But I Will ALWAYS Be Your Mom

The past week this sweet, yet sometimes sassy, 3 year old has turned into a full-fledged 13 year old!  The attitude and the sass are about to KILL me!  But I know she is three and I know she will (hopefully) grown out of it.

But I read this article today and loved it!  It's titled "9 Things We Should Get Rid of To Help Our Kids."  Number 5 got me!

I, in general nature, love for everyone around me to be happy.  I find myself often giving into my kids because I want them to be happy.  I want them to enjoy life and be in good spirits, especially during the Christmas season (mostly because it is my very favorite season and I don't want scrooges living in my house!) But the truth is that it's not my job to make my little dears happy; it's my job to be there mom.  

Last night's drama brought this whole truth to light. The scene played out like this.

All Emmalee wanted was to get down and play.  She hadn't eaten much dinner (literally A chicken nugget) but claimed she was full.  Being the wise mom that I am, I knew she was not in fact full, and that if she got down from that table, she would come to me in 30 minutes asking for a snack.   The compromise:  eat 2 more chicken nuggets and you may get down.  For over 20 minutes, we battled with her to eat these chicken nuggets.

Then it happened.

"Emmalee, I know you are not happy, but your tears will not help you in this situation.  If you want to get down from this table you MUST eat the other chicken nuggets on your plate."

With the tears falling down her cheeks, the saddest little eyes looked up at me to say "Mom, you're not my best friend anymore and I thought you would be my best friend forever."

And there it was.  A knife the size of Texas pierced my heart.  All I wanted to do was bend down and promise this precious little child that I would always be her best friend.  But that's not the truth.

The truth is that I will not always be her best friend, but I will always be her mom.  And sometimes being the mom isn't fun.  Being the mom means keeping my children healthy and protected.  Being the mom means making the not-so-fun decisions.  Being the mom means teaching and worrying and praying.  Being the mom means not always making her happy, but she will always be loved, and cherished, and prayed over.  And these are the things that I told her...

"My sweet girl, I know that I may not be your best friend right now, but I will ALWAYS be your momma.  And being your momma means that I want to keep your healthy and I want your tummy to be full so that you can keep growing to be big and strong.  No matter what, I will always love you and I will always want the very best for you...."

When it was all over, the chicken nuggets were eaten and we snuggled up together on the couch to read books with baby sister.  No, it didn't make her happy but I guess being a mom is not about always making our kids happy. 

Day 12: 31 Days of Calm the Chaos

I'm sure that any parent completely understand how your house can go from nice and pretty to completely destroyed in a matter of seconds. When life is busy and work is busy, adding our little darlings just adds to the business.  It seems that children, no matter what their age, can always bring a little (welcomed) chaos into our lives. 

Which is the exact reason I love Cara's 31 day series over at Red House Dry Goods:

Cara begins her series discussing the "why" she decided on this topic.  She address issues such as to-do- lists, knowing your limits, adjusting your expectations, and just how to simply get a little more organization for your life.  One of favorites new quotes came out of day 11: 

I LOVED this!  Let's be honest, how often do we, especially as moms, say "Yes" to too many things?  I do it all the time!  "Yes" to hosting baby showers, "yes" to baking for the school bake sale, "yes" to being a room mom, "yes" to sewing an outfit for a friend, "yes" to volunteering at the church event... I can admit is, I am a "YES" girl!  But it adds so much added stress, and often makes me run around like a chicken with my head cut off.  Its ok to not participate in everything!  It's OK to set limits!

So I hope that you enjoy Cara's series as much as I did, and learn a bit too about how to calm some of the chaos that surrounds your life.  Just think, the less chaotic, the more we can to truly ENJOY our everyday surroundings!

Day 10: 31 Days of Toddler Chores

So this may be a touchy subject for some, but I think its a great one!  Any momma (whether a SAHM or working mom) knows that keep a clean and tidy house can be a daunting, and some might say impossible, task.  If you're anything like me, from the time you get home to the time you go to bed, you find yourself making dinner, cleaning up, bathing kids, cleaning up after kids, picking up toys, putting children to bed, picking up all the other "stuff", then you get to go to bed only to wake up and do it all over again.  It's hard, it's exhausting, but we do it because we love our kids, our husbands, and a clean home. 

So when I found today's series, I was really excited.  Nikki over at Intentional Homeschool did a great 31 day series back in 2013:  31 Days of Toddler Chores. 

I love the fact that Nikki starts this series by first addressing why toddlers should do chores, then proceeds to give us 25 days of chores that toddlers can do.  Now let's be realistic, a toddler may not do the best job at it, but it's something! 

Just this past weekend, Sunday evening to be exact, I looked at my sweet dear husband sitting on the sofa as I was trying to pick up every item in my house that was out of place.  I decided that I was only going to pick up for 10 minutes, then I would be done...just done!  I WAS going to relax and enjoy just a few minutes snuggling beside him on that comfortable while my girls played.  And the thought occurred to me that I could get a lot more picked up if I had 4 hands versus 2, so I ever-so-sweetly asked my husband for a "10-Minute Pick Up."  Then, Emmalee came in the room and I decided 6 hands would be even better than 4.  So we deiced to establish the Williams Family 10-Minute Pick-up!

