Emmett at 1 Month

• loves all things that move. Cars, trucks, planes, motorcycles, buses, trains. You name it. If it moves, he's a fan.
• loves music (and dancing!). He seems to learn easily through songs.
• never stops moving. He doesn't sleep at night. He just recharges his battery pack.
• is curious, independent, determined, funny, joy-filled and wide-eyed at life.
• loves bubbles, balls, the beach and doing anything outdoors. He'd live outside if we let him.
• pops wheelies on his Lowes 48 tricycle. And thinks it's hilarious.
• is a daddy's boy at heart.
• still loves to be held and wants to be where the action is. I believe physical touch and quality time are his top love languages. He likes to snuggle before nap time and bed time. He wants to be with people. He wants us to play with him. He tugs at our hands and leads us into his playroom. Doesn't matter what we play. It only matters that we're doing it together.
• strives on a routine. He's much more flexible now as he's getting older, but is happiest when we have very routine days that include an afternoon nap and some time outside.
• can throw a fit like the best of 'em! He screams and yells and wails and lets down those big alligator tears. It's funny, but not funny.
• loves books. We go to story time almost every week at the library and check out new books from time to time. Sometimes, I find him in his chair sitting quietly looking through his books. These are the moments that make my introvert heart smile.
• adores his Nana and Gramps. He's a huge fan and I'm so thankful.
• is a good helper. He helps unload the dishwasher and loves to sweep the floor and use the vacuum. In fact, he's got some sort of obsession with the "vac" and asks for it daily.
  
  

• Your love of ice cream and orange soda. And the fact that you always had both on hand. (Thanks for passing that love (of ice cream!) on to me.)
• Your fridge magnets. We always messed with them when we came to see you and you always let us.
• Your basement. We spent hours down there drawing up imaginary creatures and places with all of your scrap computer paper. You know, the kind with the lines on one side and the two perforated edges that we could tear off? You had tons of it and we used it up.
• Your spaghetti sauce. Your house was always filled with this aroma. Greg makes it most like you now, and when we visit him and he cooks it for dinner, it brings me right back to homemade dinners with you.
• Your vitamin box. You faithfully carried that light brown vitamin box with you every where.
• Your overnight stays when there was a chance of snow. You chose to stay with us when the forecast was calling for snow while we lived in Enfield since it was closer to your workplace. You were the only person I ever had to give up my room for and I was so excited. Snow. Grammy. "Getting" to sleep on the couch. My little girl heart was full.
• Your lipstick, porcelain skin and painted nails. You were quite the lady.
• Your passion for reading. (I think you passed this one on to me too!)
  
  

Blogging has always been a fun hobby for me and it's mostly consisted of things that my family has been up to sprinkled with some deeper posts here and there when I felt like I had something more to say. It was a place to share my photographs. A place to store memories. It was more of a way to keep family and friends in the loop of what we were up to, a way to stay in touch. But now, especially after becoming a mama, I can see that we (mamas) could all use a little more encouragement, a high five, a hug. We could all use a little more truth and real life. There's lots of things that motherhood throws you into completely unaware yet not often talked about, and for that reason, I want to write, to share, to say "I know" and "I see you" sweet mama.

Are you looking for a place to connect? Are you looking for some encouragement in your story of motherhood today? Instead of falling into the trap of comparison and trying to figure this journey out alone, let's band together on our common ground of one of the greatest roles we'll ever hold. You're beautiful, Mama, and you're doing a great job.