My First Mother's Day!

Emerson planned a really fun day for my first Mother's Day.  I was really hoping to start a memorable tradition for this special day as well, like I did for some of my other favorite days. Since this task wasn't exactly in my hands, then I didn't know how to make sure that this would happen.

First, I got my first home-made gift from daycare.

 

Of course, the gift contained a good story. First, it has an English teacher's nightmare of a grammatical error. Next, it was funny because we tried to make those Christmas ornaments I talked about in an earlier post, with his footprints, and then the daycare worker told me that he wouldn't cooperate with his left foot and kept curling his toes up.

Then, on the actual Mother's Day, daddy made reservations for brunch in the Compass Room at the downtown Hyatt. This was very fancy! Mimosas, a carving station, and the craziest "pancakes" you'll ever see! I was just happy to dress up and go someplace we never go!

Yep, pancakes... and a free flower and mimosa! (Ok, not free, with the cost of brunch!)

Waiting for brunch- Emerson wore anchors for his momma!

Getting hungry~

A room with a view!

Then we headed over to the neighboring Japanese Friendship Garden, but Emerson fell asleep so he missed most of it!

"Out" for a walk!

Mom loves waterfalls!

Last, we headed to another garden, the Desert Botanical Garden, so we could take in the Chihuly exhibit once more before it ends. Since we are members, we took advantage of the cooler weather to visit before the summer season. It was a perfect, relaxing day, during which I did no grading and got to spend plenty of times and take plenty of pictures of and with the family!

The star burst at the entrance

Another "momma" was celebrating her first Mother's Day! Found in a cactus in the wildflower garden section!

Emerson taking in the sights

"It is too bright, momma!"

This is much better!

Wish this was real! And permanent!

Taking in some shade in the mud hut.

What is that wet stuff? So neat!

The sun began to set as we watched all the people walking by on the path.

So happy!

This is the "mother's" sculpture- it was pink, white, and purple.

Sunset!

The most beautiful sun ever...

Saying goodbye to the garden!

Same sculpture, different lighting...

Last, we capped off the night at Caffe Boa downtown Tempe for a glass of wine and some bruschetta. It was the best way to spend a full, as usual, but unique and memorable Sunday. My first Mother's Day- the only "first" one I'll ever get!

I guess that made up for last year's last-minute card...

My New Talent

I have recently, these past couple of weeks, developed the talent of sleep feeding. I have not merely fallen asleep a little as I fed Emerson in the middle of the night, but have dozed off into a deep slumber. One time I didn't even remember getting up to feed him, as I awoke with the excitement that he had slept through the night, only to be crushed as I was reminded that Kyle had to wake me to feed him.

Well, my exhaustion due to balancing the end of the year at work with parenting came to its apex the other night when I was sound asleep after nursing Emerson in his chair. That chair is really comfortable, except that in order to have head support, you have to kind of sit in it sideways and lean up against the back (it is really too smushy to support your head by just leaning back when sitting in it the normal way). I was out for at least a half hour when Kyle crept upstairs to go to bed. Not seeing me in bed, he got confused, and crept into the nursery. The next thing you know, I am having a panic attack and hyper ventilating as I awake from a deep sleep with my husband inches from me reaching out for Emerson.

He does a really good impression.

I just remember not wanting to scream and not being able to fling out my arms because I didn't want to throw Emerson or wake him. It took a matter of time before I could accept the reality of the situation and settle down, although my heart was racing by that point.

Successfully, we did not wake up Emerson, but instead Kyle put him to bed and I put myself to bed.

You should have been there.


Anyway, despite the sleep scare, there have been numerous occasions where I have fallen asleep during the midnight feedings. This is either a sign that I've gotten comfortable with the routine of mothering, or is a true sign of the absolute exhaustion with which I am living my life in a zombie-like state. It is a sad thing that a month ago, Emerson was sleeping from 9-6 without waking, giving me a much needed restful night every night. Then, we returned from Peru, and he has not made it through a night yet.

I want to be the stickler and go back to the sleep-training books I read, letting him cry it out one night and hoping that within a matter of days he learns to make it through the evenings without me. This seems logical as he often falls asleep within minutes of eating anyway, and then seldom notices if I pull the switcheroo and give him the pacifier when I lay him in bed. Then part of me feels like he needs this food to make it through the night, so I don't have the heart (or maybe Kyle doesn't) to sleep through his cries.

So, it is at this point that I am just desperately seeking some good sleep, and have fallen into the stereotypical parenting cliche, going for weeks now without an adequate night's rest, causing carelessness (one broken plate so far), irritability, tears (every day, for any reason), and overall just being unproductive with work and chores.

