One of my purposes for writing this two part series is to make sure that new moms don't feel alone. That is especially true with the lessons in today's post. These are all thoughts that I've had. Sometimes I've felt alone when I think these thoughts, but I know that's not true. Today's post may seem like complaining, but I think they are important points to mention.
Lesson #6: Everyone will have an opinion/advice, but you know your child best.
I
have received a lot of advice and opinions about how I should raise
Henry. In most cases, I solicited the advice. I appreciate all of
the support and opinions and have tried a lot of them. The thing I want to
tell new moms is that you know your child best. What works for someone
else's child, may not work for yours. And that is OK. Take all of the
advice as a sign that you are loved and people want to help. Don't let
it bog you down.
Lesson #7: Daddy will most likely father differently than you mother.
This
is a lesson I'm still learning. I feel like since I'm with Henry all
day, I know him best, which is probably true. When I tell Brett
something about Henry and he doesn't do it, I often get frustrated. I
have to remember that it's alright that Brett parents a little
different on the small things. There is a reason God gave children mommies and daddies. We
each have different roles at this point in the baby's life. Instead of being frustrated, I have to
remind myself how blessed I am that Brett desires to hold, change, and
love on Henry. He loves Henry, just like I do. He is a fantastic dad,
even when he doesn't do exactly as I say.
Lesson #8: You may get tired of hearing, "This too shall pass," but it's true.
Until
about one week ago, Henry had a terrible time falling asleep at night.
I kept on hearing, "This too shall pass." At that moment in time, it
would frustrate me. I want it to be done now. Why couldn't Henry be
like other babies and sleep all the time? Instead, he would be awake
almost all day and be so tired at night that he couldn't fall asleep.
But you know what? It IS passing. He IS getting better. His screaming
at night is calming down. While he may not sleep a lot during the day,
he is learning.
Lesson #9: You may not like your baby sometimes.
And
it makes you feel like a terrible mom. You are not a terrible mom. In
the beginning, there were many evenings where I had to hand Henry off
to Brett because I just couldn't deal with any more. I think it was
healthy for me, Henry, and Brett. I could regain my composure and
breathe. Henry couldn't sense my frustration. Brett could learn how to
soothe Henry. Honestly, it saved me from a lot of anger and contempt
for Henry. By taking those moments to myself, I am able to be a better mama for Henry. Taking a step back for a second isn't something that you should be ashamed of.
Lesson #10: Love, love, love on your little one.
This
one is a given and doesn't need much explanation. Let your little one fall asleep in your arms every once
in a while. Give as many kisses as you can. Get lots of pictures.
Take in every moment, because it does go by so quickly.
There are plenty of other things that I'm learning, but not enough time in the day to write about them. Motherhood is hard and has created a lot of tears, but one that brings me great joy and purpose. I love my little Henry!
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Friday, June 26, 2015
10 Mommy Lessons I've Learned: Part I
I wanted to document some of the lessons I've learned in my vast amount of time as a mommy. Ha. I hope this will be informational and an encouragement to mamas-to-be.
Lesson #1: You will learn how prideful you are.
Maybe this doesn't apply to you, but it was honestly shocking to me. I already knew I was a prideful person, but I didn't realize how much until having a child. I like the house to be presentable, the bed made, and the kitchen sink empty. I don't like asking for help. I want to do it all. Sometimes, it's just not possible. I've learned spending time with Henry is more important and that the bed can wait. People generally understand that the house will not be spotless. I ask Brett for help with the house, Piper, and Henry. He willingly does it. When my mom or Brett's mom are around, I ask them to watch Henry so I can enjoy my coffee or take a shower. There is nothing they would rather do than hold Henry. They also know what they are doing. I mean, Brett and I turned out pretty well. Basically, I need to let go of some of my unrealistic expectations that I need to do everything for everyone.
Lesson #2: Don't be embarrassed by your baby crying in public.
This goes along with Lesson #1. There have been two instances where I have taken Henry in public, and he has just cried. I fed and changed him before going out, but he still cried. I was so embarrassed, thinking that everyone around me would think that I was a bad mom because I didn't have the perfect child. Get a grip, Sara! He is a baby. Babies cry. People didn't judge me, but instead gave me a look of understanding. It was only me that was giving me a hard time. I need to learn to lighten up on myself.
Lesson #3: Breast milk digests fast. Like, faster than me writing this sentence.
