I am NOT in Control

In my head I knew I wasn't, but I don't think I ever really believed it. Not until recently.

I could quote all the Bible verses about God being in control and I believed them...but not really? I guess I still thought I had a lot more control than I really do.

"You can make plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail." ~Proverbs 19:21

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." ~Jeremiah 29:11 

"We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." ~Proverbs 16:9 

Or maybe I just thought that God would always do things my way. Because my way is best right?

My life is far from perfect, but if I'm being honest, there is also a lot in my life that has seemed to just go my way. Or at least I quickly forget the times that it wasn't going my way...

Like when my long term "I'm going to marry him" boyfriend from high school broke up with me for no reason.

I was not in control. 

Which was a good thing, because I was then able to meet the man who became my husband and is perfect for me -- he pushes me to grow, he takes time to understand me (sometimes better that I understand me), he leads our family, he provides so well for us, he is goofy, he is patient, he is kind and has such a big heart. And he is the father of my baby boy. I'm so glad I was not in control. 

Also, that time that I "wanted" to go to Bethel Seminary and then prayed for a way out of staying there all year long.

I was not in control. 

And guess what?? Once again, that was a good thing. If I had been in control I would have left, which probably would have meant I wouldn't have learned what I needed to to put me in a place that I was ready to meet my future husband. I'm so glad I was  not in control. 

And when we got pregnant with Christian on our honeymoon and I thought "Wow, that was easy. We are in control of when we have babies". This was then only confirmed by the one time of trying back in December and getting pregnant right away with baby #2. However, we had tried but didn't think it was possible that month and it still happened. Again, so not in control.

But, even more...

I was not in control. 

We went on find out that we won't get to hold that baby here on earth because he or she went to be in heaven at just before 6 weeks old. And as hard as that was, I had hope. I have hope now even as we are almost 2 months into trying to conceive again and being reminded each month of how little control I actually have over the process of conception. New life truly is such a miracle.

I am not in control. 

And while it is often easy to see and realize how little control we have in our lives in the BIG things, we actually have just as little control in the little things too.

I am not in control.

When Christian wakes up an hour and a half early on a morning that I had planned to wake up before him, I am reminded....

I am not in control. 

When our day doesn't go as planned. Christian is teething, or tired, or fighting his nap and my to-do list is sitting on the counter collecting dust as usual....

I am not in control. 

But there is beauty when we are not in control. Yes, I said beauty. And there is also freedom.

Freedom from worrying because we can trust in our heavenly father to always have the best for us through all situations.

Even more than freedom and beauty, there is rest.

When we are still and just rest in God and open our eyes and ears for what He has for us in each day, each moment, we are never striving. We aren't overwhelmed with worry. We are walking in Him and through Him and leaning on Him for the strength we need to overcome whatever he gives us in our day to day lives from the big to the small. Because after all, I am not in control. 

And when I just accept that and lean into that, I can find peace as everything truly goes my way, every day, every moment. Especially as I'm blessed with moments like this that weren't "in my plan".

After fighting his nap and just playing in his crib for almost 2 hours, he finally fell asleep and I had to just go in and see his cute little self sleeping so innocently. It took so much to not scoop him up and rock him... 

So while I used to think that I couldn't live without control...I'm actually finding that I so couldn't live without not having control. 

Now that's a tongue twister! 

Linking up for this post with Pursuit of Pink and For Lauren and Lauren. 

A Stay at Home Mom's Saving Grace

Play dates. 

Hands down play dates are my saving grace (besides Jesus of course) and I don't think I could live without them. 

The older Christian gets, the more important play dates have seem to become in our days, our weeks.

I haven't worked outside of the home for almost 3 years now and have been home with our little man for almost 2 years. Despite that I would consider myself more of an introvert, that is a lot of time built up without a lot of adult interaction, or social interaction for Christian too.

