6 months!

This blogging thing cracks me up sometimes. For a few weeks I'm like "write all the time!" and then things get so busy and all I want to do is read Harry Potter during my spare moments. So I do.

But Nash is 6 months old tomorrow, and that I deem worthy of a post!

At 6 months, Nash is rolling all over the place. It's so fun to see him using this as his mode of transportation haha. Next stop... crawling! He's also sitting, and has been for almost a month now. He gets a huge kick out of this, which is adorable. He's eating lots of solids, and has done so well with everything we've introduced. Like his parents, boy loves his food! He's sleeping in nice long stretches at night, and we MOSTLY feel human in the morning ;) He's in the middle of his first cold, and handling it pretty well... as long as I don't use the snot-sucker ha. He loves his toys, being held, figuring out new faces and making them all the time, grabbing everything in sight, and primary songs.

I can't believe this adorable human is only 6 more months away from being a 1 year old. Time is seriously flying. I love my little buddy so very much! I'm so thankful I get to be his mom. I think that since May, I've learned and changed more than I did in our first two years of marriage!

(Maybe not... but man. Motherhood will stretch ya! And my imperfect self is so thankful for that!)

weekend warrior

I have been a total drama queen lately, sorry about that. I just really feel things. A lot. Ha!

So I'm gaining a new appreciation for weekends as this semester progresses and continues to drown us (Christian) in mountains of pointless STUFF. Not like I didn't love them before. Obviously. But they are as good as gold these days.

Last weekend was nothing special, but having so much time together was just the best. Friday night we made pumpkin ravioli with balsamic brown butter sauce for our dining-in date.
Guys. RAVIOLI IS THE WORST THING TO MAKE IN THE WHOLE WORLD. The name of the dish should have tipped me off. The end result was seriously delicious, but I advise against this endeavor unless you have a ravioli mold (we didn't) and a lot of patience (also didn't).

We also went to a birthday party which was fun, but the fun was overshadowed as I saw a little boy fall off a table. I'm being slightly dramatic, but seriously my mom fears about Nash falling off of things are a little out of control right now.
(He's already fallen off the couch and the bed so.... not unwarranted worries!)
Seriously, as a mom, that's the worst thing to witness!

I also tried out an easy, delicious new recipe for our Sunday dinner (I'm such a culinary fiend right now), and it was a hit. I love when that happens.

And church! We survived with flying colors! I actually really enjoyed the whole thing, AND neither one of us got spit up on! Win, win, win.

And can we talk about all the unadulterated time with my number one buddy? I miss him so much when I'm working and schooling during the week. Saturday and Sunday are the best for that reason. I didn't think it was possible before I became a mom, but seriously. He gets cuter every day, and I fall more and more in love each time I look at his sweet face.
And can you blame me?!
Christian and I are the luckiest!

Nash at 4 months

You guys. I'm dying over how fun things are with this boy right now.
I'm sure I will feel that way about every stage, but seriously I'm eating this up.
Here are some stats and things I'm loving about our Nashy boy at the moment:

Height: 26 inches
Weight: 16.7 lbs
Head: BIG. Like 98th percentile big ha!

We've been giving him rice cereal for a few weeks, thus everything is getting a little stinkier. Seriously his farts are OUT OF CONTROL smelly. Ahhh, such a boy!!

He loves to hold and play with your hands and fingers. For some reason they are way more engaging than any toy we give him. It also really helps him fall asleep if he can hold our hands. So cute!

He gets so distracted when he nurses that I have to cover his face so he won't look around, come unlatched, flail, etc.

He totally loves having his diaper changed. Nothing like a little breeze, right buddy?

He's so talkative when he's just sitting by himself. Especially when we are in the car. It's the cutest!

He still spits up like a champ. I'm SO ready for that phase to end!

