Mother's Day from a New Perspective

Becoming a mom has touched me in places that I didn't even know existed until Everly arrived. I never knew a love this deep until I met her. In addition to feeling a love so strong that it makes my heart ache, motherhood has also made me more compassionate, humble, patient, emotional, and cautious. Now when I interact with other people I am often struck by the parallel that they too have a parent that most likely feels the same unconditional love that I have for Everly. I sob when I see a news story or watch a TV show that covers a topic related to a child or parent going through hard times. I am no longer instantly irritated by noisy children in a restaurant or store. Instead, I look to the parents to see how they are coping or handling the situation. I try my best not to judge other parents and their choices because I have learned that parenting truly is the toughest job on the planet.

Since our children do not come with a user's manual we are forced to rely on our instincts and our own core values and morals when it comes to making decisions about raising our children. I know I don't always get it right and some days are certainly better than others, but I try to do my very best each day to give Everly the stability, consistency, and love that she needs to thrive and develop. There are days when I feel an incredible amount of guilt about working, trying to balance my own needs, and wondering if I am getting anything right, but when I stop and look at the smile on her face, hear the joy in her giggles, and see the glimmer in her eyes all of my uncertainty disappears.

Last weekend I celebrated my first official Mother's Day and I cannot even begin to describe how special this day was for me. By most accounts we didn't really do anything out of the ordinary for Mother's Day, but it just felt good to have my little family together. We spent the entire morning being lazy (I actually slept until 11:00 a.m. - yahoo!) and then went out for a late lunch at Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles. Everly also surprised me with the most beautiful pink roses I have ever seen. According to Danny, Everly rode her pink horse, "Rody", to the store and traded her milk for the flowers. What a little rascal! ;)



Everly's MiMi was also in town for a visit so that only added more joy to the day. It is obvious that Everly and my mom already have such a special connection so having her here with us made the day complete. My own relationship with my mother has evolved so much in the last 8 months and I couldn't have been happier that she was here to celebrate with us. Now I can honestly look at her and say, "I get it! I finally understand how much you love me. All of the sacrifices, happiness, and pride you have for me finally makes sense."

The journey through parenthood is tough, exhausting, uncertain, and even scary at times, but it is also the most rewarding experience I have ever had. I am constantly reminding myself that my response to life's twists and turns will have a direct impact on how she responds to adversity and challenges in her own life some day. I try to make sure that her best interests are at the center of every decision I make and it is already clear that she will be my greatest teacher in this life. Holding the title of "Everly's Mom" is most certainly the accomplishment I am most proud of today and always.

7 Month Round Up!

Just the other day I was telling a colleague at work that Everly was 7.5 months old. As soon as the words left my mouth I felt a wave of panic come over me. From the moment she was born everyone has been telling me to enjoy every second of her childhood because she will be heading off to college before we know it. To be honest though, I didn't really grasp how fast time really passes by until this very moment. Everly is growing and changing so quickly that it is hard to keep up with her major milestones and personality developments because it feels like they happen overnight. I swear Danny and I look at each other on a regular basis and proclaim, "Something is different about her today!"

If I had to sum up Everly's spirit in one word it be lively. She has more energy than any baby I have ever been around. She is constantly moving and squirming and flailing her arms and legs.  Her bubbly personality and infectious giggle are intoxicating. I can just tell by looking at her that she has so much to tell me. She is trying her best to talk but since she doesn't have words yet she communicates by squealing, coughing, raising her eyebrows up and down, and using different pitches of her voice to express how she is feeling. She also started saying "Da-Da" this week, which was a very proud moment for Danny.

She absolutely LOVES food and will not tolerate any monkey business when it is time to eat. We have been trying to teach her baby sign language so that she can tell us when she wants more food, but when she gets really excited she forgets to use the sign and will bang her hands on the tray and grunt until we move faster. So far she has enjoyed everything we have given her to eat except carrots. Right now her menu consists of yogurt, oatmeal, apples, bananas, avocados, and sweet potatoes. I plan to add green peas, turkey, cauliflower, and pears to the menu in the next couple of weeks. We are still preparing all of her baby food and thoroughly enjoying introducing her to new fruits and veggies. Danny and I are both incredibly picky eaters and we are hoping to break the cycle with Everly. So far I think we are doing a pretty good job.