During the summer, play dates can be something that aren't as crucial to our week, but in the winter, we LIVE for play dates. In the upcoming weeks, we actually have a play date or some sort of activity or event almost every morning Monday - Friday.

5 Reasons I Can't Live Without Play dates

1. Sometimes this is the only way I have adult interaction in a day.
Some play dates are very mommy involved play dates (playing at the park, story times, going to the zoo, various classes, etc) but some play dates are the "moms all sit on the floor and drink coffee and try to talk over the screaming, running, making lots of noise kids". But no matter what kind of play date it is, mama gets her needs for human contact met. And has a reason to get dressed...sometimes. Because yoga pants pretty much work for all occasions...

2. Christian is learning to share and interact with others. 
Since Christian is still an only child, his only real chances to really learn to interact with kids his age and practicing sharing are when we are out with other people...enter play dates :) And play dates at other people's homes seem to be the perfect breeding ground for my little man to be the best at sharing. Watch, tomorrow he will beat another kid over the head for a toy. But seriously. The other day he played so well with his little friend and kept handing him toys and trading back and forth. My jaw kept hitting the floor! Which leads me to my next point...

3. Christian sometimes is better behaved at other people's homes.
For real. I don't know what it is, but at home he pushes the limits like crazy. When we are at other places, he generally obeys right away. Which makes my life 100 times easier and we both have happier days! Maybe its because he is fully engaged and distracted and doesn't have as much opportunity to "explore" things that he shouldn't....However, we do have a good handful  of play dates at our home too, which often leads to Christian struggling to share more than usual, but that's good for him too!

5. They help fill our days, break up the time, and wear Christian out for nap time. 
Most of the time *knock on wood* after a good long and active play date, Christian will come home and nap for 2 1/2 - 3 hours! Which, depending on the play date could mean mama was just good and productive OR mama had to use that time to rest too! But they keep us from getting bored and provides new stimulation for Christian which often leads to good sleep. Win win if you ask me!

So how about you? If you stay home do you prefer to be mostly home, or do you live for play dates? What are your favorite play date activities? 

I'm linking up with Pursuit of Pink and For Lauren and Lauren for this post!

I Couldn't Live Without...

Last week was probably one of my more challenging weeks as a stay at home mom. While I wouldn't really say that I'm an extrovert, I do still thrive on getting out of the house, doing something different, providing something new and engaging for Christian...at LEAST once a week.

Well, last week, despite having plans to get out of the house for 3 out of the 5 weekdays, we ended up being on "house arrest" for 4 out of those 5 days.

Getting out of the house is often just as much for me to have contact with other grown humans and make me feel normal as it is about keeping Christian entertained and out of trouble. Let's be honest, stimulating a toddler and keeping him busy outside of the house is just easier some days than it is at home. Don't get me wrong, I love being a SAHM, but getting out of the house is somewhat a necessity...especially in the winter. We love our lazy days at home, too, but not every day. It often takes a lot more planning and prep on my part if we are home. {Check out my pinterest boards!}

During the summer we get out and do things, but it isn't as much of a necessity. We can just be outside which makes us feel less couped up -- going for a walk, playing at the park, doing chalk, blowing bubbles, playing in the pool and the water table, the list of outside fun goes on and on and hello {fresh air}.

You might be thinking well, hello, go outside now. Well, when its below zero outside in Minnesota and you have a toddler to get dressed, it's going to take you longer to both get dressed than the amount of time you can safely spend outside. Not to mention the tantrum that usually results from both getting dressed {mittens are the death of my toddler I swear} and then coming back inside. Not necessarily worth it...at least we hadn't reached that point yet!

Anyway, the whole reason we couldn't get out of the house, was because our car had something wrong with it. Luckily my hubby can usually be fairly handy when it comes to fixing our cars. However, he does still work a day job after all so it isn't exactly the speediest process.  After plenty of long days and extra time spent in the garage, it was determined that the car had something bigger going on...likely involving tearing apart the engine. So on Friday morning, Christian and I drove Jim to work and dropped our SUV off at the shop. But because we drove him to work, we got to have the car for the day! We had tons of fun after being stuck inside!!

