Home With Baby- What I've Learned and What Helps Me.

I've shared on this blog before that one of my greatest dreams for my life was to be a wife and a mommy. Well now I'm here in the beginnings of this beautiful, challenging, and incredibly rewarding season; and I want to share some of what I've learned so far, and what has helped me along the way.

I am so thankful that I am able to stay home with Ezekiel. I love spending every day with him and watching him grow and learn in big ways, but it's been a huge learning experience for me too. When Ezekiel was born I had a lot of help. My husband was home for three weeks, and my mom stayed with us for a month to help. For that time period, pretty much my only job was to feed the baby (side note: I wish for all mommies to have this kind of support post-partum! It was a true blessing and I'm so thankful. I cherished this time of new motherhood.) My awesome husband and mom would take shifts during the night, so that I only had to get up to feed him, and then go back to sleep. I'm not saying I never had any sleepless nights, because I definitely did, but they made it so much easier on me!

When Ezra went back to work and my mom went home to Virginia, it was just me and Ezekiel. Just me and him for the night feedings. Me and him for juggling doing laundry, dishes, paying bills, etc. It was daunting at first, and I could feel myself beginning to try and find my worth in how much stuff I could get done during the day. Stay at home moms are supposed to always have a clean house, a delicious meal on the table, and happy babies! Right? Well all of these responsibilities along with a baby who nurses frequently, countless doctors appointments, and dealing with migraines, it's needless to say I was feeling like I wasn't doing that great as a wife and mom.

Ezra often tells me to rest. To not wear myself out, to try to relax and take a nap, and that it doesn't really matter how much I get done during the day (I love him!) And he's right, so why stress out- staying at home is about our baby, and not so much about housekeeping.

There are a few things though, I've found, that help me feel organized, rested, and content with my days at home.

1. Get up early.
This sounds crazy, especially when us moms are notoriously sleep deprived. I used to get back in bed after feeding the baby early in the morning, around 6:30, and kind of just lay there while Ezra got up and got ready for work. Now I stay up, and the early mornings are my most productive part of the day! I feed and change Ezekiel, put on a pot of coffee, start a load of laundry, and straighten up around the house. Plus I get to be up and see Ezra off to work. (Note: All of this is thrown out the window if Ezekiel slept terribly the night before. I totally get back in bed then.)

2. Get Dressed
I'm at home all day, minus some errands and playdates, so really it would be fine to just stay in my sweatpants all day. But honestly, that just makes me feel sluggish. Putting on a pair of jeans and a little concealer does wonders for my energy levels. Who knew?

3. Make a Meal
Sometimes it can be hard to find the time to sit down and enjoy your cup of coffee, or even a meal at home with a baby. Ezra and I joke about how I usually heat up my cup of coffee a million times before finishing it. Caring for Ezekiel and trying to eat can be a challenge sometimes, not to mention I usually just do not feel like making another mess in the kitchen. But making a good, nutritious meal for myself is so worth it! So instead of always having a bowl of cereal, I like to make some things that I can refrigerate and eat through out the week. One of my favorites is a sweet potato hash:

1 sweet potato, cubed
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 small yellow squash, chopped
2 eggs
1/2 pound of turkey breakfast sausage
1 TBSP olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, add sweet potatoes and cook until tender. In a separate pan, brown the turkey sausage until cooked evenly. Drain grease from pan and add sausage to the sweet potatoes. Add vegetables and cook until tender. Crack both eggs onto the mixture and let them cook on top, or scramble them to mix it all together (thats how I prefer them.) Add salt and pepper to taste.

This will usually be my breakfast or lunch for a few days, served with a side of toast. Yum :)

4. Do Something for Me
I've found that its important for me to keep doing the things I love, that don't revolve around being a mom. One of those things is the book club I am a part of. Right now we are reading Redeeming Love and we get together every two weeks to discuss the book, and of course enjoy some treats together! It really refreshes me to get together with the girls.

Doing craft projects is super fun for me as well! During the Christmas season some mommy friends came over and we made some adorable salt dough ornaments for our families. And I did a few dollar store crafts to decorate the house for the holidays.

I also enjoy running, so when Ezra is home on the weekends I try (PNW weather permitting, of course) to get outside and go for a run. When Ezekiel is big enough I'll be able to go during the week with the jogging stroller, too! For now he and I just stick to walks :)

5. Being Gracious to Myself.
Some days just will not go as planned- and that's okay. Maybe Ezekiel is not feeling well, or is just extra fussy and wants to be held all day. I'm going to cherish that, because I know that someday my little baby is going to be a big boy who doesn't want to be held anymore.



