Five Favorites (vol. 8)

It's a lovely Wednesday yet again, and this time I actually have a moment to participate in five favorites! Find more over at Hallie's.

As a new momma, I have found that the teensiest bit of pampering goes a very long way. The smallest treat can really turn around my entire attitude/day. Below, find my five favorite ways to retreat from the monotony of life with a babe!

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A cup of the good stuff. And by this I mean coffee in any of it's many beloved forms. Cup o' Joe, flavored latte, cappuccino, chai latte (okay, I know this isn't actually coffee, but it's close enough...or something), iced coffee... I've pretty much tried it all and love it all, especially when it contains quite a bit of sugar.
I used to drink coffee everyday but stopped when I was pregnant--not because I was "supposed to," but because for the first 18 weeks or so it was practically repulsive! Good thing that didn't last all of pregnancy and good thing pregnancy doesn't last for life.

On our honeymoon we were always on the hunt for two things: coffee and churches. Oh, and see those cannoli? We were in Sicily and I am sure I will never, ever have cannoli as good as those anywhere else.

A coffee drink of some sort always feels like a treat to me, whether it's from the Keurig in our kitchen or the coffee shop down the street. Not something I need, but something that can help to start out my morning (or, heck, afternoon!) the right way.

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Pedicures. I really love the process of getting a pedicure--there are few things better than having your feet rubbed. I also really love looking down at my toes weeks months later and seeing them all cute and painted. When I was living in Kansas City, I'm pretty sure my roomies and I went once every few weeks to get a manicure and/or pedicure. You can guess that I wasn't on any sort of budget at all. Now I'm married and have a husband who's super good at keeping us on track. So good that we have a "Prettifying Danielle" budget and I get to save up our pennies until I have enough for a mani/pedi/massage/haircut. Last Saturday morning I decided it was pedicure day and got to sneak out of the house for an hour to indulge in that little treat--such a great way to start a weekend!

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Adoration. Now, I'm sure this isn't on most people's top 10 list for getting "pampered." But the purpose of taking a little retreat from life is always to feel less stressed, right? For me, 30 minutes spent in prayer adoring the Blessed Sacrament is exponentially relaxing and stress-relieving and can absolutely turn my day right-side-up again. PTL (Praise the Lord) that there is a 24-hour Adoration Chapel just 3 blocks from our house! Truly, this is a treat I should indulge in more...so far it's the only one that's free, enhances my life for the long run (although the argument could be made that coffee has this ability), and allows me to accept the grace God is always gifting us with.

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Red wine. So mom of the year award goes to me because Silas has definitely visited the winery at least 4 times in his short little life. What can I say? We like wine around here. Especially the red stuff.

Silas is more into the glass itself than the delicious drink it holds.

On the weekends the hubs and I will have a glass after baby is in bed and it's always such a delicious way to end the day! It's funny how just one glass of wine also helps me remember that there's life outside of babyland. Not that I dislike being steeped in all-things-baby all day and spending lots of time with him, it's just so easy to get lost in that world! My glass of wine whispers to me, "Hey, you're an adult and you can think about adult things sometimes."

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Chatting with a friend. What a God-send the telephone is! While I have a handful of fabulous friends where we live, I've only been here for a bit over 2 years and so most of the besties aren't in town! Being able to talk to my momma everyday and several of my friends regularly really is a kind of pampering for me, a break from the day. Talking to those who I don't have to explain anything to is comforting and it doesn't matter how long it's been between phone calls, we can just pick back up where we left off!

Taking a little moment to pamper yourself today--you'll be better for it! I find that I can be a better mom and wife and friend when I take care of myself.

~Danielle

Silas James at 6 months

Silas,

Today you are 6 months old. You've almost tripled in weight, and I'm sure my heart has grown at least five times in size for you since we first met. It's hard to remember how little you were on the day you were born, and sometimes I forget that even now you are so little after carrying you around all day.

