the day i took lots of pictures.

these pictures are about a month old or so and i can tell rylan has already changed so much since taking them. why do these little guys have to grow up so fast?

fall-er-ized

well it's official. you've been fall-er-ized baby boy. in a good way. last weekend we went to what we thought was a "simple" pumpkin patch. i laughed in my head as we were standing in a 10-15 minute line waiting to get in and borrowing sunscreen from strangers once we realized we were in for a whole day adventure. it turned out to be a great day at the family farm, full of pot belly pig rubs, pulling on goat horns, ry's first time on a carousel and even a hayride, which was his favorite for sure. it was some serious fall fun until we were pulling out of the place and our pumpkin rolled from the console to set our car in to neutral getting us stuck in the middle of the road with a car coming right at us. seriously i don't make this stuff up people. thank God we got out of the way in time! lesson learned: be careful with your pumpkins people!

what we've been up to.

/put your hood on/
/watching the pups/
/rain rain/
/stripes/

/chucks/

/naps/

/new pjs/

/OU game with sister/

/cruising around the table/

/splashing in bowls/

/posing/

/sporting our Sooner gear/

/chicken & waffles/

/pups new haircuts/

/gelato/

10 months baby. (10/22/12)

this month came a lot quicker than the others. maybe it's because i've been chasing you all over the house or maybe it's because i just can't possibly keep up.

i never knew time could go so fast, but here you are cruising around the table, which we can no longer keep things on, clapping your hands, mimicking our voices, and growing into a little man.

you're still crawling around like a mad man, no more army crawl though, and you have now ventured into every room in the house. one of your favorite things is opening and closing doors. you also like turning on and off the lights and the trusty door stop is still big on your list. your little blue bunny finger puppet seems to be your favorite toy. you dig and dig through the toy basket until you find him! oh and i can't forget your love for messing with the buttons on the side of the tv-"you're killing me smalls!" as your daddy would say.

this past month we began feeding you at the dinner table with us. you are now eating three solid meals a day and you love everything we give you, even red onions! you've quickly become our good little eater and you get upset if we aren't sharing our food with you! now if you could just put on some weight mr. metabolism!

your toothy grin is my favorite. you've got two little teeth on bottom and one coming in on top!

your standing and balance continues to improve every day and i can tell that you can't wait to walk! i'm sure i'll be hearing the sound of little bare feet before i know it.

so for now i'll continue to enjoy you, my little crawler, and our naps together on the couch and hope for time to slow.

love you baby boy,

momma

momma, you know i love you.

have i ever told you that i'm overly sentimental sometimes? because i most certainly am, and in all actuality i'm probably 70/30 overly sentimental/normal sentimental. ok maybe more like 80/20, but who's counting, right? well, today is my momma's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMA!! and as expected i'm feeling overly sentimental and nostalgic.

last night i kept thinking about our life together and how different things are now. had i really known what it meant as i sat on my dorm room bed 8 years ago i probably would have cried. we would never live together again. ever. but i was 18, going on 19, and it didn't occur to me.

now i have my own family and my own baby and life goes round and round. i guess this is what God meant when He talked about man (or in this case wo-man ;) leaving his father and mother.

mom, i am thankful for those 18 years that we had together under the same roof. for all the tears you dried, games you watched, songs you sang, and love you gave. although it makes me sad to think about rylan growing up and leaving to start his own family one day, i am now comforted in the fact that though many things will change, the love will stay the same.

i love you momma.
happy birthday.

co-nun-drum.

every day during nap time i find myself in the same conundrum.

to lay by your side and watch you sleep or not.

you see, watching you sleep is my favorite.

it's like watching the most beautiful picture of pure innocence and peace.

your soft smooth skin.

the rise and fall of your chest.

tiny toe and finger twitches.

the roundness of your full baby belly.

the sound of you breathing.

and the warmth of your body.

absolute heaven.

but there's dishes to do and there's laundry to fold.