Napping at day care since he likes to be up at night!

Napping on mom's lap after dinner.

Sleeping in the morning after daddy got me ready for school!

Like father, like son...

And what I probably look like one the majority of nights...

7 Months and 75 posts!

Well, I know it seems like only yesterday that I posted Emerson's 6-month photos, but now we've hit 7 months! Although it seems like the changes come slowly, looking at it all in retrospect, he is constantly changing and constantly learning. He holds bottles now (a fact that I didn't find out about right away because I never feed him the bottles). He likes to chat all the time (and by chat, I mean scream in delight). He eats rice cereal twice a day along with his milk. He follows you when you walk around, and arches his back to see what he hears going on behind him. He is truly a happy and playful kid, and he smiles all the time. I guess I should be so grateful for this, but even with his demeanor and his personality, I still worry regularly that I can't do enough for him and that I should be able to do more. It is the plight of the working mom, and I am literally counting down the minutes these last 2 weeks until I am out for 6 weeks and able to just bond with Emerson and take care of the chores and tasks that there is certainly NO time for now between baby work and work.

Here are Emerson's 7-month photos!

That dimple is getting bigger just like he is!

Always playing with those monkey toes!

I had to add this one for his face! He was definitely squealing in this picture!

My Mother's Day Thoughts for my Inaugural Celebration!

So I have officially been a mother for nearly 7 months now. But I would say that I've been in the mindset of a mother for over a year.  I remember being so excited last year on Mother's Day because I knew that THIS year, I'd be celebrating with my little boy (well, I didn't know he was going to be a boy yet, but I knew I'd have a baby!)

Here are some of my reflections on the past 6 months of both the ups and downs of motherhood.

Stage 1: The Pregnancy
I can now admit to the bliss and innocent naivety that encompasses pregnancy, for at least the first child. I was uncomfortable and hot, yes, but I was also full of wonder, oddly relaxed, and so excited for all the adventures to come (hence the name of the blog). I am sure glad that I captured so many moments and emotions in writing to read when I have a low moment.

Thank you Sarah Goodman Photography for capturing my last week of pregnancy!

Stage 2: The Newborn
What can only be considered the most difficult transitional period of my life, my maternity leave was full of sleepless nights, pain, and hours of staring at the little miracle we had brought home and somehow been trusted with taking care of. I am not ready to jump back into this stage again quite yet, but looking back it sure was nice to have time off to just focus on the adjustment. Now I can't wait for my "mental leave" (a.k.a. summer) to start.  We learned how to fall asleep in under a minute (sleep when you can!), how to eat, do dishes, do laundry, get dressed, shower... all with one hand/arm. :) We learned how to let the messes go because the milestones are more fun, and you don't want to miss a smile, a burp, or even a dirty diaper.  We learned how to be parents. Well, we are still learning. I am not sure I'll ever stop.

Emerson was 1-week-old in this photo shoot, also from Sarah Goodman!

Stage 3: Going Back to Work
I was so ready to get out of the house and back to the adult world after being holed up at home for my maternity leave (I know, I know, I kind of contradict myself there, but there were good days and bad days). I only went back for 2 weeks to transition, and then had a break. That was a smart move. But the balance between work life and home life has been difficult for me to achieve. I have always prided myself on my teaching. I love the classroom and my students and I really struggle with the feeling of being an inadequate teacher because I just don't have the time to devote to it anymore. Yet, I have still found time to attend my students' shows and concerts, advise National Honor Society, grade 300 essays over the past 3 weeks... yea I pretty much ignored my family but I'll have some time to make up for it now. I feel every day that I am letting down both my students and coworkers, and my family. I don't know how working women who don't have their kids at the daycare at their workplaces can do it. I don't know if I'd be able to without the setup that we have for our daycare! One thing is for sure, I cannot be as productive during my time at work when there is a little one that I go to visit and feed 2 times a day! It certainly puts a strain on your free time when you work has to carry over to your evenings almost every day, so I hope that I can figure out a better system for next school year.

Me and Emerson on Flannel Spirit Day at school.

Our selfie at Brian's wedding in Peru.

During all these stages, I have had to deal with a range of emotions. Stress is at its peak, and the countless sleepless nights don't help much. But every single day Emerson is more fun, learning so much, and he sure smiles a lot! I guess that smile is all I really need to know that things are ok.

There will be many more "stages" in the upcoming years, and I am sure I'll continue to document them for you and for myself and Emerson. I will say that I've come to truly appreciate all the other mother's who helped raise me or who I've watched raise other children. You never know until you go!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Emerson's 6 Months Old!