You are such a cuddlebug and are usually most content in someone's arms. You've begun giving Daddy and I "hugs and kisses," which really means you reach all the way around my neck with both hands, grab onto my skin and pull as hard as you can, while simultaneously opening your mouth wide and licking my cheek.

Sometimes you fight sleep when you should be napping. I turn off the lights and nurse you and rock you. And when that doesn't work, I put my lips on the skin next to your ear and make a "sshh-ing" sound while bouncing around the room or rocking in the chair, and you calm down. This may sound terrible, but the little fussy face you make is just so.darn.cute and I hope I never forget how you scrunch up your nose and eyes in an expression of frustration and let out a little complaint. Life can be so hard for babies.

You are really getting the hang of sitting on your own. You lose your balance and fall flat on your face sometimes, but you don't cry--you just chuckle. Quite the tough guy already. We build you towers out of nesting cups and you knock them down every single time, grabbing one of the colorful cups and bringing it straight to your mouth. Until another cup grabs your interest and you pick that one up instead.

You get the hiccups at least once a day and you sneeze even more. 99% of the time you laugh right after you sneeze, as though it's the most delightful feeling in the world.

Diaper changes also delight you and you just can't wait to stick those toes of yours in your mouth. You smile and giggle, especially when we blow raspberries on your tummy and neck. We’re met with the softest, squishiest skin! You've always been a wiggle-worm, but in the last month you really like to show your stuff when it's time for a wardrobe or diaper change. And you just love bathtime! No longer do you just look at us calmly while we wash you. Now you’re turning and grabbing the faucet and the sprayer, putting your face in the water as you attempt to suck on your toes, and grabbing onto the cup as we pour water over your head.

Daddy and I just watch you in awe. It's incredible to see the little personality you’re already developing and we find so much joy in you, laughing at every single thing you do. We get such a kick out of the blank, stoic stare you give us sometimes and we love to watch you sleep peacefully. We have so many nicknames for you and will frequently call you Si guy, Little Man, Mr. Man, and lovebug.

It's always hard to imagine the future, but after having you in my life for just 6 months, I am so curious to see what it holds for you. What kind of foods will you love? What will pique your curiosity? What will you find joy in? And what will define your childhood when you look back on it as an adult? 

You’ve brought joy to our lives and we thank God everyday for the wonderful little child we are blessed to care for.

Love,

Momma

7 Quick Takes about Sleeping, Food, and Fall (what's not to love?)

So I've been thinking about my next blog post for 2 weeks. So much thinking that it led me to an accidental hiatus from writing at all. It was as though I really wanted to have something great to say. Something that reflected how deeply my thoughts have become lately. But every time I'd get on the computer to start I'd be distracted by email or facebook or the baby would wake up. So I'm just going to give up on trying to write something meaningful for the time being, and instead indulge in a little bit of miscellany with these 7 quick takes of what's been going on around here. (Check out much more interesting quick takes over at Conversion Diary!)

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Little man is going to be a whole half-a-year tomorrow! It's been the longest and quickest 6 months of my life, and I have an almost 20 lb baby (and quite the lower back ache!) to show for it. He is such a wonderful baby and we've pretty much had zero of the horror stories people love to tell you about when you're around 38 weeks pregnant. Silas is mostly happy with a side of complaining every now and then, and has been a fabulous traveler and sleeper (the two things I'd always joke we were praying for in a baby!)





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Yes, I just said he's a good sleeper, and I mean it, too--he will typically go to bed around 7:15 and be mostly sleeping until around 7 the next morning. He does sometimes wake up for a feeding or two, and sometimes he doesn't want to go back to sleep unless he's laying in bed next to me, but overall he's quite the bedtime winner. 

BUT, I suppose this wasn't good enough for me because I tried "Cry It Out" on Wednesday and ohmygracious that was so not fun for anyone involved!

