Dear New Mom: Fawn

Dear New Mom,

You are about to embark on the most rewarding, difficult, emotional, humbling, beautiful and sweaty (Yes I said “sweaty “I sweat every time I lug my kids out somewhere. It doesn’t end when your pregnancy is over FYI) journey in your life.  It will change you in ways you never knew were possible.  

I don’t think there is really any way to prepare for motherhood. You can fill your arms to the brim at Barnes and Noble with all of the parenting books out there that all of your mom friends have recommended to you and better yet you can even read them from cover to cover but, I’ll let you in on a little secret. There is no one size fits all formula of how to be a “good” mom and there are no words to describe what being a mother is like until you actually experience it. Live it. Feel it. I am pretty convinced your heart literally becomes bigger once you hold your little babe in your arms for the first time. There is nothing quite like that moment. And your eyes see the world through new lenses, sometimes the lenses are rose colored and sometimes they are foggy and we feel scared and lost but that’s ok. 

There will be days when you think to yourself “I am a mom rock star. I actually look cute today. My kids are bringing me so much joy and listening to me. We even made it to church on time. I am totally killin’ this mom thing.” And then there will be days more often than not when you say “I am a terrible mother. I just need 5 min to myself. I am still wearing the same yoga pants I had on yesterday, but now they are covered in food and snot and I just lost my temper with my toddler who decided it was a great idea to poop in her pants while we are at target. Thank God I put on a hat today so hopefully no one will notice me losing my cool with my kids and my puffy lack of sleep bags under my eyes won’t scare anyone off. I need a glass of wine and a mommy time out pronto.”  

There are a lot of ups and downs and you will be your worst critic. Try and not beat yourself up. Try and not compare yourself to other moms. Comparison truly does steal your joy. Don’t believe the lies that will run through your head. Believe the truth that God will give you what you need to be (your kids names) mom. He will walk with you and guide you through this journey called motherhood you are not alone. He is with you. Spending time with Him daily is THE best thing you can do for your kids. Make it a priority. Stay connected to Jesus. 

Also having a “Mom Brain” is a real thing and my husband can attest to this. I have lost brain cells since having my kids. I had never broken a bone in my life and I’ve broken two since being a mom. I fall more often. Smash my fingers in the car door slice my finger while cooking dinner, find things in the freezer that should have been put in the refrigerator and vice versa. I can’t tell you how many times I have been in the checkout line to find that I left my wallet at home or that my car keys are in a random cupboard in the house. You will most likely become a space cadet but don’t worry there are lots of us out there to help support you if we can only remember to text or call you back.  

That brings me to my next point new mamas. Being a new mom is lonely. At least it was for me. Since I was able to stay at home with my kids, it was me and the kids all day err day. I wouldn’t want it any other way but make sure you surround yourself with friends. Have play dates put yourself out there and reach out to other moms because I promise you they want you to, just like you want them to reach out to you. Strike up a conversation with the mom at the park you never know she could end up becoming your best friend. Don’t isolate yourself like I did for a long time. Not only will you be dying inside but you’ll drive your husband crazy.   Be a blessing to other mamas out there. I promise it will do your heart good. 

Make time for yourself. Find something you love that doesn’t involve your kids or your hubby and do it every day. Mine is working out. I used to feel guilty about taking the time to work out putting my kids in the day care at the gym or letting them watch a show while I workout at home. Thankfully I learned quickly to not put that guilt on myself. I need a stress reliever in order to be the mama that I need to be. So go get that pedicure, massage, read that new book or veg out on reality TV. You deserve it. You work hard and your work is important more important than you think. What you do matters and it matters a lot. Don’t let the world tell you any different.  

