Sunday, October 20, 2013
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Rachael's Wedding
This week, Scott's sister Rachael got married in the Salt Lake Temple. It was a beautiful ceremony and reception. Plus, it was fun to hang out with the family. Scott's sister Becky and her baby boy William were our travel buddies. We had some crazy travel times...Becky's bag got sent to Denver instead of SLC, the rental kept making a loud beeping noise as we drove from the airport to Scott's brother's house which we later realized was the emergency break, and we spent forever searching each floor of parking garage after the wedding trying to find where we parked. Nevertheless, it was still an enjoyable trip. I got to visit with some of my old roommates and coworkers. We also got to walk around BYU campus. It was kind of surreal being there. I kept thinking, had I never married Scott, maybe I would still be there and how sad that would be! I love my life with my boys and am so glad I made the decision to marry Scott. I am so happy for Rachael and Steve to start their life together as a married couple!
Thursday, September 26, 2013
3 Time-Saving Tricks & A Pick-Me-Up
1. Water-proof mascara: Unless you're a crazy belly-sleeper, this stuff can last for days and days. I just apply on a day when I've got a little extra time to get ready, and then I'm good to go for the week, with just minor touch-ups each day. "Sleep in your mascara?! Isn't that bad for your eyelashes?" Most definitely yes, but I figure when they start falling out, there's always eyelash extensions, and then I can skip the mascara altogether...
2. Pajama Day: Make everyday a pajama day. Saves time on choosing what to wear, getting dressed and laundry. I especially love me some yoga pants which make me look like I've just finished at the gym or that I'm athletic. And no one pulls off the night to day look better than Ms. Jenna Rink...
2. Pajama Day: Make everyday a pajama day. Saves time on choosing what to wear, getting dressed and laundry. I especially love me some yoga pants which make me look like I've just finished at the gym or that I'm athletic. And no one pulls off the night to day look better than Ms. Jenna Rink...
3. Lather, rinse and repeat...but only twice a week. In fact, some girls are going 'poo-less altogether. I'm not that brave, so instead, I just wash my hair 2-3 times a week. Hair is more pliable when its dirty anyways. They've even got products to make your hair feel dirty so that it is easier to style. I'm ahead of the game and just skip the 'poo a few times a week. Save time washing. Save money on hair products. Hair grease is the new hair spray/gel/mousse. The greasy, wet-hair look is all the rage these days. Not really. But that's what I tell myself as I sleek it back into a tight, greasy bun. Glamorous.
And now...nothing like a laughing baby to brighten your day. This kid thinks we're hilarious. Please ignore the crappy cave-lighting and the embarrassing/ridiculous things I'm saying.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
London & Baby William
This is London with his cousin William. I am so happy that he has a boy cousin so close to his age that lives nearby! They are a few months apart. William was almost two pounds bigger than London was at birth. Its hard for me to remember London that small.
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| Best friends already. ;) |
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| I hope this isn't a foreshadow of the future. |
Friday, September 6, 2013
1st ASU Game
Last night was the first ASU football game of the season. London was excited for the game and wore his ASU jersey that Grandma Godard bought him. We headed over to the Cardon's to watch the game. It was a good time.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Mr. Sandman
London has been sleeping in a pac-n-play next to our bed at night since he was born. I have been reluctant to move him into his crib in his own room since he still isn't sleeping completely through the night and I like having him close so I can check on him easily. Last week, Scott asked (cautiously) if I had a plan for when we were going to move him into his own room. London is used to taking naps in his crib, so I didn't think it would be too difficult of a transition for him. The truth was, it would be harder for me.
Before London was born, I made up my mind to have him sleeping through the night, in his own room ASAP, but once he was born, I felt so much better about having him close to me throughout the night, not to mention the convenience of having him an arm's length away when he woke for night feedings. Plus the thought of him all alone, all the way in the other room (it's maybe four feet away from our bedroom, but it still seemed so far), made me sad. What if there was a fire or emergency? I couldn't bear the thought of him all alone in that room so far away.
Scott said that maybe London would sleep better in his own room, where he wouldn't be woken up by us moving in our sleep on our creaky bed. Plus, we both didn't want a situation where our kids are sleeping in our room until they are adults.
So, this rainy Friday night, I decided to put him to bed in his own room. And you know what? He slept better than he usually does. Go figure. And even though I get a little sad when I climb into bed next to an empty pac-n-play where my newborn baby used to sleep, the extra uninterrupted sleep makes it all worth it.
