It is not just a phase....

A few months ago, 8 to be exact, I noticed that I have become the slowest driver. I used to whip around town going a minimum of 5 miles over. Now I wonder why everyone is flying past me, only to look down and realize that I am going to exact speed limit or a little under. We have big, safe cars, an SUV and a truck, but in my mind nothing is safe enough.

I am the paranoid mother hen. I thought it was just a phase when Hudson was a newborn but clearly, it is not. I cannot even talk about getting on the highway without getting anxiety. I am always adjusting my mirrors, have both hands on the wheel and sweaty palms. I hate cars being near me. I used to get behind slow drivers and under my breath I would say, "Ugh, stupid mothers." Now, I am the lady you speed past and throw your hands up at. And sadly, I just do not care. I have precious cargo in the backseat. All I need now is a mini van and a "baby on board" tag. Kidding. I hope.

The day the cashier almost died

Hudson and I were at the grocery store today and my conversation with the cashier went like this...

Cashier: "He is so cute. How old is he?"
Me: "Thank you. He is 8 months old."
Cashier: "He looks nothing like you, are you his mom?"
Me: "Yes, I am. " (I am starting to get annoyed)
Cashier: "Well, he looks nothing like you."
I said nothing, I just looked at Hudson
Cashier: "Do you work?"
Me: "I am at stay-at-home mom"
Cashier: (with a sarcastic face) "So you don't work?"
Me: (with a puzzled face) "Yes, I work. I am a stay-at-home mom."
Cashier: Ha. "Oh, OK. That is not really work."
Me: (I smiled, bit my tongue and swiped my debit card).

I walked away from the check out feeling madder than I ever have. Who was this lady and who peed in her cereal? I work, I may not leave the house everyday and go off to the corporate world but I work my tail off. I cook, I clean, I do the laundry, I run errands, I go to playgroup, play dates, story time but most important, I take care of our son. (I know to most people, this sounds like the easiest thing in the world, but it does have challenges).

I realized driving home that most people have a misconception of stay-at-home moms. I think that in the majority of peoples minds, especially men, a stay-at-home mom is someone who sits around all day eating bon-bons and watching tv. I am sure there are some woman who do this but not me. Hudson and I are constantly busy and when he is napping, I am running around the house cleaning, folding clothes, taking care of the dog, taking a shower, etc. No day is ever the same. I am constantly at the beck and call of an 8 month old.

There are so many things I wish I had said to this woman. I may not have the hardest job in the world or get paid a big, fat paycheck but it is the most rewarding job and I love it. (And thank you to my sweet, loving husband who allows me to do this everyday!)

Lucky little ones

I was fortunate enough to grow up having a cousin to call a best friend. David and I were always in the same grade level, had the same friends, could tell each other anything and as we grew up, we got into some trouble together.
We both got married and absolutely adore each others spouse. David and Jenn are not only family but some of our closest friends. You cannot imagine the joy that it brought me to find out that we were having babies at the same time. What are the chances? I loved being pregnant at the same time as Jenn.
It was nice to have someone to talk to about emotions, changes in your body, how big we were each week, talk about our fears and concerns and share clothes with. Jenn and David welcomed sweet Sutton into the world 2 months before Hudson was born. . I loved hearing their stories about her birth, bringing her home and day to day life as new parents. They gave us great advice and helped us prepare for our own little monkey to arrive. Hudson and Sutton met 3 days after he was born. Neither of them could talk but I could tell they were going to be fast friends. They are so cute together and we have nicknamed them "Sudson." We are so blessed to have such wonderful children and to have each other to talk to about all the parenting questions, joys, fears and adventures. I am sure that in the years to come, these two are going to be such a handful together..... much like David and I were.

Bargain Tuesday

I have found that dry clean only shirts and cashmere cardigans are not a good option when you are a mom. Food, snot and dirt seem to get all over me. The other day I ventured to oldnavy.com and what a mistake that was. I wanted to get a few things that would be inexpensive and "mommy proof." Let's face it, half the time I am in sweats or leggings anyways. They had some really cute things and great deals. I am hoping that Jonathan will not be so concerned with the total I spent once he sees how many items I bought for so cheap. I thought I would share with all you ladies out there the great bargains they have. Sadly this is not even half of the things I bought. Everything posted is under $25. The sale ends soon, so hurry, hurry.

And they had some cute baby things too!

Happy 8 month Birthday Little H!

Time sure does fly!

Weekend in review

We had a fantastic weekend. The weather was amazing and we enjoyed being outside and together.