Okay..let me back up. I've been reading "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" because it was recommended by many other mommas. And in there the author talks about how important it is for babies to 1) be on a regular nap schedule (which we most definitely are not) and 2) be able to go to sleep on their own (which doesn't really happen unless he's in the car or stroller or nursing.) And he says that babies can do it by 16 weeks.

SO I looked at my 26 week old child and I tried it. And although I only tried once and you're supposed to give it at least a week: I'm not a believer. Nor am I a Belieber. So we will never be doing it that way again and I am going to say never, Mr. Bieber. Baby boy can sleep when he wants during the day and even take 4 little catnaps. Because he's generally a super happy camper and something else that the book emphasized was that bad sleepers=difficult babies and we just don't have one of those up in here.

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Last night I went out baby-less with a few friends who also left their small children with other caretakers. And it.was.great. Sangria + a perfectly cooked burger topped with provolone cheese and bacon (oops, you're drooling!) + having a full conversation with other mama's about any/everything was super nice. Of course we still chatted about our lovebugs, but absence makes the heart grow fonder, yes? Even if maybe it's only 2 hours of absence. I'm feeling blessed to have these women in my life who are in similar situations! I can bounce questions of off them regarding parenting...although I think I may be learning more about food from them than anything else! Who knew I was so food-illiterate? Kimchi? (yes, I googled how to spell that...) Fried okra? Scotch egg? You're probably laughing at my naivete/lameness...and this was just last night's lesson based on what was ordered around me.

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And so I'm trying to step up my food game just a teeny little bit lately. Mostly for my husband's sake. Tomorrow I will be making Minestrone Soup! Ok...I confess...in the crock pot. But I thought of it ahead of time, made a shopping list, went to the grocery store, and will now prepare it! Gold star, right!?

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I just can't get over how beautiful the trees are looking! Boy, do I love fall. I mean, take a look at the tree below. I snapped a photo of it while sitting at a stop sign. 

Here's the funny thing: As much as fall is my absolute favorite season weather-wise, as soon as there's even the slightest chill in the air, I find myself thinking about Christmas. Not just the day but the whole season! There's this little knot of excitement that forms in my stomach, a feeling I've only ever had incited by all things holiday and advent and thinking of the perfect gifts for friends and family members. See, I'm getting myself excited already. I have to remind myself that there are other holidays that happen between now and December 25, other holidays that I really like! So I just need to keep remembering how much I love the leaves and the pumpkin spice everything and the walkable weather and not let myself get wrapped up in the Christmas season quite yet.

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My husband and I are Downton Abbey fans. (Haven't seen it? Do what we did and buy all three seasons and watch them as rapidly as possible because they are that good!)

We are really ready for season 4 and really kind of jealous that in the UK they've already seen like 4 episodes! Looking forward to January 4th!

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This weekend is soo much slower and less jam-packed than last, and I'm glad for the break. Looking forward to cuddling with hubs and baby and not having any sort of schedule.

Hope yours is great too!

~Danielle 

Five Favorites (vol. 7): Photos!

So it's been quite the while since I've written a post, which has been pretty accidental.  It's like my computer knows it's been awhile and is rusty because my "q" key just got stuck. Anyways, there's been lots o' fun things happening around here and we've had the perfect balance of busy and free time. Lately I've been busy writing about 12 posts in my head and then not quite remembering what I wanted to say, and so these thoughts never make it to the keys. But there's a lot to reflect on when you watch a little one take in the world for the first time. He's figuring out how to interact with his surroundings and it's incredible to guess what he's learning by reading his little expressions.

Here are some of my favorite photos from the last few weeks, to give a glimpse at what's going on in our world:

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My sister is engaged! SO excited for them as they look towards their lives together. They got engaged about two weeks ago and already have a date and the church and reception hall booked. woah. Let wedding planning commence!

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My first niece arrived on Saturday! SO excited for my brother-in-law and sister-in-law on their little bundle of joy--Isabella (Ella) Therese! She is adorable, has the cutest head of black hair, and the sweetest little ears.  Ella made me an aunt and I'd have to say that so far it's pretty wonderful.