Mommy Christian Breakfast date at Panera.

Watching airplanes. 

Visiting the zoo. 

Conked out from an active and busy morning. 

Afternoon snuggles! 

And now this week, we have a car again and I am realizing just how much I rely on that car, even though I'm not working outside of the home.

I so can't live without my car. 

#firstworldproblems... 

What couldn't you have lived without this week?

Guest Post at Nicole Joelle ::: Tips and Activities to Keep You from Going Stir Crazy with a Toddler

Hello friends! I have something new for you today!

Yesterday I had the opportunity to be a guest writer over at Nicole Joelle Learning to Dwell {one of my favorites I shared with you recently!!!} and want you to check it out!

Here's a sneak peek of the post....

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In case you missed it...I'm living in Minnesota! Can you say Brrrr????

Not only that but I think I often feel like I'm going crazy as I'm cooped up in my house day after day just trying to stay warm...AND keep a very active toddler entertained. Well, actually, let's be honest, it's more work keeping mommy entertained than my toddler some days. Christian is easily entertained. 

4 Tips to Keep from Going Stir Crazy with a Toddler 

1. Get out of the house 

Visit the library 

Go to the zoo

Walk the mall and play at the mall play area

Play at the Children's Museum 

Go for a walk 

Play at the park (even with snow!)

Play outside

Visit a pet store and look at the animals 

Walk around a toy store 

Go to a Moms Group 

Attend a music class 

Attend classes at the library 

Join an ECFE class 

2. Plan one structured activity every day that you will be cooped up at home 

Fridays are our "Free Play Days". On these days, I try not to plan anything and we just play. We often stay in our jammies all day and we just play whatever Christian wants to play. I can do this one day a week, but not 5! So on the other days of the week I try to structure our days and build in activities. 

Click {here} to read the rest of this post and get some ideas to keep your toddler busy! 

A Day in My Life -- {In Pictures}

Sometimes being a stay at home mom can be overwhelming...especially with an active toddler! I find myself wondering some days how I will every fit it all in, how I will every keep up, or even just how will I find a second to go to the bathroom alone...without Christian climbing into the sink 

{For real...it has happened!} 

With the overwhelming feelings sometimes come the feelings of doubt...that I must be doing something wrong. I must not be planning our days "right". 

And then I read a blog post by my friend Nicole Joelle who also has an active little boy about Christian's age and I realized I'm doing just fine! Our days actually look quite similar! 

So while this post is partly to save a snapshot of our lives right now as Christian is 18 months old, its also to hopefully encourage you if you are feeling overwhelmed in your days!

::A Day in My Life::

7:00am My alarm goes off and I lay in bed waking up until I hear Christian wake up

7:15am Christian wakes up and watches a cartoon while I make breakfast

7:30am We eat breakfast and also read the Bible and do our Christmas devotional 

8:00am I clean up breakfast while Christian plays and dances to music and climbs everything. I take him down from the chair about 100 times a day! We also play a quick game of hide and seek while I am cleaning up

8:15am Christian poops (sorry TMI) :) I change his diaper and get him dressed. He then finds daddy's church work shirt and name tag and dresses up like daddy :) 

"Forget the nursery, Hosanna! Put me on staff!" ~Christian 

He also has to help me make the bed...

By about 8:30am I'm back to finishing the dishes..with my little helper! 

8:45am We start our morning activity! On this day we did a beaded candy cane. Christian actually was interested in this for awhile and it was a good fine motor activity, but I had to help a lot and make sure he didn't eat the beads...or dump them every where :) 

9:00am I finally get to get dressed and Christian has a little snack 

9:30am We had an impromptu play date at our house...play dough fun with Christian's friend Cooper

11:00am Lunch time! 

