What I've Learned...

My first year of being a mom has taught me so much.  There's no way I could write it all down, but here are some of the things I've learned with a few recent phone pics spinkled in! :) 

*I've learned to slow down and "stop to smell the roses".  There is very little that truly has to get done every day.  Nothing is more important than being with Reid.  I have to remind myself sometimes that time passes way too quickly and other things can wait.  I love watching him see something for the first time.  Recently we were at the park and there was a bird sitting behind her beautiful speckled egg in the playground mulch.  She was right by us on the swings just tweeting away.  Reid was fascinated with her and I kind of was too.  Before becoming a mom, I wouldn't have thought twice about it, but I loved sitting there and watching this bird (this is coming from someone who is normally terrified of birds!).

 I thought Reid looked so cute in his Noah's Ark outfit.  On this day we took him to the church nursery and it did not go well AT ALL, so we left early and went to the park. ;)

*I've learned that comparison steals your joy!  It is so easy as a mom (especially with facebook and blogs) to compare yourself to everyone else.  Instead of trying to be the perfect mom, I just try to be the best mom I know how to be for Reid!  

 Reid loved looking in this big mirror at the playground! 

*I've learned how much I love being a boy mom!  I LOVE having a boy and think it would be fun to have a house full of boys someday!  I also love dressing a boy!  Girls clothes are absolutely adorable, of course, but it's fun to shop for a boy too!  I've definitely saved us some money because cute boy clothes are much harder to find!  

 Just playing with the wipes...

*I've learned that babies grow up faster than I ever could have imagined!  Everyone tells you how fast time flies, but I never really understood until I had a child of my own.  I am SO SO SO thankful to get to be with him every day and watch him grow right before my eyes!

 We were at La Finca with some friends and Reid was being so shy and snuggly!  This was the start of his cuddly phase and I'm still loving it!  

*I've learned that I cannot do this job alone.  I need the love and support of my husband (he is SO helpful), the encouragement and involvement from Reid's grandparents, other mommy friends who are going through this same stage of life, and most importantly the grace of God! 

 Crazy hair after his nap...

*I've learned that while all of the baby "stuff" is so fun and can definitely make raising a baby a little easier, most of it isn't truly necessary.  Really, a baby just needs his mommy!  I laugh when I think about everything I obsessed about needing and trying to make perfect before Reid arrived.  I guess nesting is just part of it (especially with the first).  

 Just being adorable on his birthday...

*I've learned to appreciate everything in my life so much more.  I know what's really important now and don't focus as much on "keeping up with the Joneses".  I just find myself stopping throughout the day and thinking, "I'm just so thankful to have a house to live in" or "I'm thankful to be able to go to the grocery store and buy food for my family".  I know that sounds silly, but there are so many people all over the world that can't say the same thing.  I'm grateful that being a mom has made me so much more content.  

 Dressed in turtles from head to toe on our wagon ride to the mailbox!  

*I've learned to appreciate my own parents so much more.  I realize now more than ever all of the sacrifices they made for us throughout the years to give us such a wonderful life.  I love them so much!

 Poor baby got his first real bruise while learning to walk.  I know this is the first of many!  

*I've learned that babies are all unique and develop in different areas at different paces.  It's easy to worry and compare your child to others, but it's so much better not to!  

 This is before our first swim class at Houston Swim Club!   

*I've learned that sometimes it's better to just put the camera down and be in the moment.  I often find myself thinking, "Oh I should go get the camera," (and I usually do), but sometimes it's better to not obsess about getting the perfect picture and just enjoy what's happening.

I'm sure I will be adding to this list as time goes on! :)  

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to Reid's wonderful daddy...

 his Popsie (and my precious daddy)...

 and his Grandpa...

We are so grateful for each of you!  We love you so much!  

We had a low key day at home.  We got back last night from a great week at the beach (more on that soon), and we are all a little worn out! :) 

3 of my favorite things...

His curls...

 His eyes...

 His crooked smile...

I just adore him!

Sunday Funday!

We had a fun day today!  Mom, Alli, and I had lunch together and then went to Pinot's Palette!  We had such a great time!  It had been a long time since we had done something together as just the three of us.  Our beach paintings made us really excited for Florida in a couple of weeks!  Yay!! :) 

 This evening we had a Memorial Day picnic with our small group!

 Such a precious bunch of boys!! :) 

 Reid is now taking his baths in the regular tub without his blowup duck!  I know he was probably in that for WAY too long!  Bath time is even more fun for him now that he has a little more freedom!  

We are looking forward to some pool time at Mumsie and Popsie's house tomorrow!  

12 months!!!

We went to the doctor this morning and got Reid's official 12 month stats!  It was a long appointment and Reid had enough by the end!  

Length: 30 3/4 inches (83%)

Weight: 23 lbs 5 oz (79%)

Head Circumference: 19 inches (95%)

Mumsie came with us, which was a big help!  

Waiting, waiting, waiting! :)

Reid wasn't really cooperating for pictures yesterday, so I took a few with his cars as well! :)

Reid at 12 months...

