One more hand.

Sometimes Mondays are hecka hard.  And sometimes they're really swell.  Yesterday I got dealt a swell one.  Silas took a cat nap in the morning and was very pleasant when he was awake, cooing and chuckling and un-clingy. The only time he cried is when I took a sip of water while nursing him and it went down the wrong pipe and I spit water all over him and myself.  He wasn't really a fan of being spit up on, but neither am I really...oh, how the tables were turned.

We went to two different stores where he just looked around like a little sweetheart, allowing me to walk the aisles of Target for far too long, looking at plenty of things I'm sure I'll need for something someday.  In the afternoon he slept for 3 hours, allowing me to take a little catnap and get some things done around the house.  I feel like there are a bajillion things that need to get done after not being home for 9 days and so it was really nice to do like three of them without also holding a baby.

Do you see the glee emanating from this happy baby? What a blessed mom I am.

You know what I've been wondering?  If human bodies evolve over time based on what we need, why don't women of childbearing age grow a third or fourth arm?  How have we not evolved into octopii? I'd even be alright with an extra hand, really. Quite the visual--an armless hand just sticking out from some new place on the body. I'm not sure where it could go--maybe somewhere near the hip area so that you could use that one hand to balance the babe on your hip while using the other two hands to deal with life.  There really could be some sort of talent show just to show off what you can do while holding a baby, with extra points if the child cannot hold up their own upper body yet.  We have all of these reality TV performance-type shows...I definitely think that loading the dishwasher or making a bed or putting on pants while holding a child who is maybe crying or perhaps just dropped their pacifier or spit up on your shoulder takes the cake as far as talent is concerned. Momma's Got Talent.  and the judges would have to be grandmothers because they've "been there, done that" probably with at least 3 children, which obviously makes them the rockstars who know better than anyone else which momma's are really good at it and which could use a little more practice.  Seriously, though, have you ever tried to put pants on while holding a baby?  That is something designed for two hands. You either decide not to wear pants or leave the button undone. And by not wearing pants I mean put on a skirt, not walk around pantsless.

As you can tell I've been doing a lot of baby-holding, especially last week.  Which is probably why yesterday felt so glorious.  The boy slept during the day and it wasn't on my lap! He slept soundly and peacefully and like a little angel for 3 whole hours in his swing. I got my old Silas baby back! Yes, I was just a little bit excited because by now you understand that I've been doing a whole lotta baby holding in the last week of my life. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I dislike it...I'm just not so interested in training to be an Olymplic gold-medalist in it quite yet.  Not until I grow that extra hand.

~Danielle

Five Favs (vol. 3)

In honor of spending the week at home, this five fav's is dedicated to my favorite memories from my parents house!

1.

The Trampoline

Wow, did my sisters and I spend a lot of time in the backyard on our trampoline.  We'd have friends over and be out there all afternoon.  When I think of childhood summers, I think of black feet and "butt jumps." We would put the sprinkler under it on really hot days and lay on it to watch the stars at night.  It was kicked to the curb at the beginning of this summer (RIP) because of how old and potentially life-threatening it became but I will always fondly remember the fun it brought us!

2.

Our Bedrooms

I am the oldest of three girls and there were two bedrooms for us to share.  We switched off who had their own room and who was sharing every year or so.  I have to say that looking back I am so glad that I was made to share a room for much of my life.  There are so many memories I have, like chatting with Lauren after it was "lights out" (and my mom having to come in multiple times to tell us to go to sleep already!) making forts out of the bunkbeds, and having to take an entire day to clean the pig-sty of a mess we had created in our room.  Now this arrangement definitely didn't come without it's fair share of sisterly-love bickering, regarding mostly space and clothing as we got older (if someone else was wearing it, then it was most definitely not hers and they needed to remove said article of clothing immediately because she did not ask!!)

Maybe we get along so well now because of all those arguments over whose shirt/shoes/skirt it really was?

3.

The Bread

Okay, so this is weird.  I am revealing a big secret here that my family is, in fact, crazy. We were really trying to keep that under-wraps, but the time has come.  Sooo...there was this one time after the Easter Vigil.  It's a tradition around here that we attend the Easter Vigil and then come home and throw a little party/celebration, with any foods someone in the family may have given up for Lent and also all foods that will clog your arteries immediately and all drinks that are delicious. (One year we had pomegranate martinis.  They are as glorious as they sound and yes, we know we're really great at celebrating Jesus' ressurection!) SO one year, we came home, put mozzarella sticks and other deep-fried things in the oven and were hanging out gorging on ice cream or something when we noticed this beautiful loaf of bakery bread my mom had bought sitting on the counter.  Turns out it had been sitting there for too long, though, and was as hard as a rock.  What's a family to do?  Well, play hot potato with it, of course.  I kid you not, someone turned around so they couldn't see the circle and sang while we passed chucked this exceptionally stale bread around.  Then we got bored with it so we decided to play football with it. I "hiked!" it to Lauren and she threw it to Tori who threw it back to Lauren who punted it and this loaf of rock bread flew across the room and hit my mom in the mouth.  (wo)Man down! Penalty on the field!  

