Saturday, June 28, 2014

You're okay?? Are you sure?

1:00 PM has meant one thing for the last four months... nap time. Jude happy in his crib and Abraham happy in Mama's arms, in Mama's bed, on Mama's bosom. He has grown quite accustomed to this... and so has his mama. 

At first I thought about all the things I could get done if he could "ever" nap by himself and vent to Dan about how I spend hours in that bed and sometimes I get restless.

But let me tell you... those couple hours every day that I spent holding my little angel baby so close are priceless. Beyond priceless. They are the most heavenly moments of my day. He would nuzzle up by me and within a matter of seconds he was off to his sleepy slumber, content and relaxed.

I don't know if I tried to put him to sleep by himself for that nap more than once or twice. That was our time. But Dan and I said, "when he's four months, we'll sleep train him."

Well, four months {and a move} came and the last thing I wanted to do was "sleep train" this precious little creature who preferred to be attached to me. I really didn't mind. Although the moments I had throughout the day to do much of anything were few and far between, and I would often go to bed at 8:30 because he was ready and I didn't have the energy to rock him for hours, and Dan and I have hardly had more than twenty minutes alone together in the last four months... besides that, I didn't mind. I really loved it. He is my constant companion.



We got somewhat settled into our new place and decided the time had come. It kind of happened by accident. I started running a couple nights a week with a friend and while I was gone Dan was in charge. And Mama wasn't there to go to sleep with... so the sleep training began. He cried/whined/self-soothed for 20, 25, even 45 minutes. I would leave the house and run an errand because I could not take it. Last night he self-soothed himself (sang to himself, most precious sounds I've ever heard) for an hour, and finally went to sleep. He is learning at an incredibly fast rate. I used to walk on egg shells to try to get him to sleep in his bed and since we've started he sleep training less than ONE WEEK ago, he is content to be payed down in his bed and doesn't jar awake at the slightest sniffle. (We're not to the point of putting him in awake, yet.) 

So today, 1:00 came and I happily hopped in bed with him for our nap. But he wouldn't fall asleep and after a while I knew he needed to go in his bed. He couldn't sleep by me in broad daylight with everything going on. So I swaddled him, rocked him for a few minutes, and laid him down.

And that was it. He was fine. He nuzzled into the bed happily.

Really, you're okay? You don't need me right now? And now here I am. Laying in our bed, alone. Missing him. Boy, I'm glad I savored and enjoyed those four months of naps with my little baby Abraham. I will never regret all the dinners I didn't make and the messy house because I spent the most priceless hours with my dear little child that I could never get back.


Tuesday, June 24, 2014

A new lease... on life!

I know the title is cheesy, but sometimes you just have to embrace it. We are all moved into our new place and thoroughly loving it. The grass really is greener over here! We are grateful to have all the space we need and more (a garage and an attic!), a little backyard for Jude with lots of windows so I can watch him while he plays, a washer and dryer located so conveniently a few steps from the bedrooms, and a spacious kitchen that is just asking to be cooked in.

We absolutely LOVE it here! Not to mention, we literally live on the same street as four of our good friends. It's a little slice of heaven!



Around the same time we moved, we completely overhauled the way we eat. It is liberating and invigorating. Up until this point, I was the poster child of "picky-eater." To me, a salad was lettuce and ranch and I rarely ate them at all. I "didn't like" tomatoes, avocados, peppers, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, and the list went on. Through many factors but especially a book referral from a friend ("Super Nutrition for Babies"), and in doing my own research while studying things about Jude's situation and allergies in general, I have changed. It is definitely not something that can happen overnight and I feel like for me, it's taken years of slowly shaping me to where I am now ready to change how I eat and how I look at food. And let me tell you... it feels good. It feels good to enjoy a salad and a sweet potato for dinner and not be craving my next dose of Bluebell. I have no intention or desire to stop eating ice cream or chocolate, I just need to be in control of it as opposed to it controlling me! I used to feel intimated by making a good, healthy dinner or salad but it is now not just doable but empowering! 

