Mommy Motto!

 

  

 

Cleaning and scrubbing 

Can wait till tomorrow, 

For babies grow up, 

we've learned to our sorrow.

So quiet down cobwebs,

-Dust, go to sleep!

I'm rocking my baby,

And Babies Don't Keep!

-My Gramma Berrett

Little Mag is Five Months Old!

 

Maggie is now FIVE MONTHS old!! Holy cow! I can't believe how fast time flies, especially when there is something so cute to look at all the time! This month has been so much fun! MagPie has discovered so much and her personality is really starting to pop! Here are some things she's accomplished this month:

Rolls over from back to tummy and tummy to back

Can almost sit up by herself

 

Plays with toys and puts them in her mouth

Puts EVERYTHING in her mouth!

Got two teeth!

Has more fun at her Gramma & Grampa's (although she still gets overwhelmed sometimes)

Grabs her feet constantly and puts her toes in her mouth!

 

Squeals and coos ALL the time! 

Loves to stand and chat!

 

Discovered herself in the mirror!

Loves her mommy and daddy more all the time!

 

She also seems to be feeling better with each day! She still spits up quite a bit but it is definitely decreasing and she doesn't seem to be feeling as much pain from her tummy anymore! Yay!

Oh wow she's been so fun! I absolutely adore this girl! Being a mommy is definitely the best thing that ever happened! I couldn't ask for a sweeter or cuter baby! I LOVE HER! :)

Reality Check!

So today I had a HUGE reality check!! It was a good reality check, and just one of those that I really needed at this time.

I guess maybe this week I have been feeling a little bit down in the dumps and throwing a tantrum because the last few months have delivered some pretty unexpected challenges that have been hard to adjust to. I will go into them, specifically to prove my point. 

I have always been one to think that life ends up being the energy that you put out there; for instance, say I really wanted to be somebody who had a great pregnancy and absolutely loved being pregnant, then gave birth naturally without too many complications and then be able to nurse my baby successfully and have my baby be healthy and happy constantly and come with her own schedule, only cry when she needed something and lose all my baby weight quickly plus some extra pounds, and move on with our happy little perfect lives and be so grateful for all the perfect blessings and run into the sunset! Then, if I wanted that to happen, all I would have to do is just do my part in the world and put out that energy, and it would be that way... right?

WRONG!!!

The reality is, although I really have tried to do my part in the world and put out that energy, I had this terrible rash all over my body towards the end of my pregnancy, itched CONSTANTLY and ENDLESSLY, and pretty much hated being pregnant towards the last part. I ended up having a C section without going through any labor at all. I tried so hard to nurse my baby, but after two long, difficult months, gave up due to my baby having acid reflux and being constantly hungry, but lacking the drive to get out the food the hard way. My baby did not come with her own schedule, like most babies don't, and she hurts quite a bit with her tummy. Now to top it all off, she's teething early and she's been pretty sad this week.

But HERE IS MY REALITY CHECK!!

Sometimes it may seem like Heavenly Father is beating me up and one more punch will kill me. But because of this experience, I have the most undying love for this little girl who just so happens to be A BILLION TIMES MORE PERFECT and wonderful than I ever expected!! I would not change our experience for anything, because it has brought us closer together than anything else ever could! Heavenly Father loves us so much, that he is using this experience of me and my baby getting through this "Boot Camp" to teach me how to love more perfectly like he does and to see how endless his love is for us.

I don't know if any of this makes sense, but I just had this hit home to me today so much that I was sobbing and snorting in the middle of Relief Society! LOVE is what this whole life's journey is about for me, in every sense of the word.

Love: non-judgemental, unconditional, infinite, caring, active, growing love for myself, my sweet Maggie, Nick, our families, friends, My Savior, Heavenly Father, even people I may not even know! 

I honestly feel like Heavenly Father was telling me himself today, that this is the way that he loves his children. Including me, even when going to church and fulfilling callings and such hasn't really been on the top of my priority list since Maggie came, He is loving me even more!

Anyway, I just want everyone to know that I absolutely know that Heavenly Father is real! And I love him! And I am so grateful that I have had the challenges that I do, because now I am that much stronger and am so ready for whatever else He's got to throw at me. After all, if I've made it through this in one piece I will be the best Mommy ever to my baby and the rest of them when they come! :)

Dear Maggie,

Dear Maggie,

I want you to know how I am feeling right now. I love you so much that words can not explain. You have blessed my life more than you will ever know.  I thought I knew what it felt like to experience joy, love, meaningfulness, and appreciation, but you coming to me has shown me a new side of all the emotions I ever knew. I felt amazing love for you since I heard your heartbeat and it only grows stronger every single day.  I know that our experiences together, both the rocky and the smooth, are bonding us closer to one another. I feel like when I look at you, you are telling me how much you love me and I know that I am your number one.  I know that I do not always look physically beautiful to the world, but you make me feel like the most beautiful girl in the universe! You give my life meaning, and I do not care what anyone else on earth says or thinks because you could not be more perfect!  God himself crafted you with his own two hands, and sent you strait to me. I don't know what I did to be worthy of that honor, but I will live up to His expectations if I do nothing else.

Before you came, I never could have just sat around the house like I do now and feel OK about it, but now that you are here, there is nothing better for me to do but be with you and help you to become the fantastic girl that you already are! It is so fun to see you discovering new things and growing with each day. You are so loved by your family and you always will be! You hold a special place in all of their hearts!

If you ever feel any doubt about the reality of your Heavenly Father and Savior, you just need to look at what they gave to your mommy. If I didn't already believe He was real, I would because of you. You are my life's miracle and I hope that you always feel that! Maggie, I sincerely LOVE you with all of my being and I am very grateful to call you mine.

Love,

Mommy