Memorial Day Weekend

We had such a fun weekend! Despite the fact that I worked all day on actual Memorial Day, and Philip worked all that night, we made the most out of the 4 days before :)

We started our time off together by celebrating Jackson's third birthday! He is now 21 in dog years, so he got to drink a real beer this year:) 

I worked that day, but that night we had 'mexican night' and I made tacos and rice. We even got the white cheese dip and it was delicious:) 

The next day, my best friend Whitney was in from FL! she came to visit and meet Ainsley for the first time. We did two of our favorite things: got our nails done, and ate thai food. Philip and I did our best to convince her to move back home. I think we made some progress, but she still went back:( 

her new doll Lola from Pam's store!!!

Our pool opened on Friday and we kept trying to take Ainsley to the pool but it was too cold every day:( So saturday, Philip sold his car, Godzilla. It was a bittersweet day for both of us. He, obviously, loved the car. and I actually really liked it. what we both didn't like, was the expense and upkeep for the car. So philip decided to sell it and get a much cheaper sports car. He is becoming such the amazing family man;)

That night we met our friends Ryan and Kim for dinner:) We tried to work our persuasion skills again and get them to move to Lexington:) 

Sunday we went to church and then had brunch with my parents. That night my friend Jordan had a cookout. It was so fun. and my! how things have changed in a year. a year ago we would have stayed until 11 having some drinks and hanging out. this year, at 8:00 we were all packing our babies up to go to bed:) instead of empty beer bottles all over the tables, there were empty baby bottles :) it is so fun that all of us are at the same stage of life and get to go through it together:) and soo crazy all of us had girls! 

these onesies are how Alison told us she was having a girl. she gave us all onesies for our daughters and then pulled out a pink one for herself:) they all have 'BFF' on them :) 

Philip and I both had super busy days at work on Monday. but we survived:) Tonight we are headed to gtown to have dinner and play in the pool. Ainsley's first time in the pool!!! We are so excited and hoping she loves it:) 

and some random pictures of the cutest baby in the world:

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It's Friday night and my daughter is sleeping in my arm while I watch FRIENDS reruns. pretty standard night for me really. but i love it. i mean love it. she's growing so fast that I cant even bear to think about when she is too big to nap on my chest. so for now, I am cherishing. 

I ran across this post (below) on facebook and wanted to share with you all. not just for moms, for anyone who judges. I mean, I know I used to do it. still catch myself doing it at times. you see the kid screaming at Kroger and throwing themselves on the floor and think 'get ahold of your kid lady'. you hear the mom who complains about how hard it is to 'stay at home' and think 'seriously, that's not a real job'. like i said, I used to do that. but let me tell you, my perspective has changed. I see that kid at Kroger and think ' that will be me sooner than I think'. I have days when I can't seem to get a productive thing done other than love on and care for Ainsley and think 'this staying home all day is no joke'. life changes, your view of things changes. 

being a mom is hard. the hardest job I have had in my life so far. when I became a nurse it took me months and months to feel like I could do skills without my preceptor. I finally could put in an IV on my own. I could sedate a patient without having Teri standing next to me. Eventually, I could go into the room and talk to the family members and answer their questions confidently. every day I still have things I have to look up or ask someone about, but in general I go to work feeling like I can handle the tasks required of me. however, I still feel like I have a lot to learn. 

As a mom, I don't think I will ever feel like i've got this down pat. I dont think I will ever make a decision that I don't second (and third) guess. I feel so undertrained so many times. God is constantly reminding me He chose Philip and I to raise the precious baby he gave us. So i spend a lot of time talking to God about Ainsley. about our daughter:)  and that helps. However, I still have a lot to learn:)

I digress. here's the post. I appreciated it so I hope you do too:) 

To the mom who's breastfeeding: Way to go! It really is an amazing gift to give your baby, for any amount of time that you can manage! You're a good mom. 

To the mom who's formula feeding: Isn't science amazing? To think there was a time when a baby with a mother who couldn't produce enough would suffer, but now? Better living through chemistry! You're a good mom.

