As my maternity leave comes to an end {I’m back to work full time two weeks from today}, I realized this week that I should probably start preparing myself for what will inevitably be a rather emotional transition. I never thought that I would want to be a full time stay-at-home-mama. Pretty much since we’ve been married, I have said that working part-time would be my ideal situation: I would get to spend quality time with our babes, and continue on my career path that I had spent so much time establishing. Funny how things change. If you ask me today, given the choice between returning to work and staying home with our babe, I would probably choose to stay home. As our pregnancy was a complete surprise, thus very little planning beyond the nine months, I will be returning to work full time {at least  until Hubby graduates in August and subsequently lands a job — then my dreams of part time workery may become a reality}. Our child care is still up in the air due to Hubby’s unknown clinical rotation schedule. Though I know that things always have a way of working themselves out, this only adds to the list of “things for which we cannot prepare”.

I’ve turned into a bit of a hermit since birthing this boy, and I think that it’s subconsciously because I know that I have to go back to work. I want to soak up all the time that I can with him. I want to spend my days cuddling with him, feeding him, putting him to bed, taking walks and watching him become more interactive every day — because it feels like I’m going to miss out on so many of his days. This has really been a struggle for me — the guilt of returning to work,  leaving this babe and the “well I’m the only one who knows how to {fill in the blank} for Levi”. I’m slowly learning to accept that he will be fine; we will be fine. I know that some mamas aren’t able to take much time off after giving birth, some mamas don’t want to take an extended leave, and that other mamas know from the beginning that they will not return to work. The beauty is that there’s a middle ground — and this is where I’ve landed. This is my journey of motherhood: to figure out how to be a mother, work outside of our home, to find a balance between my career and my little family.

I’ve been reading a lot of “mommy blogs” lately for extra doses of encouragement and inspiration. Although a majority of them are home with their littles full time, a few of my favorites are: Love Taza, Jen Loves Kev, Dear Baby, and Nat the Fat Rat. I particularly love NTFR’s posts on breastfeeding, and DB’s posts discussing working motherhood.

…more to come, of this I am certain.

xoxo,

PJ

Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies who can’t be comforted.

This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purses.

For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes, and all the mothers who don’t.

This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they’ll never see, and the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.

This is for the mother who priceless art collections are hanging on their refrigerator doors.

And for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at football or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth of their cars.

And that when their kids asked, “Did you see me, Mom?” they could say, “Of course, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” and meant it.

This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream before dinner, and for all the mothers who count to ten instead.

This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies, and for all mothers who wanted to, but just couldn’t find the words.

This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat.

For all the mothers who read “Goodnight Moon” twice a night for a year, and then read it again “just one more time.”

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school, and for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.

This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.

This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little voice call “Mom?” in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at home–or even away at college or have their own families.

This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach aches, assuring them they’d be just fine once they got there, only to get calls from the school nurse and hour later asking them to please pick them up. Right away.

This is for mothers who children have gone astray, who can’t find the words to reach them.

For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their 14-year-olds dye their hair green.

For all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful, and now pray they come home safely from war.

What makes a good mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time?

Or is it in her heart?

Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time?

The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby?

The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when you just want to hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in your home?

Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?

The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for young mother stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation, and mature mothers learning to let go.

For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.

Single mothers and married mothers.

Mothers with money, mothers without.

This is for you all. For all of us.

Hang in there. In the end we can only do the best we can. Tell them every day that we love them, and pray and never stop being a mom.

“Home is what catches you when you fall–and we all fall.”

This is one of my favorite images…Logan LOVES to look out the window. He does it everyday! I love capturing things like this.

Congratulations to Jennifer and her husband! And congratulations to Magnus for landing in an amazing home that is sure to be filled with great music from Mama Nettles.

So much love and joy on my first Mother’s Day! A very Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mamas! #MothersDay twitter.com/JenniferNettle…

— Jennifer Nettles (@JenniferNettles) May 12, 2013

The dumb dogs decided that 3 am was an expectable time to get up and want to play. It’s a last straw for me, they woke the whole house up, minus BIL who sleeps in the room with them! So the puppies will revert back to kenneling at night. I would feel bad, but Bear actually loves his kennel, and Gamble is learning to tolerate it. But in this case, they did it to themselves. 3 am is not okay to wake up. Especially since they woke Blue Eyes up. He was not in the best of moods. He refused to go back to sleep. Hubby tried cuddling with him, and that didn’t work. So we tried letting him cuddle with mommy… that didn’t work either. We changed the diaper and made a bottle (yes I caved). Then we dug around the dryer for his freshly cleaned blankie, and I even got into the crib and found his light up bear. Nothing worked until about 5 am. At that point mommy was having Braxton Hicks again, and was hungry.

