Friday's Letters

This is my first time linking-up with Ashley for Friday's letters.  I have seen several others link-up and I always love reading them so I thought I would give it a go!

Dear birdie eggs in my grill, please hatch and fly away a.s.a.p. so we can grill some yummy food sometime soon.  Dear clothes, please pack yourselves up to go to my parents' house for the night so I don't have to.  Dear Holden, please slow down a little with the whole growing up thing.  Dear illusive money tree, please come into actual existence so we can go on an awesome vacation this summer.  Dear last eight pounds of "baby weight," please get the h-e-double-hockey-sticks off my body.  And then take about 15-20 more pounds with you.  Dear Easter, I'm super excited about you.  I can't wait to dress my baby up in his cute little outfit and I can't wait for the Easter Bunny to visit him for the first time!

Holden {6 months}

Holden turned 6 months old on March 27th! 

 I am having a very hard time believing that he could possibly be 6 months old.  It's absurd.

Holden, at 6 months...

• You weigh pretty close to 17 lbs.  It is growing increasingly difficult to weigh you on our baby scale at home because you are a wild man and won't hold still!  We will get an "official weight" and length at your 6 month pediatrician appointment. *Update: official weight at appointment was 17 lbs. 9 oz.  What?!?!  Holy moly!  You are weighed in a diaper there and you were squirmy of course.  You are 26.5 in long and your head circumference is 18 inches.
• You wear a size 2 shoe, size 2 disposable diaper (although will be in 3's soon I think), and 3-6 month clothes for the most part....you can wear some 6-9 month clothes if they run on the smaller side.
• Your hair is growing back!
• You are a total gigglebox and we LOVE it.  It is the absolute best.  You laugh multiple times a day...usually at your silly mommy...and it just fills my heart with joy!
• You roll from your belly to your back not long after we put you on your belly...but you still haven't rolled from back to belly!  You will roll onto your side and practically do a back-bend to see something or get something you want...but you never let yourself actually roll onto your belly!
• You eat every 3-4 hours.  We pretty much just wait until you get fussy because you eat best when you're really hungry!  You take 6 ounces and usually about 5 bottles a day.
• You still eat your oatmeal - once a day in the mornings.  Plus, now you eat a veggie or fruit in the evenings!  You have tried peas, carrots, squash, green beans, pears, bananas, and prunes.  You pretty much hated the peas- never did warm up to them.  I think your favorite has been carrots...but you like everything (besides peas) pretty well.  
• Your napping has changed a bit.  Your longest nap is still in the mornings but usually only lasts around an hour and a half.  You don't take quite as many short naps during the day anymore...but it really just all depends on the day and what we're doing.
• You go to bed (in your crib) sometime between 9:30-10:30 p.m.  You usually sleep until close to 8:30 a.m.  We have still been swaddling you in your swaddleme at night but over the past few nights you have been breaking out of your swaddle and waking up.  Not sure what's going to happen with that...
• When it is bedtime, I (or sometimes Daddy) change your diaper, put you in your night-wear, and then in your swaddleme.  I turn your white noise maker on and then I give you your bottle while rocking you in the glider in your room.  You usually fall asleep while eating...and then I lay you down.  Occasionally, you will wake up when you are laid down but usually will go back to sleep if we play your seahorse and give you a soft blankie by your face (which we remove after you have gone to sleep).
• You are almost sitting!  You can sit by yourself for a minute or two (give or take) but you don't have the balance thing perfectly mastered just yet.  Soon!
• You started saying, "mama!"  Okay, not really...not intentionally.  But you do say it!  You have started making this sound and you will say, "Ma ma ma ma ma ma" opening and closing your mouth...it's quite funny.  You mainly make this sound when you are crying.  It's like it is your new cry.  I would like to count this as your first word....but, I won't since you don't actually know what you're saying. ;)  It is VERY funny and adorable though!  You are quite a chatty baby.
• You go on a lot of walks in the stroller with Mommy.  You LOVE to be outside.  You just chill out and take it all in.
• You went to the zoo for the first time this month.
• You still like to play under your activity gym, in your bouncer/exersaucer, and you like to sit in your high chair.
• You are not a big cuddler anymore.  You are just too busy for such things.  Probably for this same reason, you have been rejecting (freaking out in) the ergo carrier lately.  This hurts mommy's feelings a bit. ;)
• You sat in the front of the shopping cart for the first time.  This wasn't planned but rather, happened as a result of you freaking out in the carrier.  

