Snapshots of Our Life: Camera Phone

Introducing Madden to his first football.

Helping Dad work. (Oh, and do you see Miko peeking out too? That dog loves a good blanket to bury himself in.)

My little flirt. See that half-smile?

Early Morning Routine. Stare at the windows.

Morning Nap. We both fell asleep.

Madden is still napping away. So I sneak off to the shower, Ben comes in for baby monitoring duty.

Coming Home

I cried a lot of tears when I was pregnant. Aside from the increased hormones, I spent a lot of time in agony at the thought that when our baby got here, I'd go back to work. I know some mothers have no choice, but to return to work. I know other mothers thrive on being able to work and come home to their babies. I respect those women a lot. But for me...before I had ever held our baby, I knew my heart was to stay with our baby.

For 9 months, Ben encouraged me to trust God with the desire of my heart. With the state of our finances. I wish I could say I did. But I didn't. I gave up. I cried. I made plan B. Plan B: Ben would watch our baby. It was plan B that I advertised to friends, family, and anyone who asked. And I smiled bravely about going back to work and leaving my baby.

The last 2 months, I've enjoyed Madden. Tremendously. I won't lie; being a parent is the hardest, most daunting, but overwhelmingly incredible role I've ever had. Each day, I spent all day, every moment with him. And I wondered: could I actually handle staying home ALL DAY? And at the same token: could I handle being away ALL DAY? I pushed the questions away and focused on the moment: the moments with Ben, the moments with Madden. I cherished them all.

 Ben began to realize that juggling school, work and taking care of Madden was too much. And amazingly, we looked over our finances and realized: I could stay home. I was afraid to let hope grow. But today, TODAY, I am happy to announce that I will be staying home to take care of our baby full-time. I am delighted. God is good.

I love this child.

I know I look tired, but I am not...I promise. :)

9 Weeks Old

Dear Madden,

You are 9 weeks old. You are growing very rapidly. Almost daily, I see something different about you. Let's talk about people in your life -

Your daddy - He loves you. So. Much. He changes diapers like a champ. Still panics when you cry. And, like your mommy, checks to make sure you are breathing a billion times. (You will understand this when you have your own kiddos)

Your grandparents. You have the immense privilege of having very active and involved 3 sets of grandparents and 1 set of great-grandparents. YOU ARE THE FIRST AND CURRENTLY ONLY GRANDCHILD - which makes you very spoiled. You are still too  little to realize this, but you have every single one of those grandparents wrapped around your finger.

Your friends - Yes, you have friends! Your friends Graham, Judah, and Caleb. You don't really play with them yet, but we are all looking forward to when you do.

Let's talk about your physical features; depending on which side of the family you ask, you will get different answers. But I can tell you that you definitely favor your daddy when he was a baby. You have my nose and aspects of my face structure. We have found your first tooth. This creeped me out a bit, but there is no denying it - your first tooth is here!

We love you.  Tremendously.

5 Things I can't Live Without: Baby Edition

I am not paid to endorse any of this items, I just REALLY love them and like to spread the word on good products, etc.


When it comes to holding the title "Mommy", I'm still pretty new to this entire new role. But in the last couple of weeks, I have definitely found myself in a lot of appreciation for the following:

Mamaroo - If we are honest, Ben and I originally bought the Mamaroo because it looked like a cool baby gadget to have in the house. HOWEVER, it has become the best investment! Here are some reasons why I love it:
1) Madden lays down in it. Unlike swings which can make a baby's head flop over, the Mamaroo is like a baby hammock.
2) It has different settings for swaying.
3) The little mobile is CLASSICAL PAINTINGS. (This maybe one of my favorite aspects ever!)
4) It has an iPod hook-up.
5) Madden loves it.
6) Customer service is AWESOME! (I follow them on twitter and they ALWAYS respond to me!)


Hygiea Breast Pump - After a lot of research on breast pumps, I went with the Hygiea because it had great reviews (both of ease of use and customer service). The reviews were correct - it is easy to use, and they do have great service. They are also on twitter and they RESPOND to questions/comments!