I tried getting a snack and curling up back in bed, but the sweet spot of sleep was gone. Little miss decided to start kicking on top of the Braxton Hicks. So we got up. Like many people, I can be addicted to facebook games and pintrest. Even those haven’t held my attention this morning. I’d love to go back to sleep, but I can hear my alarm in the other room informing me that it’s time to wake up. I’ll give Blue Eyes a few more minutes of sleep and then it’s off we go to start our day. I promise to pull out the camera sometime this week. It’s been a couple days since I followed Blue Eyes around with the camera. The last day or two he’s practically lived in the cardboard box we put blankies in. He even tried to take his nap in there yesterday. I’ll never know what kids see in boxes, but if he’s happy, I’m happy.

We were actually scheduled to induce labor on Saturday April 13th, but plans change. I had finally given up on going into labor, I was prepared for the induction. I woke up Thursday morning to my water breaking. Since it wasn’t the dramatic scene out of a movie, it took me a few minutes to be sure it had actually broken. Thank god it had! I gave my husband a loving smacking the back and said “get up! We’re having a baby!”

Of course this was the one time nobody wanted to answer the phone, luckily my sister-in-law answered and was happy to babysit Maddison while we went to the hospital. We were admitted to the same room where Maddison was born, we went through all the check in mumbo jumbo and just waited to have a baby. I got my epidural right when the contractions were starting to get pretty painful and for the most part it was smooth sailing after that. Then a few hours later my epidural started to wear off. They checked me and I went from 8 to 10 within about 3 contractions. What a great time for my pain medicine to wear off! They called for an anesthesiologist to come top me off with the magical medicine. It took about 10 minutes for that to kick in and then I was ready to go! After only 2 or 3 rounds of pushing, our beautiful little boy was here!

Not to upset other women, but on top of having a pretty easy delivery, I’ve been lucky enough to have a great recovery as well. We went home from the hospital 2 days later (the day we were going to induce) and I was up cleaning the house a few days after that. Between my OCD and already having a toddler to chase around there just hasn’t been much time for relaxing.

So much has changed but here are a few realizations I have had since having Grayson:

1. I was sad about Maddison no longer being an only child, but I find joy in watching her embrace the big sister role.
2. I’m surprised at how much energy I have, and how after a night of feeding and Grayson crying, my body always finds a way to push through and get shit done!
3. I am having an easier time than I thought I would managing the two different schedules. Luckily my husband is amazing and has been a fantastic help and support.
4. I’ve still been able to find a little time for myself, which I think is SO important.
5. I am more in love with my husband than ever before. Yes, having two kids is challenging and there have been a few times of frustration, but through all of it our kids have brought us even closer together.

I know that as they get older things will change and more challenges will arise, but I’m up for it. Being a mother is the best challenge I’ve ever been faced with and it’s amazing. It’s new every day, it keeps me on my toes and I’m happier than I’ve ever been!

What do you find is the most challenging or rewarding part of
being a parent?

Without further ado, here is the baby moccasin I attempted to make.

I am just curious on everyone’s opinions on the pattern and fringe on the top. Again, I apologize for it being ugly!

Also, I have 9 (yes, 9!!) new onesies almost made!

I find myself panicking at the things that need to be done still. I have a babysitter for Blue Eyes, at least until my family can come…. and I have a couple friends I know who would be willing to be backup, but I’m still nervous. Blue Eyes has never spent a full night away. I know he loves the people who offered to watch him, but what about bedtime? Or not really bed time, it’s more of the waking up in the morning. He did well with my little sister, Bing; but Bing has a similar temperament and personality to me. Plus we look a lot alike. Once he realized she was good he spent weeks looking for her after she went back home.

My house is a disaster zone. Between hubby trying to finish his school, and me trying to finish mine, nobody ever has time for basic cleanup. We struggle to even get the dishes done some days. It’s starting to bother both of us. I did manage to get most of the clean clothes folded today. A major improvement from the laundry basket they’ve been living in. The puppies got their summer haircuts and BIL is back from seeing his son. SO I really shouldn’t be worried right? Well there’s still a dozen things on my mind.

