My first Vacation

Being a new baby on this earth brings with it lots of "Firsts". This weekend I went on my very first vacation to St. George. Daddy decided to take mommy for her birthday and Mother's Day gift this year. It was well deserved with all the hard work I do...Me and Daddy at the Bear Paw Cafe for my first time, yummy french toast, or so Daddy told me.
My very first time in the swimming pool.
I liked it better out of the water with Mommy holding me.
My very first bike ride in my new bike trailer.The first time I saw a house with all sorts of man made animals. My first time to a yummy Thai Restaurant, Benja. Atleast I think it's yummy by the time it gets to me. We watched some individuals finish the IronMan, maybe someday I will be an IronMan.
Or maybe I'll just take a snoozer.

A Mother's Work

Today is indeed a special day, a day I have longed for, a day I have prayed for, and a day I have patiently awaited. Today for the very first time ON this Mother's Day, I AM A MOTHER. Not mother of a pet duck, not a mother in spirit only, and not a mother of a zygote, no, I am a mother of a 4 month old beautiful, healthy, human baby boy. At times of my prolonged singlehood I often wondered how or when this would happen. And then one day..... this Mother's DAY...... it is really here, I am a mother.

Not only am I a new mother this Mother's Day but I am one of the privileged few that is fortunate enough to dedicate my work fully to being at home and raising my little one.
As I contemplate the work of a mother, I reminisce about the previous work I have done prior to mammahood. I have worked full or part time in some capacity since I was 11 years old. Starting with babysitting, cleaning, then working up to retail, food service, customer service, and eventually a career in banking. After working to graduate college debt free, I worked as a banker for 7 years at Zions Bank and UBS. Even now I still work as a yoga instructor and own a small cookie business. I am grateful for what I have learned and the skills I have developed by working. But now as I look at my 4 month old I realize none of the work I have ever done compares to the work I do as a mother.

From what I can tell, there are some key differences between the work of a banker vs the work of a mother, spare me to share just a few...

The work schedule of a banker requires 40-50 hours a week, the work of a mother requires 168 hours a week (24 hours a day, 7 days a week.)
The work day of a banker ends at 5 or 6pm, the work day of a mother ends well, never.
The compensation of a banker includes a generous annual salary paid predictably biweekly, the compensation of a mother: kisses, smiles, and coos that come spontaneously day or night.
The dress code of a banker: business casual slacks and a pressed shirt, the dress code of a mother: a shirt with no spit up and not too tight pants.
The tasks of a banker: decisioning loans based on credit worthiness, ability to repay, and collateral; the tasks of a mother, well in a word endless (feed the baby, change diapers, bathe the baby, playtime, read, clean, do dishes, do laundry, cook)
The conversations of a banker: discussing plans for the weekend with coworkers, the conversations of mother, moo moo, baah baah, laa laa to baby.
A prized skill of a banker typing 55 wpm, a prized skill of a mother, changing diaper a diaper in under a minute.
The extra overtime work of a banker resulting in bonuses and extra pay, the overtime of a mother sleepless nights to avoid a screaming baby.
The benefits of a banker, 3 weeks paid vacation, health insurance, and retirement plans,

the benefits of a mother...


priceless.
Being a new mother is at times challenging beyond what I experienced as a banker, and beyond what I could have fathomed, but I wouldn't trade any of it, the highs or the lows because it is all part of the experience, the one we call motherhood.

Sacred, revered, motherhood.

This Mother's Day I look at my sweet baby, and I realize with a greater conviction than I have ever felt before in my life that indeed, truly, most definitely,


I am a mother....


and I am blessed.

I am 32 flavors and then some...

Ani DiFranco said it first "I am 32 flavors and then some...". There aren't any words more accurate at describing my present state of being, on the crux of 33 years on this earth, I truly am 32 flavors and then some. On the 3rd day of may 2011 I will have been on this earth 33 years. Since my 30th birthday, 3 years ago, I have gone from just me to a family of 3. Today I have a 3 month old, Micah, and me! Truly, I am blessed.

You might be a new mother IF...

...you discover your boobs actually have a crucial function other than aesthetic appeal, and get touched more than a porn star.
...the highlight of your day has now become your babies bowel movement.
...you discover you have been wearing your underwear inside out all day and don't bother to change it.
...you now understand why people make casseroles and freeze them.
...you feel like going to the bathroom alone is a luxury.
...you have a ravenous appetite with no time to eat.
...what used to take two hours to do can really be done in 20 minutes.
...you are now skilled at accomplishing just about any task with one hand.
...you realize crying is just noise.
...you discover that best parenting advice is none.
...you crave a moment to yourself only to miss your baby as soon as you leave.
...you enjoy downloading nursery songs on your iPod.
...you cry at huggies commercials and hallmark cards.
...there are a plethora of quotes that now take on a whole new dimension of understanding.
...you suddenly realize how selfish you have been your whole life.
...you can't remember the last time you slept 8 hours straight.
...you have changed your opinion on clothe vs. disposable diapers.
...your standard of clean know entails anything not covered in breast milk or poo.
...you suddenly realize that pony tails are a new fashion statement.
...you find yourself contemplating daily how there are so many humans on the earth.
...your daytime nap was longer than your night time nap.
...every room in your house has some sort of baby sitting device.
...a good day is when you get a shower and breakfast before noon.
...you feel intimately bonded to complete strangers at the grocery stores once you start discussing motherhood.
...your husband complains about waking up in the night and being tired.
...at moments you actually miss getting up and going to work.
...you now understand why your older friend and siblings with children constantly told you to "Enjoy your freedom" when you where single.
...you now find yourself telling your single friends to "Enjoy their freedom."
...you have removed the phrase from your vocabulary "I will never have one of THOSE children."
...no two days are alike.
...the highlight of your Friday night is bath time.
...you find the ice cream conveniently placed in the cupboard.
...you realize in retrospect that your pregnancy wasn't THAT bad.
...you have an abundance of new baby gadgets but no time to put together or use them.
...you spend more time each day communicating in baby babble than the English language.

