what momma writes

i have a guest post coming about lessons learned in a baby's first year and i started tracking what i was learning because every day seemed like a new lesson. i'm certain this will grow. i have learned: 1. how much more laundry a little makes (not including cloth diapers).  our water bill coming must be astronomical. 2. it's not easy to be the same wife you once were while tending to a little.  our love may be stronger, but it takes more effort. 3. projectile vomiting is common among ferocious eating newborns. 4. large breasts are completely overrated. 5. how much you will melt looking at your husband with his daughter. 6. i'm not sure i can fathom someone else taking care of my child even if it's family. 7. that cheering over and congratulating large burps is a common occurrence. 8. that my driving has tremendously improved (and everyone else has become worse). 9. how fast the days go by because  a) we nap b) there is always something (everything) that ne

try FIVE. from December 23rd-27th our little family will be celebrating Christmas five times over. and Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn thought they had a lot going on... i won't complain though as i am putting the energy into being grateful  we have so many family members going strong and family wanting to be together around the holidays. BUT don't judge me when i nap at relatives houses though. and don't worry, when you have a baby around the holidays they won't have any problem finding the right outfit for the season :) i have stella's all set out (in no particular order) happy crazy amounts of holiday madness to you!

When I sought out guest posters for my "maternity" leave from blogging  I wanted to make sure I got a range of stories.   I want to send Beth from It's A Wonderful Life a huge thank you for sharing her story with us.  I know there are people out there that can relate. I thought it'd be appropriate to post on Abigail's birthday!  Happy Birthday Abigail!! There are so many things I was oblivious to....innocence really was bliss. We struggled to get pregnant, but through IVF, we got pregnant with our first child.  And we were happy!  Elated!  All the shots.  Meds.  Blood draws.  Doctor appointments.  And now...we had a heartbeat, then a baby! So the hard part was over (infertility was so difficult and deserves a post all it's own)...or so we thought.  We had a normal, boring pregnancy.  Because that's how all pregnancies are, right?  You get pregnant..and then 40 weeks later, you have a baby.  That's how all our friends did it.  Smooth sailing.  Fas

are you on the  naughty list? or nice list? well, i hope it's the nice list, but if you've been naughty i hope you get a good laugh out of these.

i remember hearing that kisses will make it better. but it's not always true. when my daughter is screaming the screams that dig under your skin and her face is beet red her brow is dented with a scowl and i have to remind her to breathe from the angry cries she is displaying i will say that kisses don't always make it better. there isn't a number of kisses i could shower her with that do the trick.  i wish i could say it worked. it's those screams that used to be piercing but now, when it's my kid they still are piercing, but they pierce straight to my heart. not knowing exactly what is wrong with her or how exactly she wants to be soothed and what set her off in the first place make this roller coaster of parenthood ring true. i have to say she is a good baby. i mean, she isn't colicky and cries typically when babies cry hunger. diaper. held. ouch. but she tried my patience (ok, i know unintentionally) over the weekend. out of no where she had a conniption

because if i didn't i'd question whether you were mine. i've actually said this to quite a few people lately,  but it is true... you are all your father's. you have inherited daddy's: hair hairline eyes mouth ears fingers/hands feet/toes daddy's bow legs butt (you have a long torso, we aren't sure who that is from, but it's not me...) the harrison cheeks (more than likely i am forgetting something) you *might* have the minniti nose. i have my mom's nose, so even that isn't mine. i think you have daddy's congestion though. i surely don't need a little clone of myself, but i do find it funny -  aren't the chromosomes supposed to mix a little more equally? apparently my traits aren't very dominant. you even have your dad's sleeping habits. your second wind at around 10pm and what seems to be fighting sleep (although it's a little too early to tell, it sure seems like you do) we don't know about your personality q

i thought i'd have all the time in the world to post these answers before her birth. nope. below are the fun facts about john and i when younger. (in no particular order) i posted these a while ago and here, FINALLY, are the answers. hope you did well. smile . 1. After a fight with my sister I decided it would be nice to rip off the head of her favorite barbie doll. caren 2. Empty yogurt cups (cleaned out of course) were my favorite blocks. caren 3. Growing up our "night games" were kick the can and cops and robbers. caren 4. As a baby loved to play with all the pots and pans in the kitchen. john 5. A favorite saying around age 7: "I am going to try not to get married." caren 6. Voted best smile as my superlative in high school. john 7. In middle school my morning routine before school involved my dad pretending it was cafeteria style for my sister and me. john 8. One of my many jobs: delivery of the weekly press. caren 9. Before I had teeth, my dad

 I'm so happy friend & stylist Meaghan from Little Lime Dress agreed to do this post. I am currently on the prowl for nursing gear and also for items upon return to work. One thing I know about Meaghan is she always delivers, and this is nothing short. I can surely benefit from this post - thank you Meaghan for working your magic! Keeping up with friends is hard enough, but when you add distance into the mix, it is all too easy for our hectic lives to get in the way. Which is why when Caren created this blog, I knew I was going to enjoy it.  Not only is it so trendy and of-the-moment, but how cool to be able to keep up with the musings of a friend  than through her personal blog which, at the same time, is a super cool archive for her child to one day  look back on and enjoy. Anyway, when my dear friend Caren contacted me to do a guest post on her blog,  See You In November I was flattered. For those of you who don't know, in the blogging world being asked  to post on

as much as i love the weeks going by and you growing  more and more alert-  i also hate it. it means less time with you will be approaching soon. i can't say you are so very much changed since 3 weeks ago, but a person of your stature changes more rapidly than regular sized folks. you still are sleeping what feels like, more in the day than at night, but that might be because we are more tired at night. you did do a 4 hour stint last night. thank you. my boob did not thank you though. you are a little ornery and you come by that honestly from yours truly. you eat quickly, which i am very much thankful for,  but sometimes you get so hungry and anxious about your food  (thank dad for that one) that you head butt my boobs and like to bitch a little when you can't latch right away (the bitching is from me, not dad though). it seems like you have a lot of clothes, but you still don't fit into much. i know you are gaining weight though. daddy and i feel you are heavier and y