I'm a very lucky momma. I have two, healthy, beautiful kids. I wouldn't change it for the world. I do have to say though, being a momma is THE toughest job in the world. Don't argue with me, just take my word for it. Some of this post will come from experience and some just from noticing other mommas around me. Side note, I do realize that there are many men who are equal to their lady with the "upbringing" of their kids, but I'm a momma, so I am speaking to mommas just this time :)
Mommas are hard-workers. At the infant stage, they are getting what I call "segmented sleep". They are up all hours of the night, feeding. At first, they are relied upon 24/7....the job doesn't stop. Sleep, diaper change, feed. Repeat. Although this new little life is in the picture, unfortunately laundry somehow continues to be dirty, dishes continue to need washing, the house still needs to be vacuumed, dinner still needs to be cooked, errands still need to be ran, and well.....your poor husband still needs some attention. The fact is, being a momma is added to the equation. Being a momma doesn't subtract all the other duties (I wish). Being a momma is HARD.WORK.
I could NOT imagine being a single momma. If you are a single mom, you my friend are a hero. I don't even know how you survive.
If you were to ask me what I would change about being a mom, it would be this: stop worrying about the laundry that needs to be washed, the dishes that need to be cleaned, the text messages and facebook status updates, and the unvacuumed carpet. Instead, don't worry. Play. Make a Mess. Have fun. Build a fort with every blanket in the house. See how many legos it takes to cover the entire bathroom floor. Bang the wall with a hammer (don't tell dad) or roll around in all the dog hair and see how long it takes to cover your black shirt (true story people).
Seriously, why do mommas feel like everything has to be perfect? Why can't we just enjoy our kids? I am preaching to the choir here. I am OCD. I am so OCD that if dishes are in the sink and I don't have time to load the dishwasher, I'll organize the dirty dishes in the sink. I know, sickening. But now that summer is basically over and its time for me to go back to work, I regret worrying about what my house looks like. Who cares. So.....
To All Mommas-
You are DA.BOMB. You are the hardest working humans on the planet and you deserve a daily pat on the back (or a nice shopping spree). Your children may not appreciate everything you do now but when they get older (just like I did) they will realize how special you are. Drop the broom, let go of the dish rag, step over the legos and build a fort with your kid (a glass of wine might make the fort look even better).
Love,
A momma who knows how hard it can be
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Monday, July 14, 2014
Lyla Ray is 2 Months Old.
8 weeks have passed and Lyla Ray is growing! She was so tiny the day she was born @ 6 lbs, 9 oz. but she has made up for it :) At her 2 month appointment she weighted 10 lbs, 3 oz....fatty girl! She loves to eat my milk but formula...not so much. We've tried several kinds and she will not drink it (she would earlier but not now). So....I've started to pump more just incase I am ever not home and she needs to eat. I HATE pumping...hate it. But anything for the little princess :) Ha! During the day she eats about every 2.5 to 3 hours and now at night she will go one long 4.5-6 hr. stretch.
Last night (7.13) Lyla slept in her crib for the first time! She is a great sleeper at night, wahoo! I usually feed her around 9pm and she sleeps til 3/3:30 and up again around 6:30am. She does like to be held during the day and is a lot fussier than Gage was but I'll take a night sleeper any day!
She is iffy about a paci. She likes it when she is fussy but spits it out a lot too. She prefers the brand "mam". I did have to put up her newborn clothes about a week ago so she's growing for sure. Why is it always sad when you have to put up a certain size?! Hormones.
She has been smiling and cooing....LOVE. Gage loves her to pieces and has gotten a lot better about not being so rough. He always asks for her and wants to "pet her" or kiss her. He has given us a run for our money lately. I THOUGHT he has been in the terrible twos...oh no, they just started. He has been swatting at us when we tell him no and he bitten Mia. Lord help us. Sometimes I just don't know what to do. I called my sister one day and she said it was a stage unfortunately. Its so embarrassing in public. Especially when you know you have "raised" your child better and don't let them get away with it at home. But judgers will judge and one day they will have kids and understand :)
Back to Lyla.