If there was one thing I could leave you with it is this. This season in life is for such a short time. Although it seems like a never ending cycle of laundry, dirty diapers, refereeing, saying “No”, teething spells, bumped knees, messy rooms, month old milk found in Sippy cups, cheerios tucked into the corners of the coach, not being able to pee alone or talk on the phone without being interrupted.  Soak it in. And try and live in the moment even the hard moments because they will be gone. Isn’t it funny how time can go by so slow and yet so fast all at the same time?  Those beautiful moments, the ones that make your heart skip a beat and put a smile on your face in the middle of wiping your tears from your eyes the little hands that reach up for you, the sweet voice that desperately calls out “mama”, the prayers before bed, the childlike faith, the funny stories, the silly ways they pronounce words such as “keeke” for their “blanket, the way they cup your face with their tiny hands and say “you’re the best mom in the whole world” or how your little girl wants to be just like you when she grows up and your son brings you a flower he picked from outside. Those moments will go by fast too. Write them down. Let them bring you joy like the warmth of the sun on your skin on a spring day. Lock them in your heart forever and never let them go. From one mama’s heart to another,Fawn

Fawn is married to her husband Matt they have two kids Riley 4, and Cohen, 2. They live in Greeley Colorado but are originally from San Diego California. Fawn loves to blog over at www.fawnrosenbohm.com and she loves to capture life through pictures on instagram you can follow her here (http://instagram.com/fawnrosenbohm/). One of her passions is being a health and fitness coach and running online challenge groups. She loves to worship Jesus, shop, read, take naps, spend time at the beach, have Netflix marathons with her hubby, pin an insane amount of pins on pinterest and take fun vacations with the family.

Dear New Mom: Jessica

I am so excited to start my Dear New Mom series where over the next couple of months I will be featuring a different mom that will give you a little insight on what to expect as a new mom. Hope you enjoy! 

Dear New Mommy:

Congratulations! Your new baby is either here…. Or about to be… and you’ll feel love like you’ve never felt before.  Your heart will swell and burst all at the same time and you’ll never know that loving someone this much was possible.  

Along the way, I’m sure you’ve read all the books, you’ve heard all the unwanted advice, and you think you’re prepared.  Well to an extent, I’m sure you are. But… let me tell you, there are SO many things those books don’t talk about and SO many things your friends don’t want to tell you.  So that’s where I come in.  After I had my son, I remember lying in the hospital bed as three nurses packed my nether regions with ice, and put me in a diaper as big as a pillow thinking, “why the h*&% did no one tell me this was going to happen?” Now my labor was super easy. We had to be induced, again no one told me that to be induced, it meant that a woman was going to shove her HAND halfway to my throat and insert a pill the size of the head of a pin.  But twelve hours later, Carter was here, happy and healthy as a lark.  

Those twelve hours in between, I experienced a few of the “why the h*&% did no one tell me this?” in regards to the labor process.  First, I had sworn my water broke three times before the date of my induction.  Everyone had told me, “I swear you’ll know when it breaks.”  I didn’t believe them.  Well… I promise… I swear you’ll know when it breaks.  F-l-o-o-d.  But what no one told me is that it wasn’t just water.  It’s water, and fluids, blood, mucus. Not. Just. Water.  Someone could’ve told me that.  Someone also could have told me that I would be levitating in pain.  Everyone said, “It’s not that bad,” and I will say that you do forget the pain.  It’s God’s way of making you want to have more babies in the future.  I do have one word for you:  Epidural.  God bless you if you’re going all nat-u-ral!

I knew that labor was going to be crazy and hectic, and I laid there the whole time saying to myself: “this wasn’t in the book.”  First thing not in the book:  Baby Shampoo.  Carter was birthed via the miracle of Johnson and Johnson.  NO ONE told me that the delivery nurse was going to RIM my hoo-haw with baby shampoo OVER AND OVER AND OVER again to ready for birth. Also, be prepared that there will be a ton of people in the room when you are just about to pop.  Two minutes before labor, there were four of us.  Thirty seconds before labor, there were FIFTEEN people in the room.  Sure everyone has as job to do, but I looked up and EVERYONE is staring right at me, and in that moment, of course nothing else mattered, but I wish I would’ve known this was how it was going to be!  Then comes the part where I began, after I’m all sewed up, there were three nurses packing me in ice and putting me in a diaper.  Yep, an over-sized whale of a diaper with several gigantic maxi pads.  I would’ve remembered reading that somewhere along the way.  Then comes the lactation consultant who MANHANDLES your boob to get it into your baby’s mouth…. Totally not awkward at all (especially when halfway through I realized I think she’s the parent of one of my students….).  Whew!  One thing I must mention before I move on from birth is blood… blood.  for.  days.  And days…. And days.  They send you home with those gigantic diapers and maxi pads, and ice packs and advise use for “as long as it takes for the bleeding to stop.”  I asked my girlfriend about it the next time I saw her, and she said, “Well I didn’t want to tell you that part of it!  It’s gross!”  Someone sure as hell better put that in the next revised edition of What to Expect.  