I knew that I would go through a lot of diapers with Henry, but I didn't realize how much. I didn't know that in the first month, Henry would poop while he was eating. That is how quickly babies can digest breast milk. I had to ask the doctor if that was unusual. She said that was a great sign that he was getting enough to eat and that it was completely normal. It was and is frustrating when he has been awake a while, I change his diaper, feed him, and while he's eating, he poops again. He still does it sometimes at almost two months, but definitely not as much. I just have to remind myself that this many diapers is a good sign that he is getting the food he needs.
Lesson #4: Try to take a shower every day.
I cannot stress this enough. I heard this from one of the girls in my Sunday School class and didn't realize how important it would be. Now I do. I felt so gross from all of the things coming out of me after delivery and all the changes my body was going through. Lots of people say to sleep when your baby sleeps, but I say to take a shower during one of those naps. Even now, it makes me feel less disgusting and more human. So, so important.
Lesson #5: Your body may not bounce back like what you expect or hear. That's OK.
You may be blessed with a body that bounces back the next day. I'm not. I'm going to say it. I gained between 45 and 55 pounds during pregnancy, depending on what you count as my pre-pregnancy weight. Given that I'm breastfeeding, the first 30 came off pretty easy. The rest is a work in progress. I'm just now getting to the point where I feel like I can do some exercising (needless to say, the aftermath of labor has been tough on my body). The stretch marks don't do away quickly. I have actually gotten more in some places (thank you breastfeeding). I'm learning that it's alright that I don't fit into my old jeans yet. I'm enjoying spending time with my new buddy. The time goes by too quickly to be worried about losing every single pound right now.
Hope you enjoyed my first five lessons of being a mama and that it was beneficial to some of you. Stay tuned for my next five!
Lesson #1: You will learn how prideful you are.
Maybe this doesn't apply to you, but it was honestly shocking to me. I already knew I was a prideful person, but I didn't realize how much until having a child. I like the house to be presentable, the bed made, and the kitchen sink empty. I don't like asking for help. I want to do it all. Sometimes, it's just not possible. I've learned spending time with Henry is more important and that the bed can wait. People generally understand that the house will not be spotless. I ask Brett for help with the house, Piper, and Henry. He willingly does it. When my mom or Brett's mom are around, I ask them to watch Henry so I can enjoy my coffee or take a shower. There is nothing they would rather do than hold Henry. They also know what they are doing. I mean, Brett and I turned out pretty well. Basically, I need to let go of some of my unrealistic expectations that I need to do everything for everyone.
Lesson #2: Don't be embarrassed by your baby crying in public.
This goes along with Lesson #1. There have been two instances where I have taken Henry in public, and he has just cried. I fed and changed him before going out, but he still cried. I was so embarrassed, thinking that everyone around me would think that I was a bad mom because I didn't have the perfect child. Get a grip, Sara! He is a baby. Babies cry. People didn't judge me, but instead gave me a look of understanding. It was only me that was giving me a hard time. I need to learn to lighten up on myself.
Lesson #3: Breast milk digests fast. Like, faster than me writing this sentence.
I knew that I would go through a lot of diapers with Henry, but I didn't realize how much. I didn't know that in the first month, Henry would poop while he was eating. That is how quickly babies can digest breast milk. I had to ask the doctor if that was unusual. She said that was a great sign that he was getting enough to eat and that it was completely normal. It was and is frustrating when he has been awake a while, I change his diaper, feed him, and while he's eating, he poops again. He still does it sometimes at almost two months, but definitely not as much. I just have to remind myself that this many diapers is a good sign that he is getting the food he needs.
Lesson #4: Try to take a shower every day.
I cannot stress this enough. I heard this from one of the girls in my Sunday School class and didn't realize how important it would be. Now I do. I felt so gross from all of the things coming out of me after delivery and all the changes my body was going through. Lots of people say to sleep when your baby sleeps, but I say to take a shower during one of those naps. Even now, it makes me feel less disgusting and more human. So, so important.
Lesson #5: Your body may not bounce back like what you expect or hear. That's OK.