*He is a great eater!  He has transitioned easily to whole milk and loves it almost as much as he loves his water!
*He is wearing size 4 diapers during the day and size 5 diapers at night.  His clothes are mostly 18 mo - 24 mo.  

*He is a great sleeper!  He goes to bed around 8:30 or 9:00 and wakes up somewhere between 7:30 and 8:30.  He is still taking two naps a day.  I am thinking we are moving towards one nap.  

*He is getting more confident in his walking and is getting stronger by the day!  It's really fun to see his smile when he takes steps alone.  

*He loves to lay his head down on things and wait for us to say, "Awwwww!"  He does it in his high chair and comes up with food stuck to his face! :) 

*He loves animals (real and pretend).  He is still pretty much obsessed with Chloie and Annabelle.  He likes to hug his stuffed animals, specifically his battery powered, little, stuffed bunny.  He always has 2 of his magnetic puzzle piece animals in his hands at all times.

*His favorite restaurant is El Jarito and gets excited when we go on Friday nights. :) I think it's safe to say we've trained him to love Mexican food.  

*He is starting to have a little bit of separation anxiety and is in a really cuddly phase.  I love it! :)
*He gets shy when I come in to get him from a nap.  He dives into the corner of his bed and smiles shyly.  It's so funny!
*He really doesn't like getting in his car seat.  He cries every time he gets in it, but is usually fine once we get going. :/
*He isn't saying any words, but we feel like he's understanding so much more every day!! He understands Mommy, Daddy, Chloie, Annabelle, book, cheerios, water, dog, chew, bath, deer, and probably more that we don't realize.
*About a week after he turned 12 months he started clapping! :) 

Here's Reid's 1 month pictures!  It's amazing how much they change!  

ONE is already so much FUN! :)
We love you to the moon and back, sweet boy!! You fill our lives with JOY!  

May 23rd!

Whew! The birthday celebrations are over and we officially have a one year old!  After the emotional roller coaster I got myself on while blogging last night, I'm happy to say I made it through today with only one teary moment!  Reid and I spent the day together, just the two of us.  That's exactly what I wanted to do and I'm sure he would say the same! ;) We only left the house one time to go to Chick-fil-a.  I figured since it was his birthday I would spare him the torture of sitting in a shopping cart. ;) I probably sang "Happy Birthday" to him 30 times throughout the day!  I just couldn't help myself! 

Good morning, birthday boy!

 Daddy made Reid some teddy bear pancakes before he left for work!  

Reid and I spent the morning doing his favorite things.  We played in the living room, looked at the deer in the study (this is seriously his favorite thing ever), and got to swing in the backyard!  Grandma and Grandpa got Reid a swing set for his birthday!  He actually got to see it last night .  This will provide lots of fun for years to come!  

 After our morning playtime, Reid gave me the best gift ever.  He fell asleep in my arms while I was rocking him before his nap.  This hasn't happened in MONTHS.  I think he knew his mommy needed a little extra cuddle time on his birthday.  I just soaked it up.  He slept with me holding him for about 30 minutes and I loved every second of it.  (That was my teary moment of the day.)  After his nap he ate his favorite lunch consisting of  2 chick-fil-a grilled nuggets, pears, and blueberries.  He LOVES blueberries right now.  Since Reid loves bath time, I thought it would be fun to give him an extra bath time today and let him have a bubble bath in our tub, which he has never done!  He was a little unsure at first...

 Eventually he warmed up to the idea and we had so much fun!  We played some more and then Reid went down for a short afternoon nap.  He woke up screaming after about 40 minutes.  Those back teeth are not fun! :( We had a little photo shoot in the front yard while we waited for Daddy to get home!  I wanted Reid to wear his birthday party outfit again today because I love it so much!  

 Tonight our families came over for dinner, cupcakes and ice cream, and presents!

It is totally normal to wrap presents to match your baby's outfit, right?  

 He was just as amazed when we sung "Happy Birthday" today as he was at his party.  Precious...

 This time he just picked the whole thing up and went for it!  

 He got a little taste of ice cream too!

 Then it was time to try out some of his new wheels!  

 What a wonderful day loving on our wondeful boy! :) 

Reflecting - Part 2

I never really did a "birth story" post, so I am doing that now!  This is LONG and I ramble.

I remember everything like it was yesterday!  I was induced on the morning of May 23, 2011, but we checked into the hospital at 7 pm on Sunday, May 22.  We went to church that morning and then came home and did a few things around the house.  On the way to the hospital we stopped at Texas Roadhouse to get a big, filling dinner!  I remember thinking how funny it was that the rest of the world was just eating their dinner like normal and we were about to go have a BABY!  The drive to the hospital was really exciting.  For some reason I remember hearing Blake Shelton's new (at the time) song "Honey Bee", so now every time I hear it I think of us driving to the hospital and smile. :)  When we got to the hospital, parked in the parking garage, and started heading for the hospital with our (entirely too much) luggage, it really hit me.  I remember every single feeling I had as we walked in.  Once we got inside we had to wait a few minutes to check in.  Eventually we got to our room and I changed into my robe to settle in.  We had a really sweet nurse that night who did my IV, hooked up my monitors, etc.  The IV was the thing I was most nervous about.  After all of the initial things were done, Chris and I watched a little Fox News and talked baby names.  We still hadn't 100% decided on our girl name and we were still going back and forth on the spelling of Reid's name.  The anticipation of finding out if we were going to have a son or a daughter was SO EXCITING.  I just had butterflies every time I thought about getting to hear those words the next day!  Before falling asleep that night (with the help of a sleeping pill), I remember praying that God would take away all of my anxieties and fears about the next day and just help me to be completely in the moment during the entire process.  He completely answered that prayer and so  many more!!!

