12 Silly Things That Babies Change

It goes without saying that life truly does change after you have kids. I mean, within seconds of the Doctors placing that beautiful baby in your arms, things and feelings within you start to change. The Mommy instincts immediately kick in; but over-time what has been the most interesting for me to see are the hilarious quirks and oh-so-small things that I have noticed having a baby has changed in my daily life. Here are a few of the silly things that have changed since I have been a Mommy:

1. Darn baby hairs. WHAT IN THE WORLD?! I NEVER had to deal with these pesky little baby hairs. And of course, the worst are right up on my front hairline and are constantly sticking straight up, or sticking to my forehead. I can't hide them at all. I, as a hairstylist, knew that after having many clients with children, that after giving birth a majority of women lose a bunch of hair. It was something that terrified me. About three months went by after I gave birth to Jace and I had not lost any hair, it was still thick and beautiful, and I was thrilled. And then it began. The clumps of hair that came out every time I showered was a nightmare. I didn't even know I had that much hair to lose! Eventually it stopped after about 1-2 months, and now I guess these baby hairs are partly from new growth, but also partly because Jace absolutely loves to pull my hair out. Now I know why they call them baby hairs, not because they are tiny hairs, but because babies do this to you.

2. Why are you swaying like that? When I was pregnant with Jace it seemed as though 'swaying' just sort of became auto-programmed into my body. Babies love movement, so once I had Jace I just always sway, bounce, and rock back and forth whenever I am holding him. But, before I knew it, I found myself swaying back and forth even when I'm not not holding him. I catch myself swaying as I do my hair, my make-up, cook, and even when I am watching someone else hold Jace. Just a few days ago I went to a Gymboree play class and noticed that EVERY single Mom in there did the EXACT SAME THING! It was so silly to watch. It felt so nice to know that I am not alone.

3. Inhale Thy Food. Being the wife of a Police Officer, I was used to eating FAST. I mean, REALLY FAST. All those times of meeting my husband for his lunch break and "not knowing if we was going to have to get up and run out the door to a call or not so you better hurry up and eat your dang food so you're not sitting there alone and feeling awkard" did not prepare me for how fast you have to eat when you have a child. I mean, half the time I don't even TASTE my food. If someone video-taped me eating I know I would be thoroughly embarrassed and probably resemble honey-boo-boo. It is pretty impressive and like to give myself a big pat on the back for how I can fit an entire granola bar in my mouth in one bite while cooking Jace an egg and cutting a strawberry at the same time. I forget when Matt is home and we are about to actually sit down at the dinner table and eat, and I stand at the kitchen counter literally eating my food while he is sitting at the table looking at me and says, "Um, honey.. would you like to sit down and eat your food?" Well yes, honey I would but I'm already done! BEAT THAT!

4. Farewell to strapless dresses. Let's just say that this Momma quickly learned that strapless dresses are not appropriate to wear when holding a child. Because children love to pull, and when they pull your dress down and they get a reaction out of you, especially one where you FREAK OUT, they laugh and like to do it over, and over, and over again. So, you can just move those strapless dresses to the back of your closet because you won't be wearing those for a while.

5. Shoes. It's not JUST shoes that Jace likes to get into, but for some reason my son seems to have a slight shoe obsession. He is a shoe-licker for sure. I can put my shoes way up high, in a drawer, in the closet, it doesn't matter.. he is a determined little turd, and (IN A LIAM NEESON TAKEN VOICE) 'He will find them.. And he will lick them'. I mean, we have two dogs, and we NEVER had to worry about leaving our shoes or anything around, because they are apparently more normal than our son and never licked or gnawed on our shoes. But, leave it to sons, they will. So, I am overly cautious of where I leave my shoes now.

6. Bathroom buddies. Girls, you know all those times you and your girlfriends liked to go to the bathroom together, and just hated to go alone? Well, I wish I could go back in time, and go to the bathroom alone all those times. I never realized before how peaceful it is to sit down on the toilet and pee in peace for a few seconds. If I want a few moments alone in the bathroom, I have to distract Jace, dart for the bathroom as fast as I can, and by the time I have my pants down and my butt hits the seat I hear the pitter-patter of his little hands hitting the bathroom tile. Ah, the sound is so sweet, and I love his sweet smirk when he sees me using the potty, but take my word for it-women with no babies yet- enjoy your quiet, peaceful bathroom breaks while you can.

