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Monday, July 27, 2015

Mommy Mondays: The Fun List

I see you...let me out!
I am always looking for ways to make the most of our quality time together. In my effort to make every minute together count to make up for the weekdays at daycare, I am probably not giving him enough alone play time. I am trying to get better at letting him play on his own in a pack and play. He screams for the first minute but usually starts to entertain himself.  I try to limit his alone time to 15 minutes while I get some stuff done and then more play time together. A few weeks ago, I attempted a handprint/footprint project. The footprint turned out great. He giggled as I painted the bottom of his tiny foot blue. With him in his high chair, the foot was easy. The hand was a completely different picture. After five attempts, I finally decided the smeared handprint was the best I was going to get. Smeared and crumpled, it was a true reflection of this time period. He didn't understand press and lift. Or maybe I didn't understand press and CRUMPLE paper! I realized the laughter and precious memory was far more important than a perfect handprint. Now, they are hanging in his nursery with their stories. 

We had so much fun making these prints together. The same toys and same activities every day can get redundant. Not just for me but for him too. The fifteen minutes it took to create these prints was such a refreshing change and new learning experience for us both. The activity gave me the idea to once a week come up with a new toy, game, activity or experience. It will be great fun and a wonderful way to learn as well! Some ideas that I want to try include:

  1. Create a hand/foot print in plaster...he may not be able to crumple that one.
  2. Do a finger painting project with the canvas and paint in a Ziploc bag. No mess but a masterpiece will still be created!
  3. Take him to the baby swings in the park. We have been in a heat wave but we will go as soon as the heat breaks.
  4. Take our strolls to new places. He loves to stroll so we need to check out the sights beyond our neighborhood!
  5. Play with a ball. He hated the beach ball at the beginning of the summer. In fact, he was scared of it. We put it up for a few months but now I am anxious to get it out and see how he reacts again.
I will post as I come up with more ideas!

Monday, July 20, 2015

Mommy Mondays: Beauty Rush

Sunday morning: Buckner went to sleep for his morning nap. I ran to the shower with the monitor on the bathroom sink. I quickly washed my hair and even took the time to shave my legs. Once I got out of the shower, I checked the monitor. Still sleeping. I had time to put on some make up! I just applied foundation, blush, and mascara so I looked somewhat alive. My baby was still sleeping. Normally, I would have taken the remaining time to run and do a household chore but I was tired of looking at the chipped polish on my toes and having to wear closed toe shoes in the middle of summer. Dare I gamble that his nap is a long one and paint my nails? I dared and I did it!  I felt like I had accomplished a year long goal by actually showering, putting on make up and painting my nails during one long naptime.

Sunday afternoon: My mom helped me cover up my roots while Buckner took his afternoon nap. We rushed and kept our fingers crossed he would sleep while we finished. We made it and even had a moment for a small mimosa.


Daily: I definitely love some girly pampering time and on a daily basis, I wear a full face of make up. I am skimping on my hair these days and usually have it in a bun or ponytail. The best advice I read right after Buckner was born was to divide up your beauty routine so you can still take care of yourself. Gone are the days of endless hours of primping but I can and should still take care of myself.

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Birthday Party Prep

"Have you started planning your baby's first birthday?" Another new mommy asked me that question last weekend...five weeks away from Buckner's first birthday. I hadn't only started planning, I had been thinking about his first birthday party since probably January. I had been forcing myself not to really start planning it until the beginning of summer because I did not want to rush the year away. But once May hit, the party planning "officially" started. I started a Pinterest board then made a private one for his birthday party so guests will be surprised. Yes, I have gone a little crazy with the first birthday excitement but I go crazy with all things Buckner because being a mom is just plain fun and I am enjoying every moment of it.

Realistically speaking, working a full time job plus evenings filled with quickly doing household chores to maximize my baby and family time means very little time for party planning. A year into this mommy lifestyle I realize that everything takes five times longer than what it use to take so I knew starting off way in advance, I could enjoy the process and not feel rushed.

The party planning process starting by stalking other friend's Facebook pages to see what they had done for their one year old as well as gathering ideas on Pinterest. I asked other mother's for tips and then created my theme and plan. The theme is Music because Buckner loves music and loves to dance and the party will be decorated in primary colors.

While I love the idea of being crafty, I am not one to do so. However, I am determined to have a personal touch to my son's party so I am actually attempting to make a few items. Below is a sneak peek of the beginning of his high chair decoration. I am saving a lot of money going the DIY route and having so much fun. For the high chair decoration, I am using ribbon purchased at the Dollar Tree and cardstock and twine purchased at Wal-Mart. The cardstock will also be used in his birthday banner. .


Monday, July 13, 2015

Mommy Mondays: Responding

"If you respond to his every cry, he will be spoiled." I am sure many of us have heard the outdated advice several times throughout mommy-hood. Whether it is well meaning or patronizing, I disagree with it. I think sometimes as humans we just repeat things simply because we have heard them a lot throughout our life. I hate clichés for that very reason. It gives a person the opportunity to not think about what they are saying.

In my opinion, thinking you can spoil a baby by giving them love, affection and reassurance is crazy. Spoiling is not the result of too much love. Spoiling happens later in childhood by being too permissive in your parenting but never by responding to their cries or need for affection. In fact, research (and yes I do love some good research) shows that just the opposite happens. By responding to them, you are creating a strong bond and trust. This trust can then later in life make parenting more effective and actually aid a parent in raising a empathetic, well adjusted and secure little individual. So "spoiling" with love? Yes, I believe I will "spoil" my little one.
Love meeting my happy little man's needs!

Monday, July 6, 2015

Mommy Mondays: Leftovers Will Be Your Best Friend!

Today starts the new series, "Mommy Mondays." Each Monday, I will post a new tip, antidote, recipe, etc. I would love to hear your feedback and your tips as well!

I have learned that while I love a home cook meal, I do not like to cook that meal on a Monday after a busy day at work. I want to come home and be able to see my family, play with Buckner and not feel rushed. I have learned that days when I have made enough food the Sunday before for our dinner to have leftovers for Monday makes me the happiest. I have also learned that any time I cook during the week to try to cook enough for left overs the next day so that every night is not a cooking night. Quality time with the little man after a long day at daycare is so important so cooking with a more efficient mindset makes most evenings less rushed and more peaceful!