so today, like most days, 

i choose to join you there,

in our spot on the couch,

cuddled in your warmth,

beneath the comfort of 

our favorite fuzzy blanket

and the whirring of the fan.

because one day i'll long for these moments.

so i'm bottling this one up.

the dishes will be there tomorrow.

and the laundry will have to wait.

i'm watching my baby sleep

before it's too late.

it's my party and i'll cry if i want to.

seriously i cried yesterday, on my birthday, but in a good way.

my birthday hijacking post from the Mr. brought tears to my eyes. it was so sweet and i was so surprised! made. my. day. thank you Lord for such a godly, godly man.

annnnd...

 this is what 27 feels like...i guess...

it's not too bad, although thinking about being a mere 3 years away from the big 3-0 gives me slight heebie jeebies.

i remember when i thought i would never see my high school graduation year, 2004.

i mean, come on, the year 2004 sounds so futuristic right?

or when i was 6 and thrilled about my teenage mutant ninja turtle birthday cake (yes, i was a total tomboy).

and now.

i've graduated from college, been married to the love of my life for almost 5 years, and am a momma to the most amazing 10 month old.

yes, my childhood MASH games were a little off, but i'm so thankful.

especially to not be living in that shack ;)

here's to many more years of full abundant life!

he knows the way to my heart: sugar cookies and flowers.

singing: "you would cry too if it happened to you"

Birthday Blog Hijacking

Is this a mommy blogger’s worst nightmare (ok, probably not, but I had to start this dramatically)?!  Her husband, I mean ‘hubby’, has hijacked her blog and is going to tell the real truth.  They (you know, the proverbial ‘they’) say that sometimes the truth HURTS! …but in this case it does not.  Today, October 16^th, is my wife’s birthday and I want to take a second to remind my wife (and tell whoever happens to eavesdrop) what she means to me.

Warning: Of course, parts will seem a bit corny and perhaps even overdone, but the reality is that it’s the truth and if that’s corny or overdone so be it.

First, I must explain something for the rest to make sense.  My wife and I agree on a premise popularized by Gary Thomas’s book, “Sacred Marriage”, which is this idea: “What If God Designed Marriage to Make Us Holy More Than to Make Us Happy”.  In fact, we do believe that God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy – this is not to minimize the value of happiness but to maximize the value of holiness.  If we agree on this premise – How am I to look at her as a wife? What does the Bible say about a woman who prioritizes holiness in a marriage?

I will use the rest of this post to tell my wife, in light of the well-known portion of Proverbs 31 which describes a godly woman, why I love her:

To My Beautiful Bride,

I married you because you pursue God wholeheartedly, make me a better man, and are easy on the eyes.  Below is what I think of you when reading Proverbs 31.

 Verse 10: An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.

           

I must simply say, I agree! You are more precious than jewels and I wish every man could find a woman like you.  The idea of jewels is also speaking to nobility or virtuosity, and I must say that you are undoubtedly a strong woman with unwavering convictions. And for that, I love you.

Verses 11-12: The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.

            You are the most trustworthy person I know and as a result I trust you with everything, including the most precious gift we’ve ever been given, our son. I agree with Martin Luther when he said, “The greatest gift of God is a pious amiable spouse, who fears God, loves his house, and with whom one can live in perfect confidence".  Mrs. Baker, I live in perfect confidence with you.  Further, you do good not only when it is easy, but also when it is tough. You have integrity and you live above reproach.  And for that, I love you.

            Verses 13-19: She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.

            Clearly a lot is said here about how a godly woman handles herself in regard to caring for the family, serving, working, and being strong.  You do all of that and you do it so well.  There is no doubt in my mind that your vocation is raising our son and you do that better than I could have ever imagined.  You love him, serve him, teach him, provide for him, and tirelessly pursue his understanding of the Lord by being such a godly example.  Not only do you do this for him, but you do this for me as well.  You do this for me even when I am stubborn, lazy, unkind, selfish, and simply not deserving of such acts. You do all of this as unto the Lord. And for that, I love you.         

