Checking In

Just stopping by to say hey. Things are starting to fall into place and get back on track around these parts. I can't post photos because my computer isn't up yet (we're staying with family while looking for a place) but I can't wait to share so much with you all! First off, Hubby got a job! We are moving to DC! We are so blessed in so many ways. I look back on all we have been though and think how amazing God has been to us. How we have had the opportunity to see so many different places and kinds of people though each move we have. I'm looking forward to this new, exciting way of life. To be able to take Button up and down the national mall and teach him all about our great country. To learn what it’s like to live in such a high energy, fast-paced area will be quite a change from the slow, laid-back pace we are used to, for sure! As soon as we find a place I will totally have to share with you all photos. I can't wait to have a new space to work with and design. Its bitter sweet moving from the first place Button has ever known and lives in as well as leaving his gorgeous nursery but I know we will make our new place just as nice and remember-able. 

Changing for the Better

I know this blog is going through a dry spell so I figured it was about time to fill you all in. here's the load down, Hubby is having to look for a new job, the car broke down, our lease is up and our apartment wants to raise our rent to something we can't afford. So, we have eight days to find Hubby a job, move, fix our car, and still keep our heads on straight. Yeah, it’s a little stressful and a lot of hectic going on around these parts. I'm not looking for a pity party, just wanted to be real with you all and to document this part of my life. Sometimes things get tough, it rains, we fight, my house is often a mess, this is really freaking life. Yeah, it's kind of a downer and I'm sorry about that but this blog is for me too. It's to document all our life moments, crafts, inspiration, and adventures and honestly, it wouldn't be honest or the same if it was all rainbows and sunshine. We are getting through it. I know what the Lord does is for a reason and to grow us in some way and because of that, I am trying to think positively about this whole situation; its rough, and hard, but I'm trying. Hopefully, I can get a post up about packing/ moving as it happens and share with you all the new place (whatever/ where ever that might be). I'm sad to leave this place; we have friends here, a good church, a garden, so much love put into this apartment, it is bitter thinking of leaving. For now, I just dream of blessings to come (a pay raise, a house maybe, a fixed car) and pray God hears them and continues to bless this amazing family I have. Yeah, I know this blog is going through a dry spell and things are rough right now but if I don't share the time that feels like a raging storm, it’s hard to see the blessings when the clouds clear. If you made it, though this bleak post, thank you. I know it's not an easy read and kind of sad but it gets better and together we can watch the sun come out and the days become brighter as we change for the better.

Buttons Six Month Photo Session

Here is Buttons six month photos... I didn't get much because he is really starting to move which equals a LOT of blurry photos. *sigh*

His eyes are so beautiful! I actually didn't edit any of his eye color on any of these photos. I just love how they look almost purple in the right lighting. Even when he's covered in droop, he's still my little stud. <3
it’s hard to believe Buttons already half a year old! Where did the time go!? Where did my baby go?! He really is turning into a little toddler right before my eyes;')

Taking a Beating

I know this is super late and... Well... lacking and I apologize for that. To be honest, I have been so depressed. Not because of anything in particular or because anyone specifically did anything. Just, you now, down in the dumps. While there are a lot of small contributors I think, for the most part, I'm just a little overwhelmed  with juggling being a mommy, wiffy, and still giving you guys, myself, and my man the time we all need. I am so sorry for the neglect this blog has received; I really want to get it back on track and stat posting more often. I have always put forth my most effort into this blog and I'm just feeling like it’s not good enough. Not good enough for you guys, my reader and for me, it’s a struggle to please voiceless faces. I wish more people who read this would please respond in some way, any way! But that's simply not how it works. Apart from that, I find myself working more and more on my photography business and while I'd love to share those moment with you all, I'm struggling with self-doubts and insecurities (to be frank) in most areas as of late. My one strong hold is my parenting and because of that, I seem to be fleeing to that aspect of my life a lot now. It is the one confident part of my recently crazy life right now. Being vocal about this is hard but, in a way, relieving. I suppose it’s sort of like having to go on a stage naked to see the beauty of oneself... though, for me, a much smaller advance consider I'm not even sure if this poo blog of mine gets reader. *sigh* Hopefully opening up like this will give me the push I need to focus more on the little things, to stop using my adorably distracting son and feeling like a failure as an excuse and to focus more on the little things; like this blog. After all, how else am I going to document all these moments (good AND bad) if I don't take the time to write them down. I can't (and won't) promise anything about how often or how much I will blog or even if I will ever start adding photos again to each post (>.< sorry) but I can promise that, for the meantime, this blogs not going anywhere. I'm sticking it out even if it means one post a month or even every other month. I want to remember these moments, to share with others, to have passion in writing again and to forget about the naysayers... because, after all, that is the simplicity of why I began a blog in the first place.

I know this is super late and well, this blog is lacking but I will. Not. Quite.

