I like my mommy-ness :)

I never really thought about "liking" the part of being a mama that leaves new kind of messes around the house.  I never thought about how folding tiny onesies would make me happy, and how cleaning up a basket of toys at the end of the day would make me feel complete.  I like having a million things to remember to pack in the diaper bag before we can leave the house, and I like having a living room full of bouncy, swingy, noise-making things.  I like being a mom.

Being a mom is not what I thought it would be.  I've already broken several "rules" I had set for myself before Adrian was born.  I use formula (I was dead-set on breastfeeding and didn't allow myself to consider that it might not work out), thus, I use bottles (I didn't have a single one in the house when Adrian was born).  I didn't want to use pacifiers, but now I own three and use them daily to put my baby to sleep.  I still don't want him to have it hanging out of his mouth all the time when he's a year old, but I don't mind using it at night and before naps.  *sigh*.  Adrian is not on a schedule, another thing I thought I'd master, although he has finally settled into a routine and so I still feel accomplished.

At the end of the day, I'm okay with all of it :)

The best part of being a parent is that it is the most rewarding and joyful thing I've ever experienced.  I'm learning to accept my hair falling out even though it's creepy (although I don't think anyone would be okay with bald spots), and the 5 billion stretch marks I've accumulated, because my baby is so worth it.  I love the cuddles and kisses and whispered prayers.  I love how proud I am of the little things.  I'm thankful that my baby makes me feel close to my Jesus because I know how much of a gift he is.  I love this.  I love my baby.

"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever."Psalm 23

Happy Birthday Me.

It's a little awkward to write about one's own birthday...especially if you're me.  Because if you're me, you have the signature best friend that is the same age as me, as well as the signature best college friends that are the same age as me, but every other precious friend in your life would be at least 5-18 years older than you.  Which (if you were me), would make you feel awkward to announce that you are *whispers*....tweeeennnty- threeee.

If you were me, most people would laugh at you for being such a baby age.

*sigh*

Which makes me want to defend all the things I've stuffed into my short, short life and prove that I am in fact wise and ancient, but alas, that would be selfish.  So, there you go, blogger world: I'm 23.

It's been a very good birthday.  This will always be one of my most special-est birthdays because it's the first one that I am celebrating as a mama.  Of course, last year I was pregnant on my birthday, I just didn't know it.

My sweet manly husband let me sleep all night without waking me to take care of the baby, which was so kind of him.  Adrian gave both of us the gift of sleeping from 9:30-5:30 (claps).  Nick gave me a gift card to Marshall's (!), some makeup, my favorite chocolate (Lindt Truffles), chap stick, and roses all wrapped up in a gift bag with orchids on it.  Somehow I'm surprised at the extent to which my husband knows me :)

I spent the day with Andrea and Adrian relaxing and trying to stay cool (these North Carolina summers are nasty).  Then, we went to surprise our friend Michele for her birthday (we share the same birthday).  She felt surprised and loved and it was a great way to spend the day.

Thank you all my sweet friends for your lovely comments on my facebook and email - they have truly made my day! Happy June 28th!

“Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you: when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…” – Isaiah 43:1-3

DIY Bunny Lovie

Adrian loves the lovies that he has.  He is in a phase right now where he is genuinely comforted with a blanket or one of his stuffingless lovies...so I was in a bit of a crafty mood yesterday and decided to make him one.  It was super easy!  All you need is:  an old fleece blanket (usually $1.50  - $3 at the end of the winter season..sooo much cheaper than buying fleece by the yard), quilting needle, quilting thread, scissors and a marker.

Step 1:  Fold  blanket in half and draw half a bunny against the fold:

Step 2:  Cut along the line.  Place cut out piece on top of folded blanket against the fold.  Cut again.  You will have two identical sides.

 It will look like this:

Sew the two pieces together.  I decided to keep the stitching on the outside instead of turning it inside-out because I like the look of it.  Before you sew the two sides of the head together, you may want to create a sleepy bunny face.

Once both sides have been sewn together, tie knots at the ears, neck, arms and legs.  This is for baby to chew on.

When complete, give to baby. He will be filled with joy.

If you decide to make one, let me know how it goes!

We visited some friends last night who are living on base at the beach. Seriously, how awesome would it be to have the ocean as your back yard!  We enjoyed our time with them and we introduced Adrian to the beach for the first time.

He loved it! It was an extremely windy day so he got overwhelmed pretty quickly, but I think especially next summer he will have so much fun in the sand and the water.

He looked so cute in his little hat!

