A new name, a new look, and an old post

In family life, this, that, & the other    October 10, 2015      7 Comments

Oh, hey new blog design! Lookin’ real cute, if I do say so myself. We are still tweaking a few things, but I couldn’t wait any longer to get it up and running.

You may also notice that there’s a new blog title. A Day’s March Nearer Home is now Hey, Mrs. Austin. I loved (LOVED!) the original title (the story behind it is here), but I knew from the get-go that it was kind of long and wordy. I’ve unsuccessfully tried to come up with something new a couple different times. Then a few months ago, Trav and I were trying again and we landed on Hey, Mrs. Austin. I love it. And the URL matches the title now, so that’s fancy. Hopefully it will be easy for you to remember and share with others if you so desire.

I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted the first post on the newly designed site to be, so I’ve decided to go with something totally random. I found a draft of a post that I wrote when Savannah was 6 months old. It’s a list of things I was noticing in those first few months with Savvy. And since I was a new mom and I was still Laura… I never finished it. =) As I read through it tonight, I realized I wanted to publish it so it doesn’t get lost in the sad pile of draft posts. Enjoy!

Some mommy thoughts after 6 months with Savannah…

  • I wish every store was a drive-thru. And/or I wish there was one big mega-store that included a Target, Trader Joe’s, Starbucks, Michael’s, and Babies R Us. Oh, and if I’m honest, an eye-brow wax place would be helpful, too.
  • I was not aware that motherhood involved so much time spent cutting tags off of baby clothes. Seriously, what’s the deal? So many tags on each little item of clothing!
  • It’s hard getting used to living life with such a distracted brain. Living life for two people at once is not an easy task. I’ve found that it has led me to be very indecisive about what I want or need. I seem to be doing a good job of making decisions for Savannah, but then when I have a moment to myself, I have no idea what to do. Nap? Eat? Call a friend? Be alone? Hang out with someone? Yes. No. Yes. Oh, I don’t know.
  • I made a decision years ago that I wouldn’t post things on Facebook about poop, pee, potty training- basically anything bathroom related. If you post things like that, more power to ya. To each his own. I’m just saying that I tend to scroll right on past posts like that because they’re a bit TMI for me. But, now that I’m a mom, I completely understand why people post potty stories. The craziest things happen, and you just can’t even believe it. You have to tell someone. And if your significant other isn’t home at the time, the internet is right there, ready to hear the story of You vs. The Poo. I’m going to stick to my promise of not posting potty stories, but since technically I didn’t include my blog in that vow, I will share this: I never imagined pulling into a parking lot because of a suspicious smell from the backseat and then needing to ask, “Why is there poop on your face?!?” It was gross. Really, really gross.

(the following three bullet points have to do with delivery, postpartum recovery, and breastfeeding. Skip them if those words make you nervous)

  • There are many incredible things about delivering a baby, but two stand out. First, adrenaline is remarkable. I was awake for 48+ hours and physically worked really hard, but I never felt drowsy. I knew I was tired, but I wasn’t sleepy. I kept thinking I should take a little nap here and there, but everything was too exciting. And I just didn’t want to sleep when there was this new little person to look at. Secondly, postpartum recovery is quite a trip. Some of it was easier than I’d expected, and some things were much harder. I learned that if something hurts, the postpartum people probably sell an ice pack shaped like that body part so you can get optimum ice pack benefits. Bless them.
  • I began feeling more like myself by month 5.
  • Breastfeeding was difficult for me. I experienced almost all of the things that can go wrong and feel very proud that we kept at it until Savvy was 4 months old. So, yes, I nursed and I bottle fed. I am all things to all people. The Apostle Paul would be so proud.

(the awkward words are done now)

  • All the cheesy things are true. I love Savannah so much that it seems like my heart will burst. She’s my favorite. I would do anything to make her smile, keep her safe, and help her grow. I find myself thinking thoughts and feeling feelings straight out of a Hallmark card. And in a completely serious, non-cheesy way, I have random moments where I look at Savvy with so much joy and love, and then I’m amazed as I reflect on the thought that this love I have for her is but a dim, little glimpse of the way Jesus loves me. Oh, how he loves us.
  • Being a mommy is just the coolest. I look at pictures of her from her first month compared to how she looks now, and I think, “How fun that I get a front row seat to watch this little girl grow!”

A lot of other thoughts about those early months have flooded my mind as I’ve put this post together. I won’t bother writing them here now, but I will say that I remember my new role as a mother feeling like a totally foreign land while at the same time being the most natural thing ever. Oh, and I could not have handled any of it without all you lovely people. God is so gracious to me.

Thanks for visiting my new site and reading my old post. Have a great weekend!

 

 

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