I always have two little ones in my lap. They are jealous of each other and I’m not joking!

Yup he’s kinda nuts!

At our old house he was gated out of the kitchen, and whenever I’d go in to the kitchen to make him a meal he just wanted kisses through the gate ::sigh:: who wouldn’t love that?

hmmm

This was my favorite spot at our old house. We would sit there sometimes and just watch the world go by.

Walks are an everyday thing weather permitting. When it was just hubs and me we would still walk all winter long. Hopefully when Bean gets older he will like snowy walks too!

Yeh, he really loves walks!

This was the set up, doggie got tethered to the stroller because she was waaay easier to control.  If she would keep walking too far ahead I’d just shorten her leash a bit more.

Tabitha took way more photos but I felt some of them were too personal. I really miss walking the streets of our old neighborhood. It was so lovely. I am looking forward to this warm weather to get out there and meet our new neighborhood! Start making many many more memories 🙂 I am also just loving these days with Bean. They’ve gone too quickly really and they are far beyond my expectations of what it would be like to be a mama. It’s what I’ve wanted most for my whole life and it’s like thousands of times better than even I imagined. I wish he would stay little forever. I love taking care of him, and cuddling him, and teaching him. For now he’s all mine and he’s ok with that 🙂

~B

November 26, 2011

This night we drove an hour and half to take Bean to his first Christmas party! Our good friends from college throw one every year and Bean wanted to make an impression on all the babies 🙂 We got to meet some of our college friends babies that were all born (after Bean…he was at the front of the baby boom!). He was quite dapper if I say so myself.

Yup…that’s my boy. Isn’t he so handsome? Sidenote: if he learns to truly play piano someday he will be unstoppable…all the girls will just want to be his wife! Although…he’s so handsome they will probably think that anyway…

🙂

Bean meeting his friend Paxton! (He was a tad jealous of all of Pack’s hair..he’s still working on his)

all dressed up for the party. FYI he had on dress socks and dress shoes but the floor was too slippery.

Bean with his sweet friend Ella. They make quite a lovely pair 🙂 I just love Ella’s eyes…so sweet!

Bean with Aunt Natalie 🙂 ::sigh:: I love Nat so much, wish she lived near us.

Bean hates flash….this is typical face 🙂

A bit better 🙂

So happy we got to spend a night with all of our pals from the good old days 🙂 The Slagers are moving who knows where soon (Justin is in the airforce) so it may have been the last huge get together for quite some time. It was so great seeing all the babies and just being able to catch up and talk. I do miss living with my friends many days, but I wouldn’t trade it for living with hubs and Bean. I am thankful I got to have that time with all of them however. There is nothing like living in a building full of girls. You can always find someone to play with your hair,paint nails with you, cry with you, and stay up late with you to watch friends and eat a whole bag of snickers bite size :). It was like living in a house full of sisters. Those short years really stretched me, helped me grow, and made me a better girl. I think those girls and my trip to Egypt were the most valuable things I got out of college. Those experiences really shaped me.

November 25, 2011

 

Lights Before Christmas~This was officially one of my favorite days of his first year. It really ranked up there. This time of his life one of his favorite things is lights. I nearly cried just watching how excited he was. The light show was his favorite. Played music and the lights changed! He was dancing and laughing and clapping in his seat;although he cried when it stopped. Really all night he was bouncing out of happiness. Kairos.

The smile is the best thing I have ever seen on this earth.

 

Bean and Cheese watching the light show…Bean looks like he’s thinking “can you believe what you’re seeing mom?”

This photo = happiness. I really love watching him explore his interests and learning and just being happy.

Bud is a pokey walker so he hitched a ride 🙂

Poppi chillin with Bean. Bean LOVES his Poppi and Mimi.

Oh my heavens….I just love him so much!

Me and Puddin’….Can NOT believe how tall this girl is getting….and just getting sweeter by the day.

My guys….how could I not be happy?

This was one of the memories that I had planned for his first year that went exactly as I had hoped. All happy smiles and dancing and just sweet. Granted the lines to get into the place were seriously forever long (took us an hour to get in!) but once we were in it was magic. We even got to the train display and the ‘conductor’ noticed how Bean really loves trains (which he is fascinated by them I mean he IS a boy) and so he turned on all the horns! Just for my Bean! Ahhhh, what a night. I don’t think a lifetime with this boy would feel like I’ve have enough time with him. I still hate bedtime because that means I don’t get to see him for several hours. Hubs and I can’t believe how much we love him and how just being near him makes life so much better.

~B

Thanksgiving

I know I haven’t posted in a long long time! but life got seriously hectic…it was family photo season, then we moved, then it was Christmas, then I threw my sister a sprinkle. This weekend it’s another baby shower and a bridal show. Next weekend is a birthday party and Bean’s first birthday party! So! I thought life was settled for a few minutes I’d write about his first Thanksgiving. It was pretty awesome. We had Thanksgiving at my sister’s this year. We brought Bean’s own Thanksgiving feast! He had ground chicken (his first meat) and he LOVED IT! He also had mashed potatoes, a roll, green beans, cranberries (another first-he loved those too), black eyed peas and corn. He ate for an hour!

Yes….I was in charge of bread…..and let’s just say…it done been brought.

Yes…his first taste of meat….not quite so sure but it grew on him. I was so proud. Texture has been an uphill battle for this one. It’s funny how your babe eating a ground up piece of bird can just make you burst with pride. I felt like crying 🙂

He loves all dogs, big and small…even prezzy.

Uncle M always makes him laugh!

Cheese took a nap and woke up a smidge grumpsy. Nothing a little Mimi snuggle can’t fix.

Bean just looked so dapper. I have to say dressing a little boy is freakin awesome. I loooove finding old man clothes that are made for babes. I am also realizing that holidays are way more fun and sweet when you have a little one. Watching them do things for the first time and enjoy something….there aren’t words. It’s….magincredible. There. That sounds big enough to describe the feeling in my heart for how I feel when I watch him. I heard a saying once where once you have a child your heart is living outside your body and it’s so true. You just overwhelmingly love this tiny person and the world suddenly seems huge and dangerous and your world seems so fragile. Talk about being glad that I am a Christian, it’s not up to me to control the world and keep him safe. I just pray for his health and safety and I can let go of the worry, knowing it’s out of my hands.
Oh little Bean…you really do hold our hearts. Keep that in mind when you are older and deciding where to live…..there are lots of houses in the neighborhood 🙂

~B