A Little Bit of Dirt

If you have read very many of my winter posts you will most definately sense a theme... we were sick a lot!  Anyhoo whether it was stress, the baby or just plain germy hands, i plan to do my part to make sure we are not sick that much ever again!  So todays project was to visit the 99 cent sale at a local nursery and get some indoor plants.  We have done A LOT of renovating in the last year including painting, redoing hardwood floors,  and recarpeting, all of which release a good amount of fumes.  To combat this i read that it is a good idea to have some indoor greenery.  And if you have to have dirt in your house... you might as well make it cute :)

Can i interest anyone in a good cup of...

Mommy is my favorite word!

notice he is happy when it is coming ...

Things I like about being a mommy :)

1. snuggles at bedtime
2. I am always right according to elli
3. I always get to hold the baby first after delivery
4. I get the final decision on the baby's name cause MY signature is required on the certificate, lol
5. I can rest assured the nearby train will never wake me up...
6. although i get most of the puke, poop, snot, skinned knees and all over yucky messes... i also get the MOST and LONGEST hugs and kisses ;)

and not so happy going, lol!

a little bit heavy

 This morning... well maybe we should just start late last night, i woke up at least 5 times last night before finally "getting up" at 6:30 with Micah :).  In my sleep deprived state i had one single thought boring into my mind "I want my life to matter".  There are so many things i want... and i don't consider myself a material person but lately i've been examining myself a little more critically.  At church this sunday the pastor gave an astonishing statistic.  If all the population was frozen at this point in time, at the rate churches are adding believers it would take 4,000 years to reach everyone for Christ.  And i thought, first "that is incredible" and second "when was the last time i lead someone to christ?".   I don't mean to minimize anyone's personal goals because like many others i have goals to finish my BA,  start singing regularly again, sell some artwork and start a photography business, but in the midst of all the struggling i have to do just to move one foot in front of the other to make my way toward these goals, i pray i never forget my main goal: to win the lost to Christ.  It isn't my goal so i can feel worthy or justified in my life, but it is a cry from my innermost heart to see people suffering from the reaping of their own harvest of bad decisions, have a heart change that will effect their whole life.  God is waiting with open arms to accept them and teach them to live eternally.  I am not like most  religious people who assign rules and regulations, but i believe God was a God of goodness and common sense.  God banned many foods from jewish diets in the old testament.  If you research the effects on the body by these foods, you would understand why God asked them to abstain.  I think it is so easy to get caught up in a relationship when sex is involved (not to mention std's which no one knew about in early  biblical times, plus pregnancy and it was even more difficult for an unwed mother to care for her child back then) and not really take the time to get to know everything about the person you are so "in love" with.  I pray that God realizes this goal in my life.

On a lighter note I went to the mall today :)  And i would just like to give a shout out to all the ladies out there carrying huge purses that are stocked full of the necessary (and sometimes unnecessary items).  Ladies  that are constantly getting made fun of, but are constantly being asked if they might have what someone else needs because they forgot theirs at home :).  yep that is me- extra diapers, wipes, band-aides, clothes, cortizone, afterbite, bug spray.... the list goes on.  Yes i carry an overnight bag for a purse and my baby and quite possibly my four year old would fit inside together.  It is a lot... but i have nice biceps :)

So today while i was feeding Micah I began reminiscing on all of the things that have happend in my life over the last few months.  Let's just say there are quite a few not so great things that have happened to me.  For some reason i found them quite hilarious today.
Hope you giggle too :)

I finished so many errands today :)!  Isn't it so funny how all these little things that need done add up to one huge amount of stress!  It is so much harder to get in and out quickly with two kids in tow.  I thought at first this was only because i was not organized enough but i am beginning to see that it doesn't matter how organized i am it is always a challenge.  Although it is twice the trouble it is also twice the reward :)!
    It is so funny how different my kids are, even as babies! Micah is so expressive!  That is a nice way of saying he cries and cries but he also has such a sweet, easy smile.  I always had to work for elli to smile but she was smart as a whip and always ahead of schedule while Micah me-aners along waiting for me to push him to try new things.  They are so special.

