As a stay-at-home mom, and even before I was that, I tried to save money whenever I could or even try earning a little extra spending money.
I have been cutting coupons from the Sunday paper for years. Even if I'm only saving .25 on toilet paper, it's something we all need. I've found coupons.com and they have a pretty big selection of coupons that can be printed off. There are several for diapers which is great!
In the last year, I've started using an app called Ibotta. It is awesome! I can earn money buying what I need. All I have to do is unlock rebates from the list they have ready at the time. Recently, I had a coupon for .75 off of any variety or size Luv's diapers. Ibotta had a $5.00 rebate for a box of Luv's. So instead of paying $18 for the diapers, I ended up paying only $12.25. I'm thinking that's pretty darn good considering how expensive diapers are. There are other times I've printed coupons for Pampers Cruisers. It would be $3.00 off for two bags or one box. I'd also have a rebate on Ibotta for $1.50 for the same brand of diapers. I'd get the two bags and on one bag alone, I pretty much paid $6.00 which is the cost of the cheaper brands.
I've earned over $30 so far in the short time since I started using Ibotta. Once you get to $20, you can cash out. You have the option of transferring the money to a PayPal account or to a small selection of gift cards.
If you are able and are looking to save a little money when buying items you need, check out Ibotta.
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Monday, February 29, 2016
Asking for Donations
When my son was born last year, he spent 10 days in the NICU. After I was discharged, he still had to stay several more days. That was the hardest, most heartbreaking thing ever, especially as a brand new first time parent, to leave my son alone there without me. I cried the whole way home.
When Lane was about 6 months old, I got to thinking I wanted to be able to do something for those little babies in the NICU and for their parents. I wanted to be able to give the babies anything from blankets, hats, clothes, etc. I've gotten to thinking lately about what to do for the parents.
I thought of putting several items in a gallon size zip lock bag (or a nicer bag if I can find one). These items include:
Parents of babies in NICU spend a few days to several months there. I want to let them know they are not alone. The last few days that Lane was in NICU, I started talking with another couple whose daughter was a few cribs over from us. Their little one was born premature and had already been there at least a month if not more. I was able to see them a few months later at the NICU reunion the hospital puts on every year. I was so happy to see their daughter look so healthy.
Some of the families that have a child in NICU may not have a lot either. They more than likely have jobs they will eventually have to go back to. If their baby has to spend months in the NICU, it can wear on the parents emotionally and financially (depending on what and how much insurance covers). Parents start talking to the other parents around them in the NICU because they tend to spend so much time there watching over their babies. These little friendships are great because you know someone else at least understands or has a small idea of what you are going through.
If you are interested and able to donate, please check out my Go Fund Me page (Love From Lane). I would greatly appreciate it and I know the families will too. Thank you all so very much.
- lotion
- hand sanitizer
- toothbrush
- toothpaste
- shampoo
- conditioner
- snacks
- notebook/pen
- gift cards
- Kleenex
- bottle water
- chapstick
Parents of babies in NICU spend a few days to several months there. I want to let them know they are not alone. The last few days that Lane was in NICU, I started talking with another couple whose daughter was a few cribs over from us. Their little one was born premature and had already been there at least a month if not more. I was able to see them a few months later at the NICU reunion the hospital puts on every year. I was so happy to see their daughter look so healthy.
Some of the families that have a child in NICU may not have a lot either. They more than likely have jobs they will eventually have to go back to. If their baby has to spend months in the NICU, it can wear on the parents emotionally and financially (depending on what and how much insurance covers). Parents start talking to the other parents around them in the NICU because they tend to spend so much time there watching over their babies. These little friendships are great because you know someone else at least understands or has a small idea of what you are going through.
If you are interested and able to donate, please check out my Go Fund Me page (Love From Lane). I would greatly appreciate it and I know the families will too. Thank you all so very much.
