pier turns one

We had the sweetest birthday party for our Pier Francis yesterday.  Is it just me, or was that the fastest year ever?  It's like the entire year flashes before your eyes and you are flooded with memories of how the months passed by. The night before his birthday, I found myself looking at Pier videos from that sacred time in the hospital as a newly minted family of three and couldn't stop tearing up. It's hard to imagine that the little boy who loves to chase our cat around the house, "read" books to himself, and eat raspberries by the handful is the same baby who was engulfed by his car seat when we took him home from the hospital just a few months back. 

I have a 12 month update in the works, but for now, I wanted to share photos of Pier's birthday party.  I know Pier will have ZERO memory of this day, but I felt it was a day worthy of recognition.  We celebrate not only this life who has changed so many lives, but also the milestone that is becoming parents for the first time.  We celebrate the friends and family who have prayed for us, offered us advice, and helped regain our sanity when we really needed it. We couldn't have made it through without your prayers and support.  We celebrate the joys, tears, and growth that needed to happen in order to get to this moment.  You bet it deserves to be celebrated! 

Our Indianapolis friends came over for an afternoon full of birthday fun!  I made tacos and we ate lots of birthday cake as all the kids ran around in the backyard.  It really was the perfect day, and I'm grateful we have made so many valuable friendships in our new city. 

So...Pier is not only teething (currently 4 teeth coming in...) but also has an ear infection. My expectations were pretty low on how he was gonna behave yesterday. The birthday boy was indifferent to everything (even his delicious birthday cake? I mean is he even my child?) but he ended up being a total champ dealing with the party excitement.

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On this day, we celebrate you Pier Francis.  We celebrate the boy who makes my heart melt every single day. We give thanks to Our Creator that you are happy, and healthy, and playful.   You have a boyish charm that is irresistible to all who know you. You are the non-stop active kind of baby, but every few minutes you stop playing with your toys and crawl over to me for some snuggles just to let me know that you're thinking of me.  You are a reminder to me that I can do the impossible. You, my sweet baby Pier, will always be my baby and I thank you for giving me the best year of my life.  Happy, happy first birthday!

 

*thanks for the photos valerie keinsley!

my first year of motherhood

In ten days time, I will have a one year old.  I am in awe of that.  For one year, it has been my responsibility to feed, nurture, protect, and pray over a little boy who is just now discovering a big world.  I'm pretty proud of myself for making it this far! And you bet I will be having celebratory margaritas (plural) to commemorate this momentous year.

I could talk for days about motherhood.  I could talk about how much it has challenged me, humbled me, and pushed me to my limits.  I could talk about how my heart jumped when I saw my son smile at me for the first time.  Or how I felt when I witnessed my husband become a father, and then fell in love with him all over again.  I could talk about my postpartum depression. I could talk about the moments where I have cried out to the sky telling God that I just couldn't do this and he made a mistake making me a mom.  I could talk about the blessings and pitfalls that each day brings now that I'm living a life that isn't meant for just me anymore. 

I will talk about motherhood, but the truth is, there are no words to describe it.  I would do my calling a great disservice if I tried to articulate the complexities of this vocation.  It is simply a mystery.  It is something that changes you so completely that it becomes your identity -- so much so, that you even get a new name: mom.

But you know what? This new aspect of my identity? My new name? It is beautiful.  It is affirming. It is empowering.  It is also really hard.  And I can tell you one thing, motherhood is not for wimps.  It takes some abnormal strength to grow a human for 9 months, birth that child into the world, then tackle the emotional roller coaster of feedings, nap schedules, and diaper changes. 

Before children, whether you realize it or not, you are the center of the universe.  The world is your oyster as they say! You are free to do what you want, when you want.  Then here comes a baby and you are forced to put anothers needs over your own.  The shift literally happens overnight.  I experienced this so acutely during my first week of parenthood (ahem, mommy boot-camp) when my first priority was no longer making myself a nice cup of coffee in the morning, but tending to a crying baby who needed me.  And that's a big wake up call for someone like me who desperately clings to the comforts of this world.

Let me paint you a picture of what those first few months look like:  Remember the daily spa-like showers you used to take?  Those are a distant memory.  You'll most likely be found covered in spit up (even though you've changed clothes for the 5th time that day).  Or you may be crying for no reason, because hormones are very, very real and that scares you.  You second guess the tiniest decision because you decided to Google something and then you conclude that that is pretty much always a bad idea.  Breastfeeding is a lot harder than you thought it was going to be.  It's also the most painful thing ever and your eyes fill up in tears each time your baby latches.  You've never been so tired in your life nor have you felt more alone. To top it all off, you have this unbearable weight on your chest that won't go away and you don't know why. You're in survival mode now. 

That is the reality of it.  It is not glamorous.  You do not receive any thanks or recognition for your hard work.  It is not full of flawless picture-worthy moments, despite what you see on social media.  It is raw.  It is tumultuous.  But it is so, so good. 

In my short year stint as a mother I've learned something: motherhood is the cross and the gospel. You die to yourself every. single. day.  Being a mother rids every ounce of self-love and replaces it with a Divine Love that stretches you so completely that you turn into a new person -- a better person -- if you let it.

It will sanctify you.  Your child will become the most tangible evidence of God's grace in your life.  You will encounter Christ's boundless love and mercy in the eyes of your babies and it will bring you to your knees every night.

