What moms REALLY do

Mother's Day was a few Sundays ago. It was quite an eventful day. Not at all what I had in pictured in my mind.

I learned that mothers have many roles and we NEVER get a break.


My mother's day began at midnight to my 1-yr-old waking up screaming. She wasn't feeling well so I gave her some medicine. Then, I got up with her every 3 hours after that to try and calm her down and help her sleep. After getting 4 hours of sleep, I woke up at 6:45 because my daughter just couldn't lay down anymore. We cuddled on the couch and relaxed which is something I love to do. Then, I fell asleep on the couch and she played with her toys. She woke me up to tell me she was hungry. So we went downstairs to eat breakfast.

Then, I thought, I'll hurry and get her ready for church then put her down for a nap. Then I might get a small nap in too! I was getting her dressed and changing her diaper when I looked up and saw she had white cream in her hand and all over her mouth. She was smacking her lips and licking them and saying, "mmmmm". I was so confused until I saw the opened DESITIN tube next to her. I quickly read the label... "If consumed call poison control right away." Great. Worst mother ever. I let my child get poisoned on Mother's Day. When I called poison control, they told me lots of fluids and she might throw up, but she will be okay. I put her down for her nap and went downstairs.

Downstairs, Seth had surprised me with breakfast! He made me eggs Benedict. It was delicious. The hollandaise sauce didn't quite thicken up like it was suppose to (which was fitting for the day I was having) so we poured it on like syrup. Still, it was delicious.


Adelyn slept a long time. We had to wake her up to go to church, which I hate doing. At church, I was pampered. The girls were given chocolates! Then, in relief society, we got muffins and fruit and a rose. We were seriously spoiled. I loved it! Seth took Addy with him, so I did get an hour break with no baby. :) Plus, I think Addy enjoyed flirting with the older boys.


 When we got home, we laid Addy down for her nap. She was restless. I could tell she wasn't feeling that well. While she slept, Seth and I started to make cream puff swans for our mothers. We got half way done when we noticed the time. We were going to be late for Sunday dinner. We would have to finish the swans when we got to Mesa.

In Mesa, Addy was super fussy. She was throwing her dinner on the floor. We felt her body slowly get warm. She definitely had a fever. No one had baby Tylenol so Seth ran to Walgreens to get some. I am so grateful for 24 hour Walgreens. Addy fell asleep after we gave her the Tylenol. So we hurried and finished our cream puff swans for the mothers. They looked amazing and tasted great!


We went over to my moms house. I had made her a necklace. When she opened the box, the necklace was broken. Seriously!!! I just thought, again, how fitting for the day I was having. I quickly fixed it and all was well. By this time, Addy was super cranky so we didn't get to spend a lot of time with my mom because we felt like we needed to get her home. We found out later that Addy had another ear infection.

As I was reflecting on my day, I realized that Mother's don't get breaks from being a mom. I will never have a day where I can just be selfish and do whatever I want because I have a daughter who depends on me still for everything. I am the one she wants to cuddle with when she is sick. I am the one she wants to play with when she feels well. I am the one she wants to dance with when a song comes on. I am the one she wants to hug and kiss in the mornings. I am the one she wants to clap for when something exciting happens. I am the one she wants to find when she figures out how to do something new. I am her mother.



Mothers are so selfless. Mothers are dedicated to serving their kids. Mothers are protectors. Mothers are nurses. Mothers can run off of 4 hours of sleep and still get all the house work done. Mothers are teachers. Mothers are kind. Mothers are many things but most important, Mothers are sent from God.

I am more and more grateful to my own mother and for her sacrifices each day.

One of my friends posted this poem on their Facebook page. Hopefully they don't mind that I borrowed it....

“God’s Helpers” by George W. Wiseman

God could not be in every place
With loving hands to help erase
The teardrops from each baby’s face,
And so He thought of mother.

He could not send us here alone
And leave us to a fate unknown;
Without providing for His own,
The outstretched arms of mother.

God could not watch us night and day
And kneel beside our crib to pray,
Or kiss our little aches away;
And so He sent us mother.

And when our childhood days began,
He simply could not take command.
That’s why He placed our tiny hand
Securely into mother’s.