To the cloth diapering mom: Fluffy bums are the cutest, and so friendly on the bank account. You're a good mom.

To the disposable diapering mom: Damn those things hold a lot, and it's excellent to not worry about leakage and laundry! You're a good mom.

To the mom who stays home: I can imagine it isn't easy doing what you do, but to spend those precious years with your babies must be amazing. You're a good mom.

To the mom who works: It's wonderful that you're sticking to your career, you're a positive role model for your children in so many ways, it's fantastic. You're a good mom.

To the mom who had to feed her kids from the drive thru all week because you're too worn out to cook or go grocery shopping: You're feeding your kids, and hey, I bet they aren't complaining! Sometimes sanity can indeed be found in a red box with a big yellow M on it. You're a good mom.

To the mom who gave her kids a homecooked breakfast lunch and dinner for the past week: Excellent! Good nutrition is important, and they're learning to enjoy healthy foods at an early age, a boon for the rest of their lives. You're a good mom.

To the mom with the kids who are sitting quietly and using their manners in the fancy restaurant: Kudos, it takes a lot to maintain order with children in a place where they can't run around. You're a good mom.

To the mom with the toddler having a meltdown in the cereal aisle: they always seem to pick the most embarrassing places to lose their minds don't they? We've all been through it. You're a good mom.

To the moms who judge other moms for ANY of the above? Glass houses, friend. Glass houses.

Mother's Day

Ainsley was happily rolling around on the floor when I sat down to write this. I looked at her swing and noticed a little color in the seat that wasn't there before. I looked down at her on her blanket and saw poop all over her back and getting onto her blanket her great-grandma dolores made her. BATH TIME!!!! 

Sooo, now I am sitting down with a clean baby and laundry spinning. again. :) 

Sunday was my first Mother's Day and it was wonderful! The days leading up to Sunday I kept getting card after card from all of my friends wishing me a Happy First Mother's Day. I was blown away by how many people cared enough to do that! (and also a little shamed that I didnt think to do that for so many of my friends). Thank you to each of you who took time and thought of me. It meant so much. And though I (apparently) dropped the ball on sending so many of my friends a happy first mothers day,  it doesnt mean I wasnt thinking of each of you:) 

It was odd having people wish me a happy mother's day. I have always spent this day celebrating my mom. That was all this day meant. But this year it meant something so different. This year I have been blessed with the most amazing daughter in the entire world. I have felt a love that i'm not sure I could ever accurately describe. I have had my heart filled with so much love that sometimes I think it might just burst. however, I have had days when I thought I might pull my hair out. and I have had days when I feel so overwhelmed and unqualified to care for this tiny little being. 

I guess that's what being a mom is about:) the oh-so-good and sometimes-bad. but mostly good:)

me and my momma

I worked 12 hours Saturday and I came home from work to find this. 

she did so good holding her present:) 

I went in her room to wake her up the next morning and found this: 

smiling happy baby like she knew she had a present waiting for me. 

her signing the card:) notice when philip does this she holds in her left...

 That afternoon we went to Rossi's to celebrate with my mom/dad, matt/rachel, Grandma and Aunt Ellen. Joy was celebrating in Michigan with her own mother, but we missed her. 

We all ate too much and then came home and napped:) Ainsley napped on my chest which I love. Philip had to work that night so beanie and I hung out. we celebrated by putting her to bed earlier and hoping she would sleep all night (she did). 

I hope everyone had a wonderful day celebrating people who play some role of a mother in your life. 

Derby and Play

Philip was off for FOUR WHOLE DAYS! it was soo nice:) he spent the first day hanging out with Ainsley while I worked but then we were both off all weekend and got to spend lots of family time together. 

Saturday we got up and went to 'cars and coffee'. It's a gathering of guys and their cars in a hotel parking lot in Lexington. I told Philip it seemed like a bunch of guys seeing whose you-know-what is biggest haha:). but we met our friends kelly and chris there and Ainsley enjoyed it so much she slept the whole time:) she likes to do that a lot. 

