I Moved!

Hey everyone-

Due to some site issues that I didn't know how to fix, I've changed hosts. You can now catch me at:

https://9thand5th.wordpress.com/

Please excuse the mess for now. It'll look better soon... hopefully! More adventures to come!

Thanks!

Road Trip continued- Decatur

We took it easy Tuesday and hung around Decatur with family.

I took advantage of the warm weather and took my first outside run, and only run other than 5 minutes on the treadmill, post baby. I made the mistake of starting out on a hill, but I was able to get a mile and a half done with a 12 minute pace. Not a bad start.

We cruised the square and landed at Rooster's for lunch. I would frequent this place if I lived in here. 

I had the Smoked Garlic Jalapeno Bacon Cheddar Burger. The name is a mouthful and so is the burger- but it was sooo good. I washed it down with some beer and called it an afternoon!

I wish we had more time to spend in Decatur, but we're headed to Dallas for work tomorrow. Stay tuned for more adventures!

Road Trip continued- Fort Worth

Monday, we adventured over to Fort Worth for some lunch. The weather was gorgeous- such a nice break from the gross winter weather of Missouri.

Apparently Joe T. Garcia's in the place to be. The margaritas were delicious! I could have sat by this fountain drinking margaritas all day long! If you're ever in Forth Worth- check this place out! I hear they usually have a crazy long line, but we got right in at lunch time. 

I had the chicken taquitos. They were great!

After lunch, we walked off the margaritas at the Stockyards. We walked around some of the back areas and checked out the old cattle runs. I suggest going with a local to get some of the history like I did- it made it a lot more interesting!

We are having a blast so far! One more day in Decatur before we head to Dallas!

Road Trip- Oklahoma City

I have to work in Dallas this week, so we decided to head down for the weekend. We stopped in Oklahoma City to visit some friends.

We kicked Saturday off with brunch at Kitchen 324. Delicious! I had this Rose Mojito. Oh man! So good!

Then, I had an eggs benedict that was made with green tomatoes. Again- SO DELICIOUS. I loved this place!

I also snuck a bite of Hubbs' lox. It was also delicious!

After brunch, we walked a couple of blocks over to the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial. I've always wanted to visit, so I'm glad we finally got the chance. Oklahoma City Bombing is one of the first tragedies I can remember watching on tv as a kid. I think this is the reason that any time a horrific event happens, I'm glued to the news trying to piece together what happened and why. 

It also breaks my heart to remember the children that died. Having a kid totally changes your perspective, and seeing the memorial for the children made my heart hurt. 

The Survivor's Tree was also impactful, thinking about the destruction it withstood and how much it has grown since. 

After spending the day in Oklahoma City, we headed to Texas. Stay tuned for more!

Birthday Weekend

Today's my birthday. And it's such a weird one. 30. I feel a little lost. Part of me wants to kick it off with a big, wild night out, and the new mom side of me just wants to be at home with my baby cuddling. I feel so torn sometimes- I guess between the person I used to be and the person I am now. Just figuring it all out.

Friday, Hubbs and I had a lunch date at Houlihans. Ps. If you sign up for their email list, you get a free birthday meal. Can't beat that!

I had a house salad with ranch. My absolute favorite salad!

And scallops for my main course. 

Then we hit up the car wash to wash away all the nasty salt from the winter weather. 

And my bestie send me flowers- that was a lovely surprise. They are gorgeous!

Friday- Baby Girl turned 3 months old!! So crazy! And she started holding her head up on her own this weekend.

Saturday, Hubbs and Baby Girl took me out to brunch and shopping at Target. Perfect Saturday! We ate at the Aviary. I started off with a delicious grapefruit mimosa.

And then I had the Aux Nutella crepe. Totally healthy... right?? Oh well- it's my birthday!!

And, one of my favorites in town, Pineapple Whip was in the middle of their Winter Solstice - where they are open for one weekend during the off season, so of course we had to do that! Notice the blanket on the hula girl? Makes me laugh every time!