11:30am Diaper change, stories and nap time for Christian!

Then mommy time! 

I catch up on emails, work on a blog post, have some time on the computer, make the grocery list....

Print some coloring sheets for our afternoon activity...

Work on some Christmas present crafting...

By about 2:00pm Christian wakes up from his nap and we do some coloring. Coloring sheets definitely aren't developmentally appropriate and he isn't the biggest fan of coloring on anything but a blank sheet but I thought it would be fun to be able to talk about the pictures...it didn't really go that way ha ha 

After about 10 minutes of coloring, by about 2:10pm, we read some Christmas stories before Christian started doing some exploring and I realized it as time for extra toddler proofing to our closet...

3:00pm Snack time! 

3:30pm We head down to the play room for some fun! 

Little monster boy does some more exploring....I'm convinced there is no such thing as "toddler proofing"...if there is, please let me know! I need tips! 

4:00pm Daddy is home!!! 

I finally get to take a shower while Christian helps daddy make dinner 

5:00pm Eat dinner 

By 6:00pm we head out the door to go see Christmas lights and a live nativity before heading to a Christmas concert! 

Loved this house...Ditto with arrows to the neighbors displays! HA!! 

The living nativity at a local church.

We didn't get home until about 8:30/9pm so it was well past Christian's bedtime. We got him to bed and then had some relaxing time watching a little tv before heading to be ourselves by about 10:30pm.

What do your days look like? How do you stay sane in the midst of the hectic days if you're a sahm? Have you been to a live nativity before? 

Social Media and Motherhood -- 5 Tips to "Disconnect" and Find {Connection}

Have you heard of Thrive Moms? If you haven't, you need to check them out --->> Click Here.

"Empowering Imperfect Moms with His Perfect Grace."

Intentional Motherhood.

Embracing Chaos.

Genuine Community. 

Refreshing Rest.

This is the heartbeat behind the ministry of Thrive Moms. We are not just called to survive motherhood, but to thrive in motherhood. And that's exactly what Thrive Moms is here to help us do.

Thrive!

Every Monday morning I wake up to an email of encouragement for Motherhood in my inbox.

Recently, Thrive Moms offered a FREE online retreat. Yes. It was free!! And it was online. Doesn't get much better than that! Okay.  Maybe getting away to a hotel and attending a retreat would be even better...but let's be real. Free and online is much more doable in my life!

Yes, the retreat was free and online and it was live, but you can still check it out!

Fall Retreat 2014

The theme of the Retreat was "Warrior" and how to be equipped for the battles of motherhood by putting on the armor of God daily. It was a great reminder that the battle is already won through Christ. It is in Him and through Him alone that we are victorious. All we need to do every day is show up.



In the very first session, Lara Casey encouraged us to live life and do motherhood "In His strength alone". We examined some of our "fears" and distractions and the whys behind our running to those distractions.

This hit me. It's definitely been something that God has been putting on my heart lately, but as Lara talked, God stirred my heart.

So what distracts me? And I would also ask - what distracts you?

If I were to answer that question honestly, I would have to say my biggest distraction on a daily basis is my phone. {Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, texting}

Why am I running to this distraction? 

Yes, a big part of my being distracted by my phone is that I'm  looking for connection---Especially as a SAHM. But I'll get to that in a minute.

What I'm really running to this distraction for is comparison.

To compare myself to other moms, other friends, other bloggers and even compare Christian to other kids.

Is my house as beautiful? As clean? As organized?

Am I cooking as healthy and yummy of meals?

Are my blog posts measuring up to those of other bloggers?

Am I doing pinterest worthy activities with Christian?

Is my house pinterest worthy?

Is Christian as developmentally advanced as others his age?

If I were to be honest, I usually don't measure up.

Jesus should be my source of strength and comfort, my point of comparison. In Him, I will always be enough. 