I love our little family of three! We are so blessed :)

"Who builds his upper chambers in the heavens and founds his vault upon the earth; who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the surface of the earth— the Lord is his name" (Amos 9:6)

I'm on a mission!

Recently, my hubby resigned from his job at the church, resulting in a loss of 1/3 of our yearly income.  No worries...we're confident in the Lord's ability to provide.

BUT...I'm on a mission to make the most out of Nick's yearly salary.  Me going back to work is not an option for us - we don't want to put Adrian in daycare (plus, we both really want me to stay home with him).  So, in an attempt to keep Nick from delivering pizzas in the evening when he gets home from work, I am going to become (drum roll please): COUPON DIVA!

I'm really excited!  A friend shared with me how I can start using walgreens to eventually get household products and toiletries for FREE.  This is good news.  My sister Kayla is already pretty skilled at this, so I'm sure I'll be looking to her for a lot of advice.

I'll let you know how it goes!

Loving my Samuel

I love the names we gave our son. 

I love the Italian origin of "Adrian, and the meaning that ties him to our love of the ocean...something that in itself is a testimony to the bigness of God with the crashing of the world of the sea against the world of the earth.  Honestly, if it wasn't so weird, I would have named Adrian "Ocean", but alas...that's a very weird name.

I really love the name "Samuel" because of what it means to us.  If you want to read our journey behind his middle name, you can read it here. I found the verse that says, 1 Samuel 1:27–28 "I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD" and loved it.  We decided to give Adrian this as his middle name because his existence had proven the Lord's love for us time and time again. My fervent prayer when waiting for Adrian's arrival was that the Lord would help us lead our son to love Him and develop a relationship with Him.

This prayer was genuine, but I remember a moment during his first week of life that made me take what I was praying more seriously.  Adrian had been screaming for hours and nothing I was doing could calm him down (I later realized he was starving - I had been trying to put him on a schedule, something that ended up NOT being "easy, effective, and enjoyable" for our little family).  I was exhausted and very much in pain.  He was nursing about every three hours, but when he nursed, he tore the flesh from me so every feeding session was excruciatingly painful and I quickly began to dread it.  I remember cradling him against me and praying over and over again, "thank you Lord that I have this precious child to feed".  I meant it so much, knowing that even though this minute in my life was painful, I had been given the greatest gift on earth in that child.  I soon learned ways to better feed him that was better for both of us, and now feeding him is a very sweet, cuddly time for us :) 

The Lord has gently reminded me in the nearly three months that Adrian has been here that as much as I love my baby, Jesus loves him SO much more than me.  Morbidly, I'll admit, I've thought many times what I would do if God allowed a tragedy such as childhood cancer or sickness or something else that would force me to surrender him MUCH earlier than I would hope.  I know that my baby is no exception to the Lord's plan.  Although I pray the Lord would entrust Adrian's life to me for years and years and years, I know it is a good reminder to keep the "so now I give him to the Lord" part of the verse in the forefront of my mind.  Adrian is a gift.  I do not deserve to be a mother, or be entrusted with the precious gift of joy that has blessed our home.  He is his Heavenly Father's child first and foremost, and I do pray that one day he will except God's gift of life and be reborn.

This is why I love my Samuel.  The name that makes me keep my priorities in check.

I have started reading Mary Beth Chapman's book, "Choosing to SEE" about losing her 5 year old baby girl.  I am only at the second chapter right now, but I have already cried.  My friend who loaned the book to me warned me that it would convict me about my attitude about surrendering my baby to the Lord as it did her. 

I am just a mom.  Lots of people are moms.  While of course it is a special job, it is certainly an ordinary one.  In short...I am a mom, I am not God. 

While I wish and desperately hope and pray for a long healthy life for my son and future children, I need to walk through life with open hands, knowing that the Lord's will for their lives may not always be my own.  I am not at that place yet. I pray I will be at that place.  God is GOOD and so is His plan...ALL THE TIME!

Finally Back!

As of today, I'm finally back to volunteering at Onslow Pregnancy Resource Center.  I'm excited.  Originally, my plan was to be out on "maternity leave" for two weeks...but God had other plans.  With Nick being gone at training, and Adrian and I being in GA for a week, followed by being in Winston-Salem for a week, followed by Nick's mom being here for a week, I needed a little time to adjust to motherhood. 

I'm still sad about not nursing, but I'm reminding myself of the many benefits of formula.  Such as: being able to volunteer without being tied to the pump.  Yay!  Adrian did pretty well - I'm thankful he's such a happy baby :) He took a little nap and let me get some work done.
Back to volunteering:  OPRC is a great place to volunteer!  Nick and I love being able to be a part of such a great ministry.

