Welcoming a Sister

It was no secret that I found myself feeling very nervous about adding another little lady to our family of 3.  It was not that I worried about not being able to love another baby as much as Emersyn- it revolved more about me being scared.  I had become so comfortable with the routine and way of life that Eme and I had, and I found myself being terrified of what a new baby would do to that.  Emersyn was my little lady, my sweet girl, my best friend and I never wanted her to feel any different about our relationship when the baby came.

Emersyn has always been a deep thinker, a worrier in a sense.  During my pregnancy, Emersyn once said to me at bedtime, "I'm scared mommy."  I asked what she was scared of...thinking maybe the dark or sleeping alone because daddy was traveling but that wasn't at all what was in her little mind.  She replied, "I'm scared to be a big sister,  I don't know if I will be good or what big sisters do."  She is 3 people!!!!!!  And if that doesn't just break your heart.  There she sat, my sweet, sweet girl worrying about this transition just as much as I was.  From that moment on we had tons of chats about how we were going to be a team and how she would be able to be an amazing big sister.

As the day grew closer, I felt pretty confident that her main emotion towards having a new sister was excitement.

Then Rowyn Mae arrived,,, Emersyn came to visit.  She was quiet but wanted to come and snuggle Ro and me.  She gave her kisses and rubbed her little head.  Then it was time for her to leave with my mom (where she was going to stay for a few days).  She didn't want to leave. She looked at me with tears in her eyes and asked if she could just stay with her mama.

There it was- a glimpse of her realizing things had changed... and my heart broke a little.

The first day home Emersyn woke up in the middle of the night crying and wanting me to sleep with her... tough to do when I have a new born nursing every 2-3 hours.  The next day she was a bit of a handful.  So we had a little chat that night in bed, and I asked her how she was feeling about having Rowyn home with us because I noticed she wasn't acting like her normal self.  She teared up and said, "I'm sorry mommy, I'm just not use to all of this."  In my hormonal, exhausted state, I started crying with her and said, "I know, I'm not use to all of this either.  We have to work together as a family."

With Emersyn being a bit older (almost 4) I focused on her being a big helper and being able to play independently when the baby came.  I never prepared myself for her ability to truly express how she felt about all this change.  The real kicker came a few days later as Eme and I were in her playroom.  She was tinkering with her princess dolls and she overheard me call Rowyn 'my sweet girl'.  (This has always been what I call Eme)  She immediately stopped playing, looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, "I thought I was your sweet girl."  OH SHIT!!  I tried to explain that she still was and would always be and that I loved her and Rowyn both.  Her response, "But she just got here."  There you have it- a 3 year old's point of view- how could you love her as much as me, she only just got here!

That's the funny thing about becoming a parent.  It is the only love that truly is felt so instantaneously down to your very soul.

I am happy to say Rowyn Mae has stolen our hearts.  And Emersyn is stealing kisses, singing to her, watching over her, and falling beautifully into her big sister role.  Just the other day Emersyn looked at me and said, "I love you so much mommy and I love Rowyn too.  I'm glad she's in our family"

Emersyn's Big Girl Room

I feel like it was yesterday that I posted Emersyn's nursery reveal... pause for a tear.

(find her nursery post here) 

I loved her nursery at our old home.  I originally designed that room so that it didn't have to do a whole lot to make it a 'big girl' room.  I thought the color scheme and decor would transition perfectly when it was time to switch a crib to a bed.  Well fast forward three years and that perfectly designed nursery is now some other lucky little girl's room.  I truly hope she loves it!

So of course at the new house, I have yet another blank canvas to create Emersyn's new room.  Like always, I went to Pinterest for inspiration.  Here are a few of my favorites from my Eme's Big Girl Room Board.

I want her room to be sweet and girly but also fun and whimsical.  I also really want to use as much from her nursery as possible.  With that in mind, I plan to stick with the navy, coral/blush, and mint color scheme.  Her last room had sea foam colored walls but Eme has asked for a 'pink' room, so I am working hard to find the perfect shade of pink.

Here is my design plan so far:

I was immediately sold when I found this Pillowfort comforter from Target.  Not only was the price amazing, but the colors were PERFECT!  It has a great balance of coral, blush, and mint with a navy background.  I feel like finding this comforter really helped me envision the whole room!  I am slowly piecing items together, and I can't wait to share more details as her official 'big girl' room comes together.

Something I NEVER Thought I'd Do

Happy New Year!!!!
Like everyone I have a list of resolutions and ways to be a better me that I am working on becoming part of my routine.  But one big thing I want to focus on this year is appreciating the life I am living... it is one I never really imagined for myself.

New person, "What do you do?"

Me, "Well I was a teacher for 10 years, but I am staying home this year with my daughter." 

The REAL answer- I am a STAY AT HOME MOM!! GASP!!!!

Trust me even I can't believe it.  Hence me always leading with the fact that I did in fact work for ten years- like that justifies me staying home.  Or how I always say 'this year' as if I going back to teaching next year.  Or I give the reasoning- my husband travels so much it just makes more sense for me to stay home, we are building a home and I am in charge of going to all the meetings, etc...

Here is the HONEST TRUTH... I never pictured myself as a stay at home mom!  Ever since the third grade I knew I wanted to be a teacher.  I envisioned being in my classroom with my kids attending that same school.  Then I became a teacher and loved it, then teaching changed for me after Emersyn was born.  Suddenly the most important student I will ever have wasn't being taught by me, but the TOTS daycare ladies.  But I went to college and got a Master's Degree and I needed to use that education...right?!  