That afternoon we wanted to go to keenland for derby but werent sure about the weather. it held off so we went out there for a few hours with some friends. we also ran into Philip's dad and Kelly and A got to spend some time with them :) 

Philip picked out her derby outfit:)

Avery, Harper and Ainsley

It started getting chilly and rain was coming in, so we left keeneland and went to a mexican restaurant for dinner. When we got there we were going to change Ainsley's diaper in the car before we went in. After Philip pulled her out of car seat, he quickly realized she had exploded. all over her cute outfit, all over the car seat pads. so we took her to the back of the car, laid down the hatch and did some serious cleaning. i was cracking up because she was such a mess. had i been alone I might have been in tears, but having philip there made it humorous. 

Sunday we got to go to church and then have Philip's birthday dinner with my family. Nana was sick but Ainsley got to spend quality time with Pop. 

Ainsley is getting better and better head control. We bought her a 'tummy time surfboard' that is making her like tummy time a little better.

surfs up

She also got to meet her friend Kalyn for the first time:) they hit it off! 

We have officially transitioned to the crib! she has slept in her crib the past 4 nights and done really well! she looks so small in there :)

Hope everyone had a great weekend :)

fell asleep reading:)

3 months!

3 months!! so crazy! we are so smitten. 

My friend alison had her baby girl last week, and she weighed a little more than Ainsley did. Holding her is like holding the tiniest thing in the world compared to how big Ainsley is now. she is growing so fast! 

Philip and I feel so blessed to have such a happy and good baby. We are constantly talking about how amazing she is and how lucky we are. 

weight: we haven't officially weighed her because she doesnt go back to the dr until 4 months. but we think she is around 12 lbs, based on our home scale. 

nicknames: bean, beanie, beautiful (philip), slobber face:) 

physical: her eyes are lightening up, but still blue/gray. 

she seems to be lengthening every day. 

since right around 2 months she has been drooling like crazy. we call her slobber monster. I have even actually felt around to make sure she isn't teething early! 

Her hair is lightening up some too. She hasn't started losing her hair yet, but does have a little bald spot on the back of her head. 

size: she is in her 0-3 months clothes. doesnt fit into newborn at all anymore. makes me so sad.

 she is wearing size 1 pampers swaddlers. 

eating: she still eats every 3 hours at 8,11,2,5,8,1015 (for now). she takes 3.5-4.5 ounces. she is spoiled rotten and gets her bottle warmed (sometimes re-warmed). i know its silly, but if thats the only way she will eat, ill do it! and if she doesnt want to finish her bottle, she refuses to be coaxed into it. I worry she isn't getting enough to eat, but she seems content and happy, so I am trying not to stress out about it:) 

sleep: she goes to bed around 1030 and sleeps until I wake her up at 745. she doesnt nap real well during the day, is just taking cat naps right now. once she starts eating better I will cut out the 1030 bottle and let her go to bed earlier and sleep longer. she is still being swaddled and still sleeps in her rock-n-play. I hope to try to transition to her crib maybe this weekend. 

play:  she LOVES her playmat. she especially loves the octopus. I think because he has big eyes and she thinks they look at each other. she also has been looking into her mirror and seeing herself. she grips her rings and rattles (better in left than right, much to my dismay). 

she is smiling all the time, and starting to giggle. she tracks philip and I around the room, and is starting to pay attention to Jackson. 

she hates tummy time, so we are doing other exercises to work on her neck muscles:) 

she loves to kick and can kick hard sometimes! 

she loves sucking on her hands and putting things in her mouth. 

girl loves TV. she will crane her neck to see the tv. even if its just the weather channel. we are going to have to limit her tv time when the time comes haha

half roll!  

she is definitely a morning person. when I wake her up she is so happy and loves playing after her morning feeding. she gets fussy around 7pm (and of course philip works nights so it makes for some emotional evenings when i can't get her to calm down). 

these 3 months have been full of so much joy and happiness. also challenges and learning, but oh so worth it :) Happy 3 months sweet girl!