Mommy Moments Blog Hop!

Hey mamas!
Welcome back for another great week of Mommy Moments Link Ups! Thank you for linking up and for spreading the word last week! We love all of the great posts!

The most viewed link from last week's Mommy Moments belongs to Gloria from Life On Carr Street and her son Preston's 4 year old update! Happy Birthday Preston!

Now it's time to link up your posts! All you have to do is...

1. Follow Host: The Life Of Faith 

 Co-Hosts: The Not Quite Military Wife, Beautiful Family Affairs and The Mrs. 

2. Link up your post!
Post can include anything related to mommy-hood, children, homemaking, pregnancy etc. If you aren't a mom yet, feel free to link up your preparation for motherhood, your journey as you try to conceive, or even a post that would be encouraging to the other moms in the party!

3. Add the Mommy Moments button to your post or blog so everyone knows where you are linking up!

4. Explore some of the other posts in the link-up and say hello to some new blog friends! 

5. Tweet or Share the link up on Facebook so we can all make even more friends!

Tweet

<div align="center"><a href="http://the-life-of-faith.blogspot.com//search/label/baby" title="The Life Of Faith"><img src="http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k537/faithkonrath/mommymomentsbutton.jpg" alt="The Life Of Faith" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

P.S. We will be having a new guest host every week! Want to be a guest host of the Mommy Moments Blog Hop? Send Faith a message at farmprincess14{at}gmail{dot}com. We would love to have you!

A Letter To Mommies-to-Be

Dear Mommies-to-Be,

You are beautiful. Amidst swollen ankles, clothes that don't fit, and feeling like a mess. You are beautiful. I don't know how many times I can say it. You are beautiful. I know how being pregnant can mess with your self image. You are beautiful. Your body is changing and doing things that you had no idea it could do. You are beautiful. People may comment on how "you're glowing" and you may look at them with disdain. You are beautiful. You're body is doing amazing things, do you realize that? And you are beautiful. Do you get what I'm trying to say? You are beautiful.

Enjoy those last few weeks of those baby kicks and punches. They are wonderful. Yes, there are times that your little one just enjoys bouncing on your bladder sending you to the bathroom every five seconds and it seems to be driving you insane. Enjoy them. You will miss them when they are gone (and at least while they are in the womb, they're not leaving bruises from their ever continuing kicking you and discovering their new legs). Memorize those kicks and punches. They are special and they are wonderful. Enjoy them.

Don't worry about stretch marks. Don't stress about getting back to "pre-baby" weight. Enjoy what your body is doing. Don't wish the time away. Those last few weeks of pregnancy are precious. They are filled with anticipation and wonder, along with a bundle of nerves. Your life is never going to be the same. It is about to change for the better. Do you remember the Grinch and how his heart grew 2 sizes in one day? That will be your heart. You will hold your precious little one, and though you've already grown to love them, the instant they place that beautiful baby in your arms, your heart will grown exponentially.

Enjoy the last few weeks with your significant other. Love each other and dream about what is to come. Take those nesting instincts and run with them! It will be hard to get much done when the baby gets here. But that's okay.

And in case you forgot...You are beautiful. Cankles and all. You are so incredibly beautiful. I hope and pray you never forget that. You are beautiful.

Love,
Alli

Comparisons

I think it's funny looking at these little comparisons. She's always been such a chunk, even in the womb!

Summertime Outfits - From My Kid's Closet

Can I just say, that I have a serious blog crush on Callie from Through Clouded Glass (that's not weird is it? Haha). She has two adorable children and her youngest is a girl about a month older than Bug! I love reading about her family and learning from her. She's such an inspiration!

Anyway, her and Allison from Sweatpants and High Heels have started a blog hop sharing outfits from our kids' closets. I loved the idea and just knew I would have to jump on the bandwagon. Every other week would have a different theme, and you just have to find an outfit that matches the theme.

This weeks theme: Summertime outfits.

We've been living in cotton rompers this summer. They are easy, light, and I feel that they are perfect for this hot and muggy Georgia weather. 

I wish I could tell you where I got this romper from, but it's a hand-me-down. 90% of her clothes are hand-me-downs and I love them!

Mommy Moments Blog Hop!

Hey mamas!
Welcome back for another great week of Mommy Moments Link Ups! Thank you for linking up and for spreading the word last week! We love all of the great posts!

