This Week’s Small Change

This Week’s Small Change
(the link that got this blog post written)

I love the concept of "simplicity" especially as it is put by "Simplicity Parenting".
Sam and I have decided to keep gift giving simple by applying the following gift giving rules;
1. 3 gift limit. This rule made shopping fun because I got to pick something special for Samuel just from me. Sam also picked out a special gift for Samuel and we both agreed upon the third. For each other we set a one gift limit and under $10 (for this year). That is a real challenge; we will definitely be applying rule number 2 for this Christmas.
2. Make the presents! Making a present, re-gifting, doing something, or selling/trading something of your own to get something for someone else makes it so much more personable and so much easier on the wallet. We will only apply this to the immediate family so don't worry friends, your little ones will get real presents from us on their birthdays :)
3. Buy it for someone else. When Samuel (and our future children) is old enough to make a list of what he wants we hope to have him purchase a thing or two from the list and then donate it. I recently sent my sister something for her birthday that I would have loved to keep for myself and it felt great to send it to her instead.

So why am I blogging this? Pretty much to hold myself to it! This is something I have always felt strongly about but for some reason held off on applying until we had a baby (and coincidentally this is the same year we have not a penny to spare on gift giving).

2011 will be the year of simplifying for me... I can already feel the weight lifting from my shoulders.

Zoo

We are going to the Zoo today and renewing our membership. I am super excited knowing that we can once again go to the zoo any day/time they are open even if we haven't a dollar to spare (that is most days). I <3 Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens....and so do the Sams.

It's the little things

Lately my husband has been bringing Samuel into the bathroom when I am showering and lifting him up over the curtain so all I see is his sweet face.

Samuel has been grabbing my face with both hands and pulling me into his face so he can give "kisses". In reality I think he is tyring to eat my face or teeth on my chin but I still love it.

My husband has taken it upon himself to put together the diapers after they are washed. When I do it before he gets home he seems disappointed.

Every time I eat a yogurt I know it only cost me .0625 cents.

I tried to give Samuel rice cereal last night and he turned it down and wanted to nurse instead.

What a difference a year makes

Last year at this time I was barely pregnant, just enough so that I was starting to tell people. Now, as I approach the 30th anniversary of my own birth (thanks mom), I have a soon to be six month old son and a completely different life.
In this past year I have had many accomplishments both large and small and some so seemingly insignificant that their value can only be know by me. Some examples;
I have been pregnant
I learned to trust God
I have been very pregnant
I redecorated our house
I gave birth
I learned to really trust God
I gained 35lbs
I lost 15lbs in 3 weeks
I lost another 10 there after (please, don't do the math)
I learned to breast feed
I continued to breast feed
Those were the most obvious of my accomplishments so let me move to the somewhat smaller ones;
I mended friendships
I learned to live on a tight budget
I held out to 8cm before getting an epidural
I made it 3 days straight with only 2 hrs sleep each day
I made a 10 hr drive to and from NJ while 6 months pregnant
I made a much longer drive to and from NJ with a 4 1/2 month old
I have succesfully cloth diapered and will continue to do so
And my most favorite seemingly insignificant accomplishments of the past year;
I put on weight and loved it
I didn't move back to NJ (those who know me know how major this one was)
I grew, birthed, and sustained the life of a human being...ME! (and millions of other women I know but to think I did this is amazing...maybe this belongs in the big accomplishements list)
I did wake up ever two hrs to nurse the baby
I slept comfortably for more than 5 hrs straight
I ignored the negative feedback cloth diapering brought me
I ignored the judgments of not giving solid foods at 4 months
I cooked my husbands favortie foods...often
I hosted house guests on 4 different occasions, twice while pregnant and twice with a new baby
I learned to live happily on a very tight budget

Reading back I think it should all just be on the list of big accomplishements.
Years ago I would have told you how I dreaded the idea of ever turning 30 but now I embrace it. My twenties were fantastic (and I will blog on that topic one day) but I believe my thirties are going to be fabulous! 30 IS the new 20!

Birthday

A week from today will be the last day I have as a twenty something. My twenties have been great, in fact I may just blog about that decade of my life but another time. When turning thirty was months or years away I imagined I would have a big surprise party maybe even something formal with fancy hors d'oeuvres carried around on trays, after baby was born the hors d'oeuvres became hot dogs and the trays turned to paper plate but a party non the less. As it grew closer and I seemed to grow farther away from friends I wanted nothing to do with any of it. What good is a party if you fear no one would show or you have to throw it for yourself? Now I am feeling some regret. Turning thirty is a big event and they only let you do it once (otherwise this would be my 26th birthday, part 4). Is it too late? Could we pull it off in a short amount of time on our budget? Would it matter to me in ten years? I haven't had a birthday party in years and have in the passed vowed to never have one because of previous attempts failing miserably. i need to make a last minute decision and hopefully not regret it either way. How important is turning thirty?