Verse 20: She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.

            You complement me so well in this area.  You illustrate such mercy and love towards people when I often struggle with hardness.  You are attentive to the needs of others, not just in word but in action.  You encourage me with your giving heart.  And for that, I love you.

Verse 21: She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.

            Because you do not fear of being unprepared, I do not fear.  You think ahead.  You plan.  You do both of those better than me.  I am spontaneous, which at times may seem more fun, but the truth is without you I would be unprepared for so many things.  I can’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve forgotten something, but there you are to assure me you have not forgotten and have me covered.  And for that, I love you.

Verse 22: She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.

            Really, do I even need to expand on this one?! You are beautiful and your taste is beautiful.  And for that, I love you.

Verse 23: Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.

            This appears to be about me, but it is not.  It is because I can trust you and because you serve Rylan and me so well that I can focus on doing my work with excellence.    My success is because of your success.  And for that, I love you.           

Verses 24-27:  She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.  Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

            We all know being a mother is the most challenging vocation in the world and some might say that being my wife is the second most challenging :)… Nonetheless, you do both well.  You work so hard and are the antithesis of laziness.  You are kind, wise, and help me hear the Holy Spirit when sometimes I am not listening so well.  And for that, I love you.

Verses 28-29: Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”

Right now, maybe all Rylan can say is, “mama” and sometimes the occasional “daaaadaaaa” (well that’s what I hear), but I can say, ‘You do surpass them all.’  I know you don’t invest/love/care for Rylan and me because of the ‘rewards’ or ‘payback’, but I know there will be eternal rewards awaiting you for your good service – and earthly ones await too (a good sloppy kiss coming soon).  And for that, I love you.  If Rylan could form entire sentences, I know he’d say… And for that, I love you.

           

Verse 30: Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

            First, I will say that you are SMOKIN!  You are incredibly beautiful, but what I am most thankful for is that your physical beauty is not the extent of your beauty.  You fear the Lord and your life so clearly proves it.  And for that, I love you.

Verse 31: Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.

            As I said above, I am confident you will be rewarded.  You are godly and virtuous.  Because Proverbs 31 so perfectly describes you I know you will be rewarded.  Because the fruit of your life is so obvious, I know you will be rewarded.  I know you would say you have room to grow closer to the Lord, but I want you to know that you meet His measures well.  And for that, I love you!

I hope you have an amazing birthday because your birth has made so many of my days amazing. 

I. Love. You.

Ooops, I mean…

 We. Love. You.

9 month pic

9/22/12

ok, so here we are again.
you're already almost a month older.
and as usual i'm a tad bit late posting your monthly picture.
can't believe you will be 10 months old next week.
time is seriously cheating us.
love you like mice love rice.
;)

Guest Post: Postpartum Workout

hello! today i'm having Katie, a mommy and health blogger, from "Moore from Katie" share a bit about postpartum workouts for all you mommies out there. hope you find it helpful!

Postpartum Workout Timeline

Many women are eager to get back into shape after the birth of their baby—I wanted to slim down immediately! It's important to note that you shouldn't be jumping right back into a vigorous routine until your baby is several months old. Pregnancy and birth affect women's bodies in more ways than weight gain. Your hormones are surging, your breasts are full of milk, and a new baby is sitting in your lap. You will get back into shape over time, so don't rush it. Start with a few easy exercises then gradually work up to a more intense workout.

Day 3
A few days after giving birth you can begin to tighten your pelvic floor muscles with specific exercises. These exercises are easy to perform, and you can do them anywhere, anytime. Do them every time you feed the baby, or before you drift off to sleep at night.

You can also begin pelvic tilts quite soon after birth. Pelvic tilts will help tighten the abdominal muscles that got stretched and possibly separated during pregnancy. Lie on your back to perform a pelvic tilt. Raise your knees up, keeping your feet flat on the floor. Squeeze all of your lower ab muscles as you slowly pull your pelvis up and in. Hold the muscles tight for a few seconds, then release and repeat. I liked to do this exercise while my daughter was napping or lying on the floor beside me.