Social Media Networks - Yes, I can't live without Facebook and Twitter as a new mommy. Why? Because both have given me a lot of wonderful information on breastfeeding, infant growth spurts, etc. (yes, I do listen to my doctor, but I also love to do research on my own to be well-informed). In addition, I have a lot of friends on Facebook who are new moms like me and I love how we learn together!

HoMedics Sound Spa - My mother-in-law gave Madden this sound spa for Christmas and it is MY favorite gift! He finally goes to bed without screaming, crying or me holding him for hours. I love that it offers a combination of "white noise" and a little floating image projected on the ceiling for him to watch. He sleeps and I enjoy some time with Ben.

Baby Trend Stroller Snap 'N Go - We originally bought a different stroller that said it was car seat compatible for all car seats...when we got it, we discovered our carseat DEFINITELY didn't fit. So, some quick research by my mother-in-law (she is so handy!), tracked down this awesome stroller. It is easy to assemble, it holds car seats, it climbs over rocky terrains, it goes shopping, to church, to restaurants, and it fits in the back of the car - it is basically awesome.

Christmas 2011 Report

We spent our first Christmas with Madden enjoying the day. Simply enjoying every single moment.

We woke up late - a luxury we didn't take for granted...this is probably the LAST Christmas we will get to sleep in!

I watched Ben grin like a fool showing Madden the half-eaten cookies left by Santa. 

Madden fell asleep after the 1st toy was opened.

We munched on cinnamon rolls and sausage (breakfast) meatballs the entire day.

We cleaned up puke from overly-excited dogs - a result of their Christmas treats.

We watched basketball.

Ben and I exchanged gifts...this year we tied on who gave who the best gifts. Because you know this is an ANNUAL Competition.

Honestly, I've always heard Christmas is more fun when you become a parent, and IT IS SO TRUE!

His Christmas Outfit.

And he is 7 weeks old!

I don't think a day goes by that Ben and I hold the baby up to the other and say, "CAN YOU BELIEVE HOW MUCH HE HAS GROWN?!?!"

While it is so exciting to see how Madden is changing, it is startling at how fast he is changing too.

He knows us. Not by voice alone any more, but by sight. That is beautiful.
He gives us the most beautiful, gummy smile around.
We are still changing a million diapers.
We are still dodging spit up.
 But we are thankful for both, because it means everything is working just fine.
He is officially wearing 0-3 months.
He needs an outfit change 3-4 times a day. On average. 
Speaking of clothes, he hates them. Our child is happiest in only his diaper.
I am afraid to cut his fingernails.
Ben reads to him every night.
He is like his mommy in that he loves to be held, cuddled and touched.
He listens so intently as Ben talks to him. It is adorable to watch this little one hang on every word from his daddy.
We dodged out of the church service for the 1st time because he started crying.
My cousin Leah gave him the only toy  that he loves!(at the moment)
He is noisy - he grunts, growls, coos and generally, has a lot to say!

We love being parents.

2 years: Married

In the midst of our baby/life changing induced haze, we realized our two year wedding anniversary was approaching. We wanted to do something fun. We discussed going to Chattanooga, TN or Greenville, SC. Or staying in town. We debated do we get a babysitter or not?

In the end, we vetoed it all. In light of our love for big celebrations, we went simple instead. We decided to go back to where this all started. We went back to the coffee shop where we had our first date. It was Ben's suggestion, his idea. And I loved it...he KNOWS I love all things sentimental.

2.5 years ago, we were nervous as we met each other for coffee. I rambled on and on about stupid things that he still remembers word-for-word even now. On Saturday, we pushed a stroller into that quaint coffee shop. Over coffee and cookies, we spent time reminiscing...very much in awe, that this time around, we were celebrating marriage. It was fun. 

Afterwards, we pressed "pause" on our evening as we changed diapers and fed Madden.

