Dancing Queen

We just finished our 2nd week in Texas. There was a crazy thunderstorm last night! Olivia woke up 93759594 times. Also, Texas is humid. I knew that, but man I hate humidity. I just can't handle it. John probably thinks I'm being crazy but it makes me want to crawl out of my skin. But John is loving his internship and tomorrow we are going to the Alamo and Riverwalk!

In the world of Olivia. She's loving being in a new place and exploring this house! She has discovered how to use trashcans. We have found shoes, letters, balls, remotes, strainers, and more in trashcans. Also, she is now a pro at walking. She started walking a few weeks before she turned one and now she basically only walks. She loves balls. She throws and chases them around, I see a future soccer player forming.

The best of all she has discovered dancing! If she hears music, she starts waving her hands around and shaking her bum. It's pretty stinkin adorable.

Also, she has started this thing when I put her on my lap to nurse her she starts kicking her feet like a little happy dance. I love it!

I am Mama

This is my second mother's day as a mother. My first, Olivia was just a week old. I loved her more than anything and I had no idea what I was doing. I knew there were things I absolutely would do, things I would try and fail, and things I would never ever consider, along with things I didn't think I would do that I have.

Now, a year later, I still have no idea what I'm doing. There are things I do that I am all about and no one could convince me of another way. There are (so so many) things I have tried and utterly failed at. There are things I wish I never did and most definitely things I would never do in a million years.

All mother's have those things and they are completely different for all of us. And the thing I've learned is mom's are crazy protective of their parenting style, like mama bear protective. I had heard of "mommy wars" before becoming a mom and turns out they are real. I have been at the receiving end of it and it's pretty disheartening.

Being a mom, although more difficult (and frustrating at times) than I could ever put into words, is one of the best experiences of life. It defines you, which I think is why women get so crazy when it comes to how they raise they're kids. But the thing is no matter how we do it, we need all the support we can get. A few months ago someone said to me, "feed your baby an Avocado or a twinkle 2 years from now they'll probably turn out the same either way". And while I hope Olivia never eats a twinkie isn't it so true?

When I worked at Isabel Patterson child development center we had this phrase we went by, "it takes a village to raise a child". I believed it then and now I know it's true.

The best support I have found besides family is other moms. So the whole mommy wars things makes me so sad. I love my friends who are moms that I can talk to and ask for advice without feeling judged. But I have experienced the opposite for sure.

I think what mothers need is to stand strong in what they believe is best for their children, ask for advice when nothing is working, give advice freely and without judgement. And most importantly seriously don't judge another mom especially when she is doing the best she can. Just because a mom does something differently or you catch her when she is at her wits end doesn't mean she's a bad mom or she thinks you're a bad mom.

Let's just all do the best we know how, the best for our children, and give loving support to one another.

So, this is a glimpse of how I Mama:

I breastfeed and didn't give a bottle. At a year old weaning is no where in our near future.

I nurse to sleep. I do not let her cry it out. Ever.

I tried cloth diapers for awhile but with Olivia's kidney reflux it just wasn't working out. But next baby I will try again.

I baby led wean. No baby food.

Veggies rule our world. Basically no sugar or overly processed foods. (and of course no dairy)

I make all our meals mostly from scratch.

I babywear. Sometimes she loves it, sometimes she hates it.

I try not to use medicine and do alternative, natural healing instead.

Olivia does a combination of sleeping in a crib, sleeping in our bed and sleeping in my arms. (when we get back to Utah she'll have a floor bed)

Olivia doesn't get any screen time. And doesn't have flashy electronic toys.

We read lots. We play, we dance, we go outside.

Happy mother's day to all you amazing moms. You are doing amazing work, you are strong, you are enough.

Texas: the beginning

So we arrived in San Antonio Saturday evening.
The house we are staying at is nice. There are lots of windows, a garden with tons of veggies, a huge yard with trees, and it's out in the country kind of.
The weather has been good so far, it's been cool. There are supposed to be thunderstorms all week and boy is it humid! It's not too bad since it's not that hot yet but it's a change the crazy dryness of Utah.
Church on Sunday was good. Our ward is mostly military families and there are so many kids! I think the primary has something like 144 kids, there are close to 30 in nursery and a bunch of babies.
Today was John's first day. He was super nervous but hopefully it went well. I went to the grocery store today and let me tell you it gave me anxiety! The grocery store was huge! Like almost as big as Costco but with smaller aisles and it was SO crowded! Not so fun. And I usually love grocery shopping so that was a bummer.

Olivia update:
20lbs
30inches
Walking everywhere
Says mama and dada and mimics a lot of what we say
No teeth but in the process of getting two. She has a low fever and is drooling like crazy so hopefully in the next couple days they'll pop through.
Still breastfeeding (n
Eats everything but her favorite right now is strawberries and salmon