Mostly, he's just the happiest, most content, and curious boy. He RARELY gets full on screaming upset, and he's perfectly fine just sitting on your lap observing his surroundings. He knows who mom and dad are, and is starting to notice when he's with a stranger and not one of us. He's not a huge fan of that, which sort of melts my mama heart. I love this little boy more than words can say!

new mom confessions

Another post about being a mother?!
Are you really surprised? ;)

So lately I've been thinking a lot about my insecurities as a new mom. Guys, they are ENDLESS. Especially because I feel like I didn't do, and am still not doing, everything I could have to prepare. Here are some of my confessions, try not too cringe too much!

- I didn't read a single pregnancy or parenting book, and I still haven't. I've perused plenty of websites, but no actual books. I feel sort of guilty about it, but every time I dive too deep in information, it overwhelms me and makes me second guess literally everything I'm doing. I figure my baby is happy and healthy, and Christian and I don't hate each other, so I'm going to keep doing what I've been doing!

- I am currently surviving on a diet coke and one treat a day. That's not ALL I'm eating of course (I'm the queen of healthy dinners, POW!), but I seriously can't survive without the little shot of caffeine and little shot of chocolate. Again, baby is happy and healthy, so who gives right?

- Sometimes, I just have to let my little guy sit and fuss because I can't muster up the energy to be cheerful and help him. I give it about 5 minutes, and then he starts doing something funny and it helps me feel better. Also, I have a stock of hilarious videos of him that I watch when he's making me crazy. It ALWAYS brightens my mood.

- I feel guilty for not having a firm bedtime routine established for Nash. Is it horrible that I don't bathe him and read to him EVERY single night?

- I also feel guilty when Christian wakes up and helps me in the middle of the night (more like 4:30 in the morning, but you know. Still fracking early!). But seriously, I will go crazy if I have to do that on my own!

Honestly I could go on and on with this list, but I'd hate to look any less perfect than I already am ha! So there you have it.

changes and motherhood and love and stuff

I've so enjoyed the time I've had at home with my Nashy boy this summer. It's been a whirlwind, and little busier than expected, but sweet nonetheless. My last semester (!!!) starts in a little over a week, and as much as I'm looking forward to a change in routine, I'm also forgetting that it means more time away from my little side kick, which I'm NOT looking forward to!

The last 4 months of motherhood have been quite the learning experience, and have changed me a lot quicker than I could have ever imagined.

I've always been a planner. Like, SERIOUS planner. I like to know what's going on in my life a week or two (or five) in advance, and I don't do well with things being thrown at me unexpectedly. It makes me frustrated and resentful and a little bit crazy. So yeah, hashtag control freak. Knowing this, you'd probably think new momhood would throw me for a loop, but I've been pleasantly surprised at how I've adjusted. I'm sure it's purely because I love my little man more than life itself, but I'm not losing my mind over the inconsistency! Sure, I know that he needs to eat about every 3 hours during the day, but that's about it. Those are the only sure things in life with him right now, and I'm totally okay with that.

What works today, probably won't work tomorrow! And just when we thought we had Nash and his routine figured out, he will do something like stop napping during the day, and all the sudden I'm like:

"Okay dude. I don't know what I'm doing and you don't know what you're doing and that's fine and we will figure it out together as we go along and pass the ice cream!" 

Or something like that ;) 

I'm amazed at how much love can mold a person into someone entirely new. The old Brooke is still here, obsessed with Josh Groban and animals and Zumba and other weird stuff. But a new Brooke is emerging. She's more mellow and better at rolling with the punches. She loves nothing more than baby talk and shopping for boy clothes, and she spends the better part of each day nursing, covered in spit up, and discussing the poop habits of her 4 month with her husband. It's not glamorous, it's not romantic, and it definitely isn't easy, but it's motherhood for me right now and I love it. My love for this child is all consuming and over the moon, and I'll welcome each and every change it thrusts upon me, in all its poopy glory. 

Love, man. It's an incredible thing. 

update shmupdate

AH!
It feels like things have been running a million miles around here basically since the day Nash was born, and I'm just now finding time here and there to slooooooowwww down. Parenthood I guess?

