WW: Savoring this Age and Little Things Link Up.

Greetings friends and Happy Wednesday!

I'm excited to join It's the Little Things Link Up today, hosted by Sadie Sky Boutique and Word of Waverly. Taking time to celebrate and be thankful for the little things in this hilarious day-to-day life? I'm in!

We've been dealing with a bout of croup over here (Croupy Coopy wuhahaha!) but with a little lung infections comes lots of these:

Mommy snuggles!

Don't worry y'all, it's a really mild case and he is already doing so much better.

As a Stay-at-Home mama, I live for these moments. 

They make the tantrums, messes, sleepless nights, hearing the word "mommy" 20 times in one-minute, and sometimes monotonous days so worth it.

It's during these moments when you see the sweetness of this little human that you MADE and the need they have for you that make your heart full. I wouldn't be anywhere else. 

Maybe I'm still going through withdrawals from my vacation away from Cooper, but this age is so darn fun. I find myself telling Jeff at the end of every day just how cute Cooper is these days! He is so well behaved, predictable and we understand each other. That may sound odd, but just like communication between adults is important, same between a mom and a little. Literally for almost two years we deal with hardly any two-way communication or understanding here, so I'm amazed at the change it makes in the day-to-day.

So today I celebrate those rare mommy snuggles and the joy I find this short little guy that I get to call mine! 

Bye, bye binky!

How terrified are you of the day you finally have to take the pacifier away from your toddler? Like, forever?

I've heard dramatic, traumatic stories of weaning the pacifier; from painful nights that turn into weeks, to lots of tears and screaming, to putting the pacifier in a Build-a-Bear. I'm sure you've heard them. Kids are serious about their paci's!!

Needless to say I was nervous.

Cooper is turning two in a few weeks, and I know that this is typically "the time" to drop the binky. A few months ago we successfully limited the pacifier to only sleep-time (unless he was sick), but the idea of taking it away completely?
Daunting.

So here was my plan:
I was expecting to do a lot of research in preparation for "P-DAY."
Then, I would come up with a detailed plan, delay the plan about six more months until the baby came, and THEN wean Coop from the pacifier.

But here's what happened:

My husband put Cooper to bed one night last week, came downstairs and told me, "I didn't give Cooper the pacifier tonight."

I laughed in his face. "Hah! Like that'll work!"

Cooper proceeded to sleep 12 hours.

I get curious, and didn't give him the pacifier the next night. Right to sleep.

It'll NEVER happen for naps, I think. I tried anyways. Right to sleep.

And so, like every other time I am worried about how change will impact my son, he surprises me with how well he adapts to the situation.

I wish I could offer some experienced words of wisdom here, but I can only tell you what I've learned through every transition we've made with our son. And I know, all kids are different. This is just our experience, with our kid.

Avoiding paci-dependency:

Don't delay the transition. 
Most of the strategies I've researched talk about explaining what you are doing to your toddler and creating an incentive-based plan. But at two years old, they don't quite understand all this. It worked to our advantage to not have to explain it to him, because, honestly, he wouldn't have understood. Putting it off takes that advantage away as they get older.

Have a bedtime routine in place. 
We have a routine that we've been doing every time Cooper goes to sleep, since he was two-months old. We give him his paci and lovey, read a book, turn on the sound machine, and we leave the room. As they grow and become more aware, it becomes a familiar and expected routine signaling sleep time. So when there is a change in that routine (ie pacifier) it's not as noticeable.

Have another sleep-time "item" that your toddler loves.
Cooper has lovey that has been a calming force for him since he was little.
I remember putting it in the crib when he was very young, and unaware that it was there. But eventually he grew to know when mom gave him the monkey it was time to sleep. To this day he still strokes the tags on the lovey each time he falls asleep. I think without the lovey, pulling the pacifier would have been more noticeable and a disruption.

Don't enable.
Listen, I know it's easy to grab the pacifier when your baby or toddler is crying or upset, I've done it. But as they get older this is by far one of the worst things you can do. Avoid it at all costs. Once they are walking they become toddlers and can be distracted and soothed with toys or other activities. The pacifier just becomes a crutch.

The next big change coming up for us next year is potty training and moving to a big boy bed. I have promised myself to not expect the worst, and put some faith in my son for once!

He deserves it. 

Five-on-Friday

Happy Friday friends!
I am linking up again with Darci, April, Christina and Natasha for Five on Friday!

You know what that means? I'm home for once! Bless it!

{one}
Cooper

Mommy and Coop at the park today.

After 12 days away from my little last week, I'm still obsessed with being with him for every second. Y'all I can't get enough. This age is so darn fun.

The only problem we're having over here is playing well with others. He doesn't like peeps up in his grill when mom is around. Although notes from school say things like "kind to his friends" and "shares well" I'm positive that they must be lies. All lies.

{two}
TAGstore Boxes
One of my (two) resolutions was to organize small spaces in my home. 

I'm happy to report that this project is....going.

I found these boxes at Container Store and grabbed a couple.
I love them!
 I've already labeled one Crayons/Markers and the other Crafts and they fit perfectly in our closet shelving. You can buy more tabs as you change what your storing.

{three}
The Book Thief

I'm a huge reader and while on vacation, per many folks suggestions, I read The Book Thief.  If you're looking for a new book, I highly suggest it!
It's a unique perspective on World War II (on life during those times, not so much the war or terrible things that were happening) and it's characters totally draw you in. Hang in there at the beginning, the author spends a lot of time setting up characters, but it's worth it!

{four}
I reached the 16-week mark today! 
I'm four months preggers y'all!

I'm so excited about my 2nd trimester. I learned from the first go-around that this is the time to get stuff done: the nursery, my son's big boy room, all of it. Third trimester, for me, is just not the time to "be productive." I can't wait to get started!