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This wreath also arrived on Saturday. Okay, so I bought the materials and made it and put it there...but that still counts, right? I was feeling pretty crafty and saw a link to this wreath on Pinterest, claiming it was the "easiest wreath you will ever make." I'm all for easy...so I gave it a whirl! And, yes, I do agree that it probably could not have gotten much easier.

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You'll never guess what else happened on Saturday (it was such a crazy day!)...we visited Brandon's Alma mater for Homecoming and his five year reunion. It was really a lot of fun to see so many friends and Silas was very well behaved and smiley for the most part. 

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On Sunday we headed to my parents house for a wedding. The fam hadn't seen Silas in almost two months, so he was showing off his sitting skills and chuckling quite a bite. He took a lot of interest in Hobo the dog, and boy was Hobo interested in him! Although it was such a quick trip, it was soo nice to see my parents, sister, and grandparents again (although we really missed you Tori!)

Head over to Hallie's for more five favorites!

7 Quick Takes: Fall, Facebook and Pope Francis

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Hello?...yes, is fall available? I really thought fall weather was supposed to be here for the season, I must have misunderstood because it's been in the high 70s-low 80s all week! We sure have been enjoying this weather, getting outside to a park or for a walk every day.  Although I do love the cooler weather fall typically brings, it has been a treat to get a little extended summer!

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On Tuesday Silas dressed up in his little overalls and we headed to a friends house with some other babies and their mamas to take some fall photos! Here are a few of my favorites that I took, but there were so many cute ones that others took, as seen on facebook.

 

You can imagine how difficult it is to get 7 babies in one photo looking in the same general direction. I'm sure it would have been funny to get a picture facing the other direction, as all of us mom's are clapping and yelling and frequently jumping in to position babies.

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Our oven has been broken for a little over two weeks now, which means we've had to be pretty creative when it came to dinner.  Crock pot, stove top, grill. Tonight we decided to be uncreative and go out to eat! This is pretty rare for us so it was really nice to not have to cook or have any dishes in the sink. We went to a local place for Mexican food. Yummm.

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I've said it before, but I am way too addicted to checking facebook and have been reflecting a lot on how much time I waste. It really starts out innocently, I just check it from my phone as I nurse Silas.  I know, though, that there are about 1,001 other things I could be doing with that time! It's not enhancing my life like reading a book or saying a rosary or calling a friend would.
This morning another blogger (Hi Rosie!) mentioned that she was getting a smartphone for the first time and mentioned that she was going to avoid installing facebook because she'd spend too much time on her phone otherwise. This comment hit me--well, duh! SO I took the plunge and deleted it off of my phone. I can still access it if I absolutely need to from Safari (but in what circumstances does a person absolutely need to connect to FB via their cellular device?) I can feel the fresh liberation already.

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The latest interview with Pope Francis has made waves and been taken completely out of context and been the talk of the town for the last week. I read a few articles describing it and quoting it, and I decided I wanted to read it for myself.  So I am, and actually have been reading it aloud to Brandon the last few nights before bed.  We're about 3/4 of the way through and I'm super encouraged by his words and reflections. It's so interesting to me that the media is reporting on what Pope Francis has to say so frequently lately, and also that they so easily take his words out of context. I still have a little bit of reading and a lot of reflection to do before I can make any sort of comment on it.

Want to read it for yourself? Check it out here. Want to see what others have to say about it? (Note: Not all of these interpret the interview in context. It seems like a pretty important thing to do, doesn't it?) Check out what CNN says, what Fox News says, what Kendra says (with links to quite a few other articles on the topic), and what Calah says.

I do have to say that it's amazing how the Holy Spirit works, though. How incredible that Pope Francis can make such an impact on people in the short time since he's become Pope. So excited to see how he will be used to evangelize and change the world.