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Beach Tips

While Buckner's first beach trip was over New Year's Eve, he did not have a chance to do beach activities because it was, of course, winter.  So this summer was our first chance to experience the true beach experience with a baby....a very mobile crawling baby...who LOVED sand!  Before heading to the beach, I researched all types of baby beach tips and a lot of them worked. Here are my favorite from my experience in no particular order.

1. The mantra I kept repeating to myself is the beach with a baby is like life with a baby. It is different. The first day and a half, I found myself exhausted getting use to the pace of keeping Buckner happy. Gone were the days of sitting and relaxing and replaced by days full of changing activities every 1/2 hour to keep him entertained. Once we found our groove, however, I was able to really enjoy it. Just change your expectations. You don't sit at home all day anymore with a crawling baby and you won't be sitting in a lounge chair at the beach.  But it is still a ton of FUN! You just have to enjoy your new type of vacation.

2. Apply sunblock before getting on the beach. Sand makes it impossible to apply sunblock. A wiggly child ready to play makes it that much harder!

3. Carry a small blow up pool to put under an umbrella that you can toss at the end of your trip. Buckner loved his little splash pool and he really loved putting sand in it....when he wasn't eating the sand.

Enjoying his splash pool on the beach.

4. By the way, sand obviously won't harm your child. At least small amounts of it seem to be okay. Buckner savored a little sand over our four days and he is fine!

5. Stay in a place with a pool. Buckner loved that just as much or more than the beach.

6. Take the beach in increments. You can't stay out there all day with a baby even if you bring all the diaper changing items, toys, and snacks (do that too by the way). They will get tired or bored so you may find yourself hauling everything back to your room/condo a few times a day (great work out!).

7. Find a place with a balcony over looking the beach. I never felt like I was missing out on beach time when I was waiting for Buckner to nap in the condo because I sat on the balcony and enjoyed the beach from there. Some say their babies slept on a blanket under the umbrella. Our child was way too stimulated with what was going on to sleep on the beach!

Enjoying the beach while Buckner napped.

8. Break down and let your baby crawl on the sand (if your child likes it). I finally let Buckner make a break for it and he was thrilled!  He immediately made a crawling run toward the ocean!  He was having a blast.

Loved the sand!

9. Take lots of pictures (obvious).

10. Relish your new favorite moments. With a 9 going on 10 month old, early morning feedings are still routine for us. On the beach, however, that meant the 5:30 or 6:00 am feedings was spent on the balcony watching the sun rise and the beach come alive while my husband and I drank coffee.  We would follow the feeding by an early morning walk. Our morning ritual was the best part of our vacation and I think it was Buckner's favorite time too!

Love this view for a 5:30am feeding!

Early morning walk.
Early morning walk.

 

Friday, May 29, 2015

Vacation

Hi readers! I am going to be taking a short vacation from this blog until July 1. I have some things that I would like to do for the blog which means that I need to take a break from publishing. Please check back in July to continue following the adventures of this Southern Mommy!

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Mama v. Dada

Buckner's first word was "Dada." He loves that word. He says it all the time with great enthusiasm. In fact, he can have an entire conversation with that one word using various intonations, expressions, head shaking and hand gestures. But no "Mama" yet.

Sometimes when he is angry and screaming, I think I have heard some resemblance of the word "Mama" but I am not sure if that is a good thing. I would rather him say it when he is happy. Instead when I plead with him to please say "Mama" that little stinker smiles at me and replies, "Dada." My husband, of course, loves this and will immediately follow up with, "Who do you love?" in which Buckner replies, "Dada." Of course, I laugh. It is funny and I love hearing our little man talk but it will be so exciting the day he finally says "Mama!"

Thursday, May 21, 2015

9 Months!

"Tiny but mighty" is our new phrase to describe Baby B. At his nine months check up, he weighed in at 18 lbs 13 oz and  was only in the 21st percentile for weight and 15th percentile for height. Doctor says we are like him and his wife because we make little people. However, he is growing each time and is very healthy. He may be tiny but he is strong! We call him little Hercules baby because of his strength even in his little fingers.

At 9 months, his favorite activity is crawling. He also got to experience splashing in a baby pool which he loved. Summer is going to be fun!  His favorite foods are the sweet potato puffs by Gerber that he seems to prefer over anything else.  My husband joked that the first processed foods we give him is his favorite even after all the work we have done to give him a healthy diet!  He loves to cuddle and loves to have his family right with him. We fall more and more in love with him every day!



Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Seperation Anxiety

Two out of three weekday mornings were successful no tears daycare drop off days! Monday was tough. I was running late and could not stay with Buckner for long. As I handed him to the teacher, he screamed reaching for me and the last thing I saw as I left the room was my red faced baby wailing for his mama. Needless to say Monday I watched the clock all day as I waited for five o'clock to rush back and pick him up. I wondered all day if he thought I wanted to leave him. I wondered all day if he wondered if mommy did not care that he wanted to stay with me. I wondered all day if not responding to his tears would make him toughen up in a way that I don't him to and ultimately affect his bond with me. Talk about working mama guilt!

He was just fine Monday afternoon. He was happy to see me after a long day of playing. But I could not go through that again so I had a strategy for Tuesday. I would get to daycare earlier so I could stay longer. On Tuesday I held him while I signed him in and put away his bottles and backpack. I didn't force him to go to a teacher but instead sat down with him on the floor. His teacher put several toys in front of him. He sat on my lap and sleepily stare at the toys. He finally tentatively crawled off my lap grabbed a toy and immediately sat back on me as if he was going to hold me there. He repeated that process several times grabbing more toys. I love how he loves me so much and wants to stay right with me. The doctor says it is a healthy time of his development so I am going to just love on him and not force him to go to others when he does not want to, however, I do have to go to work. So we played a little longer and he began to relax and smile. Then his teacher came over to put him in the high chair. He looked at me with a questioning look on his face wondering if he should cry but breakfast was a good distraction. I smiled big and waved bye with a happy and excited wave telling him I would be back soon to get him. No tears. Success!  We had the same morning routine today as well so for two mornings we have had a no tear morning....at least Buckner did not cry. Never can say the same for mama! Ha!

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Changing Time!

I lost all my baby weight and then some. I wish I could say it was due to an impressive commitment to working out and healthy eating but I would be lying to at least some degree. However, I do get a lot of exercise these days, I just don't know if it counts as a traditional cardiovascular activity.