Sunday, February 21, 2016
San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo
I have been a fan of rodeo for a long time. I'll admit I didn't know much about it until I was in middle school or high school. It wasn't until college that I really got interested in it. My son is named after rodeo legend Lane Frost (the movie that 8 Seconds is based on). I can name a handful or so of rodeo professionals. To some, I might not be a die hard, but I am a fan nonetheless and I have a respect for the sport and athletes.
This weekend, my fiancé and I took our son to his very first rodeo. It was the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. I couldn't wait to see Lane's reactions to the various events. Granted he's only 1 years old, but still, he gets excited at a lot of things. Especially when he sees animals.
We showed up early to see a lot of the exhibits at the AT&T Center where the rodeo was being held. There was a wild life area where we were able to see animals that live in the wild. Lane liked seeing the animals and also some of the deer heads on the wall. *My fiancé likes to hunt and fish and has had some of the deer horns mounted, so Lane gets excited over that.*
After about an hour of walking around, it was time to make our way to find our seats for the rodeo. I'm afraid of heights and our seats were very high up. We stayed in our seats for an hour before the rodeo started. The light show and the entrance of the flags was so amazing. A military veteran sang the National Anthem. That was awesome! Lane wasn't too sure about the light show though.
I really enjoyed watching the mutton busting (kids ages 4-7 hold on tight and ride sheep out of the chutes). There were about 10-12 kids that rode. The first girl that rode did great. She ended up winning a belt buckle for holding on the longest or having the best performance.
Naptime doesn't discriminate. It doesn't matter if it's your first rodeo or not. Lane slept for close to 3/4 of the rodeo, through all of the loud music, cheers, and buzzers. I just wish he could've seen more of it. But I know I'll be able to take him to more rodeos as he grows up and that makes me happy.
This weekend, my fiancé and I took our son to his very first rodeo. It was the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. I couldn't wait to see Lane's reactions to the various events. Granted he's only 1 years old, but still, he gets excited at a lot of things. Especially when he sees animals.
We showed up early to see a lot of the exhibits at the AT&T Center where the rodeo was being held. There was a wild life area where we were able to see animals that live in the wild. Lane liked seeing the animals and also some of the deer heads on the wall. *My fiancé likes to hunt and fish and has had some of the deer horns mounted, so Lane gets excited over that.*
In some of the buildings where FFA and 4-H members show their livestock, we were able to see some of what hadn't been taken home yet. Lane was able to see horses, pigs, cattle, sheep, and goats. He liked the horses.
After about an hour of walking around, it was time to make our way to find our seats for the rodeo. I'm afraid of heights and our seats were very high up. We stayed in our seats for an hour before the rodeo started. The light show and the entrance of the flags was so amazing. A military veteran sang the National Anthem. That was awesome! Lane wasn't too sure about the light show though.
I really enjoyed watching the mutton busting (kids ages 4-7 hold on tight and ride sheep out of the chutes). There were about 10-12 kids that rode. The first girl that rode did great. She ended up winning a belt buckle for holding on the longest or having the best performance.
Naptime doesn't discriminate. It doesn't matter if it's your first rodeo or not. Lane slept for close to 3/4 of the rodeo, through all of the loud music, cheers, and buzzers. I just wish he could've seen more of it. But I know I'll be able to take him to more rodeos as he grows up and that makes me happy.
Friday, February 19, 2016
My First Year of Being a Mom
When you are expecting your first child, there are so many friends, family, and even strangers giving you advice. Some of it is good advice and other things you wonder about. All I can say is, do what works best for you all of you first time parents. Here is a list of what I've learned or what has worked for me.
1. Diapers: I think this, like so many other items, is just a matter of preference. Personally, I like Pampers. Yeah, they are a little more expensive. I feel like they last or hold longer than some of the other brands that we've used. Whenever you buy a package or box of Pampers, there is a code inside of the package you can enter for a reward. I've utilized this and has made buying this brand of diapers worthwhile for me. We have used Huggies and store brand diapers. Store brand is great when you don't have a lot of extra cash. If you want a step up from the store brand, I've used Luvs. These are ones we do use quite a bit and they are reasonably priced. We've also used coupons to help save a few bucks.