Here’s the advice I want to give to new moms (but never do because I HATED hearing people’s advice): watch your husband’s face when he picks up you baby the first, second and fiftieth time.  How many times in this life do you get to watch someone fall in love?  It’s amazing.  Don’t listen to the gab about circumcision, shots, kissing your baby, cloth diapers or anything else: make your own choices.  I know too many people who have fallen victim to listening to what others think and regretted it later on.  This is YOUR child.  It’s not your mom’s, or your sister’s or your mother-in-law’s.  You created this baby; you get to make the choices that are best for your family.  

And my final piece of advice to new mommies is simple, as it was told to me before I had Carter and I treasure it the most: when the hubbub of the hospital dies down, and your husband falls asleep, and your visitors are gone, take a picture from your perspective of your baby in their little crib.  You won’t remember much from this day, and soon it will all be a blur.  But that one thing, your baby in the quiet, and how they looked in that moment from your perspective will be a memory and a picture you will cherish forever.  You’re a mommy now.  Forever.  For weeks after I had Carter I cried and cried and cried not because I had PPD, but because I was so happy that for the rest of the days I walk this earth, this child is mine.  Thank the Lord, praise him, again and again and again, because He is good.  

Oh… and one more thing.  Call your mom.  Tell her you love her.  Because for the first time in your life, you’ll realize just how much she loves you.  

Peace, love and blessings,

Xo Jessica  

Jessica, also known as "Carter's Mommy", is mother to seven month old Carter and they live in Las Vegas. She is a lover of writing and all things baby! Follow Carter (and Jessica) on Instagram @thatbabycarter .






 

first.

Throughout life you always think of being first as being a success. Everyone strives to win first place, to be first in line, or even first to get the new iPhone. But no one ever talks about what it's like to be the first one of your friends to have a baby.

When Chad and I got married we were one of the first out of our group of friends. Many of our friends even now are still very much single and living life as if they were still in college. They haven't even thought twice about the idea of starting a family except maybe on their Pinterest account. So why does this matter? If the timing was right for us, who cares if we were the first? Because being a new mom is hard when you feel alone. 

Granted, I have a few really incredible women in my life that have small kids and I wouldn't trade those relationships for the world but they are also about 10 years older than me. I feel like it is nearly impossible to find anyone in their early 20's who have kids in our area. I have always visualized Chad and one of his good friends on the couch talking about how life is being a dad and then the wife and I in the kitchen trading poopy diaper stories. But, life just didn't work out that way for us. It's really hard because most of our friends probably won't even start a family until we are done having kids.

So what's my point? 

Attempting to plan ahead to have a good support system is everything. I was so thankful that my family moved to be near us and I am super grateful for the few mom's who have taken me under their wing. There is nothing in the world like being at the end of your rope, exhausted, with no one who understands what you're going through. It also gets extremely hard to be so tired with puke all over your clothes and seeing all of your friends on Instagram out late without a care in the world.

I constantly remind myself-- the life that I have I wouldn't trade for the world. Honestly. Baby Jack has taught me how to be selfless and how to love in a way I didn't know possible. Although times get hard I know that God has me exactly where I am today for a reason and He will provide the strength I need.

♥︎

Family Christmas Pictures 2014

I am so excited to share our pictures we took this past weekend for our Christmas card! We are so thankful to Kira with Kira Ellen Photography for doing such an incredible job despite the cold weather. I didn't realize how much I would adore having professional pictures done with our whole family :)

Easy Dinner Ideas: Chicken and Noodles

I love easy and delicious dinners! It can be hard to think of new yummy ideas and lets be honest-- I don't know of anyone who has the time or energy to make a Pinterest worthy dinner every night. I love recipes that are simple and easy but super delicious! This recipe I got from my mom who is the best cook on the face of the planet. The first time I cooked it I was so surprised how easy it was! I would even dare to call it foolproof.

