guest post {dana}

8:34 AM

I am honored that Tara thought of me for a guest post ( I absolutely love her blog by the way…and  have been following her for quite some time), and if we’re being completely honest…a little nervous and felt the pressure J  This is my first guest post!  I have been blogging for about 1.5 years, first capturing the journey of pregnancy for this first time.  And now my little blog documents all the moments of my sweet baby boy’s life…it’s pretty much his baby book.

I have said it before….and I will say again, I will never win the mother of the year award.  I’m not perfect.  I don’t try to be.  Wouldn’t want to be anyway (I can imagine it’s pretty boring being perfect.  All.  The. Time.  I mean seriously….what do those people talk about).  I let my little man fall off the couch…for Pete’s sake!.
 I’ve only been a mama for 8 months.  8 very short months.  that seem to just be flying by.  I knew….well….a whole lot of nothing about being a mom before having Aydan. I mean, I’ve changed diapers before, feed a little one, and rocked a baby to sleep.  But that’s normal stuff that I think probably comes naturally to a lot of people.  I didn’t know how to raise a child.  I didn’t know the difference between cries.  I didn’t know the milestones they were supposed to reach at each age.  But I don’t remember ever panicking or being nervous before having him (ask someone else and they might tell you differently…but hey…this is my story…).  I read some books, listened to some friends, asked some questions and just figured…there’s not a whole lot I can do about not knowing anything at this point.

It’s amazing how much changes in just 8 months.  In the beginning babies are fragile and delicate.  You act fragile and delicate.  You worry about everything.  You worry about nothing (he slept through the night…is something wrong?).  8 months in….and….well…here’s some examples:
-          I remember the first couple of times driving with Aydan in the car.  Talk about slow!  And not changing lanes.  Ever!  Even my Husband, who’s gotten “at least 6 speeding tickets” (he had to really think about this one when asked…) drove 5 under the speed limit on the way home from the hospital.  And now, we both drive like responsible, normal, driving adults…….
-          Changing a diaper used to take 10 minutes….treating their tiny little legs like delicate rose petals that are likely to fall off with a single touch.  I remember watching the nurses and thinking “are they nuts?  Aren’t they hurting him?”  Diapers can now be changed in 10.5 seconds (with a boy, you learn REAL quick not to leave the ummmm…goods…..uncovered for very long.
-          While I was out on maternity leave, I would often meet my best friend who also had a baby and was on maternity leave for lunch.  We would make plans to meet somewhere at noon.  Every lunch date resulted in one of us calling the other around 11:30, saying we were going to be late….it was taking us forever to get out of the house.  What is that?  Man……I would have to start at 8am to be somewhere by noon!  It would take me 2.5 hours to just take a shower, make-up and hair…while holding, entertaining and checking on little man.  Then once mama was ready, he had to be feed, or I had to pump….oh, ready in the car seat….and Bam!  Explosion in the diaper that results in diaper and outfit change.  These days….I’m lucky if I remember the diaper bag.  Just grab and go is my motto most of the time.
-          We didn’t help the environment using a billizion pacifier wipes in the first few months.  Anytime the pacifier fell to the ground in public…and in our house…a wipe was whipped out.  I find these days that a brush on the jeans and a quick rinse in my mouth gets rid of the germs just fine.

So, I guess my whole point is….no one, no book, no blog can tell you how to be a mom.  Read them for information.  For advice.  For fun.  But being a mom is about listening to your heart.  Following your instincts.  Learning from mistakes.  And just loving your little one and enjoying those simple moments. 


Go on over visit Dana on her blog!

Guest Post {Ashley}

9:20 AM
Hello Our Journey readers!!!!

I am Ashley from over at Life As I Know It. Tara has asked me to do a guest post for you and I was absolutely honored!! This will be my first official guest post for someone else, so bear with me! So let's hope you enjoy this! It will be a little different from what you are used to because M and I do not have any children of the human kind, just fur babies!! Hopefully one day our family will be blessed with a human baby, but in the meantime, we are content with the furry kind!