We can't believe we have a 6 month old already!  We love you more than we can say.  You light up our lives and just bring us so much happiness.  You are so sweet and happy and kissable.  My Mother-in-law (your Mamaw) always says that there's nothing sweeter than a 6 month old baby....and I think she is probably right! :)

I thank God over and over while I rock you every night for giving you to us!  

*Professional 6 month photos will be taken soon! :)

*Click HERE to see all of Holden's monthly pics!

BBQ at my place!

Anyone wanna come?! ;)

Yesterday I made the discovery that a starling has been making her nest (huge, massive nest!) in our grill. This isn't the first time we've had a nest in our grill. We keep it closed but there is a small opening on the side where they get in.

Looks like we won't be having any BBQ's any time soon since we don't have the heart to destroy the eggs. In the past we have caught the nests before there were eggs!

Hope the little grill-birds will be able to learn how to leave the nest through that little opening! Apparently, their mom thinks they will!

Sometimes & Always

Linking up with one of my faves today - Megan from Mackey Madness - for this link-up.

Sometimes: I am really tired and want to go to bed but the kitchen is a mess.

Always: I have to clean it first... I cannot go to bed with a messy kitchen!

Too depressing to wake up to in the morning.

Sometimes: I go to the mall with the intention of buying something for myself.

Always: I end up buying cute stuff for Holden instead.

Sometimes: I feel so "behind" on all things blogging. There is so much I don't know! It's a little embarrassing since I've been blogging for a couple of years now!

Always: I can ask you guys things like, "Why am I a "no-reply commenter" and how do I change that? I've never known how to link my e-mail to my blog...? Seriously, how do I do it?!

Sometimes: I can't believe how fast my baby is growing. He is SIX MONTHS TODAY, people!

Half a year old! Ahhhh! (6 month post hopefully coming soon!)

Always: I am thankful to be able to watch him grow and I think about parents who haven't gotten to see their babies reach six months old (or another age) due to tragic circumstances.

Sometimes: I look forward to summer.

Always: I dread having to wear summer clothes (much less a swimsuit!) and the unbearable heat! Oy...

worth it.

Holden is soon to be SIX months old!  This is somewhat alarming to me.  Half a year?  How did this happen!?  I feel like he is still NEW and yet when I used to think about six month old babies...I felt like they were "pretty old babies."  But mine isn't!  He's still pretty new!

I've been thinking back to when Holden was born a lot lately... mostly because one of my friends (from my old job as a NICU nurse) just had a darling baby boy.  When I think back to Holden's beginning, I think about how rough it was.  The quick labor progression which led to me not getting my epidural soon enough, the agonizing pain (to all of you superwomen mommas who intentionally went all natural out there...just roll your eyes at me now because I'm a wimp and didn't think it was a beautiful experience to be feeling everything...I just thought I was dying), the decelerations in his heart rate which caused the birth to be expedited even more via forceps, being dizzy and almost passing out directly after delivery, that big knot in his cord that still haunts me, the fact that I never got to lay his freshly born, messy little body on my chest or feed him until hours later, the total cluelessness about breastfeeding at first, feeling absolutely awful after delivery - racing heart, too hot and weak to take a shower or to stand up for very long, a circumcision that wouldn't stop bleeding, that first pediatrician's appointment where they told me that he had lost too much weight and that I needed to supplement, the fact that my milk didn't come in until Day 5 post-partum, the several stressful times we had to go back to the pediatrician's office for weight checks, the despairing and exhausted thoughts that I was never, ever going to sleep 8 hours ever again in my entire life.  Oh, and I physically hurt for what seemed like forever afterward.  I could expound upon that, but I'll spare you.