Look how much our "Spicy Little Meatball" has filled out since she started eating solid foods. 

Her little thighs are so chunky! 

The two biggest milestones that Everly has hit in the last few weeks are crawling and sitting up without any assistance. She is on the move and into everything. Since crawling basically happened without any warning we are scrambling to baby proof our entire house. Of course her favorite things to examine are the fireplace screen, the electronics on the entertainment center, and the computer cords; all items that we have had to block off until we can get the proper safety measures in place. We cannot take our eyes off of her for one second because she moves so fast. She knows exactly what "NO!" means because just as she approaches the "forbidden fruit" she will stop and look at us to see how we are going to react.

She continues to love going on adventures outside of the house. We still attend our Stroller Strides workout class a few times a week and trips to Target, the Grocery Store, the park, and restaurants are some of her other favorite outings. She loves riding in her stroller and being carried in the Baby Bjorn. When we are out she is very social and enjoys people watching. She really studies people and her environment. She is also highly amused by Bama and all of her antics. She loves to watch her playing with her toys and often goes after her stuffed animals or balls when Bama isn't looking. Bama is very patient with her and even lets her grab her fur or take her toys. 

Her favorite toys right now are her blue dinosaur, the piano, plastic balls, the tummy time water mat, the frog activity center, and Sophie the giraffe. She is very tactile and loves to explore different textures by "rat clawing" (this is Danny's code word for touching and scratching) every surface that she comes in contact with. She is also tickled by "peek a boo" and is thrilled when we sing to her. "Patty Cake", "B-I-N-G-O", and "5 Little Monkeys" are  some of her favorite jams.

She is still sleeping through the night and napping twice a day like a champ (which makes her mommy and daddy VERY happy)! We plan our entire lives around her schedule because she is a BEAR if she doesn't eat or get to sleep on time. While it can be challenging to get things done on some days, in the end everyone is happier if we stick to the plan.


We continue to be humbled and in awe of the impact that Everly has made in our lives. This little person teaches us about true love, strength, perseverance, and pure joy on a daily basis. We are so much better because of her.

We have some exciting adventures planned in the next month, including our first family vacation to the beach (I can hardly wait to buy her a bikini and a sun hat) and another trip back to Alabama. I am looking forward to my summer break so I can spend more time with her. I am already working on our summer "bucket list"in the city.

Baby Talk or First Words?

All of the books that I have read say that around five or six months of age babies will begin to babble and make sounds that one might confuse for words such as “mama” “dada” or “baba”. According to the experts, babies don’t actually associate these sounds with specific people or objects until they are around 10-12 months old. However, while we were in Alabama a few weeks ago, Everly said “Mama” as clear as day, in context, at least 3 different times. Each time this happened someone else was holding her and when I walked out of the room she started to cry, held her arms out and said “Mama” in the most pitiful voice you have ever heard. Talk about music to my ears though! My heart melted every time she said it. This baby girl has definitely done a number on me. I cannot even describe in words how much I love her! I never even knew I was capable of having this much love for someone. The phrase made famous by Jerry Maguire would probably sum it up best: "Everly, you complete me!".

So there you have it my friends…Everly’s first word was “mama”! That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! Luckily, I have a room full of witnesses to back up this claim.

Happy Easter!

We celebrated Everly’s first Easter last weekend and even though we are so far away from our family, which always makes me especially sad around the holidays, the three of us had an amazing day together.

When I was a kid, the festivities and traditions associated with the Easter holiday were always a huge deal in my house. In addition to going to mass as a family during holy week and on Easter Sunday, there were egg hunts, family get-togethers, an outdoor Easter play, and the same giant basket, filled to the brim with goodies, that always magically appeared at the foot of my bed each year. Since I have such positive and vivid memories of this holiday with my family, I am beyond excited to start Easter family traditions with Everly that she will hopefully look back on one day and treasure.

For Everly’s first Easter we started the day off by dyeing Easter eggs, a tradition that was always near and dear to my heart. She was definitely mesmerized by the bright colored water in all of the glasses, but she quickly lost interest after the color tablet stopped bubbling in the vinegar.