I will start off with introducing myself. I am a Canadian blogger, happily married to my husband (Mike) of almost 4 years, although we have been together for 10!! Yup, a whole decade! We have 2 golden retrievers (Lily and Gracie) and 3 cats (Binx, Jazz and Lux). I work as a medical assistant/cardiology technician. I have a few hobbies, which include photography, shopping ( I love getting good deals) and I am novice sewer. My husband works for our family business in farm drainage and he also a volunteer firefighter. Our days can go from quite simple and normal, to M running out the door to tend to an emergency, you just never know because he is on call 24/7. I sure do love my hero!!
M and I are living in our second house, and we are right in the middle of renovations right now! Who doesn't love a good renovation? Well actually, for me I love the idea of planning new things and redecorating, but when it comes down to the actual reno... how quick can we get it done? Right now, my closet is in my dining room, as M is making me a walk in closet for our master bedroom. We also just created main floor laundry which I am pretty pumped about!! We will be setting our home office up downstairs where the laundry room was soon. Waaay too much going on at once in this household I tell ya! Feel free to pop by our blog and take a look at what we have going on and what we have done in the past. We have basically been going room to room throughout the house, putting our touches on everything as we go!

Other than our current renovations, our life pretty much revolves around our pets. Lily is 3 and suffers from hypothyroid, which has been a constant frustrating battle and Gracie will be 2 shortly!! We enjoy spending our weekends boating down at the lake whenever we can get down. M and I play co-ed lob ball together and M also plays on a men's league.

We do LOVE travelling!! We try to get out of Canada at least once a year. We have really taken to Dominican Republic!! We went there for our honeymoon and not only fell more in love with each other, but we fell in love with this country. We just went back again this past winter and it was absolutely AMAZING!! Highly recommend it!!
I will finish this post up with thanking Tara for inviting me on over to share a bit of my world with you!!! Feel free to pop by my blog sometime and say hello!!!

we made it!

5:20 PM
we are in flordia! You can see what we are up to via twitter! @taraourjourney :)

bathing suit.

8:00 AM
I feel like I should sit & complain

I have gotten so many questions about what I am wearing to pool this vacation
subtle hint that I am ginormous?
maybe.

& I should be saying
how bummed I that I am not as skinny as I was pre-baby
how I wont be rockin any sort of a bikini this vacation & summer

But I am not.

When I posted this, it wasn't a reminder for me but to help others.
I understand alot of people struggle with this soft,flabby, marked body we are left with after our babies are born
but let sit back shall we?

Ladies, we brought LIFE into this world
that little boy or girl was inside you
your body gave them LIFE
they are laying there sleeping/crying/pooping/laughing because of YOU
ok so your hubby might have done a little.


I am not shaming anyone that has had these feelings
but this is merely a reminder 
of what a honestly magical thing that took inside of your body

I will be ROCKING a tankini this vacation & summer

& I am proud of my new "mommy body"
sure I could tone up a bit

but honestly, I dont want to be galvanting around in a bikini chasing my baby anyway
{MY prerogative.}

So as we approach these hot summer days
& days sitting at the pool
& you feel like getting down on yourself
remember 
you body gave LIFE
be proud that you could do such a thing


tornadddo

12:37 AM
Yup tornado watch then warning then watch
make up your mind!
do you see this shiz?!!?

I am freaking out.
like major.
With all this devastation I don't feel safe.
AT ALL.
plus with Brandon at work it sucks even more,
Seriously who buys cars with possible tornadoes?!
UGH.
& we dont have a basement
this girl & her baby & 3 pups get under a small closet under the stairs.
sweet. 
that sounds safe.
THEN
we have satellite 
so anytime there is rain
no TV
then my radio goes out
HOW THE EFF AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW  IF I AM THE NEXT DORTHY UP IN THIS BIZ-NATCH.
My backyard.
sweet.

Vacation can't come soon enough!

MY BABY IS NOT FAT

9:26 AM


Yes, She may have a roll or two.
She is a bit of a chunk-a-butt
But she is HEALTHY
To the people of the world that think their two sense is needed:
NO I do not over feed my baby
NO she is not fat
NO she is not a baby sumo wrestler

Seriously, some biz-natch walked into my nieces birthday party & proclaimed
"LOOK AT THAT FAT BABY!!"
{10 second pause}
"SHE IS HUGE!"

then later that evening telling there was no way she was  old as she was.  & if it was normal for her to be that big.

Really?

My neighbor while talking to Kennedy {which honestly is so annoying}
"Make sure your mom isn't over feeding you"

I like my chunky baby.
Chunky babies are a normal thing in my family.
She is not fat.
She is not obess.
She is a healthy 6 month old with rolls on her legs & arms.
Keep your comments to yourself.