I need Hubby to re-stain the dresser in the garage so I can get little miss’s clothes organized. Thank goodness for a sister with a little girl. I haven’t had to buy any clothes unless I just couldn’t resist. Blue Eyes needs the too small clothes removed from his closet yet again. I swear he’s growing too fast, he’s already over 32 inches tall! But he’s so skinny we have to get those pants with the draw elastic in them. SO out go his clothes. I need a nice big container for those. Hubby isn’t ready to get rid of them yet because we are undecided on how many kids we actually want.

Oh and that mommy hospital bag? I have to laugh at the idea. I read post after post, and blog after blog on what I would need. Yeah, I ended up sending hubby home a couple times to take things that were pointless and get things we needed. I remember being grateful for my own shampoo, my own pillow, and a blanket since our hospital is always freezing. He also had to bring me a baggy pair of sweats and a hairbrush. Anything else, forget it. I don’t care that my newborn pictures look like hell. It’s my little family, and I could care less what others think.
This time we have been looking at a “big brother” present that’s “from the baby”. People keep telling me to get him a baby so he has his own to copy mommy, but I’m not sure if that’s how we’re going to go. I have no problem with him having a baby, but he likes stuffed animals a lot, and he loves books. I’m thinking maybe just a couple of his favorites and then food. lol our little boy sure loves food. Anyone have ideas on what works with introducing a new sister to that young of a baby? Blue Eyes will be just over a year and a half when his little sister arrives.

As a mothers day present to his “mother”, Hideki decided to help me paint…

Initially you might as well realize that not getting 7-8 hours of rest for every night it can have unfavorable influences on your physique. It really makes you consume more my expanding your craving, diminishing metabolism and imperviousness to insulin making it challenging to shed pounds. As another mother I know how hard it is to get to rest early enough, however verify you attempt your hardest.

There are 3 significant pieces to engaging yearning issues.

1. Water -is significant in beverages and sustenance water. Water tops you off without stacking you up with calories. The grandest oversight individuals make is confused thirst for appetite, so drinking more than enough water will assist with that.

2. Protein -consuming protein is the most appetite extinguishing of all macronutrients comprising of protein, carbs and bloated.

3. Strand -Helps top you off snappier with fewer calories abandoning you more full. It likewise moderates your glucose from climbing after dinners which in turn encourage supervise imperviousness to insulin.

A simple tip for occupied mothers is to arrange ahead. I arrange everything which assists fight me from being bird-brained and have my nourishment ready which in turn makes it harder to get a speedy wretched nibble. Begin by planning enough remains of a sound dish you get ready the night in the recent past. This likewise makes it harder to get takeout which is stacked with carbs, sodium, large and so forth.

The simpler the better, which is the reason solidified veggies in a microwavable pack finished with ground Parmesan, is a speedy sound side dish. Presently regarding the matter of solidified dishes, is a supplement detective. keep calories to less than 450, no less than 3-5 grams of strand, no less than 10 grams of protein, keep the immersed large to less than 4 grams and top the sodium at 600 mg. Likewise attempt to buy solidified nourishments that have the dominant part of parts recorded as vegetables, and additionally attempt to stay to entire grain pastas like tan rice and entire wheat pasta. They have an extremely comparative taste in my feeling.

Practicing is intense since most mothers are pressed for time, so do it when you can. I can let you know I wanted to walk; it’s incredible activity and my offspring cherished it. Additionally Melina recommends buying a set of safety groups and 5-10 pound dumbbell weights as well as a 10 moment workout Dvd. As she prescribe it’s tricky to discover a reason not to work out for a day, and this can go far.

Finally she recommends, and mothers with toddlers can validate simultaneously, to be watchful about completing what your child doesn’t. The sum of the small scraps can mean an astounding not many calories each day. Consume protein or suck on a mint while or before bolstering your toddler, attempt to abstain from tidying up their plate while you’re truly ravenous. Green tea is out of this world in the morning to help your metabolism while giving cell reinforcements to help you through your day.

It’s doubtlessly not straightforward to be another mother, while working and practicing, however it might be finished, simply arrange and take after some of these tips and before you know it you will have an out of this world schedule.

today was my first mother’s day. i remember last year celebrating this day with my mama and wondering if i was ever going to celebrate being a mother. life is silly like that, sometimes. fast forward to this mother’s day and BAM i’m a mama. we celebrated by going to church with my parents, and both of my sisters {my middle sister who lives in michigan surprised us by coming for the weekend!!}. we celebrated with a little family nap after church and lunch — though abbreviated by baby levi’s current “nap strike”. we took a few photos outside with my mama to end our little celebration.

hubby {& levi} got me a gift certificate for a massage and a beautiful mother’s necklace that i fell in love with a few years ago {again, wondering when/if i would ever be a mama}. it was the perfect gift to celebrate this beautiful day and new adventure of motherhood.

i feel loved, blessed, and am so very grateful for this special day.

happy mother’s day to the mamas, soon-to-be-mamas, and the hope-to-be-mamas.

xoxo,

PJ

I haven’t finished any projects this last week. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I had finals, and the rest of the week was spent cutting out fabric. I cut out about 40 bibs, 15 pairs of shoes, and a few skirts. I do have 3 shirts finished though, and I have 9 almost done!