One of my more grueling work outs these days is diaper and clothes changing time. Buckner is small but mighty. He especially likes to show his strength and determination on the changing table making it the place we start the process but rarely where we finish. Diaper changing usually starts with a happy Buckner until I lay him down on the table. As soon as he back touches the pad, he immediately gives good meaning to his name as he begins to buck up his back and scream. He tries to inch his way off the table and has almost accomplished it several times but luckily I have mother superpower  fast reflexes these days. No matter what silly song I sing, how I try to trick him or what I use to distract him, if Buckner doesn't want to be on that table Buckner will not be on that table.

I have successfully distracted him a few times by asking him to "help" me by holding the bright yellow tube of Boudreaux Butt's Paste. Unfortunately, that had to stop when he stuck it in his mouth. While the tube never opened, there is just something that grosses this mama out about her son sucking on butt paste. I also tried the floor. He didn't scream. He loved being changed on the floor.  I should say not being changed because as soon as I got his diaper off, the little booger crawled away. Mamas of baby boys know that letting your baby boy crawl around with a bare baby booty can mean a wet disaster fast!

Therefore the changing routine has now become my quick calorie blasting activity. First it involves wrestling my unbelievably strong baby long enough to get his diaper off and put on a new one while on the table. This change instantly increases my heart rate because I have to move at a Kentucky Derby level speed. His cries make me break a sweat because no mama wants to hear her baby cry. In one minute, my body reacts as if I have already worked out for 30 minutes. Then the next phase is to lift my now 20 pound chunk up and over to the crib. This is the strength training portion of my work out. Next, my baby has to be convinced to let me put clothes on him which involves dancing around to make him happy all while wrestling him while in the crib. I am only 5'2" so this also involves some pretty impressive gymnastics while I lean over the crib which is now at the lowest setting to put his clothes. My flexibility and stretching portion of my workout is now complete.

So there you have it...cardio, strength training and stretching all in five minutes. It is what I like to call the new busy mama get your body back plan!  The best part? I have a happy baby to pick up and cuddle after it is all done which is better for the heart than any work out routine!

Mid workout!

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Working on Working Mama Balance

Add caption
They said it will get easier and a lot of days dropping him off at daycare is just a normal part of the routine. Days where he is happy and playing as I leave are the easiest...if you can call any of them easy.  Today was not one of those days. After several days of trying to figure out how to get another baby to stop biting Buckner combined with an extremely difficult morning, leaving today was far from routine. I fought back tears as I looked back to see my little boy held by one of the teachers watching me with sad eyes as I walked out of the school. I pray my little sweetheart knows how much I miss him every day. I pray that he benefits from the socialization of playing with other babies and doesn't suffer any consequences of being in a daycare.

The morning of Buckner's nine month birthday he was very clingy and I ended up having to wear him in a baby sling to get my hair and make up done. In the last few weeks, he crawls after me crying when I leave him at school unless a teacher holds him. I never can leave him crying so I go back into the room multiple times making me late for work on a regular basis but I chalk up the lateness to trying to balance motherhood with career.  Despite the morning tears, he is a very happy baby. The crawling after me in the morning is a double edge sword because it makes me so happy to see how much he loves me but I don't want him to cry. The same crawling in the afternoon makes my entire day. When I walk in the room and I say his name, it is almost as if he runs on all fours instead of crawls as he gleefully makes his way over to me.

I am still working on the art of balancing it all and it appears most working mothers are working on balancing dividing time between baby and career. I have a feeling  we will always be working on balancing work with motherhood. Like any thing in life there are moments where we get it and moments where we struggle. Life is cyclical and some days are easier than others. However, every day I am committed to being a hands on mama that my child can count on being there even though I work full time. I have a lot of female role models that are already accomplishing the balance. They are successful at home and at work which takes a whole lot of planning, endless support from family and friends, and most importantly letting go of perfectionism to focus on the most important little creature...your baby.

He loves outside, splashing in baths, dropping toys for you to pick up and crawling.He can give you a high five.  He can pull up and say dada.  We are still working on mama but I think I have heard him say it when he is angry and screaming! And on day one of month nine, he tried picking up finger foods for the first time. Now he is crazy about his Gerber puffs!

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

8 Months!

The month flew by and I was so busy that the last two posts are his monthly updates. A lot happened between 7 and 8 months. I watched him pull up in his crib to a standing position. Now, he loves to stand. If you place him in a seated position, give him about five seconds and he will be standing!

Buckner is also a talker! He has full conversations saying dada complete with facial expressions and hand gestures. At first we didn't want to say that "dada" was his first word because we weren't sure if he knew what it meant but it appears as much as he uses it we are going to have to claim that as the first. Hopefully, mama will not be too far behind!

Taking his 8 month pictures was the most challenging photo shoot yet! Now that he knows how to crawl, it his favorite thing to do. If given the opportunity, he is on the move. So when I placed him in his chair for his monthly picture, he grinned and lunged forward. After a few attempts of trying to push him back and after he almost fell off the chair (consequently making me wonder why I had him on a chair anyway), we moved to the floor. The pictures are action shots which captures this time period!




Friday, March 20, 2015

7 Months...a little late!

After a crazy few weeks of work, snow/ice days and one awful week of Baby Buckner being sick with RSV, I am back!  Over the last few weeks we have survived our baby's first illness, Buckner beginning to transition to his crib in the nursery, and the transition of Buckner from the non-mobile baby class to the creeper class at daycare. It is has been a whirlwind of a month with treasures found in every day!
Seven months: Loves music and favorite song is "Itsy Bitsy Spider"
Seven months: Constantly on the move especially if chasing Lulu, the poodle!

Seven months: Sitting, crawling, eating three meals a day and constantly melting our hearts!

 

Monday, February 23, 2015

These days

Working on crawling

 
Determined to figure out how to crawl forward
Buckner's First Valentine's Day



 

Friday, February 20, 2015

When I Realized I am His Mommy

Strange title I know. Didn't I realize I was his mommy the moment I conceived? Or at least when I delivered him? Didn't I realize I was his mommy the moment his sweet little face turned up to mine in the hospital room? What about all the 3am feedings? And don't forget the giggles, the cuddles and all the milestones that have occurred in the last six months. Didn't I realize I was his mommy then? 

The answer is yes. I felt that instant bond the moment he was born and I have only managed to fall in love with him more and more every day. I have felt like a mommy every day and have loved every moment of my new role in life. But the other day, a simple and sweet moment happened causing the beautiful gravity of who I am to him to set in.

