Finding my 'mommy style' Part 1

 

 Shirt: Downeast Outfitters, Pants: H&M, Shoes: TJMaxx

Everyone warns you how the transition into mommyhood is going to take some time, but I didn't realize how hard it would be emotionally and physically when it came to stepping confidently into motherhood. I definitely know I'm Hilton's mommy. We cry tears together and giggle together, but I still don't register myself as 'mom' in my list of titles. I don't see myself as mom because I don't wear mom jeans and I don't talk all day about my children. Or at least I don't think I do.

The transition to embracing mommyhood has been slow. However the reality of my wardrobe quickly struck me. Like day one postpartum. Even though I dropped my baby weight quickly and was back to pre-baby weight three months postpartum, my body was NOWHERE near the same. I was up a size in pants because hello I all of a sudden got hips way bigger than what I'd ever had before, and shirts are just so much more snug I feel so much more comfortable in shirts a size up from my pre-baby size. So sadly the majority of my Nordstrom clothes from my year of working there no longer fit. And all the clothes I could still squeeze into from my high school days pre-baby were not even close to getting past my thighs-let alone buttoned-post baby.

When I was preparing to go back to work I underwent a dramatic downsizing in my closet to find what I could or would wear to work, leaving me with only three work pants and two pairs of jeans, and cleaning out our entire spare closet which was full of my old clothes and sending them all to the D.I. Unfortunately the reality of being a new first time mom is that there are still a lot of things to buy for baby even after the baby showers. Because a lot of my extra money the first five to six months was spent on baby clothes, formula, and diapers instead of replacing my own wardrobe immediately I have felt like the clothes I feel confident in have been in short supply around here and it's taken my a while to find and gather new items I'm happy to be 'mom' in. On top of that since I really didn't buy any new clothes for myself or keep up on trends while I was pregnant, I honestly feel like I've missed an entire year on fashion now that Hilton is already 10 months old. I have to ask coworkers if 'that's still in style' or what's popular for this or that now.

I'm slowly feeling out what I like and what I don't in the current fashion trends. What I feel comfortable in and what I don't. Unfortunately my old style of soft breezy blouses I used to love wearing I now feel completely self-conscious in. I prefer structured patterned shirts and blouses that make a statement by themselves. Also I don't have time to do my hair fancy nor do I wear fun or pretty jewelry because a) I don't have time for it and b) Hilton yanks on it or slobbers on it. Therefore my outfit needs to be able to stand on its own. I'm redefining what's a priority to me based less on just looks and more on function and comfort.

And slowly, I'm defining what it means to be 'mom' for me.

p.s. according to Jared this shirt looks like it was made by someone who didn't have enough of either fabric to make one shirt out of one or the other so they combined scraps. That made me laugh. I didn't really have any response other than 'it was cute' and 'I like it'. Which in this case is all I need I feel like. 

Your Tenth Month

You're still not walking but crawling like crazy all over the place and definitely starting to get into things you shouldn't like my tupperware cupboard, pulling out the outlet plugs, and playing in the dogs bowls. I had to actually remove the dogs water bowls from the kitchen because you decided you would play in it and tip it over and I think I actually saw you try to drink out of it. Super gross! You have developed some new facial expression, your scowling face and your flirting has really gone up a notch or two. You flirted with the cutting lady at Joann's the other day and it was so cute because you went between flirting and being grumpy about it being nap time.

You caught up again on length and weight and are back to the 90% for height again. You're still fitting into eighteen month clothing but I don't think you'll fit into them too much longer. We actually started to switch you over to cow's milk from formula because the doctor said you're big enough and I'm tired of paying so much on formula. So far you're doing great and are almost all the way switched over but still get constipated and uncomfortable so we're taking it slow.

You still only have two teeth, I'm kind of worried about when you will have more come in. But all in good time. We are still broadening your horizons as far as self feeding is going. You've had mashed potatoes, whole carrots that have been cooked, corn (you hated it), and a variety of crackers and other things. We stopped giving you almond or rice milk because you didn't really like them at all so it seemed pointless. I think they were just too sweet for you.

Your sleeping schedule has definitely improved, still sleeping through the night and your naps are almost always right on an hour and a half twice a day. Mom definitely looks forward to this time because it means a break and chance to do extra housework I can't normally do when you're awake (like unload the dishwasher because you climb on top of the door).

This entire month you have been sick unfortunately. You got your first serious illness of a double pink eye infection since the hospital visit in January. Thank goodness it was bacterial and you could use antibiotics to help get rid of it so that didn't last long but you also had a cold basically the entire month so it was kind of a rough one for you unfortuantely. Here's to hoping no more sickness comes to our house!

Love you sweet Hilton

Your Ninth Month

You are definitely and officially on the move little man! You can get from the nursery to the kitchen crawling faster than I can walking. Needless to say you are definitely getting into things faster than mommy can steer you away or remove them from your reach. We have started to truly baby-proof especially as you have started to find cupboards and become curious about what is behind those doors. You are starting to truly express multiple emotions and know when people are doting on you and you become a huge cheeser. You are walking along furniture and learned to crawl into people's laps.

You have finally slowed down on length growth but put on some weight, you are now only in the 80% for height and 59% for weight. I have a feeling you'll slim down again once you're walking. You have officially transitioned into your convertible carseat as we are already having to move the straps higher and take out some of the additional padding. We're now completely into 18 month clothing but they're just a tiny bit loose which is fine for me if they last you for more than two months time.

