Last Sunday Jack drank his last bottle. The weeks leading up to this day were filled with John and I discussing how great it was going to be to not have to wash the ten billion parts to the Dr. Browns bottles anymore. But then the night came where it was really the last bottle and in that quiet moment sitting in his room, with his warm little body cuddled in my arms, slurping away in the darkness it hit me that I would prefer to feed him bottles for the rest of his life. Well not really, but it made me again have the feeling that he is growing up faster then I want! Everyone warned me when I was pregnant that time would fly by, and I barely listened. But now I really believe it. I feel like Jacks eating habits from when he was born was one of my bigget stressors as a first time mom. I was nervous he was never getting enough, that he was going to have nipple confusion, that he was going to choke when he started eating solids, the list goes on. Those are things you learn and I know I will handle differently next time. It is funny because one of my favorite funny memories of his first year was the first time he ever drank out of a bottle. We started supplementing with a bottle the first few days he was home to ensure he was getting enough. John fed Jack his first bottle and I have to share this story. John was involved from the start and totally on board with breastfeeding. As many moms out there know the key to a successful feeding relationship is the "latch". Well the pictures below were taken right after John looked up at my mom and I after getting the bottle in Jack's mouth for the first time and with all seriousness said "Do you think this is a good latch?" I was literally in tears laughing as I said "Honey a bottle doesn't need to have a good latch".
Anyways I wish I had videotaped it, it is a moment I will never forget. One of the many first time parent moments that John and I have laughed about since Jack was born. Many of my friends have just become first time moms and are expecting their first baby. My advice to you is to savor every feed you have because I now know from experience it goes by way too fast!
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Goal: Not Going To Gain Weight This Holiday Season
My goal this year is to not gain back all the weight I lost in September. I am holding strong maintaining my goal weight, but the Holiday season is already heckling me! Cabernet, great cheeses, cookies, oh my! I am off to a horrible start considering I made the most delicious batch of peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies on Sunday and have had about a dozen. So with that said I decided I need to get my work out and eating goals in check to allow me to indulge without the gain.
This is my workout challenge to myself for the next 45 days. I am going to log in my calendar and hold myself accountable. The Holidays are so busy that it is easy to let the work outs slide, and I know that will be the kicker in whether or not I reach my no weight gain goal.
4-3-2-1-
4 days of 30 minute cardio intervals- Stairmaster, Elliptical, Run
3 HITT Workouts/3 Abs
2 Total Body Weight Circuits
1 Long Run (4 miles is considered long)
Are you in too? Average of 45 minutes per day. Typically I will combine HITT workout/ABs/Weights into one day.
These are some of the work outs I do for weights from Fitness Blender and another HITT work out to try.
20 Minute Home Upper Body Work Out
HITT Workout
This is my workout challenge to myself for the next 45 days. I am going to log in my calendar and hold myself accountable. The Holidays are so busy that it is easy to let the work outs slide, and I know that will be the kicker in whether or not I reach my no weight gain goal.
4-3-2-1-
4 days of 30 minute cardio intervals- Stairmaster, Elliptical, Run
3 HITT Workouts/3 Abs
2 Total Body Weight Circuits
1 Long Run (4 miles is considered long)
Are you in too? Average of 45 minutes per day. Typically I will combine HITT workout/ABs/Weights into one day.
These are some of the work outs I do for weights from Fitness Blender and another HITT work out to try.
20 Minute Home Upper Body Work Out
HITT Workout
Monday, November 19, 2012
Letters To Jack 13 (1/2) Months
Baby Boy,
You are 13 months old, you are no longer a baby you have blossomed into a full blown toddler. I feel like your changes over the past month have been even more remarkable then your first 12 months on this earth. You walk, you climb, you throw, you semi run, you reach, you open things, you close things, you talk, you say ball, you kiss and hug, and laugh........and whine (we won't get into that too much). You are truly remarkable. You keep me in awe every single day with your own self discovery. Your personality is insanely awesome, and happy, and fun. Your dance moves are off the chain...like I could watch you all day long. You love music, and rythm, and playing instruments. Oh and by the way you have like 5 teeth that sprouted through in a month. I love our family picture because they show them off beautifully. My fear of you having no teeth has finally went away.