I am still not sure what I loved more when I was a kid though, dyeing the eggs or hunting them. One of my favorite events every year was the Easter egg hunt at my Aunt Mary’s house because the adults would hide one plastic egg with a $20 bill in it. Of course I never found the egg with the money, which usually resulted in a small meltdown, but regardless, I enjoyed the thrill of the hunt.

I can hardly wait for the day when Miss Everly can actually hunt for the eggs after we dye them. I am sure my dad would tell me to be careful what I wished for if he heard me say this because he still recalls hiding Easter eggs in October one year because I was so fond of this tradition. He claims that he got so tired of hiding plastic eggs that he resorted to hiding them in the most obscure places so that I couldn’t find them.

Unfortunately, we didn’t make it to mass this year because the service fell right in the middle of her morning nap-time. When it came down to choosing between standing in the back of the church with a screaming baby or a nap, we chose sleep. Everly is definitely a creature of habit who struggles to keep it together when we don’t stick to her nap schedule, so for now, this a tradition that will definitely have to wait a few years.

Even though we didn’t manage to make it to church this year, I still wanted to dress her up and take some pictures of her. When she woke from her second nap we put her in one of her “dolly” dresses and took her to the park. After searching for a nice stretch of grass we finally found the perfect spot to take some photos. She was a little sketched out by all the green grass at first, but we eventually managed to get a few good shots to capture her first Easter.

After enjoying a nice family stroll and an afternoon in the park, we returned home to wind down for the evening. After Miss Everly went to sleep Danny and I sat down and enjoyed our traditional Easter feast: Honey Baked ham, homemade cornbread dressing, and green bean casserole. After dinner we tried not to make ourselves sick on Easter candy, but who can resist Peeps, Cadbury Eggs, Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs, and Robin Eggs.

I wonder what Everly’s favorite Easter candy will be when she gets older? Will she be a fan of Peeps like her Daddy or will she love Cadbury Eggs like her Mama? I am anxiously awaiting the day when we can fix her an Easter basket full of surprises. So many exciting adventures ahead!

Sweet Home Alabama

Chipmunk Kisses with MiMi.

Getting ready for the day and riding in her new car seat.

Two weeks ago Everly and I traveled back to Alabama to spend the week with my family. We had an amazing time catching up with Mimi, Poppy, Fairy Godmother, Claire Bear, Nana, Jace, Aunt Mary, and Auntie Shay. Flying solo with her was a bit challenging because she is so "busy" now and unfortunately, a four + hour flight interrupts her nap schedule regardless of what time of the day you fly, but we survived and grew stronger in the process.

*Note to self: Wearing the Baby Bjorn during the entire flight is a MUST because holding a 17 pound baby for 4 + hours while walking back and forth (and swaying and rocking) in the back of the plane will do a major number on your arms and back. I felt like I had been beaten after the first leg of the trip, but going back home was a breeze because she actually slept and cuddled with me because it was so warm and cozy in the carrier. I also had access to my hands when she was in the carrier, which proves to be helpful when you are trying to wrangle an infant and keep her entertained for four + hours. I will always feel a little bad for the guy who had to sit next to us on the flight out to Alabama. Besides the fact that Everly went after his magazine several times, he also had to fetch items out of the diaper bag on a few occasions and even make a bottle for us at the end of the flight because I had my hands full trying to contain her. Bless his heart...the poor guy couldn't have been a day over 22 and he looked like a deer in headlights when I asked him to help me make the bottle. Luckily, he was a good sport about it, but I think that is only because I scared him when I told him that she was going to scream bloody murder if her ears started popping on the descent into Atlanta and the only thing that would prevent this was her sucking on a bottle. Needless to say, after traveling with us I am willing to bet he won't forget to use birth control anytime soon. :)

Regardless of how tiring and stressful it was to make the trip out to Alabama without Danny, it was SO worth it to see the joy and happiness that she brings to my family. We didn't really do a whole lot while we were out there because little Miss Everly is a creature of habit and deviating from her nap schedule is not good for anyone, but just having my family be a part of her every day routine was more than enough to make the trip worthwhile. Seeing every one's face light up every time Everly smiled at them, teaching Mimi the "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" rhyme, observing Mimi's pride as she strolled with Everly through town, hearing my Dad's genuine laughter every time he interacted with her, witnessing the chemistry she has with her Fairy Godmother, and watching my sweet little cousin Claire (who was born when I was her age) continue to build a special relationship with Everly were just a few of the priceless moments I will always remember from this trip. Spending time with my family reminded me once again what a lucky little girl Everly is to have so many people in her life that love and adore her.