It was rough, y'all.  Sometimes I felt guilty for complaining because we had desperately and heartachingly wanted this baby.  I had been a NICU nurse and I had lived with a newborn before (my sister) and I had babysat newborns... I was used to babies...which was why I was shocked that I was shocked at how hard those first couple of weeks were!

After the first couple of weeks, it got better.  But this mommying thing still had it's challenges.  Breastfeeding was never the Heavens-opening-angels-singing experience for us that I read about some of you having.  It was more like pig wrestling.  Have you ever seen that event at a county fair?  It was a battle of wills.  It was the most stressful part about being a new-mom for me and continued to be until we ended the battle when Holden was around four months old.

All of this to say that I did have some more-experienced-than-I-moms intuitively tell me, "It does get better."  (I also had a best friend with a newborn at the same time who was honest and real with me, a.k.a. we vented and griped to each other which was a tremendous support.)  Bless them for that.  I doubted it at times.  But now...at almost six months of being a mom...I am writing this to tell you...it DOES get better!  It really, really does!

Now that run-on second paragraph above has turned into a new run-on second paragraph which goes something like this.  Smiles galore, giggles in abundance, kissing chubby cheeks, little hands feeling my face, looking in awe at my totally chill baby in a stroller on long walks around the neighborhood, trips to the zoo pushing my adorable sunglasses and floppy hat wearing son, singing songs to a smiling face, reading books, hearing tons of silly baby noises, laughing at hilarious sour faces when eating solid foods, rocking my precious baby to sleep praying and thanking God for His faithfulness and for allowing me to be this sweet boy's mommy.  Oh, and then laying that precious baby down and sleeping myself.  Glorious, sweet 8+ hours of sleep.

Honestly, when I see new moms saying that they are "enjoying every second" I want to scream out, "LIAR!"  However, it may be possible that some of you aren't as shocked as I was and perhaps we had it a little rougher than some when it came to certain things.  But if you are like I was and you get a little bit nauseous every time someone says, "But it's sooooo worth it, isn't it?" don't spend even the next second feeling guilty because, guess what?  In a few months, you will be able to nod your head and honestly and vehemently respond, "Yes, YES...it is (was!) soooooooooooooooo worth it.

Mug Swap!

A few weeks ago, I signed up for a "Mug Swap" that was taking place over at 

On the Front Porch Looking In and Synfully Delicious.

There is not much in life that I love more than a good cup of coffee.  It is one of my favorite indulgences and one that I pretty much never neglect myself of.  I pretend my lattes don't have calories.  I consider each cup of coffee or latte a little gift to myself.  It is delicious, energy, peacefulness, and sanity for me.  My true love of coffee began in college and I am fairly certain it will continue for the rest of my life!

So, when I saw the idea for the mug swap I thought it was great!  Drinking coffee out of a cute mug makes it even better!  I don't have many cute mugs - mostly just plain fiesta ware that match our dishes and random Starbucks mugs.  

Torie from Living on a Latte & a Prayer was my mug swap partner.  When I was given her name and contact information, I immediately looked her blog up because I was not familiar with her or her blog.  She is a super cute college girl who obviously loves coffee as you can tell from her blog title!  She is also a great writer and has some very heartfelt and meaningful posts.  She recently said in a post that she is often told that she is very mature for her age - and she does seem wise beyond her years.  She is really using this time in her life to examine and better herself and I think that is awesome for anyone...but especially for someone so young.  Anyway, all that to say that I am glad I found her blog AND she sent me a beautiful mug!  

Here it is!

Probably my favorite part- the sweet little flowers INSIDE the mug!

She nailed it!  I love it!  I told her I liked green, girly, and vintage... and this is all of those things!  Plus, I love that it is so springy and perfect for Easter.  Oh, and it is from Anthropologie which makes me feel pretty cool because it is the only thing from Anthropologie that I own!