Jack you are such an incredibly sweet little boy, it brings tears of happiness, and fills my heart with overwhelming joy to write these words about you. You are the epitome of how all should view life....simple, joyful, sweet. Your excitment over a ball or a book, the simple things in life. For Halloween you were a golfer, and Palin was your caddy.
You are a little peanut, 18% for weight and 50% percentile for height right now. You are kicking butt at swim lessons, and have been kicking away.
You love the water! Your current obsession is going to dad's bucket of golf balls in the garage every time we pull in. Literally you have a breakdown if we don't let you go get a golf ball. It is somewhat annoying when we are in a rush, but so incredibly cute to go and watch you reach out to grab a ball. It turns that rushing, fleeting moment into a sweet memory.
You are such a little boy, I already knew this but realized it the other day when you were out playing and you came in and smelled like a sweaty, dirty little boy. It was incredibly cute, and stinky at the same time. You love to play and play and play. Outside is preferred with your cozy coupe, balls, and doggie. You and Miss. P are BFF's, and your bond gets closer everyday. You have a great time together just hanging out as you can see below.
We are gearing up for the Holidays and I am so excited about the next few months and the fun we will have. We started this weekend, and you did just as I had hoped. Hammed it up!
I love you so much little man.
Your Momma
You are 13 months old, you are no longer a baby you have blossomed into a full blown toddler. I feel like your changes over the past month have been even more remarkable then your first 12 months on this earth. You walk, you climb, you throw, you semi run, you reach, you open things, you close things, you talk, you say ball, you kiss and hug, and laugh........and whine (we won't get into that too much). You are truly remarkable. You keep me in awe every single day with your own self discovery. Your personality is insanely awesome, and happy, and fun. Your dance moves are off the chain...like I could watch you all day long. You love music, and rythm, and playing instruments. Oh and by the way you have like 5 teeth that sprouted through in a month. I love our family picture because they show them off beautifully. My fear of you having no teeth has finally went away.
Jack you are such an incredibly sweet little boy, it brings tears of happiness, and fills my heart with overwhelming joy to write these words about you. You are the epitome of how all should view life....simple, joyful, sweet. Your excitment over a ball or a book, the simple things in life. For Halloween you were a golfer, and Palin was your caddy.
You are a little peanut, 18% for weight and 50% percentile for height right now. You are kicking butt at swim lessons, and have been kicking away.
You love the water! Your current obsession is going to dad's bucket of golf balls in the garage every time we pull in. Literally you have a breakdown if we don't let you go get a golf ball. It is somewhat annoying when we are in a rush, but so incredibly cute to go and watch you reach out to grab a ball. It turns that rushing, fleeting moment into a sweet memory.
You are such a little boy, I already knew this but realized it the other day when you were out playing and you came in and smelled like a sweaty, dirty little boy. It was incredibly cute, and stinky at the same time. You love to play and play and play. Outside is preferred with your cozy coupe, balls, and doggie. You and Miss. P are BFF's, and your bond gets closer everyday. You have a great time together just hanging out as you can see below.
We are gearing up for the Holidays and I am so excited about the next few months and the fun we will have. We started this weekend, and you did just as I had hoped. Hammed it up!
I love you so much little man.
Your Momma
Thankful For My Team....Team Semmy
Last week was one of those weeks where I felt like I was swimming. It was crazy, 6 states three days...oh and that was just my schedule. John's was quite similar. It was one of those weeks where as I was treading I was appreciating the communication and team work JMS and I have in our relationship. In May we will have been married for three years, and the biggest things I have learned in that almost three years is that communication and team work are so critically important. Over the past year I have been even more thankful for our approach. We are a team with everything when it comes to Jack and life and I believe that is how it should be.
I was recently having a conversation with a family member about life. Life is not easy, there is no such thing as a perfect life. Everybody at any given time has something going on in their life that they need to overcome. Whether it is emotional, financial, physical. We all make sacrifices for our families, our friends, ourselves to be able to live the life we have imagined. But getting through those times are about your attitude and what you percieve the outcome of that particular life challenge should be. Unfortunately predicting the outcomes can sometimes be out of our control, that is life. Yet, the attitude is the key piece to help get closer to the outcome you may at least want. Last week was an example of sacrifice, stress, and craziness. There are many weeks like this in our house. It was about having a positive attitude to power through, to support one another, make the most of the situation, not dwell, and get to Friday so we could be together. It was about teamwork for us. For others I know you may not have that perfect team member right now in the form of a spouse., but that is where you need to have the attitude to be the captain of your individual team and go after what you want with a positive attitude. If you do good things, make a difference, and have a positive attitude good things will come I promise, but if you dwell you will not move ahead.