I walked in to the nursery room at the end of the day like we do every weekday evening. Lately, he has been smiling a lot when I walk in as he sees me. That particular afternoon, he saw me as I was walking in. My little guy instantly lit up. He was smiling and kicking his legs as if to say, "Mommy! You are here!" I immediately ran over to him and scooped him up to give him lots of kisses. He looked so happy. Then it happened...the moment I realized I mean the world to him.

The teacher said let me change him before you go and I handed Buckner off as I turned to gather all his stuff to go home. My little guy usually goes to the teachers without any fuss but he turned quickly to see where I was going. Then as she laid him down on the changing pad, he pushed into a back bend stretching his little head as far as he could as he looked for me. He was getting upset because he thought I was leaving. He whimpered when he couldn't see me. Finally, I stopped gathering stuff and walked over there to let him know I wasn't leaving without him. He calmed down when I stood beside him. My heart was so happy as the reality hit how much my baby boy loves me and how I have the ability to comfort him. I am not just Casey anymore but I am forever my baby boy's mommy. After his diaper was changed, he was back in my arms and all was right with the world.

My little boy looks at me with happy, loving eyes

Thursday, February 5, 2015

My Breastfeeding Story

Early morning snuggles

Before I became pregnant, I was pretty much anti-breastfeeding. I know, GASP, right? How could I actually admit those sentiments in a public forum?  But if we are being completely honest, I didn't get the whole breastfeeding equates bonding like some women talk about. In fact, before pregnancy, the whole idea just grossed me out. Plus, my mom did not breastfeed me and we can't be closer or have a tighter bond. So honestly I really didn't see the point...with the exception of the social pressure. No one wants to admit you don't want to breastfeed because you are immediately given a scarlett letter identifying you as an awful mother.

That social pressure even made me imagine long before I was even in a relationship with my husband, that whenever I did have a baby I would pretend in the hospital that I was going to breastfeed to not be judged. However, I imagined that I would switch immediately to formula upon returning home. Things changed after I became pregnant and did research upon research about how to be the best mommy possible. Slowly I was convinced that I at least wanted to attempt breastfeeding. At first, if I am going to be completely honest again, it was for selfish reasons like weight loss but then it moved into true maternal motivations such as the reduction of SIDS risk and the great nutrients that breastmilk provides.

We went to the classes and listened to how natural the process is for mother and child. By the way natural does not in any way mean without the potential for difficulties but they don't tell you that in those classes or a lot of literature. I had also heard the stories of women that desperately wanted to breastfeed but for whatever reason (e.g. low milk supply, infections, latching problems, etc.) could not. These women were so hard on themselves about supposedly failing to achieve at what a lot of outspoken moms claim to be the badge of motherhood. This supposed failure left them depressed in those precious sweet months following birth. I decided that while I was going to try breastfeeding that I did not want to set myself up with that much pressure.

I am normally the queen of expecting perfection from myself. With high expectations for myself, comes a lot of pressure but I managed to somehow have the attitude that I was going to give it my best shot and if it worked out great but if it didn't I would still be able to provide ample nutrition for my baby boy while bonding with him just like my mother did for me. So my husband and I carefully crafted our plans with Ed agreeing to be the support I would need to make this happen for our son. We were positive about the process because I had heard that a good attitude would be the thing that carried me the furthest in this venture.

The First Sweet Moments
The moments after Buckner was born were beautiful. Our sweet little baby lying skin to skin on my chest began to root around to start nursing just like the class video had shown. It was working!  It was so natural! And Ed and I were so proud. During the hospital stay, I attempted nursing just like I should on the time table that I should and had a successful visit with our lactation consultant. I didn't worry like a lot of moms do about him not getting enough because I understood that in the first couple of days that a teaspoon of colostrum is all they need to sustain them until your milk comes in.

In the first few days, the latching hurt but we pushed through knowing that this was just me learning and getting adjusted. We were quite proud of how successful we were at breastfeeding. We almost were arrogant in our success that breastfeeding had come so easy to us.  In those days, my earlier attitude toward nursing disappeared and I refused to even think supplements. I was going to be an EBF (exclusively breastfeeding mom).

Latching Issues, Weight Loss and Illness
Then the problems started to roll in. Buckner was losing weight quickly and was jaundice in the first week. We were assured to not be alarmed because this is typical in breastfed babies. We just needed to take him out in the sun and visit our lactation consultant. I broke down right outside the hospital after that visit, thinking our baby was going to die. Of course, I understand the problems were normal but my reaction was that of a first time mommy who had just delivered days before and was functioning on a few hours of sleep. 

Days later the jaundice was gone and after a successful visit showing me how to make sure Buckner was getting a proper latch and eating, he started to put on weight. In the meantime, I was exhausted and always cold. I was never hungry even though I heard breastfeeding makes you ravenous. I contributed the exhaustion to being a new mom and the chills to adjusting hormones. I didn't question the loss of appetite because I was just happy to be losing weight. 

We were still struggling with latching. No matter how hard I tried to help Buckner latch properly it became a constant struggle. I tried all the positions and the tricks. I tried to detach him and ended up screaming in pain because all the detaching tricks and tips did not work. They only did the opposite by turning my sweet baby into a snapping turtle refusing to let go. I read articles and watched you tube videos but nothing was working. The pain became so bad that I would sadly hope that Buckner did not want to eat because it hurt so much. At this point, the pain was interfering with any bonding during the nursing. So we rented a hospital grade pump to assist me until the pain subsided.

After almost fainting while holding Buckner and not being able to put on enough clothes to take away the chills, I finally took my temperature...103 degrees. Something was wrong. The first doctor on call said that most likely I had not emptied my breasts which is common so I tried to pump longer and nurse more. A few days passed and my fever stayed. I was getting so sick and I was in so much pain, that I could barely hold Buckner to my chest yet I stayed persistent in my nursing attempts. I nursed or pumped every three hours (with the clock starting at the beginning of the nursing session). But something remained wrong.

After talking to the next doctor on call, I was told to go to the ER. Buckner at this time also had a strange looking pimple on his nose. The diagnosis? We both had staph and I also had mastitis. Back at home, I read all the tips to overcome mastistis and was determined to overcome it. I pumped more. I nursed more. I started to feel better with my antibiotics. Buckner started to get better on his antibiotics. The results came back and it was the scary diagnosis of MRSA. I was petrified. Where did we get it? Most likely from the hospital but were we going to be okay? The doctors assured me we were going to be fine.

