Lessons Learned

Since I found out I was pregnant 2 ½ years ago, I have learned so many things. Here is a list of a few of them.

I have learned…

- that it’s okay to eat ice cream everyday when you are pregnant. I mean, there’s a good chance you’ll gain 50+ pounds like I did, but you can still do it!
- that it really is okay, even good, to nap when your baby naps. Mommies need their rest, too.
- that there are pros and cons to each “stage” your child goes through. Enjoy each of them, because there will always be something great and something tough about each stage. Don’t wish for them to grow up too fast, because they will.
- that it’s normal to get peed, pooped, and thrown up on. If you’re having a really great day, they could all happen to you at once 
- that no one can understand what it means to love someone more than anything in the world, until they become a parent. The love for a child is totally selfless, like no other love you have ever had for another human being.
- that wine can either be your best friend or your enemy, depending on whether you are enjoying a glass, or waking up with a horrible headache!
- that it’s important to have other “mommy” friends. It’s nice to be able to talk about what’s going on with the kids to someone who is in your same position.
- that your child may not care if you take a shower, put on make-up, and attempt to look cute every day, but your husband probably does!
- that no matter what, even on my worst day at home with my son, I am so thankful to have the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom. Getting to be here for every step is much better than having to leave him and go to work!

Time to relax...what is that?

I was having a party at my house last night, so my Mom offered to take Clark for a while so I could finish getting ready. We made plans to meet for lunch, and to just let Clark go home with her for the afternoon. I ended up getting tons of stuff done before lunch (thanks, Clark, for waking me up at 6:45 AM), so by the time I met her, I really didn’t have too much left to do. We talked during lunch about the few little things I had left to do, and as we were leaving, she said, “Well, just go home and relax for awhile!”

WHAT?!?!

I don’t even know what that is anymore. Seriously. I’m not trying to be dramatic. I have learned so many things in the last 2 years, and one of them being that a mommy is always busy. Literally, you always have to be “on call.” Between mealtimes, diapers, baths, playtime, and everything in between, there is always something to do, even if it’s just watching him play. Because, let’s be honest, I can’t let him play without keeping at least 1 eye on him because there is no telling what he’s going to get in to. And kids don’t “take off” on the weekend. I’m talking, this is 24-7.

So to have an afternoon with nothing to do was ah-mazing! I laid around for a bit, watched a little trashy TV (Jersey Shore on DVR, not porn!), and even had a whole conversation with my husband! It was wonderful!

So another lesson I have learned since having a child, to always appreciate time you are given to “relax” no matter how long or short it is!

And, we're back....

So, it's been a while, huh? I know, I know, I'm totally slack. Clark is into EVERYTHING now, I have been working really hard on getting my business started, and my husband and I have started teaching a young married couples class at our church! I've been super busy. I am having to learn everyday what it means to multi-task, which is totally not my strong-suit! Anyway, I'm kinda glad that I'm back on a Thursday, so here goes Thankful Thursday...

1. I'm thankful for my parents! Evans and I had soooo much to do last week to get our room at church ready (including a new coat of paint, or two), and Mom and Dad were so great to watch him several times for us. Okay, and they also kept him while we went to the Carolina game last Thursday night so we could have some time with our friends, too!



2. I'm still thankful for the chance we had to go to San Antonio! It was a WONDERFUL time, and I wouldn't have traded it for the world!



3. I'm thankful for our church! Evans and I have had a great time getting ready and studying for our new Sunday School class. I think we did pretty well for our first week, we'll see how it goes next week!

4. I'm thankful for great friends. We had a great time at the game last week with some awesome friends and I get to see lots of my friends next weekend at a bridal shower. Not to mention all my friends that I don't get to see very often. I'm so thankful to have wonderful friends in my life :)

5. And, as always, I'm thankful for my wonderful husband. I love him for so many reasons, and I am so thankful that he's mine :)





That's right, he's my prize!

Special moments

This last few weeks have been filled with special moments, which is part of the reason that I haven't posted in so long :)

We had the opportunity to go to San Antonio to see my brother graduate from basic training for the Air Force. It was AMAZING, and we got to do and see lots of cool things while we were there. We got to see the Alamo, take Clark to his first IMAX movie, and spend lots of time with family.

We also got to spend time with Evans' brother and his wife and son last night. He is home on leave from Iraq, and it was great to just relax and spend some time with them. I could not believe how big Clark's adorable little cousin has gotten!

Then today, before nap time when Clark was calming down, he crawled up on the couch and cuddled with me for a while. It was great after all these busy special moments, to have a calm quiet one with my little man!

Okay, enough sappy! I hope everyone has an AWESOME weekend!

I think I have lost my mind!

No, seriously! We are packing up the car, and heading to Texas today. Well, we're not literally going to Texas today, but we'll be traveling in that direction.

I mean, am I totally crazy by putting my 21 month old in the car for that long?!? At least Granny will be with us, and it will be great to have her help with Clark :)

And we really are looking forward to the trip (Once I can get past the stressing that I'm doing right now). We're so excited to see and do some new things. We are going to try to make some stops if possible while traveling to see a few places on the way, and to break the trip up a little bit.

I'm not gonna lie- I'm also a little excited about the 40 oz. margaritas on the Riverwalk! I will post some pictures of that :) Don't be jealous!

Well, I guess I should go finish up the packing, and probably take a Xanax! Just kidding :) I will post some updates of our trip soon!

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful for early bedtimes!

Since Clark was about 5 months old, he has been sleeping from 7 PM - 7 AM. Well, about a month or two ago, he all of a sudden decided that he didn't want to go to bed at 7 anymore, but like clockwork, he started going to be at 8 PM. He quickly adjusted into his new routine and started waking up between 7:30 and 8 AM.

Well, I'm not sure what has gotten into him the last few days, but by 5 PM, even after a 2+ hour nap, he has be MISERABLE! I'm talkin', laying in the floor crying and screaming. I'm sorry, what demon has taken over my child?!?

So, for 2 nights in a row, Clark has eaten and early supper, taken a bath, and is back to a 7 PM bedtime. Hooray for more Mommy/ Daddy time in the evenings!

I'm not sure if this is going to be long-lasting, but I'm thankful for it as long as it lasts!

Soaking it up...

It seems like Clark is learning new things by the hour. This is great(most of the time)!

Yesterday alone he learned how to make "pretty hands" while we said the blessing, starting saying "Amen", got my parents dog's name correct, and started feeding himself with the "airplane"!

Then today he repeated a not-so-great word from his Daddy :)

It's just amazing how much he's learning, and it make me so excited to see what he's going to learn next!