It was GREAT.  Emmalee at first at me like I was insane, probably because my eyes were about to pop out of my head from sheer joy at the whole family's (minus the infant) participation in cleaning the house, but she quickly bounced into action picking up her shoes, toys, clothes, and anything else we asked her to do.  It was fantastic!  After 10 minutes, we all felt a huge sense of accomplishment, and this momma was beyond thrilled!  The next night after bath time it was daddy who said "Okay, time for 10-minute pick-up" and again we all helped get the house before we all went to bed. 

It was during all of this that I think I realized that my 3- year old is quite capable of chores.  She needs to learn responsibility and a hard work ethic, and now is the best time to begin instilling these principles in her. 

So I hope you enjoy Nikki's series as much as I did!  If you have any other chores that your child does, or that have been helpful in your home, PLEASE let me know!  I'd love to know how your toddler helps you!

Day 9: 31 Days of Kids and Money

Oh my word today's favorite 31 day series is so close to my heart.  As a family who strives to make smart financial decisions, it is definitely something that my husband and I want to instill in our children.  So today's series is one written by Kimberly over at Living in the Sweet Spot.  Today's 31 Days of favorites is:  31 Days of Kids and Money.  

If you are raising children, then this is a MUST read.  This is series is all about teach children the value of a dollar, and the biblical principals about financial stewardship, giving, saving, and wise spending.  It starts out by the parents sitting down to address their own debt, and developing a family financial mission statement.   Quite a few of the posts contain free printables and resources that parents can use in their teaching. 

Its actually kind of funny because Brant and I were discussing giving Emmalee money just the other day.  If you read my first 31 day post, then you might remember the behavior chart at Emmalee's school.  I am a big believer in praising and rewarding children for going above and beyond...especially if its for great behavior.  With the number of pink and purple days that have been rewarded for, I'm afraid that keeping ice cream in my freezer may make me gain back the 20 lbs that I've lost, so we started discussing a new "system."  I said that I thought we should reward her with $1 for each pink day, $0.50 for each purple day, then $0.25 for each blue day.  Brant thought that might get a little expensive if she starts getting pink a lot - that could potentially be $5 a week just for good behavior.  However, my thought process is that it was a perfect opportunity for us to reward her for good behavior, but also teach her important lessons in money management.

So needless to say, I'm so very excited to put many of these posts into practice, and I hope you can too!

Baby Food in a Flash - Crockpot Version

Baby food making - something I never thought I would find myself doing.  I had it in my mind that it would be difficult and time consuming.  As a FT working mom, my time at home is precious so I didn't want to take up any of that valuable time making something that I could conveniently purchase at the store. 

But, a few friends I work with have babies about the same age as Madeline and convinced me that it was actually quite simple and really didn't take up much time at all.  So I decided to give it a whirl, and little did I know that I would soon be making up my own recipes and methods to make my own baby food.  The craziest part is that I am truly enjoying it and it actually does save money. 

So here is a quick guide to "Baby Food Making for Moms Always on the Go!"

 Today's specialty:  Carrots.

Here is a list of everything you'll need (prepare yourself, its lengthy, lol):
Sauce-sized crockpot
About 1 cup water
Bag of baby peeled carrots
pinch of salt
Immersion blender
Storage container.

To begin, I have my crockpot and 1 16 oz bag of organic baby carrots that I got for only $1.59.  

 

 Put your carrots in your crockpot with about 1 cup of water.  The water is simply to make your puree smooth and creamy.  If you prefer, you can exclude the water (or some of it) and add breast milk (if you're nursing)  in to end to make it smooth & thin.  I added a pinch of salt to mine, just to season and add some flavor.

Turn your crockpot on low for 5-6 hours, or you can cook on high for about 4 hours.

 Once the carrots are done (sliced of smushed easily with a fork), take your immersion blender (a hand-held mixer works just as good) and begin to puree until smooth and creamy.

Here we are - smooth & creamy.  

If you feel your puree is too thick, add more water or breast milk.  Also consider the age of your child. Madeline just started eating solids, so I want mine more thin so her little tummy can digest it easily.

 

 Just to give you a better idea of how much one bag of carrots can make, I poured my puree into this measuring cup.  It's a little over 2 cups, which I will make into 6 generous servings of food. 

STORAGE OPTIONS:

There are several different storage options.  You can use  the small glad containers, ziplock bags, breastmilk bags, or any other seal-able container you have.  I have given Madeline several serving of store-bought food, so I saved the containers and they are perfect for storage and freezing.

 Here's my new stash!  6 containers of freshly carrot puree, ready for the freezer or refrigerator.  I'll feed one serving to Madeline tonight, and save the rest of later.  I'll just put these in the freezer for now.  To thaw,  you can set them refrigerate, or sit the container in warm water for 5-10 minutes.  Very simple.

I was a complete skeptic on the whole "making your own baby food saves money" but I did the math and its actually true.  These Gerber foods are purchased at my local Kroger for $0.99.  Each item has 2 servings.  So $1 for 2 servings, roughly.  I just made 6 servings of carrots for $1.59!  That's roughly half the cost I would have spent buying 6 servings of Gerber foods.  

My serving sizes are the same as Gerber's because I am using the Gerber containers for storage.

