Randomness

My baby shares a birthday with Brad Pitt.

This is one of my favorite pictures of Grady to date. He just looks so content and happy.

Here is my diet snack from last night.

Much love,
Em

TGIF

As a stay at home mom for now, I definitely lose track of the days of the week and the date. But I'm still very glad today is Friday.

Like I've said previously, we have been extremely blessed by so many thoughtful people giving us gifts. But with gifts come thank you cards. Lots. of. thank. you. cards. I can officially say I'm pretty much done writing them. I just have some final family cards and later gifts we've received to write. It is such a huge relief to have those behind me. The cards may sound redundant if you read each and every one of them, but we really are grateful for everything we've received.

So, this week I have seriously started working on my diet and exercise. It has felt awesome! On Sunday our friends Chris and Jade came to hang out. They will be running the full and half marathons with us in December. We are also all trying to lose weight and all. So, we've started using myfitnesspal on our phones. It is such a great way to record your diet and exercise. I feel so much more motivated now that I'm keeping track of it and have a friend to keep me accountable. I also bought a new set of kicks to start my running out right and some more exercise clothes. I hated to spend the money, but sometimes investing in an activity pays off in the long run.

Aren't they pretty?

Don't these salads look appetizing?

Just taking the world in...

Lunchtime daddy love <3

Bath time naked baby

First walk in the neighborhood

Just chillin' with momma

Much love,
EM

Getting Old

I've lately realized just how old I'm getting.

The other night as Zac and I were laying in bed, he decided to look up a lot of random music and talk to me about it while watching music videos on youtube. I was shocked that Simon Cowell was the one who put the band One Direction together... I was also shocked by how old I felt listening to the new age boy band and looking up the individual singers to realize most were born in 1993. That just makes me feel old.

Also, while watching football the other day I realized that every single one of those college football players was younger than me. That just makes me feel old.

Oh, and I like to randomly look up actors/actresses and learn lots of random information about them. Emma Stone is a year younger than me. Also, Zac and I have watched several movies that came out the year we were married (2006), and the actors in them appear to have aged a lot... which means I have aged too.

Last night, Zac randomly takes my phone and looks through all my old albums on facebook. Seriously, that will make you feel old. It's pretty funny going back in time through pictures. It really puts aging into perspective. Zac was shocked by how much hair he had just a few years ago... and I was ashamed by how much weight I have gained in just a few years. Old pictures really make me feel old. We looked so young just six years ago!

But the icing on the cake is the fact that I just traded my very first car for a minivan. Yes, Zac and I are now proud owners of my parents' old van. I never thought I'd be a 25 year old driving a van... but it is the most practical decision we could make. Less debt, more space and functionality. It's a kick to my pride (to be honest), but I guess it will be worth it. Check out my new ride!

So, to keep myself young... and to get back into shape and lose some weight... I have decided to sign up to run a half marathon in December. Zac has also decided he wants to run a full marathon in December. So, if you see me in December and I look the same as I do now, I give you permission to slap me in the face and call me a fatty. I'm determined to get in shape and get back to a better looking and feeling me. I have no excuse not to, and there is no better time than the present to embrace getting old by improving myself.

I'll end with one positive thought: Until April 7th, I'm still closer to 20 than I am to 30. :)

Much love,
Em

Grady is ONE month old today!

My baby boy is ONE month old today!

such an alert baby

I just love his serious face.

:)

tired of pictures

Daddy and his "wing-man"

