I'm feeling very sentimental lately with my baby's 1st birthday right around the corner. I have been thinking about all of the things people tell you while you are pregnant. Here are a list of things people have said to me that I really could not even begin to comprehend until they passed me that little, squishy baby who kicked my ribs, had hiccups I could see on my belly and who I had grown for the past 10 months. 1. The love of a mother is a love you have never known before. 2. The time just goes too fast. 3. You would give everything for your baby. 4. You will not wish for your life before your sweet little baby. 5. Your life will have a whole new sense of purpose. 6. You will live for your baby. I am so beyond grateful everyday to share my home and my life with a little person who brings me a joy I never knew existed just one year ago. Also, you should really read this blog article. It puts into words all the things I couldn't. When they said ‘parenting is hard,’ this isn’t what I thought they meant www.mother.ly/love/when-they-said-parenting-is-hard-this-isnt-what-i-thought-they-meant
5 Comments
One year ago today this was me. Very, very pregnant.
One year ago today, I was just a few days away from my due date, feet so, so swollen and anxiously awaiting my baby. One year ago today, I had absolutely no idea how incredible my life would become. Today, my baby is getting his 1 year pictures taken. Where has the time gone? How has a year passed? I'm not sure how we went from last year to this year, but I know for sure it's been the best year of my life. You probably already recognized this sweet little kitty. She was in all of my home improvement post pictures. She is definitely my side kick. As soon as I wake up in the morning she is either sitting next to my head or following me around meowing until I pick her up. I've always been a cat lady. Fitzgerald is the most hilarious cat I've ever known. We adopted her from The Animal House Shelter. I still remember that day. Brad and I were living far from home and I wanted a cat. He most definitely did not. I finally convinced him we needed a cat but the deal was he got to name the cat. We went to the shelter as soon as they opened one Saturday morning. There were so many cats and being the cat lady I am, I would have happily taken all of them home. Brad found this petite little cat that looked just like my childhood cat. We decided she would come home with us. As we were waiting in line she ripped a hole in Brad's shirt and I had to convince him she still belonged with us. Since the deal was if I wanted a cat, he got to name it, we ended up with Fitzgerald. The girl cat. She is such a nut. She has a huge personality and is very strong willed! She will try to eat everything! Popcorn, lettuce, yogurt, everything. She scratches at my hair while I'm sleeping😡. She spontaneously sprints around the house howling. Forget wearing hoodies with strings. She will follow me around all day meowing trying to chew and play with the strings. She's just a character. Every night as soon as I finally get to sit down, she makes her way over to my lap for some cuddles. I look forward to it all day. Fitzgerald is also the most social cat I know. She loves to cuddle with Rose and even give her a daily bath. We get so many chuckles out of this little fur ball. She's just as quirky as her name. ☺ Look closely to see Rose and Fitzgerald snuggling on the bed. ❤
It was almost exactly 6 years ago that we brought home our fur baby. She was cute and sweet and has taught us so much. From the trials of house training a dog, to enjoying her swimming nonstop at the lake, she is just he very best dog ever. Before W was born I read many articles on Pinterest of how to get your dog used to your baby. We were so fortunate that her calm demeanor and sweet personality did the work for us. She has the pacience of a saint with both the cat, who like to clean her ears and paws daily, to the baby who pulls her fur, steps on her and squeezes her tightly. Our Rose has been a huge blessing to our family. She keeps us smiling and reminds us that dogs are so very loyal, kind and forgiving.
This week was long...
We really need spring break. The teachers are worn down and the kids are anticipating break making them excited and less focused... We really need spring break. It's the end of the quarter, assessments out the wazoo, grading non stop... We really need spring break. My pacience is spent, my nice is run out... We really need spring break. I really miss my baby and want to see him more than a few hours each night... We really need spring break. 5 more wake ups... and we will finally have spring break. It was the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and I walked in from work. I paused a minute. The house smelled like my favorite candle, the pillows had been put back on the couch where they belonged, the floors had been vacuumed. I continued up the stairs a little perplexed. My husband was standing there with the baby, per usual.. But he looked worried and I could immediately tell something was very wrong.