7. Handprints. Oh, how I love those tiny, messy, smudy, handprints that I find all over my house. You can be OCD and appreciate these sweet messes. My husband and I both are very much clean freaks. When we bought our furniture for our home we were definitely not thinking "Oh, this would be great for kids" because almost everything we have is fragile, and mirror-like, and not kid friendly. I cannot got to bed with a dirty house, so at the end of the night I go around and wipe everything down. Ever since Jace has been mobile I find his handprints on everything, and I actually leave them on certain things instead of wiping them away because I think it is just absolutely precious. I love seeing his handprint on my kitchen cabinets, and my coffee table. It's silly that something so tiny can really warm your heart and make you so happy to be a parent.

8. Every room becomes a play room. Once again, the OCD/clean-freak thing.. Matt and I SWORE before we had Jace that our media room would NEVER become a play room. How selfish and dumb we were. This entire house became a play room.. and I LOVE IT! We clean up every single day and have certain toys that go in certain rooms, and bins for certain things, but we will never restrict our son from having toys in a certain room. It is part of having babies, and you just have to enjoy it all because I just know that we will blink and Jace, and our future child will be "too old for toys" and we will miss having all of them strung out everywhere. 

9. Full-time helper. It is the sweetest thing ever to see this little person you made always right under you trying to help. He loves it when I have laundry to fold, he will sit in my lap, watch me fold something, crawl out of my lap, unfold it, and watch me fold it again. He makes the chores 10x longer and harder, but he truly thinks he is helping, and I can't even get mad because it is so cute. When I am cooking, he loves to play with the tupperware, spoons, pots, pans. When I am washing dishes, he loves to play with the dishwasher, and when I am vacuuming is the absolute cutest! Jace is literally OBSESSED with the vacuum cleaner. His face lights up when he sees me bring it out, which is almost daily. He follows it, tries to push it, chases it from room to room. I'm sure that one day he is going to pretty much hate me for making him clean up after himself and help out around the house, so I will take all of this in while I can.

10. Our Netflix is broken. You will quickly find that your Netflix account will be taken over by kids shows. Even though we created a 'Jace' profile just so we can keep his separate, it still does not keep it from coming over to our account and suggesting kid shows everywhere. What happened to the bad-ass Netflix suggestions because we watched things like 'Walking Dead' and 'Sons Of Anarchy'.. now the most bad-ass thing we have watched lately is 'Puss N' Boots'.. which I must say is not too bad to watch, and I occasionally catch myself watching even if Jace is asleep.  Wow, I'm so lame.

11. The early bird gets the worm. You basically just have to become a morning person when you add babies to the mix. There is no fighting it. But, instead of waking up cranky and mopey, I have learned to appreciate what the morning brings. I love waking up and actually seeing the sun rise, and you can just get so much more done in one day. It does suck on the nights where I want to stay up really late and binge-watch Netflix shoes with Matt like we used to and I end up falling asleep before he even hits play. I'm sorry honey! 

12. Are we going to the airport? Leaving the house is not simple anymore. Even after nearly a year of it, it always seems to be a challenge to have to get all of his essentials in order to leave the house. And even when I think I have gone through my mental Jace checklist, I almost always forget something. And when we go out of town for a night or two, it seriously looks like we are leaving for a two-week trip to Europe or something. It is absolutely exhausting trying to get out the door!

So, there ya have it. There are a million other things that change when introducing a baby in to the picture, but they are all so worth it. I would love to hear about some funny and interesting quirks that you adopted after you became a parent yourself, or even some similar to mine! 

Baby's First Summer

All of this crazy Texas rain is really taking a toll on me. I am thankful that the lakes are full, and that we can actually water our yard regularly this Summer. However, this Momma is ready to start showing her sweet baby boy how much fun Summer is. 

Here are 22 things that I want to do with Jace this Summer:

1. Give him a canvas to paint on and watch him go crazy! I plan on doing this for him on the morning of his birthday, wearing nothing but a diaper.. and paint! I can't wait to watch his face light up when he digs his tiny fingers into the bright colors and creates his own little masterpiece. It will be beautiful, and I will keep it forever.

2. SWIM, SWIM, SWIM! Every day we stare out our window looking at a giant hole in our backyard hoping that it will stop raining long enough for them to finish our pool. Eventually, we will beat the Texas heat in our backyard by enjoying the beauty of splashing and laughing hysterically together. Very cautiously, we will have so much fun teaching our sweet boy how to swim like a little fish.

3. Take him to the Dallas Zoo. I love seeing his face in awe every time he sees a different type of animal. Yet, I'm thinking we better hurry up and get this one out of the way before the serious Summer heat begins. 

