much needed

Last Friday Ryan and I went out on a much needed date. Just the two of us. And it was the first official date since Lincoln and we were excited to have some alone time. A romantic dinner and a movie is probably typical for a lot of people, but not us. For the first date as parents I wanted to feel like we were still young and crazy...even though we're both ready for bed by 9. I think we had fun considering we were home before 11.

I saw this place called The Lodge on a food show. It was ranked #1 for a sandwich and after seeing that it was a burger and not far from where we lived, I knew I had to take Ryan. Two grilled cheese sandwiches and a burger inbetween. Gross right? Ryan loves these challenges. I won't even tell you how many calories and cholesterol were in this thing. I don't know whether to be proud or disgusted that my husband ate the whole thing like it was a bowl of cereal. I guess since I'm the wife and I'm the one who took him there, I should be proud.

And what's a better way for Ryan to burn of those calories? We went paintballing afterwards. It was a first for us and it was HILARIOUS. We walked in and you could tell we were not hardcore like the adult men and teenage boys that were sizing us up and down. I had this vision of me in the corner hiding the entire time.

 

First game was head shots only. I think I fired twice before getting creamed. Same for Ryan. Except his shot was a bulls-eye to his face mask. I think he fired twice too. But next round, we wreacked havoc and pretty much terrorized the other team best we could. I like to think one of my stray bullets hit someone....

 

date night success.

 

8/52 dang doctor's appointment

PC Knowledge:
Eating while breastfeeding can get messy. I'm always down for killing two birds with one stone-- figuratively, not literally. So when Linc eats, I eat. But I'll warn anyone who does this: It can get messy. Maybe I'm the one that needs to wear a bib. Lincoln doesn't mind though.... he's a little preoccupied anyway. It's just more cleaning for me to do and the less the better.

Son, your mama was about to unleash her crazy side too. I didn't enjoy seeing you get your shots as much as you. If only I could give you the lollipop for what you had to go through. Even though I ate one for you, it only made me feel a little bit better about the whole ordeal.

my first

I've learned two things from this picture.
1. my husband has trouble taking a focused picture, but really good at taking blurry ones.
2. i look ghostly white next to my olive-skinned baby.
Regardless, I'm one blessed mommy and my first mother's day was wonderful. My appreciation, respect, and gratitude has grown for my mother now that I've become a mother myself. It's true you will never understand the love a parent has for their child until the day your own baby is wrapped up in your arms and has stolen your heart.  Thank you mom for loving me and teaching me to love others, to love life, and to love myself. I love you.

oh and for a mother's day gift, Lincoln only got up once in the night and slept in until 7:30!!!! Thank you baby!!! I LOVED MY GIFT. :)

my son's first apology

The other day was one of those days.  I heard the garage door open and I greeted Ryan with a half-hearted smile and handed Linc to him. It was a doozy of a day and I needed some Nyquil, a bed, my sleep mask, sound proof walls, some hazelnut candles burning, and maybe some Enya playing in the background. Ryan could tell I was a little stressed and quickly put Linc in the stroller to take him for a walk. He sent me a text message on their walk and this is what I got. (According to Ryan) Linc picked me some flowers and said, "Sorry Mom for being bad today. I love you." After seeing this adorable picture of my little boy, I would have scrapped all of what I thought I needed for what I really needed: my two boys back home with me.

On a happy weekend note: What Ryan and I really need is a real date night. Our first official date night in 7 weeks. Grandparents are coming over to babysit and Ryan and I are headed out!

blessed

This weekend we had family in town for Lincoln's baby blessing. We talked, laughed, ate, swam, and talked about how cute Lincoln is. But the most special part of the weekend was having my baby blessed. We are so grateful for him; our love is overpouring. I'm so grateful for my family and the gospel in our lives. I'm so grateful for my husband and father of my child. He is a wonderful daddy. I love seeing him care for Lincoln. I never knew how much I loved Ryan until I saw him in his new role as a father. I'm grateful that Ryan has a strong testimony of the gospel and has a strong relationship with our Savior and Heavenly Father. I have the best companion to raise our child with. And I'm so grateful for Lincoln and that he is a healthy boy. He's brought so much happiness into our lives and I know this is just the beginning.