Oh, and did I mention Brandon was there watching all of this unfold? And we had only been dating about 3 months? What a brave soul to not walk out the door right then and there, never returning to this cray-cray family who plays sports in the kitchen with old bread.

Oh how I wish I had a picture of the bread.

4.

High School Dances

Almost every High School Dance pre-party was held at my parents house.  In the afternoon a few girls would show up and I would do their hair (I sorta have a knack/love for doing up-do's!) and then about an hour before the dance other friends and their parents as well as my grandparents would show up.  My mom always had hors d'oeurves and "kid wine" aka Welch's Sparkling Grape Juice for us and we'd take tons of pictures.  There were definitely around 50 people here for some dances and it was super chaotic and just as fun!  I have always treasured that my mom made sure that our house always felt open to everyone, and not just on dance nights.  It was known among my friends--and my sister's friends--that they could always drop on by and hang out on the red, comfy couch in our living room. I can only hope that our home feels so welcoming to our children and their friends some day!

Oh, high school.  Here's a pre-dance picture on the infamous red couch!

5.

Getting Ready for Our Wedding

On my wedding day I got ready entirely at my parent's house.  It was so special to have my hair and makeup done in their bathroom, put my dress and jewelry on in my parent's room, and take pictures in our living room.  It was truly a little bit like all of those HS dances, and that was just the way I wanted it.  I was so at peace and comfortable on the morning of our wedding, in part because of who I married, but also because I was in a place where I spent so much time: my home!

Despite the look on my face, I was actually having a great day.

And there you have it--my five favorite memories of mi casa.  Head on over to Hallie's for more Five Favorites!

~Danielle

On growing fonder.

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder."

This idiom has been one that Brandon and I would say a lot when we were long distance--which was all of our dating and engaged relationship.  It was supposed to be comforting in the face of "suffering" the distance between us, a reminder that maybe the distance was actually enhancing our relationship.  How true is this phrase, though? Could being away from one another actually increase our love/relationship?

Today I was wondering where this phrase is derived from.  After a quick google search, turns out it was included as the first line of a poem by an anonymous writer back in 1602, and then borrowed by and popularized by a poem written in 1844 by Thomas Haynes Bayly entitled "Isle of Beauty."  It's crazy how this one line, first written over 200 years ago, has had a lasting impact on our culture. Have you ever heard any other part of either poem included along with that stanza? I know I sure haven't. I wonder if there is a part of a song or line from a book written today that will be popular 200 years from now!

The reason this phrase is on my heart today is because the hubs is at home, about 3 1/2 hours away, while I'm at my parents house with Silas for the week.  Now, it's not as though I'm sitting around pouting about the fact that we're apart--it's actually been really enjoyable to spend so much time with my sisters and parents and I'm so glad that I have the flexibility in my life to take advantage of the opportunity to be here this week! It's just that this 4-day hiatus from one another has me noticing how much I really do enjoy his presence in my daily life.  When suddenly a normal part of your life is missing you have a chance to reflect on it, and I'm realizing that maybe I take for granted our relationship on a daily basis.  It's so easy to do that when you have something/someone available to you every day, isn't it?

I'm noticing how much I look forward to him waking me up in the morning for breakfast and prayer.  I realize how much I anticipate when he'll be home from work for the evening.  I love how good his is with Silas, who instantly stops what he's doing to look at Brandon when he walks in the room.  I have missed our pillow talk, one of my favorite parts of our evening routine. And although we've been chatting on the phone, it's just not the same as holding hands while sleepily having a few last words before sleep comes over me. (and it's usually me who falls asleep in the middle of a conversation...)

So does being from him really make my heart grow fonder?  Well, maybe not--I think it just reminds me how fond my heart already is.  And that small reminder and the opportunity to reflect on my fondness of him while we're apart may actually help to deepen our relationship.  How? Gratitude has a way of increasing my desire to make sacrifices for his sake and enhancing interactions when we're reunited. So I'll take this week and enjoy being here with my family, because next week it will be them I'm away from!

~Danielle

When 6=7.

Have you ever read a blog post out-loud to someone else?  Have you ever had one of your posts read out-loud to you?  I endured both today as my silly family requested me to read a post using the same inflections that I used in my thoughts when writing it.  Then my sister wanted to read a post to me in the way she "hears" them when she reads.  It's really quite a different experience to have a live audience, an instant response to things I wrote, actually hearing them laugh and seeing them smile.  It was encouraging and humbling, and I actually encourage everyone who writes anything to try this out sometime.  Maybe having a "live audience" would be a good way to proofread/edit any writing you've done.