Bottom line I am so happy this week is upon us. It gives time for all of us to reflect on the things we have in our life, and to pause and appreciate. I am thankful for our team, Team Semmy. Our life is crazy, but fun and filled with positive attitudes, love, laughter....and awesome dance moves.
Bottom line I am so happy this week is upon us. It gives time for all of us to reflect on the things we have in our life, and to pause and appreciate. I am thankful for our team, Team Semmy. Our life is crazy, but fun and filled with positive attitudes, love, laughter....and awesome dance moves.
Monday Inspiration
I had to share this blog post from one of my friends from college Kyle York. It is fantastic, and has some great points that don't only relate to business but to life.
Have a great day!
Loyalty
Have a great day!
Loyalty
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
What A Week & Birch Box
Holy crazy week it has been! Super busy with work travel has gotten me a bit behind but expect some good posts over the next few days.
Today was a whirlwind I left my house at 4:30 AM to catch a flight to Charlotte, drove to Greenville for my meeting, back to Charlotte, and then flew back to Tampa. But my baby and my monthly surprise was waiting for me when I get home. If you do not have a Birch Box subscription you do not know what you are missing out on. You need to go sign up right now, don't even read anymore!
I signed up to be on the waiting list about four months ago and have since gotten two boxes with some fabulous finds. I love getting mail and it so exciting each month to see what is in my box.
This month I had nail polish, full size mascara, perfume, soy bar, and a $15 shoe coupon..........and ladies you get this all for $10
The other great thing I just signed up for is Citrus Lane. It is a surprise box for babies! I have not yet gotten my box but surely can not wait!
Today was a whirlwind I left my house at 4:30 AM to catch a flight to Charlotte, drove to Greenville for my meeting, back to Charlotte, and then flew back to Tampa. But my baby and my monthly surprise was waiting for me when I get home. If you do not have a Birch Box subscription you do not know what you are missing out on. You need to go sign up right now, don't even read anymore!
I signed up to be on the waiting list about four months ago and have since gotten two boxes with some fabulous finds. I love getting mail and it so exciting each month to see what is in my box.
This month I had nail polish, full size mascara, perfume, soy bar, and a $15 shoe coupon..........and ladies you get this all for $10
The other great thing I just signed up for is Citrus Lane. It is a surprise box for babies! I have not yet gotten my box but surely can not wait!
Friday, November 9, 2012
Creative Holiday Gift Series: Part 1
I am so excited about the Holidays. I love them and can not wait to decorate next weekend. This year unlike most I am trying to be more pro-active and thoughtful with my gifts. I feel like in past years I have gotten frustrated at the last minute with the process of gift-giving. I find myself getting annoyed with people that say they don't want anything, or don't care what they get (especially when they are difficult to buy for!). I love giving gifts, especially thoughtful gifts and time has not allowed me over the past year to really focus on that. Not this year though! I am on the hunt to find creative, thoughtful, and unique gifts for friends and family. I think this desire stems from last Christmas shopping for Jack. John and I decided each year for Christmas we would individually buy Jack special gifts that neither of us knew about. It was so fun opening them and see the thoughtfullness that went into them. Each week from now until the end of November I am going to search and find some that I love. Here are this weeks:
Two Dog Originals: Personalized growth charts and foot stools. Jency is my neighbor, but also the owner of this shop. She does great work! The special gift I had made for Jack last year was this growth chart. Right now John and I get excited about marking his chart every few months, but hopefully as Jack gets the concept he will too! I love this gorgeous little girls stool as well!
My Custom Case: Just got my new I - Phone case in yesterday and I love it! What I love about my custom case is that you can choose the various shades of colors for your designs so it really is custom made! They also have the optoins to make an I-Phone case with a picture on it, I am definitely ordering that one next! Keep an eye out on groupon as often times they have a deal on them.