OMG....her nails. I tried cutting them like 2 weeks ago and she screamed. Mom of the year cut her little fingers and they were bleeding, I felt horrible. But let's be serious, filing does NOT work. So they are really long and sharp but I'm scared to attempt to cut them again.
Lyla and I are rockin' a mullet. No....really. I would take a picture but ya'll know what a mullet looks like. Side note: my hair is growing but looks horrible. Its just at that stage where there is nothing I can do with it but put on a hat...and its gonna take a WHILE. Ugh. It's just irritating when you want to look decent...I put on make up, clothes, and then look at my hair and it ruins everything. Kind of like when your hair is greasy you feel like wearing yoga pants and a tank top, well I feel like that everyday, lol. I need to invest in a pair of yoga pants for Monday-Sunday.
Back to Lyla. I keep getting side tracked.
Anyways, Lyla is the sweetest little thing. I really cannot believe she has been in this world for 8 weeks already. We love you sweet girl!
Last night (7.13) Lyla slept in her crib for the first time! She is a great sleeper at night, wahoo! I usually feed her around 9pm and she sleeps til 3/3:30 and up again around 6:30am. She does like to be held during the day and is a lot fussier than Gage was but I'll take a night sleeper any day!
She is iffy about a paci. She likes it when she is fussy but spits it out a lot too. She prefers the brand "mam". I did have to put up her newborn clothes about a week ago so she's growing for sure. Why is it always sad when you have to put up a certain size?! Hormones.
She has been smiling and cooing....LOVE. Gage loves her to pieces and has gotten a lot better about not being so rough. He always asks for her and wants to "pet her" or kiss her. He has given us a run for our money lately. I THOUGHT he has been in the terrible twos...oh no, they just started. He has been swatting at us when we tell him no and he bitten Mia. Lord help us. Sometimes I just don't know what to do. I called my sister one day and she said it was a stage unfortunately. Its so embarrassing in public. Especially when you know you have "raised" your child better and don't let them get away with it at home. But judgers will judge and one day they will have kids and understand :)
Back to Lyla.
OMG....her nails. I tried cutting them like 2 weeks ago and she screamed. Mom of the year cut her little fingers and they were bleeding, I felt horrible. But let's be serious, filing does NOT work. So they are really long and sharp but I'm scared to attempt to cut them again.
Lyla and I are rockin' a mullet. No....really. I would take a picture but ya'll know what a mullet looks like. Side note: my hair is growing but looks horrible. Its just at that stage where there is nothing I can do with it but put on a hat...and its gonna take a WHILE. Ugh. It's just irritating when you want to look decent...I put on make up, clothes, and then look at my hair and it ruins everything. Kind of like when your hair is greasy you feel like wearing yoga pants and a tank top, well I feel like that everyday, lol. I need to invest in a pair of yoga pants for Monday-Sunday.
Back to Lyla. I keep getting side tracked.
Anyways, Lyla is the sweetest little thing. I really cannot believe she has been in this world for 8 weeks already. We love you sweet girl!
Leslie and Ashi's Wedding
Love those big eyes.
She loves taking naps on her tummy. I'm too scared to do that at night :)
Waiting for Fireworks on July 4th with Gracie!
She had several wardrobe changes on July 4th.
"Mom....can I hold Lyla please?"
Friday, June 6, 2014
Lyla Ray is 1 month.
Our sweet girl is already an month old! She has definitely kept us busy but I wouldn't change a thing. Well I should say, she has kept ME busy. Erik has been FABULOUS keeping Gage company and playing with him. He is such a good daddy and I tell him that all the time. I am beyond grateful for him.
Since coming home from the hospital she is sleeping, eating, and pooping....what a life! The first two nights home were very tiresome. She was up about every 2 hours wanting to eat or just making noises. We thought she was SO quite in the hospital, um yea, not. She grunts a lot and not only when she is filling up her diaper. She keeps me up some at night because she makes so much noise but honestly there is some comfort in hearing noises. When they are so quite, you start to get worried!