Before London was born, I made up my mind to have him sleeping through the night, in his own room ASAP, but once he was born, I felt so much better about having him close to me throughout the night, not to mention the convenience of having him an arm's length away when he woke for night feedings. Plus the thought of him all alone, all the way in the other room (it's maybe four feet away from our bedroom, but it still seemed so far), made me sad. What if there was a fire or emergency? I couldn't bear the thought of him all alone in that room so far away.
Scott said that maybe London would sleep better in his own room, where he wouldn't be woken up by us moving in our sleep on our creaky bed. Plus, we both didn't want a situation where our kids are sleeping in our room until they are adults.
So, this rainy Friday night, I decided to put him to bed in his own room. And you know what? He slept better than he usually does. Go figure. And even though I get a little sad when I climb into bed next to an empty pac-n-play where my newborn baby used to sleep, the extra uninterrupted sleep makes it all worth it.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Being a Mom
I've written several posts about my experiences as a new mom and the challenges I've faced, but can't bring myself to post them for fear of sounding too negative or revealing my many imperfections. But, as I've taken much solace in the posts of other moms who are willing to admit and share their challenges, I thought that maybe I should add my voice to theirs.
Becoming a mother has definitely been a difficult transition for me. Being a mom is much harder and more time consuming than I ever imagined, despite the fact that as the oldest of seven, I have been babysitting for most of my life and have watched my mom raise lots of babies. Before I had London, I was in school full-time and working full-time. That was hard. But being a mom is much harder.
I was talking to another mom who recently had her second child. With a second baby, she no longer had time to work from home, and so I am taking over her job responsibilities. As she was training me, we were talking about how children are much more time consuming than we had thought. Talking about stay at home moms she said, "I used to judge them." I admitted that I did too. I used to think that all these stay-at-home moms were just chillin'. Then I had a baby and realized that boy, was I wrong. Who knew how physically and emotionally demanding children are?! I sure didn't.
Before I had London I read books and blogs and forums that talked about getting your baby on a schedule so that your family can have order and predictability, so your baby can sleep through the night early on, and so that you could have time for yourself and your spouse. I wanted all of that! So when London was born, I got started right away on sleep training and all that jazz. But what the books and blogs and forums didn't mention is that sometimes babies get sick and throw off your whole routine. Or sometimes, they get surgery and the routine goes out the window. Or sometimes they are teething early and refuse to eat a full meal and want to eat again 2 hours later. Or sometimes they have mouth problems that make it hard for them to eat and make them super gassy which prevents them from getting good sleep. Etc etc etc.
And then there is breastfeeding. London's mouth issues made it so that he just couldn't breast feed, and so I am pumping full time and feeding him exclusively breast milk via a bottle. But, as I learned about the benefits of breast feeding, beyond just getting the milk, I felt that it wasn't enough to just give him breast milk in a bottle. So, I kept trying to breast feed. I saw a lactation consultant, and a different pediatrician, and London got his tongue surgery, but he still can't nurse.
Now, instead of just realizing that every baby is different and just focusing on enjoying my baby, I just felt like a failure. Every time I admit to another mother that he still isn't sleeping through the night by four months, or that he can't breastfeed, I feel like they are judging me. I feel like they are thinking, "You must not have done it right or tried hard enough." For someone as insecure as I am, these unspoken perceived judgments, whether real or imaginary, add to my guilt and make me feel even more like a crummy mother.
And then there's all the other things...getting your baby to sleep in their own room at night, the immunization debate, eating healthy so your breast milk is top quality, exercising and getting back your pre-baby bod asap, keeping up with your church callings, keeping your house clean, making sure your baby gets plenty of tummy time even if he hates it, read to your baby every day, etc etc etc. There's so many things I should be doing and everybody has such strong, vocal opinions about the best way to parent.
But then, on the other hand, sometimes the books, blogs, forums or other parents don't have the answers for the challenges you face with your individual child, because let's face it, every baby is different. Sometimes, its a guessing game trying to figure out what will work best for your individual baby.
And sometimes, I just feel so inadequate and unworthy of parenthood. Why couldn't God have sent London to a perfect parent who already knows exactly what they are doing and already knows the best way to raise him? Why does London have to suffer from my imperfections and mistakes as a parent?