  Micah is getting so big!  Every time i hold him i just marvel at how he has grown and how fast time flies by.  I love having a little girl and although i had no idea what i would "do" with a boy when we found out that micah was on his way, I really love having a sweet little man in my life too :)

New things :)

I have been keeping busy...

I guess i sort of fell into this new hobby of mine.  I like to take pictures particularly of my kids.  I remember when my eldest was born my mom joked that i took pictures of her everyday :)  I cannot help it if my children are adorable :)  Usually i get my art on (yes... i get art-on, lol) by painting, but since i have a really difficult time stopping in the middle of a piece and coming back the next day ... or weeks later (believe me it is not pretty when i try) i have been scratching that itch by taking pics.  Lets just say my day feels like a constant interruption as of late ( but i am loving it).  My awesome friend loaned me a really cool camera and i have been slowly learning the ins and outs of my editing program.  I really love it!

Oh and my weekly new recipe has totally went out the window.  I am lucky to get dinner at all lately.  I think it is a time conflict really.  My hubby arrives home just before the baby goes to bed and let's just say he isn't usually mr. sunshine (the baby- not my hubby) during our dinner preparation hour.  And lets face it... he really wants his momma when he is tired.  

We have been going to the pool a lot lately which is really awesome!  I am so glad summer is here.  I was honestly worried about jumping into a suit after a baby and a broken foot but i every time i feel even a little self conscious i try to remind myself that my beautiful daughter is looking at me to be her body self confidence role model.  I want her to shine :).  

Let Jesus shine through you!

Just some motherly advice

ahhhhhhh!  Today i was a cleaning machine!  It feels so nice to have some of these little things that have fallen by the wayside, since the baby was born, be neat and tidy again.  order ensues!
Lately i have been thinking a lot about mothering advice.  Some of my friends are having their first babies and i just recently brought home my second, and let me tell you i will sit and listen intently to any advice anyone has to offer.  Weather i try it or not ... it's a toss up :)  and on that note i would like to introduce

ASHLEY'S LIST TO ENSURE THAT YOU WILL NOT GO CRAZY ONCE YOU BECOME A MOTHER...
or ALTETYWNGCOYBAM (I like cloudy with a chance of meatballs )

1.  If you are nursing always wear 2 shirts.  I like to buy those spaghetti strap tanks and wear them under everything.  That way when i am in public and need to nurse the top shirt pulls up, the spaghetti strap shirt goes down and my whole back and side isn't exposed for the whole world to gawk at.

2.  keep a onesie, diaper and emergency wipes in the glove box!  There is nothing that can ruin a day faster that a crying baby with poop all over him.

3. i know you are sleep deprived and the baby might cry, but for heaven's sakes take a shower before your husband gets home from work... yes that smell is you!  (men scare easily take this into consideration if you ever want more children, lol)

4.  buy the cheap clothes... kid's are messy.  Like a food fight messy, only their food stains clothes more easily and if by some miracle you make it through a meal with a clean shirt don't worry their mustard poop will most likely show up on it later :)

5. relax, i think just about every mother comes home feeling overwhelmed and a little afraid they might do something monumentally stupid that would hurt their baby.  Being concerned for their saftey is a good sign.  Focus on loving that new little life and they will be safe.

6.  if they aren't blue... they are breathing!  Do not, i repeat Do not wake them just to make sure they are still alive

7.  Call your momma, or another mother and just talk to someone!  six weeks alone can really make you feel like a hermit and frankly a little depressed.

8.  Do not sanitize your baby's pacifier with those anti bac hand sanitizers but do sanitize their hands (people have a tendency to know they shouldn't touch a baby's face but they constantly grab their hands and let me tell you baby hands are almost always in their mouths)

well that is all i can think of now!  But i am sure that you guys have learned your own little trick along the way so please post your advise in the comments!

Night!