You may be blessed with a body that bounces back the next day. I'm not. I'm going to say it. I gained between 45 and 55 pounds during pregnancy, depending on what you count as my pre-pregnancy weight. Given that I'm breastfeeding, the first 30 came off pretty easy. The rest is a work in progress. I'm just now getting to the point where I feel like I can do some exercising (needless to say, the aftermath of labor has been tough on my body). The stretch marks don't do away quickly. I have actually gotten more in some places (thank you breastfeeding). I'm learning that it's alright that I don't fit into my old jeans yet. I'm enjoying spending time with my new buddy. The time goes by too quickly to be worried about losing every single pound right now.
Hope you enjoyed my first five lessons of being a mama and that it was beneficial to some of you. Stay tuned for my next five!
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Happy 3rd Anniversary
This will be short and sweet because Henry is asleep and this mama needs to lay down.
Happy 3rd anniversary to my love, Brett. In our three years of marriage, we have moved twice, added a "dogter" to our family, and had a precious little boy. While I've loved you, I have come to appreciate you more as each day passes. Thank you for choosing me to go on this crazy adventure with you. I love you!
Happy 3rd anniversary to my love, Brett. In our three years of marriage, we have moved twice, added a "dogter" to our family, and had a precious little boy. While I've loved you, I have come to appreciate you more as each day passes. Thank you for choosing me to go on this crazy adventure with you. I love you!
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Henry: 1 Month
Our little guy turns one month today! I can't believe how fast time has gone. Each day is super long but time as a whole has gone by so fast. Henry had his one month appointment today. The doctor said he is perfect, but we sort of knew that. He gained almost 2 pounds since his last appointment three weeks ago so he weighed in at 8 pounds 14.5 ounces. He is almost 21 inches long (the hospital and doctors' office measure length differently; he hasn't gotten shorter since birth). At his last appointment, he was in the 10th percentile in weight and length, but now he's in the 25th. His head circumference is also in the 25th.
These past couple of weeks have been pretty difficult for me. If you follow me on social media, you know that the kid doesn't like to sleep. One day this week, he only took two one-hour naps between 9:30 am and midnight. The mornings and afternoons normally aren't too bad, but the evenings are pretty trying. He typically wakes up from a nap around 5 and then doesn't go to sleep until between 11 pm and midnight, with maybe a 10 minute nap somewhere in there. He cries A LOT during this time. We know he's tired, and sometimes he'll fall asleep, but as soon as we put him down, he's wide awake. He can't seem to stay asleep until he's down for the count.
During this time, he likes to cluster feed. The doctor actually mentioned that Henry may like his stomach extremely full before falling asleep, instead of the amount normal babies prefer. Milk supply naturally depletes in the evening, so that may be the cause of his fussiness. I'm going to load up on water to see if it helps in the evenings. However, the doctor said he may be slightly colicky too, given that he typically settles down a bit when we walk, bounce, or take him outside.
In the beginning, he liked to be swaddled. About two weeks ago, he decided he was done with the swaddles. He would grunt and squirm until he broke free of the Swaddle Me. The kid is strong-willed. Now, he normally sleeps with his hands next to his face or straight above his head. It's pretty cute.
Aside from his sleeping patterns, he LOVES LOVES LOVES to be outside. I think part of it is the heat, but he also likes the sun on him. If the wind blows, he starts to move his head like "Ah, that feels good." His eyes almost instantly close, and his body goes limp. This has been a life saver in the evenings, although as soon as we walk inside, he's fussy again. He'd probably like if we set his sleeper up outside and let him sleep there.
He is extremely alert. Brett and I have noticed that he is starting to focus on things like our faces when we talk to him. He used to look past us, but now it seems like he's looking at us. According to the doctor, around one month, infants can begin to see outlines of faces, as opposed to being legally blind. Around two months, their vision drastically improves.
We learned that Henry likes music. In the beginning, the King (George Strait) would calm him down. Now it's just any type of music. He seems to like when I sing Victory in Jesus so that has become his nightly song. Brett says we have to start him early on those good ole Southern Baptist hymns.
Here are some pictures from his first month.
Piper has become really attached to him. When he cries, she runs to check on him. If I'm not in the room, she'll come over to me and look at me like, "Is he ok?" When I'm nursing, she typically comes and lays right under his feet or his head so he props up on her. Whenever we change him, Piper follows us into the room and lays down at our feet. The other day, I leaned Henry against her stomach while she was laying down (don't worry, I was still holding him), and she just put her head on the couch and fell back asleep. Henry seemed to be intrigued by the feel of her fur, but the coldness of her nose startled him. It warms my heart and eases my mind to know Piper does well with him. I was really nervous about that.