Seriously what is with todays society that walking into a grocery store
gives the cashier & customers the right to tell you what to do with you child?
I had one cashier ask Kennedy {which again is annoying}
"does you mom torture you with those headband.yeah.shes so mean"
or 
all of a sudden everyone but yourself knows when you baby is hungry & needs a diaper change
*slight whine*
peanut gallery-"she hungry."
her mother-"no she just ate"

This post was mostly a rant
& to say
YOU are  your childs mother
YOU know what is best for them
TRUST your motherly instincts & do not let ANYONE make you believe otherwise

& now a picture of my cute CHUNKY baby that I snapped after my session this weekend to lighten the situation!

GOOD DAY! :)

countdown!

1:20 PM

Thats right people 3 days until Disney & Flordia!
I am pretty proud of myself for getting what wasn't done a few days ago DONE!
All of our bags our packed & on their way to Florida as I type! WHOOP!
One dog is less hairy & smelly!
I just mowed the grass {I FREAKIN JUST CUT IT Saturday}
Can I just say I don't do grass or well anything that I feel a husband would do
but I did...TWICE!
Good wife.
So that is done.
House is spring cleaned {except our room which look like a tornado hit it}
& both living rooms are rearranged
I am pretty much wonder woman
This MAY be my last post until Friday
When be leave
But I have some kick-bomb guest posts to share all next week!
By the way during the time I am gone I am on the 2ww. 
Really?
UGH.
Oh well I will take AF if she decided to present herself
& still try to enjoy myself 
on this much much much need vacation!

favorite things!

1:30 PM
I really don't have too too much to blog about! 
I am CRAZY busy with sessions, like seriously. 
Its redonk. 
On top of that I am finishing spring cleaning, packing because are bags need to be with his mom by tonight.
They are empty.
Nothing is in them.
So you can see that is going well.
I have to take at least one of the dogs to the groomer, if she has enough time then two of them.
I have a shaggy dog sitting in the front of the door.
& a small smelly one beside me.
Obviously that task went as fabulously as the last task.

So I needed to blog, & sense I havent done a favorite things post in while; only because they are about the same month to month. But now I have new things! :)





Bright Starts exersaucer.

Its the shiz.
Seriously.
Kennedys will play in this thing forever.
Hitting the piano, furiously jumping up & down & spinning. Its awesome!


Nuk & Avent 4 & 6 month trainer cups.
Now Apparently this needs a whole post in itself because I have gotten tons of questions on them from pictures of Kennedy.
WE decided this was right for OUR daughter.
She will only take the Nuk, & the Avent with a transitional nipple {if you are thinking about using these I HIGHLY recommend using one of these, because it gets them used that much liquid intake.It is also included with the cup as well as the tip} She hasn't quite master the harder tip. Anyway we love them & the trainer handles are also amazing she hold her cups all by herself!


Vtech Rhyme & Discover book.
MUST take everywhere.
We do not leave the house without it. Well Kennedy wouldnt let us anyways. It entertains her.
I know every word, every song.
She loves the lights & each page you can move something on a slider. Which she loves.





Munchkin Travel Kit
Ok if you have baby still in diapers, do me a favor.
Go to your local walmart & buy this baby.
I keep it in my diaper bag. I easily take just this out when we are a resturant instead of lugging my diaper bag. Or just a quick errand, but you don't want to be without just incase you have a blow out. you can just take this. Seriously. Its awesome. Get one.








Palmolive Baby - Bottle,toy & dish wash
I don't wash bottles in the dishwasher. I don't know why. I just am weird about the chemicals I think. Anyway, I found this soap & I love it. You know when you accidentally leave a bottle on the end table over night. Yes you, it's ok everyone has done it. Don't lie, you have. Well this is made to take off milk & its residue. Then its totally the shiz for cleaning my tubs for baby food. & it is gentle formula & smells good :)







That's all I can think of right now.
When I will get back I will do a favorite thing {travel edition}
Which im pretty excitied about. 
Because I already have gotten things I love!
Ps this post has random huge spaces in it.
I don't know why.
Deal with it ;)

its a dog eat dog world.

4:51 PM
& at our house.
Kennedy will be the one eating.











stretch marks.

9:06 AM
Found this:

winner winner!

4:47 PM
I have winners of the giveaways!
Both were chosen at random from random.org!

Winner of th Layna Bugg Flower is:
Ashley
{Lif As I Know It}
Winner of the Hevea Pacis is:
Becky
{from Mrs to Mama}
Girls, I will be sending you emails with details!
Thanks to everyone that participated!

a case of the daddy's?