4.Take him to the Dallas Aquarium. The Dallas Aquarium is one of my favorite Aquarium's I have ever been to! It's not too big, and not small. It will be the perfect thing to do on a hot, Summer day that will take just enough time out of the day to where he enjoys it and doesn't get too anxious and cranky.

5. Read him as many books as I can. Maybe even visit the Library! I'm hoping to add to his own little supply of books this Summer. I feel like I keep reading the same ones over and over, which I know he doesn't mind, but I sure do. I love reading to him, and doing different voices, sounds, and seeing him look up at me and giggle. I love watching his little mind soak it all in.

6. Pack a Picnic. Ah, who doesn't love a relaxing picnic? I want to pack up and head out to a beautiful park, throw out a big blanket, chow down, lay down, soak in the breeze and sun, and let him pick at the grass and flowers as much as his little heart desires. 

7. Check out a Class together. Maybe a Mommy & Me Yoga, or a fun Music class? If anyone has any recommendations I would love to hear them!

8. Go on a nature walk at the Heard Museum. I just found out about this little gem, and it's right down the street from me! They have six different trails all ranging from .5-1.5 miles, and it's full of wildlife and nature! I can't wait to take him in his baby jogger and enjoy the day outside.

9. Play in the rain. Right now, this is the LAST thing I want to be doing. BUT, it will be nice in the heat of the summer to enjoy dancing and playing out in a night Summer rain. Maybe even sticking out our tongues and catching rain drops.

10. Blow Bubbles/Make our own Giant bubbles. I have never attempted to make my own bubbles, but this is something that I must do. Here is a website with several recipes: http://www.babysavers.com/how-to-make-bubbles/

11. Shop the Farmer's Market. Jace loves fruits and veggies, and I would love to stock up on fresh produce for us. Also, it's such a great place for babies to look at colors and feel so many different textures. I want to let him run his little fingers along the ridges of carrots, and tickle his sweet cheeks with a bunch of fresh parsley; and show him the bright colors of the ruby red strawberries. 

12. Make our own goop. Just like the homemade bubbles, never done it; but ready to try it! I want to see his reaction when he touches it and slides his hands through it. Here is a fun blog that teaches you the story behind it and how to make it: http://tinkerlab.com/goopy-cornstarch/

13. Rangers Game. This is just a must.

14. Boogie Down. We usually do this on a daily basis, or I do at least. I want to take plenty of time to jam to music and dance goofy all around the house.

15. Have baby dates. I want Jace to be as social as he can be this Summer! I want to invite Mommys + babies to have swim dates, lunch dates, park dates, whatever! 

16. Celebrate turning ONE. You can bet that this Momma already has his first birthday nearly planned and ready to go. Of course I know that he will never remember it and could care less, so yes, I'm selfishly doing it mostly for my own excitement. But, I want him to have the best first birthday he possibly can, and I can't wait to share the special day with his closest family and friends. Plus, I can't wait for him to dig into his first Birthday cake and make his Daddy freak out by making a HUGE mess!

17. Perot Museum. I know that Jace is too young to really enjoy the Perot, but it would be a cooler thing to do on a hot Summer day, plus he loves just being strolled in his baby jogger. I've heard the Perot Museum is so much fun and a must-see. So this is on the list mostly for my own entertainment.

18. Build a Fort. I grew up with my Mom making me the most AWESOME forts out of sheets, and anything she could find. I want to do the same with Jace. I want to set up a huge fort with obstacles for him to crawl through and of course, for me to play in as well. Duh.

19. Relax at the lake. As many opportunities as we can get we would love to drive to East Texas and spend time with my side of the family and enjoy my Aunt & Uncles beautiful home on the lake. Jace recently had his first lake and boat experience and absolutely loved it. We can't wait to do it again!

20. Fishing/Camping. This will have to occur closer to Fall when it starts cooling down, but Matthew and I love to go camping, and Jace is getting to an age that I think would be pretty enjoyable to take him and watch Daddy fish, and enjoy a night out under the stars.

21. Make popsicles. I want to make my own healthy, fresh popsicles! It looks like a lot of fun, and will be so refreshing out by the pool.

22. Enjoy an outdoor concert. I would love to set up a blanket on a breezy, nice Summer evening with my sweet hubby and Jace and listen to some fun music. I know Watter's Creek offers concerts during the summer, as well as the arboretum.

If any of you Mommies have any other fun ideas that you want to share that you plan on doing with your children this Summer I would LOVE to hear! Once again, I hope this rain settles down so we can get started enjoying Texas weather as we know it. 