That's it!  So simple and easy.  Total time actually "making" this was less than 10 minutes.  Since the cooking takes place in the crockpot, you can walk away and just let it be.  You can cook them while you're running errands, or at work, or playing with your kids.  It's a great time saver, but still allows me to savor the special time I have at home. 

Do you make your own baby food?  I'm intrigued to see who makes their own and what are some of your favorite recipes?  Do you get "creative" when your little ones are a bit older and exploring new foods? 

Pouring into the Next Generation

Brant and I have been doing going to a weekly Bible Study that is studying Kay Arthur's "Marriage Without Regrets" precept course.  It has been so enlightening to study what God's plan for marriage is and knowing the roles and expectations He laid out for man and woman.  On the other hand, it's made me realize the example that I want to be for my girls, and that my friends is definitely bringing some changes in my heart and actions.

Many of you may know, or read the blog of, Amanda Jones (AKA Baby Bangs).  Her dear husband Curtis once preached a sermon about being Godly men and women, and during his sermon he made one of the most profound statements that I will never forget:  When your children think about the most Godly woman they know, they should be thinking about you, their mother.  And when your children think about the Godliest man they they know, they should think about their dad! 

Wow!  What a powerful statement!  It was probably close to 10 years ago that I heard this sermon, but it made such an impact on me that I still remember it today.  The problem with this statement is that its PURE TRUTH!  If I want my girls to fall in love with their Savior and serve Him, then I have to do the same thing.  If I want my girls to be Godly women who are obedient to His calling; who raise their own children in a Godly home and show them what the "Proverbs 31 Woman" is, then I have to be an example of the Proverbs 31 Woman!

What this precept class has shown me more than anything is what God actually intended for that woman to look; what her role for her family was to be; what characteristics she should possess.  So now I've started the journey of becoming more like "that" woman.  I want to be a Godly example for my children, regardless of the secular world we live in.  I want to show them that, even though there is darkness around you, you can still be the light! 

To add fuel to "my" fire, I watched all of the IF: Gathering videos last Monday (yes, I wanted them all in a day because I felt like I couldn't get enough of them).  How fitting that this was about running the race and pouring into the next generation.  Christine Cain just about hit the nail on the head when she said God wants "the wisdom of the older generation, the resources of the middle generation and the zeal of the younger generation all running together."  But we have to BE the generation!  We have to instill a sense of urgency in the younger generation to have that zeal because the Lord is coming again, and we MUST be ready. 

So as a Godly woman, the biggest "generation" I can pour into is my own children!  I want to pour love, and wisdom, and truth into them, but I cannot do it on my own.  So I praise the Lord that He gave us the Holy Spirit who can work through me.  So today, I'm starting with the little things.  I'm talking to Emmalee more about who Jesus is, and the love that He has for her; we pray as a family more; we talk about how Jesus likes us to act.  They may seem like small things, but my prayer is that they turn into life-long things. 

So if you're pouring into your kids to raise up the next generation, what are you teaching them?  How are you the example for them to look up to?  What are you instilling in them and showing them so that, in 20 years when they think about the most Godly woman they know, they think of you? 

Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I can't believe its been so long since I posted, but life has been crazy busy having a baby who is a BIG momma's girl and a toddler who has more energy than energizer bunny! But here I am still, still alive and well and hoping to blog a little more in 2014.  I have a few other hopes for the new year, aka (dare I say the word) resolutions!

1) Obviously, as I stated, I need to blog more.  I love having my blog and I love looking back at old posts.  I think one of my favorite things was posting on the 15th of every month during Emmalee's first year of life.  I would talk about all the great and fun things she was doing.  Then, when I was doing her scrapbook, I was able to copy all of those posts and record all of the firsts and all the fun things of watching her grow up.  I think I've only done it once with Madeline, so call me a slacker mom.  So yes, I want to blog more.

2)  Scrapbook.  Y'all, I have got to get caught up in my scrapbooking.  I absolutely love doing it, I just never sit down and dedicate time to it.  My family scrapbook is so far behind its not even funny, and Emmalee's scrapbook is only completed through 6 months, and Madeline's isn't even started.  Yeah, so that's slacker mom #2! 

3) Lose Weight.  Yes, I know that is probably on everybody's list, but I HAVE to get off this baby weight, and an extra 15 or 20 wouldn't hurt. 

and my most important and my "REAL" resolution

4) I will spend more time holding my babies and loving my family instead of being so concerned about how my house looks and worried about "stuff" that needs to get done.  I usually come home from work, make dinner, eat, bathe kids, and spend time picking up the house or cleaning the kitchen.  But this year, all the housework can wait.  Toys can stay in the floor a little bit longer.  Dishes can be washed in a little while.  But when my children are awake and my husband is home, I will devote myself to them.  I will take the time to hug and kiss them, and make sure I savor every moment possible. 

Emmalee is with her Aunt Sis and cousin Aeson today, so Lil miss Madeline wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year! May your 2014 be filled with joy and peace!