- He wears size 1 diapers.
- He still usually wakes up to eat about every 2 hours. His days and nights are not straightened out yet. Sometimes during the day he will go 3-4 hours; however, nighttime is another story. Although, last night was great! He went from 2-5:30 without waking up. A wonderful surprise for momma.
- He has started to wear 0-3 month clothes. I still try to squeeze him into some of his larger newborn outfits - doesn't always work.
- As of Wednesday, he weighs 10 lbs 5 oz. He's a chunk already!
- He loves his paci. If only there was a paci retriever for him at night that would pop it back in his mouth as he drifts off to sleep.
- He loves to eat. I'm working on making him wait at least 2-3 hours between feedings. Hopefully he will adjust quickly. Right now he "thinks" he wants more food but really he just wants comfort.
- He is one gassy boy. I'm amazed by some of the sounds he makes already! It's really quite impressive...
- He gets calm easily by me, especially when he thinks he needs to nurse. It's really priceless seeing Zac show off his daddy skills already by singing and calming him down even if it takes a little more effort. (There really isn't anything more attractive than a man caring for his baby by singing an assortment of songs. I love it!)
- He has been colicky at night from about 2-5; however, I'm hoping that will change since last night! (I'm not crossing my fingers though.)

Being a momma is wonderful! I love winter and cold weather but have to admit that I can't wait until I can take him for walks outside... and out in public without the fear of the flu.

God has blessed us so much with such a wonderful and beautiful baby. We've also been blessed beyond what our gratitude can fully express. Our friends, family, and even some people we don't know well have been amazingly generous with gifts, money, and support. We feel especially loved and are thankful that so many people have been so kind. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.

Much love,
Emily

Four Weeks

My baby is FOUR WEEKS old today! I'm officially one of those moms that counts how old her baby is by weeks.

Much love,
Em

Update and New Year

Has it really been nearly five months since I wrote on here? I've been a bad blogger for the latter part of last year.

To update the world quickly, I finished my internship on December 7th, graduated college on December 11th, and had my first child on December 18th. Life's been a whirlwind since August to say the least.

So, there was the brief update on the end of 2012.

Yesterday was Grady's actual due date. Today he is three weeks old. It's crazy how quickly time has flown by and how much he has already grown. Zac and I have learned so much about babies and newborns. It's an amazing feeling having a child of our own to love and care for every single day. It is also a little frighting if I think about it too hard. For example, I have started giving Grady tummy time (which he seems to love) so right now he is sleeping sounding on his tummy about four feet away from me on the couch. Right now, he can't really move or fall off the couch, but he could easily suffocate himself if he rolls his head down toward the couch. Won't happen, I know. But still. I can't just leave him there and walk away for too long because it is up to me to keep him safe. That may seem like a bad example... but seriously it won't be long until he could easily roll off the couch. Oh, and the spit up. He could easily choke on his spit up. And it's amazing how much he can spit up. So, I'm breastfeeding and literally you would think he emptied his stomach right after he eats. The best part is right after he eats and pukes, he wants more.

The main thing I've learned is newborns do three things: eat, sleep, and poop... I feed him, he passes out in a few seconds, and he poops. I change his diaper, he gets cranky, I feed him, he falls asleep, and he poops. Sometimes in a different order. Sometimes all three at once.

But it is great. Before I know it he will be six months old, and I'll long for a little baby to cuddle and hold.

Anyway, since it is the new year and I totally failed miserably keeping up with last year's resolutions, I'm not making any "resolutions" per se. This year I do plan to do several things: improve my physical health, improve my spiritual health, start motherhood "on top of things", make improvements to the home, keep a good record of important milestones in Grady's first year, and enjoy my break from school/work as much as possible. Yes, they are vague. Yes, I meant for them to be vague. A lot can happen in a year, and I look forward to embracing whatever comes with it.

By the way, I have ADD and am unmedicated as of knowing I was pregnant last May. So, bear with me as I jump from topic to topic randomly. Next thing on my mind is the fact that I will probably be driving a minivan a lot earlier in life than I ever thought I would. Bittersweet. More on that later.

This post could go on forever based on the lack of focus it seems to have. So, I will leave with some pictures of our precious boy. (I could blame some of the jumping from topic to topic on him and his immediate needs... but I won't.)

Enjoy.

It is hard picking and choosing which pictures to post. The first few are some of my favorite over the past few weeks. The last five are my favorite pictures that Natalie Smith took. Isn't he precious? I may be a little partial, but he's pretty cute in my opinion.

Scripture #9:

But Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children."

Matthew 19:14