I am breastfeeding. I did have mastitis on Memorial Day (a few weeks after she was born)...that is the WORSE feeling ever. I would much rather give birth again. I felt like I had the flu x 10 (i'm assuming because I have never really had the flu). She has had 2 bottles of formula and drank them ok but prefers my milk. During the day she eats every 2 1/2-3 1/2 hours and at night she has been great eating every 4 hours, yay!
Gage LOVES her. At first he didn't pay her much attention besides a kiss here and there. Now he pays her more attention and loves to tickle her feet and "cova her up". He can be rough but doesn't realize it. I can't wait to see them interact with one another when she starts smiling and talking! Lyla has no idea how tough she is gonna have to be to hang with Gage, ha.
Lyla is still in newborn diapers and clothes. She is tiny. We went for a check-up at 2 weeks and she was 6 lbs, 10 oz. We don't go back until 2 months but I am guessing she is over 7 lbs by now.
She gets the hiccups a lot. Sometimes gripe water works but most of the time they just go away. She loves to stay curled up when being held on your chest and likes to be held...oh lawd. She will lay in the swing for a little bit and definitely likes the bouncy seat more than Gage did when he was little. She doesn't spit up as much as Gage did but she will do it from time to time.
We love her to pieces :)
Since coming home from the hospital she is sleeping, eating, and pooping....what a life! The first two nights home were very tiresome. She was up about every 2 hours wanting to eat or just making noises. We thought she was SO quite in the hospital, um yea, not. She grunts a lot and not only when she is filling up her diaper. She keeps me up some at night because she makes so much noise but honestly there is some comfort in hearing noises. When they are so quite, you start to get worried!
I am breastfeeding. I did have mastitis on Memorial Day (a few weeks after she was born)...that is the WORSE feeling ever. I would much rather give birth again. I felt like I had the flu x 10 (i'm assuming because I have never really had the flu). She has had 2 bottles of formula and drank them ok but prefers my milk. During the day she eats every 2 1/2-3 1/2 hours and at night she has been great eating every 4 hours, yay!
Gage LOVES her. At first he didn't pay her much attention besides a kiss here and there. Now he pays her more attention and loves to tickle her feet and "cova her up". He can be rough but doesn't realize it. I can't wait to see them interact with one another when she starts smiling and talking! Lyla has no idea how tough she is gonna have to be to hang with Gage, ha.
Lyla is still in newborn diapers and clothes. She is tiny. We went for a check-up at 2 weeks and she was 6 lbs, 10 oz. We don't go back until 2 months but I am guessing she is over 7 lbs by now.
She gets the hiccups a lot. Sometimes gripe water works but most of the time they just go away. She loves to stay curled up when being held on your chest and likes to be held...oh lawd. She will lay in the swing for a little bit and definitely likes the bouncy seat more than Gage did when he was little. She doesn't spit up as much as Gage did but she will do it from time to time.
We love her to pieces :)
First Bath
Bathing Beauty
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Lyla Ray.
Ahh....she is finally here! I'm bad....I meant to update a lot earlier but ya know, we've had our hands full :) So here is how the birth all went down.
On Thursday, May 7th I was feeling like crap. I laid around ALL day and my back was killing me. I took a bath that night to see if I could relieve any pain and that didn't help either. I had a lot of trouble sleeping that night. I just kept thinking, "I think its time". I was so tired of feeling bad, having all these complications...I was just over being pregnant.