The days of youth slipped quickly by,
Life’s sun rose higher in the sky.
Full grown were we, yet ever nigh
To love us still, was mother.

And when life’s span of years shall end,
I know that God will gladly send,
To welcome home her child again,
That ever-faithful mother.

I am so grateful to be a mother. It is the best job in the world!

Happy Birthday!!

I can't believe I had a baby a year ago!



This year went fast. It didn't seem like that at first. Her first 6 months dragged on and I thought I was never going to sleep again!

 

But, then once she started sleeping, she also started eating real food, crawling, dancing, teething, smiling, clapping, sharing, learning, talking and before I knew it, walking! I have had a lot of fun with her in this last year. I feel like my little baby has transformed into a toddler over night. She has such a cute personality.







We celebrated her 1 year birthday with family a few days ago. My parents and sister and her family joined Seth's family for Sunday dinner. We had Lasagna, one of Addy's favorite meals; also a traditional fast Sunday dinner.

After dinner she opened presents. She got so many gifts!



 She is spoiled and loved by all family members. She was so excited for every gift she opened. She is a sweet girl.



She wasn't sure how to unwrap the presents so she had her cousins helping her. Addy was in heaven. She is a little Diva. She loves to be the center of attention.

When we finished with presents, we had cake! I was so excited for Addy to have her own chocolate cake. She did not disappoint. At first, she stuck her hand in the cake, and then tried to wipe the frosting off. She had this look on her face like, "Oh no! Now I'm dirty." Then, I put some of the cake in her mouth. Her eyes went big. She got excited and probably would of said, "I can eat this!" if she could talk.



 
 She started licking her hands and grabbing at the cake for more. Then she was trying to share with everyone.



And so her chocolate addiction begins.....

 

It was a good day. Thank you to all the family! You all made Addy feel special. She had a lot of fun. Love you all!

Here is the video we took of Adelyn eating her cake if you are interested. Enjoy!

10 Things EXPERT Moms Know Best

Recently, I went to a baby shower. They had us write advice for the mom-to-be on paper. I haven't been a mom for a long time, but Adelyn is almost 12 months and I feel like there are definitely some things that I am an expert at when it comes to being a mom. Not at everything of course, but there are a few things that I am REALLY good at. :) Here is my top 10 list of things I have learned and things that every mom-to-be should know. 

1. Expert Poop Cleaner -- Have a kid who can't stop pooping through their diaper? So do I! The secret to keeping those clothes clean and looking new is Zote soap or Fels-Naptha Soap. Cleaning poop has never been so easy. Watch the stains lift right off the clothes with minimal scrubbing. AND it can be used on the carpet, bouncy chair, blankets, couches, rugs, and whatever else your little one decides to poop on. :) Stains don't stand a chance with these two kinds of soap. They also work with food stains and puke stains, for when your little one throws up all over your spouses shirt. Happy scrubbing!

        

2. Expert Figure-outer-er -- It's amazing to me that moms just seem to know what their baby wants. Babies can't tell you what they want or what they are thinking because all they know how to do is cry. When I hang out with other moms and their baby cries, they always seem to know what to do to make their baby stop crying. Well, I am now an expert. At least when it comes to Addy. I can figure out what she wants when she cries and it's exciting! And the times I can't figure out what's wrong, we say, "She MUST be teething." (No teeth yet). If you are a new-mom or a mom-to-be, you will bond with your baby and learn what their different cries mean. Happy sleuthing!

3. Expert Chef --   I am pretty good at figuring out what Adelyn wants to eat and making sure the food is small enough so she doesn't choke. Addy loves bean burritos and cheese sandwiches. She also loves pastrami and pickles and Cheetos, and Cheerios, and apples and carrots and... Everything! She is not a picky eater. Oh... except broccoli. Blech. Addy hates broccoli. It is really fun to watch her try new foods. I can't wait until she grows teeth. Then I can introduce a whole new set of foods!

4. Expert Cuddler-- Addy is going through her separation anxiety phase. Lately she has been waking up in the middle of the night. When I go in there to check on her, she gives me the biggest hug. I cuddle with her for a few minutes and then put her back to bed. She gives the best cuddles. I love being a mom. Enjoy the cuddles while they are little and can't run away from you. Some of my friend's babies, who are Addy's age, do not like to be held or cuddled. I got lucky with a snuggler.

