Mommyworld: Role of a Lifetime

I have a funny feeling there will be a lot of Mommyworld posts over time. It's such a huge element of life and heart and soul once the journey starts. From the second you know that little person exists so small he's barely detectible - your heart is never the same. I remember the morning I took the pregnancy test around 5:45am in the morning. The second I saw those two bright pink lines I started doing a silent squealing dance all around the dark house. Your life changes in a split second in the most glorious/staggering way.

I have wanted to be a mom since - well since I was little little little. When I went to the grocery store with my mom I would bring my baby doll and grab a hand basket at the store and treat it like my baby carrier. But - may I say - there are these moments in mommyworld that take your breath away by the overwhelming responsibility of being a first time mom. These moments when you truly have no idea what to do or how to help. Moments that have you really really really praying for grace and wisdom and maybe a teeny tiny break from the relentless routine.

A mom who's blog I follow recently shared some thoughts on this role of being mommy. Her statement spoke to me so much that I printed it off and taped it to my refrigerator! It brings my thoughts back into perspective.

Here's what Megan said:

"We've chosen this life of changing diapers, watching your waistline expand to accommodate a growing nugget, and being on the never ending rotation of meals and baths. Because the truth is we've been entrusted with royalty, every parent has been. We've got babies to raise up so that when their little feet hit the ground, the enemy's heart trembles with fear."

YES! This makes every effort, every overwhelming and exhausted moment so very worth it. I love the thought of the enemy trembling in fear over Mr. Liam Spencer's feet on the ground. What an honor.

This role of a lifetime is better than I could have ever imagined - including the tough moments. Can't believe he's our's to love till we feel like we're going to explode. Thankful for reminder that this job is more important than just about anything I will ever do.

Movie Reviews: I Don't Know How She Does It and Good Deeds

Hola! Thursday night blogging instead of sleeping = lovely. So I have always enjoyed watching a movie at home or going to see a movie at the theater. Buuuuut since becoming parents - watching a movie feels more decadent. Kinda wild even. LOL!

So - a few weekends ago we were over the top crazy wild parents and saw TWO MOVIES. Shocker. On Friday night I we rented 'I Don't Know How She Does It.'

I didn't know what to expect and in fact, my expectations were low going into it. But I was so pleasantly surprised! It was fun, honest, cute, and relatable for any workin' mama. Now, keep in mind, I don't consider myself a critic of movies. I can thoroughly enjoy an absolutely predictable story with the best of them! So perhaps it would be considered predictable. But, the story took a little different turn than I anticipated and Sarah Jessica Parker was really fun. And - as a workin mama - I found myself saying "YES! That IS how it is!!!!" It was hopeful and I just liked it. Redbox it!

The next night we upped the ante to a whole nutha level sista. We went out to see a movie. Oh yeah. We ate popcorn and I snuck in my big coke in my big purse like the days before Mr. Liam :). We saw Good Deeds.

I also recommend this one! Honest admission: this was my first Tyler Perry movie to see. Sad! I have always heard good things about his work but just haven't seen his movies. I'd definitely say I am a fan after this. There's just something different about the story he tells and it's refreshing. Thandie Netwon played the lead opposite Tyler and she was on the verge of over-dramatized in most scenes....but I still enjoyed it and her. The story broke your heart in some ways, made you laugh, and connected me to the characters. I think it's out of the theaters now...so make it a RedBox yes when you need a little wildness in your life. :)

I can't imagine that your life could possibly be wilder than mine lol. In fact, maybe this post will inspire you to get a little more wild. You're welcome. Hmmmmm maybe I need to start planning my movie plans for this weekend!

Are you going to see Hunger Games? I think I need to read the first book - and then I'll go....which means I will likely be RedBoxing the first movie!!!!

Love y'all,
Abi

Seven Month Salutations!

Seven month pictures....this was the sole shot that gave me a sweet smile:

The rest of them looked like this:

All of the sudden - no more baby boy. Or maybe it's just no more little baby boy. Now William Justice is a big boy baby! Seeing that precious face every day sometimes you don't see the maturing until you take a picture and say - 'Wait! Is that what you look like now??' That face is so sweet.

I must say - so far it looks like he may have gotten my hair. Or at least maybe. LOL! Let's just say - it has body. And it continues to grow from the middle top of his head so little man rocks a mohawk fairly often.


Categorical update:

Sleep: Well! I would say we are still in that transition phase but there has been a few great steps he's tried out. We have now done a few four hour cycles between feedings during the day. Great! I am not really pushing it - still believing that he'll get there when he gets there. So - mostly Liam is awake an hour and a half and then naps an hour and a half. Two - three naps a day. He goes to sleep around 7:30pm and wakes up around 6:15am. Ahem. This mama continues to pray and problem-solve on that wake time. It's hard to get yourself going personally before you get baby up if that get up time is 6:15 in the morning. Merciful! But I continue to be thankful that he's sleeping through the night. He wakes up occasionally and is hungry but not very often.

(Mr. Spencer and his cousin Mr. Huntsinger. Ohhhhh the noise they will make and the fun they will have!)

Eating: Well! This mama has also been a tad slow on introducing solids beyond his oatmeal cereal. I tell you what - working part time and working some hours from home makes me feel like I am running in a million directions most of the time. So - making my own baby food - which I prefer over jarred for the most part - hasn't made it to the top of the to-do list. Until recently! Butternut squash was steamed and that Baby Bullet was put to good use for the first time. I am a fan of the Baby Bullet! And Mr. Spencer was a pretty big fan of butternut squash. :)

(Who doesn't wear their bib backward and take frequent breaks to look at the fan?!)


Activities: He's active alright! Liam embraces physical determination like his life depends on it. These days, it's even a challenge to hold him on my hip because he likes to lean forward like he's leading us. Or twist his whole body to see things from a different angle. Little man is just strong - no doubt about it. Which leads us to sitting and crawling. He's got sitting down pat and the crawling has been a goal of his for the past month and a half - no joke. He started a few crawling steps but most consistently he lunges/scoots himself wherever he wants to be. Including hanging off of the edge of the couch or bed while a parent holds his legs. I think we're going to have a climber on our hands.

(This is his now common position after he crawls for a bit. Just taking a little break before getting back to it.)

Personality: This boy is so fun. SO FUN! He loves to squeal, giggle, babble, growl, and cough (yes). It's nothing for him to stare someone down and then start coughing or laughing until that person looks at him. :) He's loving rough housing with Daddy more and more. Zion burries his face in Liam's tummy and the belly laugh that comes out of that boy makes me laugh and smile and burst.

Fun development: He's started crawling/scooting himself to people he wants to see. But, there's more and more coordinated crawling and less scooting each day. When I come in from work and he's playing, he sees me and starts getting that little body in my direction immediately. Oh be still this mama's heart.

Also random - after he sneezes he laughs. Seriously!

I am loving watching this person unfold. He hasn't met an electronic device that doesn't get him to breathing heavy. He loves the thermostat in the hallway as if it's Mickey Mouse at Disney World.

He's starting to climb us like we are great obstacle courses. We are having more and more fun adventuring out together and life gets sweeter the more I get to know this boy.

Life sure is fun with you Liam Spencer and I am starting to plot that first birthday party in my head already!!

P.S. I think I may start calling him chomper. Today I found his FIFTH tooth.