"He wants to replace our distractions with His strength" ~Lara Casey

So how exactly do we make this happen? How do we disconnect from social media and the comparison trap? Yet, how do we stay connected?

:::My top 5 tips to "Disconnect" and Find {Connection}:::

1. Plug your phone in out of reach with the ringer turned on. This will not only have your phone "out of sight and *hopefully* out of mind" but it will still keep you accessible in an emergency. You might even consider setting your phone to "Do Not Disturb" at least during certain times of the day. You can schedule this and even allow calls from certain people. That way when your hubby tries to check in during the day, you don't have to worry about scaring him when you don't respond!

2. Set aside designated time to "plug in". Set a timer! Limit your "screen time" just like you do for your kids! Make your screen time only as available as it used to be when you could only access the internet from a computer. Maybe you want to designate the first 15 minutes of nap time to zone out on your phone or computer. Or maybe the same thing after bed time. I don't know about you, but I don't want my son seeing me constantly attached to my phone like its an extra arm! The tricky part here, though, is actually setting that timer (but lucky for you, you probably have a built in timer right on your phone!). Now when that timer goes off, just be sure to also sign off! ;)

3. Build "connection points" into your day. While my phone and social media can become a source for creating comparison, it does also serve an important purpose for me as a stay at home mom -- It's a way to connect with adults and the outside world!! However, if I'm not careful, I can end up only connecting with people through technology and social media, which, if I'm being honest, just isn't as fulfilling as in person connection. It's a fake substitute in a lot of ways! Are you with me!?!  I often find that if I build in times to have real connections throughout my day, I automatically am on my phone less and choosing to connect with my son more!

So what does this look like? How do you build "connection points" into your day? You will have to figure that out. Try some things out and see what works for you! Maybe its setting aside time each day to check in with your spouse in a voice conversation on the phone. Or even calling up a friend to chat for a few minutes. There's also this fun thing called Facetime (Or Skype) and is another great option for finding connection in a more real setting! I don't know about you, but when I scroll Facebook or instagram, I often feel like I have "caught up" with someone without even making contact with them! That isn't growing a very strong relationship.

4. Get out and connect! AKA PLAN PLAY DATES! Getting out of the house is hard and takes a lot of planning sometimes, but every time we do it, I'm SO glad. The same can be said of having people over! But SO worth it! And guess what? The days we have play dates, I usually go almost all day without even looking at my phone! Yep. There's something to be said about real connection! Amiright???

5. PRAY! This should probably be "Step 1" but I saved the best for last in my list!

Pray for God to build connection into your days and for you to run to Him to not only find connection but to see who you are in Him and who He is calling you to be.

{To get a FREE print of this quote by Dr. Seuss, visit my friend Nicole at nicolejoelle.com and be sure to check out the rest of the prints in her shop too!}

It doesn't matter if Ann plans play dates with coordinating crafts and snacks and you're lucky if you can feed your kids a balanced meal, or if Susie keeps a spotless house and your's is always in disarray, or if Jane has 5 kids and is involved in everything and you only have 1 and can barely keep up with your housework, or if Johnny is talking in full sentences and your child is barely saying 10 words individually.

YOU are the only one who can be you! Don't waste time trying to be someone else. 

Pray also that God would help you not to be overcome by distractions. I love this prayer Lysa Terkuest shares in her book, "What Happens When Women Say Yes to God."

"God, I know you are more powerful than this pull I am feeling. I know this thing I want will only provide temporary pleasure. I know the consequences of making this choice will rob my peace and joy in the near future. Through Your power I am making the choice to walk away. I will find my delight in You and look forward to feeling Your fullness replace the emptiness this desire is creating."

So, will you join me? Will you unplug and "disconnect" in an attempt to find greater connection? Or is social media not a distraction for you? What are your distractions? Why are you running to these distractions? Do you find yourself ever getting caught up in the comparison trap of social media? How do you break away? How do you disconnect and still find connection? Please share in the comments! I would love to hear your tips too!