The pictures below are just a few of the memorable moments I caught on camera from this trip (Tracy and Claire...where are the pictures of you guys with Everly??? I know we took some but I can't find them!).

Swinging with MiMi

Strolling through town with MiMi in her new stroller. Can you pick out the proud sausage in this picture? :)

Destroying Poppy's Sports Illustrated

Being a rascal with Poppy!

Hanging out before bed time!

Watching Curious George on the big TV at MiMi's house.

3 Generations!

Everly and Nana! Those two love each other! :)

Playing with her Fairy Godmother!

Yum Yum in my Tum Tum...Kinda! :)

I know...I know...I am really behind on my blog posts over here, but there has been a lot going on in our household over the past 3 weeks. The first thing I must write about is Everly's introduction to solid foods. Danny and I had been waiting for what seemed like FOREVER for the day when we could finally give her food for the first time, so of course we caught her first few bites on camera when the big day arrived. I'll let you watch the videos below and judge for yourself whether or not Everly was impressed with her first taste of solid food.

In all fairness since rice cereal was first on the menu I can't say I really blame her for gagging because that stuff tastes like cardboard.

I am happy to report that her reaction to apples, oatmeal, and sweet potatoes was much more positive. It is so much fun watching her experience new things each day. So far she seems to really be enjoying meal time and we only hope that this trend continues as we expand her food options. Next up on the menu are avocados, bananas, and carrots.

On a side note: Preparing baby food each week has also become one of my favorite new activities too. Everly's godfather, Trent, bought us a baby food maker for Christmas this year and it has proved to be one of the best gifts we have received thus far. I feel like Martha Stewart when I am steaming and pureeing organic fruits and vegetables in my kitchen. When I was making apples the other day I had a flash back to the Diane Keaton movie from the 80s where she leaves her corporate job after adopting a baby and moves to the country only to start a successful homemade baby food company. Who knows...maybe Danny and I will trade in our city lives one day and move to the country. Can't you just see us living on a farm and growing our own fruits and veggies? Green acres might just be the place for us! :)

Someone Hit the Pause Button!

Dear Everly,

You turned 6 months old last week, little Dolly, and your Daddy and I did not know if we should celebrate or be sad. At times it is hard to believe that you have only been with us for ½ a year because there are moments when it feels like you have been a part of our lives forever. On most days I honestly cannot remember what life was like without you.

You are growing and changing so fast that I swear there are some mornings when I walk in your room and there is a noticeable difference in your appearance or your personality that was not there just 12 hours earlier. In the last month here are a few notable changes that have taken place:

• You are sleeping all the way through the night now. You go down for bed at 7:00 every night and you do not wake up until 6:30 the next morning. I cannot tell you how much better everyone in the house feels now that we are all getting uninterrupted sleep every night.

• You are also napping 2-3 times a day on a consistent schedule and as a result you are always so happy! You enjoy routines and schedules so everything we do is built around your schedule.

• You are VERY close to crawling. You get up on all fours and rock back and forth but you can’t quite figure out how to move forward yet. Your Daddy and I call it the “Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robot” move and we have countless videos of you doing this because we are hoping to catch your first crawl on video. You can go backwards and you have managed to move your knees forward by scooting, but you haven’t figured out what to do with your arms yet. I am sure it is only a matter of time, my dear!

• You absolutely LOVE tummy time now, which is so funny to us, because a few short months ago you would scream bloody murder every time we put you on your stomach. You will play on the floor as long as we will let you. You still enjoy your Rainforest Play Mat and the tiger tail on it never seems to get old.