You still only have two teeth, and I'm really hoping that you break some very soon. You are able to self feed really well now, spaghetti o's, mac and cheese, toast, goldfish, graham crackers (these are your favorite). We've really basically stopped feeding him pureed food but have started introducing drinks other than water and formula like rice milk or almond milk. He seems to like them but definitely thinks they're weird. They're extremely sweet compared to his formula so it will be an interesting transition at one year to cows milk instead of formula. And I'm really looking forward to no longer having to pay for formula!

You are still sleeping through the night like a champ but we are REALLY struggling with naps of late. You get a measly half hour to forty five minute nap in the morning and then a super long two hour nap in the afternoon's. I don't quite know what to do to get them figured out but I think we're progressing to only one long nap in the day. You have all of a sudden started hating bath time, I can't tell if it's because you are bored with the toys in your bathtub or if you are just more interested in what is going on outside the tub but you try to climb out about five minutes about I put you in and then you are ice cold and freezing because you won't sit down.

Of late you love crawling up to the piano and patting on the keys, and anything with wheels. Needless to say almost every single one of your Christmas toys involves wheels of some kind. Well, besides that books that is. Happy nine months little man!

Parenting "Oh Dear" Moments

This whole journey of parenting has definitely had it's 'oh dear' moments. This past week has been chock full of them.

For example, I took Hilton to go grocery shopping and as I was lifting him into the shopping cart at Smith's in front of like ten checkstands after coming out of the bathroom from changing his diaper he decided to violenting spit up. On the floor. Leaving a nice white puddle. About two feet big. I could have died. But all I could say under my breath was, "Oh dear".

Second time this week was when Hilton was taking a bath Sunday evening and happily playing and splashing in the tub. I turned around to make his bedtime bottle in the sink while I watched him in the mirror. When I turned around and looked in the tub...he had pooped. "Oh dear! Get out of that tub right now!" Good thing he wasn't too upset, and I was able to rinse him off and sanitize everything.

Third was walking into His room to get him from a nap and he was standing at the edge of his crib, something I was hoping it would take him a bit to figure out! Definitely an 'Oh Dear' moment. We got the crib lowered right away. 

Last moment this week was that in Sunday school in our church now that Hilton is crawling like crazy I made the mistake of setting him down and before I knew it he was going down our row untying all the old men's church shoes...I felt so bad. Quite definitely "Oh dear" moment.

Good thing he's so cute and makes doing this parenting thing all worth it!

The Return

So you know how I had a baby nine months ago? Yeah, kind of crazy he's already that old. And me basically ignoring this blog for that same amount of time is almost as crazy. This is the obligatory post stating how I'm sorry I've forgotten or neglected this blog, and promise how I'm going to shape up. So there. I'm coming up with fun new ideas of things that I want to post about and life since baby et cetera.And I promise to try and blog more frequently, because even though life has changed SO much it's just a wonderful and fun in different ways.

And here's just the cutest face to end the shortest post I've ever done. 

Your Eighth Month

My goodness we have definitely had some big changes this month! You are not crawling...yet. You are definitely trying to and kind of have an army crawl you will do when you're super desperate to get to something far away. You only do it on special occasions. You are however sitting like a pro and can transition easily from sitting to stomach to back and vice versa very well.

You had a HUGE growth spurt this month, initiating a couple of changes such as you are now in a convertible carseat since you are already 30 inches long and you were able to fit into size nine month clothing for a whole...three weeks. So we've skipped twelve month clothing and just gone straight to size 18 month because I find it pointless to buy you all twelve month clothing in case you do the same thing. Along with this huge growth spurt and changes of clothing sizes also meant that you diapers got quite a bit tighter as well. While you are not close to the weight restriction for size 3 diapers (28 lbs I think?) they are just getting to short and narrow for you, so onto size 4!

You finally broke your first tooth on August 11th, two days before your turned eight months. And you broke your second one three days later so we officially are no longer gumming everything! But unfortunately with your second tooth you have started teething and wanting to be cuddled and held most of the day. But I don't mind. I love how you have started to lift your arms up when you want to be picked up and the way you wrap your arms around my neck and squeeze tight just makes my heart melt. My favorite is your slobbery kisses on the side of my face when you say hello.

You are still eating pureed baby food, but we are starting to introduce more and more true solids to you. So far you've had pancakes, graham crackers, strawberries, grapes, peach slices, pear slices, a couple fries (naughty daddy), and a bite of bacon (naughty mommy). You definitely are all about textures just like mommy, if its slimy or super rubbery/chewy you are not a huge fan. It's fun to see you experience things for the first time and decide if you like them right away or not.

Thank heavens you are still sleeping through the night, and you still take nightly bathes which is definitely fun to see you play in the tub sink. You still love your Dory, and typically because your the most tired during bath time since it's right before bedtime that is your loudest period when you squeal and gab a lot. It's fun to see you be more and more vocal and you have also started saying, 'mama mama mama' but it's to nothing particular but I like to respond, 'Yes, I'm momma'. Even though you can't understand I'm trying to train you in hopes that's your first true word.

We love you so much little man, you are truly the most special part of our family and I can't imagine our family without you now, it's like you were always a missing piece.

Daddy: is loving your sweet blue eyes and how you laugh at farting sounds

Mommy: is loving giving you raspberries so that you will giggle

Puppies: are loving cleaning up your high chair for you once you're done eating

Family Pictures 2014

Another thing off my bucket list and new years resolution list for the year! We had our family pictures taken the end of June by the amazing Amanda Castleberry, seriously I was so impressed! Hilton didn't cry or fuss once, and she got some of the best group shots with all of us I was so happy I can't even tell you. I'm so glad she was able to squeeze us in while she was visiting in Utah for possibly her last trip before her second baby is born. Thanks so much Amanda!

Location: Temple Square, Lion House and Fountains