5 on Friday

Emmalee was incredibly laid back and only cried when she was hungry.  She was one of the easiest babies I have ever known.  Madeline is different.  Madeline is a momma's girl and loves to be held by her momma.  She fusses quite a bit in the evenings and loves nursing, so it can make life and mothering a little more different than it was when Emmalee, not to mention the fact that I'm still trying to be a "hands-on" mom to Emmalee.  Having 2 is completely different than having 1, that is for sure! 

So today my 5 on Friday is all about the things that is making my life a little easier and manageable.

{ONE}

The Swing

I have the Sung-A-Bug Craddle and Swing and I LOVE it.  One of my favorite things about this swing is that it has a power cord that allows you to plug it into the wall so if you use it for hours at a time (as i do) then you're not constantly worried about having to buy stock in Energizer!  The swing also has several speed settings and can swing side to side, or you can switch it to a backward/forward motion setting.  Emmalee and Madeline both are "swing-babies" so this is one of my ultimate must-haves for baby.  I can sit Madeline in her swing just to "play" and look at the birds, or she'll nap here, so for me, this is one way that allows me some hands-free time.

{TWO}

SwaddleMe Blanet

  The swaddle blanket is my new BFF, y'all.  Emmalee was an incredible sleeper and I just swaddled, or tightly wrapped, her in a receiving blanket.  But Madeline is a wild-hands sleeper - she flails, like many babies do.  So I tried the swaddle blanket.  At first, she hated it and would scream.  Well, come to find out I was doing it wrong.  Once I watched a few videos and learned to tuck her hands down under her bottom, things improved - literally over night!  Now, Madeline loves being swaddled and sleeps GREAT!  She has consistantly (for almost 2 weeks now) slept for one 6 hour stretch, wakes and eats, then goes back to bed for another 4-5 hours.  So, I love the SwaddleMe blanket and it has greatly improved our quality of sleep! 

{THREE}

Moby Wrap

My personal choice for an infant carrier is the Moby Wrap. I was given a Boppy (sling style) carrier before Emmalee was born and she hated it, so I got the Moby.  Emmalee and I both loved it, so I've continued using it with Madeline. Since Madeline loves being held, especially in the evenings, I've been able to put her in the Moby and make dinner, fold clothes, play with Emmalee, etc.  It is definitely on my Favorites List! 

{FOUR}

Although Madeline doesn't have colic, I love Gripe Water.  It seems like Madeline ALWAYS has the hiccups - she had them 3 or 4 times a day while I was pregnant with her and she still has then a few times a day.  So, I always have a small bottle with equal parts tap water & Gripe Water that help so much when she has the hiccups, and can be a life saver when she is gassy. 

{FIVE}

My Crockpot!!

I LOVE my Crockpot, and if you have ever read any of my recipes, then you know I will cook just about anything in it.  This thing has been incredibly helpful in getting meals on the table.  I can put dinner on to cook in the morning (when Madeline naps the best), but can still have a reasonable dinner on my table with little effort by 6ish during her fussy period.  Its great, and I've been discovering so many great new recipes while I've been at home!  

So, what are some of the tricks or things you have up your sleeve to keep your life manageable with a new baby at home? 

Let Me Be A Child, Again

A few days ago, Kelly, from Kelly's Korner, wrote a blog post about how she is always telling her girls to "hurry up."  Her post made me stop and think about how often I say those same words to my sweet 2 year old.

Then I saw an article in the Huffington Post titled The Day I Stopped Saying "Hurry Up."  The article is written by a mother who was over-taken by guilt one day when she realized how often she orders her children to "hurry up" and try to do things on her schedule. 

All I could do after reading this article is think about the past 2 mornings.  Brant has been very sick and in bed, so I have had to get Emmalee to her sitter every morning, which then makes me late for work.  I think I've told my child to "hurry up" more in the past 2 mornings than I have in the past 2 months.  I would be trying to walk out the door and Em would be putting Baby Girl (her favorite baby doll) in Madeline's swing and kissing her goodbye.  So out the door we try to go again, but Baby Girl needs her blanket in the swing so she doesn't get cold, and don't forget to tell Dax bye, and maybe we should give Daddy another kiss on the head so he can feel better...the list of things this child wanted to do before we left the house was exhausting, but then she had to go potty....and since we are in the middle of potty training, I immediately drop everything and rush her to the potty. 

15 minutes after I tried to leave the house, we were finally in the car pulling away.  My thought..."Praise the Lord we are finally in the car, but I am going to be sooo late."



Do you ever think back on times in your life and wish you could do them all over again?  Well I wish I could take back these past 2 morning and do them all over again.  I wish I helped my sweet child "mother" her Baby Girl, I wish I had encouraged her to kiss her daddy again so he could maybe feel a little bit better, I wish I had encouraged her to love on her puppy Dax....I wish, I wish, I wish.  I wish I had slowed down to see the beauty of life in those precious moments.

Children seem to "get it."  They understand that to learn and grow, they should take every moment of every day to see new things, to inquire, to enjoy the small moments of life.

This morning I can't help but think about Matthew 18. This is the parable where Jesus teaches His disciples that the greatest in Heaven are those with a child-like faith.  And unless we become like those children, we will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Today this passage has new meaning for me.  Yes, I want a child-like faith - one that does not have to see to believe.  But I also want to become a child so that maybe I can slow down again.  I want to slow down and see everything the Lord has for me.  I want to see His truth, see His plan, see His power!  I want to enjoy the family He has given me and life He has provided for me.  I want to slow down and know Him more. 