Chicken and Noodles

Ingredients

• Small boneless skinless chicken thighs (super important to use boneless skinless thighs and not breasts!!)
• Chicken broth
• Wyler's Chicken granules 
• Egg Noodles (you can find these in the frozen bread section)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

The reason I didn't put how much of each is because it just depends on how many servings you want or if you like tons of chicken, etc. If you are using one package of the egg noodles I would say use one small package of chicken thighs (usually about 5-6). For the chicken broth I typically use one large family size can of chicken broth (Swanson 49.5oz) plus one 14.5oz can. As you cook your chicken broth will reduce down so just continue to add broth as needed to get the proper consistency. 

Instructions

First, boil your chicken in water until chicken is fully cooked. Drain water and cut up chicken and then put it back into the pot. Add enough chicken broth to cover. Once your broth is boiling add the egg noodles. Add about 2 tbs of chicken granules and bring everything back to a boil. At this point taste the broth to see if more chicken granules are needed. You want it to taste "chicken-y" as my mom would say. Continue to boil until your noodles are done. Add salt and pepper to taste and you're ready to eat! 

This is one of my FAVORITE cold weather meals and pairs super well with a yummy salad. The salad in the photo is made with one of the Dole Salad Starters found in the produce section. 

Hope you enjoy!

Jack's 3 Month Update!!

Jack turned 3 month's old on Thanksgiving day! We are a little behind on our blog posting because wowza are we having a fun third month. I am only being half sarcastic :) If you've read my last update I talked about Jack's potential acid reflux problem. The doctor decided to put him on medication and he has been on it now for about 2 weeks. We have noticed a big improvement with feedings because he isn't pulling away from the bottle anymore. However, he has been the fussiest baby on the face of the planet this past month. He has started screaming at the top of his lungs and then usually a super loud fart will come. I have done my best to eat a breastfeeding friendly diet so I don't think that has anything to do with it but I am hoping it's not a food allergy. We are going to the doctor soon to have a check up on his medication and acid reflux so I will ask about it then. All I know is my patience has been tested this month. It is so hard because you hate seeing them cry but once you've done all that you can it starts to frustrate you (especially when you're late for church!) I know this is just a stage-- maybe even a growth spurt so I am just pushing on.

As far as clothing goes he is wearing 6 month clothes and seems to be filling them out quite a bit. I wouldn't be surprised if he was wearing 9 month clothes before too long. His head control has gotten so good and he is really active! When he's not crying or sleeping we love to play. I got him a Fisher Price Sit-Me-Up Floor Seat (link here) and he loves it. It lets him sit up and play with the toys off the front.

Jack is very vocal he loves to "talk" and squeal. He also has rolled from his back to him tummy once but he hasn't done it since. We also think that he is starting to teeth! We can definitely see some action happening both on his bottom and top front teeth. That might be what is contributing to the fussiness as well. He has a seriously active tongue and tons of drooling!

Jack's favorite activity this month is grabbing onto mommy or daddy's thumbs and sitting himself up (with a little help of course). Once he sits up he loves to stand up! It is usually accompanied by tons of baby squeals and it is super cute.

Although this month overall has been super hard there have been a LOT of really fun new things. I feel like God does that on purpose so that we don't completely pull our hair out through the difficult times. Hopefully we will get it all figured out soon :)

PS I will update this post with more pictures soon!!
 

Baby Jack's First Thanksgiving in Photos

Baby Jack had a wonderful first Thanksgiving at Grandma and Grandpa's house! Here are just a few photos from the day :)

Top 5 MUST HAVE Items for your Newborn!

I feel like of all of the things I continually researched before Jack was born was what on earth do I need to have!? Aside of the obvious things like diaper bags, wipes, furniture, etc I had a hard time figuring out what items would really be necessary. So, I thought it would be fun to share what I consider to be the top 5 must have items for your newborn!



1. Wubbanubs 
http://www.wubbanub.com/
Wubba-what!? I had never heard of such a thing until I saw a friend with one and she explained to me how awesome it was. A Wubbanub is basically an infant pacifier with a small stuffed animal attached. This is such a life saver because you do not realize how many times your newborn will drop their pacifier and by having the animal attached it doesn't drop to the floor. Not to mention this makes it super easy to find! You can check these online at: http://www.wubbanub.com or buy from a local retailer like Babies R Us.


