On Being "Mama" and Last Call!!!

It's the last call to get in on our awesome Christmas ornament trade!!!  You can find the original post HERE!  Just wanted to put that out there.  Those of you who are joining in on the fun you should receive an email requesting your mailing address soon and then another email with your "ornament partner" the first week of December!  :)  I'm super excited.

Well, I just did our little man's 5 month growth post.  5 months.  Still blows my mind.

I thought that this would be a good time to do another "Mama Reflection".  I feel like I am constantly processing this thing called "motherhood".  I don't know why it's taken me so long to realize it but I'm a very reflective...internalizing type of person.  I guess that was why I was a philosophy major in college eh?

So.

Here we are.  5 months...and a bit more...after Jacko's birth.

I didn't expect to have feelings that ran so deep for this kid.  I am not a "wear your heart on your sleeve" type of gal.  I'm not ooey gooey, affectionate but holy cow this kid has me almost undone.  And it's so very good.  I mean, I'm still me.  Slightly sarcastic, joking...you know.  But there is a definite tenderness that I've gained from becoming a mama.  I'm glad.  I was actually a little afraid that I wouldn't be very "maternal".  But it's there.  I'm maternal like no one's biz.  Have no fear.  :)

Being a stay at home mom is pretty darn boring sometimes.  And yet I feel...full.  Like what I'm doing is just right.  How can wiping up drool, soothing and cuddling a fussy baby, and changing diapers over...and over...and OVER feel so gosh darn right?  I don't know.  I mean, don't get me wrong.  There are times when I would like to find a babysitter and run off for a few hours on my own.  There are many times actually haha.  But when it's all said and done I know that I'm where I am supposed to be.  At home.  With our boy.

A fabulously fantastic friend recently posted an instagram post that mentioned all the things she could be doing/needs to get done but that at the moment her baby just needs her to be snuggling him.  That is spot on to how I've been feeling as of late.  The house is a mess, the dishes need to be done...don't even get me started on the state of our bathroom and yet...it's not important.  Right now, I have this tiny little human who needs me.  Who needs my love, my hugs, my attention.  Everything else can wait.  Because he WON'T wait.  He won't wait to grow up, to be independent, to not need me so much.  5 months have passed already.  The next 5 will fly by too.  Pretty soon he will be a toddler running around our house...and he will just keep growing.  And I don't want to look back and think, "Dang, my house was clean even though I had a baby."  I want to look back and know that I hugged, loved, and cherished these sweet baby moments.  Baby moments that are so fleeting and I just don't want to miss them.  :)

4 Months...and 5 months

Our little man is 5 months old!!!  How can that be?!?  These last 5 months have flown by.

Because my camera cord is still MIA this is a 4 and 5 month combo.  So, first I'll hit on 4 months since it's already written (sans pictures because...they're on the camera) and then I'll conquer 5 months (with pics because they're on my phone).  :)

So, what was going on in Jackland at 4 months?  Well, apparently he...

-smiles like a boss
-laughs out loud
-loves to squeal just to hear himself
-rolls over from back to stomach...still hasn't figured out the stomach to back thing.
-stands/sits up with minimal support
-at his 4 month appointment he was 15 lbs (50th %).
-drools/chews on EVERYTHING
-loves his baths but is growing out of his tub (we have the PUJ tub, boo!)
-still wakes up once or twice a night
-loves, LOVES to be out and about
-would be absolutely happy if I carried him in the Ergo 24-7.

Things he's not so keen on:
-Tummy time.  Hence the reason I would be quite happy if he figured out how to roll BACK over once he's on his tummy.
-Being left in a room alone.  He follows you with his eyes all around the room and as soon as he can't see you he cries.
-the car/carseat.  Still pretty much hates it.  Did I mention we're going down south 3 times in the next couple of months???  :)  Good times.

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Jack @ 5 Months

-can now kinda roll over from stomach to back...though I'm still not convinced he's completely aware that he's doing it.
-chewing and drooling on everything.  I swear I can feel a tooth but I can't SEE one...so weird.  I guess time will tell eh?
-grasps and plays with things pretty actively.  He's just NOW starting to enjoy the playmat.

-he seems to be a stomach sleeper.  So weird.  I feel like he's so old now.  Choosing his sleep position and all.  We are still trying to figure out the whole sleep training thing.  Basically it's completely on hold until he's 6 months and we start solids.  Oh and the weaning from the swaddle went terrible.  5 days and no sleep for anyone we finally put it back on.  I let him roll over while swaddled to see how he does and guess what....completely fine.  His neck it definitely strong enough and because he's in a swaddle sleep sack he can still get his arms out...which he did.  And then proceeded to fall asleep on.his.own.  Which was a first!  So there you go.  The swaddle stays haha.