When I woke up the next morning I was ready to get things going!  I had told myself ahead of time that I would have no expectations about how things would happen.  I knew I couldn't control it anyway.  In the back of my mind I think I assumed I would end up having a c-section.  The nurse started the pitocin and shortly after that Dr. Levin came in and broke my water.  That was BY FAR my least favorite part.  Goodness gracious.  I want to cry just thinking about it.  The contractions eventually started, but were manageable.  Our families started arriving mid-morning.  I was glad to have my family there to talk to and help pass the time.  I got my epidural around 10 am.  I was nervous about that too, but it wasn't bad!  I was not a fan of the anesthesiologist at all, but loved everyone else we came in contact with all week.  My epidural kicked in, but it was very uneven!  My right side was so numb that it almost hurt and the feeling in my left side kept coming back.  She kept coming in to adjust it and eventually it almost evened out.  Dr. Levin had come in a couple of times to check me and I wasn't progressing.  She came in around 2:00 and said that if I hadn't progressed when she came back at 3:30, we would plan a c-section for 6:00.  I did cry when I heard this, but I also completely trusted my doctor.  When she came back in at 3:30, I hadn't progressed.  She said we were going to head straight to the OR because they had a no-show for a 4:00 c-section!  Can you imagine just not showing up for your scheduled c-section???  What in the world?  Anyway, I started crying at this point because things just happened really fast!  They ordered my parents to leave and threw (literally, across the room) Chris his scrubs.  I know they were just trying to be efficient, but to me it felt kind of dramatic when it didn't really need to be.  Once we were on our way to the OR, I felt a peace come over me.  I was about to meet my baby!!! I closed my eyes as they wheeled me in and didn't look at anything until the curtain was up.  That was some great advice from a friend!  Once Chris got to come in, I was READY!  I couldn't wait.  I didn't even know when she started.  I couldn't believe how fast it happened!  Dr. Levin's exact words as she was pulling him out at 4:09 were, "Why didn't you want to come out?  You aren't even that big young man!  Yes, it's a young man!"  Hearing those words was absolutely AMAZING.  Reid Preston Sciba was here and he was ours.  I was able to talk to Reid and kiss him for a couple of minutes before going to recovery.  Chris got to take Reid to meet our families.  I am so happy we have video of their reactions.  My family came back to check on me and tell me all about Reid.  I hated that I had to wait three hours before getting to see him again.  

Our families stayed for a while loving on their grandson/nephew.  I know they couldn't wait to come straight back the next morning!  The rest of the night was kind of a blur.  While I don't remember every single detail about our first night as a family of three, I do remember how absolutely, over the moon, happy we were.  I will never forget that feeling.  That first night was spent getting to know each other and it was so, so special.   

We had a lot of sweet friends and family come visit over the next couple of days.  I was so proud to get to introduce them to our SON.  I actually really enjoyed my stay at the hospital, but the day we came home from the hospital was one of my very favorite days ever!  It was a really wonderful day.  Our first night at home was exhausting and a little stressful, but so much fun.  I laugh when I think about how clueless we were!

As I think back over this year, I have such sweet memories from each stage.  When I remember the first month, I think about the outpouring of love from family and friends.  I think about not leaving my house for three weeks (except to the pediatrician) and spending all day lying on the couch with Reid on my chest.  I think about sitting in bed in the dark with my baby and thinking how blessed I felt to get to be a mother.  I think about how I cried ALL THE TIME because I was so happy.  I think about how Chris was, and still is,  such a precious new daddy and wanted to be right there doing everything with me.   I think about how I would just look at him in awe of every single inch of his body.  I think about how many times we laughed until we cried during a diaper incident.  I think about what proud parents we were when we took Reid on his first outing to Target. :)  I think about how time seemed to just stand still and we forgot that the rest of the world was going on around us.  When I remember the next couple of months, I think about how relieved I was when we finally got the hang of feedings.  I think about how nervous I was to take Reid anywhere by myself.  I think about how I would spend all day just staring at him and talking to him on the couch.  When I remember the next few months, I think about how I slowly but surely started to gain confidence as a mom.  I think about how I was actually a little sad when he started sleeping through the night at 7 months because I would miss him at night.  I think about how fun it was to watch him learn or do something new.  That will ALWAYS be fun!  Finally, when I remember the last couple of months, I think about wanting time to slow down!  I think about how great it is now that we are able to really play together.  I think about how much I have loved seeing his personality come out.  When I look back, I can honestly say that I cherished every single day of this first year.  Not every day was easy, but it has been a ball learning to be Reid's mommy!