So, Moms, wether you work or stay at home, what are some things you do to keep your sanity? :P

-Sammie Marie

Baby Ezekiel's Birth Story

Ezekiel Elliott Rodriguez

Born August 31, 2015

6lb. 15oz. 20in.

 Well, I am so excited to share that our precious baby Ezekiel was born, and we have been enjoying every last minute with him. It all started on Sunday morning, when I felt that I was having some false labor contractions. We went on with our day as usual, and went to church. At church I really started feeling the contractions regularly, about 8-10 mins apart. I got up and walked around for a while, but I started getting pretty uncomfortable, so Ezra suggested we go home and get me in the bath to help with the pain. I had terrible back pain- my contractions would start in my lower back and radiate around my hips. I took a long bath and that really helped with the pain, but the contractions were still regular. I called my doctor and was told that when the contractions are 5 minutes apart for two hours I should head to the hospital. So, I tried to sleep through the contractions and gain energy for delivery. A couple of hours later that contractions were right on the money- 5 minutes apart and getting pretty painful. Since I have never labored before, I couldn't imagine a worse pain, so we decided to head to the hospital!

On the way there Ezra asked me if I was afraid. I told him my biggest fear was being sent home because I was not dilated enough- I did not think I could make it through the night with these contractions. We got to the hospital and went directly to the triage, where the nurse hooked me up to the fetal monitor so we could watch Ezekiel's heart rate and measure my contractions. She checked me and I was only 2cm dilated. I was so discouraged. The doctor decided to have me walk around the hospital for an hour to see if I would make any progress. Ezra and I walked up and down the stairs, down the halls on each floor of the hospital, and I did some lunges and squats to try and get things moving! After an hour of that I was pretty exhausted, and I was just praying we would get admitted. So we went back to the room and the nurse checked me again- no change. I was still only 2cm dilated. The doctor sent us home and suggested I try to sleep through labor and see how I'm feeling in the morning. He told me that it could still be days before he came- and I was just praying that would not be the case! 

We got home and I settled into bed. Thankfully I was able to sleep through many of the contractions. We woke up the next morning and I took another bath to relax, and soon the contractions began feeling stronger and stronger. The nurse at the hospital had told me that they would get so painful I would not be able to walk or talk through them. It was around 9:30am and I thought it was time, so we headed back to the hospital. The car ride was excruciating, but Ezra talked me through the contractions and helped the time to pass.

We got there and they checked me, I was 4.5 cm dilated and we could stay! I was so glad we would not have to walk around again or go home. I decided I wanted to labor in the tub for a while, so I sat in the warm water and breathed through each contraction. This really helped with my back labor. But, as soon as I heard I could get the epidural, I was out of that tub and into the bed! They gave me some narcotics before hand since I had to wait for the anesthesiologist, and that felt amazing. I could finally relax- and I even got to sleep and save my energy for pushing! However the narcotics only lasted about 45 minutes, and they wore off just before I got my epidural. But once I did I could not feel any pain at all. All I could think was, Epidural's are a gift from God!

After I got the epidural- sweet, sweet relief!

My amazing husband was so supportive :)

Things were still not progressing very much, so my doctor decided to break my water in order to get things moving. Once they did that, it was pretty much go time! I only labored for a little while longer before I was really feeling that I would have to push soon. The nurses were trying to get me to wait a little while for the doctor who would be delivering Ezekiel to get to the hospital, and he just barely made it. One nurse told me that most moms usually need about 1-2 hours of pushing. She taught me the technique, and we did some "practice" pushes- but she started to see his head! I only pushed for 20 minutes, and he was here! The nurses and doctors told me they were amazed by how fast I pushed him out. I like to think that I was determined to meet him after 30 long hours of labor.

Ezekiel was born at 39 weeks and 1 day. He was just barely 7 pounds!

One thing I loved about the hospital we delivered at was that they really encouraged immediate skin to skin contact for mom and baby, nursing as soon as possible, and 24/7 rooming in. Ezekiel never once left our room the entire time we were there, and I was so thankful for that. I had a wonderful experience at this hospital, up until one incident happened- the bed collapsed on me! 

It was such a crazy moment I could hardly believe it happened. I was holding the baby, about to get in bed to nurse him. Thankfully right before I did, I handed the baby to Ezra. As soon as my knee hit the bed it folded in on itself and I fell to the ground. My mom ran into the hallway and grabbed help. Three nurses rushed into the room and had a look of shock. Each of them told me this had never happened before, in all their years of working at the hospital. I was in a lot of pain and pretty shaken up by the whole thing.  We were supposed to be going home that night, and I was so afraid they would make us stay another night because of the fall. To my surprise, they let us go fairly quickly (I suspect because they did not want to deal with the situation and were afraid we would sue them or something.)