This is real freaking life! Welcome to the party because it only gets better from here. :)

So, if you are willing to put up with my poor grammar, sometimes bad spelling, sappy, sad, possible long breaks, and crazy moments in order to share with me this beautifully blessed, amazing adventure of life with me I would love that more than anything. If not, I understand and thank you for at least even reading this far. I am an acquired taste, I get that. So where ever you stand, here's where I'm at right now, yeah, this is real stink'n life, sometimes it sucks. It’s not all peaches and cream, people are mean, things get hard, feelings get hurt, babies cry, and things die but the band marches on. We grow, learn, and become stronger and better. I need this. I don't feel that way now (right now I want to give up and lie on my hubby’s chest and watch sad movies all night) but I've gott'a push through this. I am not a quitter and I refuse to give in to the negativity that surrounds me and the sinful fear that holds me back. I am better than this and I want to do better for myself, for my child, for my husband... and, for you. All of you... whoever you are. 

Woot!

Things are looking up Y'all! The garden is in full swing, Button did #2 for the first time on his toilet, the family is coming to visit this weekend, a road trip is in the makes, and I finally check a major project off the list. I can't wait to share it all with you guys this coming week but right now my plate if full on overflowing with a little baby with a cold and guest abounding.

Lots of fun stuff, projects, recipes, updates, and tidbits to come ;) Happy Friday.. now go out and do something fun and awesome for yourself! <3

Bathroom Talk

We are starting a new journey in our house. Things are getting a little crazy and a lot of interesting around here! We are taking the big leap of faith toward a diaper free home as this adventure called elimination communication unfolds.

So what is elimination communication you ask? Oh, you didn't? Well, I'm going to tell you anyways; elimination communication is the process of associating the toilet with going to the bathroom. Sounds simple enough right? The idea is to communicate in ways that your little one can understand whenever they have a bowel movement and to make that relatable to sitting on the toilet and going. It is NOT potty training. It is a sort of precursor to that. So if it’s not potty training, why do it right? well, in part, it’s cheaper, less water use on our cloth diapers and less detergent use also but for the most part, families that successful use elimination communication are able to actually potty train their buttons by 6 months to a year old! Basically, the age a child can get him or herself to the potty (depending on when they start to craw and walk). Button is five month now so obviously, we are not expecting him to start actual potty training for some time. So why do it at all? because we want to instill a concept that seems to have been lost to the western hemisphere, that children don't like, nor want to crap themselves or have urine sitting on their butts for, well, at all. The whole idea of diapering is really flawed to me. 50% of the world does not even use any form of diapers at all; and while it would be near impossible for two working parents to really do this, I am blessed enough to be a stay at home mom. Therefore, I feel there is really no reason Button should have to sit in his own stool or urine at all. Though I understand it is a truly controversial idea.

The gist of this all is, we are starting to teach Button the phases "go pee" and "go poop" whenever he starts making the movements and sounds of having to go and doing our best to provide the means to go somewhere sanitary (i.e. his little toilet) so that he does not lose his natural instinct to not want fecal matter on his poor little bottom and so that he will learn to associate the toilet with going to the bathroom. We do NOT expect him to hold himself  (because children this age simply do not have that kind of control over there bowels yet) but we do expect him to start learning that the phrase "go pee" and "go poop" are related to actually doing those things and that the toilet is associated with going to the bathroom.

I know many of you already think I'm crazy, that's why you keep reading right? I am also aware that this is a very touchy and debatable way of nurturing but it is my hope that you all will read this with an open mind and caring heart ( I won’t judge you if you don't judge me). That it might spark something in someone and if nothing else, teach you something new about the world. So, here we are, lots of days spent sitting on the baby toilet, listening for little grunts, saying pee a thousand times, and trying not to fall off toilets. Oh, the life of being a mom!

Growing

Things are moving a little slower around here these days. Most of my time is taken up playing with Button, cleaning the house, and making dinner before starting it all over again the next day. It’s nice to have a routine all worked out but in a way, I miss having adventures, exploring our area, crafting, and working on my garden. Button is teething now and that is a whole different kind of adventure all on its own I guess. It’s such a blessing to see his little budding personality coming out more and more each day. He is almost five months now and I can't wait to share with you all his five-month photo session!  The garden is growing good now and I even have about nine little tomato growing on my three tomato plants. My lettuce is flourishing immensely; to the point that Hubby and I have already harvested three salads worth from it. Because we are 'pruning' it instead of cutting off the whole stock from each plant we are able to re-harvest them about every week or so. Isn't that awesome! I love having homegrown salads. I have been working on some products to add to my Etsy shop, and hopefully bring it back to life, there is a lot that is going into that and I think most of these things deserve their own posts. I will have to get some photos together and share with you all, in depth, what is going on with each thing. Being a mother is so rewarding and it is becoming harder and hard to step away from my darling boy and get a little time to myself. Time to pull my thoughts together. Time to share with you all. I need to prioritize my life. I'm not saying that this is the end of our relationship... not even near it my friend. Just, in a way, different. I pray that it will be beneficial to us all and that I will find a balance to this new and exciting phase of my life. I pray that you all will continue to be able to and long to share it with me. After all, this is what Growing the Home is all about. If I do not learn to adjust to my new life as a mother, a housewife, a blogger, and a friend, I will become stagnant. A stagnant person is not one that is changing and without changer there is not growth or bettering one’s self. So, it is my most sincere wish that you all with bare with me as I go through these changes and growth. It might be a bumpy, not very pretty road ahead of us but it will be ours. Then again, aren't the best views down the less traveled, more adventurous paths? Let’s go on an adventure together, and adventure to find beauty in every day, to change, to share, and to grow the home that grows us.