So today, I encourage you to see the world through the eyes of a child.  Take those extra moments and hold your babies longer.  Take the time to care for those around you. Take a moment to play in the rain.  Slow down.  Don't ever hurry up.  Oh, how life would be different if we were like children, again.

Five on Friday

 {ONE}

My sweet, darling child was up from 1:21am - 4:58am this morning.  When you get up at 5:45am to start your day, this little interruption makes for a VERY rough morning.  

Bring in the coffee!!!!

Brant and I tried this coffee creamer from International Delight several weeks ago and it has definitely become a favorite.  We love it. You can definitely taste the sweetness and cinnamon of a Cinnabon.  

 {TWO}

We are starting "Operation: Diaper Freedom" at our house this weekend!  We tried potty training in June, but it didn't work so well.  So we didn't force her to do it.  Well, now it's time!  So, I found this website that talks about fast and easy potty training.  I actually paid and bought the book because $17 is about the price of a small package of pull-ups!   And if we succeed at potty training, then it was well work it in my mind! 

{THREE}

This is definitely my new favorite paint - the Sherwin Williams ProClassic Interior Acrylic Latex.  This is what we used to paint our kitchen cabinets last weekend and I couldn't be happier with the results.  It just looks amazing and this dried so quickly. 

I promise to dedicate an entire post soon on our kitchen facelift and include all of the items we used, and our step-by-step process on how we managed to paint an entire kitchen in a weekend!

{FOUR}

With Baby #2 on the way, I've been looking at different things to put into a special basket of goodies for Emmalee as her "Big Sister Basket."  But at the Rangers baseball game on Monday, I met a sweet older lady and we began talking.  She had 3 girls, and she said the best piece of advice she could give me was to make sure that the "Big Sister Basket" was a gift to Emmalee FROM Madeline!   I now consider this woman to be a complete genius! 

My idea for this basket was to make it have items that Emmalee can use on her baby dolls when momma is taking care of Madeline.  My thoughts are items like...

{FIVE}

Its been somewhat of a slow week at work, so I've been watching a new show.  I've seen episodes here and there, but never watched a whole season.  But thanks to Hulu, I can actually see an entire season of....

The Tears of a Parent

The past two years of being a parent has taught me more about my relationship with the Lord than I ever imagined it would. 

During my pregnancy with Emmalee I used to think "I want to be the most Godly woman I can be because that is what I want my child to be.  And how will she ever know how to become that woman if she doesn't see it in her own mother?"  I remember that during my pregnancy, my walk got deeper because I wanted to be stronger. 

Now, being a parent for the past two years, I don't see my walk getting "deeper," I see my understanding getting "stronger."

Emmalee has recently started battling us when its time to go to bed.  For her, this is completely unusual because she has always been so easy to put down. I've tried to blame is on the "terrible 2's", or my being pregnant, or her realizing that her world is about to change...but regardless of the reason, she has decided this is a battle she will fight...EVERY NIGHT!

One of the first nights we encountered this battle was last week.  We went through our typical routine, and I put her in her bed. She got out. I put her in again. She got out. And this went on for at least 10 minutes.  Then her daddy got involved. 

He went through the bedtime routine as well, and put her in her bed.  She got out.  He put her back in her bed, came out of her room, and held her door shut so she couldn't get out.  Which, she quickly tried to do, and when she realized she couldn't, she begged and sobbed for mommy. 

Can I tell you that it broke my heart into pieces.  I knew that my sweet little 2 year old needed to go to sleep, and by going into her room, I would make things worse.  So I was letting her daddy handle it.  But it still broke my heart, although pregnancy hormones were, I'm sure, playing a role. 

Brant went back into her room.  Five minutes later he emerged, feeling accomplished and exhausted because she was finally in bed, and he was certain she would not get up.  He was wrong.  About 5 minutes later, a figure emerged from her room and went down the hallway into the living room calling my name.  I could hear her from our bedroom, and after several minutes of hearing this tired little voice, I walked into the hallway.  My daughter turned to look at me and I looked at her.  I sat down on the floor in the hallway and she walked straight into my lap and buried her head in my chest.  She was exhausted.  I was exhausted. 

And  as I sat there on the floor holding my sweet baby girl, I let me tears fall.  They were tears of frustration, exhaustion, and pleading.  All I wanted was for this baby to understand she NEEDED to go to bed.  She needs rest.  Her little body can't "do it all" but doesn't grasp that.  I do.  And as her mother, I want only what is best for her, which was good rest. 

And as my tears fell, my mind finally began to understand our Father's love for us.  I can't "do it all", but sometimes I think I can.  But my Father wants only what is best for me, but how often do I fight Him?  If you're like me, I fight Him all the time. I battle with Him over what I think is best and what I think I need.  But He knows what is waiting for me on the "other side," just as I knew that a night full of rest would help Emmalee have a smile on her face in the morning light. 

So just as I cried over my child, how many times has He cried over me in anger, frustration, and as a simple plea to just trust Him?  And the honest answer is that I don't want to know the true number of times. 

So tell me, as a parent, how has your walk changed?  Is it deeper, do you have a better understanding of the Father's love? 