Delicious!!

And I ended the weekend with a little too much of this amazingness... Can't wait to finish off the rest of it tonight. I first had grapefruit rose under the Eifferl Tower in Paris, so I was super excited to find some here! Such good memories! 

Not too shabby of a start to 30! 

I was brave.

Today, I did something hard- something outside my comfort zone. And I was nervous!

The funny thing is, I challenged myself. I challenged myself to be the person that I want my daughter to be. I want her to be someone who is brave, who can stand up for herself, who can have real, honest conversations and to go after what she wants.

I had no idea my daughter, all of 3 months old, would challenge me to be better, but she already has. And today, I was brave because of her.

Ice Storm!

Last night, we had the fun of an ice storm! I haven't had to deal with one of these since high school. Thankfully, I was in college in Minnesota when the big ice storm hit 10 years ago and put everyone out of power for weeks.

Normally, I'd just stay home and wait it out, but since we have a baby- we decided to play it safe and go spend the night at Grandpa's house since he has a wood stove and generator. 

We made a quick stop by the grocery store for snacks. Thank god we didn't need any milk or bread. Yeesh.

\

Got milk? We don't.

I saw this on Facebook last night and almost died...

The ice storm wasn't as bad as we expected. Our neighborhood didn't lose power, and the roads were fine, so we packed everything up and came back home around noon today. It was a nice little mini vacation at Grandpa's. Plus, baby girl played so hard that she slept for 6 hours straight. Maybe we should go to Grandpa's more often. Snoopy was so worn out from playing with the other puppies that he went straight to bed when he got home, and I haven't seen him since. 

We saw a couple of tree limbs down around our town, but it wasn't anything bad.

I have to say, ice on trees is pretty.

Hubbs and I spent the rest of the day working from home and snuggling baby girl. So glad the storm wasn't bad, and we got a nice three day weekend out of it! :) 

Identity Crisis

I'm just going to be real here- man, I am struggling this week. I feel like my whole world is up in the air. I don't know what the plan is, what my future holds, or what exactly I want it to hold. And that's scaring the crap out of me.

I'm pushing myself. Putting myself out there. Having difficult conversations. Telling people what I want. It's scary.

And, I've realized I'm scared of change. I think it's partially because I love where I'm at so much, but at the same time- I want to grow. And I'm not sure I can grow if I stay where I'm at. And then I question myself- worried that I'm being irrational and impatient. It's a roller coaster of emotions over here.

And then I came across this article: The career advice I wish I had at 25.

One of the points of this article is to de-prioritize your career when you have young children. I'm a mother now. I have no idea what that means. Calling myself a mother still feels weird. Unfamiliar. I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm loving every second of it. But I do know that my daughter is the most important thing to me. And all I want to do is soak up moments with her. It's already passing way too quickly.

My head has been spinning for days. I just need to rest, relax, figure out who I am and what direction I want to head- but I'm scared.

So sore...

It felt so good to hit the gym again yesterday! I forgot that it was January and was surprised by how full the gym was. I usually never have to share. And, I found myself being a little self conscious about my post baby body, but I'm excited to start working away at it. On the positive side though- thanks for the cleavage, baby girl! :)

I decided to tackle the abs since that's my complaint spot. My belly has always been a little flabby and this post baby pooch has been bugging me. I eased myself in with a 10 min Sworkit that incorporated yoga and ab work. Then, I did some leg weight machines for 10 min. I am SO sore today. 

I'm excited to get back in the habit of going to the gym, but I'm still trying to take it easy since I'm breastfeeding and struggle with getting enough calories to begin with. My focus is going to be on weight training, yoga, and one run a week. We'll see how it goes! 

Cozy Weekend

All I want to do every second of every day is this....

So that's what most of the weekend consisted of- soaking up snuggles from my baby girl. Plus this snowy, cold weather makes it a must!

