Finding My Tribe

Being a mom is hard. There is no other way to put it. The hardest most rewarding job I have ever had and I wouldn't change it for the world. Finding mom friends is just as hard. Why? I don't know! We are all in the same boat, lets be friends! I have talked before about having support systems and how important it is. I would not be where I am today if I didn't find my tribe when I first got pregnant with Kinley. They have stood by me through it all! There are not many and I am 100% ok with that! I love them!

I have always been the one with not many friends and a homebody. I have my close friends and that is about the extent of it. The majority of my friends did not have kids and I didn't really know anyone that had kids. My sister of course has her first born but it was 11 years ago when I got pregnant with Kinley. She was way out of the newborn, baby and toddler years.

Motherhood can be lonely and isolating at times. I needed support; other mom support! I joined a few Facebook groups when we found out we were expecting, which turned out to be an amazing experience!  There was so much information; from other first time moms to moms that were on their 4th kiddo. I like to do my own research on things but it was great to be able to ask a question and get some feedback on something so new to me.

I will be honest it was hard initially connecting with strangers via the internet, but today some of the ladies from my groups are my best friends! I have even met a few of them in person and the kids have met, the connection we share is amazing! I feel like I have known them forever. I have also met a few moms via blogging and they are amazing as well! I am so thankful! I love that I can text one or three of them with a question about ANYTHING and they will give me their honest opinion. You ladies know that ANYTHING is so true! I have shared some of the most intimate things with these ladies.

Finding mommy friends is hard. I miss that my "internet" friends don't live close to me and we can't hang out all the time, because like I said they are some of my bestest friends and I go to them for everything! Being a new mom or even being a mom for the second time it was so important I had a support system. I needed someone going through what I was going through that could relate to what I was experiencing in the moment. I also love being able to provide that support back to them. The bond is something special that I wouldn't trade for the world.

Find your tribe friends! It is so important and has saved my sanity many many times, probably my husbands too :). I love my "internet" friends and am so thankful they have been apart of this journey called Motherhood.

Our Current Situation...Send Wine

Wow things have been crazy lately. We have been so busy with so much going on I wanted to share a brief update. I am sure this won't even include everything that has been going on because my brain is all over the place.

Matt and I got a day date a few weeks ago and had a blast. We were going to go see Hidden Figures but there were only front row seating left when we got there so we decided the brewery was a better option anyways. We will try again for the movie another time, hoping for another day date soon!

We had to find a new daycare provider for the kids. My work schedule changed and we needed full time care and our provider was not able to watch the kids full time. Finding new child care is awful! I hate the process but I think we have found someone great and am very excited for her to become a part of our family. I was a nanny for many years so having a nanny is something special to me.

On that note we might be finding a new preschool for Kinley next year. Her school is only offering Monday - Friday for the 3's class and we know we do not want to send her full time all day long. We are so torn on what to do because we don't want her to have to go through the transition again, it was tough on her and she still has days she struggles.

I have been pumping for 10 months and can not wait to be done! Not done breastfeeding but done pumping! I do not respond well to the pump and feel so frustrated after a pumping session. I will probably stop somewhere after a year but we will continue to breastfeed until who knows when. I breastfed Kinley until she was about 17.5 months when my work schedule changed so it gave us a good time to wean. I had quite the journey with her.

Kinely is sooooo full of sass and attitude! I was 100% expecting 3 to be worse than 2 and it most definitely has been. She is testing boundaries and says the sassiest things. Where do they get these things from? Do not let that sweet face fool you! She has been pretty rotten if I am being honest. On a happier note with her she has been in swim lessons for almost 3 months and she is doing great and loves it.

We have been trying to get Zander to sleep better at night, we have transitioned out of the Dockatot and working on lessening his night wake ups. He really still needs the ounces with his night feeding so I don't mind keeping it for a little longer, I would just like him to go back to sleep faster after. He is cutting about 4 teeth right now so things have been tough. I know eventually it will get better and really each day flies by so I am trying to not stress about things. Though I am tired.

I know that picture of them is blurry but it is too cute not to share. That is all I can think about for right now! Happy Hump day to everyone! This is my first week working 5 days in a row in awhile and I am not excited for it! Hoping these next few days fly by.

Weekend Vibes with Some Random Thoughts

Yay for the weekend! A few random thoughts for you on this Saturday!

1. We are getting our house cleaned by a professional cleaning company this week and I can not tell you how excited I am. It was actually a groupon we bought months ago for our townhouse and they had to reschedule and we ended up running out of time to use it. So guess what; I get to use it for our house....WOO HOO.

2. Finding new child care SUCKS! There really isn't a good way to put it. We are currently looking at getting a nanny and I am praying that it works out better than it did when Kinley was little! We are also preschool shopping again which is awful too! Kinley's school is only going to offer Monday - Friday next year and we are not ready for her to go all day every day!

3.My schedule at work will be changing in a few weeks and it is truly going to be bittersweet but I think will work out so much better for our family. I will be home for dinner and bedtime in the evenings and off on weekends. Sometimes it is really hard balancing it all and being a working mom. I am trying to embrace it but some days it just makes me sad!