So I was supposed to have an OB appointment the next day (Friday, May 8th) @ 1:30. Well, I texted my sisters and told them about the back pain, headache, being nauseous....etc, I just didn't feel good, I felt weird. Lindsay thought I should go ahead and call to tell them how I was feeling. I also hadn't felt Lyla move all that much so that was also concerning. So the OB told me to come in right away. So I packed the car with our bags and Lyla's car seat, called Erik, and headed to the doctor. Something just told me that we would not be home again without a baby :)
I got to the OB around 11:30am. They hooked me up to check Lyla's heart rate and she did great for most of the time. At one point for about 2 minutes her heart rate did sky rocket. My blood pressure was off the charts so you know what that meant....back to the hospital. At this point I was 37 weeks, we knew Lyla weighed between 6 and 7 lbs. and she was healthy enough to be delivered, although doctors like babies to wait as close to 40 weeks as possible to ensure they are developed (especially their lungs). I saw Lindsay (one of the midwives) and she said, if I had it my way, I would deliver you BUT I am going to send you to the hospital, have them regulate your blood pressure, take some blood work and see what they say. I automatically asked, "Who is on call today?" I got the best news possible....Kathy. Kathy is AWESOME. She is another midwife I see and she also delivered Gage (and Reese and Mia). I knew when Lindsay said that Kathy was there, we would not be leaving without a baby!
So Erik and I headed to Cook Out (duh, I gotta eat bc they don't feed you at the hospital before birthing a baby) and then to the hospital. As soon as I got there, they took my BP (still high) and I signed all the paperwork, JUST incase Lyla were to arrive while we were there :) The nurse said, "what's your birth plan?" I said, "To get this baby out and give me an epidural." At 1:30pm (about 30 minutes after arriving) Kathy came into the room. She said, "You ready to have a baby?" Um yes! Kathy knew what a long road this had been and she knew miss Lyla was ready....God put Kathy on duty that day for sure. I was only 1 cm at that time. They had to do blood work to check my platelets to make sure I could get an epidural. Thankfully, my platelets were high enough and I received the epidural! They put me on pitocin (which induces labor) and broke my water, then it was a waiting game. It took a while to get to 5 cm (about 8 hours) but then I went from 5 cm to 10 cm in an hour!! Kathy came in at 10:00pm and I was 10 cm! We were shocked.
This delivery was night and day from Gage's delivery. At 10:03pm I started pushing and Lyla was born at 10:12pm :) I literally pushed 2 or 3 times. I couldn't believe how easy it was. She was as precious as we knew she would be. I did not feel a thing and we couldn't have been happier with her arrival. Of course there were still concerns as far as her heart rate issues but we knew God was taking care of her :)
Lyla Ray was born on May 8th, 2014 @ 10:12pm. Her daddy, Nanny, Aunt Lindsay, Aunt Lauren, Great-Aunt Gale, and Great-Grandmother Mimi were there to witness her birth. Her Gammy J and Aunt Alicia was also there waiting patiently for her arrival. She weighed 6 lbs, 9 oz and was 20 inches long. She had black or really dark brown hair and is said to look like her daddy :) Love at first sight.
The first night she slept REALLY well. They said she was probably exhausted from the delivery and not to worry if she didn't want to eat much. Of course she was tired but I couldn't sleep. I would be lieing if I said I wasn't concerned about her heart. I was just nervous although she had been checked out and so far, so good. We were thinking, man she is quiet and likes to sleep. Ha, we spoke WAY too soon! The next night in the hospital she didn't hardly sleep at all so I was pretty tired. Gage came to see Lyla at the hospital on Saturday. He kept calling her Emma, which is my cousins little girl. He did give her a kiss but then didn't pay her anymore attention, typical boy. We did get to go home on Saturday (the day before Mother's Day).
Gage is adjusting. He is a little rough but doesn't realize it. He has hit her in the head with a stuffed animal and yanked the paci out of her mouth.....but who's counting?! Up until yesterday, he kept calling her Emma. But we had my cousins over and Emma for dinner last night. Once he saw Emma AND Lyla in the same room, he realized who was who. So now he calls Lyla, Lyla Ray..... its so cute :) He loves to give her kisses and wants to do things for her. Like.....push her swing back and forth at 90 mph. He does ask where she is if he doesn't see her and will say "that's my sister" but he doesn't pay her too much attention, which is a good thing for now. She is so tiny, I even feel like I am going to hurt her!
Life is good as a family of 4. It has definitely taken some adjustments but we are over the moon in love with our new family. Erik has been amazing with Gage in making sure he doesn't feel left out. I am playing with him as much as I can too. We can't wait to see Gage and Lyla grow up together.