Friday night our friend Seth came over for pizza. While we were eating, Hudson learned to play peek a boo. He learned this on his own. He took a blankie and put it over his face and then dropped it fast and laughed. He did this over and over. It is so precious and he is so proud of himself.

On Saturday Hudson blessed us by sleeping until 7:30. We woke up, went out to eat biscuits, took Bailey to the vet to get 6 shots and then to get a fabulous new haircut (We love "Hair of the Dog" on Bickett Blvd). Hudson LOVED riding in the back seat of the truck with his big sister. He thinks she is the funniest thing in the world. While Bailey was getting groomed we ran a TON of errands and took Hudson to Woody's BBQ for lunch. He refuses to eat baby food anymore and only wants what we are eating. He enjoyed hush puppies, green beans and mashed potatoes. I had one of my first big "bad mommy" moments at lunch. Hudson decided to drop a bomb in the middle of lunch. Of course the restaurant had no changing area so I had to walk out to the car to change him. We had taken Jonathan's truck and the back seat was full with the car seat and shopping bags, so I had barely enough room to lay him down on the seat. I could not fit, so I had to stand with the door cracked. As soon as I took his diaper off the wind blew and I got a golden shower. I dug through the diaper bag and realized I did not pack a change of clothes. Yikes. What is a mom to do?!?! The answer.... run inside with Hudson (who has tinkle on part of his pants), tell your husband to get the food to go stat and rush home! Hudson took a great nap after all the diaper drama. Bailey returned home shortly after and looked so snazzy. Saturday night was very low key and relaxing.

Sunday was Bailey's 5th birthday. Hudson woke up at 6 am ready to celebrate. We came downstairs and let Bailey open her presents and gave her a special cookie. Jonathan made breakfast- bacon, eggs and grits and even shared with Bailey. We went to the grocery store, one of Hudson's favorite places and then came home for a nap. After lunch, we went on a walk and to the park. I attempted to eat Yoplait key lime pie yogurt for lunch but a certain little boy ate my entire jar. He is OBSESSED with yogurt and anytime I try to eat it infront of him, he reaches for it and makes the funniest noise. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed playing with Bailey and Hudson outside. My dad and his new wife came over late afternoon to play and for dinner. Jonathan made his delicous Japanese shrimp, rice and zuchinni. He has even perfected the seafood sauce. Hudson crashed last night! Poor little guy was so sleepy from a non stop weekend.

We had a great weekend and loved spending time together. We are very ready for spring so we can spend the majority of our days outside!

Best Bailey pictures

In honor of Bailey's birthday I feel the need to post pictures of her finest moments.....

My baby girl is 5

Sunday marks our Bailey girls 5th birthday! ( I have vowed to not blog on the weekends because I appreciate my time with my 2 boys too much so I am doing it today.) Bailey is Jonathan's baby and has been around longer than I have. She adjusted to Jonathan and I falling in love, getting married and bringing a little boy home for her to love. Yes, she drives me insane a good part of the time, but I cannot imagine our lives and our home without her. I tell Jonathan all the time that we need to go ahead and start saving money to have her cloned. She loves us and LOVES her little brother. For her birthday she is getting groomed, a snazzy new haircut and a trip to Petsmart to pick out whatever her little heart desires. Happy birthday Bailey we look forward to many, many more birthdays with you.

Baby products

There are two baby products on the market that baffle me, BAFFLE ME!

The first is a little thing called "walking wings." Jonathan discovered it at Babies R Us the other night and we both stared at it for a few seconds in disbelief. The box says it is used to "help your child walk naturally."



The second is a child backpack/leash. The box says this is used to "help keep your child close to you and controled." Well here is some news, if you cannot keep your child controlled or close to you, you probably should not take them out in public. On a brighter note, my mother-in-law used to put Jonathan on a leash. Makes me laugh everytime I think about it.




Hudson,

I promise to never put you in these 2 crazy items. I cannot promise that I will not ever embarass you though!

Love,
Mom

Holy bad mood....

I do not know what it is lately but I have turned into the biggest cranky pants on the planet.

Hudson has not slept through the night in 9 days (this has not happened since he was 10 weeks old). He wakes up for hours at a time crying. Whoever decided that it was OK to let him get his 4 upper teeth at one time is very cruel. The poor little guy is miserable.

Bailey (our dog) is driving me insane again. I feel like every time the house is finally spotless, I turn around and she is dropping hairballs like bombs. Not to mention she has started a terrible habit of waiting until Hudson FINALLY falls asleep during his nap to play with her toys.... right in front of his door!

It is cold. I HATE cold weather. I am so sick of not being able to play outside without looking like an Eskimo. I need sun, I need a tan and I need a pool. STAT.