Mother's Day

Jace,

I can't believe that this weekend I will be celebrating my very first Mother's day (with you actually here outside of my tummy). I remember last year taking a pregnant selfie and wishing so badly I could hold you already. 

(Mother's Day last year)

I remember pondering about how you would be, what you would look like, and what kind of Mommy I would be. I was so afraid to be a Mommy. To be honest with you, I was never the girl that fantasized of being a Mom. I never felt like I was "Mommy material" up until I married your Daddy. Every time I heard a baby cry, I wanted to plug up my ears. Every time a baby had a booger hanging out of his nose I had to run away. Every time a baby pooped I was disgusted. But you, your cry was the best sound in the world. And your boogers are the cutest boogers ever, and I will wipe them all day long. And your poops are the best, stinkiest poops of them all. You have officially almost been here with us on this Earth longer than you were growing inside of me. These past nine months have changed your Daddy and I in so many ways. We love you more than anything in this entire planet. You feel my heart with so much love that I truly feel like my heart could actually EXPLODE sometimes. I am not exaggerating. That is how much I love you. You are growing up to be such a smart, happy, silly, spunky little boy. Each day is an adventure, and I wonder what you are going to do next. I have so much fun chasing after you, picking up after you, playing with you. Your Daddy makes so much fun of how much of a kid I am, and you give me a reason to truly be a kid again. We are going to have so much fun together as you grow. But I am in no hurry. I am not rushing away a single day. I try not to say "I can't wait until he can do this, and I can't wait until he can do that" Because I know as soon as I turn around tomorrow you will be doing it. 

I love each and every stage that you go through. Even the cranky, teething stage, where you run around the house trying to bite me and everything in sight. I love you sharp little teeth. I love your bright blue eyes, especially when the sun hits them. I love your cow lick right in the front that is going to give me hell the rest of my life every time I try to cut your hair. I love your beautiful, sweet, smile. I love your STINKY feet. And I love it when I tell you that you have stinky feet and you laugh so hard. I love taking you on walks. I love your big, wet, slobbery kisses. I love feeding you new foods. I love playing peek-a-boo. I love how sweaty you get when you get really sleepy. I love it when you pull my hair out. No, not really. I love seeing you love on your Daddy. I love how you refuse to say Mama and say Dada ALL THE TIME. I love how much you love to be outside- get used to it! I love how calm you are when we take you to restaurants. I love it when you splash water everywhere in the bath tub. I love it when you love on the doggies. I love it when you hold your arms up for me to pick you up. I think you get the picture- That I love everything about you. And guess what, that will never change. Nope! There's not a thing you could do to me to make me love you any less. Thank you for letting me be your Mommy. It is the best thing I have ever done. You make me the proudest Mommy ever. I love you, Son. 

Love,
Mom 

Why I Use Social Media

Lately I have received many private messages from people complimenting me on my husband, my son, my life in general; Asking me for advice, and asking if I really am as happy as it appears on my Facebook or Instagram. Yes, our generation is obsessed with social media. There are people that abuse it, and use it for all the wrong reasons. There are tons and tons of negative articles out there that say people who post positive things on their social media accounts are actually not happy and insecure.

When I post, I do not post for ANYONE but myself. I could care less how many “likes” I get. I could care less how many “comments” I get. There are actually so many pictures and things that I post that I change the settings to “only I can see” just because I am posting it ONLY FOR ME. Call me selfish, but I do not get on Facebook and search for a particular person or scroll down to see what everyone is doing today. I am actually terrible at commenting back to people and hardly like others posts, if I happen to see a picture or article that I like I definitely will, but I do not get on Facebook to judge or “stalk” others. I really just view Facebook as the most awesome photo album ever. I have thousands of pictures starting from my 9^th grade year. I can’t let go of them! I won’t. I love to look back and reminisce and laugh at the awkward silly girl I used to be. And now, I use my Facebook strictly as an album for my family. I love to post pictures for my family who I do not get to see very often to see what my family is up to. I love to post pictures of my husband and I, our trips, and of course our son. I want to have as many happy and positive pictures and videos for him to look at as possible when he grows up. I can’t wait for Jace to see a picture of Matt and I and him say “Whoa, that's not you and Dad. Y'all were hot! Y’all are so old now!” haha.