Today ends my 7 posts in 7 days with Jen over at Conversion Diary, which actually ended up as 6 posts in 7 days.  There were a few other bloggers who admittedly had much busier days than my Friday and still managed to get a post in...to you I say "Bravo!" and to me I say "Better Luck Next Time!"

You just can't win them all right?  Except I never used to accept that as an answer.  It seems as though my perfectionist tendencies have been digressing in the last year or so, and I'm not really sure if that's a good or bad thing.  Probably good for my sanity, bad for my productivity.  If you would have asked me 3 years ago if I was okay with not meeting a deadline or someone's expectations, I would have told you absolutely not--especially if it was something I had "challenged" myself to. Perhaps I've chilled out a little bit.  I do think I look at life's troubles a little bit more in the correct realm of reality now.  And so I'm accepting the fact that, for me, 6 posts in 7 days is just going to have to be good enough.

Wishing you a fabulous week ahead. (and wishing Jennie a very Happy Wedding Week!!)

~Danielle

Whoops...and 7QT

Well, I think the intention of "7 posts in 7 days" was to do a post a day...that's not exactly how it's going to shake out here, though.  I'll still do 7 posts, there will just be a day with two!

Yesterday ended up wayyy crazier than I thought it could have been, with not one single moment to sit at a computer.  So, Happy Saturday! and 7 Quick Takes...just about 10 hours late...

1.

Yesterday required coffee.  Actually, the last 4 days required caffeine of some sort as little man thought it appropriate to wake up a little more often and I thought it appropriate to not go to sleep until about 2 hours after he had already been asleep. I've been trying not to drink it everyday, as it seems like some of the "experts" recommend not as much caffeine when you're nursing. But it also seems that the experts want you to be awake long enough to care for your child, true?

2.

I'm staying at my parents for a whole 9 days!  This is probably the longest consecutive stretch of days I have been here since...oh...junior year of college?  But my youngest sister had complete ACL repair surgery on the 17th, and needed a "nurse" to be around to do little things like put her on the ice machine, get her food, etc.  So this week I'll be doing multiple types of "nursing".  I'm kinda excited to spend so much time with the fam (and I know they're excited to spend so much time with Silas) but I will definitely miss seeing the hubs every night!

3.

The reason it worked out so well for me to be here this week is because I have the privilege of being the Matron of Honor in a wedding near my parent's house next weekend and the Bachelorette party is today! (woot!!)  So fortunately Brandon is in town both weekends, but will just have to make the 3 1/2 hour drive back and forth by himself.

4.

Silas will be hanging out with Dad and GG (my mom) this evening while I go to the Bachelorette party.  Next Saturday we are leaving him with GG and his aunts again. This will be the first time I have ever been away from him for more than a few hours.  While I'm super excited for being out with the girls tonight and getting to just focus on my lovely friend the Bride for the wedding, it will be so weird not having 100% focus on Silas during these times.  It's not that I'm nervous, perse (I know he's in really good hands!), it just seems weird to be away from him after I haven't for so long!

5.

We forgot the milk.  Yes, the one thing little man needs to stay alive. Don't worry, we remembered other silly things, like his Bumbo seat and some toys....ugh.  I had been pumping this week to ensure that we had enough for the Bachelorette party and wedding...and it's sitting nice and frozen 3 1/2 hours away in our freezer. fail. So now I am frantically trying to pump after every feeding and having a bit of a supply issue (although I'm sure by tomorrow I sure won't after pumping so often today!)  I really hope we get enough for him to eat while I'm gone. Brandon might have to drive to the Bachelorette location in order to pick up some freshly pumped milk. Such is life. (I still can't believe we forgot the milk...)

6.

In better sounding things, I really am so excited to celebrate my dear friend Jennie today.  We met in college and I'm pretty sure we first bonded over the fact that we are "lame" aka really like to just hang out over a cup of coffee and talk about life as opposed to party-hardy and all of that un-lame stuff.  Since then we have spent much time together and basically were involved in all of the same things in college.  She was my church buddy and my travel buddy (Colorado, Mexico, Florida, the gym) and I am just so blessed for her presence in my life--and now she's marrying the love of her life!!  

7.

It's freaking cold out.  A high of 66 at the end of July in the Midwest?  This cannot be real.  But I am absolutely not wishing it was 95 and humid, don't get me wrong.  I guess I should've just looked at the weather when packing my shorts and tank tops.

Check out more 7 quick takers who probably posted them on time!

Happy Weekend!

~Danielle

Success.

Let it be known among all nations that although the day is only half-through, I have already deemed it a success.