This was a very fun swap to be a part of.  I love getting gifts (especially in the mail!) but I REALLY love giving gifts of any kind and it was fun to give one to someone I didn't know aside from this swap.  I will admit that I did find it quite challenging to choose one for her since I don't know her well and I probably (not probably, I DID) spent a couple of hours trying to pick one that I thought she would like!  I hope she is as happy with hers as I am with mine! :)

Thanks, Torie!  I wish you the perfect cup of coffee every day!

miscellany monday

1. We've been having a lot of fun with baby food around here!  Holden really disliked peas (although he ate them) and he tried carrots for the first time yesterday and he LOVES them.  Totally different than the experience with peas.  I kind of dreaded starting solid foods because I thought it would just be one more thing to mess with...but it is actually really fun!  It gives us another activity to do to keep Holden entertained... and the funny faces are very entertaining for us!

2. I'm addicted to the game "Draw Something" (iphone app).  Anyone want to play?  My username is sbhubert22.  It is so fun to watch others guess your words and to see other's drawings and try to guess them. However, if you are going to play with me- please don't just spell out words as hints or actually write the word itself.  I've had this happen when playing with "random" people that the generator gives me.  Seriously?  Annoying.

3. I need to paint my toenails so I can wear sandals and flip-flops...since it is summer here even though it is still technically winter.  I totally procrastinate on painting my nails because for some reason, I just don't like doing it!  I like them to be pretty... but wish someone else would just do them for me!  

4. Yesterday, I posted a yummy fruit salad recipe here.  There's a special ingredient that makes it awesome.  Check it out - super yummy!

5. I already posted St. Patrick's Day cuteness here....but I just have to show my little shamrock off again! ;)

6. I'm kind of excited about "Frozen Planet" on The Discovery Channel.  I'm not a big Discovery Channel watcher...but this looks pretty amazing.  It actually premiered last night but I forgot about it! :(  Note to self: set DVR to record all episodes!  I would love to see whales in their natural habitat in real life one day.  Add that to my bucket list (that I've never actually created).

7. My mom and sister are coming today to spend the night!  I see eating, coffee, shopping, and the zoo in our near future! 

Holden & Aunt Sophia

Yummy Fruit Salad!

Sometimes I find something good that I make over and over again.  This is one of those things...so I thought I'd share!  It is a hot "summer" day here (crazy) and I think cold fruit salad is especially yummy in warm weather!

Cut up fruit of your choice and toss together in bowl.

I use mandarin oranges, strawberries, apples, and grapes.

THEN...you add the special ingredient:

A can of peach pie filling.

Dump it in, stir it all together, chill in the fridge, and you're done! 

Now, I do realize this adds sugar and makes the fruit salad less healthy. I did look for a sugar free peach pie filling but had no luck. It may not be the healthiest but it still makes a pretty healthy dessert when you consider the alternatives...servings of fruit instead of brownies, cake, cookies, etc. You could also use other types of pie filling...but this is the only one I have tried. It makes the fruit salad wet and it seems to make the fruit stay good longer. The apples don't seem to turn brown even after a day or two.

And did I mention it is super yummy?!

If you want to be a little more naughty, you could eat it over angel food cake or pound cake.  You could even tear up some angel food cake or pound cake and make alternating layers of fruit salad and cake in a trifle bowl. I wouldn't suggest doing this if you want to keep it around a few days as the cake would get soggy... but it would make a great dessert to take to a potluck, family get-together, etc.!

Enjoy! 

*Oh, and I've been making this for a while now and do not remember where I first got the idea...thus, I cannot cite a source!

*Linking this post up with:

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

We've been enjoying a pretty low-key day around here.

Lounging around, awesome church service, and now pizza delivery!

Hope this post finds you avoiding pinches and enjoying the day! :)

random catch up (and a nakey baby!)

A little of what has been going on around here.......

Hubby is off work this week!  It has been awesome weather around here.  80 degrees today!  Cuh-razy for March in Indiana!  I love it!  (Although I don't necessarily want it to get any hotter just yet...or ever!)  Today, we ate at an italian restaurant with a nice view of the river.  We wanted to eat outside but it was going to be a long wait.  Then a trip to Lowe's for fun things like weed killer...and on to Target for a few essentials.  Then it was home to spend some time outside.  Hubby pulled weeds and I entertained the babe.  I definitely got the good end of the deal!  Holden and I also went for a walk around our neighborhood.  Holden LOVES being outside.  He will just sit and chill in the stroller...just looking around and taking it all in.