The most viewed link from last week's Mommy Moments was a birth story! Yay for another little life being brought into this world. Birth stories are the best. This week's belongs to Julia from The Everyday Mom. Her post was titled Myles Birth Story Part I

Check out that cute baby bump on her...and then stop by her blog to see her little man Myles!

Our guest host this week is Jennifer from First Comes Love. She has a lovely little blog that you definitely should visit and follow:)

Now it's time to link up your posts! All you have to do is...

1. Follow Host: The Life Of Faith 

 Co-Hosts: The Not Quite Military Wife, Beautiful Family Affairs and The Mrs. 
Guest host: First Comes Love

2. Link up your post!
Post can include anything related to mommy-hood, children, homemaking, pregnancy etc. If you aren't a mom yet, feel free to link up your preparation for motherhood, your journey as you try to conceive, or even a post that would be encouraging to the other moms in the party!

3. Add the Mommy Moments button to your post or blog so everyone knows where you are linking up!

4. Explore some of the other posts in the link-up and say hello to some new blog friends! 

5. Tweet or Share the link up on Facebook so we can all make even more friends!

Tweet

<div align="center"><a href="http://the-life-of-faith.blogspot.com//search/label/baby" title="The Life Of Faith"><img src="http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k537/faithkonrath/mommymomentsbutton.jpg" alt="The Life Of Faith" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

P.S. We will be having a new guest host every week! Want to be a guest host of the Mommy Moments Blog Hop? Send Faith a message at farmprincess14{at}gmail{dot}com. We would love to have you!

Friday's Letters

Dear Bug, I'm sorry you're not feeling well. I think you're teething, so tooth, please come through sooner than later. Dear Hubs, I love that I get to see your during the day and eat dinner with you! But it makes me sad when you have to leave again. Dear Weekend, There is lots that I want to get done, so please cooperate. Dear Beach, I hear you calling me. Unfortunately, I can't answer the calling. Dear Hubs, I'm so proud of you!!

Hank and Bug: Best Friends!

Photo Dump

//who needs sleep? not this girl!//toes are yummy, Mommy//look Daddy! i'm Super Baby!//

//i swear i feed my child//yummy toes//me, i'm not up to anything//

//a bulldawg dressed in tiger's clothes//father's day//silly faces//

//enjoying father's day by the lake//happy girl in her onesie dedicated to her daddy//i love my girl//

Mommies of Daughters

I'll admit, I worry about my daughter in later life. I worry about the way people will treat her, the hurt she will feel, and the pressures that "friends" will put onto her. I remember what it was like to be a teenager. It wasn't easy.

Yes, I realize I have a while before I really have to worry about it all. I always go back to Matthew 6:24-34 when I begin worrying about things...

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

It's a hard concept for me to understand. I worry about things. I just do, even though I know I shouldn't.

One thing I worry about is teaching my daughter about modesty. Something I definitely struggled with when I was younger. I wanted the boys to "notice me" but I went about it for all the wrong reasons.

There's a new video floating around FaceBook that I thought I would share about modesty and bathing suits. I will tell you this Mama now proudly wears a really cute one piece (thanks Keira), but this is one thing I wish I had heard when I was in middle or high school.

It's food for thought.

Do any other mommies of daughters out there worry about this too?

5 Months!

weight: 17 lbs 6.5 oz       

height: 25 1/2 in 

eating: every 3-4 hours; exclusively breastfed

tummy time: tummy time is pretty much non-existent now that she's a rolling machine! 

happiness: she's still a pretty content and happy baby, but lately she's going through a little spurt, I'm hoping we can blame it on teething

loves: cuddles, Lamaze toys, exersaucer, her feet in her mouth, chewing on her fingers, sucking her  thumb, and rolling all over the place

sleep: this past week has been a little rough with sleeping, once we get her to sleep she's sleeping in little bits and pieces, the problem is getting her to sleep

She's gained another pound in the past month! Clearly, she still likes eating. I love how chunky she looks in this picture! I'm debating on whether or not to start her on solids this month. Her doctor said we can start anywhere between 4 and 6 months. I guess, we'll just keep playing around. 

I love a sleeping baby! 

She's officially rolling over! It's fun to watch her and she always seems so proud of herself whenever she rolls over. She loves to roll over from her back to her tummy, but she hates rolling the other way around. She'll get to her tummy and hang out there for a little while happy as can be. Then she starts fussing and wants me to roll her over. 

