Flashback Fridays

Hunter is a little over 8 months now and it is hard to believe he is the same baby we brought home a short while ago. We won't know his exact weight until his 9 month well baby check up on September 28th, but I would guess he would be about 23 pounds and 30-31 inches now. When I see him in his crib he looks so big and long unlike the first time we laid him down in there at 4 weeks old. He was so tiny compared to the crib and was firmly stationed in the middle of the crib within a positioner. Now he has free reign of the crib and moves all over at night. My favorite time of the day is first thing in the morning. I will hear him babble to himself or playing with his feet. He will normally stand up and start hollering mamama or dadadada when he is ready to be picked up. When I walk in there, he will immediately put on a big toothy smile and giggle. It's the best thing in the world to feel irreplaceable.

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Daniel switches to day shift on September 2nd and I CAN'T WAIT!!! I hate going to sleep alone and hearing every little noise in the house and wondering what if. This October, Daniel will have been in the sheriff's department for 2 years so if he wants he can now transfer to another department. He's also taking night classes through the sheriff's department to further his college degree.

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Quick tidbit about me...my new work schedule will be starting September 12th. I'm sooo excited!! I'll be working Thu/Fri 11-8pm and Sat 9-6 so I'll be off Sun-Wed to spend with my baby boy and to have more sit down meals with hubs.

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So what's new with Hunter you may be asking...he has tried all stage 1 and 2 foods except for the meat in a jar. Meat in a jar makes me gag so we are planning on waiting until his top teeth come in a little further and then we are going to have Hunter self-feed himself chopped up turkey, ham, and chicken. He is also feeding himself pea sized pears, apples, cantelope, and Gerber puffs. He crawls everywhere and continues to climb on anything and everything. He can stand by himself for a few seconds, but hasn't taken any steps yet. I can see it in his eyes sometimes that he wants to move, but doesn't know how to. Toby and Hunter have such a fun time together. Toby gives kisses and Hunter is trying to learn how to pet nice. :) I can't believe that in less then 4 months, we will be celebrating his first birthday. HOLY MOLY!!! We are already starting to plan, but I know it will be bittersweet when that day arrives. My baby boy is growing up!!

Mommy Mondays and an Exciting Tid Bit

It's important as a mom to take some time out for ourselves every now and then outside of being a mom just so we don't lose who we are. Here are some things I did this week that were all about me :)

* I took an extra long, extra hot shower and didn't worry about poopy diapers or pureed peaches

* I went to the grocery store yesterday all by myself. Now this may not seem like such a big deal, but it is a 30+ minute process to get myself dressed, Hunter dressed, Hunter's diaper bag packed and then to get everything and everybody in the car...it's definitely an adventure. Yesterday, I was able to just grab my purse and hop in the car...so nice! :)

* I slept in until 11am last week. I felt like a new woman!

* I read Cosmopolitan front to back all in one sitting while drinking some wine :)

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Hunter is a crawling maniac...he is getting into everything and is wearing momma out! He is also pulling up on everything including our furniture, our stairs, and the fireplace. This totally freaks me out because I'm afraid he's going to smack his face or bust his nose. He stood up by himself yesterday without holding on to anything and I was so amazed! He is getting so big right before my eyes and it's the most unbelievable thing I have ever seen. I can't believe he is my son! <3

So onto the exciting info...Daniel and I have decided that we are going to try to make Hunter a big brother. :) There are several reasons why we want to add to our family:

* I think having a close aged sibling will be a blast.

* When we are done washing bottles and changing diapers I want to be DONE! I don't want to stop for a year or so and then do it all over again.

* We currently have a swing, jumperoo, and bouncy seat in our living room and I want to be able to put them away for good instead of putting them away for a year and pulling them out again.

* I want to get back in tip top shape, but don't feel like I can until after baby #2.

Whether we have a boy or a girl, we are done after baby #2. I've always wanted 2 kids...a boy and a girl, but if I don't get my girl I won't be too heartbroken. I love my baby boy and I think it would be awesome for him to have a brother. I just want a healthy baby...that is the most important thing to us. Soooo wish us luck and send lots of pink baby dust if you have any!! :) <3

Before I was a Mom....

This is a poem my sister-in-law sent me and I thought it was beautiful and summed up my feelings perfectly! I thought I would share...

Before I was a Mom
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.
Before I was a Mom - I had never been puked on. Pooped on. Chewed on. Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.
Before I was a Mom I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests. Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.
Before I was a Mom, I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put them down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.
Before I was a Mom -I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.
Before I was a Mom -I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.