One and Done?

Wow. There sure are a lot of things no one tells you in life! Amiright????

From pregnancy to parenting, I feel like there is a lot that got left out. At least for me.

For example, I thought pregnancy was going to be a walk in the park! All "glowing" and fat in a cute way.

For starters, that "glow" that they talk about isn't a "glow" at all...It's more of a sweat like sheen that your face takes on as your skin goes CRRAAAZZZYYY from all those pregnancy hormones and you start sweating your butt off because growing a baby sure makes you heat up!

And I never really felt cute. I just felt huge and swollen. Ain't nothing cute about that.

Oh. And there's something called morning sickness that doesn't just happen in the mornings...and it's not much like what they show in the movies. For real. Why don't they just be honest and call it 24/7 sickness? Does anyone ever just get it in the mornings?

I thought life wouldn't change until AFTER having a baby. Boy was that thought wrong. Pretty sure our lives changed abruptly right after we found out I was pregnant.

I finally had a reason for being SO tired all of the time...which meant I started to give myself permission to go to bed at like 6pm...ha! And to take several naps throughout the day and not feel guilty in. the. LEAST!

And then of course there was the puking which started around 6 weeks and lasted for at least 22  weeks but the constant nausea lasted all 41 weeks. Yep. 10 months of feeling sick.

That's right...10. You didn't misread that. 40 weeks is actually 10 months. Not sure how they get off saying you are only pregnant for 9 months... Do the math...4 weeks in a month. 40 divided by 4 equals 10 last time I checked. Not 9 ;)

And then once said baby is born, you have to start thinking about when you might want #2! No one told me that!

I thought, okay, we will have a baby and just enjoy parenthood and our growing little squishy boy!

And then BAM!

Christian turned one and everyone is all like "When you going to have #2?"

Whaaaaat???

#2? That wasn't even on my radar yet ha ha

I mean, I've always known I wanted more than one little munchkin, and hubby too, but shoot. Time is getting away from us. We have friends with kids Christian's age who have already popped out #2 or #2 is on their way soon! And friends with kids younger than Christian already expecting #2.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Time to step off the comparison train, though. We don't all have to do life on the same timeline.

Yes, I've been pinning to my baby #2 board on pinterest. But really, who actually reads all the things they pin?? Wait, you do? Oops. I guess that's just mean who only pins...

Anyway, this post is getting super ADD...Back to one and done.

We went to see some friends a few weeks ago who recently had a baby boy. SUPER cute little man. Wish I would have remembered to take some pictures. Christian gave him kisses and it was so cute!

Both hubby and I thought we were setting ourselves up for major baby fever to begin to set in.

But guess what???

It didn't.

Yes, he was super cute and cozy and fun to snuggle. But man I love this toddler stage so much more. I love the ability to interact. That Christian is starting to have such a little personality with likes and dislikes...that he isn't afraid to let you know :)



That on top of loving Christian so much more than I ever thought possible...I left loving other people's newborns, but unsure if I want one any time soon.



I mean, I don't want to lose any one on one time with Christian and I seriously just love him so much. I can't imagine loving another that much! Although, I hear this is a common mom fear of future second time moms.

But wow. I never thought I could ever even THINK about being a "one and done" mom.

Don't worry. I want more. Hubby wants more. There will someday be more cute little Foote's running around this house. But when, I don't know. I mean, can I even handle all that pregnancy is with an active little boy running around?

How did you decide it was time for #2? Or are you a "one and done" family?

How to be the "Perfect" Parent

Step One. Don't have kids.

Step Two. Read all the parenting books and tell your mom friends how to do it. And judge everyone who does it differently.

I think that about sums it up.

I was the perfect parent before I had kids.

I read all the books, I studied early childhood in college and even worked as a Parent Educator for awhile!

Oh. And I was a nanny which I figured was basically the same thing as being a mom so I had it ALL figured out. I had tried my theories and had the chance to try them out on other people's kids.

