Monday, April 2, 2012

A motherhood word vomit. Things I've learned. Things I've done. And just random mom stuff.

E has never watched regular cartoons on TV. Ever. She only watches Baby Einstein DVDs. I'm not sure why. I have never been against it when I was pregnant, or when I had E, but we just always started her out with Baby Einstein and I found that they were the most educational for her. I have tried to turn on regular cartoons and she has no interest. So for now, we stick with baby E {clearly match made in heaven}.
E fell out of bed twice. I still have nightmares about it. Once when she was 6 months old, and once 15 months old. Both times, trying to be selfish and "co-sleep." Obviously, it didn't quite work out. So we are a NO-CO-SLEEP family. Per Elliana's choice. Obviously. 
Since we are on the topic of falling... E fell down a couple stairs {twice}. Eeek. Never down the stairs fully... just 3-4 steps. But girlfriend was quick at the time. She was fine every time. But that baby gate went up quicker than the speed of light. Actually it went up slow... but it's up. That is all that matters.
I breastfed for 11.5 months, but I did give baby girl formula when she was 6 months old just because I had it in the house and it literally was speaking with me. Like a drug. "Come get me. I will make your time worth while. I will make you feel good." Why yes fake cocaine, you did make my time worthwhile and it felt good to have a bottle feed my child.
I give E bites of anything sweet I am having. However, she has never had a whole piece of anything. Cake, cookie, whatever. But I never hold out on her. I believe that every child should have a piece of something sweet.... anytime mama does :)
E has never had McDonald's or any other kind of fast food. Okay, shes had bites of taco bell before, but that doesn't count as fast food. Not in my book at least. But as far as McDonalds goes... she will probably never have it. Just a no-no in my book. {Even though I recall my love for two. Not one. But two Big Mac's when I went as a child. Heffer.}
I don't teach my baby girl enough Russian. As I should. As I swore I would. What started out as "solely" speaking Russian to her has turned into when I remember to. And that is not okay.
I was ready to have baby #2 as soon as E was born. I recall in the hospital being like, wow, I want to do that again. Tomorrow. Here we are 16 months later... and no baby #2 {yet}.
I waited the full "recommended" 6 weeks to... you know... do the... hot dog bun.
Elliana's baby food was made solely by me. She had jar baby food just a handful of times. Otherwise, I prepared her meals. For the most part she eats all organic/all natural foods. It is kind of funny because I swore I was not going to be that "all organic" type mother. SWORE. And here I am. I promise though... I turned out just fine. And if kids don't eat organic? I really don't care. I think I just got... pressured into it. Ha.
Sometimes, we have days where we just lay around and watch baby E, eat our meals, and hang. And nap a lot.
But a lot of times, as long as weather permits {40 degrees and above}, we spend our time outside. Just me, E, and the camera {and papa if its the weekend}. Cell phone aside. Enjoying the weather. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
I spoil E. Love. My attention. Clothes. And I have no shame. No regret. When the time comes, I will enforce the necessary rules. But for now? She's my baby and I will embrace every part of it.
I believe in spanking. Just the hand. And only one or two spanks on the bottom, with no obvious force or anger behind the spanking. Those are crucial elements. Otherwise? Go at it. I'm all for it. In fact, E has gotten a few pats on the bottom here and there. Not that she cared or noticed. Again, just like her hard-headed mama :)
However, I think time out is the most effective tool of discipline. We have enforced time out since she turned 16 months old and will continue to enforce it... until she is 20 years old :)
I wish Betheny Frenkel and I could be mom friends.
I wish I had real mom friends. {Correction: I now DO have some. Yay!}
I wish my best friends would have babies.
Or at least, get married. Engaged. Something.
I will make plans with friends and then cancel last minute because the thought of not spending that time with my child just bothers me. I know this is bad, but honestly.... she is my best friend. I could spend countless, endless amounts of time with her. And it never gets old. And I am not sorry about it.
We have only spent 1 weekend away from E, and it was not per my choice.
We have never gone a day without a nap. Ever. And we intend to keep it that way. Yes, her naps have been delayed... by many hours before due to other plans, but to this day we have not had to miss a nap. And I am a thankful mama because of that.
There have only been a handful of times that Elliana has not gotten a bath every night. Probably about 6-7 nights. Otherwise, every night, same time, same place... bath time. And it's a favorite for her.
I did not have an intense connection with E when I was pregnant. I couldn't fathom that there was a real human inside me, even when I was in labor it didn't seem real. But the minute that she was placed on my chest? The connection was like nothing I had ever experienced. The love is indescribable. And being a mother is the best thing that has ever happened to me. And ever happen to me.
Elliana is a mama's girl through and through. She loves her papa to pieces. And she is a total papa's girl as well. But girlfriend is digging her mama and I am flaunting it every chance I get :)
Baby girl didn't wear shoes for the first 11 months of her life. Maybe once or twice. Very very rare. Girlfriend hated shoes.
I have to wipe down every centimeter of the grocery cart that E sits in. Every bit, front back, side to side, inside and out.
But I'm not a germ freak. Just something I do.
Sometimes, E will do the doogy while I'm in the middle of something... I make a mental note, and then I sometimes forget. And 1 hour later? Oops. True life.
I've had Elliana's birthday outfit since she turned 1 year old. THE TWO YEAR OLD birthday outfit. You know. The one she will wear when she turns 2... in November.
So yes. I buy clothes WAY in advance. Sometimes 1 year. Sometimes 2. I even have some stuff for when she turns 4. Crazy? Yes. It's called... i love to shop.
Elliana had a bottle until she was 14 months old. We transitioned to sippy cups around 9 months and she still had a bottle once a day in the morning up until 14 months old. I stopped this when one morning I tried to give her a sippy cup and she freaked. So the bottles were out.
And although these are only a fraction of motherhood truths. Maybe 2%. They signify 16 months of a beautiful journey. Not perfect...but absolutely beautiful. And the best part about it?