Friday Night

The Zam Fam went to "Party on the Pavement" last night at The Harvest and had a great time. It was humid and hot but that didn't matter when you have a free hot dog, snow cones, music and lots of good friends. We had such a good time we decided to keep the fun going when we got home. We all snuggled in Mommy and Daddy's bed with some goodies and a movie. Than, if you can believe it, Samuel decided he wanted a bottle! For those of you who know our bottle struggle we had given up on it a while ago. But, he started making sucking motions that looked like he was thirsty (with all the sweaty and drooling he must have been) so we decided to give it a shot and put about 2oz of water in his bottle. He liked it....go figure. We will try again tonight and see what happens. Other than the bizarre bottle incident we all had a good time snuggling and watching Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Samuel feel asleep on his own and to no surprise after such a fun filled evening AND the fact that he had a playmate over all day as well.
On another note. I've decided to take my blog in a new direction. I will continue to randomly blog about family stuff but want to try some blogs about product reviews and couponing. We will see if it happens, I am usually in the Internet via cell phone these days and not up for typing out a blog post with my thumbs.

Euphoris has a give away and I want to win but if I don't win I want you to win!

http://www.euphoriababy.com/blog/breastfeeding/june-giveaway-huge-breastfeeding-gift-package/comment-page-1/#comment-3260

To blog or not to blog... I'm asking you this question.

I really want to keep up with my blogs and initially sat down to write about something that is really agravating me. Then I thought about the people who may read it and din't want to bring anyone down but, then I thought again and wondered "Who's reading my blogs anyway"? I know there are people following but who is reading, who's listening? If you are please let me know. I read other blogs by friends but don't post about what they wrote. I feel like it wasn't written for me to comment on but I think I got it wrong since I so enjoy having my blogs commented on. I will let those people know I am reading.

Success - the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors.

I started working a, legitimate; collect a pay check, on the books job, when I was 16. I got my working papers and applied at A.C. Moore, I got the job. Since my start as a cashier I have held many titles; veterinary assistant, dance teacher, child care provider, waitress, shampoo girl, hair and make-up stylist, after school program supervisor, special education assistant, pre-k teacher, and CAD designer/drafter.
When discussing career options you are often asked, "What are you good at?" To this question a confused look would wash over my face and many things would come to mind but, never just one thing. So, my answer would be, "I don't know", or "Well, it's hard to say". With those answers the next question would usually be “What do you like to do?” Again, there are so many things I could list but in terms of careers not one could stand alone and satisfy me.
When you're little people ask, "What do you want to be when you grow up?” This one was easy, "A Mommy!” I would reply as if it were an obvious answer. As I got older my answer never changed but expanded to include the title of Wife after realizing the two should go hand in hand.
As I sit now in my home listening to my husband snore and my son grunt in his sleep I feel completely satisfied. I finally have a job I love. I have a wonderful “coworker”, the most adorable “client” (thinking about adding a few more), a great office, and the most amazing boss (God!). On a daily basis I get to do almost all the things I like and utilize the things I’m good at. I don’t dread Mondays or wait until Friday to breathe easy. I no longer set my alarm and cringe. I look forward to tomorrow and all I have to do. I take pride in seeing my short term goals met in home-cooked meals and a clean house. I am motivated by my long term goals such as raising children that will contribute to society and God’s kingdom in a positive way. I am grateful for the work my husband does and for his support in what I do and I am thankful for a mother who never questioned my career choice.
I have obtained what I set out to achieve, marriage and motherhood, and I look forward to everything they will bring.

Jersey Blues

My first blog! And of corse my topic is Jersey. I've been reading my cousins facebook posts about getting ready to move back to NJ and I am ready to get on the next flight and be there too! My heart sinks thinking about all we are missing out on (when I say we I mean me, everything would be new to baby and Sam doesn't miss it at all). The Jersey summer is fast approaching and I am ready for walks on the boards, slices of pizza big enough for two, nights on the deck, over crowded beaches filled with NJ and NY accents, big hair and shiny purses. Most of all, I am ready for FAMILY! Baby Samuel can not spend his days looking at me and Sam thinking this is it. This is not it, there is soooo much I need to share with him. I know NOTHING about SC life and have nothing here to share with him. People offer suggestions but regardless of good directions and opinions I have no roots here and to be honest I have no good reason to be here... OK, I had no good reason to COME here but now we own a house and Sam has a good job, plus we have found a home church. I really feel that all these are replaceable but with consequences. Sam could find a state job in NJ but then we deal with the politics, and we could find a suitable church but the desire for Christ is not the same in NJ (Sam has made roots in our church here but I'll lift right out!) So housing... here is a major problem. We just can't afford to live there. Now what? Maybe Deleware? Excuse me while I re-read what I can't beleive I just thought. Ughhhh, I can't even debate this with myself anymore. That is what this blog is anyway, a debate with myself. But I know my mother and maybe some other family will read so please send me money for air fare! I MUST get home!

P.S. Don't comment on my spelling and/or grammer. I don't want to proof read becuase I may change some things and mask my feelings to spare others and Jersey girls don't do that.