2. Sleep Schedule/Arrangements: When we brought our son home from the hospital, we never had him sleep in our bedroom. His room was all ready to go anyways, so I wasn't about to set up a small crib next to my bed. I know there are some people who let their baby sleep in bed with them. I personally am not comfortable doing that. Some, not all, of these parents later have to break the habit of letting their child sleep with them. I've read articles saying to start your baby early on a sleep schedule. Being a stay-at-home mom, I really don't have Lane on any certain sleep schedule. I do try getting him to bed between 7:30 pm and 8:00 pm. That's the only set time I have. For his naps, I let him sleep whenever I know he's tired. Sometimes he'll take two naps a day; sometimes it's only one. There are times he'll only sleep for 45 minutes. Once in a great while, he'll sleep for 3 hours. I'm fine with either.
3. Formula: We mainly used Similac Advance. This is what was used in the hospital and what they recommended when we were sent home. We did use Enfamil every so often, but I would get coupons in the mail from them. I'm pretty sure you can sign up through either formula companies website for coupons. Again with formula like the diapers, it's a matter of preference and what works best for you and your baby. Some babies have had allergic reactions to different formulas and diapers.
4. Succeed/Fail: There are days I feel like Super Mom and I can conquer the world. Other days, I feel like I have failed miserably and I'm the worst parent ever. If Lane is playing well or takes an extremely long nap, then I can get a little work done on my crafts that I sell for extra money or I can get some dishes or laundry done. There are days I'm trying to load or unload the dishwasher and he's trying to climb on top of the dishwasher door. Those days, I don't even bother and will wait until he's asleep to finish. Once a week, I take Lane to story time at the local library. This is a mostly a success for me because it gets us both out of the house and socialize a little bit. It also is great because the lady teaches sign language and a little bit of Spanish.
Then there are the days that I feel like I've failed as a parent. The house is a disaster. Toys are all over the living room floor. Dishes are piling up in the sink and the counter to either be washed or put away. Lane is extra fussy that day and I can feel myself getting frustrated because I feel like I'm at the end of my rope and don't know what else to do. When he wakes up 3-4 times a night for two weeks straight, all I want to do is sleep, I feel myself getting upset. I know he can't help it. These are only small things I know that make me feel like a failure as a parent.
5. Gift: Every day with my son is a gift. Even on the days that I'm frustrated and just want to run away and hide. Even stay-at-home parents need a day or at least a little time for themselves from time to time. It's exciting to see him learn new things or hit his milestones. There are things he does that are just absolutely funny. For instance, the other night at supper, I had put some cut up veggies on his tray. I took a bite of food off of my plate and I looked over to check on him and I just sat there and watched. He was doing a hum or little da ta da ta da sound while picking up a veggie. He'd look at it for a bit, then I'd see him slide it under the tray onto his lap. I watched as he did this several times trying to hold in my laughter. I soon said his name, he looked up at me, and then started smiling. He realized he'd been caught. Yesterday afternoon, we were playing in the living room. He has this thing where he likes opening the cabinet doors where the movies are. There is a glass panel on the door. It so happened that I was on one side of the door and he was on the other. He looked at me and then put his face against the glass, smashing his features to make funny faces. I started to laugh. He sees and hears me laughing so he starts laughing too. This went on for several minutes. It's the times like these that I'm glad that even though he's only one, we can share a laugh together.
There's so much more that I've experienced and felt in this first year of being a mom than this list. I've been peed on, pooped on, spit up all over me. My glasses have been knocked off of my face more times than I can count. Lane has pulled tiny fistfuls of my hair out. I've laughed at silly things he does and have cried because I've been tired, frustrated, don't know what else to do. It can be the toughest job in the world to raise a child, but it is so rewarding.