Build Them Up - Parenting

 

Well I can't tell you how happy I was to see this weeks topic this morning!  I can honestly say that last night was one of the hardest nights of parenting Brant and I have ever had. And yes, I questioned half of it wondering if I was doing the "right" thing, but over the course of the entire night, I realized that "right" for Emmalee may not be "right" for everyone else...and vice versa.

It all started at dinner.  We no longer make Em sit in her high chair.  She gets to sit in a regular chair at the table with mommy and daddy.  Well last night she had no interest in sitting, which has been a problem a few times but nothing to the extent of last night.  To put it in a nutshell, within the course of 30 minutes, she managed time out twice, and had to go to her bed.  (If she throws a royal fit in time out, or if time out doesn't work, we tell her she needs to go get in her bed until she can behave or calm down.  It is usually the last draw, but it usually works).  Well it didn't work!  She came out of her bedroom and wanted me to hold her.  Not going to happen - she needed to sit in her seat and eat her dinner.  So when I told her no, she hit me.  Back the bedroom she went...where she proceeded to scream bloody murder for the next 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, I had a bounding headache so I went to shut her door.  The back-breaker, I heard her crying "Bye Mommy, sorry.  Bye Mommy, sorry."  Those are words that just break my heart.  So I went in to talk to her.  I sat on her bed with her and we talked about why she was in her bed.  I asked her why she was screaming.  I explained that it is important to do what mommy and daddy ask her to do.  And that was the end of it.  She finished her dinner, and then we played....until 8:00.

Around 8, Em asked for applesauce and I got her some.  When she was finished, she put her bowl on the floor, so I asked her to pick it up and put it on the table so she didn't step in it.  Her response, "No.".  Again, I asked.  "No."  Enter Daddy.  He explained that mommy asked her to do something and she needed to do it.  "No."  After 3-4 minutes of Daddy and Mommy asking, Daddy ended up forcing her hand to the bowl, and making her pick it up.  It was an act of PURE defiance!  The first of it that I have ever seen come from my child.  Yes, there have been moments where she didn't want to do something, but this was something different.

It was in this moment that I began to ask myself "What are you doing?"  "Are you doing this parenting thing 'right'?"  "Is it just because she is 2?" 

And as I asked myself these questions, my prayer was "Oh Lord Jesus, please help me be the mom I am supposed to be."  Then the wise words of sweet friend came back to me.  They are words that she told me just in a story one day not long ago, but they are words with such impact that they have never left my heart.  And they are words that of wisdom shared with her from another mom, too.  And it was this fact:  God created you - exactly YOU - to be the mom your child needs.  He created YOU to raise them, not someone else.  He created YOU to supply their needs, and He created YOU to love just the way they need to be loved. 

God created ME to be Emmalee's mommy, not someone else.  He created Brant and I to raise her and love her, and teach her and discipline her in the ways that she needs.  Emmalee is strong-willed, and she needs strong-willed parents to help raise her in a way that will help her grow her strengths of leadership, but also help teach her that we don't always get our way.  He created us to teach her obedience to us and others.

So maybe our way of parenting isn't the "right" way for you to parent, but remember that God created YOU for YOUR child.  He equipped YOU to be what they need.   So seek Him in your parenting, because He will be all that YOU need to be a parent.

"Mommy, I 'Wake"

Oh my goodness, something has to be done about Emmalee's recently-develop sleep habits. 

Please understand, Emmalee has always been a great sleeper.  She slept through the night at 8 weeks old.  There have been a few short periods of time where she has woken up in the middle due to sickness or teething, but nothing too severe. 

Well now that she is old enough to open doors, she has started getting up at 5 and 5:30, coming into our bedroom and saying "Mommy, I 'wake.  Mouse on please."  (translation:  Mom, I'm up and want to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, please.")

I usually put her in bed with us and tell her that Mouse is still sleeping, so she should sleep to.  But she doesn't.  She will rest her pretty-little head on my pillow, but she never goes back to sleep.  So when my alarm goes off around 6, she's bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.  By the time its time for her to go to Mrs. Donna's she's falling alseep on the way, or is horribly fussy and whinny.

I honestly need your help!  I'm not a huge fan of locking her door, but did your toddler do this?  Even if they just woke up early and didn't get out of their bed, how did you help them get back to their normal sleep habints?

Help me moms, because I am at a loss.  I need guidance...and SLEEP!! 

Somebody is 2!

It was 2 years ago today that the most precious angel came into my life.

It was 2 years ago today that my dreams came true.

It was 2 years ago today that my life changed forever.

It was 2 years ago today that I become a momma to this most precious, sweet, sassy, and amazing little girl! 

Emmalee Caroline,
You are light of my life and the joy in my heart.  You are the sweetest and sassiest 2 year old I know, I get the honor of calling you mine.  Your smile can brighten any room, and your laughter is contagious.  You bring joy to everyone you meet, and you never meet a stranger. 

You are learning new things everyday.  You know almost all of your colors, and you can {almost} count to 10, and you're learning your ABC's.  You are a non-stop chatter box and you love to sing.  Your favorite foods are applesauce, yogurt, grapes, pizza, and ice cream.  You love to be outside and you love the slides at the park. 