I feel fat. I have been so slack about getting the last 7 pounds of baby weight off. I gained almost 50 so losing 43 pounds in 8 months is pretty good. But bathing suit season is right around the corner and I do not want Hudson hanging on my love handles at the pool.

Jonathan is traveling a lot and I am starting to realize what a toll it takes on me and Hudson. Hudson definitely knows when his daddy is not here and I desperately need the extra set of hands these days.

I could keep going on and on but I will stop there. I apologize to anyone who has been around me lately. I promise to stop breathing fire soon.

My wish list.....

Here are some things I am dying to buy....

Little cowboy

This is my favorite picture EVER!

Hudson is almost 8 months old!

Where does the time go? I feel like it was just yesterday that we were coming home from the hospital with our little baby and now he is a huge little guy! He lights up everyday of our lives and brings more joy than we could ever imagine. Here is a little update on his daily life-

He usually sleeps 12 hours at night, unless he is getting a tooth. In that case we are lucky if we get 4-7 hours.

He wakes up between 6 and 7 and has a solid hour of daddy time. They eat breakfast together and play with toys.

Around 7 they come upstairs and Hudson lays in the bed with me to have his bottle. Daddy leaves for work around 7:45. Hudson plays in his pack and play or upstairs exasaucer while I get ready for the day.

He takes a nap 2 hours after waking up. He usually sleeps for 1-2 hours.

He always wakes up in the best mood! We come downstairs after his nap and have another bottle and play. Some days we have playgroup, story time at the library, baby yoga or errands to run. We are going to start swimming lessons soon and I am so excited. He loves going to the park to swing, museum and anywhere that involves riding in a shopping cart.

He eats lunch (usually a fruit and cheerios) around noon.

He takes his second nap around 1. This nap can range from 30 minutes- 2 hours.

Wake up, play, bottle, snack, read books, take a walk.... Hudson is VERY independent and loves to play with his toys alone. This is extremely helpful so I can fold laundry, vacuum, dust, etc. Do not get me wrong, I spend a large part of the day playing with him but it is nice to know I can plop him in his play area and know that he will be OK. He watches 1 cartoon a day (unless he is just beyond fussy). He loves "Yo Gabba Gabba" which I think is the craziest thing on TV. He loves the bright colors and their singing.


He takes a 3rd nap around 4. Again, this can be 30 minutes to 1 hour. Everyone says I need to get him on a 2 nap a day schedule, but trust me, this little guy needs 3 naps for now. This is when I usually start dinner, watch my favorite soap opera and attempt to workout.

He usually wakes up right around the time Jonathan gets home. We eat dinner as a family around 5:45. I love sitting at the table with both of my boys and think this is very important to us as a family. After that, Hudson and Jonathan go upstairs to play and take a bath while I clean up the downstairs and kitchen.

You should see this child in the tub. Holy smokes! Nothing is dry when he is finished. The walls, cabinets, Jonathan, everything is covered in water.

Around 6:30/7 Hudson has his last bottle of the day and we read books. After this, we say his prayers and he goes to sleep.

Now it is time for mommy and daddy to relax!

Favorite things:

Toys- basketball hoops, learning table, anything that makes noise. At the grocery store yesterday he carried his tambourine from the car to the cart and through the entire store. He loves books, especially pop up, stacking blocks, pots and pans, puzzles, his 2 exasacers and jump and go.


Food- We are starting to introduce "people" food and he seems to love it. Carrots are a huge hit. He also loves sweet potatoes, green beans with rice, applesauce, egg yokes, cheese, mac and cheese, frozen fruit and cheerios. As for baby food he still eats, turkey, chicken and apples, fruit, vegetables, etc. He loves puffs, wagon wheels and yogurt bites.

He is OBSESSED with Bailey, our dog and she is pretty smitten with him too. They kiss and snuggle a lot. Bailey is very good and allows him to pull her ears, poke his eyes, pull her hair, etc.

He is not crawling yet but sits on his on, rolls around non stop and is starting to take an interest in moving by himself.

He is wearing 12-18 month clothing and weighs 22 pounds.

He has 3 bottom teeth and is getting the top 4 right now (oh the sleepless nights....)

He rides in a big boy car seat now and I think he feels very cool! He has a much better view and a lot more room to relax.

He says "dada", "lala" and sometimes "hi". He is very funny if someone around him coughs, he will cough. If you squeal or scream, he will copy you.

He looks for toys or people if they disappear. If you cover up a toy, he will move your hand.

He is not a fan of peek a boo, but if you hide and jump out and scare him, he falls on the floor laughing.

