Six Months..What!?

                      You guys....Abram is six months old. That's half a year. Please tell me the next six months will not go as quickly as the past six months have. I know, I know, it will go by even faster. Lets not talk about that though.
                       Little man is about 17 pounds and 28 inches long. He is happy, healthy and growing. I wanted to post some of my favorite pictures from the past six months here so we can look back at them later, and maybe even show Abram someday. So, enjoy!

                                                      One month old! He was so little!!

                                                    Two months old! Look at those smiles!

Three months old! Getting big!

                                                   Four months old! Loving food!

                                                  Five months old! He has such a fun personality!

                                          SIX MONTHS OLD!! Sitting up, eating solids, still nursing, smiles so much, laughs so easily, just so much fun! Sweet baby boy, we love you!!

I'm a Mom

                 

                         
 I've been a mom for 2 months and 3 weeks. Holy cow, that's crazy, I'm a mom....what? I've laughed more than ever, cried many times, smiled until my face hurts, and became just a little addicted to my coffee. But, man oh man is it amazing. I've learned so much already and thought I'd share.

1. I know even less than I thought.
I have babysat many babies  and I worked in the nursery at church for a few years. I knew how to change a diaper, feed and burp a baby, rock them to sleep. I prepared the best I could to be a mom.  I mean I knew everything.....HA!
First off, baby poop? Who knew it could be so many colors and travel so far up a baby's back? Oh, you did? Thanks for the warning. Also, burps are often followed by a fountain of spit up. Burp cloths are not a suggestion, go grab one. While you're at it grab a mop.                

2. Sleep is precious.
That whole "When the baby sleeps you need to sleep" thing that people always tell you? They are so right. The dishes and laundry will still be there tomorrow, just nap. Bonus if you wake up and baby is still sleeping, dishes and laundry get done!

3. Coffee.Is.Life.
I drink that stuff like it's my job. It's amazing what you can accomplish when you've had some coffee.

 4. Don't forget to shower
Let's face it, everyone's happier when you've taken a shower.

5. My Mom rocks (we all already knew that though)
   Thanks Mom for being the kind of mom I want to be.   Thanks for answering all my questions, good and stupid. Thanks for laughing at me and laughing with me. Oh, and thanks for teaching me that water is important and what a good cup of coffee is.

6. Jesus
     I need Him even in things that seem small. He gives me peace, joy, energy (more than coffee!), and patience when I feel like all I want to do is sit down and cry. All I have to do is trust him and do my best and He has grace and understanding where I fail.

8. Lighten up
I never want to miss a precious moment because I'm tired or in a hurry. But, it's easy to get a bit grumpy when things aren't going as planned. I've made an effort to laugh in those times when I'm tempted to grumble. Like when all I want to do is sleep and Abram wants to play at 2.00 A.M. Or when he pees right when he gets in the bath. Lighten up, those moments only last so long. 

9.Dealing With Gross
I hate anything gross. I have at least 3 hand sanitizes in my bag at all times. Boogers, poop, spit up, dirt, EW. I was honestly concerned before I had Abram that I wouldn't be able to handle all the gross that I was going to have to deal with. I don't know what happened but, I can change a diaper with food in my mouth and wipe a snotty nose without gagging. It took a few weeks but, I think I got the hang of it now. 

10 . Being a mom, is pretty amazing
Seriously. Morning smiles, afternoon playtime, and evening cuddles, its amazing. Even on the hard days when he won't stop crying or he doesn't want to be put down, he depends on me and that's pretty neat. Don't you think?
 

          In the very short amount of time that I have been a mom, I have learned even more than I expected.   I could go on but, I need more coffee. Comment and share what being a mom has taught you! I'd love to hear!            

Oils!

               

             This past Saturday I got my Essential Oils Starter Kit. I had wanted the kit for a few months but, the kit is a bit pricey and also, Ty wasn't sure what he thought about the oils. After he did some research on them he became interested to see if they really worked. He also knew that I really wanted to start using more natural ingredients in our home for cleaning and such so, he told me I should get them.  It's now Thursday and I am already so glad that I bought them. I have been so happy with the results and have been using them everyday since I got them.

               On Saturday Tyler went surfing in Carmel with some friends. When he got home, he had a pretty bad headache. Ty isn't one to really complain about headaches or things like that. If he says something about it I usually would offer to grab him some Tylenol and water and if he says no, he usually never mentions it again. Saturday though, he kept saying his head was hurting. I asked if I could put some peppermint oil and some lavender oil on him to see if it would help. He said that was fine so I did. He drank some water and ate a small snack and a little while later he felt so much better. The next day his headache was back so, I got him some water and applied the peppermint and lavender again to his temples and the back of his neck. About 10 minutes later or so he was feeling much better.
               Every morning I wake up with Ty and make him breakfast, and put his lunch together while he gets ready for work. On Monday, I thought I would try diffusing some oils. I tried some peppermint and lemon. I thought it would be a good morning blend! I felt more awake and even energized while making food and such in the kitchen and even felt like Ty was a bit more awake and sharp after breakfast as well.
              On Tuesday morning I went into the kitchen and there were some little ants. When we first moved in there had been ants but we had the house sprayed and we hadn't had a problem since then. I had been told peppermint helps with ants and spiders so I decided to give it a try. Before I used a lot, I wanted to make sure it would work so, I put a drop of oil on a cotton ball and drew a circle around an ant with the oil. The ant wouldn't cross the barrier that I had made with the oil. I then took and put oil on the shelves of the pantry and the door way. I haven't seen an ant in the kitchen or pantry since.

              On Tuesday afternoon, Ty came home from running about 4 miles or so for PT. His shins where bothering him  and he asked if I had any oils for the pain. I put some PanAway diluted in coconut oil on his shins and he never said they were hurting again that night.
              I also wanted to try cleaning with the oils so I started out with the kitchen sink. I wet the sink then put about a tablespoon or so of baking soda and 2 drops of lemon in the sink. I scrubbed with just a regular rag and rinsed. The sink was sparkling! I was so happy with how clean it was that I went and cleaned with bathroom sinks too!.
              I have just been so happy with all the ways we have been able to use the oils in our home and am really looking forward to trying lots of new ways to clean with them and am excited to use them in preparation for Abram coming. I so recommend trying them! I use Young Living but, I know DoTerra is a good brand as well. I'm always pretty careful of what chemicals we use in the house because I don't always react well to different cleaners. It will take time but, I can't wait to start using more natural ingredients in our home! Also, I know this is totally different then what I would usually post but, I wanted to share with you all!