It's my journey. Our journey. And I'll be able to look back one day and say...

Wow. I wasn't perfect. I didn't always know everything. I didn't always do it the correct way. Or the popular way. Or the "smart" way. But I did it. We did it. We loved it. We laughed through it. Cried through it. And at the end of the day...


We did do something right.

40 comments:

  1. i love this post, and love love love the photos... She is so lucky to have you.

    i would wipe down every surfaces before sit on it :D

    I wondering who E get her gorgeous blonde hair from? ou and andrew had the dark hair

    xx

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  2. I definitely have a bunch of these Momma moments too - and I totally wish Bethenny Frankel was my Momma BFF as well :)

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  3. Posts like this are great because I think a lot of mamas (at least me!) feel alone on a lot of these things sometimes... Making mama friends is hard when you are the FIRST of all of your friends to do the marriage and baby thing - one day, right?!

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  4. I am the same way about going out with friends. I'd much rather stay home and be with my baby and not miss those moments, than go out with friends.

    Sometimes I feel bad, but, she's only going to be this little once. And soon, she won't want to hang out with mama. So, I'm soaking it all in while I can. :)

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  5. loved this post! she is the CUTEST! :)

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  6. Girl you spoil her as much as you can now. Because if baby #2 happens to be a boy someday, a boy that whole heartedly prefers his daddy...you'll be thankful for those mama-baby girl memories. Not that my son prefers his daddy or anything...because yeah he totally does. ;)

    You are a great mom. I really admire how you focus so easily on E, even on no sleep. xo

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  7. One day your daughter will read this post and she will know just how much she is loved!!

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  8. I love this post so much, it is so relatable! You sound like a great mama :)

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  9. Absolutely fabulous post Becky!! I love every bit of it! Reading this totally convinced me that you and I would definitely be BFFs IRL if we lived closer- so many similarities! Have a wonderful day love!

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  10. I LOVE this! I love the truth behind it! So wonderful to read a "real" blog that isn't all super fake! I love reading your posts! You go girl!

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  11. This post was awesome lady!
    I loved it, and I feel the same way .. i can't quite wrap my head around the fact that there's a human in there.