We did get out Saturday morning- headed to Common Grounds for coffee with the besties. Perfect start to the weekend! Photo credit to Sarah since I had a baby in my arms. :) 

Then. Saturday night we went to Red Lobster for family date night. We normally don't eat at chain restaurants like this, but we received a gift card for Christmas. I have to say, their food isn't as good as I remember. The coconut shrimp was pretty good- but the rest was pretty mediocre. 

Sunday was weird, not watching the Vikings. Football season went by way too quickly this year. And now it's Monday and back to work- trying to get the new routine down. 

Stay tuned for lots of travel posts this year. We've made some big changes that are allowing Hubbs and Babygirl to come along with me on nearly every trip. I'm so excited to have travel buddies! We're kicking off travel season at the end of January by heading to Dallas. And things get crazy from there- we'll be on the road every other week. Should be interesting with a 4 month old! I can't wait! 

I'm Back!

Okay, so I decided to really savor maternity leave, and the blogger app started acting up, so no posts until now. It was great to really just relax and stock up on as many baby snuggles as I possibly could the last couple of months.

I'm back at work full-time this week, and I have to say, even though I miss being away from baby girl, I feel like I'm back. I feel complete again. I feel like ME again. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my baby, and I loved being home with her- but I missed my job. I missed working out. I missed my routine. 

I hit the gym for the first time today. Baby stopped by for a quick snack while running errands with dad, so I only had 20 min and decided to break myself in on the weights. I surprised myself a little bit with how much I could still do. But there was one machine where I was like - holy cow this feels weird now! Hello, baby body. 

Anyways- stay tuned for more. Lots of travels coming up this spring, and I'm so excited for all these new adventures with my little family!

I Still Miss You.

I can't believe that it's been a year. 

I wish you were here to hold my little girl like you held me. You'd love her so much. I can just hear you say, "Well, HI Ellie!" -with just as much excitement as you would say, "Well, HI Abby!" 

I find comfort knowing that her first breath was in the same place that you took your last.

And it feels like you knew it was time- just the right time to pass the title of Grandpa on to my dad. 

But, I still miss you like crazy. And wish you were here. But know that your love continues on, on to a new generation. And that you are remembered. And cherished. And loved. More than anything. 

Family Date Night

After a week at home with baby girl, I was getting a little stir crazy, so Hubbs suggested we go out for dinner Saturday night- and I jumped at the chance!

The weather was gorgeous- so we headed out a little early, right before sunset, to walk around Sequiota Park. Crazy side note- there was a shooting there just an hour after we left. And this is in the nice part of town. Crazy- what is Springfield coming to? 

Baby girl did great in the wrap. I love having her close to me and being able to get out and about like this!

After our trip to the park, we went to Great American Taco Company for dinner. Baby girl slept the entire time. She's too good to us. Great American Taco Company is the last place I ate before I found out I was pregnant- my bestie and I stopped there on a girl's night. Good memories. 

We started with queso and tried a few different salsas. Their tacos are huge, but thankfully they have mini sizes now. So I had two small tacos- Hawaiian Tuna and Vegetarian. They were delicious! Hubbs had the Smothered Beef and Bean Burrito. I snagged a few bites, and it was tasty too. 

Such a fun night- and a great first family date out with my new little family. I'm so excited for all of our future outings to come! 

Mom Fails

Being a mom is sure keeping me on my toes. It's a life I wasn't sure I wanted a few years ago, but now I'm loving every single minute of it... even the crazy ones. I thought I'd share these as they come up- maybe you'll get a good laugh out of them like I have- and maybe it'll provide some comfort that you aren't alone when you have crazy moments like these.


So far this sums it up.... I went shopping last night and bought more sweatpants. Mom life?

And here's what I've learned....


1. Not all bottles are created equal.
One night, I made baby girl a bottle. She was drinking like a champ, but milk was going everywhere! I couldn't figure out why it was all such a mess.... Turns out I had just opened a package of bottles for 4-6 month olds. I knew bottles were different sizes, but I had no idea there were different nipples for different ages. Poor kid! No wonder she couldn't keep up.