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Lately I've been getting this excited feeling because it's almost October which means it's getting closer to Christmas. I seriously love Advent and Christmas and the Christmas season.

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I'm missing my family lately.  It's been about a month and a half since we've been home, which is not super long...but it seems like a lot has happened both at home and developmentally with Silas. Fortunately I've been chatting a lot with my mom lately and I even got to talk to my youngest sister for about a half hour this week!! She's in her first semester of college, so she's pretty busy--so great to chat with her for a little bit, but I cannot believe she is old enough to go to college.
Time really doesn't seem to make sense lately. The days are long but the nights should be longer; he's growing up fast and I can't believe we've had him five months, but I can't imagine what life was like before him.

Have a great weekend and check out other quick takes over at Jen's!

~Danielle 

What pumpkin spice lattes taught me about life.

It's obvious that fall is on it's way. We're experiencing cooler days and there's a crispness to the air that whispers rumors of the impending arrival of another season, forcing out it's apparently stale predecessor. Facebook and Pinterest have been flooded with hopes of wearing hoodies, pumpkin-flavored absolutely everything, apple picking, and savory crock-pot meals.

I have to admit, I'm a fall fanatic. I love me some cuddling under a blanket while fresh air whips around the house. I'm all about warm drinks and candles with dancing flames and cozy smells. And if I'm really honest, I'd have to tell you that long sleeves and scarves and hoodies are just a few of my favorite things (all of which must have been runners-up to Maria's list in The Sound of Music!).

But let's rewind to...oh...the beginning of April this year. It had been a loong winter by many standards: many days with low temps, lots of snow, and few signs of spring by the time it typically found itself rolling into town. It seriously snowed on April 19th. Everyone was just set on when will it finally be spring already? pleading with winter to politely make it's way out of our lives for a good 9 months or maybe even forever, because we've really just had enough.

And then do you remember May and June? So much rain! Wasn't it time for spring to be over and summer to be here? Longing for hothothot temperatures so that the pools could be put to good use--so that it would finally feel like summer already.

But here we are, longing for fall in a bad way.

We get pretty caught up in what the weather's doing--and why shouldn't we? Should I wear 5 layers today because when I head out it's going to be 30 degrees cooler than when I head back home? Do I need to grab an umbrella? Should I hide in the house all day for fear of melting? There's a reason we watch the news to catch a glimpse at what the weatherman predicts (the only job where it doesn't matter if you're right!). Conversations about the weather are unavoidable and you'll even share your opinion about today's forecast with the cashier at the coffee shop.

When it comes to seasons, you really have to live in and deal with whatever the weather has in store at that time. You cannot wish away a three-foot snow drift off of your driveway, you have to either shovel it yourself or find a husband that will in order to get on with your day. It's not necessary to make sure you have enough layers with you in the middle of the summer, nor would you be looking for your other flip-flop in the winter. As summer comes to a close, we predict based on past experiences what it might be like to experience fall again (and many of our predictions include pumpkin spice lattes) and know that, whether it's our favorite season or not, we must be ready to live in and deal with it.

And isn't this how the seasons of life work, too?

Here I am in a new season, one entitled "Mommyhood." And it's all pretty different than that of "College Student" or "Newlywed" or "Student Activities Asst. Director." It's taking some getting used to, but I'm realizing that I just have to live in it and deal with it. Not in a sarcastic, bitter "deal with it!" way...a day-by-day, learning the ropes and the pace and experiencing it's joy kind of "deal with it." I had nine months of knowing I would birth this precious child, pregnancy being really it's own kind of season.  I prepared for this season by listening to what others had to say about it, by reading books and being prayerful and intentional about what we wanted our lives with children to look like.

And while it mostly resembles the pumpkin flavors of fall and the blooming flowers of spring, it also looks like a driveway that needs to be shoveled sometimes. I find myself loving kissing his scrumptious cheeks, watching his curiosity at what's going on around him, his cute little chuckles as he grabs his feet on the changing table; all the while aching just a little bit for previous seasons when I could make spontaneous plans and take a shower without being interrupted. I'm also caught longing for the seasons to come, when I can leave him at home to run to the store, watch him find his passions, when he will be able to tell me exactly how he feels and what he wants in life (although maybe I won't be so grateful for that during the teenage years...).