Burlap Clutch: During a random ETSY search the other night I came across these beauties. If you do a search for Burlap clutches a ton of cute options pop up. I have a semi obsession with burlap, although I don't actually own anything with burlap. I am getting burlap ribbon to drap around the Christmas tree this year. Someone I know will be getting this gift this year!
TOM's: I know these are not super creative but I am obsessed with TOM's. They really make the list because it is a service based organization and every pair of shoes you buy they donate! I have a pair of TOM's, Jack has TOM's, I have bought friends kids TOM's, bottom line if you want to put a little pep in someone's step Tom's is where it is at! I love the Pink sparklies for baby girls, silver sparklies for adults, and navy for little boys.
Golf Sunglasses: Since my husband is an avid golfer, and men are sssssssooooo hard to buy for I recommend these. If you need a gift for a man who is difficult to buy for and is a golfer these are suppose to help your handicap.
Family Values Sign: I love this gift idea for grandparents, husbands, wives, it is sweet and meaningful. This is something John and I are currently working on, but more of a family values statement that will have similar bullet points.
Last but not least my favorite tradition ever! Family Set Pajamas! We do this every year and it is always fun to see which pattern we are going to wear.
Two Dog Originals: Personalized growth charts and foot stools. Jency is my neighbor, but also the owner of this shop. She does great work! The special gift I had made for Jack last year was this growth chart. Right now John and I get excited about marking his chart every few months, but hopefully as Jack gets the concept he will too! I love this gorgeous little girls stool as well!
My Custom Case: Just got my new I - Phone case in yesterday and I love it! What I love about my custom case is that you can choose the various shades of colors for your designs so it really is custom made! They also have the optoins to make an I-Phone case with a picture on it, I am definitely ordering that one next! Keep an eye out on groupon as often times they have a deal on them.
Burlap Clutch: During a random ETSY search the other night I came across these beauties. If you do a search for Burlap clutches a ton of cute options pop up. I have a semi obsession with burlap, although I don't actually own anything with burlap. I am getting burlap ribbon to drap around the Christmas tree this year. Someone I know will be getting this gift this year!
TOM's: I know these are not super creative but I am obsessed with TOM's. They really make the list because it is a service based organization and every pair of shoes you buy they donate! I have a pair of TOM's, Jack has TOM's, I have bought friends kids TOM's, bottom line if you want to put a little pep in someone's step Tom's is where it is at! I love the Pink sparklies for baby girls, silver sparklies for adults, and navy for little boys.
Golf Sunglasses: Since my husband is an avid golfer, and men are sssssssooooo hard to buy for I recommend these. If you need a gift for a man who is difficult to buy for and is a golfer these are suppose to help your handicap.
Family Values Sign: I love this gift idea for grandparents, husbands, wives, it is sweet and meaningful. This is something John and I are currently working on, but more of a family values statement that will have similar bullet points.
Custom Necklace: Krissy did my bridesmaid jewelry and is fabulous to work with. She will do anything that you want and has a fast turnaround. Big necklaces are in so you might as well get one made for you!
Melissa & Doug Chomp & Clack Alligator : This is one of Jack's favorites and I think every baby should have one. Fantastic quality, will last a long time, and brings hours of entertainment for your little one.
Last but not least my favorite tradition ever! Family Set Pajamas! We do this every year and it is always fun to see which pattern we are going to wear.
More ideas to come next Friday! Enjoy the weekend!
Happy Friday!
Happy Friday everyone! Later today will be a start of my Holiday Gift Guide. This year I am focusing on thoughtful, personalized gifts for family and friends and thought I would share some of my favorite finds!
Check back after lunch for the first in this 4 week series of gifts!
Check back after lunch for the first in this 4 week series of gifts!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Jack's Favorite Books
One of my favorite parts of the day is story time with Jack. Over the past month he likes to choose a book from his shelf, and then crawl into my lap for a snuggle and a good read. I CAN NOT get enough of it! I find myself reading an average of 7-10 books a night to the little man, many times the same book 3 or 4 times over. I have asked a lot of my mom friends what their babies like to read and have found Jack enjoys the same ones they recommend! Here are Jack's current favorites:
Anything Eric Carle: Hungary Caterpillar, Polar Polar Bear, Brown Bear Brown Bear. Currently his favorite is this Brown Bear book that has the push flaps (he is obsessed with flaps, and anything touch and feel).