But that's the thing. They were OTHER people's kids.

Man. It is SO much easier to tell your nanny kids "No, you cannot have that toy, candy, etc just because you are throwing a fit in the store" than it is to tell my own cute little monster no.

It's so much easier to say, "Yes, I will keep my child rear facing in his car seat until he is 2" when you haven't yet had a 1 year old who meets the weight requirements for forward facing screaming about being strapped into his car seat suddenly be happy in the car when he can see forward....

Guess what else? Did you notice that we don't have the super expensive Britax car seat? Nope. But ours has great safety reviews too. And what really makes a car seat safe is having it installed correctly. Save your money and visit the fire department for an inspection. Just sayin'.

It's easy to judge and say, "Wow. That kid is almost 2 and STILL has a pacifier..." when you aren't the parent with the child 24/7 and all night long when he sleeps better with the pacifier.

And what about "Cry it Out"? I know so many moms who say this is the way to go. They are getting great nights sleep after a few nights of cryinig. Yes, maybe their babes started sleeping consistently through the night at less than a year old. Cry it Out  just hasn't been for us.

Christian started sleeping really well at just 2 weeks old. Maybe I jinxed us and maybe I'll jinx us again...but after almost 17 months, he's sleeping almost 11-12 hours straight most nights! And it's great.

Was it on the timeline of other kids? Maybe not. Did I do what the doctor even told us and let him cry it out or stop feeding him in the night? Nope.

I did what worked for us and trusted myself and my baby.

 And maybe cry it out is the answer for others...that's great! But it isn't the only "right" way.

It's also easy to say that you will never bed share...Until you have a sick or teething baby or just a baby who has learned that you still exist after you leave his room and cries because he wants you. Or is scared because you're traveling and he is sleeping in a new place. So yep. Bed share we will.

And we aren't partial to which bed we share...ha  ha

And then there is the issue with blankets. When are they safe? We started letting Christian use a blanket once he could crawl and pull to standing. I figured if he could crawl and maneuver himself in the crib to stand up, he could move away from a blanket if it was blocking him from breathing.

Some moms use blankets from day 1! *GASP* But guess what?? Their babies are alive and happy :) Pretty sure I slept with a blanket since I was born too...and whoa...I was fed FORMULA!

But...I grew up happy and healthy. And to me, that's all the matters.

That's what makes the "perfect" parent.

It's about trusting yourself to know yourself and your baby and not worrying or over stressing about all the little things. And really, what does all that research really show? They just keep changing what is "best"!

What is best is a happy baby and a happy mama. And the way to that is by doing what is right for you. Even if what is right for you, isn't what is right for Susie, or Johnny, or Jack.

What are your tips to being a "perfect parent"? Do you break the "rules"?

Someday

Someday I will finish painting all the trim in our house. 

Someday my failed pinterest house projects {aka my spray paint door knobs and DIY french doors} will be replaced {with pretty store bought door knobs and working bi-fold doors}.

Someday my fridge won't be covered in little sticky handprints and my floor won't be covered in crumbs. {And on that day I will miss those handprints and sticky counters and crumbs all over my floors}

Someday I will sleep 10 hours straight...Or even consistently just 8 hours straight. 

Someday I'll have a complete organization system for my whole house. Everything with a place and everything in it's place. 

Someday I'll shower every.single.day. Man will I smell good and look nice! 

Someday I will blog regularly and share great wisdom that will encourage and inspire! 

Someday I will be bored because my toddler will be grown and out of the house and I will miss him terribly...even though everything in my house will be "normal", clean, painted and organized.

Today I am enjoying THIS season.

The season that comes with sticky handprints, short attention spans, a messy and unorganized house, an unfinished to-do list, lots of coffee {the silver lining!}, wearing yoga pants everyday, hanging out with other mom friends, listening to my little boy giggle so hard when we sing and dance, and snuggling him too!