Then real life stuff hits you!  I am not sure what is happening around us but sad shit happens all the time to amazing people.  I was teaching (seeing my little gal for only a few hours each week day), and I felt like every time I turned around someone else was diagnosed with cancer or some other tragedy happened.  That's it... I thought.  I have to get over what people think.  I have to get over what I use to think about stay at home moms and realize life is short and unexpected things happen ALL THE TIME.  How do I want to spend these precious days?  My answer was simple. 

I want to spend my time with my little girl.

Exploring, learning, crafting, playing, reading, talking, snuggling, singing, dancing, and all the things that will define who she will become.

I realize that not everyone has the chance to stay at home with their children.  I know there are strong women out there supporting their family and I applaud that act of love.  I am blessed beyond measure to have a husband that not only supports our family financially but supports me as a stay at home mom raising our sweet girl and reaching for other dreams beyond teaching.

In closing, this is my one life to live and I am choosing to spend it at home raising my girl. No apologies, reasoning, or excuses needed.  

So this year I am appreciating and enjoying everyday- knowing that the simple gift of time with my gal is a blessing that I am forever thankful for!  

Here's to many moments turned memories in 2016!!

Our Halloween Recap

We really had the best Halloween this year.  Emersyn was the perfect age to really begin to understand the dressing up and trick or treating.  We checked books out from the library and began reading about all things Halloween at the beginning of October.
So after a few weeks, we talked about what she might want to dress up as.  Each and every time her answer was always the same...a witch.  So we borrowed an adorable witch dress from a friend and purchased a witch hat.  She even had down the cackle.  A witch is was... until...Emersyn found out her best friend Ellie was dressing up as Minnie Mouse.  Once Emersyn found that out she was done with all things witches and became determined to be Mickey Mouse.  HAHA- kinda love how her little mind works.
And I have to admit the two of them as Minnie and Mickey were pretty darn cute!!

First up Zoo Boo:

Emersyn singing Mickey Mouse Clubhouse!!!

Trick or Treating time:

I must say my sweet girl makes a pretty cute Mickey and she certainly had a blast! 

Now we are on to understanding Christmas and who Santa is.  The holidays with a little one are really like nothing else- pure joy!!!

Best Friends Forever

There is nothing better than being preggers at the same time as one of your best friends!! Well this happened to me and my great friend Julie!  Julie and I have been friends since college, lived together after college, got married the same summer, have hubbies who are friends, and we both were expecting our first little one only 3 months apart!!!  We both had girls (Ellie and Eme)!  They are currently in the same little TOTS daycare and have become best of friends!  And there is nothing sweeter.  These two girls are pretty opposite, which makes it even better.  Ellie is outgoing, LOVES to dance, run around, explore...  Eme on the other hand is cautious, LOVES to sing, plays quietly with dolls and books.  Example- Julie and I had the girls at the park this past fall and Ellie was running up to all the other kids and diving into the grass.  While Emersyn yelled for her to come back and wouldn't cross over from the mulch to grass without my hand.  Oh these two girls are meant for each other!!!

Here's to a lifetime of friendship- one that grows as they do.

 Hope you all have a friend that you just want to HUG!! :)

My Little Gal's Kitchen

I knew I wanted to get Emersyn a kitchen for Christmas this year!  She loves playing with the toy food at my mom's house, so I knew she would just pretend play with a kitchen for hours.  I began my hunt for a kitchen that I liked and that would look nice in our house.  I wanted the kitchen to stay in our actual kitchen.  My plan was for Eme to be on her play kitchen as I attempted making a real meal each night.  With that in mind, I wanted something that was decorated in a kid friendly way but also looked nice.  I didn't want plastic and most of the colors I came across were not pleasing to our home or style.  So I started thinking about the possibility of making one.  Although pinterest had loads of great ideas, i quickly realized making one was going to be more than I could handle right now.  So I finally settled on buying one and possibly doing some of my own DIY touches.

I purchased a similar kitchen to this one at Costco for $100.  (no longer listed on their website)

Needless to say this color scheme was not going to work for me!  Here is a picture I snapped of the outside of the box.

The first step was to select what paint colors I wanted the kitchen to actually be.  I tested a few free samples that I had- so that I didn't have to spend extra money on paint supplies.  

I decided to go with the gray shade and the mint color.  Both of these were calm colors that would blend in with our house decor nicely.

 Before I could paint anything, I had to use a spray paint primer on all of the surfaces that were going to get covered with paint.  That was almost everything!!  So I set up shop in the garage and it took about 3-4 cans of white primer spray paint to cover all colored surfaces.

After letting that dry completely, I brought the pieces into the house to roll with paint. (tip-paint dries better in warmer temps).  I simply spread out a huge paint rug and rolled each panel three or four times- just to be on the safe side!
Even pieces that had details on them- I went ahead and painted over all of it, knowing I would change them at the end.

 All of the handles and hardware got a gold spray painted finish.

 The backsplash was originally a multicolored tile look, I just painted over that with a chalkboard paint.

After literally an entire morning of assembling this bad boy, it was complete!!!

Christmas morning Emersyn went straight to the kitchen and got very excited!! We asked if she wanted to open other presents and she replied 'no'  She has been loving this kitchen!!

Her excited face lights up my heart!  Hopefully this kitchen will bring her many happy cooking moments!