The BOY is a 1 Year Old Today!

The Mister Boy is 1 today!  Happy Birthday to my sweet jellybean, my one and only.  I can't quite believe that a whole year has come and gone.  My mind is still trying to process the whole experience of becoming a mom & watching this little human grow.  All I can say is, high five to husband and I!!!  We made it through things I didn't think we would-babies first cold, first fever, teething, car seat woes, wrestling match diaper changes, spit up everywhere, figuring out breastfeeding, pumping, going back to work, night nursing, and traveling with a baby.  And even in our most exhausted moments, we knew the beautiful sunshine would come up the next day and we would all be tucked away together in bed safe and warm, ready to greet the dawn.  Because those gummy smiles of Maverick's made life so much softer and filled with light.  I thank him every moment for making me a mama.  Best of all, I am his mama.
...i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart)
...you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you
...i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

I will hold him extra close today as I remember with all my might the evening in which, a year ago, Maverick Tobias Smith entered this world into the arms of his dad and unto my heart.  Warm and powerful.  It was dark outside but there was so much light in that room as he arrived and a love I never knew swelling up my soul.

xo, B

Introducing My Crazy Crawling Baby!

That's right, Mister Boy is officially crawling!  He started trying his heart out around 5 and half months and really mastered it in the last couple of weeks.  He's getting faster everyday and I am a little in shock with this new development.  I thought I had more time before he became this mobile.  Wow, it's a whole new world with a crawling babe, right mama's out there!?!  He is so proud of himself and it's beyond awesome to watch him perfect his moves.  Some baby proofing is in order, especially since babies seem to want crawl to everything that is bad or gross like dog bowls, shoes, brooms and dustpans-oh my!  Well, I am off to finish packing for San Francisco-we leave tomorrow!  So excited!  Cheers to a very happy, traveling weekend!

Motherhood...So Far

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I do a lot of mothering these days.  So, naturally I think a lot about motherhood and what it means to be a mother.  I think a lot about my baby and hope with all my heart that I am doing everything I can to help shape my son into an awesome human being.  It's tough work & it's a lot of pressure!

Before having Maverick, the Hub and I talked often about the types of parents we hoped we would be; the type of parenting style we thought we felt most comfortable with.  We did tons of research, talked to lots of parents and read lots of books (way too many!).  All of the things we were most into seemed to fall into the category of Attachment Parenting.  We were and are ok with this title.  It sounds a bit stifling, the word "attachment."  But the actual actions and daily motions of this type of parenting, although exhausting (parenting is exhausting no matter what I say) is so rewarding & wonderful.

We do a lot of Attachment Parenting, whether we mean to or not-we sort of naturally do it.  We don't do everything by the book (who does?) and feel that it's best to not stick so strictly to one particular parenting style.  You gotta try new things because each day is different & what didn't work yesterday may work today!  That being said, we do a fair amount of holding (Maverick is an arms baby), breastfeeding (lots!!), carrying (we have a Baby Bjorn, Ergo and Maya sling-whew!), cloth diapering (not quite sure if that's AP included or not?) and we co-sleep.  So far, everything we do has been working for us.  But it doesn't mean it's working for everyone.

We have received our fair share of questions, criticisms and disapproving glances.  Some people can't believe I pick Maverick up right away when he cries (although, when he's sleeping I do wait a few moments to see if he will settle now that he's bigger before tending to him) or that we barely use a stroller or that there's no crib in his room, blah blah blah....Some people say it looks like so much work-all the baby holding & breastfeeding on demand.  Well, it is.  But, it is also all so natural and I really believe it's worth it.  I feel like this time in my son's life is so short; he won't be a small baby for long, so why not hold him as long as I can?  So what if he falls asleep in my arms and I can't get up and do the laundry?  Or, I have to breastfeed him while I eat my sushi dinner?  Maybe my back aches a bit each day after I have carried him on a long walk.  What I know for sure is that my baby is happy.  He's getting the love, nurturing and care that he needs; that's right for him.  So, at the end of the day I fall into bed tired and with a full heart next to my sleeping babe.  I am so ok with that.  And, I am so ok with other mama's doing their own thing-because seriously, no judgement!  You do what you gotta do for your baby & for your family.

And between you and I, sometimes Maverick has to fuss a little while I go to the bathroom.  I'm pretty sure he won't be scarred for life.