I vow to help you love life, to always hold you with tenderness and to have the patience that love demands, to speak when words are needed and to share the silence when they are not and to live within the warmth of your heart and always call it home.

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Parents for a Year

My my how time flies.  I can't believe my husband and I have been parents for a year already.  This year was the craziest yet in all my 28 years of life.  We've learned a lot about our parenting style, and more so I've learned about what kind of Mother I am.  I raised Norah alone for a little over half of her first year due to the military lifestyle we chose.  I was up for the challenge, and I knew what I was accepting before she was even conceived.  I never thought once it'd be easy, but damn has it been the most important and "worth it" challenge I've ever taken on.





The adjustment period parenting with my husband to being by myself was challenging to say the least.  In those first three months we talked everything over.  We had each other to bounce ideas off of (and google).  We can do this child rearing thing!  Then came the time for him to leave for school, and I had huge anxiety about even the simplest of things.  How will I put her to sleep?  What if she cries all night, he won't be there to rock her to sleep with his magic arms!  He was just a phone call away, but due to his crazy school schedule I rarely could get him on the phone when I needed a quick decision.  I had to make big decisions on my own.  Throughout that time I was just hoping that I was doing the right thing  by her.  I had no one here to judge or to correct me if I was doing something wrong, so with each milestone she hit it reassured Mama that she was indeed going about this whole parenting thing somewhat right.  I eventually gained confidence (and called my bestie and MIL quite a few times), and really started to feel like I had a grasp on taking care of a baby by myself.

Being a first time parent is nerve wrecking and amazing all at the same mind-blowing time.  Motherhood this first year was pretty good to me.  Norah made it pretty easy and enjoyable mostly.  She slept through the night starting at 3 weeks old ,breastfed like a champ, and my work schedule was extremely forgiving for Norah's sick days, appointments and breast pumping sessions.

As a first time Mom I never realized how many things could keep you up at night until you had a little human to grow, mold and ensure it's ready for the real world in 18 years.  I worried a lot about future obstacles she'll have to overcome and learn on her own.  I worry about another person she loves breaking her heart.  I worry about how she'll handle school, and if she'll have good friends to keep her grounded.  And this is usually just in the first 5 minutes as I'm trying to fall asleep.  Motherhood is wonderful too though.  Her conquered goals and happy moments are mine.  When she first crawls or realizes she can roll over and looks at me with pride...man those are the moments I feel as if my heart will quite literally burst from my chest and cover us all in sticky love goop.  When those little hands reach for me, or when she ever so delicately coos "Mama"....I live and cry for those moments.  I shower her with affection every chance I get.  I tell her she's strong and brave almost daily and encourage her with every new bout of independence she gets.  I love her more than I love myself.  Norah June has completely changed, softened, and molded my inner most being into a Mother that I hoped I'd become.  She quite literally completes me.  I thought I had everything before she came along, but now I know.  I know.





I've loved this first year as a Mother.  Everything is new for the both of us.  Norah sure doesn't know what's going on, and neither do I at this point.  She's the first baby I've raised and all the milestones, phases and periods are so new to all of us.  It's exciting!  Next time around my husband and I will be parent veterans and we'll know a little bit more of what to expect.  That reassures me and saddens me a bit.  I have loved experiencing all this for the first time.  My husband though will definitely be experiencing months 3-10 for the first time next baby, and I'm really looking forward to that.  I hope to continue to be the best Mother to Norah that I can be.  I'll never stop trying or feel like I'm "The Best", but maybe we're never meant to.  I hope I can continue to be whatever and whoever she needs.  Motherhood rocks, and I'm so happy to have joined the club.

We survived One Year As Parents!



Monday, May 9, 2016

Norah June: 12 Months Old





Weight and Height: 23 lbs 8 oz and 27.25 inches long

Eyes and Hair: Bright blue eyes and thick blonde hair past her ears

Diapers: Size 4 (Moving on up!)

Clothes: 12 Months

Eating: BF 4 times day, 3 meals and snacks

Sleeping: 9-12 hours straight through

My final Norah June monthly update!  I can't believe my sweet baby girl is one year old.  What a wonderful, amazing year she's had.  This month she's pointing to things she wants (especially when we crack open a banana).  She loves being chased around the house and she'll do a special pant to let us know she's ready!  She'll take some unassisted steps from our coffee table to the couch but not walking yet.  She loves Zeus, his chew toys and petting him. Luckily we scored an awesome family dog and he's mightily patient with her.  She throws balls, crawls after them and throws them again.  Basically she plays fetch with herself haha.  She still LOVES books.  She will turn the pages and talk to herself.  She dances to music from her toys by twisting at her waist.  Too cute.  She brushes her own hair and Dads.  She wipes her face and tray down after meals.  She can say "Hi, Mama and Dada."  Our favorite is "Mama" though.  She says is SO delicately that it melts us both.  My Mom ad Stepdad taught her to bark like a dog, so now she barks at Zeus every morning.  She also will pinch your nipples as she rides in the Ergo.  Bugs my husband to death!  We're still on the cusp of 1-2 naps a day.  She holds her own sippy cup and loves drinking water.  She can feed herself and eats about 3 meals a day and 2-3 snacks.  She also loves to feed Zeus and giggles every time he takes her snacks.  She's still breastfeeding strong with 4 feeds a day.  When she bfs she loves to stick her fingers in my bellybutton...weird girl.

Yay we made it 1 year breastfeeding!  I'm one proud Mama! Goal met.





I won't fill this blog up with too much mush (future blog to come), but my did we make one slice of perfection.  She's simply amazing, high spirited, loud, vivacious and so full of personality.  We're so proud at how she's progressing and growing.

Fun Facts About Norah's First Year:

1. Her umbilical cord fell out at day 9.
2. She started sleeping through the night on 17 June (6 weeks old) and hasn't quit since.
3. She's always hated taking a bottle, but loves a sippy cup.
4. She was breastfed for her first year.
5. Started crawling at 7 months old.
6. Her left thigh has always been bigger than the right, and has the cutest deep roll in it.
7. She hates the car seat, vacuum cleaner and diaper changes.
8. Has the bluest eyes you ever did see from day 1.
9. Didn't get her first teeth until the end of January (8 months).
10. First word was "Dada".
11. Doubled her birth weight at 4 months old, tripled by 11 months old.
12. She loves daycare and watching other kids.
13. Flown 10 times by the time she's 1 year old.
14. Visited 4 foreign countries by 13 months old (Canada, France, Belgium and the Netherlands)
15. Is a complete Mama's girl.
16. She's the loudest baby you'll meet.  Ever.
17. She will sleep anywhere and always has. (Carseat, Ergo, Planes, Ferries, Strollers, etc)
18. She was born on Mother's Day.
19. Smiles after every sneeze.
20. Zeus (family dog) ate her dried umbilical cord when we got home from the hospital!


Pictures from her last month as baby Norah June!


Happy Birthday Dad!



Cheese!















Cousin play date

Hiking to waterfalls

Loves to pull on Dad's hair!



Mother's Day!











Splash Pad

Not a fan of the crown!


Museums with the parents





Sassy pants


Game faces!

Milk mustache


First birthday party!

 We took some pictures at Woodward Park to mark her big day!




That hair




Happy 1 Year My Sweet Norah June!  We love you with all our hearts.