She's still mostly in 3-6 month clothes, with a few 6-9 month clothes thrown in. It just depends on the brand. She has pajamas that are 6-9 month but they fit like a 0-3 month. It was funny when I tried to get it on her one night. We're keeping the same size in cloth diapers, but we've gone to a size 3 in disposable diapers whenever we use them.

We used the kiddie pool for the first time this month! She didn't know what to think of it, but I think she had fun. We're going to try the big pool this month! I can't wait to get my Bug in the water!

We also went on our first road trip to Orlando this month. This girl was a rock star in the car! I was so impressed. 

She's officially found her thumb and her toes. Something is constantly in her mouth. It's pretty cute. 

Dear Bug, 

Every day is a new adventure with you! You are discovering new things all the time. You've started answering to your name and recognizing who we are! I love watching you find new things. The first time you rolled over you were so shocked! It was precious! And you love eating your toes. Bug, you're such a joy and I love spending each and every day with you! 

Gitchee gitchee goo!

Mommy and Daddy

Mommy Moments Blog Hop

Hey mamas!

Welcome back for another great week of Mommy Moments Link Ups! Thank you for linking up and for spreading the word! We love all of the great posts!

The most viewed link from last week's Mommy Moments belongs to Bethany from Before, During and After and her post In Labor! This girl was IN LABOR last week!

And I think her baby is finally here. We can't wait to meet her baby boy. Congrats Bethany!!

Our guest host this week is Heather from A Different Kind Of Woman. Welcome Heather!

Now it's time to link up your posts! All you have to do is...

1. Follow Host: The Life Of Faith 

 Co-Hosts: The Not Quite Military Wife, Beautiful Family Affairs and The Mrs. 
Guest host: A Different Kind Of Woman

2. Link up your post!
Post can include anything related to mommy-hood, children, homemaking, pregnancy etc. If you aren't a mom yet, feel free to link up your preparation for motherhood, your journey as you try to conceive, or even a post that would be encouraging to the other moms in the party!

3. Add the Mommy Moments button to your post or blog so everyone knows where you are linking up!

4. Explore some of the other posts in the link-up and say hello to some new blog friends! 

5. Tweet or Share the link up on Facebook so we can all make even more friends!

Tweet

<div align="center"><a href="http://the-life-of-faith.blogspot.com//search/label/baby" title="The Life Of Faith"><img src="http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k537/faithkonrath/mommymomentsbutton.jpg" alt="The Life Of Faith" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

P.S. We will be having a new guest host every week! Want to be a guest host of the Mommy Moments Blog Hop? Send Faith a message at farmprincess14{at}gmail{dot}com. We would love to have you!

Wonder Week?

My normally easy-sleeping girl, has taken over a whole new personality these past few days. She's napping right on schedule and goes down rather easily. But come bedtime, something changes. We go through our normal routine: we play, bath, nurse, and then it's time for her to lay down. Typically she falls asleep while nursing and then I just put her down in her crib. Normally she falls asleep and stays asleep the whole night through. 

Then Saturday night...something changed.

Saturday, we spent the day with her great-grandparents (my grandparents) and we didn't get back home  until late and she refused to sleep until after 10. 

Sunday, we got up and went to church and had a relatively normal day, but she still wouldn't sleep until after 10. And to top it off, she will no longer sleep in her crib, which she has been doing wonderfully since she turned 2 months new.
Monday, a normal day. She naps perfectly. Mommy and baby just hanging out all day. Daddy comes home and we play hard all day long. Still, it's after 10 when she falls asleep. Again, in our bed.
Tuesday, evening comes and I make sure to wear her out and we spend lots of time doing tummy time. I nurse her and she falls asleep. For 30 minutes. Then she's up with no obvious hint of slowing down at all. So we cuddle and watch Doctor Who until almost midnight. The only change is she fell asleep in her crib.

Then each night she wakes up multiple times. She wakes up to officially eat around 5am. This is not normal for my girl.

Even now as I type this, she's sitting in my lap. Note, her bed time is between 7:30 and 8pm. She's s sitting here blowing raspberries, just as happy as she can be. Silly girl.

Now, I'm not really complaining. I'm looking at this time as extra cuddle time with my Bug. Time that I wouldn't otherwise get.

But I am wondering if anyone else has gone through something like this. I'm assuming it's just a growth spurt. She's learning a lot of new things nowadays, and I feel like she just can't shut her brain off. But, then again, I don't know.

Anyway, I'm going to cuddle with my girl and enjoy a Doctor Who marathon. I know I will look back on this time with fondness, and wish that she were little again.