A couple months before, his company, who he had been with since just a little after we graduated college, had split... and he had to go to the new company. He took it in stride even though it meant moving to a new team and leaving his boss who he very much enjoyed working with. We didn't think much more of it. Well the Tuesday after Thanksgiving the new company did a major lay off and we were included. After a few moments or immense shock and sadness we decided that we would figure it out. My biggest concern wasn't the money or insurance... it was my husband. I was concerned to the core that he would feel deflated, frustrated, unhappy. My husband was unemployed during our son's first Christmas. It would be easy to feel upset about that. We aren't upset about it. We are grateful. It is March 16th. He has had a few interviews but nothing that is extremely promising. But we aren't sad about it right now. We really haven't felt sad about it since the first few days after finding out. It would be understandable to worry and be sad but how would that help us? Unemployment, thus far, has been such a blessing to us. Please don't get me wrong...we will have to worry in a few months. But we were fortunate enough to not have to immediately worry about him finding any position. We decided he would look for a career he actually wanted to do. So you are probably thinking I am crazy for saying unemployment has been a blessing. Let me explain why: 1. We have gotten to share the most precious moments together as a family with our son. Days off, doctors appointments, trips to the Arboretum, libraries, park trips. We get to do all of those things together. That is more of a blessing than we could ever imagine. To spend so much time in the 1st year of our son's life together, just the 3 of us, our own little team. That is more important than any sum of money. 2. The grocery shopping is magically done when I come home from work. 3. I do not have to vacuum. That is also magically done when I get home. 4. My hubs picks up our little guy everyday about an hour before I get home. He wants to just spend a little extra time with him. Watching how much your husband loves and values your child... that makes your heart more full than any paycheck. We have created so many precious memories together in these past few months. We are so very, very grateful for the time together. We know it can't last forever, but we cherish all these fun things we get to do, all 3 of us. Everyone has that comfy couch that when you are heavy from a long day you just sink into, right? Well at our house that's our family room couch. Every night after we have eaten dinner, cleaned up, played with W and done all our bedtime routine with him, packed lunches, and other adulting stuff like paying bills, we head downstairs for a little bit of TV and relaxing on that comfy couch. That comfy couch is in our family room. It started out with some 70s panel. So I of course painted it white! 😝And of course, lots of blue carpet! What's your favorite place to relax in your home? beforeafterP. S. We used to have a cute little pub table and bookshelf but we have traded that for a super fun train table and ball pit. I'll trade stylish decor for those sweet baby giggles anyday!
P. P. S. If you look close you can see our cat, Fitzgerald in every home post. She's always a part of the projects. ☺ like Where's Waldo but the cat version! 😝 I almost didn't include this post. At first I thought our master looked so clean and serene. But after looking at the pictures it looks plain boring. I'll work on adding more texture and maybe even, gasp, a grey comforter on spring break. My favorite part of our master is the sign above our bed. Tomorrow is my last home post! The 70s family room! Woohoo!
When I started this home series I never intended it to go on so long.. but I'm enjoying reminiscing about our projects and documenting all the work we have done! Even so, I think I only have 2 more days of projects after this one. Our master and the family room. Get ready for some 70s wood paneling! Anyways, today is all about the office. Which is really the 4th bedroom. It started off outdated and being used as a storage room. It also had a floor to ceiling mirror covering an entire wall.....?!?!?! beforeafterThis is or most recent project. It is also a very significant project. When we first got married I did all the projects. I grew up on DIY. My parents planned and built a house from nothing. I was an elementary school kid nailing siding onto a house. Projects are my life and engrained in my family. My husband moved around a ton, like he went to 5 different schools for 5th grade. They never stayed in one place long enough to do projects. He has learned so much over the years from working with my dad (❤❤❤❤) and this was the first project he did 100% on his own. He picked the paint colors, painted, tore off the old paneling, cut and installed all the new paneling, stained it, and installed the TV. I could not be more proud of him. He was a risk taker, problem solver and confident enough to try it on his own... all things that are hard to do. So this is much more than an office remodel, it's a reminder of the first time my husband was brave enough to do an entire project on his own. And I just can't stop swooning.
Let's be honest, refinishing stairs isn't high on my list of fun things to do. Having to go all the way around the house outside to avoid the stairs with an infant doesn't sound like a party. But when you are hosting a baby shower for your coworker you want to finish as many projects as possible before 30 of your dearest colleagues come over- enter Pinterest and gel stain. Here is a before pictures of our beautiful stairs incase you forgot our blue carpet! 😂 Before starting any home improvement project you must spend hours reading every Pinterest article you can. Then, you ask your mom. These are a few of my favorite blogs that helped direct me on how to begin this beast of a project. http://centsationalgirl.com/2010/10/finished-staircase/ https://julieblanner.com/stairwell-makeover-treads-risers/#_a5y_p=1997957 We first started by making sure the trillion staples I mentioned before were all pulled out. Then, we used some pretty heavy duty sand paper and sanded down the wood. The main parts weren't bad but around the railing wasn't sunshine and roses. Also, did I mention we have a baby? Sanding with a baby can be tricky, if they are sleeping you are paranoid you will wake them up, if they are up they cry because the sander is loud. Enter grandma. After sanding we did a coat of Gel Stain. Highly recommend the gel stain, idiot proof and covers beautifully. After 2 coats of gel stain we used an amazing poly that dries in just a few hours. It saved the project. We picked a satin finish so we didn't fall on our behinds walking down the stairs. ☺ We didn't paint the toe kick part white because they were pretty beat... and we are lazy and didn't want to repaint them every year when they got scuffed. afterThese DIY projects are my favorite because I will always remember my parents helping us with these tough projects and staining the stairs at 9pm after just returning to work from maternity leave. Hard work leaves a lot of pride in your home! Next project... that brown tile. Yuck.
|
ArchivesCategories |