Then, we made our way to the restaurant where we celebrated our engagement with friends and family. We talked, and laughed, and in general, enjoyed opportunity to celebrate.

I've said it before, but I think it should be repeated. I love being married to Ben. He is such a hard working, focused and determined man. He has a big heart. He makes me laugh, hard and frequently. We may fight, but we always strive towards and arrive at reconciliation. We've faced difficulties, but we've learned to overcome them. I am looking forward to the next 60+ years with him.

Milo, Miko and Madden

Poor Miko (the white one). He still has no idea we have a baby. He thinks HE is the baby. Milo (the black one) really loves Madden. He gets upset when Madden cries.

Wait! He sees the baby! Probably only the 2nd time Miko has realized someone else is in the house. (This was also right before Milo rolled over...on Madden.)

Miko trying to be still. This is nearly impossible since he is constantly moving...hence the blurriness. Both dogs have tried to steal Madden's pacifier at some point...usually, this happens when Madden throws it.

Madden survives Milo and Miko!

We have a 5 week old

How did this happen? Where have these short weeks gone?

Madden is 5 weeks old. Let me repeat - 5 weeks old!

He is growing very plump which makes me a happy momma. He has managed to gain weight and since birth has only lost 1 ounce. He has so much personality. He is constantly smiling, or giving funny faces.

He has 1 freckle. His eyes are turning dark which I hope means he will have brown eyes to match his parents. He is not bothered by barking dogs, sounds of the TV or the vacuum cleaner. Madden loves to be held - which is fine by me because I love to hold him! He is working to lift his head by himself and seems just fine with tummy time. He hates, I repeat, HATES dirty diapers; so we are NEVER in doubt of his need of a clean diaper.

When Madden sleeps, it is like watching a mini-Ben. They sleep in the same positions. He sleeps at night in 3-4 hour increments. Which means you are likely to find me on facebook at 4am. We are adjusting to size 1 diapers and 0-3 months clothes. The newborn stage lasted a good 4.5 weeks. Madden loves bath-time something that still surprises me - I thought for sure he wouldn't like it. But I was wrong.

So far, we have braved the grocery store, 2 restaurants, a drive-in movie theater, Christmas Tree farm and church with him. I am still a fan of requiring Haz-Mat suits for visitors, but Ben vetoed that idea...which is why we are actually getting out of the house.

Madden has made our wonderful life even better.

Date Night: Post Baby

When the third Twilight Movie came out, I really wanted to watch it. Badly. But when the movie came out, I had a two week old baby.

So, Ben and I tried to arrange friends and family to come watch the little one so we could head to the movies. Sickness, holidays and more kept putting a rain-check for that plan.

Until Ben had a brilliant idea. Drive-In Movie Theater. So our first date night took place. We packed up the baby, grabbed some fast food, picked up our favorite movie candy and away we went! It was perfect. We could talk through the movie, take care of the baby AAAANNNDDD we got to watch the movie. Finally.

Throughout the movie, Ben would look at me and say, "Whose idea was this? Who suggested a drive-in movie theater?" 

I am looking forward to our next date night.

Nursery Tour

Where I got what:
Quilt (my creation)
Crib (Not sure of the exact name or brand of crib)
Rug,
Owl riding Bike Art,
Owls reading,
Bedtime Owl Print
Owl with green background (gifted),
Owl painted canvas (custom piece my sister got for me),
Trio Piece (Owls on Tree, Nature Scene, "M" piece)
O is For Owl Art Piece (working to find the link for the seller)

Owl Pillow/Stuffed Animal
Owl Pillow (my creation)
Dresser (bought from a friend)

We became three

Last week, Ben and I became +1. We became three. This first week, we adjusted to sleep deprivation. We discovered we would survive without help. We discovered we could do this thing called parenthood. Most of all, We stared in wonder at this tiny one...amazed that he is ours.

This week, we have remained astonished by the amount of diapers we've gone through.

The long hours we now keep at night.

We worry. We have learned to be flexible.