-for the last month he's been doing these "sit ups" where I think he's pretty sure he's going to be able to sit up.   Kid is getting some hardy ab muscles though from it haha.

-scoots forward while on his tummy...though I wouldn't call him "mobile" just yet.  :)
-plays independently for a small amount of time.
-proud to say that he LOVES his mama.  He is such a mama's boy right now...though I'm sure the "daddy phase" is soon to come.  :)

-gives kisses.  Full mouth, slobbery kisses.  He loves to do it and then looks so proud afterwards.  Melt my heart.
-had some firsts!  First Halloween, first trip to the beach!  Can't wait for the little man's first Thanksgiving and 1st Christmas!  yay!

We love you Jacko!  We thank the Lord for such a sweet, fun little boy!  God is good!  :)

Lately...

Good grief.  I can't believe that it's been almost a week since my last post.  What the what?!?  Where does time go?

So, what's been going on in my world as of late?  A little of this, a little of that.

-Jason has a 3 day weekend coming up and decided to take Tuesday off too.  We currently only have Sundays together which are filled with church and Jason usually going to school to lesson plan.  Jason has class Mon-Thur. and I work Fri-Sat.  This week though I have Saturday off so we get Sat-Tues together...YES! (Did you get all that? ha)  We are planning a little day trip to Santa Cruz and a day of hiking.  Good family time is definitely needed right now.
-I still can't find my camera cord and it's driving me nuts-o.  Maybe I should be taking the time to look for it during Jack's nap instead of blogging...?  naaaaah.
-Speaking of Jack.  We are trying to ditch the swaddle.  Night 1 was okay.  He would wake himself up 2 or 3 times before he finally went down.  Night 2 was like a normal night of sleep when he was in the swaddle.  I was all, "Yeah buddy!  That's wasn't so bad."  Night 3...um yeah.  11pm, 12am, 1:30am.  I tried to let him cry it out...he was in it for the long haul.  Jason can't sleep when he cries...down side of a TINY house.  Jack will cry the WHOLE night almost.  Yep.  Tried it.  Lovely.  Anyways, Jason teaches today and needed to sleep...obvs.  I finally brought the kid into our bed and he went right to sleep and basically stayed asleep.  REALLY?!?  Why oh why?  :)
-Also speaking of Jack.  I just LOVE that kid!!!  (Even though he sucks at sleeping haha).  His personality it coming out more and more.  He is the sweetest little guy.  He gives us kisses (big wet, slobbery opened mouth kisses) and it pretty much melts my heart.  He really has become (for the most part) a mellow, sweet natured, easy little guy.  If he slept perfectly then I guess it would all be too good to be true eh?!?  :)  I will say that he LOVES to get out.  If we stay inside he most definitely gets bored and lets me know it.
-I need to drink more water.  Seriously I do.  Just thought I'd throw that one in there. ha.

Welp, happy Thursday friends.  Hopefully I'll find my camera cord so that I can actually post some pictures.  Oh yaay.

Christmas Exchange! «Wanna join in on the fun???»

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Christmas is in less then two short months!?!  Can you even believe that?  I can't wait.  I love Christmas.  I love Jesus and the "reason behind the season".  I also love the other stuff too though.  You know, the festivities, presents, and etc.  We are VERY excited to have our first Christmas with our little guy. Very excited to start new Christmas traditions with our little dude...and to carry on the one's that we already do as a couple.

One of those traditions has been to give each other a Christmas ornament each year.  We actually forgot last year haha, but we've been doing it since we started dating.  Yay.

Anyways, I've seen some of those coolio mug exchanges and what not on blogs and I've always felt like...awww...I want to take part in one of those.  Sooooo...how about we do one!?!  But with ORNAMENTS!!!!  Yay!

Here is the deal.  I will organize it!  All you have to do is leave a comment and say you are in.  At the end of November...or so, I will email you and pair everyone with someone...randomly.  :)  Then on a given day in December we will all ship out our goodies to our internet friend.  Oh yay.

The ornament can be made...or not (cause I know everyone isn't crafty and there are some pretty awesome store bought ones).  Maybe don't spend more then $10 or so???

So what do you think?!?  Are you interested?  Does this sounds fun or lame???

Anywho.  So there you go.  :)
Hope you have a great weekend.