Christmas Silobration in Waco, TX

So if you know me well you know I am slightly obsessed with HGTV's Fixer Upper. They are in season 4 now and I have been a faithful follower since season 1. I follow the blog, watch the show, subscribe to the magazine, follow them on instagram, and have read the book. They are such a fun couple to watch and I love how wholesome and family-oriented their show is. Not to mention the fact that Joanna's style is PERFECTION. When I first watched the show I told Austin I had found my decorating soul-mate. But I'm pretty sure half the women in America feel the same way. A few months ago they posted that they were having a Christmas Silobration with Santa Clause and a Christmas concert with Shane and Shane. God bless my adventurous husband for saying "Let's Go!" to his overly cautious, think through everything, we should just save that money- wife. I'm so glad we did because we had the best time.

We woke up at 4am on Friday to catch our 6am flight and our baby was a champion. It was Jace's first flight and he did amazing. He was so fascinated with the window and the noise when taking off and landing. He slept for a little while on the plane but was mostly just entertained with pulling my hair and eating puffs (puffs are life!). We flew into Dallas, TX and got our first rental car now that we are over the age of 25 and so adult. We spent the morning shopping and had lunch at the best barbecue in Texas, Hard 8. They cook all the meat right in front of you and the brisket literally melts in your mouth.. SO good.

From there we drove the 90 minutes to Waco and checked into our La Quinta hotel. The hotel was great- affordable, clean, and right next door to Common Grounds coffee shop. Common Grounds is this cute little trendy coffee shop that was featured in Season 2 when the owners got their house renovated.

From there we went to Clint Harp's store front and home which are right next door to each other. Clint doesn't live there anymore and I don't blame him one bit because of people like me who had no problems standing in his front yard to take pictures. When we pulled up Clint was there in the back filming for his show and I may have squealed a few times. His shop is adorable and so homey and cozy like all things Joanna Gaines. People were visiting from all over the world and it was so fun to talk to other people who share the love for Fixer Upper. I told Austin I now totally understand how he would feel at a major sporting event surrounded by people who love what he loves. 

After browsing and buying an ornament, we went back to Common Grounds where we realized how un-hipsterish we are and then crashed for the night in our hotel. It took Jace a while to fall asleep when he realized he was sharing a room with mom and dad all night but once asleep he was out for the night (hallelujah)! He is an amazing sleeper but I was worried being so off schedule would throw him off. He did great!

Saturday morning we got up bright and early and had breakfast in the hotel. We walked to Magnolia Market after that around 8am to try to beat the crowds. The store was everything I hoped it would be and more. Every display was perfect and if you can get high sniffing Joanna Gaines choice scented candles then that would explain the euphoria I felt. The workers were pretty much all Baylor students and they were so friendly, fun and nice. St. Nick was there and he was the most genuine looking St. Nick I have ever seen. They have a bakery and a garden shop on the grounds and a ton of outdoor picnic tables and Christmas lights. It. Was. Magical.

We spent the rest of the day exploring Waco a little more and also shopped at Spice Village which was a lot of fun! The crowds were crazy so we spent the afternoon taking a nice long family nap in the hotel. Traveling with kids is the BEST because you can use your kid as an excuse to go take a long nap. We headed back to Magnolia around 6 for the concert and ate the most delicious gourmet grilled cheese from one of the Food Trucks on the grounds. The concert was definitely the highlight of the trip for me. Shane and Shane and Phil Wickham performed and it was so beautiful and worshipful. They played as many worship songs as they did Christmas songs and it felt more like a night of worship than a concert.

After the concert we headed back to our hotel to put our little sleepy boy to bed. The next morning we were up bright and early again to drive to Dallas to catch our 9am flight back home. When we got home Jace was thoroughly exhausted and took a 3 1/2 hour nap while I tried to recapture the entire weekend in my mind. It was a great trip and one I would highly recommend! The one thing I would do that we didn't is take a tour with the Waco Tour group because they drive you around to several of the Fixer Upper's that have been done on previous seasons. It was also a very affordable trip and one I would definitely consider doing again! It was quite a nice surprise how well Jace did traveling and so I don't think this will be the end of our family adventures! Also one of the BEST parts of our trip was when my very very active and wiggly little boy fell asleep on me on the plane ride home! Not even Joanna Gaines can compare with this...