More than anything, we have stared in wonder at this tiny one...amazed that he is ours.

We've called the doctor out of concern.

We've sang silly songs. We've read books. We have enjoyed the reality of parenthood.

We have continually stared in wonder at this tiny one...absolutely amazed that he is ours.

Baby A Update: Pregnancy concludes

My last blog post regarding waiting for Madden was week 37. Technically, I posted that at the BEGINNING of my 38th week...I was running behind and figured it was best to post something, rather than nothing.

The last couple of weeks (last week and this week, in particular), have been a whirlwind. To be honest with you, I'm not ready to share everything quite yet. But, I can summarize:

- This pregnancy has been all about teaching this insane planner to be truly flexible.
- I have learned the importance of giving myself GRACE. Grace to know that while I am my Mother's daughter, I am not under any obligation to do it "her" way.
- At the end of the day, pregnancy presents decisions that must be made and the only ones who can make the best decisions are (for instance) Ben and I.

- Our baby is here! Ben and I are amazed that this child is a product of both of us; and we are enjoying every moment with him.
- All my specific prayer requests were answered concerning the birth and delivery of our son.
- satisfaction over how the entire event (labor and delivery) went.
- It has only been mere days since our son's birth, but I have enjoyed the impact of a deeper partnership in our marriage.
- Watching Ben as a dad. It is heart-melting.
- Infant smiles and facial expressions.

Baby A Update: Week 37

We are getting near the end! I've mentioned before how surreal this entire process is...but really! In just a few short weeks, this baby who has been long-anticipated is always here!

This week, I experienced:

- Hot-flashes. SO WEIRD. I'm not accustom to getting hot in the middle of the night. Sweating - all the time.

- Still starving. It never ends.

- Celebrating Maternity pictures. Katie Rivers absolutely amazed me.

- We await the arrival of the crib, swing, and breast pump. Let's hope they get here soon! :)

- Ben brings me back to earth and talks me out of haz-mat suits in light of my fears of Madden getting the flu. (I wish I was kidding about that sentence)

- Weird aches, pains and leaks. Let's leave it at that.

- This child's sports clothes collection is growing rapidly - he already owns the following: multiple Atlanta Falcon's outfits, LA Lakers' t-shirt, Georgia Tech onesie and Ohio Buckeye onesie (my best friend is a fan).

- Wonderful pedicures. I love Ben for taking good care of me!

- Decaf Pumpkin Spice Latte. It is only my 4th cup of coffee since I've been pregnant. It was wonderful.

- The end is in sight. And a new beginning awaits.

Baby A Update: Week 36

If you ask me how much longer I have this week, I will tell you 3.5 weeks. It feels so close, but then so far away too. Sometimes, I even wonder if this pregnancy is real, then the baby kicks and moves around or I get up to use the restroom (for the 1000th time) and I am reminded this is real...the days just seem long right now.

For this week, we have a lot to highlight:

- Ben makes me laugh by:

• When I have Braxton Hicks Contractions: He asks me if now is when I'm going to "birth that baby?"
• He practices his reaction for when my water breaks. Hysterically funny. 
• Telling me he is ready for this pregnancy deal to be over. (I think we both are!)

- After months and months of gathering various pieces of art for the nursery, the frames are here and the art is going up this weekend! 

- Praying and hoping that Madden doesn't come until my sister arrives. But, he can definitely arrive the 1st day she is here! :)

- Woke up from a dream where it was my firstborn's birthday and I forgot.

- Watching the quilt for the nursery come together. It really is looking AWESOME...and it isn't even finished yet!

- Trying not to forget to buy about 5 packets of Polaroid film for my Polaroid camera for when the baby gets here.

- Swollen feet. And hands. And face. Looking forward to the day where walking isn't uncomfortable and my fingers look normal again and my face isn't puffy.