4. The weather has been hit or miss the past week or so but when it is a hit we are soaking up all the fresh air possible. There is something to be said about getting some fresh air!

5. I have decided on Zander's first birthday and am SOOOOO excited for it! Now if my family could just fly out and join us!

6. Some people are so draining and will constantly be that way! Surround yourself with positive people and positive energy.

7. Why do the weekends go so fast!!!

I hope everyone has a great weekend! We have a busy rest of the day and super busy Sunday! Happy Weekend!

Year in Review - 2016

Another amazing year. We had a few bumps in the road but overall 2016 was really good to us. We had a lot of exciting things happen.

January

Kinley got a big girl bed and spent about 2 weeks in it before we gave up.

We experienced Kinley's first snow that she could actually go outside in. It wasn't much but I told her it might snow this weekend and she got on the ground and told me she wanted to make a snow angle. The things they remember is amazing! That was almost a year ago!

We found out we were having a boy and not a girl and that his heart was normal after a terrible scare!

February

February was a tough month but we made it through with some good things as well. The Broncos won the superbowl which was super exciting! We had a pretty low key Valentine's Day which I am totally ok with. Daddy and Kinley made me an awesome heart cake for Valentine's Day. It was so sweet of them.

March

March started out pretty awesome with the most amazing baby sprinkle. My friend hosted both Kinley's and Zander's shower and did a phenomial job each time!

We had a fun weekend getaway to Great Wolf Lodge. It was fun to get away for the weekend and do something special with just Kinley before her brother arrived. Little did we know we only had 2 weeks left as a family of 3.

We had a pretty low key Easter but Kinley did get some amazing Easter pictures done. I can not believe how much more grown she looks in just a year.

We ended the month with my 34th birthday and one of my favorite photo shoots yet, our maternity pictures.

April

One week in and our sweet boy made his appearance! He was two weeks early and I had no idea he was coming! Besides his birth, Kinley meeting him was one of the best moments ever. I could share so many pictures but I will save you!

My sister came to visit and the rest of the month we hung out and enjoyed lots of baby snuggles!

May

We had Zander's newborn photo shoot done. They are some of the sweetest pictures but my favorites are the ones with him and Kinley. You can see the bond they have. It melts my heart.

Zander turned a month old and it was seriously the fastest month of my life. Adjusting to life with two littles was difficult but I think we have gotten things down, though we do have our challenges.

Kinley decided she wanted to potty train and did an amazing job!! We did the three day method and she took to it like a champ. She still wears a diaper at night and nap and has been waking up dry more often than not so hopefully her diapers will be all gone soon! My best advice is to bring a potty with you where ever you go for the few few weeks! They have to pee like every 3 seconds at first!

June

Zander had his first beach trip and my youngest sister came to visit. We had a great time and I hate we are so far away.

Matt celebrated his first Father's Day as a daddy of two and I think he had a pretty fabulous day! The pictures are going to be harder and harder to do.

 July

We took our first family trip to Florida to visit my aunt and grandma. We had the best time ever and can not wait to go back. Sitting my the pool with drinks in hand was pretty fabulous!

Zander turned 3 months old and I went back to work. It was a tough adjustment for me this time. I hate leaving the both of them. It really crushes my heart though I know I am doing the right thing.

I found out I was going to be an aunt again and the kids did a police photo shoot! Boy did we do a lot of picture taking in 2016.

August

August was kind of a quiet month for us; as we all were adjusting to me being back at work and the new schedule with both kids in daycare.

My dad and step mom came to visit so we spent a few days at the beach and hanging out with them. I miss them!

September

Kinley started preschool! This was big for us! She has been going to an in home day care since she was about 16 months old. Since her birthday is late she is in the 2's class and technically did not need to start preschool this year but we wanted her to be in a more educational setting. It was a big adjustment at first but she is loving it and all the friends she has made!

My mom came to visit. We had the best time and I wish she lived here.

October

October was a really really rough month for us and I would like to put it behind us. Zander did turn 6 months and I can't believe we are closer to one than birth. Both the kids were pretty sick and that was awful because then Matt and I got it too.

Zander celebrated his first Halloween and him and Kinley were the cutest Tinkerbell and Peter Pan!

November

We went to Colorado to celebrate my sister's baby shower. It was a last minute trip but we all had a great time and the kids were fabulous!

Kinley had her first real dentist visit and she let them clean all of her teeth and no cavities! She also started swim lessons and has done great except going under the water. She will get there, she has had only a handful of lessons so far.

Zander celebrated his first Thanksgiving and had his first visit with Santa...I'd say he did well!

Kinley turned 3! How in the world is she 3?? We had an amazing ice cream social party with friends and family.

December

Kinley had her first show experience, we took her to Disney Live. She enjoyed it and the snow cone that she ate about 6 bites of. Don't worry Matt and I ate the rest!

We made Christmas Cookies and did family photos.

Zander celebrated his first Christmas and loved all the wrapping paper he got to rip up!

I celebrated becoming an auntie again and Kinley and Zander getting another cousin. We can't wait to go visit baby James.

Looking back at 2016 we had a fabulous year. We had a few bumps in the road but we made it through and we can't wait to see what 2017 brings us!