Anyways, I guess what I'm trying to say is that it has been hard for me to be a mother. But. I am learning a lot. I am learning how to be more confident in my own parenting style. I am learning about God's love and the atonement. I am learning about London, his likes, his dislikes, his personality. I am learning about the love a parent feels for their child. And I am learning how to just go with the flow and trying not to judge myself too harshly.
And, I am starting to have some fun and actually enjoy this experience. Seriously, a smile or a chuckle or a hug from London makes all the hard stuff worth it. Even with all my imperfections, he just loves and accepts me as his mother. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be his mom. We help and teach each other. I love this boy and I am so blessed to have him in my life, even though it is hard.
Becoming a mother has definitely been a difficult transition for me. Being a mom is much harder and more time consuming than I ever imagined, despite the fact that as the oldest of seven, I have been babysitting for most of my life and have watched my mom raise lots of babies. Before I had London, I was in school full-time and working full-time. That was hard. But being a mom is much harder.
I was talking to another mom who recently had her second child. With a second baby, she no longer had time to work from home, and so I am taking over her job responsibilities. As she was training me, we were talking about how children are much more time consuming than we had thought. Talking about stay at home moms she said, "I used to judge them." I admitted that I did too. I used to think that all these stay-at-home moms were just chillin'. Then I had a baby and realized that boy, was I wrong. Who knew how physically and emotionally demanding children are?! I sure didn't.
Before I had London I read books and blogs and forums that talked about getting your baby on a schedule so that your family can have order and predictability, so your baby can sleep through the night early on, and so that you could have time for yourself and your spouse. I wanted all of that! So when London was born, I got started right away on sleep training and all that jazz. But what the books and blogs and forums didn't mention is that sometimes babies get sick and throw off your whole routine. Or sometimes, they get surgery and the routine goes out the window. Or sometimes they are teething early and refuse to eat a full meal and want to eat again 2 hours later. Or sometimes they have mouth problems that make it hard for them to eat and make them super gassy which prevents them from getting good sleep. Etc etc etc.
And then there is breastfeeding. London's mouth issues made it so that he just couldn't breast feed, and so I am pumping full time and feeding him exclusively breast milk via a bottle. But, as I learned about the benefits of breast feeding, beyond just getting the milk, I felt that it wasn't enough to just give him breast milk in a bottle. So, I kept trying to breast feed. I saw a lactation consultant, and a different pediatrician, and London got his tongue surgery, but he still can't nurse.
Now, instead of just realizing that every baby is different and just focusing on enjoying my baby, I just felt like a failure. Every time I admit to another mother that he still isn't sleeping through the night by four months, or that he can't breastfeed, I feel like they are judging me. I feel like they are thinking, "You must not have done it right or tried hard enough." For someone as insecure as I am, these unspoken perceived judgments, whether real or imaginary, add to my guilt and make me feel even more like a crummy mother.
And then there's all the other things...getting your baby to sleep in their own room at night, the immunization debate, eating healthy so your breast milk is top quality, exercising and getting back your pre-baby bod asap, keeping up with your church callings, keeping your house clean, making sure your baby gets plenty of tummy time even if he hates it, read to your baby every day, etc etc etc. There's so many things I should be doing and everybody has such strong, vocal opinions about the best way to parent.
But then, on the other hand, sometimes the books, blogs, forums or other parents don't have the answers for the challenges you face with your individual child, because let's face it, every baby is different. Sometimes, its a guessing game trying to figure out what will work best for your individual baby.
And sometimes, I just feel so inadequate and unworthy of parenthood. Why couldn't God have sent London to a perfect parent who already knows exactly what they are doing and already knows the best way to raise him? Why does London have to suffer from my imperfections and mistakes as a parent?
Anyways, I guess what I'm trying to say is that it has been hard for me to be a mother. But. I am learning a lot. I am learning how to be more confident in my own parenting style. I am learning about God's love and the atonement. I am learning about London, his likes, his dislikes, his personality. I am learning about the love a parent feels for their child. And I am learning how to just go with the flow and trying not to judge myself too harshly.
And, I am starting to have some fun and actually enjoy this experience. Seriously, a smile or a chuckle or a hug from London makes all the hard stuff worth it. Even with all my imperfections, he just loves and accepts me as his mother. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be his mom. We help and teach each other. I love this boy and I am so blessed to have him in my life, even though it is hard.
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