- Cherishing these last few weeks of Ben and I. I know I've mentioned this before, but as this pregnancy comes to an end, I am reminded by how much our lives will change (for the best, of course!). Yet with the goodness about to be bestowed on us, I am not forgetting or ignoring the goodness these last 2 years of JUST Ben and I have been.

- Craving pancakes. Someone please place a pancake shop right outside my house with endless flavors of pancakes. I can't get enough.

- Determined to cherish every moment with Madden. To enjoy those messy diapers, and spit up stains and sleepless nights because life is short and we only get this time with our baby once. Planning to hold our little one a lot because life is short and we only get this with our baby once. To not hurry his progress...he will walk eventually, throw a ball, play with his friends and eat solid food...all in due time. But to enjoy each moment. All because we only get this time with our baby once.

- Praying for grace to raise our son.

Baby A Update: Week 35

Week 35 came with 2 doctor's appointments; where I found out I am progressing normally. This week also brought other things as well:

- I returned to my college to celebrate homecoming and visit with friends. It was so much fun; but I was acutely aware of how being with friends from college may make me FEEL like a college girl again, but at 9-months pregnant I have to keep in mind how much is too much and know when to stop.

- Sleepless nights continue...making Sunday afternoon naps wonderful.

- Hospital bag ready.

- My pre-baby to-do list continues to shrink. It is ESPECIALLY nice to have thank you notes done! woohoo!

- After the last 7 months of doing MORE than his fair share of the housework, Ben is enjoying the fruits of my nesting.

- My dad orders the "come-home-from-the-hospital-outfit". I know it is a baseball uniform which is significant since ALL my brothers wore a baseball uniform when my parents brought them home.

- For the past couple of weeks, I would think "6 1/2 weeks" left. Now, I'm just rounding down. Which means, this weekend, I've been telling EVERYONE I only have 4 more weeks. Which is true, but is probably a little ahead of myself too.

- I waited my entire pregnancy for the insensitive comments of people...and they came, right at the end. It has been extremely unbelievable the comments I have received and how they have left me feeling embarrassed and uncomfortable.

- Praying this baby comes the week my sister is here. I really want her there.

- Realizing how good life is.

Baby A Update: Week 34

This week, for whatever reason, it hit me. I'm approximately 6 weeks from meeting our baby. Several people have asked if I am scared of delivery, no, I'm not. But, it definitely seems surreal that Ben and I are about to become parents. These last few weeks of just Ben and I are ones I am cherishing. As life will change (for the best, of course), I am spending a lot of time praying and hoping we don't lose the "us" factor of our family.

This week brought:

- possible candidates job-shadowing to fill in for me at my job. That seemed so weird, but also crazy because I'm SO CLOSE and I will spend these final weeks before Madden gets here training this individual.

- Gagging on my own stomach acid. Is that nasty or what to think about? But it happened and it scared Ben as much as it scared me. I've made adjustments with my sleeping arrangements to avoid that happening again. So far, so good.

- Feeling like my hips creak back into place when I moved. Oh my...it made walking a whole new experience as I waddle to get things adjusted.

- Ben watching me jump into to action (as he calls it). This nesting thing has made me feel a sense of urgency to get EVERYTHING finished. The nursery is becoming more and more organized and I am wrapping up those last minute projects that are STILL hanging over my head.

- We had our maternity pictures taken. It was so much fun and I am so eager to see how they turned out. Now,  I can officially start thinking about the newborn pictures.

- Realizing how much Madden loves music. It is so fascinating to feel him wiggle when there is music playing.

- I'm ready. I'm ready to hold our baby and looking forward to embracing the opportunity, responsibility and privilege given to Ben and I to raise our little one.

Baby A Update: Week 33

It is so hard for me to grasp that our baby will be here in 7 weeks. It seems like time has flown by in one sense...and yet, it feels like I've been pregnant for FOREVER.

This week:

I encountered sharper pains of Braxton Hicks contractions.

I watched my feet (and hands too) start swelling again.

Pregnancy insomnia greeted me warmly...although, I have NOT returned the greeting so well.

