Make it a Day of Thanks

Megan from "In This Wonderful Life" posted today about being thankful and it made me think about the things I am thankful for.

I am thankful

• First and foremost, because I have a savior who loves me and chooses to bless me even though I don't deserve it.
• because I have an incredible husband who loved me and loves our daughter unconditionally
• because I get to look into these baby blues everyday

Picture by Amanda Rooney Photography

• because I have an incredible job that I enjoy going to everyday, who values their employees, and understands the demands of being a parent
• because my sweet baby is healthy, feeling much better and her nasty cold and ear infection is gone
• because I have in-laws that I love and that love me (and yes, this makes me so thankful because I know way too many people who don't have a good relationship with their spouse's family)

So what are you thankful for?  Let's make this a "Tuesday of Thanks "!

If you want to,lets link up!! Tell me what you are thankful today - even ifs its just one thing - what are you thankful for???

Bows, Bows, Bows

I love bow - BIG bows!  I love putting BIG bows on my baby.  

I live by the slogan "The bigger the bow, the better the momma!"

A few days ago, I was going through Em's 12-month wardrobe to make sure I had a bow to coordinate with EVERY outfit! 

I mean, lets get serious for a minute, how many pictures of Emmalee Caroline have you seen on this blog where she doesn't have a bow in?  Yeah, that's what I thought. 

Seriously y'all, the child had a bow on her head since she was a day old - literally!!!

So I'm sure you now understand how BIG of a deal this is:

I

Let

My 

Daughter

Wear

A 

Small

Bow!!!!!

And she was so stinkin' cute in it!!!!!

Em has gotten to the point that she pulls all of her big bows off  - well, at least she pulls the headbands off.  So, since she has a headfull - and I mean HEADFULL - of beautiful blond hair, I decided that I would experiment.  I put just a small clippy bow in her hair to see if she would pull it out - and she NEVER even touched it!  

So it looks like we might be sizing down our bows.  And I'm not going to lie, it makes me a little sad!  Don't get me wrong, I will still attempt to put big ole' bows on top!!

How sweet is this little face? She is so sweet I could just eat her up!

A Day in the Life...

...of a Working Mom

Today, Kelly is hosting a blog hop for working moms. 

If you are a working mom then you KNOW this:  its not easy.  Some days are brutal, but we do it ALL for our babies!

Growing up, I always dreamed of being a mother.  Its all I dreamed about.  All I wanted to do was have babies and raise them and love them.  But I was always torn because I always wanted to have a career, too.  Luckily for me, the Lord had both of these in His plan for me.  I am a momma, I am a wife, and I am a Corporate Compliance Specialist. 

My schedule is can be crazy, some days.  My morning starts at 5:30am.  I get up and get myself completely ready then wake up Emmalee at 6:30.  I get her dressed for the day, then she has a bottle.  We spend a few minutes together, then this Momma grabs her (as a fellow blogger called it) "crack" (aka coffee) and is out the door.  Emmalee stays with her daddy for about 30 minutes until they leave to go to Ms. Donna's. 

While Momm and Daddy are at work, Emmalee plays at Ms. Donna's with her friends.  I work until 4:30, then head straight to Donna's to get Em.  We're usually home by 5 or 5:15.  As soon as we get home, Emmalee snacks or plays in her high chair while I work to start dinner.  After dinner, we play and have our bath (Emmalee LOVES her bath.).  I start getting Em ready for bed around 7:40 or so, then she has her bottle at 8 and goes to bed. 

I may not have a ton of time with Emmalee during the day, but my time with her is so precious and we have so much fun together. 

There are a few things that make being a working mother easier. 

First, I know that I am doing what is best for my family.  I am able to contribute to our finances so that we can live comfortably and not have to constantly worry about the dollar amount in the bank.  It definitely makes things MUCH less stressful. 

Second, I have an incredible sitter, Ms. Donna.  Seriously, y'all, I think I have the VERY BEST sitter ever.  Donna only keeps children until they are two, so her day is devoted to holding and loving "her" babies. She absolutely adores them.  Emmalee has made such sweet friends there.  I love walking in and seeing her playing with them, and "talking" with them.  One of the most important things to me is knowing that Em loves being with Donna.  One of her first words (besides Momma and Dada)  was Nonna.   I have never walked into Donna's home and seen anything this precious toothy grin! 

Third, I have an incredible job that allows me to have flexible hours and take time off as needed.  Whether it is for a doctor appointment or Emmalee is sick, I have always been allowed to work when needed.  I am so lucky to work for a company that is built on the foundation that understands the importance of family. 

Although I would love to be at home with Emmalee, I feel that I am doing what is best for her now.  I am confident that the Lord has me where I am for a reason.  He has blessed me beyond imagination.  I have an amazing family, and precious daughter, and job that allows me to provide for my family. 

If you are a working mom looking for in-home childcare, or if you are pregnant and going back to work, this is a GREAT website for a network of in-home childcare providers.  All providers here are licensed or registered care providers. 

I Like To Eat

Eating.

Its something I really like to do.  However, in my journey to lose 40 lbs, I'm on the right track.  I'm 4 weeks into my weightloss and my first goal is to lose at least 15 lbs by April 15th, Emmalee's first birthday.  So far I'm over half way there.  I have lost 8.6 lbs and my clothes are fitting so much better.  I can't wait until I am acutally able to go buy some new clothes in SMALLER sizes! 

Eating. 

Its also something my daughter REALLY likes to do!