2. Fisher-Price My Little Snugapuppy Cradle 'n Swing
http://www.fisher-price.com/en_US/brands/babygear/products/My-Little-Snugapuppy-Cradle-n-Swing
I love love love this swing. It was one of the more expensive things that we purchased but it was completely worth it. It can swing in 3 different directions, plays music, has multiple speeds and even a spinning mobile. Jack, especially now, has gotten very independent. When he is over being held he loves going in his swing. It also gives me the opportunity to let him nap without interruption. Totally worth it!







3. Fisher-Price Infant-to-Toddler Rocker
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Fisher-Price-Infant-to-Toddler-Rocker-Elephant-Friends/33356928
I am not sure if this is exactly which one we have but its basically the same thing. Its a chair that has vibrations and is a miracle! I don't know what it is about this chair but Jack loves it. He has had some problems with gas and the vibrations really help. There have been countless times that he has been super upset and the second we put him in the chair he calms down. It's amazing!

4. Munchkin High Capacity Bottle Drying Rack
http://www.target.com/p/munchkin-high-capacity-bottle-drying-rack/-/A-13955647#prodSlot=_1_1
This is definitely a mommy and daddy life saver if you are going to be using bottles. When I made the switch to exclusively pumping it creating SO many dishes. We don't run our dishwasher enough so we were left hand washing ALL of the time. This rack allows us to have all of our bottles/nipples etc drying in a much more efficient ways. Before we got it we had all of our bottles out on a drying mat and it seemed like the bottles never got dry! Also it's dishwasher safe :) I don't know how I survived without it.






5. Kolcraft Cuddle 'N Care 2-in-1 Bassinet and Incline Sleeper, Emerson
http://www.kolcraft.com/baby-products/bassinets/kolcraft/cuddle-n-care-2-in-1-bassinet-and-incline-sleeper.html
I had a hard time finding a good bassinet for a baby boy. Also, I was looking for one that had an incline to help with any potential reflux problems. I know a lot of people like to use the Fisher Price Rock and Play because of all of the features but we have two big labs and having something close to the ground just wasn't an option. This bassinet has vibration, music and nature sounds. It also has a removable incline mesh that is machine washable which has come in handy many times.




There are so many other things that have made a huge difference in making life easier but these are just a few of my favorites! :)

Mommy Monday: Getting my Prebaby Body Back Week 3

As many new mom's know weeks fly by! It was already the weekend before I even could catch a breath and post so I figured it would just make more sense to wait until today to write the 2 week update.

The quest to getting my prebaby body back is so much harder than I realized and has the potential to be extremely disappointing if my I allowed myself to focus on unrealistic expectations. After realizing that I have hit my weight loss "wall" I had to really think about what my intentions were. I had to ask myself why was I trying to lose weight right now? Obviously, I want to feel good about myself, I wanted to look good for my husband and wear all of my prebaby clothes with ease but besides that I really couldn't think of much else.

I have done everything in my power not to allow myself to obsess over my weight like I have in the past. I know if I do this I won't eat healthy and that will lead to a loss of milk production. It's such a strange place to be in as someone who has struggled with their weight. Before I had Jack I was just thinking about myself. If I wanted to try intense diets and work out regimens I could! But now, if I limit my diet too much my milk is nonexistent. I also have been reminded of my recent surgery when I have tried to push myself working out. For example, I didn't feel like my DVD was a hard enough work out and so I decided to run before I did the DVD and now where my incision was hurts SO bad! I know now why the girl on the DVD always says to watch the beginner if you just had a baby ;)

As far as specifics go in the past 2 weeks I have lost a little over 2 pounds. I am 11 pounds away from my prebaby weight but by the way my clothes are fitting I feel like I am about 50lbs away. People weren't kidding when they say your body will never be the same!!! I am doing my best to eat healthy and I am still doing my 12 week workout DVD Lindsey Brin's Postnatal Boot Camp.

This weight loss journey is just that, a journey. As difficult as it is accept, I didn't put on this baby weight on in 3 months so I can't expect it to be gone that quick. I also have to tell myself daily that my number ONE priority is Jack and making sure that my decisions regarding my diet are good for him. If that means I won't lose my last few pounds until after I am done breastfeeding then so be it. All I can do is try my best!!

Wish me luck!