4:34 PM
Well maybe.
This may be normal, or my husband is just a goon.

I have been watching a little girl 2 days a week.

She was carrying around Kennedy's new "my first cinderella" 

Brandon says "Tara, thats Kennedy's"
Me: "I know, she is just playing with that"

She was drinking out of one of Kennedy's sippy cups.

Brandon: "Isn't that Kennedy's cup?"
Me: "Yes?"

She playing with Kennedy's flower & kept on in her hair.

Brandon: "Now she is wearing her flowers?"

My mom told me to rest assured it is just a "daddy protective" thing.
My dad did the same thing when my friends would come over.

But I cant help but wonder if other dads do this?
Is you hubby/partner protective of the things your baby has?

Sure we spend alot on the the nice things that she has, but if the little girl is just using them here I dont see the tiff in it.

Next Daddy dilemma

Bug is SUCH a mommas-girl.
& loves her da-da

but recently will only take him holding her for awhile before she looks at me & full out SCREAMS.
they can play & play & all of sudden her head flings up & she is look for me, then comes the SCREAMS.

she has gotten better, but I think it is starting to hurt his feelings.

Suggestions? 


6 months pt2.

1:43 PM



Weight: 18.7 pounds
Height: just shy of 28 inches

& get this her big ol dome piece {noggin} if off the charts !!
she can thank her dad for that one



She was in the 95 percentile for everything!
She lost some weight, from crawling & will obviously lose more!

Dr said the "night terrors" are reflux related. Thanks goodness.

Anddd, we ended the appt with
Next cycle here we come!
This made me have a extra spring in my step today, hopefully one step closer to another miracle!

Also, I will be picking the winner BOTH giveaways tomorrow!
Make sure you go & enter to win a flower for you or your little girls hair & a all natural rubber Hevea paci!

seriously

3:55 PM
So, Becky over at From Mrs to Mama has been doing these "seriously" posts & the past few days I have been starting several sentences with this starting them. So Becky, I am stealing your idea for this one post in which I will vent.

Seriously, its 53 degrees outside. Ridiculous.

Seriously, If I have to cancel one more session due to the weather, or one more person cancels a session after having it booked for over a month I may kill either A)mother nature B) my messed up schedule.

Seriously, Kennedy never cries; only when she is about to go to sleep cause she fights it. & now will seriously scream/cry for a good 15 minutes cause of these stupid pearly whites. Seriously they are going to fall out anyways why must my happy baby be so miserable.

Seriously, has anyone heard of Infant night terrors? According to my research they start at toddler age but I think Kennedy may have them, or it could be just from those stupid teeth again. She will wake up in a full out scream & go back to sleep. It is VERY scary {if you know any info please comment}

Seriously, the drs office has rescheduled her 6month check up FIVE times in TWO days. Get your shit together receptionist. Now I have to see the NP that doesnt agree with a thing I do with my child.

Seriously, if more person announces they are pregnant on FB I may die

Seriously, IF sucks

Seriously, I just want to be pregnant already

Seriously, babyfood poop smells so much worst than formula only poop.

Seriously, I just need this vacation already.

& yes my blog if under construction because I havent had time to finish it yet, so bask in the choas that is my blog :)

UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

1:52 PM

 for the rest of the day I will be "under construction"
I know what you are thinking
GEEZ changing it up again
& yes I am :))
but this one will stay for awhile.
so things may look a little screwy for awhile just bare with me :)

6 months pt1.

9:59 AM
So we had a half birthday party for bug yesterday!
some people may say this is ridiculous
I saw hog-wash.

It was a fun day to get our families together & just celebrate this little miracle.

One thing I have learned now being a mom, thru tragic things that you all of a sudden become aware of when you become a mom is: Tomorrow is not given.

So if I want to give my baby a half birthday then dag-nab-it I am gonna ;)

We only had a few people over
grilled out
opened presents
ate cake
& just played with her cute little self

Wanna see some pictures? 
Thought so.

disclaimer: 
alot of these are with a point & shoot so they have awful quality 

half of a cake!

half of a candle! :)
momma & baby; papa nappin in the background :P

Joel her god father


new vtech ball! loooove this thing & so does she!
DONT freak out she didn't actually eat any of this.
she just played in it & got a little taste of icing.
hit me with your bad mom stick if you would like
she had FUN!


quick bath in the sink to get alll cleaned up!
Part two is up next :)

IG @MRSMUMAW