What I have learned

In 8 and a half short months I have learned so much about myself and about parenthood.  I have learned so much on this journey that is just beginning.  And, I know I will learn so much more!  So much that I have learned I could never have read in a book.  Life lessons are best when learned.

What I have learned:

1. You can do IT!  Whatever IT may be, you can do it if you really want to.

2. Being a stay at home mom isn't as easy as you would have ever suspected.  It is hard work being a Mommy.

3. My house doesn't stay clean, and I don't cook supper every night (poor Bryan right?)

4. Martin is going to smile at me and love me even if my hair isn't perfectly straightened or if I have puffs smashed on my shoulder from someone's snack.  

5. I smell like Maple Syrup from taking Fenugreek to stimulate my milk.  But hey, who doesn't like Maple Syrup??

6. Making baby food is easy (and actually fun, who knew?).  Oh, and the Beaba company doesn't want you to know how easy it is to make baby food with what you already have in your kitchen (blender).  Instead, they want you to buy their special TINY (holds a really small amount of food) baby food processor for a small fortune.  

7. Breastfeeding is such a challenge, but oh so worth it.  If you have support, it will get better!!!

8. I can be domestic when I want to (ie-making my own baby food, baking homemade bread).  But, please don't tell my husband that I actually do know how to iron men's clothing.  

9. I will NEVER be as funny as the Moose on Nick Jr or Bryan.  Martin laughs so hard when he plays with Daddy that it just melts my heart.  I am so lucky to have such a great husband--and Martin is so lucky to have such a great dad!!

10. You will eventually catch up on your sleep....although you will still look tired and run ragged occasionally. And, people will say things to you in the grocery store like, "oh darling, you just look so tired"....which translates to....you look like hell, get ahold of yourself!

11. It doesn't have to be perfect.  Whatever it is.  I am still learning this daily.  I strive for perfection in so many aspects of my life.  Especially being a Mommy.  Who doesn't want to be the perfect Mom?  But, I am getting there, slowly but surely.  I think it is the control freak in me that has the issue of letting go.  And, remember that NO ONE has it all figured it out.  Even if they seem like it....something behind that brave face is freaking out!

12. Children are an absolute JOY!!!  Martin has blessed me more than I ever knew possible.  I hope that everyone who he meets along his way in life is just as blessed by him as I have been.

Lucky readers, two posts in two days!  Wow!

Long Overdue

Yes, I am officially a bad blogger.  Hopefully my faithful (few) followers are actually still checking to see if we are still blogging.  I haven't blogged in WAY TOO LONG.  Forgive me please!  Martin is doing great, and we are gearing up for our Beach Trip!!!  We are headed to Fort Morgan, and I cannot wait to get my toes back in the sand, and get some stuffed shrimp at The Oyster House and fried cheesecake at King Neptune's!!!  Hey, don't knock it til you try it.  And, if you haven't tried it there, you are missing out.  We ordered it once with my Aunt and Cousin out of curiosity, and now when we start talking about going to the beach that is one of the first things that comes to mind.  But, so as to not sound like someone obsessed with food, I will stop talking about the food aspect now!  I need some more sun, and I can't wait to walk on the beach and pick up shells.  My mom and I joke that I really am becoming more crunchy granola everyday.  Maybe I am more like my hippies for parents than I realized!!  I am still making Martin's food, and he is still loving it.  He likes everything except PEAS.  But, he gets it honest, I hate them too....and let's face it, they are nasty looking, tasting, and smelling!  Our two latest loves are squash and zucchini.  He likes both.  He also eats puffs now, and tries to stick a bunch in his mouth at once.  That boy loves a good snack!

Martin now has 3 teeth, and #4 is very close.  You can see the bottom two really good in the picture, and the one on top if you look closely.  He is still sleeping great at night.  Sometimes a little too great, I get worried and have to go peek in the nursery to check on him when I don't hear him on the monitor.  He helps me all day.  I can never go far without him following me.  He is pulling up on everything!!!!  And, even walking while holding on to different things (love seat, couch, chairs).  It won't be long now, and I will be chasing him all over the house and/or neighborhood!  He loves to swing outside, and loves to help me water flowers in the front (anything that gets him outside is great with him).  He claps now.  Mainly for the TV....that Moose on Nick Jr. is just so talented -- makes Martin clap every time.  And, he claps for himself a lot too!  He talks non stop all day long!  Mainly da da da, but that is ok with me, maybe when he gets a little older and starts calling for one of us when he wakes up he will call for Daddy!

Bryan and I are still doing Couch to 5k, and we are on week 7.  It really is going well.  I am so impressed that we have stuck with it.  We are doing our first 5k together July 3--Firecracker 5k in Memphis.  Here is hoping we can finish with a decent time!  Bryan is really doing much better than I am (faster, not as out of breath when we finish)....but in my defense, I never get to run alone like he does.  Such is life with an 8 month old.  Big weekend at the Benton house!  Our 5 year anniversary was Friday.  And, then on Sunday was Bryan's birthday and first Father's Day.  What a great 5 years with a great man and now Daddy.  We had a great weekend!!  Martin stayed in the nursery during church yesterday for the first time, and sweet little Mrs. Joy said "he was so happy, and boy does he love music".  Yes, he does!  Glad he was so good in there, I was scared to death about leaving him, and watched the beeper like a hawk during the service.  But, I enjoyed actually hearing the sermon, and I know he had a great time with LOTS of attention.  Speaking of attention, I need to give baby boy some fruit and oatmeal, so I will close here.  I promise to be a better blogger!!

Beach Baby

Enjoying his shovel in his personal pool on the beach!

Daddy, Pa, and Grammy with Martin on the beach

Mama and Martin enjoying the pool

Happy 8 Months Baby Boy

Perfect beach set-up

Martin and Nanny

Benton Family

The whole group at the beach

Nanny and Pa with Martin

GREAT Uncles Doug and Stan with Martin

Pops, Martin and Grammy

Benton Family again

Just not really sure about the sand and waves

Loving that shovel

Relaxing dip in the tide pool

What a day!!!  

Destin, FL 2011

Happy Boy

Dewey Destin

Cutie Pie!

As you can tell from the pictures, we had an absolute blast at the beach!  Martin enjoyed himself so very much.  He wasn't real sure about the waves or the sand, but he LOVED swimming in the big pool, and splashing in his blow up pool on the beach.  He took a nap everyday on the beach in someone's arms and was such a good boy on the trip.  I was scared to death about driving that far in the car with an eight month old, but he did AMAZING!!!  He went to dinner with us every night, and no one missed a meal.  Actually the night we went to Back Porch we got seated in "kiddie corner" we called it.  There were two other BIG parties in there.  One was a group of 4 women with about 10 kids, and the other an even bigger group with probably 8 adults and 12 or so kids.  The second bunch was a nightmare....the adults just as bad as the kids. So, needless to say, Martin was the best kid in the room.  He did great in his high chair eating his puffs.  We had a great trip, and look forward to going back to the beach at the end of the month.  We are going to Fort Morgan, AL with my family (Gulf Shores area).  I cannot wait to get some fried cheesecake from King Neptune's and some stuffed shrimp from The Original Oyster House.  I am no longer afraid of the trip in the car....Martin does great!  Hope everyone has a great week.