I don't think I truly understood what sacrificial love is until I had a child, but I know that this is only the beginning.  From the depths of my soul, I thank God for the gift of this past year.  This tiny person points me to heaven and teaches me how to live for something greater than myself.  We love you Pier Francis, and we can't imagine a world without you in it.

 

 

*photos courtesy of Sierra Bunch Photography

nursing friendly dresses for summer

Cue the celebration emoji's because I've found some stinkin cute nursing friendly dresses for summer!  I personally wouldn't label myself as a fashionista, but I do love pretty clothes (especially dresses) and clothes is a favorite topic among me and my friends (and we're all friends here right).

I love the femininity and functionality of dresses, but since having Pier, I've had the hardest time trying to find dresses that I can nurse in. And yes, I'm still nursing my almost one year old and have no intention of stopping any time soon! 

I'm constantly on the lookout for dresses that fit my criteria and my style so I thought I'd share a few that have been catching my eye.

Vintage | Etsy | $108 | This is probably my favorite on my list.  Vintage dresses are a big win in my book if you're looking for classic and unique nursing friendly pieces. 

Old Navy | $25 | Cute print, effortless style, and perfect price point?  I'm going to need one of these in every color!

Ann Taylor Loft | $59 | I love a good black and white print, add a summer palm motif and I'm sold. 

ASOS | $50 | Don't be shy wearing black even in the summer...I own this one! But southern friends, this might be a bit too warm to wear on a summer day.  I love maxis, but I thought the fabric on this dress tended to be a little too hot for me during the warmer months.  Still love it though. 

ROOLEE | $64 | Doesn't this look effortless? It looks like the perfect summer dress.

ARROWROOT | $89 | This brand makes fun, casual dresses for your everyday. They are an ethical company that I adore, and just launched a nursing-friendly line of dresses.  Not only are the dresses functional, they're made from organic cotton which makes them super soft.  And we all know that comfort is key when you're chasing little ones around all day!

Anthropologie | $132 | Want to rock the high neckline trend but still need to nurse your baby...What's a nursing mama to do?! This dress is your solution! Plus, the classic stripes scream summer and the tied waist is a nice unexpected touch.

Au Lait | $188 | Ok I have been drooling over these dresses for over a year now and just love this company.  Her dresses are handmade and offer so many beautiful nursing friendly items to chose from!  It's hard to pick a favorite, but I thought this blush option look mighty pretty for the warmer months.

 

Three cheers for nursing friendly dresses!  I vote we celebrate the first day of summer by grabbing an iced latte and wearing our favorite (baby friendly) frocks. Do you have a favorite?

a father's day gift guide

I love gift guides.  And I also love shopping for other people! I think gift giving is my love language?  Can you be a combination of all of them? Because I think I'm that. I can't figure it out.  Anyway...here's what I rounded up for Brad for Father's Day! 

something practical, but I know that he will appreciate.  We want to keep those nice work shoes nice.

because he for sure could use one of these.  I think luggage is one of the most forgotten gifts but it is something that a.) lasts forever and b.) will always always always get used. 

a good book to remind him about what being a Father is all about (and another to read just for fun!)

I asked Brad one day what is one fail proof gift for guys and he said SOCKS.  Seriously?! But I guess it's one of those things that you never think to get yourself, but always nice to have.  A few fun sock options here, here, and here.

a stack of photos of him & his favorite buddy from my favorite company, Artifact Uprising

a fun game for his desk at work

a hammock! it's the perfect spot to be tackled by kids and/or to be snuggled by babies and/or to take a much needed summertime nap

to keep his favorite drink cold & NOT watered down (because that is very important)

of course, you can't go wrong with a classic tie

He is the best daddy ever and deserves to be recognized for all the hard work and self-sacrificing he does for our family.   Hope this gives you some inspiration for your guy in honor of the upcoming holiday!

whole 30 must haves (and where to find them!)

Now that I've finished my first Whole 30, I wanted to write one last post that details specifics on where I found my favorite compliant foods.  I also just wanted to have some type of list on hand for personal use//to be used for future challenges. 

I'm a visual person, so I tried to pair links with unfamiliar brands so that you could have a photo of what each item looks like.  Here's it goes!

A quick list of a few things I purchased
(or wished to purchase but didn't for some reason or other):

whole foods

  • Paleo bacon, Wellshire Farms brand
  • Califia Farms Unsweetened Almond Milk
  • Organic coconut milk (this is just a preference, but I like the taste of the whole foods brand the best)
  • Coffee (I think it's fair to say you need fancy coffee if you're going without cream and sugar. And Whole Foods is the best place to meet your fancy coffee needs)
  • Tesemae’s dressings//sauces
  • Tea - I found that drinking tea after dinner is a good way to curb the sweet tooth
  • Organic bone broth
  • Housemade Pico de Gallo
  • Oh Baby baby food pouches
  • Sauerkraut

target

Trader Joes:

Thrive market
 

First off, if you haven't heard of Thrive Market you are missing out.  I'm addicted!  You can find all sorts of healthy, fair trade, certified organic products for great prices (plus free shipping over $50!). Visit here to learn more.

amazon//online

Quick note: these bars are on the expensive side, so only buy if your budget allows.  I just wanted to let you know that these options existed, because I know I’m always on the look out for something new to snack on!

** Rx Bars were a big hit on my whole 30, but they are more expensive on amazon for some reason.  You can buy them through their website and use the code WHOLE30 for 10% off

If you have any questions or specifics for me, feel free to leave a comment or message me via social media and I'll do my best to answer you.  Good luck! You can do it!