Restored Health and Bonding
After several days of feeling better, Ed and I were going to go on our first date night but I relapsed. I was so sick. I again felt like I had the flu. I had an OBGYN appointment the next day to check on my mastitis but I was running a 103 fever again. I was so scared and depressed about being sick. It had been about three weeks of ongoing illness at this point. Instead of date night, we spent the evening in the Urgent Care Clinic. The doctor on call was an angel of a man. He told me that they had three children. Out of the three, two nursed without problems but no matter how hard his wife tried with the third it just never worked. He said all children were different. He asked me if I was planning on continuing to nurse. I said no, I tried and I was ready to be well enough to take care of my baby. I was then given the antibiotics that finally took care of me and ended my breastfeeding since the medicine was not safe for nursing even weeks after completing them.  However, I had to still pump to remove the milk until I weaned myself from nursing. It was hard to see the milk available but not be able to give it to Buckner.

During this process, I spoke to nurses who told me they had tried and could not do it. I talked to other friends who said the same. I looked at my happy baby who was thriving so much better on formula than he ever did with breast milk. I bonded even more with Buckner. I take bottle nursing very seriously. I am never on my phone or distracted when I feed my baby. I talk to him, cuddle him and  focus solely on him. I know a few breastfeeding mothers who catch up on tv shows during their nursing time. Not to say that in judgment but just to point out that you can bond just as much or more with a bottle if you make the time special.

The Best for Our Babies
I feel judged by a few. I can tell they think I did not do it right or that I did not have the right attitude or try hard enough. I can tell other moms who did not successfully breastfeed feel judged as well as they tell their stories in hushed tones. My husband reminds me when I feel upset by the judgemental ones that they have no idea what we went through and what it feels like in those first few weeks when you find your baby and yourself in the ER. He reminds me that they don't know how hard we tried. And then he lightens the mood by pointing to our smiling, healthy and perfect weight baby and says jokingly, "Yeah, he is sooo suffering." Baby Buckner responds with a coo, smile or a babble.

As the days turn into months with our son, I look forward to every time I feed him but the bonding goes beyond the feeding. We bond while I change him and give him lots of tickles which he in turn gives me a ton of giggles. We bond while I carry him in a sling doing all types of household activities. We bond while we play after the end of the day of having to be a part at work and daycare. We bond while I read to him, sing to him, bathe him, rock him to sleep, get up in the middle of the night with him, and cuddle him.  Our bond is growing every day and it is a beautiful, unconditional love. Our bond did not start nor stop with breastfeeding.

We fight all the time for choices as women but we then in turn are so hard on other women who make choices different from our own. We shouldn't have the social pressure to do something that isn't working for our babies and we shouldn't have to feel ashamed of our choices. As parents, we should educate ourselves on all the best options available and then move forward for what works with our families. We should be applauded for our efforts to give the best to our babies because good parents all want one thing...the best for their babies.
Bonding more every day! Love my little man!
We finally got our date night! Here is me finally healthy with my supportive and amazing husband.
Our healthy, thriving little man.

When ya gotta eat ya gotta eat...even in Walmart!


 

Friday, January 30, 2015

Sweet Innonence

The other night while I watched Buckner flash his sweet smiles at his daddy while we fed him, I was once again overwhelmed with emotion. My sweet baby only knows kindness and love. I have thought on many occasions at this time in his life, Buckner has never once experienced a harsh word, humiliation, bullying, unfairness, or cruelty. I love that for many more months to come we get to shelter him from anything or anyone unkind.

I know it can't always be this way and I fear the day someone hurts my little boy's feelings. I already worry about that unavoidable day when someone picks on him. I know I won't be able to protect him forever but I hope that he will learn from us that most people are kind and loving. I want him to know that life is so good and sweet. I plan on teaching him to forgive the ignorant, bully types and help him develop a deep wisdom that when people say things that hurt they are motivated by a deep pain inside them. I pray that we can instill such a strong confidence in him that when he encounters cruelty he is able to believe in himself and the value he brings to this world.

I pray that we can teach him to always talk to us if something is bothering him and never to retreat to a silent world where feelings are hidden. I want to teach him compassion for others and along with that compassion instill a giving spirit. I pray that we model in our behavior acceptance of others without judging what we don't understand. Most of all, I hope we always let the love of God show through our actions so he too can have that light in his eyes. After the innocence of today fades, I pray that joy, laughter and love endures. I love our sweet, happy boy and today I will quiet my worries and simply be grateful for his untouched innocence.
Love his joy!

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Morning Win!

After several tough mornings of rushing to get off on time, I decided to follow the tips that I found on several parenting sites. All the tips summarized to one main point: get everything ready that you can the night before so that you have very little to do in the morning. I knew this information but I didn't think that a few tasks done at night would really make a huge difference. Plus I am always so tired in the evenings. However, I decided to give it a chance.

Ed was still feeling under the weather the first night I attempted the tasks so both of my boys were in bed by 9:00pm. And all of a sudden I had a burst of energy. I decided to unload the dishwasher and reload the dinner dishes so that morning task would be complete. I then mixed Buckner's bottles for the next day. Packed our lunches and straighten up the living room and Buckner's nursery. I even loaded his diaper bag with fresh clothes and sat it by the front door. I felt so energized knowing all these tasks were done. I took my bath and was in bed by around 10:30...late I know but I felt happy knowing that the next morning would not be such a rush.

The next morning was perfect! Buckner slept until I woke him at 5:30 allowing me to get my make-up done which made me feel like I had plenty of time to feed and play with him before getting dressed. I had time to eat breakfast and not rush through any of our tasks. Best part is we were calmly out the door at 7:15 am and I arrived on time to work. In the days following, I completed the new night routine most evenings with the exception of the night I had to work late. I noticed a big difference in the one morning I did not do the nightly tasks which just reinforced my desire to push through the tiredness and complete as much as possible in the evenings. Major working parent lesson here: do everything you can the night before!

Friday, January 23, 2015

Motherhood: A world of shush

As women, we have fought for years to have choices and rights. Now as a mother, I notice that the choices I make need to be kept quiet unless I know the opinions of the mothers around me. Let me give a few examples.

Breast v. Bottle
We have the right to choose to exclusively breastfeed, to breastfeed with supplements or to formula feed. If you exclusively breastfeed, then society allows you to be proud. Some (not all) breastfeeding mothers shout it out along with the number of months they made it as they wear their proud-warrior-breastfeeding-mama-I-am-better-than-you badge. If you choose to formula feed (for whatever reason), society says be quiet and hold your head down.  Don't dare mix up a drink for your hungry (albeit just as healthy) baby in a public place because you will get the stares. Shush you formula feeding mama!