2. Mom ears are sensitive.
3 am one night, I hear baby girl crying- my husband has her out in the living room. So, I drag myself out of bed, grab my boppy and head to feed her. I walk into the living room, and my husband gives me a really confused look. Baby girl was dead asleep. Dear old hubbs had been playing videos of her from the hospital- which apparently included her crying. I heard and thought she needed to be fed. Hubbs is lucky I have a good sense of humor. He may have lost his life that night otherwise.


3. When you feel like you need to pump, pump.
Do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars. And definitely do not make a bathroom stop, with your shirt off, prior to a pumping you've been putting off far too long. Milk will start streaming out of you while you are sitting on the toilet. Hubbs will have to run to get your pumping supplies so you can try to save some of this precious liquid gold. But, hey, you will laugh hard.


4. And don't forget all the parts.
Prior to turning on your breast pump, make sure there aren't any parts missing... you know, like the bottles that collect the milk. Otherwise, you will look down to find two huge, wet spots of breast milk on your pants. And realize that you have no bottles nearby, and that milk is just pumping all down the front of you.


These moments are hilarious. They keep me going- wondering what the heck is going to happen next. Keep the good times coming!

The World I Want For You

I'm not a very political person. I hate talking about politics. I almost didn't vote. I tend to think that no matter what we do, it doesn't matter. We'll hate whoever is elected into office anyways, and they just really won't do much. I tend to keep all opinions to myself. Your vote is a personal matter. It doesn't need to be shared on social media, with everyone who will listen, etc. I hate the drama it causes. I hate the nonstop ads. I hate the division it brings.

And today, I realized that it matters a little more to me.

All I can to do today is sit and look at my baby girl. All I can think about are the things that I want for her.

I want a world full of peace. I want her to be safe. No fear of wars or conflict- no riots, gun violence, or terrorism.

I want a world full of love and acceptance. Respect for others even if they look differently, think differently, believe differently, etc. I want everyone to feel embraced, empowered, and important.

I want her to feel like she can grow up to do anything. That nothing will hold her back. I want her to feel important, for who she is.

I want a world where we all work together instead of against each other. Where differing opinions are heard, respected, and where we can compromise and come together to make the world a better place for all of us.

I want her to be happy. I want her to be free.

I'm not sure what lies ahead. Change is scary. But, more than anything, I hope that this is the life my baby girl has- that this is the world she grows up in. I know it won't be all these things- the world is still a rough place, but I will do my best to make her world all of these things- full of love, safety, security, happiness, acceptance, and respect. Because she is my world, and she is the most important thing to me.

Birth Story

I'm not one for sharing a lot of personal details, but I wanted to document our story somehow, so here it is.

At our 38 week appointment, my blood pressure was high, so they sent me to Labor & Delivery to make sure I wasn't developing preeclampsia. By the time I got there, my blood pressure was going down, and I assumed it was just a fluke.

So, we went to our 39 week appointment the following week. I had been having contractions pretty regularly, mucus plug was coming out, so I knew we were close. I was 3 cm dilated, 70% effaced. Right off the bat, my blood pressure was high again. I was not a happy camper. Our doctor told us to go have lunch, then head to L&D because we were having a baby today.

Number one, I had no idea how to comprehend that. We ate lunch at Haruno, our favorite sushi place, and I couldn't do anything but sit there in shock and disbelief. Number two, I was pretty darn upset that I was being induced. It was the one thing, next to a c-section, that I absolutely did not want. But, I was ready to have baby girl in my arms.

We headed to the hospital and started the drugs. We figured this was going to be an all night process, so we didn't tell anyone we were being induced until they broke my water. One of my worst nightmares was everyone waiting at the hospital and hearing me push a kid out. No, thank you!! They had been ramping up the pitocin for a few hours- and I could barely feel the contractions. I had been feeling them more on my own the day before!

