Life, as we currently know it

Well. It's been a long time. Much longer than I intended.

My last post was during the month we launched our escape room business.

A lot has happened since then. We now have a son who will be a whole year old in a few weeks.

March 2017 // 9 months

And we have a new house. Our first venture into home ownership. It only took 32 years for us to feel ready!

January 2017 // 7 months
IKEA highchair accessories from Yeah Baby Goods

So why am I choosing today to write a blog post? Because this is the first weekend in the past 14 months that we are not doing some combination of 1) working at our business;  2) planning a major move;  3) breastfeeding a child;  4) hosting guests;  5) traveling;  or 6) working at our regular day jobs. This weekend - Easter weekend 2017 - has been an absolute GIFT. And so I'm taking an hour - one WHOLE hour - and documenting some random thoughts that have been rolling around in my head for the past year or so.

March 2017 // 9 months

Here goes. In no particular order.

// 1 //  You'll never know what kind of parent you'll be until you are one.

Case in point: Nate.

August 2016 // 2 months

This guy. Was. Freaking out. Was convinced having a baby would ruin everything. No more freedom. No more fun. No more adventure.

April 2016 // 7 months pregnant

Then he met his son.

June 2016 // birth-day

This guy can't get enough time with Axel. I'm talking leaving work early, just to see this kid. Going to all the wellness check ups and asking the doctor all kinds of questions. Reading books (again and again) and singing really silly songs. Going on walks and "swimming" in the pool. He's blown me away.

June 2016 // 3 weeks

Trust me, it's a miracle.


// 2 // Pregnancy is a gift.

March 2016 // 6 months pregnant

Putting aside all the aches and pains and (for some) sickness and exhaustion, pregnancy was such a marvelous process to experience. And I say marvelous for a reason: I continuously marveled at the creative work going on inside me. And what a faith-building experience! No matter how many of the "rules" I followed - avoiding the foods on the naughty list and taking my prenatals and exercising and hydrating and whatnot - it doesn't all just magically add up to a healthy little brain and set of lungs and strong heartbeat. That's God's work, and His alone. I was just one fortunate little vessel.

And baby kicks. Seriously - those little kicks were the cutest thing my body has ever done.

February 2016 // 5 months pregnant
photo: Maya Lewis

// 3 // Starting a business, buying a house, and having a baby all in one year is not advisable.

I mean, it can be done. We did do all those things. But you won't have time to blog. Just so you know.

Nate preparing for our first test night.
That logo is supposed to be sideways. I think.

// 4 // I now understand what parents mean.

When they say, "My baby was up every two hours last night!"

When they say, "Sometimes we would just drive the baby around to get him to sleep."

When they say, "The only thing that kept her from crying was to hold her all day!"

June 2016 // 2.5 weeks
SO TIRED. But sleeping babies are THE BEST to hold.

I now get it. I might not agree with every tactic parents use, but I do have a lot more sympathy now. And at the end of the day, every parent is trying to do their best and still remain sane. I get that. Do your thing, and parent on.


// 5 // The Cayman family comes through when you need them.

Three of the wonderful girls who hosted my baby shower.
photo: Maya Lewis

In Axel's early days, when I was still trying to figure out breastfeeding and sleep deprivation and pain management and how to get out of my bedroom before 10 a.m., the many members of my Cayman family were so instrumental in keeping our little family afloat. There were many meals delivered and words of encouragement spoken and prayers prayed over us. One friend in particular did my laundry, hung my curtains, and wiped tears off my face when those inevitable baby blues hit me in the middle of the day one day. That visit was a gift that I'll never forget.


// 6 // Also, enough can't be said about your actual family.

My mom visited right after Axel was born.

June 2016 // 2 weeks

Then Nate's parents visited.

July 2016 // 6 weeks

Then Alli visited.

August 2016 // 2.5 months

All of these people helped keep me alive with love, encouragement, and FOOD. I just couldn't get enough food. Thank you all for making the trip to see us during Axel's early days!!


// 7 // Going back to work was hard but good.

September 2016 // 3 months
Our final days of my maternity leave, exploring Dallas

I was fortunate enough to take three full months off work to be with Axel, and when I started back at work, I did a full month at part-time. It was hard to say goodbye to the little guy and look at him as he watched me go out the door. Thankfully, Axel has a wonderful nanny who cares for him while I'm at work, and the two of them are very fond of each other. It keeps me from worrying about him during the day, and lets me do what I need to do in the office.

I find myself looking forward to heading home again, eager for an hour or so with my little buddy before going through the bedtime routine and tucking him in for the night. I feel so engaged with him during these moments - I make the most of the time I get with him, and I live for the weekends (especially long weekends, like this one!), when we get to spend time together as a family.

March 2017 // 9 months

// 8 // I won't forget the earliest memories.

Axel was born at 12:27 a.m., in the middle of the night. I wouldn't have it any other way - we had a full 24 hours to say "Happy birthday!" to him - on his actual birth-day! The next night, Axel and I were alone in the hospital, and I thought it would be a good time to finally get some rest. Axel had other ideas, and there was no negotiating with this little man. He just wanted to be held, looking right up at my face, with his eyes and mouth wide open, as still as could be. So we talked and sang and stared and got to know one another. As one friend told me, "You can sleep when you're 60!" That night was not designed for sleep. It was meant for bonding.

June 2016 // birth-day

I wrote this all down in a journal, because I never want to forget this memory - one of the most precious of my life.

March 2017 // 9 months

Okay so that was quite an assortment, and I'm sure I could go on, but I only gave myself an hour to pump this out, so I'll stop here.

Thanks for reading, and if you want more timely updates from me, check out my Instagram! I promise to post more than once a year!

April 2017 // 10 months