Pediatricians and Daycares
Next up, be quiet about your pediatrician and daycare choices. If you don't have the one your mother acquaintance has you will be judged because theirs is better. Actually their OBGYN was better too giving their baby a head start before he or she was even born!

Baby Gear
Be quiet about how much money you chose to spend on all the needed baby equipment. However, even if you remain quiet the brand gives it away so if you didn't spend a ton of money on your little one's crib, stroller or car seat you are judged. I mean really money equates love in these judgmental circles.

Working v. SAHM
Shush about going back to work because non-working mommies judge. Shush about staying home because working mommies judge you.

Vaccinations
Heaven forbid you talk about vaccines because the anti camp will send you horrific stories that will keep you awake at night (if you aren't already). But the rest of the world tells you that you have to vaccinate in order to send your child to school.


The shush list can go on and on.  I've developed a theory on the constant stares, proud bragging moments, unsolicited advice and nonstop judgement - we all want to do our best for our babies. Our hearts and intentions are well meaning. We are nonstop doubting ourselves therefore justifying that we are making the best decision of all makes us feel better. We, even unknowingly, put down the decisions of other mothers to make ourselves feel like we have the best and have done the best. So in our dark moments of doubt we can at least say that we didn't do it as bad as so and so's mom!

I try to watch myself when my brain automatically makes a judgement call on another mother's actions. We are all trying our best. One friend put it kindly after a firestorm of e-mails I received about feeding Buckner at 4 months old saying, "Do what is best for your child." We are all different individuals as are our babies. We celebrate differences as adults so why do we expect child rearing to all be the same? As long as you are taking care of your child, let's celebrate the differences of childhood and no longer live in a world of shush.

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Little Man is 24 Weeks Old Today!

24 WEEKS

Favorite Toy: His feet! Also, the singing puppy Sassy gave him.

Physical Ability: Pushes up in a plank position by lifting up his hips...getting ready to crawl!
Can sit for a few seconds by himself but still needs a spotter to avoid tumbles.

Clothes: 6 to 9 months best fit him. Most days he wears footed sleepers because he takes his socks off and we have to keep those footsies warm.

Food: Can't give him enough bottles! Loves squash and sweet potatoes. Eating about a tablespoon a day and squeals with delight when the spoon comes toward him. Can't feed him fast enough and he is a pro at opening his mouth wide to get the spoon in. 

Sleeping: Most nights 7:30 or 8:00pm until about 5:00 or 5:30am. Only wakes up to find his pacifier. Not much of a daytime napper...he is afraid he will miss something.

Games: Loves peek-a-boo and pull mama's hair! 

Other loves: Dancing and music. Mama and daddy making silly noises. Lots of cuddles!

Another new discovery: The Exersaucer!

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Morning Calm to Chaos

At any given time during the day, I teeter between parenting wins and parenting fails. The parenting wins feel small in comparison to how devastating the parenting fails feel. The three hours this morning between wake up and daycare drop off had devastating swings between the two and while I know this is normal, it still left this mommy pulling up to the daycare with trembling hands and tears threatening to flow as I hugged my sweet little boy goodbye for the day.

5:00 am: Alarm clock goes off although I had actually started to wake up around 4:40 when Buckner started to stir and whine a little in his sleep signaling to me that he would soon wake up too. We had camped out in the living room because Daddy caught the dreaded stomach bug. I slept on the couch and Buckner slept beside me in his rock and play. I think I slept but I remember being awake more than asleep last night so needless to say when the alarm went off I was exhausted but knew I had to get moving because Daddy was still out of commission.

5:02 am: Start coffee pot and start unloading dishwasher to get Buckner's clean bottles out.

5:03 am: Buckner cries. He is officially awake. I run into the living room and put his pacifier back in his mouth. He appears to go back to sleep. I debate on whether I have time to unload the dishwasher or should I just immediately make his morning bottle.

5:04 am: Return to unloading the dishwasher. Buckner cries again. Debate is over. Time to make the morning bottle. I talk in soothing tones from the kitchen to Buckner to let him know that I am making his bottle. Buckner continues to cry. My heart breaks a little.

5:07 am: Bottle is made. I pour myself a cup a coffee and run to get my little man. I take him to his nursery to change his diaper. He screams at me for the duration of the diaper change clearly letting me know that a diaper change was not what he wanted and he is hungry NOW!

5:10 am: All is quiet again in our little house as I feed my sweetheart and drink coffee. We sit on the couch until 5:45. This is my special time with him as I have mentioned on many times before. We cuddle. He finishes his bottle and he coos and smiles. I read him a daily devotional and we talk. The time ends way too fast and I really want to sit there longer but more has to be done. Ed comes out of the bedroom and says he is weak but thinks the worse is over.

5:45 am: Return to unloading the dishwasher and making his bottles for the day. We always have intentions to do this the night before but the dishwasher doesn't usually finish until we are in bed. I need to buy a few more bottles to put into the rotation as well as a big mixer to mix the formula the night before so all we have to do is pour. Put together lunch and make a mental note that I really need to do this in the evening. I am slowly learning and incorporating some new parenting life hacks.

6:10 am: Unload the dryer and lay his clothes out so that they don't wrinkle. I usually make up the bed at this time as well but since Ed was sick all night those sheets are just going right to the laundry. Pack his diaper bag with extra clothes (again, should have done that the night before).

6:20 am: Buckner decides he is tired of playing on the floor by himself and starts to fuss. Ed still can't touch him just in case he is contagious so I strapped him in his baby carrier (thank God for baby wearing) and put my make up on. He loves it and grins at himself in the mirror the entire time. Parenting win!

6:35 am: Put Buckner in his crib for a minute to feed our dog, Lulu (which I almost forgot to do). He screams.  I put Baby Einstein on my ipad in his crib and he is instantly captivated. Parenting fail because I know that tv time is a no no but sometimes you got to do what you got to do to get dressed. About a minute later, after the dog is fed and I have berated myself for letting him watch Baby Einstein. I take away the ipad (he immediately screams) and I scooped me up for a big cuddle.

6:45 am: We put on mardi gras lively music as I dress him for the day. We giggle and dance. I talk to him and enjoy a few more moments of sweet baby time.