I do NOT post to boast or make anyone feel envious. I do not post to make people think I have a perfect life. Because I am very far from perfect, and I will be the first one to tell you that and all of my imperfections! Yep, my husband and I argue. Yep, I get frustrated and sad. Yep, I have super, super, super boring days where nothing exciting happens. Yep, I don’t always look like selfie material. Yep, I don’t always eat super healthy meals that are picture worthy. But the truth is, I do have a happy life. If I offend anyone in any way by being happy and sharing that with my family and closest friends, then I apologize. I do not feel the need to share “yeah, my husband and I got in a fight today over blah blah blah and I hate life today, blah blah blah.” NOBODY CARES about it, and I am over it within 10 seconds. Is it something I want to look back on my Facebook and remember? Nope. So I don’t post it. But if I take a super cute picture of my son afterwards and he makes me happy and laugh then guess what? I’m gonna post it! Being a Mom is not glamorous, and I love to share funny, gross stories of Motherhood. But truth is, I have a pretty great son. And he is cute all the time, of course.

With all that said, I am confident with who I am. Who my family is. And I am happy. I feel very happy that with my posts I have inspired people to message me for advice on certain things from recipes, to fitness, to relationships. That is exactly what I want to be – is an inspiration to Mothers, Wifes, Daughters, etc. You can be a happy Mom. You can be a happy Wife. Don’t care what people think about you. Post what you want to post. Don’t worry about how many likes you’re going to get. Don’t filter your picture so much that you look like a totally different person. Just be you, and I will be me!

The Last Time

Happy 6 Month Birthday, Jace!

Whew! Where has time gone? We have seen so many physical and developmental changes in our little guy just over this last month. This is most definitely my favorite age yet! He is full of personality and tons of fun!

What's In My Diaper Bag?

(0-6 Months) Let's see what we've got in here...

1. Diapers are must-have. I am not caught dead without at least 8 diapers. My son loves to pee, and hates to sit in it, so we go through quite a bit. The last thing you want to do is run out!

2. Wipes/Wipe holder. Like the diapers, be sure you have plenty!

3. Boudreaux Butt Paste. A red/sore little booty can happen at any time. Boudreaux can truly save the day! Always have it handy.

4. Fold-away changing pad. Most diaper bags come with one of these, but if not, add one to your bag! It will come in handy when you need to change your baby's diaper in a place you'd rather not put him or her down without one. Choose one with a water-resistant finish for quick clean-up!

5. Hand Sanitizer. It is a MUST-HAVE! I am always touching dirty doors, buggies, etc and constantly trying to keep my hands clean before touching Jace. There are so many germs out there! Protect your little one as much as possible.

6. Burp Cloth. I keep 1 burp cloth in my bag to throw over my shoulder when burping Jace. They're also good for wiping faces and spit-up!

7. Receiving Blanket. These blankets are lightweight and take up little space. They come in handy if you need to put your baby down for a nap, or to put over your baby to protect his/her skin from winds or cool temperatures.

8. Extra set of clothes. You may go weeks or months wondering why you have those extra clothes in the bag? KEEP THEM IN THERE! A day will come when you need to clean up a mess worth of a sanitation crew, and you will be so glad you have them. I pack an extra onesie/shirt, pants, bib and socks. TIP: Don't forget to rotate these clothes out as your baby grows. Carrying around a newborn outfit when your child is 6 months old will do you no good!

9. Bottle. I usually bring 1-2 bottles with me, even though I am nursing I bring bottles in case I am in a situation where I am unable to nurse in public/etc.

10. Formula/Dispenser. I bring along formula to supplement in my handy formula dispenser. It holds 3 feedings worth. It is super easy to pack/fit in my diaper bag and SO easy to pour into the bottle!

11. Water/Snacks. I usually bring 2 bottles of water- 1 for me and 1 for formula. I have learned to also always have a granola bar or snack in my bag because sometimes I forget to eat/don't have time!

12. Binky. Even though Jace usually hates binkys/won't take them I always have one handy just in case!

13. Favorite toy/Comfort Object. As of right now this little guy ^ is Jace's favorite toy. He loves the sounds, and it can always calm him down! I don't know what I would do without it!

14. Bib. I think that no matter what age your baby is, always pack a bib. It can catch spit-up or keep his/her shirt dry when endless drool spills down his chin.

15. MY essentials. I always have my phone near by with Pandora Children's radio usually playing. And of course my wallet/keys/etc. There is no need to carry a purse along with your diaper bag. There are so many cute diaper bags out there to pick from that you don't have to feel bulky/awkward carrying it as your purse as well! 

Being a parent means being prepared! Packing your diaper bag the first time can be SUPER overwhelming, but you really learn what you need/don't need as you go. What items do YOU love to carry in your diaper bag? Feel free to share!