Between the laughter and the tears that have past and that are still to come, I hope I can raise my children to be the best they can be. I hope they have a faith in God and Jesus that is strong. I want them to do what they enjoy doing in life, whether its sports, or the arts, etc. I hope they are smart. If they have to work for their intelligence and everything in life, I hope they appreciate it all more.
1. Diapers: I think this, like so many other items, is just a matter of preference. Personally, I like Pampers. Yeah, they are a little more expensive. I feel like they last or hold longer than some of the other brands that we've used. Whenever you buy a package or box of Pampers, there is a code inside of the package you can enter for a reward. I've utilized this and has made buying this brand of diapers worthwhile for me. We have used Huggies and store brand diapers. Store brand is great when you don't have a lot of extra cash. If you want a step up from the store brand, I've used Luvs. These are ones we do use quite a bit and they are reasonably priced. We've also used coupons to help save a few bucks.
2. Sleep Schedule/Arrangements: When we brought our son home from the hospital, we never had him sleep in our bedroom. His room was all ready to go anyways, so I wasn't about to set up a small crib next to my bed. I know there are some people who let their baby sleep in bed with them. I personally am not comfortable doing that. Some, not all, of these parents later have to break the habit of letting their child sleep with them. I've read articles saying to start your baby early on a sleep schedule. Being a stay-at-home mom, I really don't have Lane on any certain sleep schedule. I do try getting him to bed between 7:30 pm and 8:00 pm. That's the only set time I have. For his naps, I let him sleep whenever I know he's tired. Sometimes he'll take two naps a day; sometimes it's only one. There are times he'll only sleep for 45 minutes. Once in a great while, he'll sleep for 3 hours. I'm fine with either.
3. Formula: We mainly used Similac Advance. This is what was used in the hospital and what they recommended when we were sent home. We did use Enfamil every so often, but I would get coupons in the mail from them. I'm pretty sure you can sign up through either formula companies website for coupons. Again with formula like the diapers, it's a matter of preference and what works best for you and your baby. Some babies have had allergic reactions to different formulas and diapers.
4. Succeed/Fail: There are days I feel like Super Mom and I can conquer the world. Other days, I feel like I have failed miserably and I'm the worst parent ever. If Lane is playing well or takes an extremely long nap, then I can get a little work done on my crafts that I sell for extra money or I can get some dishes or laundry done. There are days I'm trying to load or unload the dishwasher and he's trying to climb on top of the dishwasher door. Those days, I don't even bother and will wait until he's asleep to finish. Once a week, I take Lane to story time at the local library. This is a mostly a success for me because it gets us both out of the house and socialize a little bit. It also is great because the lady teaches sign language and a little bit of Spanish.
Then there are the days that I feel like I've failed as a parent. The house is a disaster. Toys are all over the living room floor. Dishes are piling up in the sink and the counter to either be washed or put away. Lane is extra fussy that day and I can feel myself getting frustrated because I feel like I'm at the end of my rope and don't know what else to do. When he wakes up 3-4 times a night for two weeks straight, all I want to do is sleep, I feel myself getting upset. I know he can't help it. These are only small things I know that make me feel like a failure as a parent.
5. Gift: Every day with my son is a gift. Even on the days that I'm frustrated and just want to run away and hide. Even stay-at-home parents need a day or at least a little time for themselves from time to time. It's exciting to see him learn new things or hit his milestones. There are things he does that are just absolutely funny. For instance, the other night at supper, I had put some cut up veggies on his tray. I took a bite of food off of my plate and I looked over to check on him and I just sat there and watched. He was doing a hum or little da ta da ta da sound while picking up a veggie. He'd look at it for a bit, then I'd see him slide it under the tray onto his lap. I watched as he did this several times trying to hold in my laughter. I soon said his name, he looked up at me, and then started smiling. He realized he'd been caught. Yesterday afternoon, we were playing in the living room. He has this thing where he likes opening the cabinet doors where the movies are. There is a glass panel on the door. It so happened that I was on one side of the door and he was on the other. He looked at me and then put his face against the glass, smashing his features to make funny faces. I started to laugh. He sees and hears me laughing so he starts laughing too. This went on for several minutes. It's the times like these that I'm glad that even though he's only one, we can share a laugh together.