Wow has this half of a year flown by. While we were in Peru, Emerson reached his 6-month milestone.
We celebrated in Cusco and Lima exploring all the sites and eating lots of potatoes.

In this past 6 months, Emerson has reached many milestones. Recently, we have been excited by how alert and observant he is. He watches people, objects, and anything that moves, really, and seems to be fascinated by everything from his feet (he didn't see them for a long time because it was cold and he would wear socks) to faces.

Every time you hold Emerson, he swings his little arms and rubs his hands across your face, clothing, jewelery, whatever he can touch. He is also giggling when we give him attention and act silly. Recently he got his toes in his mouth. He tries to stand all the time, in fact I think he might stand before he sits! He doesn't roll over much, as he seems pretty content on either his tummy or his back.

More than anything else, Emerson is eating everything he can. By "eating" I mean "putting in his mouth". He chews on his hands or hands whenever he can, that is his favorite teether, and sometimes he chews on his toys, teethers, burp rags, blankets, clothing, spoons, you name it. His teeth haven't shown themselves, but there is NO doubt that they are coming through.

Emerson has also made it a month without a cold, which makes us feel pretty happy.

Last, Emerson, speaking of eating, just last week had his first bowl of cereal. He is getting better and better at eating it everyday. We have already had to come up with the parent tricks to get him to eat better. He does pretty well mimicking us if we act like we are opening our mouths and chewing.

Here is Emerson's adorable 6-month photo shoot.

See, always in the mouth... just like in utero

He really is such a happy guy!

I just love the eyebrows in this face! He was so excited to watch his feet!

Emerson's Room!

Well, it may have taken WAY longer than we planned, but we finally got Emerson's room all put together. I realize that it is kind of sad that I spent so much time trying to decorate and perfect a room for a baby who can't even appreciate it, but I think I was just so excited to have a room to decorate from scratch! To match paint, furnishings, decor, and art projects, I finally got the chance to bring one of my unique visions to life in this house.

I chose the "great outdoors" as the theme to Emerson's room. I was inspired, of course, by both his name and our favorite pastime. I was determined to include pictures from Colorado, natural wood, and lots of color! After we spent forever trying to pick out his crib, I designed the rest of the room around this central piece. Thanks to Buy Buy Baby, Etsy, Target, and Marshall's, we got the entire project for what I'd consider a pretty good deal.

Here are the photos:

The beautiful blocks from my baby shower are now decorating Emerson's room. And the classic children's books!

I made these plaques from pictures of Colorado and the signs from our wedding!

These frames are from Marshall's and the pictures I ordered from Etsy.

The pictures represent the outdoor activities we love: Hiking Boots, Canoe, Woods, Mountains, and Ski!

My mom's friend Cindy made this cross stitch for Emerson's room

My favorite gift was Emerson's mobile from Grandma Jensen and Etsy!

And overview of the "blue sky" wall.

The rug is from Target and the chair is from Buy Buy Baby (Castle). Pillow and Quilt from grandma Jensen.

Crib and dresser set from Buy Buy Baby

My favorite (and insisted-upon) purchase is the Badger Basket Corner Changing Table from Target

Storage bins from Bed, Bath and Beyond, Ubbi Diaper Pail, and Lionheart Wipe Warmer

My favorite corner, the "reading corner". West Elm brackets and shelves, more blocks, Buddha, "Everyone Poops" and "How to Speak Wookie" along with "I Love You Forever". Also an antique silver bank that belonged to Uncle Casey.

The banner from his baby shower courtesy of Auntie Karen

Time Out bench courtesy of grandma Davis-Hohmann (the peek-a-boo cow is from her also)

Marshall's was great for storage bins for his toys!

Close up of the sepia-toned Aspens from Aspen, Colorado in one picture

And Lake Dillon in another

Currently, Emerson's room is my favorite room in the house to hang out in. I love how the outdoors, even when indoors, can make me feel so content. I just stare at the bright colors, beautiful artwork, and am SO happy to introduce all that we love to Emerson.

And P.S. the flatscreen T.V. was totally daddy's idea. With the rest of the room being my work of art, he had to make sure a little bit of him went into the decor. We use the T.V. mostly for Disney Junior if nothing else is working to distract Emerson. Also, we plan to use it for music to teach Emerson to appreciate our favorite bands, and to dance.  I would love to say that I found it helpful during the early days of hour-long feedings, but we didn't even have the chair in his room until after Thanksgiving.