6:55 am: Put him in his pack and play because I must take a shower NOW. He isn't happy even with toys so Ed entertains him and I take a lightning speed shower.

7:00 am: Get dressed and do my hair while simultaneously running back to Buckner to let him know I am there so he will be happy (he is getting irritable and fighting sleep at this point).

7:15 am: Put Buckner in his rock and play in front of the tv for a minute (berate myself again) but he screams and I plead with him to just let mommy finish the last few things (load up the car, brush teeth, grab a breakfast bar, etc.) before we go. He doesn't agree and screams which breaks my mommy heart and I shake as I finish the last few things.  During my running, I look over at him and he is now asleep. Sweet baby.

7:27 am: Finally leaving my house. My goal was 7:15 so now I am officially running late but doing much better than other days. We drive to daycare as he snoozes and I drink coffee and eat a breakfast bar while trying to stop shaking.

7:45 am: Arrive to daycare and I want to cry. I want calm, happy mornings and while there are definitely some moments each morning that I accomplish this there are a few moments where I am still shaking and running late. I don't want to leave Buckner as I pull him out of his carseat and hug my cuddly baby. He smiles as I put him in the exersaucer and shows me all his fun toys. I fight back tears knowing that 8 hours until I see him again seems so long.

8:07 am: Arrive to work knowing I am doing my best and some days will be easier.  I will try in the coming days to do more at night because I refuse to speed up even more because those morning moments are some of the precious times I have with my little family. Even in those hectic moments, life is so sweet now with our little man...I just need to learn to breathe!


Thursday, January 15, 2015

This week...

...I learned that being sick as a mommy and not being able to touch your baby when he reaches for you out of fear that you will give him your stomach bug makes you cry those big, emotional tears that you thought were just reserved for the weeks right after delivery.

...I found myself jealous once again that the daycare providers get to spend 40 hours a week with my child while I get to squeeze in two hours in the morning and approximately two hours in the evening during the work week. I make the time quality time but it is hard to face the reality of so much time missed.

...I also found myself grateful for those same providers because we were able to get him out of the house while I was sick and away from those dreaded germs. I slept the most I slept in five months for two days which almost makes up for being sick.

...At the same time that I was jealous of the daycare teachers for getting so much time with my precious baby boy, I was also grateful in a weird way for being able to get a lot of things done during the day and enjoy my job. Yes, the mommy guilt over balance has started. 

...During those sweet moments together, we fed Buckner his first taste of sweet potatoes which he loves!  He kicks his feet with excitement every time we bring the spoon near his mouth.

...I learned sweet potatoes stain everything.


...I did some more research on flat heads (Buckner's is improving but not as fast as we would like) and we decided to give the noggin nest a try.

...And I still think there is nothing sweeter than seeing his smiling face looking at me at the end of the day.
Yummmm sweet potatoes!


Monday, January 12, 2015

Southern Baby Style

Lulus Love Letter Sale
Lulu's Love Letters Sale!

I have a spending problem. I never had one before Buckner arrived but now I can't quit buying for my little guy. Every footed sleeper, cute hat or onsie is up for grabs. And merchandisers KNOW THIS!  I tell myself I am not going to spend anything this week but then I get a sneaky little e-mail telling me about free shipping or a certain percentage off and spending freeze is lifted. They are after me!

One of my favorite stress relievers these days is going through the baby section at Wal-Mart. I may have just gone in for formula but I still find a few more other things Buckner just has to have. I make myself feel better because the clothes are so inexpensive at Wal-Mart but still must haves for his days at daycare. You don't want to spend a fortune on clothes he will outgrow in a month or mess up playing in at daycare.  Speaking of growing, he is growing and therefore I justified the four footed sleepers I just purchased...when I went in to get formula. But after those purchases and the great deals I got from Lulu's Love Letters last night, I am officially on a spending freeze.

When we found out we were having a boy, I told my husband that I get to dress him without argument for a minimum of two years. I knew that for two years my adoring little boy would not argue about me dressing him up like a little prince. I knew that my adoring big boy (aka husband) might put up a fuss but in the elation of finding out we were, indeed, have a precious baby boy, he agreed. He has, for the most part, stuck to his agreement and I have happily dressed up our little boy every chance I get. I read somewhere that true little Southern boys only wear pastel colors the first year of life. While I love bright colors, it is true that nothing makes Buckner look more Southern boy charming than soft fabrics in light colors.  Therefore, when Lulu's Love Letters announced the Paty sale she was having on Instagram last night I knew I had participate. A white cardigan that will be monogrammed in brown lettering to go with this blue and white short sleeve onsie (also monogrammed in brown lettering) made it just before the self-imposed much needed spending freeze. I am already thinking of the places I will take my baby Southern gentleman to in his charming little outfit. Now spending freeze is on...no, seriously.

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Baby Talk

Each week we encounter new phases and developmental milestones. Just when you get a routine established, Buckner decides to change it. Not that we are complaining because we aren't the type of people who likes life to be the same everyday. Our little boy is not disappointing by making sure we keep things interesting around our house.

Early on after delivering him, I read that you can recognize what your baby wants by the variations in their sounds. I found this perplexing and wondered if I was a bad mother because all his crying noises just sounded like, "Waaaaaah" to me. But I started to listen closely and even though Buckner has yet to speak an official word yet, he does communicate.

"I am hungry"
First, we get a few warning signals when he is saying feed me. He starts out with a few short, crying grunts. At this stage you can distract him for about a minute before he gets angry and the grunts turn into full wails. Our baby seldom cries unless he is hungry but when he is hungry he has about a minute of patience and nothing will satisfy his cries until a bottle is popped into his mouth...then all is well with the world (and once again quiet).

"I am tired"
A new phase is trying to fight sleep and he communicates fatigue  both verbally and physically. He wimpers and cries a little out of frustration. He tries to move his body to stay awake and recently started to hit and rub his eyes with balled up fists. The cutest thing he does as he drifts off is scratch his head with both hands. Those little scratches become slower as he drifts off and there are just hands left by his head when he is fully asleep.

"I don't want to do tummy time."
Screams. Pure screams. Although lately he is getting better at tummy time which is good because we have to work on his flat head.

"I have a tummy ache"
This communication can often be mistaken for "I am tired." He will squirm and push his stomach up while he arches his back. He will become calm for a minute but the best thing to do is make a run for the gas medicine.

 "I am happy"
This one is easy and thankfully happens a lot. He smiles and giggles all the time. But when he is really excited and happy, he will squeeze his shoulders up and turn his head to one side like his whole body is happy.