Anyways, the last month or so has been a good one! Nash and I made our way down to Florida for a month, where we soaked up the last bit of sun, and time with my family, before they move to Michigan. Florida to Michigan, I know right?!

Could you just die over his chubby, pale body in that swimsuit? Heart eyes, seriously. 

Also he loved the pool, which was shocking to all of us. But then again, most content baby ever so....

In the middle of our trip, my cousin got married in D.C., where we then spent a week playing tourist. I miss that wonderful city. I can't believe we were lucky enough to live there!
Nash was amazing the whole time. He hardly fussed, sleeping 7 hours a night, blah blah blah wonderful baby blah blah. I was pinching myself, believe me!

And now we are back in Utah, enjoying time together as our little family of 3 before school and real life starts again. Christian officially accepted a full time job in Salt Lake after we finish in December, so I dare say this is the last of our semi-relaxing student life for a while. It's incredible that after 6 years, it is coming to and end. Admittedly, Provo has a giant piece of my heart I don't think I will ever get back. I love my sweet, weird college town.

Also, I still can't get over the fact that we will be in SLC for several more years.
And I'm a little excited about it?
What's happening to me?!

Now we just need someone to find us an apartment. Any takers? ;)

I'm still here!

Oh hey. 
I feel like such a stranger to this space right now. In the 5 years I've been writing on this silly ol' blog, I've never completely missed a month and not written anything. That gives you an idea of how things have been going around here!

Truth be told, June was a wonderful month. Albeit crazy, but wonderful. My mom left towards the end of May, and about 4 days later, Christian started his new job. The poor guy wakes up at 4:30 and leaves the house at 5 every day, and usually comes home around 6:30 or 7 every night. It's a rough schedule, and we are getting pretty tired of it. But we're halfway there! (Cue Bon Jovi song.)

Also I was taking my capstone class during spring term, and basically I don't know how I survived that by myself all day, with a brand new baby.
Nash is pretty near perfect, that's how.

See what I mean?!

Thankfully my in-laws came into town and kept me company for about a month. It was so fun to have them here and to share our little guy with them! In that same month, I also got to see my little brother and my best friend in the entire world, AND her little baby! Let me tell you, after dreaming with each other for the last 14 years about being married and having children, finally getting together and enjoying that reality was just beyond the best.

Good thing our children didn't make it into the picture.

Life with Nash is so much fun. He really gets better, and cuter, every single day. It's truly amazing how quickly time seems to be flying by, and how little I get done some days ha. It's hard sometimes, and I can get a little lonely and frustrated, but everything you've ever heard about parenting is totally true. It's all worth it. Every hard moment totally evaporates when that little person you love more than anything flashes you a gummy smile. It's so fun to watch this tiny human grow, develop a personality, and experience new things every day.

At 9 weeks, Nash is still just growing like a weed. He's pushing 15 pounds already! He loves being outside and going on walks, laying in the sheets on our bed, and standing (with mom and dad's help of course). He's been sleeping great, eating great, and never cries unless he's too hungry or too tired (totally got that from his mom). Truly, he's such a good baby, and Christian and I are counting our blessings. Not very many first-time parents get that lucky, and we certainly don't deserve it! My only complaint is that he spits up a TON. I mean like 6, 7, 8 times a day. I didn't mind at first, but I'm starting to feel like everything I ever wear always has a giant wet spot on it at all times. Why bother getting dressed, am I right? Oh well, I guess he couldn't be completely perfect, or that just wouldn't be fair ;)

Being a mom is just awesome and crazy and exhausting and fun. I can't believe how much time I spend changing diapers and feeding and holding and rocking and playing with my boy. I'm trying not to stress about keeping our apartment spotless, or always making dinner, or even showering every day. It's hard to balance it all (the theme of the next 20+ years of my life, I imagine!), but it's fun learning how and trying to navigate this new phase of life. I'm super grateful for my little family! These handsome boys make my world go round.