Anything Eric Carle: Hungary Caterpillar, Polar Polar Bear, Brown Bear Brown Bear. Currently his favorite is this Brown Bear book that has the push flaps (he is obsessed with flaps, and anything touch and feel).
Eric Hill "Spot" Books: These are his current absolute favorite! What I love is he knows exactly where each flap is and how to lift them. So simple, so sweet, and reminds me of what a sponge he is right now.
Sandra Boynton "Doggies" I really just think Jack likes hearing my barking noises on this one because there are no flaps or anything to touch. The kid gets the biggest kick out of it.
Jelly Cat Books "If I Were A Puppy" : These books are all touch and feel, and there are a lot in this series. Highly recommend!
Salina Yoon "Deep Sea Dive" : This is the first book Jack grabs each night. We got it at his schools book fair, but I may have just ordered another on Amazon.
What are your childrens favorite books? There is nothing I love more then going to the book store with Jack and letting him pick out books and then reading them together with him. I would love any recommendations!
Promo Code For Delivery Gowns
All that want to order a super stylish delivery gown the code from my etsy spotlight yesterday is INSPIRE
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
ETSY Spotlight of The Week...Best Shower Gift Ever ModMum!
I am not embarrassed to admit when I had Jack I decided to buy a designer delivery gown. Why? Because I figured like most other really important days in my life (wedding) I should have a special outfit. I got the idea from my fabulously stylish friend SMP, and definitely copied hers and bought the same one. Also hospital delivery gowns are ugly, and the thought of them being used over and over kind of grosses me out. Since then it has been my go to gift for all of my friends that are expecting. When I started buying these gifts I had very limited options. Gownies were my go to delivery gowns, and have served a half a dozen friends well over the past year and a half during their deliverys. But now there is a new delivery gown maker on the block and that is Lisa from ModMum. Lisa is awesome! Great communication and fast turnaround. This is one of her creations below that I recently purchased for an expecting friend. The quality is great, and they are even more stylish then my polka dot gownie.
The great news is that Lisa has agreed to a 10% discount on all orders for Simply Inspired readers. Please pass along this post to a friend and when you go to order note the Simply Inspired discount in the message box and she will send you the code. Happy Delivery Gown Shopping!
The great news is that Lisa has agreed to a 10% discount on all orders for Simply Inspired readers. Please pass along this post to a friend and when you go to order note the Simply Inspired discount in the message box and she will send you the code. Happy Delivery Gown Shopping!
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Election Day...My Dreams For Jack
Today is an important day in our countrys history. Yet despite political views, and who we all as individuals want to win there is a deeper meaning for me behind this election. Today I cast my vote (well last Weds.) not only for myself but for Jack. My job as his parent is to teach, love, and protect him and his best interests. So my vote was not just for my future, but more importantly for his. Regardless of party or belief I believe many parents today feel the same way as they go cast their vote. It is their vote, but it is so much more. In voting today I thought a lot about what it means to be an American, and the dreams that I have for Jack.
My dreams for my son is that he will be able to stand up with conviction for what he believes in. That he is a respectful, honest, and good standing citizen that does the right things to make this world a better place. That he knows we live in a country where we truly have capacity to go after all of our hopes and dreams, and that he does so with all of his heart. My dream for Jack is that he knows and understands that life is not about the things that you have, but the memories you make with the people you love. That he understands the value of hard work, and that if you work hard then good things will come to you. That he not entitled to anything except opportunity and from there it is his ball to run with. That he says please and thank you, yes sir and yes ma'am, that he holds doors open for others, that he smiles and waves at people walking down the street, tells others to have a great day, appreciates everything he has and thanks god everyday for his blessings. That he recognizes life is not fair and not easy, but having a positive, optimistic, and great attitude will help him get through any curve balls that may be thrown towards him. That he is genuine and thoughtful in all that he does and the decisions that he makes. That he understands the meaning of compromise. That he listens to people thoughtfully...this is an important one. I am a Republican, but I respect the views of my Democratic friends and family. I even share some of those views, as I am sure they share some of mine. One of our biggest challenges with American politics is the lack of listening thoughtfully to accomplish things together. I want Jack to be able to listen thoughtfully to the views of others, and formulate his own thoughts and opinions to then share.