The most exciting thing he has done lately is pronounce some syllables that sound like "Ma Ma." I know he is most likely unsure of what those syllables mean but I love hearing the sound!

Friday, January 9, 2015

Mashed Sweet Potatoes Not Cornbread and Peas

About a month ago while at Buckner's four month check up, the doctor said that we could start introducing solids at any time.  Of course, formula would still be his main form of nutrition since the first year involves mainly practicing with solid foods. He told us that we could choose between a vegetable, fruit or cereal as his first food. I was excited about this next stage and posted on a local mothers' Facebook group page to survey what are good choices for first solids. I had done my research on rice and cereal learning they were just fillers so I had already decided against that option but was curious what other mothers had done.

One thing is for sure, mommies have opinions. Sometimes a little too strong of opinions. I received some great advice but it was quickly covered up by being slammed both in the post and in private messages.  See I made the mistake of starting off the post with "at my son's four month check up" having no idea there are some seriously strong opinions about waiting until six months before starting solids.

Panicky mothers quickly e-mailed to stop me from causing what they considered irreversible damage. You would have thought I was going to fry up some chicken fried steak with a side of greasy cornbread and meat laden peas to feed my child! I was just debating on letting him taste sweet potatoes with the doctor's suggestion.  But to these mothers I needed to switch doctors and not even think about the first taste until six months.

My husband said the other day that in today's time it is so hard to get information and I wondered what he meant because there is SO MUCH information out there. But that is exactly what he meant. With so much information, you also get strong opinions that appear to contradict some other type of advice. As parents you get bombarded with opinions about bottle feeding, breastfeeding, sleep schedules, daycare, vaccines, toys, and the list goes on. Some opinions are benign and easy to overlook. Some are helpful and I truly appreciate the advice but there are a few that can be paralyzing because they initiate crippling fear of doing something wrong that could harm the most precious person in a parent's life. 

During the Facebook slam, I had several supportive mothers who reminded me that only we know our babies and we have to do what is best for them. Comforting words of wisdom. I will say the slam caused me to do some further research reassuring my doctor knew what he was talking about and the time to start solids for most babies is between 4 and 6 months.  I learned there are signs that your baby is ready for solids such as being able to sit with little support and hold his head up without bobbling. More signs include if your baby shows an interest in food, has doubled his birth weight and daily eats 32 ounces of formula or breast milk.

Buckner had accomplished most of those developmental markers at 4 months but we decided to split the difference and start introducing solids after five months. I am glad we waited although I don't think we would have made a huge mistake to start at four months but now we are informed and Buckner seems ready for the next step. We still debate back and forth about making our own food. I have read way too much on the topic making me scared of doing something wrong and accidentally making him sick. Anyone else out there doubt themselves on the process of making their own baby food? So either homemade or store bought, in the next few days, we will strap Buckner into his high chair and put a tiny bite of formula thinned food onto a spoon to let him taste it. And in case you are wondering, we decided to start with sweet potatoes.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

You know you love being a mommy when....

...you don't notice that you are still wearing spit up...hours later

...you don't mind your baby waking up at 2am and 3am and 4:30am because that means he is still breathing!

...you haven't shopped in months for yourself because you are spending all your money on yet another cute teeny, tiny outfit

...your cell phone ran out of storage because you have a ton of pictures of your baby and refuse to delete any of them even though you have printed and facebook copies

...your facebook features a daily picture update

...everything he does is picture worthy especially sleeping like a pudgy, little teddy bear

...you research all things baby development

...you tell your friends for the 100th time how he rolled over this morning, grabbed his pacifier, smiled, etc.

...the best part of your day is picking him up at the end of the day after work and seeing him smile when you walk in the room!

Life is so good as a mommy!


Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Five Months Old

Good morning world! I am five whole months today! I am now a pro at tummy time and can sit with support. I am 16 pounds which means I have doubled my birth weight. I love to listen to daddy play the guitar and I love when mommy reads to me. I also figured out how to take this belly sticker off and put it in my mouth which ended this photo shoot! Mommy tells me I will get to try solid foods soon like sweet potatoes so bring on month six!

I love to smile at Mommy and Daddy...and pretty much anyone who smiles at me!

I am very observant.

I am a happy baby....

...but I got tired of this photo shoot so right after this picture, I took off the sticker and put it in my mouth!
 

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Our First Holidays

This week was the return to the routine after a much needed two week break with my family. There were so many sweet moments that marked Buckner's first Christmas and New Year's but a few moments stand out as truly special to me.

On Christmas Eve morning, Buckner woke up early at 4:00am and wanted his bottle. Usually his routine had been a 5:30 am bottle but when he wants to eat he wants to eat. So I sleepily walked to the kitchen to make his bottle and decided since I was up I would make the morning cozy. I turned on the Christmas tree lights and fed my sweet baby in the magical glow of the Christmas tree. He finished around 4:30 but instead of going back to bed, I half slept and cuddled with him on the couch. He snoozed away in my arms. Sometimes you don't realize at the time that the moment will be a cherished memory but I knew that this one would be.

Other memory making moments include the way he looked at his presents. He was 20 weeks old on Christmas Day and the perfect age for a first Christmas. He looked at everything with curiosity. It is almost as if he seemed to know these toys were for him. We opened presents slowly on Christmas morning so he would not get overwhelmed and could really enjoy each one of his new toys. My favorite moment when I got to witness him witnessing his new mobile a week after Christmas. While he napped in his crib my husband attached his new mobile. When I heard him waking up I went to check on him. He yawned and stretched and then I saw the moment when he first saw his mobile. He looked at it curiously and then looked at me to as if to say, "Look Mommy!" Then he looked back at it and back at me and smiled as if to say, "Look at my new toy!"

Also, this holiday break marked Buckner's first trip to the beach!  Even though it was January the weather was perfect. Not windy and highs in the upper 60s. We were able to walk out to the beach a couple of times and he carefully observed the waves. He didn't smile a lot while we were actually on the beach but carefully took in everything. He did fall asleep in his sling while we walked...I guess the sound of the waves calmed him. He will be a beach person just like his mommy and daddy.

Christmas Eve (before Mass which he slept through)



First Beach Trip! (New Year's Eve with family in Panama City Beach)


One year ago, on New Year' Eve we announced our little bundle was on his way. A year later, we celebrate New Year's as a family of three. Cheers to an exciting 2015 full of beautiful firsts!