Thanksgiving 2016

This year is Jace's first Holiday season and it makes every moment of it extra special. He may not have any idea what is going on, but it sure does make our celebration more fun having him along for the ride. We had a wonderful weekend full of family time this year and I don't want to forget a single detail. We alternate which family we go to for Thanksgiving and this year we were with Austin's family! Since our families live so close we are able to do both for Christmas, but have felt like cramming both into Thanksgiving would be too stressful. 

This year we gathered at Austin's parents house with his mom's side of the family! His cousins are all around our age and some of our good friends. We ate lunch together and spent the rest of the day relaxing, going on a walk, and playing games. Jace took 2 long naps and I think all of the people and food wore him out because he was ready for bed again by 6pm. I gladly volunteered to take him home and put him to bed so I could curl up on the couch and watch Christmas movies while shopping online. Having kids really is the best excuse to go home and rest for this extroverted introvert! 

That precious smile... Oh Jace you light up our world!

My boy!

Somebody loves his daddy!

Walking with his Lolly!

On Black Friday of this year I worked and was pretty sad about it because my mom and I have Black Friday shopped for about 10 years now. But it ended up being a great day at work and really the online sales this year have been AMAZING. Shopping from your couch in your pajamas is pretty awesome. On Saturday we celebrated Jace's bff's birthday! Joel and Brittanie are some of our closest friends and their little boy Brantley turns 1 in a few weeks. He had a cowboy themed party and is just the cutest, happiest little buddy!  We have some fun things coming up this Holiday season and I am so excited for all of it. Our dog Bailey is due with puppy's, we are traveling to Waco for the Magnolia Market Christmas Silobration, and Austin's youngest brother is getting married! 

In the midst of the craziness I find it so hard to not get wrapped up in the materialism of Christmas and lose the heart of it. My mom and I started the SheReadsTruth Advent study and it is really helping me re-focus. Oh Jesus that you would quiet my heart this year and create in me a longing for Your return. I want to focus on celebrating the birth of my Savior this year, recognizing the great Hope that He brought to this earth. Merry Christmas everyone and may your Christmas season be full of the hope and peace that only Jesus Christ can bring!

Failure

One of the greatest fears I have struggled with is the fear of failure. I have gone so far as to not even try for fear of failing at something new. I like being good at things and having the assurance that I will succeed. Raising a child has magnified this fear of failure. I was handed the most precious treasure I have ever been given on this earth and suddenly I have been asked to make a thousand decisions that will shape him into the person he will become. This responsibility has caused me to want to overanalyze every.single.decision. 

Did I feed him too much or not enough? Did I let him cry too long or should I have waited longer to go in and get him? Should I have skipped the vaccine or gotten it? Should we make our own baby food or buy the (awesome) pre-filled pouches? Should I work or stay-home? Should I show mercy or bring correction? And I haven't even gotten to the truly crucial years where I am helping shape a soul not just a body. 

As I was praying this morning, a pretty strong thought hit me... I will fail my kids. At some point or another, I will fail them. I will say or do the wrong thing and disappoint them. Now that is not to say that I won't try my hardest and lean on God's grace and wisdom every single day. That is not a free pass to throw my hands in the air and give up. But it does set me free to realize that my kids need to see me fail. If I never failed them how would I show them a need for God's forgiveness?

The foundation of my belief system in Jesus Christ is that I am a sinner in need of saving. More than my kids need a perfect parent, they need to realize that there is a perfect Jesus who will not let them down, even when I do. If we never show our kids our weakness, how will they be able to attest to God's strength? 2 Corinthians 12:9 says that I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. Somewhere along the road we have gotten the idea that following Christ means we have our act together. I want to teach my kids that I follow Christ because I don't have my act together. When I fail it opens the door for me to point my kids to the One who will not fail them. When I say the wrong thing it opens the door to ask my kids forgiveness and teach them about the ultimate forgiveness found in Jesus Christ. 

So let's walk in the freedom we are meant to walk in Jesus Christ. The pursuit of perfection in ourselves is an empty pursuit that strangles the life out of our joy. If I were truly perfect I would give my kids no reason for placing their faith in Jesus Christ. I want to be a person that shows my brokenness, humility, and weakness so that I can boast all the more gladly in Christ's strength. 

Jace: 4 and 5 Months

Something about the 4th month made everything easier! Jace started sleeping through the night consistently without waking up for the pacifier, and nap times got easier too! Since then it has just gotten better and more fun! We introduced solid foods right before 5 months and he has loved them. He started using his walker in the 4th month and LOVES it. He also has started sitting up independently and can roll both sides. At 4 months Jace went through a phase of getting startled by every loud noise and would poke his bottom lip out and scream. It was the cutest thing ever but we were a little worried he would be like that forever. Austin is always loud so this made us kind of nervous but turns out it was just a phase. I've realized that most things with kids are just phases and if you are patient and stay positive it will be over before you know it.