Thank you all for your prayers, concerns, meals, texts, calls, and emails. We are happy to report that Lyla's heart is strong and healthy. We will go back to the cardiologist in 3 months to check the membrane in her left atrium to make sure the blood is still pumping through it. She will be checked periodically from then on out. Continue to pray that Lyla will never have to have open heart surgery- I couldn't imagine having her go through that. As always, God is good....ALL the time.
Love you all!
On Thursday, May 7th I was feeling like crap. I laid around ALL day and my back was killing me. I took a bath that night to see if I could relieve any pain and that didn't help either. I had a lot of trouble sleeping that night. I just kept thinking, "I think its time". I was so tired of feeling bad, having all these complications...I was just over being pregnant.
So I was supposed to have an OB appointment the next day (Friday, May 8th) @ 1:30. Well, I texted my sisters and told them about the back pain, headache, being nauseous....etc, I just didn't feel good, I felt weird. Lindsay thought I should go ahead and call to tell them how I was feeling. I also hadn't felt Lyla move all that much so that was also concerning. So the OB told me to come in right away. So I packed the car with our bags and Lyla's car seat, called Erik, and headed to the doctor. Something just told me that we would not be home again without a baby :)
I got to the OB around 11:30am. They hooked me up to check Lyla's heart rate and she did great for most of the time. At one point for about 2 minutes her heart rate did sky rocket. My blood pressure was off the charts so you know what that meant....back to the hospital. At this point I was 37 weeks, we knew Lyla weighed between 6 and 7 lbs. and she was healthy enough to be delivered, although doctors like babies to wait as close to 40 weeks as possible to ensure they are developed (especially their lungs). I saw Lindsay (one of the midwives) and she said, if I had it my way, I would deliver you BUT I am going to send you to the hospital, have them regulate your blood pressure, take some blood work and see what they say. I automatically asked, "Who is on call today?" I got the best news possible....Kathy. Kathy is AWESOME. She is another midwife I see and she also delivered Gage (and Reese and Mia). I knew when Lindsay said that Kathy was there, we would not be leaving without a baby!
So Erik and I headed to Cook Out (duh, I gotta eat bc they don't feed you at the hospital before birthing a baby) and then to the hospital. As soon as I got there, they took my BP (still high) and I signed all the paperwork, JUST incase Lyla were to arrive while we were there :) The nurse said, "what's your birth plan?" I said, "To get this baby out and give me an epidural." At 1:30pm (about 30 minutes after arriving) Kathy came into the room. She said, "You ready to have a baby?" Um yes! Kathy knew what a long road this had been and she knew miss Lyla was ready....God put Kathy on duty that day for sure. I was only 1 cm at that time. They had to do blood work to check my platelets to make sure I could get an epidural. Thankfully, my platelets were high enough and I received the epidural! They put me on pitocin (which induces labor) and broke my water, then it was a waiting game. It took a while to get to 5 cm (about 8 hours) but then I went from 5 cm to 10 cm in an hour!! Kathy came in at 10:00pm and I was 10 cm! We were shocked.
This delivery was night and day from Gage's delivery. At 10:03pm I started pushing and Lyla was born at 10:12pm :) I literally pushed 2 or 3 times. I couldn't believe how easy it was. She was as precious as we knew she would be. I did not feel a thing and we couldn't have been happier with her arrival. Of course there were still concerns as far as her heart rate issues but we knew God was taking care of her :)
Lyla Ray was born on May 8th, 2014 @ 10:12pm. Her daddy, Nanny, Aunt Lindsay, Aunt Lauren, Great-Aunt Gale, and Great-Grandmother Mimi were there to witness her birth. Her Gammy J and Aunt Alicia was also there waiting patiently for her arrival. She weighed 6 lbs, 9 oz and was 20 inches long. She had black or really dark brown hair and is said to look like her daddy :) Love at first sight.