There are times when I'd watch people who were clearly in a different season than me and find myself wondering what it would be like to go back, or spring forward, to that time. Would it be easier, more carefree? Do they appreciate how "easy" they've got it? Would I remember how it felt to be right where I am now? Are they looking at me, wishing they had little ones again?

I've realized that in order to get through this season of life--filled with long days with someone who can't carry much of a conversation, seeing 3am more often than I'd prefer, being so busy but feeling like I got nothing done at the end of the day, changing many diapers and having a little one practically glued to my side--in order to really thrive right now, I need to just live in it. I need to appreciate cuddle time with the little man, my ability to give him exactly what he needs during mid-night wake-up calls. I need to remember that he won't be small forever, snuggle him close and tickle his little toesies often. I need to know that I'm fully equipped to be his momma, even when I'm going through learning curves myself and feel like a mega-failure.

I know I'll look back fondly on these days, the joy they brought and the journey they led to. I need to live in and deal with the challenging--mentally, physically, and emotionally--because this is just a season of life.

And how quickly the seasons change.

~Danielle

Five Favorites (vol. 6)

Back for more five favorites because it's just such a good excuse for a random blog post. Guest hosted by the lovely and hilarious Grace over at Camp Patton.  If I choose this week's theme to be "no theme," have I actually chosen a theme?

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These pretzels.

Um, excuse me Snyder's of Hanover but pretzels aren't supposed to be this delicious or addicting.  I meant to bake bread yesterday to bring as my snack to pass for Park Mama's, but Silas was preeettyy clingy, and so that just didn't happen. What did happen was me stopping at the nearest drugstore and picking up some of these puppies, and I believe I may have passed on my addiction to a few others (so sorry I'm not sorry!) Fortunately Unfortunately there was a bit leftover that I brought home with me and now I'm just like "eat all the pretzels!"

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In less overly-processed food news, I was totally "pinspired" today. Recently I've realized that I need to back off from Facebook, ie: going on like 30 times a day for no good reason and against my better intentions. So I've been checking out pinterest when feeling the need to do something with my brain while nursing. I pinned a link to crockpot meals and decided the lasagna one sounded uh-may-zing, and so it is currently cooking on my counter! Usually I'd give myself pretty low marks when it comes to thinking of what to make for dinner prior to 5pm, so I'm just a little bit impressed with myself.

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I'm currently in a Facebook Women's Bible Study. (I'm aware this doesn't help the whole "don't go on FB as much, but at least it's using it in a much more intentional way!) We're studying the last chapters of Luke currently and I have to say that I'm really enjoying this structured and accountability-driven way of diving into Scripture. It has led me to really think about my vocation, loving others, humility, and my prayer life. It's really interesting to be able to share our reflections with one another and be inspired by these women without ever setting foot in the same room with them. Technology has it's downfalls, but it's inspiring to see it's fruits as well!

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This post by Ashley at Narrative Heiress really struck a chord with me.  She talks about being at home with babies and the aspects of life that come with it...I find hope in reading other mom blogs because it reminds me that there are others out there doing what I'm doing. They're doing the silence and sometimes-isolating and the hard and the exhaustion...and they're doing the fulfilling and wonderful.

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My little man and I get to spend a lot of time together. There really is nothing like being a parent. and we were told this over and over when we were pregnant. "You'll never feel so much love as you do looking at your child, and we can't explain it...but you'll know when you feel it." It's like trying to describe what it's like to see a shooting star, but you really can't imagine it until you watch one cross the sky.

Silas wasn't quite sure what to think of his first swing ride.

Happy hump day! (in the Geico camel's voice, of course!)

~Danielle