I did a little decorating around the house for Easter...if I ever get around to taking pictures I might post a few although it isn't anything too amazing.  I don't like to spend money on holiday decor so I just use what I have!

Holden has a couple of different options for Easter outfits and I just can't decide which to go with....not sure how I am going to make that decision!  One is more of a "little man" outfit and the other is more of a "baby" outfit.... I'm torn.

6 month photos are coming up, too....more outfit decisions!  (PS...6 months?!  SIX?!  Seriously?!?!)

Cadbury mini eggs....why did I buy you?  Why are you so delicious?  I usually don't even like milk chocolate.

Holden has been getting some baths in the sink.  So much easier on my back!  He seems to like it just as well!

Holden is also making progress in the "sitting up" department.  He's still pretty wobbly but he's getting there!  We discovered, while weighing him before his bath last night, that he sits much better when naked!  Guess those darn diapers make his bottom a little too round!

Oatmeal, banana, and peas have recently been consumed by the little man.  He's been eating oatmeal since around 4 months old but has just recently started loving it and actually eating it well.  He says, "mmmmmm" each time he takes a bite of oatmeal! Ha!  I mashed up a little bit of a banana for him last week just to see how he'd like it and he was not a fan.  He acted like he thought it was very tart!  The faces he made (one eye closed!) were quite hilarious.  Then I learned about the theory of giving them veggies before fruits so they don't get used to sweets and not want to eat veggies (oops!) so we got him some peas and tried them this week.  He HATED them!  He gagged and choked and made horrible faces!  But, he tried them for the second time this evening and, although he never seemed very happy about it, he ate them without spitting any out!  I wonder if he will like any food right away?  I'm sure each new food is probably a bit of a shock to the taste buds so perhaps he will "hate" all of them at first?!  Solid foods is a whole new ballgame and I really don't feel like I know what I'm doing per se.  Any good advice, mommas?  It is kind of fun though!  We are enjoying his reactions and it is quite gratifying when he starts eating something well.  I originally thought I would make most of his baby food...but I have been learning that time is a virtue and I just don't think I am going to want to spend my time (or have the time!) and energy making baby food.  I think I will probably make some from time to time...but I'm not going to put myself under the pressure of making all of it.

Shon and I have been trying to read the Bible more.  We have been reading "Easter scripture" from a little handout given to us at church.  (Click here if you'd like a copy.)  It has a passage for each day of the week for a few weeks leading up to Easter.  I REALLY enjoy the time that we share digging into the Word together.  I love having a husband who wants to learn more about the Bible and wants to do it with me.  I enjoy hearing him read and discussing what we have read together.

I'm thinking about joining a gym.  I've been a gym member before (more than once) and always end up quitting because I am paying and not going.  However, I REALLY want to lose these last ten stubborn "pregnancy pounds" and ideally, 20 pounds on top of that.  Working out at home just isn't working out (pun intended).  I have a horrible time making myself work out at home.  I just cannot make myself do it consistently.  If I have a membership and know we are paying for it perhaps that will be motivation for me to go.  Plus, the hubs will also make me go since we are paying for it.  I also wonder if perhaps I would be more willing to go now since it could act as a little "break" and some alone time which I pretty much get NONE of these days.  (Shon will watch Holden or there is provided free child care at the gym...)  I just have to lose this weight.  It is really dragging me down mentally and emotionally and it is depressing seeing all of the cute spring and summer clothes and knowing that I won't look good in any of it.  Why must I hate exercise?!?!  This would be so much easier if I liked it.

That's all for now!  We are planning on a zoo trip tomorrow! :)  Hope you are all having a great week!

*Update: It's a little rainy today...maybe we will save the zoo for next week...

morning...