The first night she slept REALLY well. They said she was probably exhausted from the delivery and not to worry if she didn't want to eat much. Of course she was tired but I couldn't sleep. I would be lieing if I said I wasn't concerned about her heart. I was just nervous although she had been checked out and so far, so good. We were thinking, man she is quiet and likes to sleep. Ha, we spoke WAY too soon! The next night in the hospital she didn't hardly sleep at all so I was pretty tired. Gage came to see Lyla at the hospital on Saturday. He kept calling her Emma, which is my cousins little girl. He did give her a kiss but then didn't pay her anymore attention, typical boy. We did get to go home on Saturday (the day before Mother's Day).
Gage is adjusting. He is a little rough but doesn't realize it. He has hit her in the head with a stuffed animal and yanked the paci out of her mouth.....but who's counting?! Up until yesterday, he kept calling her Emma. But we had my cousins over and Emma for dinner last night. Once he saw Emma AND Lyla in the same room, he realized who was who. So now he calls Lyla, Lyla Ray..... its so cute :) He loves to give her kisses and wants to do things for her. Like.....push her swing back and forth at 90 mph. He does ask where she is if he doesn't see her and will say "that's my sister" but he doesn't pay her too much attention, which is a good thing for now. She is so tiny, I even feel like I am going to hurt her!
Life is good as a family of 4. It has definitely taken some adjustments but we are over the moon in love with our new family. Erik has been amazing with Gage in making sure he doesn't feel left out. I am playing with him as much as I can too. We can't wait to see Gage and Lyla grow up together.
Thank you all for your prayers, concerns, meals, texts, calls, and emails. We are happy to report that Lyla's heart is strong and healthy. We will go back to the cardiologist in 3 months to check the membrane in her left atrium to make sure the blood is still pumping through it. She will be checked periodically from then on out. Continue to pray that Lyla will never have to have open heart surgery- I couldn't imagine having her go through that. As always, God is good....ALL the time.
Love you all!
Lyla Ray Nordmark
May 8, 2014 @ 10:12pm
6 lbs 9 oz, 20 inches long
We've been waiting for this sweet sound.
Daddy's Girl...a look was all it took.
Mimi (Great-Grandmother)
Nanny (Grandmother)
Gammy J (Grandmother)
Aunt Alicia, Gammy J, Lyla, and Daddy
Gale (Great Aunt)
LaLa (Aunt)
Lindsay (Aunt)
6 lbs, 9 0z
Lyla had her first bath by her Aunt Lauren :) Don't know what I'd do without my sisters to be there for me. I probably called and texted them 5 times a day during this pregnancy. I'm lucky to have sisters like them for sure!
Here comes the Big Brother......
Nanny took him to the gift shop to buy Lyla a balloon and pink pony :)
Gage's first look....melts my heart.
"What's dat Mommy?"
Our precious babies.
I love it in Black and White too :)
LaLa and Gage playing with the stethoscope
The Family of 4 :)
We've been waiting for this sweet sound.
Daddy's Girl...a look was all it took.
Mimi (Great-Grandmother)
Nanny (Grandmother)
Gammy J (Grandmother)
Aunt Alicia, Gammy J, Lyla, and Daddy
Gale (Great Aunt)
LaLa (Aunt)
Lindsay (Aunt)
6 lbs, 9 0z
Lyla had her first bath by her Aunt Lauren :) Don't know what I'd do without my sisters to be there for me. I probably called and texted them 5 times a day during this pregnancy. I'm lucky to have sisters like them for sure!
Here comes the Big Brother......
Nanny took him to the gift shop to buy Lyla a balloon and pink pony :)
Gage's first look....melts my heart.
"What's dat Mommy?"
Our precious babies.
I love it in Black and White too :)
LaLa and Gage playing with the stethoscope
The Family of 4 :)
Ok....so this is Lyla's newborn session and I could not be happier! These pictures are all taken by my sweet sister, Lindsay. Megan came to help Lindsay too. I love them both dearly and am so fortunate that they took time out of their day to photograph out sweet girl. Thank you ladies, I seriously love them and you did a FABULOUS job!
More from the hospital.......
Minutes old :)
Big Brother Gage
Daddy and Lyla
Our itty bitty babies :)
Lyla and Cousin Emma
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