baby steps.

Is there a worst blogger in the world contest? I may be in the top ten. I'll just pull the "i'm a busy mom" card and move on.

My life changed forever when I became a mom for the first time. Everything was brand new, exciting, terrifying. Each new stage Riley entered was an adventure, and I cherished each moment I spent with her. I could not imagine, at the time, having any more room in my heart to love another child the way I love my little girl.

That all changed when my son was born. Cole Garrett, a New Year's Eve baby, captured my heart the first moment he was in my arms. The way he stuck out his bottom lip when the nurse took him away from me to run some tests made me believe he felt the same way. He lived up to his name, which means "warrior", from the start; weighing in at 8 pounds 11 ounces. My doctor called him a "bruiser" from behind the blue tarp before I even saw him! Those days spent in recovery were even easier than the first time around. Cole and I bonded quickly, and I was so excited to go home I opted to check out a day early.

On the way home I day dreamed about how fun having a boy and a girl was going to be. All throughout my pregnancy, people would tell me how girls are always so high-maintenance and boys were so laid-back. Since Riley was such an easy baby, I thought Cole would be a breeze.

I could not have been more wrong.

From the very first night at home, and for the entire first month of his life, Cole was the most miserable baby. He screamed all night long, ate every hour and a half, and projectile vomited all over the place. Needless to say, that was the LONGEST month of my life. Thank God for pediatricians, because after he was diagnosed with acid reflux and put on a special formula, he was sleeping through the night by the end of his first month.

All of that seems like ancient history. Cole is going to be turning five months old in about a week. He has the biggest smile now, loves taking baths, and recently discovered how to put his toes in his mouth. So yeah, life's pretty sweet in his world.



Riley has adjusted very well to having a sibling. She called him "my baby?" the day we came home from the hospital. Now she loves to shake up his bottle, pat his back to help mommy burp him, and kiss his head. She started walking last week and talks up a storm. I still enjoy each new stage and watching her discover the world around her, and its awesome to watch Cole in his baby stages that are so familiar, yet so uniquely him.

My life has been transformed and completely wrapped up in what I like to call "baby land". The floor is always sticky, toys find their way in the strangest places, and I never get to sit down anymore...and no, i'm not complaining. I love the way Riley points at me and says "mama" and gives sloppy wet kisses. Cole's smile can brighten even the darkest day, and I love the way his whole body seems to jump when he gets excited about something. They both make my world and teach me how to be patient and loving and brave, even with spit-up in my hair.