I've gotta lot of explainin to do....

I thought that was an appropriate title considering its been over a year since my last post.  I find it pretty ironic that I left off with saying I would blog more. ;) EPIC EPIC EPIC fail.  I think I've learned my lesson never to say that AGAIN as long as I live.  The past year has brought some pretty awesome changes in my life.  I was kept pretty stinkin busy with my Grayson Patrick who grew in leaps and bounds.  He was just starting to talk last year and now he is singing the ABC's, Jesus Loves Me, Twinkle Twinkle, and All About that Base. ;)  He is now 2 1/2 and has some serious spunk but is also one of the sweetest and most encouraging 2 year olds I know.  And I'm not just saying that because he's mine.  I plan on doing a big update about little Mr. Grayson but there is some other HUGE news that is the main reason I am blogging again. :)

This year, on January 29, 2015 we welcomed our precious Brady Matthew Garlich into the world.  And he has been the sweetest little addition to our family.  It's so amazing how you have no idea that your family was missing someone until that someone appears.  It's also amazing how your heart literally just GROWS and your love just multiplies for this new little person.  But I'm getting ahead of myself...I am going to write out his birth story just like I did Grayson's because I would be really sad when looking back on this later in life if I failed to document one of the best days of my life & the precious days following. 

 

 

I'm not going to say I will be back, but really I will. :)  I've got to get caught up on this life that God has blessed us with.

Back in the Saddle Again...I think.

I have a love/hate (but I'll use dislike :)) relationship with blogging. 

I love looking back and reading about certain things since I started this blog in 2009. 

I LOVE reading my birth story with Grayson. It's probably my favorite post ever written.

I love reading about what Matt and I did when it was just the two of us.

I love reading the updates when I was pregnant. 

I love reading Gray's monthly update posts. 

I love reading about times I have shared my heart on here & the people who have read and felt encouraged. I LOVE encouraging people. LOVE it.

I love reading others blogs & feeling like you truly know them and want to be updated on what's going on in their lives. 

I love it when I connect so deeply to someone's post and I know that the Lord meant for me to read it. 

I love reading friends and families blogs because you get a different perspective on certain things that are happening with them. 

I love finding a new recipe or learning something new from blog posts. 

I dislike the comparison that comes along with blogs (just like all of social media) and "keeping up with the Joneses" if you will. 

I dislike the fact that I am not very disciplined when it comes to keeping up with this blog. I guess sometimes I feel like I don't have much to write about that people will care about. 

On the flip side, I dislike feeling like I HAVE to blog, therefore a lot of times I just don't.  For a long time. 

I dislike the fact that I feel like what I put on here has to be perfect. My pictures are taken from my iphone, not some amazing camera and I think that holds me back a lot of times.

I'm sure there is more that I can't think of but that is all for now. 

With all of that said, I think I want to get back in the saddle again. I have been missing it. I just had to put my reasons for loving and hating it out there. If for nothing else, I will blog to look back on when I'm crying and trying to hold it together when Grayson has left for college. ;)

 

Happy Saturday friends! :)

12 Months - My Baby is A YEAR OLD!

{So the "be back soon" wasn't quite as soon as it should have been. :)  Sorry about that but we've been busy.}

{Also...the video on the last post was not the video that I thought it was and didn't actually include our Happy Birthday song and cake smash.   I tried to upload the real one but it was too long and wouldn't work.  I might put it on facebook because it's too precious not to share.}

ONE YEAR Stats:

Height: 30" {50th Percentile}

Weight:  19 lbs 10 oz {25th Percentile}- such a little peanut :)

Grayson Patrick Garlich turned one year old on October 4th!  He is the sweetest little one year old and I absolutely adore being his mom.  This past year has been the hardest but best year of my entire life- I can say that without a doubt and I just thank JESUS for blessing Matt and I with this little muffin of a boy.  I love him SO MUCH!