I also have an Instagram account where I am putting up pictures of Etsy projects! My account name is little_snowpeas. There isn’t too much up on it, but I’m hoping to get more done with finals being over. And I’m still hoping to launch June 1st!

It was so cute to see this sitting in the middle of island in the kitchen. I’m usually the planner so the fact that my hubby did all of this is one of the sweetest moments we’ve had together.

After I opened my cards and before I opened my “little blue box” from Collins Diamonds I just couldn’t resist going in for the kill on this cake! If you don’t know me then  let me tell you that I LOVE SWEETS! I mean I am beyond sweet tooth status…..I have sugar running through my veins.

The time came to open up my “little blue box” and WOW…my husband did good.

(a little background-my husband is a jeweler/jewelry designer and he just began designing a line called the London Crowne Jewels, named after our little man of course, and he has been telling me it’d be a while before any of the pieces were completed)

SURPRISE! I opened the box to see a gorgeous 3-carat aquarmarine (baby boy’s birthstone) ring from the new line.

Since last nights celebration was so wonderful I could hardly believe there was still another full day ahead. When I woke up Colton cooked me my new favorite breakfast, eggs over easy with wheat toast! If you would have told me a few years ago I would take my eggs this way I would have said, “Um thanks but no thank!”

After breakfast we got London ready for the day and I have come to the conclusion that nothing is cuter than a baby wearing sunglasses. I mean c’mon seriously a sweet kiddo wearing ray bans….EPIC!

Today was also the first time London has worn shoes. He owns like 20 pair already, but he is finally starting to fit into them

Of course I had to have Colton take a few pictures of London and I on my first mommy’s day!

My Mother’s Day consisted of going to the Zoo, which I loved. I am obsessed with visiting the zoo, I just love seeing all the animals! I could seriously hang out here all day, every day. Perhaps it’s because I belong here, lol.

It was so fun seeing all of the other families there too. Everyone was having a blast spending time with family and it was fun to see some of London reactions. Although he slept most of the time he woke up when we went into the Aviary and kept looking around as if he was thinking “WHAT THE HECK!?!?!?”  It was funny because he started waking up, but as soon as we entered the nocturnal house he passed out….hard….go figure.

We had so much fun today. I wish I could rewind it and relive it all over again

 After our Zoo adventure we went to Freddy’s for some lunch, YUMMY!

Little Man and I shared some smiles at lunch and lots of cuddle moments. He even tried his first taste of custard (I’m talking like a VERY little sampling, like the edge of the spoon) and he wasn’t sure about it. I don’t think he inherited my sweet tooth.

Finally I ended my evening with a glass of Moscato in my favorite wine glass

I’d say that my first Mother’s Day was a total success!

Photo books are by far my favourite product that I sell. They are such a wonderful way to keep your family memories and the beautiful images from your session. You can set it out on your coffee table so that it is always handy when you want to look at it. I love being able to touch and feel and be able to turn the pages in the book. I guess I am tactile that way. Whatever it is about them, they are my most favourite and I would recommend them to every single one of my clients.

Contact me to find out about your choices in Keepsake Photo Books for your Maternity or Newborn session!

cherishedbyem@live.com

Contact me with Questions/Interest ღ

This video is directed by Jake Nava, who stands behind other Beyonce’s hits - ‘Crazy in Love’, ‘Naughty Girl’, ‘Baby Boy’ and ‘Single Ladies’ (‘Put a Ring on It’).

За всички вас, едно забранено във Великобритания рекламно видео на Beyonce и нейния парфюм – ‘Heat’.

Режисьор на клипа е Jake Nava, автор и на клиповете към песните й ‘Crazy in Love’, ‘Naughty Girl’, ‘Baby Boy’ и ‘Single Ladies’ (‘Put a Ring on It’).

И… ако изведнъж ви стане много топло, вероятно няма да е от пролетния дъжд навън, затова просто махнете някоя от дрехите си