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Before Denaya

I have a good friend who constantly blames her daughter for everything.  We've been friends for about 3 years now & her daughter is 4 1/2 to date.

Ever since I've known her, there have been countless sentences that begin with Before Denaya and would be followed up with an array of things:  

Before Denaya, I wasn't always this tired.

Before Denaya, I liked bananas.

Before Denaya, My hair was shinier.

Before Denaya, I could remembered a lot more.

So on. and so on.

The pity I felt for poor Denaya, having to carry around the burden of her mother's pre-life.  

What it must be like for this little tiny girl to know, that if her mother could remember anything, she might remember life without her. 

To which my friend would only laugh & reply.... Someday... you just wait... you'll get it.

Whatevs.

Well folks, that day came.  I'm sure my friend has it marked in her calendar (I really think she does). 

There is much more to the before & after, than just the baby.

So here is my list of Before SBR:

Chocolate:  Before- I could take it or leave it.

                      Now- I want it all the time. 

Same goes for ice cream. 

Coffee:  Before- I could drink triple grande lattes and it  would not effect me.

               Now- I can barely drink a half caff with out getting all jittery and will not sleep if I have any caffeinated coffee after 5p.

Hair Loss:  I was slightly aware of this one, my stylist told me about it & I read about it.  Still, I was not quite prepared for the amounts! I have a ton of hair, so it doesn't matter as much, but DANG! 

Forgetfulness:  Before SBR- I was pretty forgetful, it comes from my Grandma, but eventually it would come back to me...

                            Now, I just let it go. 

Let's talk about Poo!  No, not the bear that loves Hunny.             

       Before- these conversations would put me to a near vomit, strip  my throat from dry heaving.

        Now- it's one of the first things I discuss with my husband when I get home from work. 

Body Shifts- really, I don't want to talk about it.

Before SBR-  I never knew anything about children.  Nothing. I wasn't really around any growing up. I babysat a little, but I was just 11-12 myself, (is that even legal??). 

You want me to hold your newborn?  No thank you. 

SBR's was the first diaper I changed.  Ever.

Even when I'm not holding a baby, as a new mom, when standing up, I sway, back and forth, back and forth in the rocking motion.  

I Love That.

Before SBR- I never knew how fast babies developed.  How smart they are.  I never understood when someone said you can watch them and see them taking in the world & you know they are learning and remembering every moment of it.  They do several 'firsts' in one day.  Now I do. 

When someone would say:  A baby is a Miracle.  I would think yeah, it's a human growing inside a human, that's super gross. The miracle is women keep doing it over & over.

Now-  I know, it is a true miracle.  I look down at my angel & still cannot wrap my head around the fact that he grew that little nose inside of me... those little chubby hands, complete with finger nails and that big beating heart. 

(a human in a human still does freak me out)

Before SBR- I never knew A mother's love. I have so much love in me for this little amazing boy.  It feels like it could be illegal. 

I guess, all I'm saying, my Friend, is... I do get it.

Thankful for Mommy...

We hosted a pretty successful Thanksgiving this year.  There were no mishaps- such as clogged garbage disposals, curtains catching fire... the mashed potatoes were a little lumpy, but all in all it was good.

Poor SBR got ignored the first half of the day, because my middle name is Procrastination. 

But now, belly's full, baby's sleeping, house is cleaned up... we're exhausted!

We hope you all had a great Thanksgiving full of Love, Food & Praise!

First things first

We really are half way through November.  Man time does fly when you're having fun.... with a kid!

The last two weeks have been very busy.  We decided to host Thanksgiving. How do you wrap up a remodel?  Throw a party... or something like that. 

There is a light at the end of our tunnel. But why isn't the light getting any bigger?

In the last two weeks SBR has had many Firsts. 

First cereal: 

This was actually 3 weeks ago.  We've also tried baby apples.  He's not very fond of this 'solids' thing. 

His First Voting Day: 

 

The First time he met Poppa & Grams... and Winnie: 

We had a great time with Poppa & Grams!  only 6 more weeks to the First plane trip!

SBR also had his First cold.  He was very generous with sharing too.  Wrong sharing, Kiddo. 

Even through all the suffering, he rarely lost his happy-go-lucky demeanor. (with a little help from our friend, Tylenol)

He finally got to meet his First Cousin- #3:

  At his First Soccer game: 

Saturday Afternoon

Sunday a.m.

Our First Family Photo (not taken by Daddy's long arms):

Can we talk about that jacket for a minute?  One of his Aunt's sent that to us when he was 4 days old.  I've been dying for him to not only fit into it, but for the weather to be cool enough.  I LoVE it! Puppy dog ears are always cute on babies.

SBR now likes to Razz, but stops the second I pull out the camera. 

And he is so close to sitting up.  He can for about 30 seconds.  He's very good at bending to his feet & pulling himself back up. This babe is Super Strong!

The point is... he won't stop. No matter how much I beg him, he just keeps growing and changing, learning and growing and laughing.  At least he knows who the funny one in the family is. 

And the bouncing. Boy, does he love bouncing.

Reee-diculous

I can't even try to be modest. 

Look at that baby!  Just look at him!  

Beautiful.  

And I'm not even going to pretend I had anything to do with it.   Definitely a God thing.  Definitely.   

(minds.... gutter, stop.)

Trick or Sleep

Our First Halloween with the babe!  Not only do our Neighbors do an amazing haunted house every year,  we live in a grade school area.  You would think we should have THE busiest, hoppin-est street where you can find all your favorite candy! I mean there is a grade school RIGHT. THERE.  

You would think.

Well, kiddos, it seems the Economy has effected even the likes of Halloween.  I'm going to say it was the economy or the fact that it was Sunday.  I refuse to believe my entire street with about 25 houses on it had that much of a Bah-hum-bug spirit. 

Our family? well next year, we will part of the Solution, not the problem! 

A few pose'y' shots before the big day. We decided not to do a costume this year and just keep SBR Comfy. 

This family Loves COmFy!

 Grammy sent Frank to SBR for the special occasion. They really hit it off.

On Halloween, Daddy helped out at the Haunted House.  My good friend came over w/ her BEEEAU-tiful  4 year old daughter- Snow White. We were going to go all over the busiest hoppin-est neighborhood this side of S. Scottsdale, but that was a HUGE disappointment as I mentioned earlier. So we loaded up & headed over to her  G'Parents neighborhood.  We decided that area probably hadn't been effected by the economy as much!  

Please note the scary spider webs decorating SBR's stroller

 

 

By the end of the night I think Snow White was very happy w/ the heaping amounts of candy she received. All for saying 3 Magical little words.  

SBR? Well, being the best baby ever & constantly smiling at strangers, does take its toll.  

That and a very new, unprepared Momma.  I planned for a couple hours around our house, not for 3 1/2 hours & a 25 min drive.  

So the boy cried himself to sleep starving. (the most heart wretching cry). 

Still the next a.m. he just couldn't pull himself out of it.

All & all I say it was a successful & memorable First Halloween!