There's so much more that I've experienced and felt in this first year of being a mom than this list. I've been peed on, pooped on, spit up all over me. My glasses have been knocked off of my face more times than I can count. Lane has pulled tiny fistfuls of my hair out. I've laughed at silly things he does and have cried because I've been tired, frustrated, don't know what else to do. It can be the toughest job in the world to raise a child, but it is so rewarding.
Between the laughter and the tears that have past and that are still to come, I hope I can raise my children to be the best they can be. I hope they have a faith in God and Jesus that is strong. I want them to do what they enjoy doing in life, whether its sports, or the arts, etc. I hope they are smart. If they have to work for their intelligence and everything in life, I hope they appreciate it all more.
Sunday, February 14, 2016
NICU Baby
Happy Valentine's Day!
Last year at this time, my son had only been home two days. He was born February 2 and ended up spending 10 days in the NICU. When he was born, he had a few things go wrong. There was a small case of pneumonia and his oxygen levels weren't quite where they needed to be. The main reason of Lane being in NICU was an infection. To be honest, I can't remember what type of infection it was.
One morning, I left my room in the hospital to slowly make my way to the NICU to see Lane. I had an unplanned C-section with Little Man, so I was still pretty sore and would be for roughly the next 2 months. Once I was back in Lane's little private room, one of our wonderful nurses informed me that they would have to change the placing of his IV. The IV's had previously been in his arms and legs. This time, it would be in his head. Our nurse wanted to tell me because some parents aren't able to handle the sight of a needle in their child's head. Later that afternoon, I came back with Matt to spend time with Lane. Sure enough, the IV had been moved to his head. At first, it didn't bother me so much. Then I really got to thinking about it. Yes, I started crying because I felt so bad for my little guy.
In the first 5 days or so that Lane was in NICU, he was on Oxygen and had a feeding tube. A few times, he ripped the feeding tube out. He didn't like it so much when the nurses had to put it back in. It always made me nervous when his monitors went off too. I was a new parent worried about her child. I think that's a normal reaction.
In the time that Lane was there, he had some really awesome and amazing nurses and doctors. I appreciated that they explained what they were going to do in ways that I could understand. I could also tell that they really cared about these precious little babies and the job they were there to do.
Lane finally got to go home February 12, 2015. My mom was down from Kansas and stayed with us for another two weeks to help us out.
Lately, some friends/acquaintances haven't been having the best of luck with their little babies. A childhood friend and her husband just lost their newborn son. From what little information I got, it was from some sort of complication at birth. A friend from high school and his wife are fighting for their son who has problems with his heart. He's gone through several surgeries (he's close to Lane's age, if not a little younger). When they were ready to deliver him, they had to travel from Kansas to Michigan or Minnesota where there were more experienced doctors to deal with what their son was going to need. A few weeks ago, they were told their son's heart was failing and he was being put on a transplant list. A friend of mine from college and her husband just got to bring their daughter home after spending about a month or so in the hospital from being born about 1-2 months early. This little girl is tough and a fighter.
For each of these families, what they have been going through is far worse than what we went through with Lane. My heart goes out to each of them and to all parents who struggling with their newborn children. If you are one of these families, please know you are not alone. Love to you all.
Last year at this time, my son had only been home two days. He was born February 2 and ended up spending 10 days in the NICU. When he was born, he had a few things go wrong. There was a small case of pneumonia and his oxygen levels weren't quite where they needed to be. The main reason of Lane being in NICU was an infection. To be honest, I can't remember what type of infection it was.