 

7/52

Man this baby has got major S-P-U-N-K, and yes Lincoln, I am talking about you. He's pulling some hilarious faces these days. I take way too many pictures, I'll admit, but I'm only planning on keeping the really good ones. It's just hard to bring myself to erase any pictures of him.... even if they are completely blurry. That's one picture of him I can never get back. Yikes, I'm such a sap. Don't worry, I'll slap myself out of it for you.

PC Knowledge:
1. Forts aren't just for playing in. Linc has had some difficult sleeps lately. Hard to imagine with an angel face like his right? It's true. I'm sure it's a short phase and it's about to get even shorter. Because this mommy discovered her baby likes napping in a fort. Who can blame him? I'd nap in a fort every day too.
2. Phantom cries. Do you ever think you hear your phone ringing, and then go look at it and no one has called? That's a phantom ring. I'm talking phantom cries, particularly in the middle of the night.  I've discovered phantom cries and I really wish I hadn't. Even when I fall asleep at night, it never is a deep sleep. I hear one little cry and I wake up. But the phantom cries- the phantom cries are cries you hear in your head that wake you up when really the baby is sound asleep. Even if Ryan is breathing weird I'll wake up thinking it's a faint cry.  Phantom cries- they're the worst!!!!!  I've learned what they are, now it's just a matter of learning how to stop them.

6/52

I think the AZ weather hits 100 degrees earlier and earlier each year. Those few weeks of perfect spring weather will eventually be a thing of the past. I'll be telling my grand kids, "back in the day we used to have a whole month of spring weather......those were the good ole days....."

Lincoln started cooing this week and I L-O-V-E it! Of course whenever I try to video tape him, the coos stop. One day I'll capture the sounds, I just need to be a little stealthy about it. One thing I am stealthy about, leaving his nursery when he goes down for a nap. He's content with me in the rocking chair next to his crib, but if he sees/hears me get up and leave.... he's not having it. What's a mother to do who doesn't want to be imprisoned in her son's nursery? I slither my body from the chair to the floor and army crawl myself out of that room! Take that Lincoln. I still love you though.

Here's Lincoln's week 6 photo and his baby blessing outfit for this weekend. My grandma had the outfit made for the blessing. White clothes and babies don't go well together, but I'm sure my Linc will be good and not dirty it up until after the blessing. (When will I just accept that nothing will stay clean anymore?)

We have family coming into town to meet him for the first time and be here for his blessing. I'll be a proud mama showing him off all weekend. :) 

he's wishin' i was workin'

Since we've moved into our first home, I'm determined to have our home look complete. And if it can look appealing to the eye, well now, that's just a bonus.

 

My mindset has been, while living the apartment lifestyle, "Why decorate when we won't be here long?" No more excuses! First on the agenda: our living room. We spend most of our time here and when I look at our TV sitting on an itty-bitty table with cords overflowing in every direction, I get a headache. That's where craigslist comes into play. Man, I love me some craigslist. One day last week, I found a dresser and mirror, nightstand, and bedframe I LUUUVED and bought them all. 90 bucks. Yes please. I was so stoked with my find I started looking for a credenza for our TV. Bam. Found one I LUUUVED and bought it the next day. 45 bucks. Yes please.

I texted hubby and told him I had good and bad news... which do you want first?
Bad news: I bought some more furniture (Which really isn't bad news --- all part of my plan to lessen the blow I spent more money.)
Good news: I got a great deal on it and we won't need to buy anymore furniture for the house. :)

When he got home he saw the credenza plopped in the garage. I asked him what he thought and he said, "That's what you bought?"