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  12. I LOVED this post. I love to hear from different momma's and how they do things, perceive things, everything! I feel like I learn so much from blogs like yours :)

    E is a cutie as always! I think if I have a girl first I'll DEF have a problem shopping all the time for her!!

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  13. This is such a great post...I cannot wait to be a mother!...eventually

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  14. Awesome post. I feel the same way if I have plans with my friends and I know Im always busy all I want to do is spend my time with my little baby.

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  15. love this post. love your vomit..word vomit that is. Elliana is a very lucky and special little girl!!

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  16. Love it! As a soon-to-be mama (oops - did I just say that?? It isn't even announced on my blog yet!! :P ) I truly enjoyed your perspective! ;)

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  17. Aw such a lovely post :) You are such a wonderful momma and you guys are so lucky to have each other! Little E is so darn adorable! It's definitely impossible to do everything perfectly. Love the post, love the pictures.

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  18. i became a huge germ freak after having my baby boy!

    http://babybakerlove.blogspot.com/

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  19. Love this post - so honest and so true! We try to do it the best we know how and we hope it works out for the best!

    yes, I wish Bethenny was my mommy BFF, too!

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  20. I love mom confessions like this! And the photos you take are just darling! She is a lil beauty and the love that you have for her radiates! I can relate to your wrap-up statement and I think that's all any mom can confess. . .we may not have done it all RIGHT, but we did what is RIGHT for US. Such a cute post!

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  21. This whole post makes me smile. The content, the pictures and the love. It's very real and I love that!

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  22. I love this post!!! E is adorable & reminds me of my Keira

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  23. what a great post!! your daughter is SUPER adorable and i always love the outfits she is in. :)

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  24. Cute post! You seem like such a good mom. I LOVE hearing that you don't like spending time away from her...I work at a daycare right now and it absolutely baffles me when parents aren't working and bring their kids anyway. I was not raised that way and my babies wont be either!

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  25. This was a great post! We have a lot in common!

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  26. This was a great post! We have a lot in common!

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  27. Loved reading this!!! I have two boys and one girl and I love my boys so much but Kayla is def my best friend!! It's such a different bond with girls they are so much fun! And yes the shopping is great!!! I also always feel like I need to have more mommy friends! We have so much in common I feel like we would be friends IRL

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  28. Where on earth did you get those ADORABLE black sandals for her????

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  29. you are such an good mom! this post makes me look forward to having kids someday! hope i have a little girl so i can spoil her like you spoil E! :)

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  30. Oh, I loved every bit of this post, and how true it all is! I tell Tyler all the time that Guinevere is my BFF in training, and its so neat to see other mothers that feel the same way :) Loved the pictures!

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  31. Such a cute post! And the pics are adorable as always. :)

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  32. Perfection mama. Lovely did bits. I must say, I'd die to be friends with Bethany Frankel although if you asked me why I couldn't tell you. Also, if my friends don't get engaged married or have kids soon I'm going to freak!

    Happy Monday mama, hope it treated you well :)

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  33. You are the reason I have saved so much $$ on Olivia's clothes! I've been buying them in advanced at the end of each season as it goes clearance! LOVE it!!

    I make all of Olivia's baby food too, and taste it...so far so good!

    Olivia doesn't sit in public high chairs or grocery carts...yet and I already have the sanitizer wipes in the diaper bag and cover for them for when the time comes!! #germsfreakmeout!

    Good for you about being outside! We have been taking lots of walks which Olivia loves but can not wait to go to the park for her to play!

    LOVE family nap time, we did that today :)

    SUPER jealous of your mommy friends! Can't wait to make some! I'm joining our local lib and a mommy and me group :)

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  34. I loved reading this sweet post about your beautiful baby E! She is too cute in all those pics! :)

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  35. fabulous post! IM glad to know IM not the only one that got sucked into the organic thinking as well.

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  36. I loved this post so much I included it in Lots of Link Love for this week!

    http://www.stresscasey.blogspot.com/2012/04/lots-of-link-love.html

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  37. Love this post..shows how much you love your baby your life & thee experiences its has taken you thru. Inspiration for a new MRS like me. My hunnybun & I are ttc #1

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