One morning, I left my room in the hospital to slowly make my way to the NICU to see Lane. I had an unplanned C-section with Little Man, so I was still pretty sore and would be for roughly the next 2 months. Once I was back in Lane's little private room, one of our wonderful nurses informed me that they would have to change the placing of his IV. The IV's had previously been in his arms and legs. This time, it would be in his head. Our nurse wanted to tell me because some parents aren't able to handle the sight of a needle in their child's head. Later that afternoon, I came back with Matt to spend time with Lane. Sure enough, the IV had been moved to his head. At first, it didn't bother me so much. Then I really got to thinking about it. Yes, I started crying because I felt so bad for my little guy.
In the first 5 days or so that Lane was in NICU, he was on Oxygen and had a feeding tube. A few times, he ripped the feeding tube out. He didn't like it so much when the nurses had to put it back in. It always made me nervous when his monitors went off too. I was a new parent worried about her child. I think that's a normal reaction.
In the time that Lane was there, he had some really awesome and amazing nurses and doctors. I appreciated that they explained what they were going to do in ways that I could understand. I could also tell that they really cared about these precious little babies and the job they were there to do.
Lane finally got to go home February 12, 2015. My mom was down from Kansas and stayed with us for another two weeks to help us out.
Lately, some friends/acquaintances haven't been having the best of luck with their little babies. A childhood friend and her husband just lost their newborn son. From what little information I got, it was from some sort of complication at birth. A friend from high school and his wife are fighting for their son who has problems with his heart. He's gone through several surgeries (he's close to Lane's age, if not a little younger). When they were ready to deliver him, they had to travel from Kansas to Michigan or Minnesota where there were more experienced doctors to deal with what their son was going to need. A few weeks ago, they were told their son's heart was failing and he was being put on a transplant list. A friend of mine from college and her husband just got to bring their daughter home after spending about a month or so in the hospital from being born about 1-2 months early. This little girl is tough and a fighter.
For each of these families, what they have been going through is far worse than what we went through with Lane. My heart goes out to each of them and to all parents who struggling with their newborn children. If you are one of these families, please know you are not alone. Love to you all.
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Mommy's Day Out
I'm a stay-at-home mom. This means I don't always have much time for myself. For me, it can get a little depressing at times too feeling like I'm cooped up all the time at home. I do try to get ourselves out of the house throughout the week though on mini adventures.
Adult conversation? What's that? I don't get out of the house much except to take Little Man to story time at the local library. Even then, my conversation with the other parents revolves around our children. I'm lucky if I get to go to the grocery store by myself. Of course, I think many parents can relate to this too.
My soon to be mother-in-law lives about 2 1/2 miles from my fiancé and me. Our son is her only grandchild that lives close. So she's here a lot. She's a nice lady and means well, but she can be a little overwhelming at times. Which tends to get on my nerves more than it should. But I am grateful for her.
This morning, she called and asked if she could come sit with Little Man for the day. This way, I could go off and do whatever I wanted by myself. I'm grateful she is so willing to come spend time with him because it makes her feel good and I know Little Man will have good memories of spending time with her.
I don't know about other parents out there, but I can't help but feel guilty every time I leave my son with her, or anyone else, for a few hours while I go to the store or go do something for myself. I feel guilty because being a stay-at-home parent is my full time job. In my mind, I shouldn't be leaving my son in someone else's care, especially during the day. Don't get me wrong, I love being able to have the opportunity to stay home to raise my son. When I am out though, I can't wait to get back home to be with Little Man and give him hugs.
I've been told though by other parents that all parents deserve personal time away from their children. I agree. I know if I go a long time without a break, or time for myself, I start getting more frustrated when it comes to taking care of my son.
What do you think parents: Do you feel guilty when someone else takes care of your child?
Adult conversation? What's that? I don't get out of the house much except to take Little Man to story time at the local library. Even then, my conversation with the other parents revolves around our children. I'm lucky if I get to go to the grocery store by myself. Of course, I think many parents can relate to this too.
My soon to be mother-in-law lives about 2 1/2 miles from my fiancé and me. Our son is her only grandchild that lives close. So she's here a lot. She's a nice lady and means well, but she can be a little overwhelming at times. Which tends to get on my nerves more than it should. But I am grateful for her.