Dan has been training to dunk with a friend and is so active and healthy and it is definitely rubbing off on me, too! I went running with a friend last night and we are going to make it a habit! 

Real food is incredible. It has the potential to enable our bodies to do so much more. We are really doing a disservice to ourselves when we eat poorly.

There has been a lot going on over here, some good and some bad, and I can't share it all, but I can share this!

My sweet mama and papa bears came out to visit and we had a lovely time with them. The highlight, for me, was an afternoon at the La Cantera Resort pool with my dear little family. That place takes the cake. I went down the slide and felt like a kid again. We were just swimming and jumping and splashing and life in that moment was absolutely perfect. They say money can't buy happiness, but access to the La Cantera pool sure wouldn't hurt. Did I mention there was a fire pit right by the pool with ALL YOU CAN EAT SMORES?! You heard right. It was a dream come true for this little lady. Whew. They know how to party.


Abraham enjoyed his first swim. He really seemed to enjoy it. And Jude was just a little fish. He is so comfortable in the water and loved going down the slide and even went through the waterfall! He loved the beach-like entry and would just run in and out. All while Mimi and Papa chaperoned on the lounge chairs. Seriously, this day was heaven!

So... Cheers. To healthy eating, to summer, to loving life, and to s'mores!







Friday, June 6, 2014

Life lately.

Life has been good. Like, really good. Like, so good that I don't even want to talk about it out loud for fear that I will jinx it. But I think the good should be shared. So, I shall.

I still chew ice all the time. But I love it. Love it. I tried to give i/t up, but I can't. It's my coffee/cigarettes/whatever else people love/need. It's one of life's little joys for me. And although I know it is bad for my teeth, it is also my main source of fluid intake for the day. Like, 8 cups of water per day through ice. So, that's how I justify. It's not all bad.

As an update to a previous post where we found a townhome across the street that we thought maybe if crazy dreams came true, we could move into it.

And guess what.

IT'S HAPPENING. There is a copy of the lease in my inbox and it is sitting pretty waiting for us to take over on June 10th. And guess what else? I was speaking with the lady (very official term) and she told me she was waiting on the painters to come because she wanted to give it a fresh coat of paint. And I just MENTIONED that I adore white paint and white walls and would be tickled pink if she could drop a note with the painters for white. And she said she would. CHA-CHANG. I hope to never see a beige wall again. UGH.

So we are packing. And it's not tons of fun, but what's waiting is! A three-bedroom townhome with a garage and a backyard and a washer and dryer and an open kitchen and two and half baths and... sighhh. I'm pretty excited.

And lately, after Abraham falls asleep for "our" nap in my bed, I sneak away! And then I am all by myself to do whatever I please! (Like eat ice while blogging) It's pretty exciting.

And lately, Abraham doesn't have to nap every hour and we can run errands without the world spinning out of control. We took a Whole Foods trip the other day and it was quite pleasant, actually. 

AND... This is a big one... Dan had like,  A MONTH break from school. No school. No work. Just being a husband and daddy and it has been so dreamy. And then this week he started his research job with his school and it just happens to be the most incredible job ever. Like, he gets paid a set amount for the "8 week" research project. Even though some days he only goes in for three hours! And can do some stuff from home! It's just too good. 

I went back to work and... I didn't die. I survived it all and pumped and all was well. I even asked my friends to drive my to work a couple times so Dan could bring me the baby at lunch time to nurse! I was soo dreading going back to work and missing my babies so badly. But it turned out okay and on my third day back I was a big girl and went through the day all by myself. But, THANK YOU TIM & NIKKI!! They are the greatest, kindest people!

And the other big one that's pretty much taking over my life lately...

Through the introduction of a friend and other things, I am having some great realizations. I am realizing how i need to be eating and feeding my family and why it is so important. What I'm learning is incredible. Why organic. Why NON-GMO. How these things are harming us. Why so many allergies today. Etc. I feel empowered by my knowledge and my new desires for change.

WAPF (Weston A. Price Foundation)

So much to say about that ^^^^. I will share more on my blog but not today. Please google it.

Baby crying, must go!