Wednesday, March 12, 2014

9 Months Old

How old? 9 Months
Total Weight:  over 20 lbs. Find out soon!
Length: Not sure …around 29” or so
Eating:  This boy loves food!  He will eat anything. 
Sleep: Napping like a champ twice a day.  Sleeping a solid 11 hours at night WOOHOO!
Fun Facts:  He is saying some words…uh-oh, mama, dada, bye bye, and pap (paci)
New Developments:  Dawson is trying so hard to walk!  He can pull up and walk around the whole living room going from table to couch to ottoman etc.
 

OH. MY. GOODNESS....it is only 3 short months until my baby is 1 Year Old!!!  Dawson has grown so much over the past month.  Brent and I both keep saying...what happened?  He went from just figuring out how to get into the sitting position alone to pulling up and walking around.  He went from eating pureed food to eating finger foods.  He went from just squealing to saying and understanding a few words.  I am so shocked how quickly he is growing up! 
We are starting to see a stubborn streak in our sweet little man the past few weeks.  Lately with these developments has come a sense of independence.  If mommy says no we whine, if mommy takes away a toy we throw our head back and cry, if mommy changes our diaper we kick and scream.  SHEW! I have got my hands full with this little boy, but I wouldn't change a thing about him.  He is so spunky and fun to be around.  He is constantly making us laugh and then wrapping us around his finger with that sweet gooey smile! 

Lately he has become fond of his toy car.  The other day I heard him whining and the next thing I know he had dragged his car over to me and was hitting me.  I put 2 and 2 together...ding he wants to ride his car.  This has now become a daily event after breakfast.  Mommy cleans up and Dawson drags his car out and fusses until mommy pushes him around. 
Weeeeee....mommy this is so fun!
 
Recently I have had to start messing around with Dawson's naps.  He has been such an awesome napper and sleeps so hard that he was beginning to sleep through lunch.  We are talking from 10-12:45 or so.  I know...most people would love this (and I do) but he has started fighting going down for his afternoon nap or wanting to nap too close to bedtime.  So we are now having to wake him up around 11:30 to feed him lunch and make sure he goes back down around 2:30 or 3.  It seems to be working very well so far!  He has been doing so well sleeping at night also.  I could not be more proud of how far we have come.  I am so thankful that his tummy is well and he is finally able to sleep in peace!
One of the many photos taken from naptime
 
So far Dawson has 3 teeth and one on the way that is taking way too long to break the surface!  He looks like a cute little pirate with his little teeth shining!  He doesn't seem to enjoy teething toys so I guess that is why his teeth tend to slowly break through. 
Well that is about all for 9 months.  We are super excited about the weather warming up so we can go to the park more frequently!  Yay for spring!
 
 
 

Sunday, March 2, 2014

The Real Housewives Of....

Don't you know we housewives look like ^^^^^^ this... on a daily basis?!?!?!  I kid...I kid!  So, I have really been thinking and praying about my new role lately and how our society has really twisted the view of a true housewife.  Television is now portraying a "real housewife" as this woman who has a billionaire husband or business taking care of her every demands while she prances around town in her Range Rover buying anything and everything....oh and lets not forget to add in the drama of her "girlfriends" who share a swanky dinner with her each evening.  (Guilty...I have watched a few episodes...it is like a train wreck you just can't look away)  These women are rarely shown doing anything other than eating, shopping, or traveling the world, yet they are called HOUSE wives.  I mean, really...don't you have to stay at home some and tend to your home to be considered a housewife??  Not only are they never home....they have full-time nannies watching after their children...sometimes they even have "night nannies" that tend to night wakings!  WOW....just WOW!  I think that shows like this and the "talk" around town really has distorted what it really means to be a housewife....or stay at home mom. 
Before I go on...if you are a working mom...I do not think lowly of that! Kudos to you for balancing both worlds!  I just thought I would share my feelings on this subject of the stay-at-home mom.  So recently a friend of mine and I have been discussing this topic quite frequently.  First off, let me say it is so awesome to have a friend who stays at home to talk through these things with because we can totally relate to one another.  The past few months I began really struggling with just wanting some ME time outside of my house with no baby in tow.  I would sit and think how some working moms at least get a lunch or coffee break with adults, or how our husbands can go to the gym or workout without worrying who will nurse the baby, or fix dinner and I started to think....well...where is MY "me time".  Honestly, I know these feelings happen a lot for many housewives, but the truth is...there isn't much ME time.  Yes, my baby naps and I may get my shower or drink a cup of coffee, but for the most part nap time comes down to cleaning or getting ready to run errands and packing a diaper bag and getting myself dressed.  The more I thought through this I thought about comments and questions people tend to have about the stay at home mom..  "What do you do all day...Don't you get bored....I would go crazy....I need to be around adults...etc."  Well, the fact is I think all too often the reality of what "we" do is so distorted.  Some think we play peek-a-boo and change diapers all day (we do a lot..lol)  some think we sit and watch tv in our jammies (I wish) and some just think we hang out with other moms around town on playdates.  Reality is...being a stay at home mom is HARDER than I ever imagined.  I was one of those working girls who thought I couldn't ever do that...until I say those little eyes, fingers, and toes....that little sweet face that would call me mommy.  Wow...something changed immediately and reality hit.  I did not want to leave my baby to someone else to raise all day.  In fact, this job is probably taught me how selfish I can truly be.  I have had to learn that my needs come last!  My baby needs to be fed, changed, clothed, bathed, rocked, soothed etc....then my laundry needs to be washed and folded, the house needs cleaning, dinner needs to be cooked, groceries bought, bills paid, errands run and so on.  I can tell you that some days I do get overwhelmed, but then I remember this is MY calling right now....I am so lucky to get to stay home and take care of my family.  It won't be long before this little boy is grown and I will have all the ME time in the world. 
For now....my job is to be the Proverbs 31 wife and mom.  Brent and I are in a study at church and the lesson this past week was exactly what I needed to re-affirm my decision to be a stay at home mom.  The lesson focused on the wife's role in the marriage.  We studied Proverbs 31 and learned about being a helpmate.  WOW...even though all of the things that wear me down and get me wanting "ME" time are hard....they are EXACTLY what I am supposed to be doing as a wife and mother.  I realize that this job I have right now is awesome.  I am beyond blessed to get to watch my baby grow everyday.  I am beyond blessed to kiss his boo boos when he falls.  I am beyond blessed to see him take his first steps.  I am beyond blessed to put him down for every nap.  He is my responsibility to raise and I am so lucky to be able to do so in today's society.  Our world has made it nearly impossible for women to stay home and raise their children.  I hate how the world has made this area such a low priority for families and almost look down upon women who make this decision almost as if we just don't want to work.  So...for any of you moms who get to stay home and have those "down days"  know that you are doing an awesome job.  Know that you are blessed and that many women aren't so fortunate.  Know that no matter what society says, God says it is a high calling to be a wife and mother.  I am thankful for a supportive husband who works very hard to make it possible for me to stay home.  God has really blessed our decision and I am learning that this selfless job they call "housewife" is hard, but so wonderful!!