Week 1
The first week of being a new mom has most likely been a blur of nappies, breastfeeding, bottles and no sleep. Many women feel content loving on their babies 24/7. After the first week, I started to feel a bit stir crazy since I had no semblance of my former routine. If you're itching to get out of the house, try a leisurely walk. I loved to bring my daughter out in her pram or front carrier, and take in the fresh air. Just remember to take it slow and easy. If your post natal bleeding becomes heavier or painful, you've probably pushed it too far.

Week 3
Many women are ready to get into a more physical routine three weeks after birth. However, it depends on your unique birthing circumstances. Women who had c-sections will need to wait longer. The best thing to do is to talk to your doctor before beginning an exercise routine. Just as your doctor advised you on delivery decisions, like pain medication, cord blood banking, and immunizations, your doctor can help you develop a good routine to work exercise back into your life safely. I had a great relationship with my doctor throughout my whole term and felt very comfortable asking all of my health and diet questions.

It's important to treat your body well by eating healthy and not overdoing it. If you are breastfeeding, your body still needs extra calories to produce enough milk for the baby. Breastfeeding moms often find the pounds melting away, even though they are still "eating for two". If you exercise too much, your body might be burning too many calories to produce an adequate milk supply.

Week 8 and Beyond
When your bleeding stops, and you aren't feeling any soreness or irritation anymore, you can begin a more rigorous exercise routine. Getting back to my yoga and running routine was a great release physically and emotionally, Now that your body is ready, the hardest part will be finding the time to squeeze in those workouts on a regular basis.

“Katie Moore has written and submitted this article. Katie is an active blogger who discusses the topics of motherhood, children, fitness, health and all other things Mommy. She enjoys writing, blogging, and meeting new people! To connect with Katie contact her via her blog, Moore From Katie or her twitter, @moorekm26.”

october.

/ignoring the presidential debate/

/loving mickey mouse/

/eyeing daddy's coke float/

/my boys napping/

/car rides/

/swinging/

/pumpkin spice lattes/

/wedding pics with my little man/

/torturing the pups/

/looking handsome/

/wedding with ry/

/sleeping in mommy's lap/

it's that time of the year.

birthday season.
october.
it's a busy time for us.
the mister kicked it off already with his birthday on the 4th.
mine's up next on the 16th.
then the brother-in-law, my mom, and nephew.

with the holidays following shortly after birthday season, the end of the year gets pretty crazy.
so here's to hoping we make it out alive!

and to eating lots of cake! ;)

to the love of my life.

happy birthday.
you are the best husband and daddy we could have ever asked for, and
we are so glad you were born.

happenings

/sick baby=extra cuddle time/

/mickey mouse clubhouse smiles/

/gelato with my baby/

/sleeping like daddy/

/cartoon watching/

/family naptime/
/no shoes, no shirt, no problem/

Blog Hop

It's Tuesday again which means it's time for the GFC Blog Hop!

When I want to follow a blog the first thing I look for is GFC (Google Friend Connect), it's so easy and  nice to be able to go and see all of the blogs you follow in one spot. It's really a great tool to have. One side note- Did you know you can follow through GFC using your Twitter Account? TRUE, it's definitely an option! If you are interested in co-hosting the next GFC Blog Hop send me an email at melissa@thelifeofanotsoordinarywife.com

Ok, so let's get to the party, shall we?

RULES are simple:

1. Follow your host via GFC

The First link below

2. Follow your co-hosts via GFC

The Next 8 links below

3. Link up below using your main blog url not a specific post.

4. Make sure to visit some of the blogs in the link up and follow them via GFC 

and if you want to leave them a comment, I'm sure they'd appreciate that as well.

5. Tweet about this blog hop

Tweet

6. Share about this blog hop by grabbing a button and putting it on your sidebar!

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