I went back to work after Jace turned 5 months and it has actually been a great transition. I am only working 1-2 days a week and Jace stays with my mom, mother in law, or Austin if it's the weekend. He is such a happy camper and has bonded even more closely with Austin and our family since having alone time with them. It is tough to be away but I'm thankful it is not very often and that we have such awesome family to spend time with him. I truly believe grandparents are so beneficial to children and provide a different source of comfort and mentorship that even parents can't give a child. I love that Jace has incredible grandparents to spend time with and look up to. I have also been shocked how anxious I was to leave Jace and being back at work has helped me realize he will be just fine if I have to step away. The 5th month also brought some belly laughter out of Jace and it is the absolute best sound in the world! Life with this little bud just gets better and more fun and I can't wait to see what he will do next. 

Jace: Three Months

On July 4th, our little man turned 3 months old! This month has been full of smiles and we are almost to the point of giggling. He loves to coo and baby talk all day long and is full of personality! We have settled into a nice little routine and he is sleeping 9-10 hours at night! 

Feeding:
Jace is still nursing and it has gotten a lot easier since starting him on medicine for acid reflux. At his 2 month appointment I told the doctor my concerns about him constantly arching his back and spitting up more. He is still spitting up a lot but the back arching and fussiness has slowed down a good deal. He typically nurses about 5-7 times a day and the typical times are 7am, 10am, 2pm, 5pm, and 8pm. He gained 1 pound this month and is up to 13 pounds but I think it's partially from when the reflux was an issue and partially from him not nursing as many times in a day. He is not that interested in feeding and would much rather play and look around most of the time. I have a feeling he is going to be a kid that I have to coax to eat because all he wants to do is move and play! He is so so wiggly and the slightest noise makes him pop off and want to look around. He is so curious and it is so hilarious to watch him struggle between wanting to eat and wanting to interact with everything around him. 

Sleep:
Jace has been a pretty good sleeper from the beginning and has started sleeping in longer stretches this month. We started doing bed time earlier because he's pretty fussy around 7pm on so we started our bedtime routine around then because I think the fussiness is just when he gets overtired. He takes 2-3 naps a day and they last anywhere from 1-2 hours. The morning nap is the easiest and he falls asleep almost immediately. We still swaddle for sleep and will probably transition out of that sometime this month. Right now he typically lays down for a nap around 8:30, 12, and 3 or 4. The last few days I have laid down with him around 5 for a 30-45 minute catnap and it is the absolute sweetest thing in the world! Around 7 or 7:15pm we start bath time (which he loves), then put on fresh pajamas, nurse, read a book, pray, swaddle and sleep! Sometimes he goes right to sleep, other times it takes several minutes of patting, rubbing his head for him to fall asleep. Lately that is the last feeding of the day and he hasn't been wanting a middle of the night feeding. He does wake up round 2 and 5 and wants the paci but goes right back to sleep. It has seemed like having a consistent bedtime and morning wake up time has helped him sleep through the night more than having consistent nap times. Nap time is still a struggle because some days I just can't be home all day and have to run errands. He doesn't nap as well out and about as he used to because he is so aware of all his surroundings and wants to take everything in!

Play:
Jace loves his bouncy seat and kicks his little legs like he is running a race when in it. He also started rolling from tummy to back this month and loves doing tummy time on the boppy. He is making eye contact and focusing a lot more and loves to grab anything with his hands. I have lost a lot of hair this month from his grabbing it and pulling at it! He loves interaction and will talk, coo and smile at you when you talk to him. He constantly has his hands in his mouth and drools all the time which I am wondering is an early sign of teething! Still loves his nuk pacifier as well and won't sleep without it. He hates being held against people's chest because he can't see what's going on and would much rather be held with his back to you so he can interact and stare at everything. We have been to the pool a few times this month and he loves the water and sleeps so good after swimming for a little while! Jace also visited the beach for the second time in his life and this kid loves the beach! He is so calm and content with the sound of the waves. He napped pretty much all day while we were there and then wanted to party all night! I learned that kids definitely get off schedule on vacation but it is so worth it for the memories and extra time with family! 

