comparison & encouragement

since becoming a mama, i have read a few blog posts about the struggles of being a new mom. there are so many great blogs that highlight the pressures and struggles new moms face- especially regarding comparison. it's no secret that women struggle with comparison, and i love reading about women who put forth effort to not compare themselves with others. they always say that the first step in overcoming sin is recognizing it. us new mamas already have enough on our plate, why add worrying about how soon your baby is walking, how fast you are loosing the baby weight, or how clean your house is. and yet most of us fall prey to comparing ourselves daily with each other.

yesterday i took my weekly trip to get groceries and was shuffling around the store trying to get everything on my list while making sure ruby kay was content. a sweet lady working at the store interrupted me to tell me the two kindest things you can tell a new mom. first, she told me that ruby kay was an adorable baby, and the she told me that i didn't look like i just had a baby. for the rest of my trip i couldn't get our interaction off my mind. in the midst of her busy day, she took 10 seconds to encourage an overwhelmed stranger. how hard is that? her random act of encouragement was the highlight of my day and caused me to think about how i want to spend more time encouraging and less time comparing myself to others.

yes, i can't fit into all of my pre-pregnancy clothes. yes, i sometimes forget to shower some days. yes, my baby is almost three months old and still not on a consistent schedule. but rather than focusing on how i am "failing", i should think: did i spend time in the word today? did i spend time loving my husband and daughter today? did i find ways to encourage others today?

i have always loved the quote by theodore roosevelt, "comparison is the thief of joy". it is such a good reminder to not waste time comparing. here's to encouraging over comparing!

gold foil print found {here}.

2 months with ruby kay

to our sweet ruby kay,

can you really be two full months old? so much has changed in the two short months with you as our daughter. at first, our lives felt so chaotic and disorganized: from the lack of sleep, both of us learning how to breastfeed, allowing my body to heal from surgery, and overall adjusting to life as a family of three. we have created our 'new normal' with you, and wouldn't trade it for the world. your addition has been such a compliment to our family, and your daddy even said yesterday that we should have started having babies earlier. watch out for siblings! :)

at your two month checkup, you weighed a healthy 11pds 2oz, and were 22 inches long. your doctor told us that you are a healthy baby, and answered all of our questions with affirmation that everything is going perfectly. we have so much to be thankful for! 

this past month we went on a few out of town trips that have proved you are a great traveler. that must be your mama in you! our destinations included the lake of the ozarks, branson, mimi & papa's house, and eureka springs. luckily, you are a great sleeper in your car seat too making the car rides so enjoyable and stress free.

some sweet things to remember from our second month with you are:

-your cheeks & how they seem to grow each day 

-your sweet, long eyelashes

-how you still love your paci, and suck on it even when you are in a deep sleep

-your deep blue eyes that we can't get enough of

-how you smile & coo at us whenever we talk to you, you just light up whenever we engage with you

-your clenched fists that relax a few minutes into nursing

-how you have slept through the night a few times this past month giving your mama such good sleep

-how you are love contrasting colors- your mobile, the allens bookshelf, razorback parties where everyone wears red 

-how you love to kick & squirm, especially when watching your mobile

-how well you sleep on your tummy (supervised naps only)

-and lastly, how i was able to hold you while watching your sweet niece enter the world- such a sweet memory!

cutie patootie!

we can't get enough of your big blue eyes! (photo credit: my mom)

rubes, we sure love you. thank you for being such a great baby. we love you so much and yet our love grows more and more each day.

{1 month with Ruby Kay}

goodbye to nina

today is a sad day. today my mom left for thailand after being in america for the summer. goodbyes are normal for our family, but never get easy. we have been blessed to see our parents often on their visits back to america, but life still isn't the same when your parent's permanent residence is halfway around the world. 

for the month of august, my mom was here in northwest arkansas awaiting the birth of my sisters baby, and then stayed to help them adjust to life with their sweet ellanora. since my sister and i live in the same apartment complex, and in the same building as us, ruby kay's nina was still very close by. even though she has been here for my sister, i still got to enjoy my mama since we live so close. 

i wrote my mom a thank you note for all her help with becoming a mama myself, and found myself in tears when i thanked her for becoming my friend. it is such a sweet transition becoming a mama, because i think that is when your mom becomes more of a friend and encourager than a mom. i will forever treasure the week i went overdue with ruby kay, because it was such a great time with my mom. we had fun outings everyday alongwith long walks and overall great conversation. 

mom, i love you so much and am so thankful for you. you are such a sweet nina to ruby kay, and we already miss you like crazy. thank you for being so great and for spending so much time with us.

thoughts on being a mama

we just got home from ruby kay's two month doctor checkup. it was such a good checkup and we left so encouraged that ruby kay is a happy, healthy baby. we have so much to be thankful for. while we were waiting for the nurse to give ruby kay shots, ben and i were looking through all the instagrams i have taken of ruby kay. even though she is still a tiny baby, i can see her growing so much. it makes my mama heart so happy to be with her through all of these changes. even though is sounds cheesy, i really feel like this is what God created me to do. to be a mama. even with all of the challenges of being a mama and selflessly caring for this little girl, i wouldn't trade her for the world. 

i asked my mom to take a few pictures of me with ruby kay to remember what we looked like together at this phase. when i am at home all day long i typically don't dress up, so we took these after an outing a few weeks ago. my current wardrobe is typically running shorts, a tank top, and a messy bun. why get all ready when my hair will either be pulled out by baby fingers or pasted in spit up? :)

it's also fun to remember where we brought ruby kay home--- to our sweet, little apartment #7. i love our sweet humble life, and can't wait to look back on this season of life with fondness at our simplicity. 

ruby kay, i sure love being your mama. you are such a joy to be around, and my love for you grows more an more each day. thanks for letting me love you!

ruby kay & the arkansas razorbacks!

this past saturday we took ruby kay to her first razorback tailgate! it was sunny and hot, but we still enjoyed our quick visit. our secret to success with bringing a newborn tailgating were: parking at a friends house who lived close to the game, sonic drinks, bringing ruby kay's nina, only carrying a light diaper bag, and staying for only a bit over an hour. ruby kay's daddy sure loves football, so the best part was enjoying it alongside him.

family picture!

proud daddy with his girl

this little lady was such a trooper during our little visit. ben actually went to the game, and we went home and enjoyed nap in the nice, cold air conditioning. as the weather cools off, we may actually stay for a game! and just as a side note, does anyone notice a sweet little girl getting chubbier? i think we'll keep her!