And finally you might be a new mother IF.... just one smile can melt your heart and make any sacrifice in the world all worth it.

Motherhood and Sisterhood

Ok, so I don't think anyone would fault me for not posting on my blog for three months when they now I have been preparing, laboring, pushing, loving, nursing, changing, and caring for every need of a little one. It seems ridiculous that I can even find time to go to the bathroom let alone write on my blog. To be perfectly honest the only reason I am is because I was inspired to by my most wonderfully talented friend Rebecca. She excels at blog posts, photography, and any creative endeavor at its utmost. While I tell myself I would be creative if there was time.

Rebecca has always been an amazing friend to me, through the mission, college roomates, first years of marraige, and now first child. We haven't gone through these life events simultaneous but we always been friends through it all and that is what has mattered.

As I graze upon this new life choice called motherhood I have made discoveries that I feel slightly left in the dark that no one mentioned to me prior. A few include: the suturing up after having already gone through the most intense contractions that words cannot describe, the fundal massage (don't let the word massage fool you) that the nurse does after your baby comes out by pushing on your uterus so hard you want to slap her, the consequences of your new sleep deprived life, like placing refrigerated perishables such as ice cream in the cupboard, the yellow mustard poo that not any diaper on this earth could contain, and changing it with one boob still hanging out from nursing, the need for a burp cloth sown to your armpit, the achy back from literally hours upon hours of nursing and holding your little one, the fact that they always cry and need to be held when you finally get dinner on the table, and last but not least that while your husband may be helpful, there is just so much, oh so so so much he could never understood.

As I shared in my new delights of motherhood with Rebecca during a lengthy phone conversation, I realize a few things. Number 1, why my mother was ALWAYS on the phone. Number 2, we NEED , I mean REALLY NEED women in our life. Whether it is sister, mother, friend, auntie, neighbor, stranger at the store, the bottom line ladies, is WE NEED EACH OTHER! I had heard rumors of this pre child but I never really understood this principle until now. Don't get me wrong, I love my husband, and he is superbly supportive beyond what I could have asked for, but only a woman knows what it is like to change a poopy diaper one handidly, while cleaning off their shoulder with their boob hanging out for round 2 of lunch. Know I recognize most of you ladies out there are pro's at this stuff, and so proficient that you never even stand up without buttoning up your bra and nicely retucking your shirt, but for this lady, in the need to catch the rivers of poo I do whatever it takes.

Only a mother knows what it is like to feel insanely crazy without getting atleast a 30 minute break in the day from her little one, but yet feels the paranoia of leaving her child for 48 hours. Only a mother knows what it is like to feel the most intense love beyond description one moment, and them extreme guilt and craziness the next. I suppose each and every mothers experience is so uniquely different and I wouldn't trade mine for the world. I would love to document every sweet cue, every giggle, gurgle, and smile. I would love to have the history books capture every moment of this little precious life, but quite frankly ladies, and I know you understand this one, I am just too busy enjoying it! And really when you look at this face can you blame me?

Tis the Season'

I can't believe that summer has passed, Fall came and went, and now it is winter. According to my blog I am in denial of such recent changes in weather and life. But I must come back to the present (christmas present?)! Halloween and Thanksgiving came and went, and now Christmas is in the air. Oct brought us a trip to lovely seattle and a Halloween Shindig, November brought baby blessing, Thanksgiving and more. A few highlights:

The lovely seattle horizon.

Pikes market, I wish I could go everyday!

Yoga Rocks! Adho Mukha Vrksasana, on Bainbridge Island.

Notice the Warrior II rock behind me.

Vrksasana, so steady and focused.

With all the yoga influence on this small island west of Seattle I am certain it is the right place for me!

On to halloween festivities. This year Micah and I had a family and friend party with all the lots of creepy treats!

The Whole Spread

Mummy Dip with Fingers, ooh scary!!!

Ghostly tortilla chips

Healthy Pumpkin Face

Mummys in a blanket, these went fast!

Banana Ghosts!

Pumpkin Cakes!

And it can't be a party without cookies!

and scary spiders!

Spooky Decor!

Thank you pumpkin for this season!

Then came the chill of november, beginning with Baby Alec's blessing, he was dressed in the most adorable white tuxedo!

Grandma Karen and baby Alec.

The only picture of food on Thanksgiving Day, and it was yummy!

And Baby Day's first Thanksgiving!