Jacey boy, you are the light of our lives! You are getting so much hair and have the most adorable button nose I have ever seen. I absolutely adore your big, gummy smile and can't wait to hear you belly laugh. You have a very passionate cry when you are upset and your I think you might have inherited some of your mom's intense personality :)! But most of the time you are happy and content to play and move those legs! You look so darn cute when you cry with your little scrunched up nose and red cheeks. If you are really upset you will grab onto your mama with as your tiny little fists and it is so precious. I absolutely love when you want to snuggle because mostly you want to play and look around so when I get the chance to rock you to sleep, I do it! We can worry about "self-soothing" later I guess! You saw your first fireworks this month and couldn't stop staring at them. You LOVE having your head rubbed and it is the cutest thing to watch your eyes get so heavy when we rub your little forehead. I can't wait to watch what God does with you kiddo and I pray all the time that He will give me insight into your little soul. We love you so very much little boy!

Jace: Two Months

Two months old and this month has been full of smiles and even a few giggles! It is so fun to see Jace's little personality come out, we can't get enough of him! He is up to 12lbs and 23 inches long and changes a little more every day. He really has the sweetest temperament and is pretty calm and content most of the day until right before bedtime. He tends to fuss and wear himself out the last hour of the day but is sleeping 8-9 hours once he falls asleep so we can't really complain. 

He has cut back on feeding times a day and I typically nurse him 6-7 times per day. As much as I loved the constant snuggling/nursing the first few weeks, it is nice to have a little longer stretches between feedings to get more done. We are trying hard to have some semblance of a schedule, but some days we just go with the flow. He sleeps in his crib every night and does great! I try to get at least one of his daytime naps in the crib, but sometimes I put him down and he just smiles up at me and I can't help but let him nap on my chest! I always remind myself that he will never be this young again and I will never have only one baby again. The next time a little newborn is in this house our attention will be bit more divided between that baby and Jace. 

Here is what a typical day lately looks like for us...

6am- wake up and feeding

6:30- take him into our room and let him sleep on Austin's chest for an hour before Austin leaves for work. Definitely one of the best parts of the day! I use this time to pump to help build up my freezer supply for when I go back to work. 

7:30-9- naps with me in bed while I do quiet time/drink coffee.

9am- feeding

9:30-10- play time and awake

10- down for a nap

12- feeding

12:30-3- this is time I run errands, meet a friend for lunch, shop, etc. Jace usually sleeps in the stroller on and off 

3- nurse

3:30-5:30- nap

5:30- feed

6-8- usually fussy during this time so I like to wear him in the baby wrap while I get dinner ready or we go sit outside with him in the rocking chair. Austin gets home during this time too and he usually takes over to give me a break. 

8 (sometime between 8-9)- bed time routine. Our bed time routine starts with a bath (which he loves!), then I feed him, swaddle him, read a few books, and put him in the crib. It usually takes a few time of going back in to comfort him before he falls asleep, and every once in a while he wants to feed again. After he is settled he is usually down for the night. I guess you could say we "sleep-trained" him but really, he has always been a great sleeper and took to it naturally. I do love having a bedtime routine to get him settled in for the night. 

Eventually I would like to get him to where he sleeps from 7:30pm-7am, but for now I really like the schedule we are on. I have always been an early bird and love the 6am time with him. Early morning snuggles are the best and I love the quiet alone time with my little guy to think and pray over him. I keep the schedule fairly loose because life is busy and sometimes he wants to nurse way more, but I do like having an idea of how my day is going to go. Our mom's will watch him when I go back to work a few days a week and I really wanted them to have a little schedule to go by to make it easier. 

We have had a full month of Jace's first trip to the beach, traveling to Alabama to see family, meeting his Oma in South Georgia, and seeing a lot of old friends. Summer is such a wonderful time because it brings all of our old high school friends together. The ones who have moved away usually come to visit at some point and it has been wonderful to catch up with friends we have known for over a decade! 

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from Jace's 2nd month of life...

Pediatrician's office for our 2 month checkup!

Sure do love these sweet smiles!

Memorial Day weekend we traveled to Huntsville to see Austin's nana and family! When we came home Jace gained a new Aunt when Austin's little brother proposed to his beautiful girlfriend Emily! We are so excited! We also got to play a little tennis and see some of our oldest and best friends from high school!

Meeting Oma Sonia for the first time!

Snuggling with his Pop pop!

First trip to Home Depot! We are working on a raised bed veggie garden in our backyard. Austin is always helping me keep the Joanna Gaines dream alive!

Early morning sweetness with dad!

Where we end up every night before bedtime...

We sure do love you, our happy boy! Every day with you is better than the last! You are our treasure!