Lovely Links

This week Felix has been fighting naps and the weather finally turned consistently nice, so I've resorted to long walks at the park to get him to nap. Evenings have been spent relaxing with Josh watching way to many Parenthood episodes and eating banana ice cream with macadamia nut cookies.

Here are a few links to enjoy for your weekend!

The recipe for some delish strawberry muffins I made Wednesday night. (I added chocolate chips for extra fun!)

If you like a flare for the Southwest this shop has some beautiful pillows and rugs.

Speaking of southwest, I don't have an iPad, but if I did, I would LOVE this case.

Community is a buzz word in the church and also one of the most highly underrated values in our society. Two posts by some of my favorite bloggers touched on the subject this week.
   - Beyond Community - Ray Hollenbach
   - In Which I have Circles of Friendship and a Lobster - Sarah Bessey

A great blog post on dressing little boys.

And on that note, an adorable Onsie that I want for Felix!

Finally some iPhone favorites from the last couple of weeks.

Row 1: sleeping unswaddled for the first time. home made reese cup blizzards, tummy time
Row 2: Giant bowl of egg noodle soup, happy stander, pollen and rain
Row 3: me and my lil dude, kindergarden run day at the park during my walk, handsome man holding sleeping baby
Row 4: Copious amounts of popcorn at a party,  early morning yawns, crib play time.

Felix - 3 Months

My Little Man,

You are 3 months old! So much is the same around here but the changes you are making that seem tiny to outside eyes are monumental! You have learned to roll over from your back to you side and you love to do this when you are in your crib playing with your stuffed animals. This morning for the very first time you rolled over from your tummy to your back! I think it was your way of getting out of tummy time (which you don't like to do) but I was still so impressed! 

Speaking of tummy time, you have gotten SO much better at it. In month 2 you could only hold your heavy little head up for max 1-2 minutes and it was just barely off the floor, now you can go 5-6 minutes and you're looking around and smiling even! In the same vein you still LOVE standing, but can do it for much longer with out tiring and have much better head control.

You are beginning to master the art of intentionally grabbing things with 2 hands. The first time I saw you do this was on a day you were especially cranky and I just sat you on my lap facing me while I was cross legged on the bed. You were eyeing the button on my shirt and very purposefully reached one little hand folded in the shape of a lobster claw up to the button grabbed it and then reached your other lobster claw up to try and get it with both hands at once. I was beaming and giving you my best high pitched "Good Job, buddy!" encouragement.  You were so proud of yourself and you looked up at me through little red eyes (from all your fussing) and gave me one of your big gummy smiles that melted my heart. It was a very special moment.

You spend most days shirtless cause I've gotten sick of changing you out of sopping wet onsies from all your drool. It's a good thing the weather is getting warmer, or you would be chilled either from wet clothes or nakedness.

A few nights ago you slept 7 hours straight! This was a big milestone! Up till this point the most you have slept is 5 hours at a time. I got 6.5 straight hours for the first time in 13 weeks and it was glorious. We've been trying some unswaddled naps but they typically only last 30 minutes because you wake yourself with flailing arms.

You adore sitting on my lap and reading books. We could do this for hours and you will stay entertained cooing and talking at each page and especially loving the soft interactive books with crinkly pages.

Your hands are balled into a little folded mess and shoved into your gummy mouth more often than not and your fingers and feet are constantly sticky and clammy and getting caught in my hair.

This past weekend at church was the first time you weren't startled by the loud drums during worship and I didn't feel the need to constantly cover your tiny ears to protect from the noise. I've also noticed that you no longer get scared when Willow barks! It used to be terrifying and daddy and I would have to pick you up and comfort you and your giant quivering lip. However, we did discover that the vacuum a new fear. (Sorry about that!)

You aren't super talkative, but when you do talk, it's so cute and I swear sometimes you say the word "Hi" and "Ok". I love it.

Bath time is still your favorite and you REALLY love the green seahorse that shows up and squirts you with water. The big mile stone with the bath is that you no longer scream and cry when taken out. You're maturing.

Oh! I discovered you are ticklish! A little poke in your side or a gentle stroke of my finger tips on your arm will have you laughing through your nose, gasping and shrieking!

I would be lying if I didn't say I prayed to God multiple times a day to keep you safe and watch over your health. But outside of that, the incense of my prayers is for God to meet you and grab your heart at an early age and for you to have a passion for the Kingdom that's contagious.

It is ridiculous how proud I am to be your mama. I know I said that last moth, but it remains true. I love you little bud bud. Happy 3 months.

Ma

Promises Pilgrimage

"Don't make any plans this Saturday, Ok?" He said to me while we both shuffled around our tiny kitchen me putting away clean dishes and him making dinner . "Ok, why? Do you have something you want to do?" I reply.

"Promise not to shoot it down, even though it might sound stupid?"