5. Expert of fun things to do -- Addy loves to dance! I discovered this one day when I was flipping through the channels and stopped on the Christian rock channel. Addy started dancing and singing. It was cute. I make sure we dance every day. She loves to kiss her stuffed animal. Her new favorite thing to do is walk all around the house (with help). Now that she is a little older she enjoys going to the zoo, the park, play dates, and walks around the neighborhood. She also loves to get into everything and constantly turns on and off the X-box. She recently discovered how to climb the stairs and likes to play peek-a-boo with her daddy through the baby gate. We are constantly trying new things. Sometimes the activity is not Addy's favorite so we try a different one. That's how you discover your babies personality and what they like to do. Maybe your baby likes to throw a ball, or read a book, or blow bubbles. You won't know unless you try.





6. Expert nurse --  Babies get sick. Babies get bruised. The first time Addy bumped her head, I was scared and nervous. I checked for a concussion and woke her up every hour to make sure she would wake up. Last week she got 4 bruises on her forehead. It still makes me a little nervous, but I know she is going to be okay. Kids fall and bump their heads a LOT when they first try to walk. Even if I'm holding her hands, she will let go to try it herself and fall on her head before I can catch her. Babies are pretty resilient. Make sure you baby proof your house so baby doesn't get seriously injured. The small bumps and bruises will heal. Just give them love and kisses. Your baby will forget about the pain which is good. Because if they didn't, they might not stand up and try to walk again.

7. Expert diaper changer-- I have learned to change her diaper as quickly as possible or she will try to crawl away before I can get the clean diaper on her. Sometimes I have to sing to her. It distracts her from what I am really doing. Most of the time, if I give her a toy she will play with it and let me change her diaper without a fight. One time, I changed her diaper while she slept. She stayed asleep! It was awesome! I was being so careful. I have also learned the importance of Desitin and Baby powder. They really do prevent diaper rash. I use it with every diaper change, even if there is no rash because if I don't... there will be a rash later on. Might as well prevent your baby from future discomfort.

8. Expert fashion adviser-- Not actually true. I think I dress Adelyn in questionable clothes sometimes. I'm kind of fashionably challenged. Sometimes I will get Addy dressed, then go show Seth how cute I made her look. Seth will give me this concerned look and say, "Are you sure that matches?" I usually respond with, "Probably not. But I like it!" I started making headbands recently so now Addy can look even more cute in ridiculously over-sized headbands.

9. Expert Bather and defender of scary things-- Addy loves bath time. She will splash in the water for hours (if I let her. She is usually pruney after 10 minutes). We went to the splash pads not too long ago. Addy was not a fan. The fountains made her nervous. I ended up holding a scared bubby the whole time we were there. Then I remembered that she hated being in the bath while the water was running. Something about water pouring out or shooting up frightens her. But sit her in water, bath or pool, and she will smile, splash, and play. I have learned how to bathe a baby by myself. It was not easy at first because babies are slippery and I was afraid I was going to drop her. But after several baths, I learned how to hold her so I didn't drop her and gained confidence in my ability to bathe my daughter while my husband was unavailable.

10. Expert sleep trainer -- Ha! I am still working on this, but am getting so good because every time I get her trained to sleep through the night, she gets sick or we go out of town. And then I have to start the sleep training all over again. Sometimes I think it would just be easier to never go anywhere so I don't mess up the baby's schedule. But I think I would go a little crazy if I was inside all day. Addy sleeps 10 hours at night. She use to do 12, then got sick. So I am trying to help her get back to 12. She takes 2 naps a day, each about 1.5 - 2 hours. "Sleep" is definitely the hardest part to adjust after bringing home a new baby. You must sleep when the baby sleeps. Sleeping through the night as a new born is only 5 hours. No one told me this information, but nothing could have prepared me for no sleep. It's one of those things you just have to experience. Don't be afraid to ask for help. You are not a bad mom because you need someone to watch your baby while you sleep.

 Last words of wisdom from a mom who is learning as she goes...