This morning, she called and asked if she could come sit with Little Man for the day. This way, I could go off and do whatever I wanted by myself. I'm grateful she is so willing to come spend time with him because it makes her feel good and I know Little Man will have good memories of spending time with her.
I don't know about other parents out there, but I can't help but feel guilty every time I leave my son with her, or anyone else, for a few hours while I go to the store or go do something for myself. I feel guilty because being a stay-at-home parent is my full time job. In my mind, I shouldn't be leaving my son in someone else's care, especially during the day. Don't get me wrong, I love being able to have the opportunity to stay home to raise my son. When I am out though, I can't wait to get back home to be with Little Man and give him hugs.
I've been told though by other parents that all parents deserve personal time away from their children. I agree. I know if I go a long time without a break, or time for myself, I start getting more frustrated when it comes to taking care of my son.
What do you think parents: Do you feel guilty when someone else takes care of your child?
Monday, February 8, 2016
First Steps
Life is all about first steps and all kinds of new beginnings. Some are exciting while others are scary.
Exciting first step in my world is that Little Man took his first steps on Saturday. Less than a week after celebrating his first birthday, he took 3 steps to me. Just to make sure, I placed him at arms length from me. Sure enough, he took 3 more steps. I sent a video to my family back in Kansas and to his dad who was working. They were all pretty excited. When Matt got home, I put Lane on the floor and he took 6 steps towards Matt. The look on Matt's face showed how proud he was of Lane taking his first steps.
As a parent, your child's first steps can be so exciting and is also a big milestone for them. But it's a new beginning too. It means your baby is growing up just a little bit more when you just want to keep snuggling them or that they stay small and innocent forever.
I've had the opportunity to be able to stay home with Lane during his first year. Yes, some days have been frustrating. But the laughter, giggles and all the good in between has made it all worth it. I've gotten to experience so many if not all of his firsts. I may not remember the exact date or time that some of these things happen. Does it make me a bad parent? Not at all because I know I was there right where I needed to be. I saw him roll over for the first time. When he started getting his first tooth right about Thanksgiving, I was there in the middle of the night comforting him the best I could.
Being a first time parent is scary. There is no manual that you get to bring home from the hospital. There are nights that you are so sleep deprived that you just want to cry, scream, are so frustrated because you don't know what else to do to get your baby to stop crying. I'm pretty sure every parent has been there.
I know I'm no where near the parent my parents or grandparents are. My mom's house is spotless. Even when I was a kid, I remember the house always being clean. Where in the heck did she find the time? Right now, I have toys scattered all over my small living room floor. Half of the dishes are done. I still have to unload the dishwasher. Before Lane fell asleep for nap time, he took a bunch of bowls out of the cabinets and they are still all over the kitchen floor. He's at the point where he getting clingy. If he sees me leave the room, he'll start whining and follow after me, which at times makes it a little difficult to get things done. In my defense though, I just started my second load of laundry for the day. Maybe that's why I leave my house a mess half the time. But by doing so, it makes me feel guilty that the house isn't clean.
Okay, so what if my house is a mess? I'm there for my son and that's all that matters. I get to experience so many of his first steps in life and I couldn't be more grateful.
Exciting first step in my world is that Little Man took his first steps on Saturday. Less than a week after celebrating his first birthday, he took 3 steps to me. Just to make sure, I placed him at arms length from me. Sure enough, he took 3 more steps. I sent a video to my family back in Kansas and to his dad who was working. They were all pretty excited. When Matt got home, I put Lane on the floor and he took 6 steps towards Matt. The look on Matt's face showed how proud he was of Lane taking his first steps.
As a parent, your child's first steps can be so exciting and is also a big milestone for them. But it's a new beginning too. It means your baby is growing up just a little bit more when you just want to keep snuggling them or that they stay small and innocent forever.