Regardless of who is our President when we wake up tomorrow morning I will get up and I will still be a mom, a wife, a daughter, a friend, a niece, etc and I will work hard, and do whats right to make our country better, and teach my son the things he will need to follow the dreams his mom has for him above. I love you Jack, and will hopefully be voting for you in 2052. Bottom line wge are Americans and this is the greatest country on the planet
My dreams for my son is that he will be able to stand up with conviction for what he believes in. That he is a respectful, honest, and good standing citizen that does the right things to make this world a better place. That he knows we live in a country where we truly have capacity to go after all of our hopes and dreams, and that he does so with all of his heart. My dream for Jack is that he knows and understands that life is not about the things that you have, but the memories you make with the people you love. That he understands the value of hard work, and that if you work hard then good things will come to you. That he not entitled to anything except opportunity and from there it is his ball to run with. That he says please and thank you, yes sir and yes ma'am, that he holds doors open for others, that he smiles and waves at people walking down the street, tells others to have a great day, appreciates everything he has and thanks god everyday for his blessings. That he recognizes life is not fair and not easy, but having a positive, optimistic, and great attitude will help him get through any curve balls that may be thrown towards him. That he is genuine and thoughtful in all that he does and the decisions that he makes. That he understands the meaning of compromise. That he listens to people thoughtfully...this is an important one. I am a Republican, but I respect the views of my Democratic friends and family. I even share some of those views, as I am sure they share some of mine. One of our biggest challenges with American politics is the lack of listening thoughtfully to accomplish things together. I want Jack to be able to listen thoughtfully to the views of others, and formulate his own thoughts and opinions to then share.
Regardless of who is our President when we wake up tomorrow morning I will get up and I will still be a mom, a wife, a daughter, a friend, a niece, etc and I will work hard, and do whats right to make our country better, and teach my son the things he will need to follow the dreams his mom has for him above. I love you Jack, and will hopefully be voting for you in 2052. Bottom line wge are Americans and this is the greatest country on the planet
Monday, November 5, 2012
Weekend Round Up
This weekend was great! It lended to some lovely family time and a date night with my man. One of the biggest realizations this weekend is that Jack is truly becoming a little boy. His independence is soaring, and I love watching him discover new things every single day. For example this weekend Jack proved to me that he can get on and off of things such as his trike, and into and out of his cozy coupe all on his own. It is amazing to me because just last week I was helping him in and out of both. He loves being outdoors and just exploring. I watched him on our lanai just run around with a tennis ball for 30 minutes Saturday afternoon mesmerized by his excitement of just being free to roam around. I couldn't help but grab the camera and start snapping away the following photos. I also love the fact that Palin is his BFF and that Jack can actually somewhat play fetch with her. Well, more or less his version of putting the ball in her mouth. He is steady on his feet and his walking is slowly but surely turning into a mini-run. Yet at the same time he seems to fall constantly, but gets right back up and keeps going, and going, and going. While typically I find myself nervous he is going to hurt himself (which I still I am). Yet I took a moment to just quietly observe him this weekend, and I found myself feeling so proud of him at how quickly he got back up and just went back to what he was doing. I know Jack will teach me many things as he grows up but him falling is just a reminder that when you fall it is about getting back up quickly and moving on. I also realized that I have been relying way too much on my i-phone for pictures. I need to start bringing out my good camera and snapping away some quality pics. I did just that while I was watching Jack run around see a few snap shots below!
Saturday morning was our normal family routine swim lessons and headed to the farmers market after. One of my favorite things about swim lessons is when Jack sees me behind the glass in the waiting room and starts waving uncontrollably at me. It is the sweetest thing and makes my heart melt. Here is a very blurry picture of what I am referring to.
John and I had a much needed date night out to support one of our local schools Academy at The Farm where our friends daughters attend. We won two great auction prizes and helped a good cause at the same time. Here we are all dressed up, what a handsome fella JMS is!
Sunday wrapped up with doing pretty much nothing but enjoying being together. We took the most amazing family nap on Sunday afternoon. Such as simple pleasure! I think it was much needed for all of us due to the time switch!
Hope your weekend was great too!