I didn't even want to talk about what had happened really, I just wanted to go home. We loaded up the car and I was so happy to bring our baby home and get into a routine.

Now we are all doing well, and we are so in love with Ezekiel. I am just soaking up this time with our little family :)

-Sammie

 

Sweet Dreams List [Updates]

Hi Everyone!

It has been quite some time since I wrote here....and a lot has happened! As a general and quick update: I moved to Washington state, got married and got pregnant! :) My sweet husband, Ezra, and I have been married for almost 9 months now, and our little one is due on September 6th! I am so excited, and loving this season God has us in. For much of my life, my biggest dreams were made up of this: being a wife and a mother. I feel tremendously blessed that the Lord has seen the desires of my heart.

But this post is an update to my "sweet dreams list" which I wrote a few years back. Looking at it now, I am amazed because, there's really not a whole lot left! (Thinking in terms of a lifetime.)

Items now checked off are: get married, visit Ireland, and visit Disney World!
In progress: Have a baby :) (Ezekiel is due in just a few weeks!!)

Our wedding was wonderful- everything went as planned! You know how people always say "there will be that ONE thing that goes wrong!" Well there was NOTHING! Our amazing friends and family helped us have the wedding we had been dreaming and waiting for, and I couldn't have asked for a better or sweeter time celebrating our love.

And Ireland...Ireland was incredible. Ezra surprised me by booking our honeymoon early on in our engagement (knowing that visiting Ireland was on my bucket list :) It was cool and rainy (which we are used to here in Washington!) but the landscape was gorgeous. Rolling hills, castles in the morning fog...just amazing. After this trip we definitely talked about living in Ireland one day :) You never know!

Finally, Disney World! We got to visit when we went down to Florida for my graduation in May.  This trip served as our "babymoon" before our little man arrives. We were blessed to stay in a beautiful resort and spend two days at Disney World, in Epcot and Magic Kingdom. It was so much fun, even though I was pregnant and couldn't ride any roller coasters, there was so much to do at each park!

Travel (International)

• Travel outside the U.S.
• See the lantern festival in Thailand
• Visit Ireland
• See the Mona Lisa
• Go on an African Safari
• Throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain in Rome
• Visit India
• Hold a Koala bear in Australia
• Walk the Via Delarosa in Jerusalem
• Visit Mr. Darcy's home from the movie in Derbyshire, England
• Eat a croissant in a real French Cafe

Travel (U.S)

• Visit Times Square
• Visit the Statue of Liberty
• See the ball drop on New Years
• Visit the Grand Canyon
• Visit Disney World
• Have the famous Round Rock doughnuts from Austin, Texas.
• Go to Seattle, Washington
• Go to Portland, Oregon
• Go to New Orleans, Louisiana
• Have some pizza in Chicago, Illinois.
• Visit California

Music/Fame

• See Mae live
• See Copeland live
• See Bright Eyes live
• See Eisley live
• See Arcade Fire live

Family/Friends

• Start a tradition
• Throw a dinner party
• Get Married
• Be a Maid of Honor
• See all of my best friends get married
• Have a baby [in progress!]
• Buy my first home
• Make Thanksgiving dinner for my whole family 

Random

• Start a collection
• See a Broadway show
• Run a half marathon
• Run a full marathon
• Ride a Segway
• Read the bible front to back
• Write a song
• Get some of my writing published online/in a magazine
• Go to a Zumba Class
• Go to a Yoga Class
• See the Northern Lights

I'd like to thank my Husband for helping me check items off of this list- I love doing life with you, babe! Thanks for helping make my dreams come true :)

Coming soon: The arrival of our little man, Ezekiel Elliott Rodriguez! I can't wait to share about him with you all.

Love, 

Sammie Marie

"And I Want to Love You Forever"

It's been entirely too long since I've last blogged. I could certainly blame it on the busy-ness that comes with my senior year of college, and, well.....ENGAGEMENT.

Yes, it's been a life-changing month...an unforgettable, dreamlike, breathtaking, sensational, unrivaled month. I have the deepest joy I have ever experienced. Not because I'm living in the moments I used to spend time day dreaming about, or because I get to plan a wedding and finally put some of those pins to good use. Yes, those fun and exciting things make me happy. But they are not what brings me such soul-permeating joy.