I guess the sight of credenza was the bad news for him--- a piece of furniture that needed some TLC. I'm sure he was wishing I was back at work making money instead of spending money on used run-down furniture. He has little imagination for what this piece can offer. I'll show him!

Oh my, Mommy... what big eyes you have!

Linc (what I imagine him thinking): Oh my mommy, what big eyes you have!

Me: All the better for me to see you with.... now go back to sleep child.

I'm so proud of my boy. Huge milestone here. For those who know me, probably know I like structure, check lists, to-do lists, planning---all fun things of that nature. :) Naturally, putting Lincoln on a schedule was a good thing for him and me. But doing Baby Wise wasn't so fun when he wasn't doing what he was "supposed" to be doing so I've created the laid back version of Baby Wise. Mostly the structure of "eat, play, and sleep" and that alone has helped.

Heck, I even follow the same schedule. I eat when he does and play when he does. I'm just working on the "sleeping when he sleeps" aspect. That's one piece of advice others don't hold back telling you.... Make sure you sleep when baby sleeps!!!!!! Oh really? Yes, that sounds like peaches and cream in theory if it were that easy. Once Lincoln falls asleep and I go lay down, he waits 10 minutes after I've fallen asleep to start crying again. Nothing shoots me out of a sleep than that boys vocals chords.

But on a positive note, I do see a light at the end of the tunnel; but this light actually equals darkness from more shut-eye. :)

PC Knowledge
1. Put a sleep eye mask on your baby registry list. Why this isn't an obvious item--I have no idea. It should be right up top with the car seat. Mhmm.

Found mine in the dollar section at Target. I planned for Ryan to walk in the nursery one morning and see me and Linc sleeping in the rocker with this mask on. He would have laughed hysterically! but I couldn't wait. I came home and threw it on as I walked in the door. He did laugh but I think in the end I found it more hilarious than he.

1 month & smiles

I've been doing weekly updates on Lincoln since he was born because the first month is a whirlwind of precious moments needing to be soaked in and commemorated-- at least by his own parents. I posted this picture of Linc on Facebook and had a few comments about him smiling with the angels, which made me want to share similar thoughts Ryan and I had.

Lincoln is for sure a smiler. He smiles when he's awake, but more so when he's sleeping. Although I tease about it being gas or something funny, Ryan and I talked about what's behind our baby's smile while he's sleeping. 

We think Lincoln is smiling because he's remembering/playing with his friends from heaven. We know Lincoln was waiting patiently in heaven to join our family. And why couldn't he be visiting and laughing with those he knew before he came to us? And now that he's in our arms, he's the closest thing to heaven we have in our lives. And if anyone's smile is contagious, it's Lincoln's. 

And now for more pictures.....of him sleeping and smiling of course....

So it takes my mother-in-law to point out the fact that all the pictures we've been sending her are pictures of Lincoln in the nude. When Ryan told me what she said my initial reaction was, "yah, so what?" After reviewing the thousands of pictures I've taken of him, I laughed because it's true. I'm pretty sure Linc made it his first month on earth dressed a total of 10 days or so. And the only reason for dressing his free spirit is for when we take him out of the house. Point being: if I could go a month sporting just underwear I would, but I can't. What kind of mother would i be taking that away from my baby who can?

PC knowledge:

1. Don't buy excessive newborn clothes. I think the few times he has been dressed, its been the same 3 onesies. Exception to this rule, if you live somewhere cold and it's winter. Obviously then, and only then, would I not recommend newborn nude month. 

2. Bulk buy pacifiers. This is only for parents who use pacifiers. At first, I avoided using a paci like the plague. I remember Ryan asking to give him one..... "He'll become too dependent on it!" I said. HA. How quickly my views changed.  We only had two...and then we lost one. And now the one paci goes wherever Lincoln goes. Next trip to the store I'm buying them in bulk and have one placed in each room of the house. Costco should look into that....

anyhoo. happy one month Lincoln. :) you rock!