"OK"

"I want to drive around town and visit all the places where the Lord has been faithful to us and provided for our family since being in Nashville." He states his well thought out plan

So on Saturday morning we loaded our son into the car, filled our bellies with coffee and pastries from Whole Foods and headed toward Williamson County Hospital where God protected me during a Gallbladder surgery in 2008.

We passed the old building for the Franklin Vineyard where we both came to this church community we have come to call family.

We thanked God for Real Food Farms where our Brother in Law works and where we have received countless free veggies that led to healthy bodies paving the way for a healthy pregnancy.

We drove by Grace Center church, where God first revealed the moving of his Holy Spirit in powerful ways at a Bill Johnson conference in 2007.

We made our way downtown to Green Hills by Josh's old job and the starbucks where he told me he was laid off from a position that made him unhappy.

Past Vanderbilt hospital where we welcomed our beautiful son into the world and both of us cried as we praised Him for a beautiful delivery and healthy child.

To the Country Music Hall of Fame and the job that brought us down south in the first place. Where I cut my teeth in marketing and had an amazing business mentor and friends.

Out by the airport where Josh learned code at Acxiom and was able to lay ground work for building ESL Basics and developed skills that landed him his job at Magazines.

Past our old apartment, where we first lived. Where we made pasta or egg sandwiches for dinner most nights. Lived on a shoestring budget. Had our first big fight. Had our first big reconciliation. Made it through a cold winter. And into a warm spring. And where we realized just how much work and fun it is being married.

The day was topped off at Brixx for salad and pizza. Where Felix continued to act like a dream after 2.5 hours in the car, sleeping in my arms while we prayed one final time, giving thanks to God for never letting us down. For never faltering. For being a good and faithful Father. For hemming us in behind and before and paving the way for our future full of His blessing and goodness.

Round Here

Round here it smells of 2 and 3 cups of breakfast blend coffee to keep sleepy mommas awake. Dozens of dirty diapers, sweaty work out clothes and a stinky dog mixed together. Husbands cooking scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast . Lavender scented fuzzy nighttime baby heads. Sweet baby milk breath and purple flowers brought home, just because.

Round here it sounds like babies laughing through their noses and almost (!) belly laughing. The new Bethel album to worship to throughout the day. Coos, grunts, and shrieks at favorite stuffed foxes and fish. Shushing crying babies and shushing barking dogs. Afternoon thunderstorms and sirens from fire trucks passing by. Water splashing back and forth as baby kicks and gasps in excitement during bedtime baths. Sleepy sighs from baby and heavy yawns from papa late in the evening. Squeaking floors as bodies sway babies, whispered pillow talk, gentle goodnight kisses and lulling white noise at a constant hum.

Round here it looks like swaddled sleeping babies, and piles of laundry.  Hair pulled into a messy bun, milk stained t-shirts and no make up till 2 PM. Early morning naps and babies discovering how to roll on to their side. gigantic gummy grins behind tiny hands crammed into baby mouths. Side by side late night glowing computers working on new projects and exciting ventures. iPhones held just right to capture the sweet daily moments while little one grows quickly (too quickly) before loving eyes. Early evening walks around Pinkerton park - never getting too far from the car - just in case.  Jerky baby movements struggling to reach the collar of a shirt while nursing and gripping chest instead.

Round here it tastes like tall glasses of ice cold water with the unfortunate unrinsed dish soap aftertaste. Take out pizza again cause we're too tired and overwhelmed to think about cooking. Like big bowls of chocolate trinity ice cream while watching Parenthood and Blueberry lemon drop martinis with friends. Like a cold beer on a warm spring night and like smoke from the grill roasting burger patties to perfection at the Cahills.

Round here it feels like heaven sleeping stomach down. Arms and shoulders wet with baby drool and little fingers gripping big thumbs to pull up to standing position. Sticky baby hands getting stuck in long momma hair and gentle shoulder massages while finally doing the days dishes at 9 PM. Small feet finding just the right spot on the opposite arm and toes curling to pinch bicep skin. Like warmth from a giant wool blanket on cool evenings and breezes from open windows and ceiling fans. Like little bodies that finally go floppy with exhaustion. Dogs crowding the bed at twilight and babies mouths tugging at breasts while the sun begins to peek through the cracks in the curtains.

That's what it's like round here.

Today

Today I'm sick. I'm sick with a sore throat, achey body, and pounding head and as all moms know there is no boss you can call in sick to when you have kids. So even though I want to spend the day sleeping and spacing out I have an almost 3 month old (!) to care for. An almost 3 month old who is fighting naps. Cue sad trombones - womp womp.

After much rocking, swaying and shushing he finally fell asleep for his first nap of the day at 1:30. So now my day looks like this.

Call the Midwife on Netflix while my house deteriorates around me. I thought about cropping out the mountain of laundry that needs folded from the photo, but then it wouldn't be a true representation of how exhausted and unmotivated I am today.

I have several posts swirling around in my head, but for now, this is all I can muster. Sitting. Guzzling liquids. Crossing my fingers that Felix will sleep more than 45 mins so I can relax.

Happy Tuesday.