1. I ate breakfast this morning with my husband.  This only happens about half of the time...or maybe even less.  Every morning once he is showered and dressed, he gently wakes me up to see if I'd like to join him for the most important meal of the day.  Some  Most days I whisper "no" and immediately fall back into dream-land.  But then I get woken up by a hungry baby and have to nurse before I've eaten, the whole time hearing from my stomach who is cursing my earlier laziness.  So today I dined with the hubs before 7am. And I'm not really sure we said more than two sentences the whole time, but time spent together in silence is better than no time at all, right?

2. Silas woke up smiling like he'd won the lottery and about 45 minutes before he was due to eat.  So I hurried and dressed us both, threw him in the stroller, and walked into the sunrise...ok, you know it wasn't that early, but I was so impressed with myself when we walked up the driveway at 7:50am.  And I was a girl on a mission because we walked to my absolute favorite coffee place and I got myself a latte, and the special none the less: Almond Amaretto.  Yes, it was indeed as good as it sounds. (and yes, I did happen to spill it all over my phone and the stroller and a baby blanket as I was trying to one-handedly push the stroller while sipping my latte.  But it was worth it, dang-it!)

3. Baby Boy was hungry by the time we got home, but only politely fussed while I pulled the weeds in front of our house, which probably haven't been pulled at all this whole summer.  And when you own a weed-eater but it doesn't want to stay running for more than 2 minutes, they probably should've been pulled 2 months ago.  So I felt pretty proud of myself for knocking that off of the to-do list.

4. Silas was kind enough to allow me to saunter around Hobby Lobby with little more than one squeak.  I was able to adequately interpret said squeak to mean, "Excuse me mom, but I'd like my pacifier so that I can take a little nap while you wander around and look at things you don't need for the next half hour."  He then graciously gave me permission to run to the mall to do a bit of gift-buying for a certain Bachelorette party this weekend, so I strapped him in the Ergo carrier (boy, do I love that thing) and off we went!

5. I have consumed lunch and have plans to make dinner, and they don't include 5-minute boiled ravioli and spaghetti sauce from a jar (my husband will be pleased!)  Actually, I'm going to make Creamy White Chicken and Artichoke Lasagna.  If you asked Brandon he'd probably want to say, "It's about time because we bought the ingredients over 2 weeks ago," but he wouldn't say that because he's really patient and nice to me.

So, yes. Today is a success.  And maybe I should reward myself with a nap.  I wouldn't want to set the bar too high for tomorrow.

~Danielle

(I'm writing everyday this week thanks to encouragement from Jen. Check out her page to see others who are taking up the challenge!)

My husband, the complimenter.

Post-baby I've been feeling a little bit like I have nothing to wear.  Now, this is probably not all that true. The nugget of truth is that my body has just shifted a little bit, and so things I used to feel great in really don't do it for me anymore.  Also, I need to make sure everything I wear is nursing friendly (I never thought I'd ever be wondering if a particular shirt allowed me to get my boobs out quickly enough!)

So I took advantage of a sale going on at Old Navy and a rewards card I had.  We don't have an ON in town anymore, so I treated myself to a little bit of online shopping one afternoon.  About a week later, 10 different shirts (for just around $50--can you believe it?!) showed up on my doorstep.

So, of course, I've been wearing said shirts for the last few days.

It's Friday afternoon. Danielle greets Brandon as he gets home from work.  She is wearing a black maxi skirt and blue-and-white striped shirt.
Brandon: Hi darling! You like nice today.
Danielle: Aww, thank you.
B: You almost look like someone from the Sound of Music.
D: ...
B: Like you're ready for the Swiss Alps!
D: ...is that a good thing?
B: Ya, definitely!

Um, okay, so my husband has a strange affinity for the Sound of Music??

But wait. He continues with more compliments just days later.

It's now Monday afternoon, and again Brandon returns home from work.  Danielle is at the top of the stairs as Brandon enters the house, wearing jeans and a button-up shirt of a brightly colored plaid pattern.  It happens to be tied at the bottom because it was easier than ironing the wrinkles out of that spot, with a pink tank top peeking out of the bottom.

B: *excitedly* You look like you belong on that Beverly Hillbillies show!
D:*raises eyebrows*
B: Or kinda like Daisy Duke. Only without the short-shorts.
D: Is this a compliment?
B: Ya! They only pick good looking girls for those roles.
D:...Thank you...?

Now, I do appreciate how blessed I am to have a husband who gives many (very honest) compliments. After long days of being spit up on and hanging out on the floor, it's nice to hear that he still finds me attractive.  His comparisons, though, are quite unique, dontcha think?

~Danielle

(I'm writing everyday this week thanks to encouragement from Jen. Check her page out to see others who are taking up the challenge!)