It's not fun getting woken up...

.

 

Right Cole?

Getting ready in less time

Having time to get ready now seems like a luxury. Showers are taken at night because realistically I don't have time to shower, blow dry my hair and get ready all at once. That would take me all day long.  I've found some great products that I like to use that help to cut down on time to get ready.

Instead of curling my hair I use this. I spray it in my hair at night and scrunch it up.  Then in the morning I may curl a few pieces on top if I have a few extra minutes.

Also I use this dry shampoo.  It really dries my hair out so I will also put a shine spray to bring some moisture back.  But I can now go 4 days without washing my hair, TMI?

Not getting enough sleep shows under my eyes.  I have noticed I have dark circles that made me look tired (guess what I am). But I don't want the whole world to know that by looking at me, I hate when someone says "oh you look so tired". So to fight the dark circles I have started using this product.
It is great, and you really only need a dab under each eye and under the brow bone. It does wonders!

Some other little things I do that make me feel better about myself are:

Paint my nails. I am loving this color and this color right now.

Fill in my eyebrows like this. Wear this lip gloss:

And then spray this perfume:

 Any other tips/secrets you use that are helpful when needing to get ready in point 5 seconds?

Two Months Young

We had his 2-Month check up last Wednesday (the 7th) and he now weighs 10 lbs 15 oz (7lbs 3 oz @ birth) and is 23 inches long(20 1/4 in). I guess that answers my question if he is getting enough to eat. He is in the 50th percentile in everything right on track!

A few fun facts:

Smiles all the time (as long as he has a full tummy), and it is the best reward so far!

Such a happy baby now that he can interact and talk with us

Still eats every 3 hours during the day and night, oh vey
LOVES getting his diaper changed

Likes his baths, finally

Takes a bottle like a champ, he is not a picky boy

Blessing Day

 

It was a perfect November Day. To hear my husband bless our son in church will be a day that I will remember. The love I have for Chad and Cole is ridiculous, I love these two boys so much. All the sacrifices and sleepless nights were worth this beautiful day.  Family is more important to me now than it ever has been before. We were surrounded by both of our parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. And those that weren't there were terribly missed, but we felt your love as well. I am one lucky girl.

Thoughts on Motherhood

Before having Cole I had been an avid gym go-er. I loved my time there to unwind from a long day at work, get a good sweat on and listen to my favorite tunes. I continued this routine all the way up until the very end of my pregnancy. Getting to the gym made me feel so much better throughout the week. Since having Cole I haven't been once, until today.  I didn't realize how much I missed that time.  I have thought about going many times but then cancelled the idea thinking it would be better to get an extra nap in during the day.  While sleep is the most important thing to me I realized after today that getting to the gym is a close second. 

Being a new mom has had its challenges. I have heard that phrase so many times, and wondered "what are those challenges really" So far the challenges I have expereienced are (in no particular order)

Lack of Sleep 

No "me" time to relax, paint my nails, watch a movie, do my hair/makeup

Dairy Foods (ahh cheese and milk)- Cole has a sensitive stomach

Having one on one time with my husband-feeling like his wife and not a mom 

Being Spontaneous (doesn't happen when we are on a 3 hour feeding schedule)

Working

Working Out

My friends and girls nights

Being able to make dinner when I want it

Eating

Showering ( I still shower but not those Loooong hot showers)

Having a clean home

Attending Church

While this is not meant to be a negative post I wanted to be real and open about my feelings having a new baby so that I can look back and see how things have improved and for other new or soon to be moms to relate (hopefully I'm not the only one). 

The past 7, almost 8 weeks, have been a complete life changer because of the adjustments I mentioned above. We no longer go out for a date, come home decide to stay up late and watch a movie because tomorrow is Saturday and we can sleep in. Our whole lives are centered around our new baby and the adjustment is hard. Luckily it has gotten easier, I now feel great getting 6 hours instead of 9 hours of sleep, I've learned how to shower and get ready before 2 o'clock, I'm learning when I can run my errands and to plan much better than before.  The most important thing I have learned is that life is not all about me, and what I want.  My life is about my son, my husband and myself, and learning to take care of all of our needs. My needs are still important and vital to staying happy and taking care of Chad and Cole, but they no longer come first.  

This realization has made me appreciate my own parents and my Heavenly Father more than I ever knew.  I look back on my years as a child and remember all that my mother did for me. I remember people saying I can't believe you have 6 children to her and in my head thinking it wasn't a big deal. She is a mother and that is her job. I now realize if only a small portion of how difficult and selfless that was. I also think of my father who would work long hours, serve in his church calling and also be our father, attending almost all of my volleyball games and being there when I needed him.  The job of a parent is so difficult because it requires the giving up of ourselves for someone else. 

That brings me to appreciating my Heavenly Father. He gave up his son for others, others who would disobey him, persecute and ultimately kill his son Jesus Christ.  Our Heavenly Father was willing to sacrifice his son for me.  The least I can do to show him of my appreciation is to do the same for Cole. He has trusted me to take care of this little baby and I am so grateful to do so. While I may get frustrated or cry during the day I am still grateful. 

As I sat down to write this post it was just going to be about getting back into shape as a new mom, I had no idea that these thoughts would become typed on the computer screen. More importantly than getting back into physical shape and going to the gym is getting myself back into shape spiritually so that I may raise this little baby into a man who has a testimony, treats others with kindness, loves even those that are difficult to love, and one day becomes a parent himself.

Road Trip with a New Baby

We have a lot of family and friends that still live up in Utah so we decided to head up north to visit them and introduce them all to Cole. We had mixed reviews from people about taking a road trip with a new baby, but we decided we wanted to do it and Cole would have to be a good sport. It turned out to be super easy. We drove to Vegas the first day and then made the rest of the drive the second day. Cole slept for all but maybe a half hour of the trip. It was easier than taking care of him at home for a day.  Our friends Jake and Kristi let us stay in their home while we were there. Thanks so much to them for putting up with a crying baby in the middle of the night.

I haven't been back to the Provo/Orem area in 3 years!! Being down there brought back many great memories, I drove past our fist apartment, went to my (yes my) old Target, bough Chocolate Covered Cinnamon Bears @ BYU (reminds me of cramming for a test), met up with friends, family, ate at Texas Roadhouse, Kneaders, Hire's Big H, got a waffle from The Waffle Truck (thanks Kristi), went shopping at City Creek, ate the best tacos at a Taco Truck, and went up to Sundance. Whew, that was a long sentence and still the trip wasn't long enough, there were many people we weren't able to see but overall we had a great time.

Siblings and spouses

David made Cole smile every time he made this face

Smizing with Aunt Hayley

A trip to Utah isn't complete without visiting Temple Square

Best friends for almost 16 years! Doesn't she look great for being pregnant with baby #2!

Sundance

When I was pregnant Alyssa loved to sit by me and feel my stomach kick, I think Cole remembered his Aunt Alyssa's touch!