Playing with Palin |
In Deep Thought |
Tennis Ball Mama |
Saturday morning was our normal family routine swim lessons and headed to the farmers market after. One of my favorite things about swim lessons is when Jack sees me behind the glass in the waiting room and starts waving uncontrollably at me. It is the sweetest thing and makes my heart melt. Here is a very blurry picture of what I am referring to.
John and I had a much needed date night out to support one of our local schools Academy at The Farm where our friends daughters attend. We won two great auction prizes and helped a good cause at the same time. Here we are all dressed up, what a handsome fella JMS is!
Sunday wrapped up with doing pretty much nothing but enjoying being together. We took the most amazing family nap on Sunday afternoon. Such as simple pleasure! I think it was much needed for all of us due to the time switch!
Hope your weekend was great too!
Monday Inspiration "Do It"
This clip was passed along to me late last week by a good friend. I am kind of obsessed with it, and have added to my list of favorite motivational clips. I also love these two quotes from Art Williams that ring true. Happy Monday, here's to a great week, JUST DO IT!
"Do It" Art Williams
I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it."
This one links directly with one of my first posts ever right HERE
"I believe you can overcome every problem in life but an attitude problem. I've spent a lot of my adult life studying men and women and why most of them lose and only a few win. It took me a long time to really understand what a big part attitude played in success."
"Do It" Art Williams
I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it."
This one links directly with one of my first posts ever right HERE
"I believe you can overcome every problem in life but an attitude problem. I've spent a lot of my adult life studying men and women and why most of them lose and only a few win. It took me a long time to really understand what a big part attitude played in success."
Friday, November 2, 2012
What I Like About Daycare
Daycare is sometimes my nemesis, but for the most part I really like daycare and the one Jack attends. What I have decided and learned over the past year regarding childcare is there really is no perfect situation and solution. For us we weighed the pro's and con's of a nanny versus daycare. We decided to go with daycare vs. a nanny because while the nanny would have been convenient and easier on us we felt the benefits of daycare were greater. As I had mentioned in another "working mom" post, I have always known I was going to be a working mom. Not because I don't love my son to pieces, but because I a. need to work for financial reasons b. Enjoy the balance. I worked hard to get my education, and develop my career. I pride myself on being a "working mom" role model to Jack that hopefully some day he will really admire. Even possibly follow in my footsteps? Maybe we shall see, no pressure Jack Jack. I give kudo's to mom's that stay home because it is very hard, I think sometimes it is probably harder then working. But once again still not a perfect situation.
The arguments that went back and forth in our head included everything from if he goes to daycare he will get sick all the time. If he stays home he won't have enough socialization. Daycare teaches a better structure. Babies pick up bad habits at daycare. Will he be held enough, rocked enough, loved on, etc, etc. The thoughts whirred through my mind constantly, and despite Jack being in daycare for 9 months those thoughts have not stopped whirring! Thank god for my dear friend SMP, who's son is also in Jack's daycare class and one week apart from him. She is my sounding board and sanity (besides John) for all of my daycare rants. The most recent ones now involve my decision to have moved him up to the one year old room. It is just never ending. In the end these are the reasons why I like care, and why right it is the best situation for us.
1. Jack is independent and open to other people.
2. He loves playing with his friends
3. He is learning in a structured environment with people that are trained to teach and educate toddlers. I was a marketing major, not an early childhood development major and I see a benefit in someone specifically taught to teach my son in teaching him the things he is supposed to be learning at this age in a daycare setting.
4. Yes Jack gets sick, but I also think his immune system will be stronger long term by being exposed to germs.
This is an interesting video clip. While it focuses more on pre-school education it has strong points that I think mimic and compliment the early stages of development when they are really young and in daycare. If you have 15 minutes it is definitely a must watch. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
These are my thoughts and opinions, and I know this one is a very sensitive topic. Bottom line in my opinion there is no perfect situation, it is about the situation that is best for each of our individual parents. In the end we all love our children more then anything, want to be the best mothers we can be, and enjoy every moment we have with these amazing little people!
