Simple Gifting

The addition of a second babe to our little family has made us do some thinking in regards to how we want to gift for the holidays. Brock and I both believe in the magic of Santa and want our children to experience the wonder in that tradition without teaching them that Christmas is about gifts.

Looking back I admit that even though I knew the meaning of Christmas I spent more than a little time reflecting on my gifts and worldly things. My time should have been spent with family, sharing in the joy of the season and really being thankful for the beautiful gift of of Savior. However, I was a child and I want my kids to be kids as well! I want to see their faces as they open up the perfect gift, and spend time with them picking out gifts for others.

So after much thinking we have come up with a way to do the traditional things while keeping things simple, for both our hearts and our budgets.We are going to implement a few things this year, the christmas eve gift and Want-Need-Wear-Read.

The Christmas Eve gift I found where else, but Pinterest.  The idea is that the night before Christmas the kids open a gift together that really is for the whole family. First is a brand new set of pajamas . I can remember coming home late from my Grandparents house and rushing to my bedroom to put on my new jammies! Nothing is better than going to sleep, waiting for Santa, in soft, brand new pajamas! To top off the night there will be a movie (Pixar or a Christmas favorite) and snacks (hot chocolate and something to munch on)! I am very excited for that this year since Hunter is starting to get into movies and lets face it, I have always been into hot chocolate.

Next is this idea of Want, Need, Wear, and Read. Something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read. Doing my research and trying to find the perfect gift to fit each category has actually been much more challenging but also much more fun than just walking down the aisles of a toy store and throwing what looks good in the buggy. I know that both kids are a little young for me to be able to expand on the categories but I still have compiled a couple of "wish" lists for the babes! I think Brock and I might even adapt these guidelines for eachother as well!

For Hunter:

One. Two. Three.

Four. Five.

1 & 2. These two fall under Bug's "Want" category. He loves climbing up in the big chairs at the table with us. We are hoping that getting him one of his own will increase the chances of him sitting and doing sensory crafts and puzzles, things he normally wont sit still long enough to do! It comes from IKEA & is not only adorable but super affordable. The Melissa & Doug trains are because, well, what little boy doesn't love trains?? From what I hear Melissa & Doug products are sturdy and well loved!

3. Something to read. Pretty self explanatory. Learning our letters, so exciting!

4. Dual purpose. To wear and a need. Big time.

5. Another one that falls into two category. Hunter has one pair of shoes that fit and so he needs something to wear to dress up a little, instead of just his sneakers!

For Haddie:

 One. Two. Three.

Four. Five.

Hadley's list was mainly just fun for me! 

1. I just absolutely fell in love with this line of books. Jane Austen is a favorite of mine, and I love this spin on the classics!

2. Have you heard of A Tiny Arrow? Beautiful custom made hair accessories and more! I will probably be doing a headband rather than a clip but we will see!

3. BlaBla doll. More specifically Suzette the Fox. Maybe Hadley doesn't want it but her Momma wants her to have it!

4. Sophie the Giraffe is a need right?

5. Love Baby Gap. Anything from there is quality and will melt your heart!

Sleep

If you want to know what the purest form of torture is as a mother, get your one month old to sleep after about 4 hours of tears and frustration and then get settled down in the bed. Once you find the perfect cold spot for your feet and get snug as a bug, open up your ears because what's coming next is a tiny baby cry. There will probably be tears. From baby yes, but also from you.

& let me tell you, sleep deprivation is real. As a mother we are blessed with the ability to run on little to no sleep, but the line should be drawn at putting your sunglasses in the fridge and the butter in your purse. Yes, folks, the butter.

My point is that no two children are alike, and as a mother I am having to learn that the hard way. Hunter was a sleeper. I remember my brother in law always joking about his sleeping patterns. It was wild how often that boy was slumbering. Hadley is a different ball game. She plays by her own rules and let me just say that I'm not even sure what game we are playing, she is that good. However, we are learning together and the one thing this has taught me is that there should be no judgement in the early months of parenting. You truly do just have to do whatever it takes to get by. & yes, savoring the moments is important and so is all the advice from friends and family but at the end of the day you need to be doing what is right for you and your little. Sleep and sanity intact.

Any recommendations for peace in the early months? Other than prayer and pounds of patience??

4 Weeks

Our littlest one was a month old Tuesday. Mind blown. Completely shocked by the fact that I just recently celebrated my 23rd birthday and am now celebratig my baby girls one month milestone with an 18 month old in tow.

Wow.

Hadley is so amazing. She can now lift her head and follows my voice. She is spending more and more time bright eyed. She even gave someone her very first genuine smile & it took my breath away.  

She is eating like a champ, but is a very avid eater, spending most of her time nursing. She does like to sleep on her belly but likes to sleep in my arms even more.  She is just now filling out newborn and simultaneously can pull off some 0-3 month clothes. at our last appointment she measured 20 inches, and weighed 8 lbs 11 oz. My "little" chubby girl. 

I have been looking at pictures of her brother around this time and it is fascinating how much they look alike! In fact sometimes it's hard to tell them apart! 

I am almost sad about how fast she is growing. If only we could keep them little forever...

& here is my little Haddie Jo...

 

Dress & boots are Baby Gap. Leggings are Target.

Life with two

Well hello there.

Yes, yes I am still alive. Some day it feels like just barely but alive all the same. Right now a glimpse into my world and you would think you had gone on a field trip to the zoo. My house looks like it was hit by a tornado, and really I guess it has. A three foot tall windstorm by the name of Hunter. Luckily at this moment both kids are asleep. Haddie in her pack and play, on her belly, against the reccomendations of pediatricians everywhere. The only way I can get her to nap. It also means I have to check on her every five minutes to keep my mommy heart from racing. Hunter is in his room, which is about to make it's transistion to big boy room. My heart is cracking a little just thinking about it.

Which brings me to the whole point of the story. Our lives have changed by leaps and bounds in he past four weeks since Hadley's birth. That's right. My baby is one month old today. The thing that I notice the most, is that it is so fast. The pace has gone up considerably since she got here. I find myself grasping at the moments. In a world where it is so easy to be worried about what is coming next, I am trying so hard to hold onto "right now" before it is gone.

With number two I am trying to do things different. Take more pictures. Record more milestones. It is hard though, because she is number two. & that means that number one is somewhere tearing something up, but making memories of his own! How do I love them both as much as I want to? At the end of the day I just snuggle them both and hope they know that their Momma thinks they hung the moon and stars. When it's all said and done I have faith that no matter what happens in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, that Brock and I are doing right by our babies.

 Number two also means that I have become a little lax about a few things. I am not nearly as uptight with a newborn now as I was with Hunter. I nurse when I need to and the days of hiding out in a room somewhere are long gone. I can do almost anything with one arm, because the other is usually supporiting the littlest and don't mention sleep because it just doesn't happen around here. Hadley is a cat napper by day and has to slleep with Momma at night. I worried for a few days, asking all my friends for suggestions and now I am just doing what I need to do to get us all fed, rested, and happy. If it means my girl needs her Momma at night for awhile, then she gets it. We will cross all bridges when necessary. When you add another baby to the mix, you really learn to pick your battles.

All things considered we are so blessed and we know it. We are happy, healthy, and we have these two beautiful and wonderful children that feel too good to be true.

Can it get any simpler?

Here we are living in a house that keeps us warm. We have each other and while we have our bad days, we are so crazy in love still. We have two kids who are healthy and there is nothing more important than that. We have a God that showers us daily with these blessings and I think that's all that can ever be asked for. My heart is full, and happy. Two is perfect. Two is crazy and wild and fast but so, so wonderful.