OPRC offers free pregnancy tests, confidential support, abortion education, pregnancy options counseling, baby and maternity items, adoption referrals, sexual health education, and referrals to community agencies.

If you want more information, visit http://www.onslowpregnancyresources.com/ or come visit at 411-C Western BLVD.  Jacksonville, NC 28546

Who wants to save money?

You do!  Of course you want to save money.  I do too :)  I just wanted to share with you some ways I save money online that are super easy.  It takes me just a few minutes a day to use these sites, and I'm using them to put money away for Christmas presents.  December-March is "gift season" for me, because it includes my Mom's birthday, Christmas, Nick's Birthday, Andrea's birthday, Valentine's day, and now Adrian's birthday.  I have to save to be ready for it!  I LOVE buying gifts, so of course I want to be able to give well.

Swagbucks.  This is the best site!  It's very easy, but be warned - it takes a while to be rewarded for it.  Basically, it is a search engine.  I use it as my primary search engine, and periodically I am rewarded with "swagbucks" for my searches.  I also do the daily polls (worth 1 swagbuck) and trusted surveys (worth multiple bucks if you qualify). You can earn every day!

Recently, I redeemed my collected swagbucks for $25 worth of Amazon.com gift cards.  I was able to buy the nosefrida for Adrian, which was great because it technically didn't cost me anything!  I'm about to redeem more for $10 worth of Amazon gift cards - it's the way to go.

InboxDollars.  I just discovered this site recently - about 5 days ago.  It's a survey site that rewards you, but the best part is that it sends you "paid emails".  Your account is credited every time you open their emails, whether you complete the offers the emails are about or not.  I already have $8.00 in my account.  I know that is not very much in the large scale of things, but when I'm saving for one specific thing, like Christmas, it's great!






 
RewardTV.  I have been using this site for about 5 days as well.  You can answer trivia about TV shows you may have watched the night before, as well as movies you may have seen.  It also offers bonus surveys where you can earn points quickly.  I am very close to redeeming my points for a $25 gift card to Old Navy.  My little man is already wearing 3-6 month clothes so I need to buy new clothes for him sooner than I was expecting...a gift card is certainly useful!
http://www.rewardtv.com

Panda Research.  This is a site similar to InboxDollars.  The surveys they offer are kind of weird...most of them pay well if you want to actually complete the offers you take surveys on, but that usually costs money so obviously I don't do them.  They send paid emails as well, which is great!  I've made about $10 already. 
http://www.pandaresearch.com
One thing I would suggest is setting up an email account specifically for these survey sites, because otherwise your regular email account will be flooded with these emails.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy these as much as I do! Good luck!

Some of My Favorite Quotes

Here are some of my favorite quotes that I would like to share with you!  I'm a huge fan of quotes in general, because I like finding things that say things about my life or thoughts better than I can.  Enjoy!

Hope you enjoyed them!

My baby is 11 weeks!

Wow, these eastern North Carolina summers are so hot!  I keep thinking how grateful I am that I was pregnant in the cooler months as opposed to the warmer.  I can't imagine carrying around a little heat box in this weather!  We've just been keeping a window AC unit on in the living room and keeping the central air off to save money...thankfully it works really well. 

Adrian is getting so big.  I can't believe he's almost 3 months old already!  He's a busy little boy...moving all the time.  Thankfully, he is getting really good at sleeping through the night, and barely sleeps during the day.  The past couple of nights he's only been up once in the middle of the night to eat for about half an hour and then he goes right back to sleep - Nick and I are certainly loving it!

He is desperately trying to sit up and crawl, and it's so funny to see him get irritated that he can't do it yet!  This past week he discovered his hands, and it makes him so happy to hold things and play with his rattles and other toys.

He does nap for about 15-20 minutes during the day, and his recent favorite has been to sleep in the boppy on my lap.

I took about 400 pictures like the ones below. He was being so smiley and feisty!  He loves his new chew toys!  For all you mamas with babies, these are great!  I found the set at walmart and they're made by Great Starts.

On a slightly different note, I looove amazon.com.  It's great because I can shop and save things in my "wish list" without actually spending money.  Then, when I have money for it later, I know exactly what to buy.   It's great when brainstorming for birthdays, Christmas, anniversary...etc. 

This is my most recent favorite amazon find: chew blankets!

I'm pretty sure these will have to be my baby shower gift from now on.  They are seriously oh-so-cute.



Anyways, that's the update for now!  I hope you all have a wonderful Friday!