This season is good too.

After all, what value is there in a clean, picture perfect house straight off of pinterest?

Okay, monetarily there is probably A LOT of value...but in the grand scheme of things?

Playing with and loving on my boy, teaching him, now there I can see the value, even if its easy to forget sometimes.

"There's a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven."
~Ecclesiastes 3:1

What season are you in right now?
How do you enjoy the "right now" and not get caught up in the "someday"?

Things I Don't Do

If you follow me on instagram, you probably remember seeing some posts from me in May about the #PilatesSummerSeries with Robin Long over at The Balanced Life Online.

Well, after I think it was 2 weeks, of doing pilates with Robin and just tuning in to her blog, I kind of became addicted to her website. If you don't follow Robin, check. her. out. NOW. 

Blog

Instagram

Facebook 

Twitter

No, this is not a sponsored post. Robin isn't paying me to tell you about her. I just think she's that great and has a lot to offer :) Plus, her little girl is the same age as Christian and well, Robin has become my inspiration to get my pre-baby body back! 

Anyway, today Robin shared some posts from her "archives" and one of them..."Things I Don't Do" really got me thinking. 

I can't tell you how often I find myself making comparisons because of social media... and those comparisons, well, they don't exactly shout my praises! 

My life is simple. 

Often, the things that others are doing are just things that I simply don't do. 

AND THAT'S OKAY. 

Saying that, embracing that, is freeing! Although, some of my don'ts definitely should become dos...I want them to become dos...

So here is a list of things that I just don't do. 

I don't dress like I just walked out of a magazine. In fact, I mainly wear yoga pants every day and let me tell you...they aren't lululemon or any other big name brand ;) 

Oh and I also don't shower every day...I know. Beware. I'm a mom, though, need I say more? 

I don't live in a pinterest inspired house. Yes, I do have a million pins on pinterest, including pins of house projects. Will I ever do all of those pins? Definitely not. Will I hopefully someday do some of them? Maybe. I just like to pin :) 

I don't cloth diaper. Disposables all the way. Don't judge. 

I don't have a Victoria's Secret body. Never will. Maybe that's partly because I don't really work out. But I'm healthy and working on being even healthier. 

I don't garden. I used to and then entered Christian. Someday I hope to again, especially now that we have a yard that I can do it in! Actually, it just occurred to me the other day that I should probably be watering our plants that are already in front of the house...the annuals? Or are they perennials? Either way, I'm far from having a green thumb. 

I don't cook fancy new meals every day. In fact, the majority of the meals I make are basic...meat and vegetable or a single dish. What can I say? I'm not a chef. 

I don't have a gym membership. {Insert sad face here} Boy do I miss you Lifetime Fitness!! or the pool anyway... 

I don't blog very often any more. I used to dream of being that mommy blogger that shares about everything she is learning as a new mom to help other new moms in their journey. Guess what? I haven't been able to figure out how to do it and still keep up with my busy little boy and maintain my sanity. So I won't compare my little slice of the internet with anyone else's. This is just what it is. 

My thoughts and my memories. Nothing more. 

I do have fun playing with my baby boy every day, or just snuggling with him when he is a cranky, fussy, teething boy. I do play outside with him and go to the park and for walks. I do read him stories and teach him about the world. I do go to church and volunteer and read the Bible and lead a small group. I do cook dinner for us {most nights} and do the grocery shopping and laundry and keep a {mostly} clean house. I do spend time with my husband and relax at night. And when I do attempt a pinterest project or get to blogging or house projects, I do take my sweet time and not finish them for months and even then it may not have been what I envisioned or what pinterest said it would be like. 

I also should add that I don't upload pictures from my camera very often...so those of you wanting smash cake pictures will just have to settle for these for now :) Someday there will be more haha 

On his actual birthday 

 At his birthday party

So what don't you do? Share in the comments or link to a post! I'd love to hear!