I honestly do not remember what our lives were like without him and I cannot imagine loving anyone more. I know I say it all the time, but we are so lucky to be his parents. He is the light of our lives.

Hangover

Like the past few days, I have woken up with a hangover..... a baby hangover. Our little one usually sleeps a solid 12 hours a night but this week he just does not want to sleep. I think it is a combination of getting 2 new teeth, not being able to eat because of the pain and he really misses his daddy. At 3:20 this morning I heard "dada, dada, dada." I gave him a while to calm down and put himself back to sleep. It was pitch black in his room, surely he knew it was not time to wake up. But he was WIDE awake. So I went in around 3:45 and got him, tried to rock him in the rocking chair, tried walking around his room - nothing worked. What to do? What to do? Since I was a zombie, I brought him into our bed. He thought that meant play time. He was pulling my hair, grabbing my nose, smacking my face, kicking me, laughing, squealing, rolling over and over. It was around 4:30 at this point, so I gave in. There was no sign of him going back to sleep, this child was ready to have a party. So while most of you were all nestled snug in your beds, this picture is what we were doing. Finally around 5:30 we fell back asleep- in my bed of course (any reason to snuggle with him) only to have daddy call at 7. Thank goodness my single parenthood ends today. Hudson, Bailey and I are so ready to have Jonathan come home.

Top 10 reasons....

There are so many reasons that I love my husband, but in honor of Valentine's Day, I am going to give you my top 10:

1. He is an amazing cook!

2. He works endless hours to take care of me and Hudson and allows me to stay at home with our sweet boy.

3. Have you seen him? He is pretty cute.

4. He makes me laugh ridiculously hard everyday.

5. He ALWAYS tells me that he loves me, that I am a good wife and mom and that he is proud of me.

6. He does not raise his voice. If he is upset about something he talks very calmly and rationally.

7. He is a good son, brother, uncle and friend.

8. He can fix anything. Which is very handy since I break everything I touch.

9. He has given me a life and a family that I could never have dreamt of. I cannot imagine wanting anything else out of life.

10. He is the best daddy I have ever seen. When he sees Hudson, his entire face lights up and they both give the biggest smile. This makes me love him more everyday.

I love you puddin! Happy Valentine's Day!!!!

5 things I have learned as a mom....

1. Poop can actually fly out of a diaper and up Hudson's neck causing us to literally cut his outfit in half so we do not smear the poop on his little face.

2. Every day is different and exciting. Hudson learns something new and does something different everyday and it is the most exciting thing.... even if it is just eating his first Cheerio!

3. I fall in love with Jonathan all over again watching him be a dad. It is the sweetest sight.

4. Hearing Hudson laugh is the best sound in the world.

5. My mom was right when she told me that you will "NEVER love anyone or anything as much as you will love your child." I would do anything for this little boy and he makes our lives so complete.

Single motherhood

Jonathan has only been gone for 1 day and I am already exhausted. Hudson is teething and for the first time, not sleeping or eating. Bless his heart, he has woken up the past 2 days before 6 am screaming. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror today and almost screamed. I have 5 more days of this and I am counting down the hours. To all the single moms out there, I tip my hat to you. I have NO idea how you do it. On a brighter note.... look at the sweet face that has been keeping me up all night.....

OMG

The Jersey Shore was a huge guilty pleasure in our house this year. Pauly D was our favorite housemate. While playing with Hudson today, Ellen was on in the background and this happened......

http://ellen.warnerbros.com/2010/02/mtv-jersey-shore-snookie-dj-pauly-d-mike-the-situation-play-know-or-go-vod-0208.php

I lieterally almost wet my pants.

Simple Pleasures

Some of my favorite blogs have posted what they call their "simple pleasures" so I decided to join in on the fun. Here are 10 simple things in life that I love....

1. Waking up with the love of my life everyday.

2. A smile or laugh from my sweet Hudson.

3. A good laugh with a friend and time with our families.

4. A strawberry milkshake.

5. Lazy Sundays with my boys.

6. Having my hair blown out and straightened and a good pedicure.

7. A good hug from my nephew or 2 nieces.

8. 4 o'clock. It is the one hour a day that I take for myself to workout and watch the Young and the Restless.

9. A pretty day so we can play outside.

10. Having a blank to-do list.

Modern Family

There are a handful of shows that Jonathan and I watch together.... American Idol (Auditions only), Jersey Shore, The Middle but only Modern Family keeps us in hysterics. I cannot express our love for this show. We look forward to it every week and it never disappoints us. This is a show that everyone needs to watch! ABC Wednesdays at 9. Check it out.