Y'all, this video just cracked me up.  This is an every-meal thing - this girl loves to eat!  What's funny about it is that she is so darn skinny, she can't keep her pants up!   She has a couple pair of Old Navy 6-12 months jeans and at {almost} 10 months old, she still can't keep them up.  Yesterday she wore them and I tied a ribbon around her waist to keep them up. 

Last night she was playing and Brant and I just couldn't help but laugh when we saw this:
         

And yes, she is playing with her daddy's shoes - she thinks its fun to unlace them!  

A Night with {3} New Friends

I had the most wonderful night last night.  Brant had picked up some Chinese take-out from our favorite Chinese place - Happy Wok (real good for my WW points, I know!).  So I fed Emmalee, had some dinner, then the three of us just played, and played, and played.  About the time that it was time for Emmalee to go to bed, I made her bottle, handed her (and the bottle, of course) off to Brant, then left to go up to the hospital.

My sweet friend, Ashlee, and her husband, Nathan, just had triplets (naturally, I might add.  NO fertility drugs).  Ashlee was so gracious and invited me to come see the babies.  I was thrilled, and of course jumped at the opportunity to see them.  They are the sweetest little things you have ever seen!

Sweet Savannah - Baby A - weighing 3.3lbs at birth and is now 4 lbs. 15 oz. 

Ms. Harlee - Baby B - weighing 3.6 lbs when she was born and is now just barely over 5 lbs.

Super Cooper - weighing 2.6Lbs when he was born, now a little over 4 lbs.

It was just a fabulous evening of feeding and cuddling these sweet angels. They are all doing so great!  The are still being monitored for their vitals, and have feeding tubes, but they are in open cribs and thriving.  Right now, all the girls have to do is take all of their bottles then they can be wire free!  Harlee and Savannah might be home in a week, and Cooper will probably be following close behind. 

The Verner Family

Me and all the babies: Cooper, Harlee, and Savannah

Just a Swingin'

Yesterday was a horrible day.  It was one of those "only once in a blue moon" days that I was plagued with a feeling of guilt over being a working mom.  Most days being a working mom doesn't bother me - I work becasue I need to help support my family.  Most days (most, not all), the good outweighs the bad, but yesterday was not one of those days. 

However, there are a few things that definitely made it a better day.

First, and most importantly (although some may disagree), I am doing what is best for my family.  I am supporting and loving them with every minute that I am away.  I am happy at work, I love my job, and it provides us a means to live comfortably without always being obssessed with the dollar amount in the bank.

Second, I know that Emmalee is having a great time at Ms. Donna's.. Y'all, I might have the all-best sitter EVER! She absolutely LOVES every single baby in her home just like they were her own.  I have never walked in and seen anything but a toothy-grin on my daughter's face.  She is happy, and playing and making friends and being loved every minute of it! 

So, after a long, difficult day yesterday, Brant and I decided that it was the perfect evening to take Emmalee to the park.  So we pack up the car as soon as we got home and have, in my mind, the perfect family night. I think we have definitely decided to have Emmalee's first birthday party at the park because this little girl LOVES to swing!

We had so much fun!  Then we headed to the perfect dinner destination - Chick-Fil-A.  Then we came home, game Em a bath (which she LOVES), then she played, played and played!  For Christmas she was given an activity walker by her Granda and Grandad, but she wasn't really a fan of actually walking with it...until tonight.  Y'all, I was so proud!  I was just sitting on the couch, then I all of the sudden heard the walking song and she was just toddling all over the living room!  So then I screamed for Brant and it took us 10 minutes for her to even do it again - ha!



In my mind, it was a perfect little evening - just me and my (in my mind) perfect little family!  Can I just say this - no matter how many good days, or bad day - I LOVE being a momma!

...and other Phenomena of Motherhood

So many of you know my dear friend, Amanda.  



Amanda and sweet Ms. Beverly at my wedding.



Some of you know her as Amanda, some know her as AmandaMoJo, and many of you know her as Baby Bangs.  But to me, she is my friend - and a sweet, precious one at that!  And if you do know her as the author of Baby Bangs, then I hope you know what Baby Bangs represents:  "Besides a baby, what pregnant women get in return for surrendering their waistlines is nine months of thick, glorious hair. It’s a beautiful thing. However, when Baby is just a few months old (about the time Mommy is seeing hints of her returning waistline) it all falls out. Soon her face is framed by the re-growth—lovely inch-long hairs called baby bangs." (taken from Baby Bangs).  

As of today, I am FULLY understanding what baby bangs is all about!   So today's post:  MY phenomana of motherhood!

Phenomena 1 

An inability to sleep through the night - regardless of how exhausted I am.  Not becasue my baby wakes up (becasue she literally sleeps thought the night most nights) but because I "think" I hear her and my momma-ears pick up every single sound...even if it is just her snoring!

Phenomena 2

An inability to stay awake past 10 pm. I absolutely cannot do it.  To be 100% honest, I'm not sure if this is a side-effect from motherhood, or old age.

Phenomena 3

Loss of brain cells and memory.  They say pregnent women have "pregnant brain" because they can be foregetful and completely absent minded.  Well NEWS FLASH - IT DOESNT GO AWAY! Just becasue you have that sweet angel in your arms instead of your tummy doesn't mean that your memory, brain cells and sanity come back...they don't. 

Phenomena 4

Allergies. I have never had allergies - I like to think I have an immunity due to living in Texas all my life.  But then I had a baby...and now I have allergies!  Seriously?  Of all the phenomena to happen, I have to get allergies?

And last, but not least...

Phenomena 5

I have baby bangs, and have no idea what to do with them!

BUT
If this is my reward for all of the "phenomena" I get, then I'll take it!!!