I bought pregnancy skinny jeans. I felt silly buying jeans at 8 months pregnant, but it is AMAZING what a pair of skinny jeans will do for a girl. I felt normal. :) 

Week 33 is one week I don't want to forget either. It marked the week I realized that for all my calculated planning for preparing for this baby, some things are out of my control.

Ben's Mom threw us a baby shower. We were so overwhelmed by the generosity of friends and family who came to celebrate our little one's arrival.

The weeks are ticking by so quickly....which already have me wishing the next 18 years will crawl by. He isn't even here yet, but we are anxious to cherish every moment with our child.

How I Chose Our Photographer

Anyone who knows me knows I love photography. My favorite photographers are Jessica Claire and Jasmine Star. I've been following them for years and I love their work. When we found out we were expecting, I went right to work to find the perfect photographer.

My criteria for a photographer is simple:

I want to hear their heart. Basically, I want to spend hours on their blog, because I truly believe that any photographer that is willing to blog their work, is willing to show how they've grown and expanded. (which is why I love Jessica and Jasmine)

I want to know who inspires them in the photography business. Following Jessica and Jasmine has given me a pretty good idea of those well-known photographers. The celebrities in the photography business. That said,  I want to who my photographer admires. Who he or she blog-stalks.

They can't be expensive. Okay, to be honest, this is Ben's stipulation, but it definitely makes the pool of photographers THAT MUCH SMALLER when you combine this with my picky-ness.

So with all that in mind, it seems impossible, right? In fact, Ben and I have joked that I should just go into to photography to element my exhaustive search! But, wouldn't you know that my habit of Facebook-stalking my friends paid off when I found my photographer?

My college-friend Melissa got married several months ago and as I was creeping through her pictures...(admit it, we ALL DO IT!)...I fell in love with her photographer, Katie Rivers. Okay, so maybe it was more of Katie's work that I fell in love with, but you get the point. What absolutely sealed the deal for me? Katie LOVES JESSICA CLAIRE. Katie was affordable. AND Katie has an awesome blog.

I was barely 4 months pregnant contacting a photographer for maternity and newborn pictures. Call me crazy...but I know a good thing when I see it. Luckily for me, I DID contact Katie right away, because over the summer, she announced doing weddings exclusively. (Which means that future family photos will start the search ALL over again!)

In just a week, I will meet Katie for the first time when we do our maternity session. I am so excited! Katie has graciously allowed me to send her multiple photographer shots that I've loved, so it has been nice to know how approachable she is.

This is only the beginning, and I cannot wait!

Baby A Update: Week 31 & 32

Week 31 slipped by without much incident. I have been doing a lot of research on breastfeeding, returning to work and more. It is a lot to process through; but I know that I will feel better prepared and less overwhelmed in the coming weeks if I process through everything now.

The one highlight of Week 31 was: Receiving a text from Ben telling me he just purchased clothing for Madden. 

Week 32 started off with talking to my best friend. We haven't seen each other in so long; and it is weird for me to be very pregnant without her here. The entire conversation was the perfect start to my week. Especially, since Braxton Hicks contractions have begun in full swing. Listening to Ben talk to Madden. He has been doing this along, but as we get closer, his conversations start with "Hi Son, it's your Dad." and end with "Love you." These are the moments I want to remember for ever.

The past two weeks have made me so thankful. Here is an update on my pregnancy thankfulness:

Social Media: Twitter and Facebook have become incredible and highly valuable resources for me as I prepare for this baby.

My best friend Stephanie. During our conversation, she told me she felt a special connection/attachment to my baby. I loved hearing that.

Milk. It is the best thing EVER. I have seriously gone through 2 gallons in the last 2.5 weeks. This is an incredible feat; but more than that I CAN'T GET ENOUGH.

Nesting has arrived full force. It is nice to have some energy and FEEL like cleaning everything I encounter. 

The countdown to this baby's arrival is now to SINGLE DIGITS. That is so crazy to both Ben and I...But we are SO ready.