• You have a new obsession with tags. You have this ultra cool frog play center with a gazillion different toys that light up and make sounds and you are more interested in the tag than any of the toys on the activity center. Today you were lying on our bed and studied the tags on the pillows for at least 15 minutes before you got bored. I keep telling your Daddy that you are fascinated with all of the words because any time you see printed text anywhere you squirm to look at it. For the past few weeks every time I put you on your changing table or in your stroller you twist around to try and see the warning label. Of course, I think this is an indication that you are going to be an early reader and that one day you will love books as much as your mommy. ☺

• You are also talking and babbling up a storm. You love to make new noises with your mouth and test out the different levels of volume and pitch you can make with your voice. Your Daddy and I always sit in bed and laugh because you “talk” so loud in the mornings when you wake up. You are actually putting two syllables together and I swear I heard you say “ma-ma” the other day. ☺

• You LOVE the baby swings at the park. Miss Lauren took you to the park the other day while I was working and sent me this hysterical video. Your reaction is pure joy and happiness! I wanted to run to the park as soon as I saw this video and just squeeze you!

Even on the busiest, most chaotic, days I try to stop and be present in your innocence, wonder, and joy. You truly are the gift that keeps on giving and the lessons that you are teaching me about myself are priceless. I already know you are going to be my greatest teacher in this life. In the few short months that you have been with us on this earth you have changed everything about the way I approach life. Every day I want to be the best I can possibly be for you because I know that you are watching every move I make and I want you to see the very best of me in my interactions with you and with other people.

In my workout class today they asked all the mommies to summarize in one word what we wanted our kids to learn from us. It was incredibly challenging to pick just one trait or idea but I finally went with perseverance because I know that with hard work and dedication anything is possible, even when it is challenging and seems impossible. One of the best lessons I have learned in this life is that anything worth having is not easy. I also wanted to say tolerance, respect, kindness, love, patience, a sense of humor, and justice because they are all equally important to me as well. I want you to show love, respect, patience, and kindness to ALL people and never judge someone for superficial reasons. Take the time to get to know people before you make a decision about their character or potential simply because they look a certain way or because someone else told you they were not good enough. MiMi always used to tell me, “Pretty is as pretty does!”. A person’s actions will tell you a great deal about their character. Don’t forget to laugh at yourself every now and then either. We all make mistakes in life and it is important to cut yourself some slack sometimes. Laughter really is the best medicine! Finally, I hope you will always be sensitive to people who are in need (financial, emotional, physical, etc) and do whatever you can to help the situation. I am sure there will be countless teachable moments throughout your life when your Daddy and I will get to model these traits for you but I also wanted to take the time to write down all of the core values I hold so close to my heart. I know we have a long road ahead of us in this life and I am sure there will be ups, downs, and sideways turns along the way. You might not always understand or appreciate every lesson when it is happening, but you can always count on us to have your best interests in mind whenever we make a decision.

I never knew it was possible to love someone as much as I love you, Everly. Thank you for just being you! You came along and changed it all, little lady. You shook up our lives and made them better than I ever thought they could be! This journey just keeps getting better. ☺

Party Girl!

Everly attended her first birthday party last weekend and we all had a blast! Dressing our little dolly for the party was probably my favorite part of the entire day. We received the most beautiful pink dress at one of my baby showers last year and this party was the perfect occasion for the dolly to get dressed up and show off her new duds. At first I was afraid that she would be uncomfortable in the dress but from the minute I put it on her she was so proud. The whole afternoon she kept grabbing the tulle and lifting the dress up and down (yes, we will work on this behavior when she gets a little older). She was also mesmerized by all of the sparkles. It was priceless to watch her run her fingers across the material and then look up at me and flash that million dollar smile. I couldn't help but have a flash forward to future dances, special events, and dare I even say it, her wedding day (gasp!). Based off of her reaction to this dress I am going to go ahead and predict that the dolly is going to share her mama's affection for trendy duds and shiny objects. I even told her, "Remember Dolly, when you look good, you feel good! ;)

Oh...and the party was also a ton of fun. It was definitely a true Hollywood experience. There was valet parking in front of the house, cocktails for the adults, tasty treats for the kiddos (little sandwiches in the shape of animals - so cute!), and live acoustic music covering the latest and greatest nursery rhymes and songs.

Check out the video clip of Everly jamming to Old MacDonald below. FYI: She doesn't look too excited in the video because she was well overdue for her nap, but nonetheless, I think she enjoyed it. :)

Even though her first birthday party is still 6 months away, I am already pinning ideas and themes on Pinterest. There are so many great ideas out there it looks like I am going to need the next six months to make a decision!!! One thing is for sure though...a fabulous party dress and an outrageous birthday hat are a MUST for this event (for both the dolly and her mama)! ;)