 Okay, so let's get to it! I think this will be the last monthly post I will do for little man and just do maybe quarterly or random updates on him.  I don't have anymore monthly stickers and it's getting pretty hard impossible to keep him still. :)  Our sweet little buddy's schedule is pretty much the same but with much more flexibility.  Typically, he wakes up between 7- 8, his first nap is about 2 hours after he wakes up, his second nap is about 2 1/2 hours after he wakes up, and then bedtime is between 7-8.  He's SUCH a good sleeper now (praise the good Lord above) and always sleeps 12 hours but lately has been even sleeping 13 hours at night.  I'll take it. :)  I'm not such a nazi about exact nap and bedtimes because he's much more flexible and doesn't get as fussy if its not exact.  My mom and dad came and visited us for his first birthday and weren't getting in until 8:30.  We decided to keep him up so Nana and Poppy could see him on his actual birthday, and he did SO great.  He was a little wired, played with them for a little bit, and then fell asleep as soon as his little head hit the pillow.  Such a sweet boy.  He does miss his morning nap on Sundays because of church and takes a great 3 hour nap on Sunday afternoons.  I think I'm going to love going down to one nap but I won't rush it. :)  He's not ready for that yet because he sleeps so good for both naps and at night, but when it comes I'll be ready. :)

Little buddy is now fully on table food except for his morning oatmeal, pureed fruit, and yogurt which is his staple breakfast.  He no longer gags at all and is a mostly good eater.  I can tell he is going to be kind of a picky eater though because he doesn't just shove everything into his mouth all the time.  If a put a new food down on his tray, he examines it and if he likes it he will slowly keep eating but if he doesn't, he turns his head and spits it out.  I always feel like he should eat more than he does, but he eats until he's full and then lets you know when he's done. He can sign all done now and it's pretty precious.  If he's hungry and its something he loves, though, he shoves it in like no tomorrow.  I can pretty much count on him eating all of his fruit- and fast.  He is obsessed with fruit but we're still working on the veggies.  His very favorite foods are blueberries, macaroni and cheese, and frozen peas (I know!  Don't judge :)).  Grayson is eating strawberries, green and red grapes, plums, watermelon, pears, grilled cheese, meatballs, chicken, avocados, greek yogurt, broccoli, carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes, and squash. Sometimes he really eats his veggies well and other times he acts like they are out to get him.  He loves eating with his little fork (it hasn't been mastered at all but he thinks he's a big boy with it and it helps him to eat his veggies so we are still going to use it. :))  He is now strictly on whole milk and has about 5 oz 4 times a day and water in between when he's thirsty.  It was such an easy transition to whole milk and I think he really likes it but he's not a big drinker.  Sometimes he only drinks a little bit and other times he guzzles it down.  He's such a little baby conundrum. :)

Grayson has four precious teeth and is in the process of cutting the two on either sides of his front teeth.  He is wearing all 12 month clothes and a size 4 diaper.  He's a tiny little thing and when people see him walking so well (pretty much running now) they always say "How OLD is he??"  He hasn't gained as much weight as his usual pattern but thankfully his doctor wasn't concerned because he was an early walker and literally doesn't stop moving.  He literally RUNS now- no joke.  He loves to be chased and to chase us- it's the cutest thing ever.