The arguments that went back and forth in our head included everything from if he goes to daycare he will get sick all the time. If he stays home he won't have enough socialization. Daycare teaches a better structure. Babies pick up bad habits at daycare. Will he be held enough, rocked enough, loved on, etc, etc. The thoughts whirred through my mind constantly, and despite Jack being in daycare for 9 months those thoughts have not stopped whirring! Thank god for my dear friend SMP, who's son is also in Jack's daycare class and one week apart from him. She is my sounding board and sanity (besides John) for all of my daycare rants. The most recent ones now involve my decision to have moved him up to the one year old room. It is just never ending. In the end these are the reasons why I like care, and why right it is the best situation for us.
1. Jack is independent and open to other people.
2. He loves playing with his friends
3. He is learning in a structured environment with people that are trained to teach and educate toddlers. I was a marketing major, not an early childhood development major and I see a benefit in someone specifically taught to teach my son in teaching him the things he is supposed to be learning at this age in a daycare setting.
4. Yes Jack gets sick, but I also think his immune system will be stronger long term by being exposed to germs.
This is an interesting video clip. While it focuses more on pre-school education it has strong points that I think mimic and compliment the early stages of development when they are really young and in daycare. If you have 15 minutes it is definitely a must watch. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
These are my thoughts and opinions, and I know this one is a very sensitive topic. Bottom line in my opinion there is no perfect situation, it is about the situation that is best for each of our individual parents. In the end we all love our children more then anything, want to be the best mothers we can be, and enjoy every moment we have with these amazing little people!
I Called Jack A Little Poop
This picture was taken at 6:45AM this morning after John, Palin, Jack, and I had ventured out for a run. When we stopped and looked down to find Jack sleeping my first reaction was not "He is so cute" like it is 98% of the time. It was "What a little s***". Why because Mr. Jack was up at 4:30 AM clearly still exhausted but refusing to go back to bed. So we started our day then, and the additional narrative behind that comment came two hours later when he woke up to be taken to daycare. "Must be nice to go back to sleep for two hours". I love this little man to pieces, but holy 1 year old whining and mood swings! I hate to feel inpatient, and it is normal? Please weigh in, otherwise happy Friday I am ecstatic about spending the next two days with my little "poop".
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Link To Classic Stitches
My link isn't working to classic stitches on the last post so let's try this one! Sorry about that
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ClassicStitchesSTL?ref=seller_info
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ClassicStitchesSTL?ref=seller_info
ETSY Spotlight ...One Day Late
I am a day behind on my ETSY spotlight so I apologize! This weeks spotlight is on the fabulous Judy from Classic Stitches. It is no secret to anyone that knows me I love dressing Jack in Jon Jon's and Longalls. I think it is the transplanted Southerner in me, but I love the classic look of these adorable little boy outfits. I also am a huge fan of pillow case dresses for little girls!
There are a ton of places that you can buy these types of outfits between Etsy and Facebook Auctions but none of them come close to Judy's quality, precision, and turn around. Judy is extremely responsive, will do any pattern you want, reasonably priced, and gets it out typically within the week. She is offering Simply Inspired readers free shipping on purchase of $50 or more! Be sure to check her out you will not disappointed!
There are a ton of places that you can buy these types of outfits between Etsy and Facebook Auctions but none of them come close to Judy's quality, precision, and turn around. Judy is extremely responsive, will do any pattern you want, reasonably priced, and gets it out typically within the week. She is offering Simply Inspired readers free shipping on purchase of $50 or more! Be sure to check her out you will not disappointed!
Hurricane Sandy
Watching the news over the past few days and seeing the destruction that Hurricane Sandy caused has been both upsetting and uplifting. I feel horrible for all of those affected by Sandy, friends in NY, colleagues in PA, and family up in the Northeast without power. While in the face of tragedy and destruction their is sadness, it is also a time where I believe the human spirit is most alive. It reminds us all of how lucky we are for the things we have, and the realization of how quickly things can turn south due to circumstances that are completely out of our control. Throughout our history our country and fellow citizens have come together to help one another through difficult times, and that With that said remember to enjoy and appreciate the sun shining from above wherever you may be, and to pray for those that are in need, and hope for a fast recovery. This quote below says it all.
“There is a saying in Tibetan, 'Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.'
No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that's our real disaster.”
― Dalai Lama XIV
“There is a saying in Tibetan, 'Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.'
No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that's our real disaster.”
― Dalai Lama XIV