Henry got to meet one of his great grandparents this month too. Mom and Dad braved the trip and brought Oba to our house. Oba was enamored by him. She kept saying, "I take him home" and "He such good baby." When Mom went to take Henry so she could hold him, Oba said, "No," and gave Mom the stink face. She just loves him. With my grandparents getting old, I'm really glad he was able to meet Oba. Next week, he'll get to meet Mimi and Pappaw!
Well, I think that's a good recap of his first month. I have learned a lot and plan to write a post about some of the things people didn't tell me or things that I would stress with my vast amount of experience. Ha. Hope you enjoyed learning about our little guy!
 |
| Thanks Tara and Trey for the month tags! I'll remove the flash next time. |
These past couple of weeks have been pretty difficult for me. If you follow me on social media, you know that the kid doesn't like to sleep. One day this week, he only took two one-hour naps between 9:30 am and midnight. The mornings and afternoons normally aren't too bad, but the evenings are pretty trying. He typically wakes up from a nap around 5 and then doesn't go to sleep until between 11 pm and midnight, with maybe a 10 minute nap somewhere in there. He cries A LOT during this time. We know he's tired, and sometimes he'll fall asleep, but as soon as we put him down, he's wide awake. He can't seem to stay asleep until he's down for the count.
During this time, he likes to cluster feed. The doctor actually mentioned that Henry may like his stomach extremely full before falling asleep, instead of the amount normal babies prefer. Milk supply naturally depletes in the evening, so that may be the cause of his fussiness. I'm going to load up on water to see if it helps in the evenings. However, the doctor said he may be slightly colicky too, given that he typically settles down a bit when we walk, bounce, or take him outside.
In the beginning, he liked to be swaddled. About two weeks ago, he decided he was done with the swaddles. He would grunt and squirm until he broke free of the Swaddle Me. The kid is strong-willed. Now, he normally sleeps with his hands next to his face or straight above his head. It's pretty cute.
Aside from his sleeping patterns, he LOVES LOVES LOVES to be outside. I think part of it is the heat, but he also likes the sun on him. If the wind blows, he starts to move his head like "Ah, that feels good." His eyes almost instantly close, and his body goes limp. This has been a life saver in the evenings, although as soon as we walk inside, he's fussy again. He'd probably like if we set his sleeper up outside and let him sleep there.
He is extremely alert. Brett and I have noticed that he is starting to focus on things like our faces when we talk to him. He used to look past us, but now it seems like he's looking at us. According to the doctor, around one month, infants can begin to see outlines of faces, as opposed to being legally blind. Around two months, their vision drastically improves.
We learned that Henry likes music. In the beginning, the King (George Strait) would calm him down. Now it's just any type of music. He seems to like when I sing Victory in Jesus so that has become his nightly song. Brett says we have to start him early on those good ole Southern Baptist hymns.
Here are some pictures from his first month.
 |
| The best daddy |
 |
| The look of love and exhaustion |
Piper has become really attached to him. When he cries, she runs to check on him. If I'm not in the room, she'll come over to me and look at me like, "Is he ok?" When I'm nursing, she typically comes and lays right under his feet or his head so he props up on her. Whenever we change him, Piper follows us into the room and lays down at our feet. The other day, I leaned Henry against her stomach while she was laying down (don't worry, I was still holding him), and she just put her head on the couch and fell back asleep. Henry seemed to be intrigued by the feel of her fur, but the coldness of her nose startled him. It warms my heart and eases my mind to know Piper does well with him. I was really nervous about that.
Henry got to meet one of his great grandparents this month too. Mom and Dad braved the trip and brought Oba to our house. Oba was enamored by him. She kept saying, "I take him home" and "He such good baby." When Mom went to take Henry so she could hold him, Oba said, "No," and gave Mom the stink face. She just loves him. With my grandparents getting old, I'm really glad he was able to meet Oba. Next week, he'll get to meet Mimi and Pappaw!
 |
| Her first time holding him. I love her face here. |
 |
| One of my favorite pictures. So much history in this picture. |
Well, I think that's a good recap of his first month. I have learned a lot and plan to write a post about some of the things people didn't tell me or things that I would stress with my vast amount of experience. Ha. Hope you enjoyed learning about our little guy!
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