I feel the kind of joy that inevitably comes with love. True love that touches the heart and infuses itself into my entire being, and I cannot control it, and I don't want to, as it's tenderness fills me from the inside-out until I'm overflowing with bigger smiles and longer laughs and girly sighs. As it fills me with sweet hope and security that frees me from my fears, I feel that love truly can conquer all. As he keeps drawing me in and I wonder how I could ever love him more than I do this very moment, I find myself realizing that this love is only in it's beginning stages...that I have a lifetime of falling for him to look forward to. The thought alone is enough to move me to humble thanks to the God who gave the purest example of love, the example that my Fiancé has followed and modeled to me in a way that gives me complete confidence in a life-long love with him.

He asked me be his wife on the crest of a little bridge nestled away in the historic, charming colonial area. The sun was setting behind us and he held me close as he recalled our sweetest memories. I nestled my face into his shoulder and listened to his poetic retelling of our love so far-- how far we've come, and all we still have ahead of us in this life. Oblivious and carried away in the sweetness of it all- I hardly grasped the difference in his tone and meaning when he whispered, "...and I want to love you forever." Then, he turned and got down on his knee, and with the sweetest smile he asked, "So, will you marry me?" Surprise and excitement washed over me and I responded with a question..."Wait...right now?! You're asking right now?!" And still down on his knee, he said through gentle laughter, "Yes, right now!" And then my answer came... "Yes! Yes!" Of course. We laugh now that when he asked me to marry him, he said "yes" before I did.

We stood there for a while, soaking in the moment we just shared and all it entailed. The sun had set and only a faint purple glow was left hanging in the sky. He sang softly to me the lyrics of a favorite song of mine. We walked back to the car holding hands and constantly looking at the gorgeous ring he blessed me with, stopping under lights to get a better look at it together. And after a beautiful engagement party with incredible family and friends, at the end of the night we said goodnight and got to add "future husband/wife" to our vocabulary.

And in that moment we were the most happy we thought possible, until the next day when we figured out that our joy grows as time passes and we draw closer to the day we make the covenant to love each other intentionally and unconditionally forever.


-Sammie Marie

Sweet Dreams List: Another Update!

I get to cross more things off of my bucket list...and I couldn't be more thrilled about it!

In the past couple of months I have...

Visited Portland, Oregon

My boyfriend Ezra and I visited this unique, interesting city together in January. (He surprised me! :) We went to the biggest bookstore in the world, Powell's. We spent hours and hours there, and we definitely did not see everything! 

My handsome man in the Powell's cafe...he deserves to be in this post, he's the one who has made it possible :)

This month we got to visit another city on my bucket list...

Chicago, Illinois!

Even though we were only there for a few hours, we got to visit Millennium Park, and have some Chicago-style pizza at Giordano's (sooo good.)

(picture from Pinterest because I forgot to take one...)

A big thanks to my wonderful boyfriend who keeps making these dreams of mine come true. I adore you and your sweet heart!

More updates to come... 

Travel (International)

• Travel outside the U.S.
• See the lantern festival in Thailand
• Visit Ireland
• See the Mona Lisa
• Go on an African Safari
• Throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain in Rome
• Visit India
• Hold a Koala bear in Australia
• Walk the Via Delarosa 
• Visit Mr. Darcy's home from the movie in Derbyshire, England
• Eat a croissant in a real French Cafe

Travel (U.S)

• Visit Times Square
• Visit the Statue of Liberty
• See the ball drop on New Years
• Visit the Grand Canyon
• Visit Disney World
• Have the famous Round Rock doughnuts from Austin, Texas.
• Go to Seattle, Washington
• Go to Portland, Oregon
• Go to New Orleans, Louisiana
• Have some pizza in Chicago, Illinois.
• Visit California

Music/Fame

• See Mae live
• See Copeland live
• See Bright Eyes live
• Meet Zooey Deschanel+M. Ward (See a She & Him show)
• See Eisley live
• See Arcade Fire live

Family/Friends

• Start a tradition
• Throw a dinner party
• Get Married
• Be a Maid of Honor
• See all of my best friends get married
• Have a baby
• Buy my first home
• Make Thanksgiving dinner for my whole family 

Random

• Start a collection
• See a Broadway show
• Run a half marathon
• Run a full marathon
• Ride a Segway
• Read the bible front to back
• Write a song
• Get some of my writing published online/in a magazine
• Go to a Zumba Class
• Go to a Yoga Class
• See the Northern Lights

Sweet Dreams List [Updates]

This month, I got to cross off  TWO things from my bucket list! I ran my first half marathon, and I got to visit Seattle (even better, I got to visit my wonderful boyfriend there!)

Life is so rich. So full. I couldn't be more thankful for the blessings I've been given- that God keeps bestowing generously. The past few months God has truly blown me away. 