We called all our family to fill them in and then, they broke my water. I went to the bathroom, but by the time I was done, I was in so much pain I could barely walk back to the bed. I tried to sit on the birthing ball- which had been a big part of my plan, but it wasn't cutting it. I crawled back into bed and asked for some pain meds via iv. Well, they didn't get to it fast enough, and I was in so much pain and knew this labor could last for hours- so I asked for an epidural for relief. Best choice I've ever made. They administered it around 7 pm. Within an hour, I had dilated to 7 cm, 100% effaced.

At 9 pm, I was at 9 1/2 cm, and ready to start pushing. I was amazed at how darn fast it all went. I didn't even have time to take it all in. Baby girl was ready to be here!!

So, I started pushing at 9 pm. My husband helped hold my legs and did a great job encouraging me. We made a little progress but not much. Baby girl couldn't make it over my pelvic bone... knew she'd have her dad's head LOL. After two hours of pushing, things were starting to get serious. My bladder was swelling from the catheter, and the baby was starting to get hot. I was beginning to panic because I knew this could lead to c-section, which was my worst nightmare.

So, they decided to use the vacuum. We only had three tries, so I pushed my damn hardest on the first try- and they used the vacuum and gave me an episiotomy, and out she came!! We wanted her placed on my stomach immediately and to delay the cord cutting, but the cord was so short, they couldn't get her on my stomach, so Ben cut the cord pretty quickly.

And then she was on my chest. And the waterworks wouldn't stop. I couldn't believe she was actually here!! I could feel some sharp tugs as they stitched me up and when they pushed out the placenta, but I had her in my arms, and they could have sawed off a leg and I wouldn't have cared.

She's here- it's not quite how I planned- but she's here, and she's beautiful. And we're the happiest people on the face of this planet.

She's here!

Our beautiful daughter, Elliot Mae , made her appearance Thurs, Oct 20 at 10:43 PM. 7 pounds, 6 ounces, 20 inches. I'm still amazed by how beautiful she is, how full my heart is, and how proud I am to be her mother. I am so excited for this new journey, and I am beyond lucky to be on it.  

Baby Girl's Nursery

Here it is! The nursery is finally done!!

I really didn't have much of a theme going into the nursery. We played around with woodland creatures but didn't want anything overpowering. We chose to paint the walls a light grey so that it was neutral and could easily be repurposed. Please note this room has been bright pink with brown polka dots and then a bright teal. Hubbs refuses to paint it ever again. Can't say I blame him!

The crib is from Target. The fox mobile was made by our dearest friend Danielle. The puppy dogs in her crib were both given to me my first year of college by my little brother and by my husband. Baby girl already has tubs full of toys to play with and blankets to snuggle. 

My husband wanted a comfy chair, so we went with a brown leather La-Z-Boy. The pillow cover is from H&M, and the rug- which is one of my favorite things in the nursery- is from Marshall's. The pink curtains are from, I believe, JcPenney. They were in my bedroom when I was in high school. So glad I hung onto them! 

The changing table is a dresser from Target. I am super excited about the salt lamp too. And there's a cute red fox that we found at Marshall's next to it. 

I didn't want to hang anything on the wall too close to where baby girl will be, so all the pictures are on one wall. The one on the far left is from Marshall's. It says, "We Made A Wish And You Came True." 

The middle picture is a beagle puppy. It was painted by my aunt when she was in high school. My grandpa hung it in the playhouse he made me when I was 2. Sadly, we sold the playhouse when I moved in middle school, but we took the painting out of it. I'm so glad I saved this as well. 

The picture on the far right is from Target- "You Are My Greatest Adventure." My husband and I bought it when we first decided we wanted to have kids. I've been holding onto it for a few years now and am so glad it finally has a home.

The pink trunk was one my dad made me in high school. If you remember from the baby shower, he repainted it for us to put in baby girl's room. On it are various stuffed animals she's been given as well as books from our vacation travels that we've been buying her (Munich, Prague, Budapest, New York, etc). 

I really love how her room turned out. The pictures don't really capture the colors as well as I had hoped. Super excited to finally have baby girl in here to enjoy it with us! She'll be here before we know it! I'm so excited!!