Also on my mind is the delivery.
I had a C-Section with my son and the moment I got pregnant I started thinking about my delivery with this baby. Scheduled c-section or VBAC?
VBACs are supported my doctor and the hospital where I'll deliver ; I'm lucky it's even an option. I think it'll take me the full 9-months to decide what's best for me. Anyone else go through a similar situation?

{five}

Weekend plans...

Who's with me?
Have a great weekend!

Wisdom Wednesday: The load you carry.

Not only is this so darn true, but I wish someone would have reminded me of this earlier in life.

Some of the people that I most admire personally and professionally have a can-do, positive attitude in all circumstances. They are the kind of people who never lose confidence in themselves, and take the unexpected or difficult situation in stride- never letting it rock their world too much.

Professionally, it only took me about a DECADE to not take everything that didn't go my way personally. Or to not let things crush me to the point I was almost paralyzed. Sometimes personally I still have to work on it. 

When I first started writing this little "Wisdom" Wednesday ditty, it always came back to what I had learned or how I could grow. It still does sometimes. But 9 times out of 10, it's about what I want my children (eek there's going to be two!!) to know as they grow into society-offering, decision-making humans.

I want Cooper to know that it's not the situation that makes you weak. 

If situations controlled our happiness and life than we would go through life depressed, insecure and unhappy because life isn't fair and it doesn't always go the way we want. (Remember that time I didn't make the 8th grade volleyball team?). 

What it's really about is how he handles that situation. He can choose to give the situation power and let it control him. We all know how this goes. 

Or he can take the power back in how he reacts to the problem. He can choose to work it towards something good and learn something. I hope he learns that a lot of things won't go his way and that's okay. To take it with a grain of salt, not let it discourage you, get right back up, and never give up on a goal. There's always a Plan B.

 Note to self, Lauren, re-read this post every week.

P.S. I'm going to stop sharing New Posts to my personal Facebook except for every now and then. If you have interest in following the blog I'd love for you to follow along! 
Oh and remember if you subscribed to my old page you are NOT subscribed to this one as the name changed slightly!
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Baby makes...four!

I'm baaaaack!

After a long vacation with my husbands family in Kauai (what! what!) and way-ay-ay too much time away from my favorite (almost) two-year old, we are finally back home and I've never been so excited for some down time.

And in other news...

We're having another baby y'all!

I know, I can barely believe it myself. 

We found out that we were expecting in early November and will be welcoming our newest nugget in mid-July! It still feels a little odd to say it out loud, but seeing as several strangers have been congratulating me on the street, I think the cat's out of the bag.

This is obviously my second pregnancy but it feels just as exciting as the first one. I am still massively blown away (if not even more now) by the miracle of pregnancy.

I mean, seriously y'all, how do people get pregnant?

Why I'm allowed this gift again is beyond me, and I am humbled and so very grateful.

Here's what's been going on over the past four months:

1). I started suspecting I was pregnant when I couldn't stop crying one morning during Good Morning America's...intro. Have you seen it? Not very emotional.

2). Cooper knows that there's a baby in mommy's belly, and he thinks there's one in yours too. On the plus side? He is so gentle and loving towards babies. He's going to be a great big brother I just know it.

3). At first I wanted eggs. All the time. Then anything processed, chocolate, or cheesy in a box. Lately, all I can think about is Diet Pepsi.

What are we having?? We find this out right before my son turns two. 

However, my (large) belly makes me think it is a BOY but my hubs, mom and the Chinese Gender Chart are going with GIRL. Any guesses?

(I know some people get weirded out by sonograms, this is the only one I'll share I pinky-swear. But I mean, kick back and relax why don't ya, kid?)

My son has a book of the Lord's Prayer and it explains each sentence in "kid" terms. One explanation of "Thy will be done in earth" has been resonating with me lately: "God made me for a purpose, He has a good plan for my life, so I am not afraid. Thank you God, for your plan!"

Amen to that! 

So I guess now that it's hit social media land...it's official!

I'll be back soon with pictures from paradise and some of my pregnancy must haves!

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Two goals for the New Year.

Did yesterday feel like Sunday to anyone else? And today, Monday?

Cooper gets it.

For some reason the last couple weeks have thrown me way off. 

It may be all the holidays thrown into a short period of time, the endless sickness that has been in our home, or the fact that we leave town AGAIN next week. 

My brain can't keep up.

With Christmas over, I get all itchy staring at my decorations.

Once the jolly fat man comes, I need that tree down. STAT!

It's amazing how much you look forward to decorating for Christmas, how enjoyable the month of December is, and then come January, it all must go. 

And so it has at our house.

And, now, we usher in 2014!

...or something.

Now I'm a huge goal-setter, but I've always thought it was touché, if you will, to do so for the New Year. Like, REALLY, who EVER sticks to New Year "resolutions"?

However, this year I felt motivated to goal-set. 

To commit. Alas, I share here on the blog!

1. Be a more patient mom. 

I'm pretty sure every mom knows that it's easy to snap or get angry from time to time. I would say I'm not super excitable, but when I do get angry at my son it's SO counterproductive. It's no good for me or him, and this is the year I focus on controlling my impulse to get mad. 

2. Organize small spaces. 

This may sound simple but it is oh so complicated. First you must know organization does not come naturally to me. Second, think of all the small spaces in your home! Dresser drawers, kitchen drawers, closet cabinets, vanity spaces, etc. etc. It will most likely take me all of 2014 and 2015 to complete this goal. I'll try to brag with lots before and after pics. This, assuming, that I achieve goal number two.

No matter how many goals we set this year, I think all we ever really want is to be better than we were the year before. Wishing everyone a better day than the last!

"Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man."   -Ben Franklin