If you know me at all, you know that I am NOT a morning person.  I have even had friends (during my college days) call me out on being grumpy in the mornings and about how I don't like to talk to anyone for a while after I wake up.  When someone first told me that, I hadn't really realized it until they said something.  But it's true...I'm moody and grumbly and need my time and space to wake up.  Working night shift for two years did not help matters any either.  Morning was my going to bed time or sleeping in time.  I'm a night owl by nature it seems.  My ideal "schedule" is staying up late and sleeping in late.  

Nope...I've never been described as a "morning person."

But I know someone who is.

I think he is trying to make me a morning person...and with that face, he is succeeding!  What a wonderful gift...what a great blessing...to see this face first thing in the morning.  For the past few mornings, I've been waking up to Holden "talking" on the monitor.  He hasn't even been crying when he wakes up!  It has been 9+ hours since he last ate and yet, he wakes up and makes noises and "talks" and doesn't even cry!  Then I walk into the room and say, "Hiiii!" and receive this big smile (with two chins) in return. 

How stinking sweet is that?

Holden is forcing me teaching me to be a morning person.  I bet this is only one of the lessons he will teach me...and I have a feeling I will be a better person due to each lesson learned from this sweet boy God has so graciously blessed me with.

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

random recent pics :)

My beauty of a little sis - enjoying a caramel hot chocolate.

Wow...he is starting to look SO BIG! *tear*

A bath in the sink @ Pappy & Gigi's

Lemon poppyseed scones from a box ;) 
(They were pretty good but some light, sweet (bad-for-you) icing drizzled on top would have made them awesome.)

Aiden + Anais bamboo swaddle blankets.  I got the one pictured above this past weekend from a cute little shop in my hometown.  I was already a fan of their muslin blankets...but bamboo?!  Didn't even know they existed.  They are SO SOFT!  I'm a little obsessed and wish my baby wasn't getting too big to be swaddled. ;)  I think it will be a good summer blanket or maybe a favorite blankie.

crazy boy & crazy hair!

the brothers, just chillin'

more kitchen sink bath fun :)

Auntie Sophia is such a big help!

a few minutes of entertainment

another of many asleep-in-the-carseat pics ;)

Holden {5 months}

Holden turned 5 months old on February 27th!

Holden, at 5 months...

• You weigh 15 lbs. 5.5 oz.  It seems like you have gotten so much bigger all of the sudden!
• You are losing your hair...especially on top.  You used to have a lot of hair!  Where is it all going?!
• You giggle a lot more and are a total ham.  You smile at anything and everything and everyone!  You usually do not care who is holding you and will just smile and talk to them!  Little charmer.
• You have gotten much better at grabbing things and taking them to your mouth.
• You have rolled from your belly to your back several times...you started shortly after you turned 4 months old.... but lately you won't do it anymore!  You have not rolled from back to belly yet.  I don't think you are interested...you don't like being on your belly for long.
• You still love bath time and you kick and splash like crazy in the tub.  
• You still eat about every 3 hours.  You are now on formula only and you couldn't care less.  You love your bottles!  You usually take 5-6 oz.
• We started feeding you oatmeal cereal after your 4 month appointment.  You aren't that great at eating it yet.  You like to push it back out with your tongue a lot and make a huge mess. ;)  You act like you like it- just don't know what to do with it.  We haven't been very consistent about feeding it to you and you've probably only had it about 10 times.  We probably need to start doing it more often so you will get better at it and be able to move on to yummier foods! 
• You still eat, play, sleep during the day and nap pretty well.  You still take a long morning nap and shorter ones throughout the day.
• We moved you to your crib!  You have done very well in there.  I usually put you to bed around 10:30 and you sleep until 7:30-8:00 and sometimes a little longer!  We are still swaddling you at night in your "swaddleme."   
• You wear size 2 in disposable diapers.  We finally changed your cloth diapers from the newborn setting to the next rise setting.  You wear size 3-6 month clothes.

I took a few (okay, a lot of) extra pictures when I took your 5 month picture (above) because it was a sunny day and the lighting in your bedroom was great!  I know nothing...I repeat NOTHING...about photography but I really loved some of them.  So I'll share....

Oh how I love my handsome boy! :)