 It is easy to forget about yourself when you have a precious baby relying on you for their every need. But don't get too involved with their needs and forget about your own. Seth would come home from work sometimes and I hadn't eaten at all that day. I had no time. I slept when baby did and when she was awake, I was feeding her, holding her, changing her diaper, etc. I have learned that it's okay for my baby to cry for 5 or 10 minutes while I fix and eat my lunch. I am still a good mom. Say it over and over to yourself, "I am a good mom!" It helps and you will soon learn that it is true.

 Babies are great because everything that you expose them to is new and you get to experience your baby's first time for everything! Watching their face as they learn something new is exciting. It's totally worth the sleepless nights and hours spent waiting over them making sure they are fed, dressed, safe, and loved.  I am learning a lot about myself as a mom as I learn how to take care of my precious daughter. I love her so much and I LOVE being a mom.

Baby Blessing

Addy had her baby blessing in August. It was neat. I love watching Seth be a dad. He said some really special things. He blessed her to be a help to us and those around her. He blessed her to follow the spirit and listen to his promptings. I feel like Addy is going to be a big blessing in our lives.

She looked so pretty in her dress. Everyone commented on how pretty a baby I have. :)

We feel so blessed to have Addy in our lives. We love her so much. I am excited to be her mom and to watch her grow up. I'm excited for her to get bigger and have conversations with her. I'm excited to hold her and snuggle with her while I still can. I want nothing but the best for my Addy girl. I hope she knows that and remembers it always. 

I had a BABY!!

The delivery story.... 

Labor was not really what I thought it was going to be like. It started Sunday night. I couldn't sleep because my head was congested. So, I got up at midnight to clean the house. I washed the dishes and then started feeling mild cramping. I woke Seth up, but we decided that it was too early to go to the hospital. So I kept track of how far apart my contractions were. When they were 5 minutes apart I woke Seth up again ( it was 3 am). I told him that I wanted to pack our hospital bag. Then at 4:30 we headed to the hospital. They checked me in at 4:30 and I was dilated to a 3. They wanted me to walk around the hospital for an hour and drink lots of water. At 8, another nurse came in and said I was dilated to a 4! Because I was progressing they omitted me into the hospital. It was time to have a baby.

I got an epidural shortly after to help with the pain. The anesthesiologist said that since I had scoliosis he was going to have to put the needle in higher, which could potentially be more dangerous. I was so nervous. I made Seth stand in front of me. I squeezed his hands so tightly. He said I looked like I was in a lot of pain. I had my eyes closed when I heard Seth say, "I need to sit down" and the Dr. yell, "Grab him!"  I felt Seth's body go limp and drape over across the bed. He was passed out. The nurse yelled for help. She tried to put Seth in the chair but he slumped sideways in the chair hitting his head hard on the side of the cabinet before falling to the floor and hitting the back of his head on the floor. I called Seth's name but he didn't answer. His eyes were opened before and now they were rolling to the back of his head. The anesthesiologist tried to calm me down. He said I couldn't move because I had a needle in my spine. There were about 7 nurses that rushed into our room. He was unconscious for 2-3 minutes. Someone grabbed smelling salts to wake him up. When he awoke, he looked up, got a huge smile on his face and said, "oh, hello. Why am I on the floor?" It was cute.

The nurses watched after Seth making sure he got some food and rest. It probably didn't help that he hadn't eaten anything in 16 hours, plus he was running off of 3 hours of sleep. Once he had food and sleep, he was much better. 
 
Dr. Carter came in around 1:00 to check on me. He said I was dilated to a 10, but baby wasn't ready. My water hadn't broken yet. so, he was going to go do a C-section and come back to check on me later.   

My parents came down and kept us company. 
Around 3:00 pm Dr. Carter came back and said, are you ready to have a baby?

He broke my water which was exciting. The water came shooting out as if someone threw a water balloon. Water went all over the floor. 
Then, Dr. Carter settled into his chair and tried to make small talk. He thought I was going to be pushing for hours since the baby hadn't dropped yet. That made me mad so I pushed as hard as I could. I pushed for 30 minutes. 

Adelyn was born on Monday, May 6, 2013 at 3:32 pm.   

She is beautiful. We love her so much. She weighed 7 lbs. 11 oz. We had so many people come to visit.

I was so exhausted that first week and still am. It's tough getting used to a baby. But I love being a mom. :)