I rock my babies to sleep.

There. I said it. I rock my babies to sleep. If I am not physically rocking them, I stay with them. Hold them, sing to them, rub their backs. I am not ruining them. I am not creating needy monsters. I am creating a bond with them. A place of comfort they can count on every night.

And I don’t care if you agree with my decision or not.

 There is so much to be read on the rights and wrongs of parenting. Do this, don’t do that. Your head will spin. No matter what the topic, there will always be people doing things differently. Everyone believing their way is the best way.  Well, I believe in rocking my babies to sleep. I will not say that it is the best way to do it. But it is the best way for us.

I have actually been asked “but then you’re stuck doing that every night?”.  Well yes, I am.  I’m stuck having 10-15 minutes of quiet, peaceful alone time with each of my kids.

The days are long and sometimes full of arguments, tantrums and time-outs. Bedtime is a time of reflection on the day. A time were Joey has his last bottle, laying in my arms. Knowing that I am right there next to him. A time where he is peaceful and calm and I get to just stare at the child that I created.  Watching his little chest rise and fall with each sleepy breath that he takes.

It is a time to lay next to Mini in her bed and rub her back. Listen to relaxing music and whisper to each other in the dimly lit room. It is when we discuss what happened over the course of the day, and what the plans are for tomorrow. It is when she really opens up and tells me stories that she put off telling me all day. It is the time that she knows she has my undivided attention.

I refuse to believe that I am spoiling my children. If anything, I am the one being spoiled. Sooner than I would like to imagine my children will shout goodnight and run to their rooms to read, or call a friend.  Maybe pick out their outfit for school the next day. They won’t need me to rub their backs, kiss their lips, scare away monsters and tuck them in.

I already know how much I will miss these moments. So for now I will rock them. And hold them. And I will lay with them until they fall asleep. I will let my babies be exactly what they are.  My babies.

Hooray for our first Alabama visitor!   Before we even left Florida my mother bought a plane ticket to come see us in the second week in October.  Then my little sister booked a flight for the week after that.  I think my older sister got jealous because after learning of everyone’s travel plans she jumped online and booked a flight to beat everyone here.

We don’t care what order the vistors come, we are just happy to have them!  This weekend was non-stop fun for Miss Mini.  Seriously.  It was so fun she actually needed a nap both Saturday and Sunday.  She hasn’t napped in 9 months.  It was really great having her run through the house until 10pm.  Reallllly great.  (Note the sarcasm.  I’m #teamnonaps all the way.  No nap and a 6:30 bedtime is perfection to this mama.)

Aunt Samantha definitely got a fun taste of motherhood the 4 days she was here.  She learned that toddlers like an audience while they poop.  Babies scream for no apparent reason.  Not cry.  Just scream.  3 year olds will just never agree with anything you say.  Babies get into everything.  Every cabinet.  Every bag left unattended.  Everything.  But I think it’s safe to say she had a blast too.  Between tea parties, the State Fair, and learning that the cost of liquor is 3x in Alabama than it is in Florida..we had a whirlwind weekend.  We absolutely cannot wait for her to come back.  You know, once she recovers.

Do you know what the hardest part about moving is?

Getting used to your new surroundings.

When we first moved to Naples it was an adventure.  Mike works a ridiculous amount of hours, so it was sort of like the mama + mini show.

We explored.  We discovered.  And over time we learned.  Which Target had the better beauty clearance.  Which Dunkin Donuts chocolate munchkins were skimpy on the glaze.  What days were the best to visit the museum.

After some time you even start to make friends.  Before you know it, the other mom at the library feels like someone you have known all of your life.

I am grateful for Naples.  For the places I went.  The experiences we had.  The friends I made.

A new place eventually becomes a home.

So it’s strange to do it all over again.  Strange but exciting in the same.

A big part of me wants to scream out “NOOO”  I don’t want to!  I don’t want to figure out where the grocery store is.  Have those awkward conversations with other moms at the park.

I want to belong.  I don’t feel like I belong yet.  But I know I will.

In the meantime, before I am ready to really venture out there, I will adapt in my own new surroundings.

Taking my kids for walks in the neighborhood.  Figuring out how to arrange our furniture in the new house.  Making sure we don’t get lost on our way to Target.

And for now, that is enough.  If they are happy, I am happy.

Everything else will fall into place.

XO D

Holy cow.

I can’t believe it’s already been 6 months since the day we met.
These past 6 months have been quite a learning experience for Baby J.  Joey is learning how to eat, hold his bottle, sit up on his own, and get me to run to his crib at 6am on the dot.  He is also learning that when Mini is bothering him, he can easily pull her hair to make her stop what she’s doing and that she is the funniest sister ever and better than any toy I could have bought him.

Let talk stats.  (You know.. Blog is baby book blah blah)

19.6 lbs

27 inches long

Currently eating: sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, peas, bananas and stonyfield baby yogurt

Loves to: walk in the walker, stick his fingers in his bowl of food, watch Mini run in circles around him while I scream “don’t step on him!”

Sleeps:  7pm-6/7am on his belly.

No teeth but we have a drooler

Wearing 9-12 month outfits and ready to go up a size

Seriously the happiest baby ever.  Loves to laugh and be tickled.

Getting ready for the next 6 months of crawling, teething and walking.  Wish us luck!  XOXO