This month Grayson was able to understand us a lot more.  We ask him to bring us things like his blue ball, puppy, trucks, and he happily goes and gets the items and prances right over to us with them.  It's SO cute and I'm so proud of his little brain at work.  His favorite word is dada and if you ask him to say mama he proudly looks at you and says "dada"....Daddy pretty much loves this but mama, not so much. :)  He sure DOES love his daddy though so it's fitting that he loves that word so much.  He started signing "all done" and is so precious when you ask him if he's all done he starts waving his little hands in the air with a big smile on his face. He also signed "dog" for the first time and pats his little leg or next to his heart when you ask him what the sign for dog is.  He is going to be a typical boy because he loves trucks, balls, and the basketball hoop.  His favorite animal for sure is a dog because he got a little puppy for his birthday and carries that thing all around the house.  He's still OVER THE MOON OBSESSED with his furry sister, Lucy, and still torments loves on her all times of the day. ;)  He loves to put things into containers and move them from one to the next.  That is pretty much the only thing that will keep him still and entertained for more than .2 seconds.  As much as he loves his daddy, he's a mama's boy which I pretty much love.  He wants me right next to him when he's playing and doesn't like it when I am occupied with things like dinner or something else.  If I'm on the floor with him but not right next to him, sometimes he will stop what he's doing and run right up to me and put his little head on my chest for .1 seconds.  It's my favorite thing ever.  Little man has an enormous amount of energy and after dinner time he gets crazy cray.  He will get SO SILLY and run around and start laughing and want us to chase him.  This stage is SO FUN but I'm pretty sure its just going to keep getting better and better.

Likes:

To be chased by Lucy, mama, or dada

Macaroni and cheese :)

 Being tickled

To give mama some of his food (He thinks its hilarious to "feed" me)

Dislikes:

Being still for diaper changes

Being still while getting dressed

Being still ever ;)

 Grayson Patrick Garlich,

Oh, sweet boy...I can't believe you are A YEAR OLD!  I vividly remember when you were finally placed in my arms after your scary start.  I was busting at the seems to hold you and look at you and that moment will forever be etched in my mind.  I was holding your precious swaddled self, taking in your delicious newborn scent, and our eyes met for the first time.  Oh, my sweet one...those eyes.  That first look has changed my world..my life, my priorities, my everything.  You knew me instantly....you felt loved and safe and warm and I loved making you feel loved and safe and warm.  Being a mom, your mom, has shaped me more than anything else ever has.  Loving you is such a different kind of love from any other and one that came so instantly.  Just one look and I was overcome & bursting with love.  I want to protect you from everything but know that's not possible, and honestly, it's not what the Lord wants.  I want your daddy and I to raise you in a home where you know how much you're loved and because of that, you want to show that same love to others.  I want you to know just how much Jesus loves you...that he formed you SO PERFECTLY and WONDERFULLY.  I want you to come to saving faith in HIM and share HIM with others.  I want you to be BRAVE, KIND, GENEROUS, HUMBLE, LOVING, CONFIDENT IN THE LORD, STRONG, GENTLE, and a LEADER.  I want you to defend the defenseless and love the unlovable.  I want you to use your life to SERVE the Lord and others.  I want you to have friends who influence and encourage you in your walk with Christ and I desire for you to have a sweet, beautiful, godly wife someday.  These are prayers that your dad and I have poured over you and continue to do every day.  Right now you are such a sweet and spunky little thing and I don't ever want to forget how you are right now.  I know the memories will fade, but I am so thankful that I have you right now.  You are SUCH A GIFT and I am so grateful to be your mom every single day.  I love you to the moon and back and back again a million times.  

Love, 
Mom and Dad  

Cake Smash & pictures when my baby was more squishy...

Well, little man turned 1 last week.  And we celebrated and had the sweetest puppy party I've ever been to.  And he loved being the center of attention.  I've got to do his 1 year recap and a post about his party, but in the meantime here's everyone singing "Happy Birthday" and some of his cake smash.  I mean, if he's not the most precious 1 year old you've ever seen ;)....

When Nana and Poppy were in town to celebrate Gray's birthday, I downloaded all of my mom's pictures from her camera, some of which I haven't even seen.  These were taken about 3 months ago when my mom and dad stopped by and had lunch with us on their way back home from North Carolina.  Oh my squish.  I could just eat him.  Since he's started walking, he has thinned out so much because he doesn't ever stop moving and he is just looking so much older to me.  In these pictures had been crawling for a couple of weeks but was still SO squishy and ADORABLE.

 Be back soon to post all about our precious muffin's birthday shenanigans. :)  

Happy Thursday!