I made it!!

This time last year, I was happily cuddling a 2 month old baby boy.  I was on maternity leave and had just experienced Zander's first full night of sleep.  Things were starting to get "easier" as I had officially navigated through the ups and downs of the first 8 weeks living with a newborn.  For those of you that have children, you know how crazy these first weeks are.  For those of you that don't, just look at any new mom, and you can probably tell by their glazed over facial expression that they are tired, not sure what time of day it is, and unsure if they have showered, brushed their teeth or applied deodorant within the last 24 hours.  I am not going to sit here and say that after those first 8 weeks Zander magically became the perfect baby and our life has been simply a dream ever since.  With each new stage of his development, there are exciting moments and stressful changes.  For instance, we are now in the stage where Zander is able to "communicate" with us a little better so we can help him get what he needs or wants without hearing a constant cry until he is satisfied.  However, he is so mobile that you can't sit still until he goes to bed (hence why I am typing this after Zander has been tucked in for the night) and dinners out are not what they once were.... no leisurely conversations after you have finished your meal....we are asking for the check and getting out of there as quickly as possible because our little man is ready to move!  But I have to remind myself how far we have come in the past 14 months (that's right.... Z is now 14 months old!)  I believe those first weeks of Zander's life will always remain the most difficult because I had no clue what to expect and it is hard to handle adversity when you are so sleep-deprived.  It is amazing what you can accomplish when you've had a good night's sleep.  I am very proud of myself (and any mama I know) for making it through the first months of their infant's life.  I am equally proud of myself for making it through this first year as a full-time working mama!!!  That's right!! I made it!!!  As of tonight, I am on summer break and am able to spend 5 whole weeks with this cutie.....

The hardest parts of the past year have been getting up so early to pump and make sure everything is labeled and ready to head to "school" for the day.  It has been challenging to see Zander cry when I drop him off because he wants a few more minutes with his mama (fortunately this did not happen often!).  It has been so exciting to leave work knowing I get to pick him up and hang out with him before bed.  It has been challenging when he is ready for bed (is super fussy) and I feel so guilty that I haven't seen him for more than 2 hours total for that day and while I want to keep him up a little longer..... I know it is best for everyone in the Houston Household if our little one will just go to sleep!  So I plan to use the next five weeks to pretend like I am a stay at home mom.... I am going to soak up the "leisurely" (as much as can be leisurely with a toddler) mornings, schedule playdates with friends, plan trips to the local science centers and children's museums, and check out the local library's summer schedule.  I will go ahead and tell you that most days will be just as challenging with my little man at home with me as they would be if I were heading off to work.... but I am going to plan on making each day count..... Zander only has one childhood and only one summer that he is a one year old! I plan to focus on that!! Stay tuned to see how things go!

In other news.... I was able to meet up with my college roommate and her two kids while she was in NC!  I absolutely love Sam and her little ones!! I am so blessed to call her a best friend and fellow mama!  She is my hero in the way she interacts with her children.... I don't know how she does the stay at home mom thing and make it look so easy! Here is a picture of us girls with our kiddos!