You love everyone around you and you are so excited about being a big sister.  Your baby sibling has no idea how lucky they will be to have you as their big sister. 

Emmalee, being your momma is one of the most joyous things I have ever gotten to experience.  You fill my (and your daddy's) heart with pure joy and the past 2 years have the BEST.  We never knew how much we would love you! 

Happy birthday, my sweet 2 year old. 

Being a Wife, Being a Mom, and Still Trying to Be Me

There is a fabulous group of ladies hosting a series called "Build Them Up."  I love it!  They are just fantastic and I, personally, love the idea of us all rallying around each other to encourage and build each other up. 

http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/2013/04/remembering-you-taking-care-of-yourself.html

Today's encouragement is how to stay "me" when your are constantly surrounded with your children and families.  How do you keep the "you" in your life. 

Its funny because when I think of who I am, and who I have always been, its a mom.  My mother can tell you stories of me as a little girl and I was always toting a baby doll around or playing "house" for hours.  I've been known as the baby-hog forever, hence the name Aunt Grabbie.  I LOVE children.  I LOVE babies and I LOVE being mom. 

I think its this reason that struggling for infertility for 2 years was so hard on me, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  All I have ever wanted to be was a mom.  But I won't lie to and tell you that it fulfilled my every desire, because it hasn't.  What it HAS made me realize is that there is so much more to me. 

I think I put my whole self into being a mom because that was the desire of my heart.  For 2 year, I forgot what it was like to a wife, a sister, a friend.  So it wasn't until after I became a mother did I realize that I lost myself.

So, in order to keep the "me" in me, I do a lot of things. 

1) I work outside the home.  Don't get me wrong, I would LOVE to be a SAHM, but working is actually so good for me.  I have developed amazing friendships and have mentors that I can look up to.  I perform a role for my company that is essential - its keeps things "functioning."  and when I come home each day, I get to lavish hugs and kisses on my 2 favorite people, my daughter and my husband.  I love what I do, and for me, its been so important to have these adult friendships and relationships.

2)  I scrapbook.  Its my way of releasing all of my creative "juices."  For me, its relaxing.  One of my favorite times is getting together with my sister or several girlfriends and just scrapbooking.  There is nothing more fun than going to a scrapbook retreat.  I love it.  Its something I do just for fun, and just for me.

3)  Bubble baths!  They are pieces of heaven sent down to earth for our pure enjoyment.  Now granted, do not take a bubble bath when your toddler is awake because your relaxing bubbles will soon be all over your bathroom floor.  But when your house is quiet, and lights are turned down low, just fill the tub, grab a good book, and RELAX!   (and just FYI, my favorite bubble bath is "Sleep" with lavendar & chamomille from Bath & Body Works). 

4)  Last, but not least, find a girlfriend that you can escape with.  Get away for a weekend, or even just a night.  Its okay to work on your friendships too, even when your a mom and wife.  Friends are the people that will be there when you need to gripe because your husband didn't unload the dishwasher, but your pregnant so your hormones are crazy; when you just need to cry and have someone understand you...its them.  So don't take them for granted, and remember how precious their friendship is to you. 

One of Those "Guilt" Days

Are you a working mother?  I am .  Emmalee will be 2 years old in less than 2 weeks and I went back to work when she was 10 weeks old.  I'm used to it.  I love my job, and she loves her "Nonny" (aka Ms. Donna) and all of her friends at Nonny's house.

But I would be lying if I told you that there are not days where I feel guilty, because there are.  Even after almost 2 years, I still have a day here and there when I feel guilty for working.

Sometimes, I feel like Emmalee is missing out.  She doesn't get to have fun lunch dates, or do swim lessons, or gymnastics, or playdates.  Sure she could...on the weekends.  But our weekends always seem busy already with birthday parties, or baby showers, or family events.  Sometimes I feel like my working cuts out stuff for her.

Then I get pictures of my little girls playing baby dolls with her friends, and singing, and I hear her laughing when I go to the door to pick her up, and that guilt fades away.

My baby girl gets to have play dates every day.

My baby girl gets to have a special lunch dates all the time.

My little girl is having the best time with her friends every single day.

And on days where we get to have special time together, like Good Friday at the zoo, it just makes them that much more precious. 

So if you're a working mom, remember this:  There will be good days, and bad days; sad days and "guilt" days, but you will always be their momma, and NOTHING can take that away from you!  You're a GREAT mom!

12 Week Update

Well I you don't follow me on Twitter or Facebook, then you may not have seen this news yet! 

We are super-duper excited about Baby #2, although it was quite unexpected.  If you have followed my blog for awhile, you may remember that it took 2 years of TTC (trying to conceive) with Emmalee.  So to see this pop up...

...completely unexpectedly, we were shocked...a very delightful, joyful shock - but a shock nonetheless.  So Baby #2 is due on October 2nd, although my doctor suspects we may have a September baby.  Emmalee is so excited and loves to talk about the baby.  If you ask her what's in mommy's belly, she will say "Emmie's baby."  Let's see if she feels the same way at 2 am when the baby actually gets here!

So here is the first official Baby Bump Update for Williams Baby #2!!!

 

How far along? 12 Weeks - almost finished with the 1st trimester!  WOOHOO!!