The only way I could describe it is by using His word- "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

Friends, do the things your heart dreams of! Big or small. Do them for you. Do them for experience had, for memories made, for moments shared. Take chances and seize opportunities, you'll be so glad you did.

So, what things are on your list?

 

Majestic Seattle mountains

The first Starbucks

:) 

The gum wall in Seattle!

Travel (International)

• Travel outside the U.S.
• See the lantern festival in Thailand
• Visit Ireland
• See the Mona Lisa
• Go on an African Safari
• Throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain in Rome
• Visit India
• Hold a Koala bear in Australia
• Walk the Via Delarosa 
• Visit Mr. Darcy's home from the movie in Derbyshire, England
• Eat a croissant in a real French Cafe

Travel (U.S)

• Visit Times Square
• Visit the Statue of Liberty
• See the ball drop on New Years
• Visit the Grand Canyon
• Visit Disney World
• Have the famous Round Rock doughnuts from Austin, Texas.
• Go to Seattle, Washington
• Go to Portland, Oregon
• Go to New Orleans, Louisiana
• Have some pizza in Chicago, Illinois.
• Visit California

Music/Fame

• See Mae live
• See Copeland live
• See Bright Eyes live
• Meet Zooey Deschanel+M. Ward (See a She & Him show)
• See Eisley live
• See Arcade Fire live

Family/Friends

• Start a tradition
• Throw a dinner party
• Get Married
• Be a Maid of Honor
• See all of my best friends get married
• Have a baby
• Buy my first home
• Make Thanksgiving dinner for my whole family 

Random

• Start a collection
• See a Broadway show
• Run a half marathon
• Run a full marathon
• Ride a Segway
• Read the bible front to back
• Write a song
• Get some of my writing published online/in a magazine
• Go to a Zumba Class
• Go to a Yoga Class
• See the Northern Lights

Fragile Things

Just yesterday as I was cleaning the windows of the bakery I work at, I peered through the glass and saw a spider, gently dangling from it’s intricately woven web. I thought, how strong that web must be to support the weight spider and it’s prey, and yet how delicate and gentle it is to the outside world.

You or I could take down that web, that web that took hours of work, with the brush of our hand. I find that sort of fragility beautiful.

It’s demonstrated so often in life-

Like when we were little kids and we balanced a fragile egg on a spoon, running to the finish line carefully, knowing how easily the egg could break. Yet, the capability of the egg to cultivate a tiny life was powerful in ways we could not grasp. Or, as we’re told, the fact that one beat of a tiny butterfly’s wings could fashion a hurricane across the ocean. The dandelions we picked, and so easily spread it’s seeds with one quick breath from our lungs. 

Among the most fragile things I find the human heart. It pumps and beats for a lifetime, scarcely faltering. It is strong in purpose, keeping the human body alive and functioning well. Yet it is so easily broken and bruised. It is ever-prone to feeling the effects of the words spoken to it carelessly, and sometimes, it doesn’t forget them. However, the human heart is capable of feeling the most immense joy, ultimate bliss, complete delight, and purest love.

Isn’t it ironic? The most fragile things in life are often so very strong. 

I think of the popular verse: “Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” -2 Corinthians 12:10

After reading that verse I feel as if I can let out a sigh of relief and rest. I am reminded that I don’t have to be strong all the time. I don’t have to carry the weight of this world. In fact, I wasn’t created to. I was formed and fashioned to be the weak, sensitive, fragile girl that I am- so that true Strength could be seen so evidently within me. 

The greatest mystery to me is that Jesus, God in the flesh, was the perfect embodiment of fragility. He was such a perfect example that he was called a Lamb. Yet within the Lamb of God was the fullness of divine power and strength. Jesus said to his disciples hours before his crucifixion, “Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?”  (Matt. 26:53).

Yes, He could have. But instead, he was “led like a lamb to the slaughter” (Isa. 53:7). Love led him there, and love held him to that cross for you and me. 

Do not underestimate the true strength that can be found in your fragile heart. Don’t allow this world to convince you that you must be a concrete-hearted person to get places in this life. God’s promise to us is that when we are weak, He is made strong in us. When we embrace fragility, we allow God’s glory to radiate from us.

Realize that your delicate and fragile self was made that way so that other’s could look at you and see God working in your life.  Fragility will allow you to truly empathize with others in their darkest nights. It will allow you to experience life fully, with the knowledge that you have the Strongest set of arms waiting for you to fall back on.

“I have found it easier to identify with the characters who verge upon hysteria, who were frightened of life, who were desperate to reach out to another person. But these seemingly fragile people are the strong people really.”

-Tennessee Williams

-Sammie Marie