Happy Saturday everyone! My day started off really well. I woke up early and made waffles, bacon,eggs and coffee all before Jack woke up! Chris and I even got to eat!

The day took a bit of a turn. I made plans with my Sister-in-Law to go to a craft market this morning. There was lots of vendors and a little petting zoo, I figured it would be a big win!

It was not a big win.

Jack refused to let go of me. When my SIL tried to take him off my hands while I chatted, he lost it. Screaming (everyone stares)

So I figured- the animals! Quick! Animals fix everything right?

Nope. He just yelled at them too.

So I did what any mama who has reached this point would do. I brought him home to his father and promptly left to get groceries.

Take a break when you need one! 😁

Hi everyone! Last night was my Moms birthday celebration. We went out to the Marina for wing night.

Jack was already cranky to begin with. We’ve had a busy few days and I suspect a growth spurt. He had already threw two dinners worth of food on the floor. Honestly I should have just stayed home-but I really wanted to go.

We went- he ate his body weight in Frenchfries, and ran around outside with my Dad. I enjoyed a beer and some food. He was cranky, but it was manageable.

We didn’t get home until 9 pm. That is wayyy too late for a boy who has slept 7-7 almost everyday for a year.

Today I pay.

And I ask myself…was it worth it?

Screen time guilt is something that a lot of Moms (me included) struggle with. There are literally thousands of things to feel guilty about these days. So many things are “bad” for baby. How can we keep up?!

Before I had a baby I was very against tv watching. I didn’t want him to be a tv zombie. I wasn’t even going to put a tv on the main level of our new house. As you can see, my opinions changed 😂

A lot of days (especially during quarantine), I decided that my sanity was more important than a bit of screen time.

Mama needs her coffee.

Also: he’s learned a lot of things from The Wiggles. He does the dances and it’s SO CUTE.

So I guess for us, the important thing was balance. We don’t just watch tv all day. Jack doesn’t even always watch it when it’s on. We play outside and with our cars, we go out for drives and on visits.

But when I need a coffee in the morning- you better bet that The Wiggles are on. And that I also know all of the words and the dance moves.

Hi guys! We are all moved into our new house- but our new appliances haven’t come yet. We are making do with a borrowed fridge and stove- but we have a hole where the dishwasher is going to be.

It’s Jack’s favourite place ever. He thinks it’s a Fort. He hides in there (in plain view) and then jumps out. You have to act surprised.

We play this a lot. Jack is now used to constant attention and entertainment, thanks to spending a year surrounded by family. We lived with his Nanny and Grumpy, and there was always someone to play.

Now it’s just me most days, and he still expects the same amount of attention that he was getting with four adults. It’s a lot to live up to.

So I’ve been trying to help him adjust. He needs to learn to play on his own a little bit. I know I can’t live up to the attention that he was getting from his grandparents (they absolutely ADORE his tada! game)

We are all in a period of adjustment, and we all need to work within the limits that we can handle. I miss him getting attention from others too! But now we need to learn to play with our cars without someone else saying vroom.

Jack has a super anxious mom. So we did not do baby-led-weaning (even though it is the popular trend these days)

I decided to go with the purée method, because it worked better for me. I didn’t have to worry about Jack choking, and I knew that he was still receiving all of the nutrition that he needed to grow.

*for the record: I fully support moms in their endeavours to BLW- it was just not something I felt comfortable with*

I bought a magic bullet and Jack always ate what we ate. It worked so well that I probably puréed his food longer than I should have. Now we have issues with texture.

We have transitioned away from purées, and Jack loves to feed himself, but we are a bit picky about the textures of some foods. And if you put something weird feeling in his mouth, you best prepare for it’s reappearance. He will spit it across the room.

We are working away at self feeding and getting much better at it. But I always wonder what I would do differently. Would I BLW with my next baby? Probably not. But I think I would introduce texture sooner- and see if I could avoid food facials.

When I brought my son home from the hospital I had a second (partial third) degree repair done. If you don’t know what this means- you are blessed and you don’t want to know.

I wanted to get to it and take on the full duties of a new mom. But soaking in the tub four times a day, pumping and attempting to breastfeed is HARD.

My husband and I were both exhausted, as all new parents are. Then my mother-in-law gave the best advice ever:

There is no prize for being the most tired. No medal for being a martyr. Accept the help that everyone is offering and take a nap.

I realized that there were people who were dying to help and snuggle the baby. And I needed sleep, and baths, and time to recover. My baby still liked me after I napped.

Accepting the help was a hard thing for me to get used to. But it has made my life so much better. Mom and dad have taken Jack a ton these past few weeks- so we could focus on moving, and he loves it. They love spending time together- and our lives are so much easier.

So what I’m saying is: even if it feels weird and awkward, try accepting the help that is offered. Everyone feels better after a nap.

My MIL is fantastic. I always thought so. We got along fine, and always had something to chat about. She helped me pull off a truly amazing wedding, and was always around to give advice and lend a hand- whether it was laying sod, moving, or helping my husband recover from a hoodie addiction.

It wasn’t until we moved into their granny suite that we got super close, super fast. When we decided to put our house on the market in order to build, we were welcomed to the Murray household with open arms.

The day that I went into labour, my husband was at work. I didn’t know what labour was like, so I wasn’t really sure that it was real. Chey was a nurse, so I thought I’d check in. She immediately kicked into nurse mode, and taught me to breathe through the contractions (and not to be a baby about it, because it’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better)

I called my mom on the way (who hates hospitals- but wanted to be in the waiting room) And then I decided it was time to call Chris. (No honey- it’s probably not labour, just going to get checked-you stay at work). Chey got me checked in (no Ellen, you should not wait in line for your number to be called, and no Ellen, you can’t take the stairs) She kept me calm while we waited for Chris to arrive.

I originally did not think I wanted anyone but Chris in the room while I delivered, but honestly- having someone there with me who had delivered FIVE babies was amazing. She was so excited and happy to be present for the birth of her grandson, and I honestly don’t think I could have done it without her.

Once someone has seen you deliver a human, and then recover from that, you can’t go back to chatting about hoodies. We are on a whole other plain of existence now. For the last year she has coached me through all of the health scare, head bumps and teething pains. She has cooked for us, done our laundry (I fold it wrong 😂) and supported us through thick and thin.

These last few posts are all about gratitude for the humans in my life that help me be a mom. I love, need and appreciate them so much.

Chris and I were the first of our friend group to have a kid. This meant a fair bit of anxiety for me, because I was so afraid that our friends were going to feel uncomfortable with the baby around. I was worried that we wouldn’t be able to attend events and nights out, and eventually that our friends would just stop inviting us places.

Boy- was I ever wrong!

Our amazing collection of humans was over-the-moon about the new addition to the group. They had an amazing baby shower for us. They love him like their nephew, and it’s a beautiful thing to watch.

I realized that my fears and anxieties were totally irrational. Our friends still go out and have gatherings that we are unable to attend- but now we have a lot more in-the-day, kid friendly activities. And no matter what- we are always invited.

We are so lucky to have such wonderful people.

Hi! Another wild day of packing and unpacking and cleaning while parenting, tiling and who knows what else 🤪

We are working super hard to get into our house, but no one has worked harder than my Mom. She’s a freaking machine.

Every single day this week my mom has been at my beck and call. She’s put up with tantrums, no diapers, heat-related meltdowns (from jack and myself), all while packing and cleaning with us, and she has not complained once.

My mom deserves a medal 🥇

We love you Momo 💙 I owe you wine on the deck forever ok?