Size of baby: a little over 2" long - about the size of a lime. 

Total weight gain:2 pounds

Gender: ???

Movement:Not yet, but I can't wait until I do.

Sleep: Ok.  I am pretty tired so I usually go to bed not long after we put Emmalee down - between 9 - 9:30 every night. But I'm already up once or twice during the night to go to the bathroom.

Maternity clothes: Some. My "regular" clothes are pretty tight already, so I either wear maternity or use my bellybands.

Symptoms: All of them!  Nausea, bloating, heartburn, acid reflux, headaches, fatigue, sore breasts, growing belly, food craving and aversions...the list goes on and on!!!  I will say that the nausea is finally beginning to fade and I could not be more thankful, but the rest of the list is in full swing.

Cravings:Every day is completely different. Yesterday all I wanted was a greek salad.  Today, I want Pei Wei, and who knows what I'll crave tomorrow.

What I miss: Feeling good.  I had a great pregnancy with Emmalee and always felt good.  This pregnancy is completely different.  I just don't feel "good". 

Best moment from the past week:Getting my fetal doppler in the mail and hearing the baby's heartbeat.

What I’m looking forward to: Hopefully beginning to feel better as I enter the 2nd trimester.

I will say my belly is definitely out there already.  Its true what they say - you definitely get bigger faster when its your 2nd.  

Temptation

Sweet Emmalee,
Temptation - it's something that will be all around you all the time. Its inevitable.   Its what the devil loves to use against us and make us constantly doubt ourselves. Its what brings you to your knees in a moment of weakness.  Temptation is a not a fun thing - but is something that can also make you stronger.

 If I can tell you one, or maybe two, things about temptation its this:
1) There is always a way out. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says that "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure." This is one of my favorite truths in the Bible. Our God is so faithful to us and will also provide for us. He will always take care of us.

2) There is nothing you can do and no sin great enough that can ever separate you from the love of God (or your momma).  Romans 8:38-39 says "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."   

Temptation can hit you at the drop of the hat, especially when you don't expect it.  Always be prepared and always be on guard.  The devil will strike when you're at your best and when you're at your weakest.  It will knock on the door every single day.  

Be prepared for it, sweet baby girl, but do not temptation bring you down.  Be ready for it, learn from it, and grow from it.  Remember that no matter what you do, no matter where you go, no matter who you are - I will always love you.

Wild Wonderful Weekend

I've been posting so many "31 Letters to My Daughter" that I haven't really written much about "life" lately.  So I thought I'd give a run down of our wild and crazy, yet wonderful weekend.

On Saturday, Emmalee and I went to Miss Hannah's 1st birthday party.  It was so much fun and Emmalee loved playing with the other kids.  She was so exhausted after the party, that she was asleep in the car before we even got on the road to go home. 

After we got home and took a "nap" (aka laid in our bed and talked to our animals the whole time), we went to the Pumpkin Patch at the First United Methodist Church in town.  We picked up Aunt Cookie and some of our cousins on the way.  Have I ever mentioned how crazy lucky I am to have a sister that is a photographer???  I am in love with some of the snapshots she captured of our babies playing together.

While Em & I were at the pumpkin patch, the hubs was installing my new cooktop. My old one was so nasty and old and I had been begging for a new one (especially since 2 of the burners had gone out - a woman CANNOT cook with only 2 burners!).  So one of our friends just bought a new home & is completely renovating the kitchen.  She had the same size cooktop & it was a glass top.  She was just going to throw it out, so she said we could have it.  I was beyond thrilled; however, Brant learned that you cannot force a glass cooktop to fit into the counter.

Brant said he was not putting the old one back in, so we got to go shopping.  Luckily, we had already saved some money for a new one, we just spend it a little sooner than anticipated.  But let me tell you that I am in LOVE with new cooktop.  It has 5 burners (2 small, 1 dual medium/large, 1 dual large/jumbo, and a warming burner).

On Sunday, we got up and went to church.  Emmalee was playing hide & seek with her daddy while momma was getting ready.  I had to take this quick video because she was cracking me up.  She had learned to say her name, so the fact that she was "calling" herself was priceless!


I mean, can she get any cuter? (and yes, I know I am completely biased!!)

After church, we decided to see what would happen if we changed Em's bed into a toddler bed.  I am so very glad that we decided to get a 4-1 convertible bed for her.  It made the decision so much easier.

I know she is only 18 month old, but she loved to be in her bed.  One of her favorite things is to sit in her bed with her books and read, and what kind of mother would I be if I didn't promote her reading? But if she was in her crib reading, then she would want you to stay in her room and hand her more books, or get her out...so, we decided to solve that problem.  Now she can get up, get down, and just be lil' miss independent!

I was a little concerned with how she would do last night, but so far she has done perfectly.  She went right to bed last night, and never got up.  I think one thing that "helps" is that last week we decided that she only gets a paci when she goes to sleep, so she knows paci has to stay in the bed.  So, if she wants her paci, she has to be in her bed.  Now, trust me, I'm praying that this continues, but I'm also prepared to have a few rough nights.  But I'll keep you posted! 

That sums up our wild wonderful weekend. I hope yours was as wonderful as ours!