Trying to wear her out last night before bed. She looks like she's up to something.

Mommy Moments Blog Hop

Hey mamas!

Welcome back for another great week of Mommy Moments Link Ups! Thank you for linking up and for spreading the word! We love all of the great posts!

The most viewed link from last week's Mommy Moments belongs to Maria from This Life's Beautiful Moments and her post The Birth of a Boy Named Aiden 

I always love a good birth story. Each one is so unique but wonderful. Thanks Maria for sharing yours!

This week we have Jade from Mama Love Diaries as our guest host! 

I hope you stop by and make Jade feel welcome!

Now it's time to link up your posts! All you have to do is...

1. Follow Host: The Life Of Faith 

 Co-Hosts: The Not Quite Military Wife, Beautiful Family Affairs and The Mrs. 
Guest host: Mama Love Diaries

2. Link up your post!
Post can include anything related to mommy-hood, children, homemaking, pregnancy etc. If you aren't a mom yet, feel free to link up your preparation for motherhood, your journey as you try to conceive, or even a post that would be encouraging to the other moms in the party!

3. Add the Mommy Moments button to your post or blog so everyone knows where you are linking up!

4. Explore some of the other posts in the link-up and say hello to some new blog friends! 

5. Tweet or Share the link up on Facebook so we can all make even more friends!

Tweet

<div align="center"><a href="http://the-life-of-faith.blogspot.com//search/label/baby" title="The Life Of Faith"><img src="http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k537/faithkonrath/mommymomentsbutton.jpg" alt="The Life Of Faith" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

P.S. We will be having a new guest host every week! Want to be a guest host of the Mommy Moments Blog Hop? Send Faith a message at farmprincess14{at}gmail{dot}com. We would love to have you!

Friday's Letters

Bug and I at a rest stop on our way down to Florida this time last week. 

She was such a trooper! I'm one proud mama right here!

Dear Friday, are you really here or are you just teasing me? I feel like this week has dragged on by and this day has taken forever to get here. I also have mixed feelings about you, Friday. I'm happy you're here, but I'm not sure I'm ready for the weekend you are bringing me. Dear Husband, You're officially working summer hours. I love now that I get to see you during the day and eat dinner with you, but it breaks my heart every time you have to leave again to go to your other job. But you're doing an amazing job! I'm so proud of you. Next week we get to celebrate your first "official" Father's Day. I hope you're ready! Dear Bug, You are one raspberry blowing girl these days! That means a ton of extra drool for this mama to deal with. It's super cute though. You're getting bigger and bigger each day. Can we slow down already? This morning you figured out how to put your own paci in your mouth! No more growing up now, I mean it! (Anybody want a peanut.) Dear Sunday, Ready or not here I come...My first official Sunday being in charge. (I was in charge last week too, I just wasn't there).

Missing from the Blog-O-Sphere

I feel like I've been missing from the blog-o-sphere. Things have been crazy these past few days and I have barely had a chance to sit down.

Well, here's a quick catch-up.

A few weeks ago I posted this picture:

With the caption "how we make copies while Mommy is at work."

Well, the time has come to share it with everyone on the blog-o-sphere. I have taken the position of preschool director at our church. My first official day was the beginning of this month, but I've been working alongside our former director in hoping to make the transition go as smoothly as possible. The best thing about taking this position is I get to bring Bug with me to work! Plus, it's only part-time, so it doesn't take away time from raising my girl! I love that I get to take her to work with me. Now, don't get me wrong, it's not the easiest thing in the world. Sometimes Bug doesn't like to cooperate with all that is going on, so we have to cut our day at the office short, but it's still a joy to have her with me. 

This past weekend the three of us said goodbye to some pretty awesome friends as they start their new adventure. I'm still not sure I'm ready to talk about this move just yet...so here are the fun parts of our adventure in helping them move:

In case you could't tell, we're starting Bug off early in the whole Disney obsession category. We've got our priorities straight ;)

Then Monday I was off on a staff retreat to the beautiful mountains of north Georgia:

See. I wasn't lying. This place was beautiful. 

I'm trying to think of anything else big that has happened. Bug has started to blow raspberries and she is a rolling machine! Right now we're just trying to get back into a routine. We definitely need a bit of relaxing and recuperating, but alas, it seems to be alluding us. So, though there is much more that could and should be said, I'm off to sleep while I can. Hopefully, it won't be such a long stint between my next post and this one.