I've had the opportunity to be able to stay home with Lane during his first year. Yes, some days have been frustrating. But the laughter, giggles and all the good in between has made it all worth it. I've gotten to experience so many if not all of his firsts. I may not remember the exact date or time that some of these things happen. Does it make me a bad parent? Not at all because I know I was there right where I needed to be. I saw him roll over for the first time. When he started getting his first tooth right about Thanksgiving, I was there in the middle of the night comforting him the best I could.
Being a first time parent is scary. There is no manual that you get to bring home from the hospital. There are nights that you are so sleep deprived that you just want to cry, scream, are so frustrated because you don't know what else to do to get your baby to stop crying. I'm pretty sure every parent has been there.
I know I'm no where near the parent my parents or grandparents are. My mom's house is spotless. Even when I was a kid, I remember the house always being clean. Where in the heck did she find the time? Right now, I have toys scattered all over my small living room floor. Half of the dishes are done. I still have to unload the dishwasher. Before Lane fell asleep for nap time, he took a bunch of bowls out of the cabinets and they are still all over the kitchen floor. He's at the point where he getting clingy. If he sees me leave the room, he'll start whining and follow after me, which at times makes it a little difficult to get things done. In my defense though, I just started my second load of laundry for the day. Maybe that's why I leave my house a mess half the time. But by doing so, it makes me feel guilty that the house isn't clean.
Okay, so what if my house is a mess? I'm there for my son and that's all that matters. I get to experience so many of his first steps in life and I couldn't be more grateful.
Friday, February 5, 2016
Lane's 1st Birthday
I have been gone from the blog for awhile. So much going on it seems. Little man is sleeping so I have a little bit of time right now.
We just celebrated Little Man's 1st birthday this week. Where did the time go? We were back in Kansas and my mom was gracious enough to put together a farm themed party for Lane. The cake was a bunch of cupcakes assembled in the shape of a tractor. Food was even farm themed. Fresh veggies from the "vegetable garden", corn on the cob, pigs in a blanket, potatoes.
When it was time for Lane to have his cupcake, he had a blast! He wasn't super messy, but he definitely enjoyed his cupcake. He also got to try ice cream for the first time. I'm thinking it was a little cold against his teeth because he'd cringe if it touched his teeth. He kept wanting more though.
He could have cared less when we sat down in the living room to open birthday presents. He mainly wanted to play with his cousins, which this time he was actually big enough and active enough to play with them. He got clothes, mega blocks (the big Legos for smaller kids), a few tractors, and also a Radio Flyer tricycle.
On the way back to Texas, we always stop at the same rest stop. I think it's going to become a tradition to take a picture of Lane in the same spot. For a 1-year old, Lane didn't really do too bad on the long trip. We'll see how he does again in April when we go back for when Matt and I get married.
We just celebrated Little Man's 1st birthday this week. Where did the time go? We were back in Kansas and my mom was gracious enough to put together a farm themed party for Lane. The cake was a bunch of cupcakes assembled in the shape of a tractor. Food was even farm themed. Fresh veggies from the "vegetable garden", corn on the cob, pigs in a blanket, potatoes.
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When it was time for Lane to have his cupcake, he had a blast! He wasn't super messy, but he definitely enjoyed his cupcake. He also got to try ice cream for the first time. I'm thinking it was a little cold against his teeth because he'd cringe if it touched his teeth. He kept wanting more though.
He could have cared less when we sat down in the living room to open birthday presents. He mainly wanted to play with his cousins, which this time he was actually big enough and active enough to play with them. He got clothes, mega blocks (the big Legos for smaller kids), a few tractors, and also a Radio Flyer tricycle.
While we were back in Kansas for our very quick trip, Little Man also got is first haircut from Nana Judy. He didn't want to sit still at all for it. Good thing daddy kept giving him some snacks.
On the way back to Texas, we always stop at the same rest stop. I think it's going to become a tradition to take a picture of Lane in the same spot. For a 1-year old, Lane didn't really do too bad on the long trip. We'll see how he does again in April when we go back for when Matt and I get married.
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