& it truly was an adventure with 4 babies & a toddler. However, we all survived & minimal tears were shed 🙂
Author: macquelanderson
A Woodland Nursery
Throughout my pregnancy I went through several ideas for Hayes nursery. There were three things I ABSOLUTELY wanted:
1. Gray
2. Simple
3. Light
4. Storage
Gray because I wanted to keep it as neutral as possible. Our house is only 1,300 sq ft (500 of which we use for storage. Ugh..) Eventually more babies will need to share that room, & I’m not about to go repaint if our next babe is a girl. Especially after repainting every square foot of this house. No joke. That happened.
Simple because that is what my eye is drawn to. I love square, modern & crisp.
Light because the lack of natural light in my house is in the top oh-no-no’s list for when we hit the market for a new one. This room’s window is west facing, so it gets plenty of light & these drapes are heaven sent when little man is napping during the day.
The most important thing was storage. I wanted to revamp the closet to match my style, but I also wanted it to be practical. We stocked up during my pregnancy with diapers, wipes, clothes (clearly) & all of the baby necessities/accessories & the majority of them (beside the boatload of furniture that comes with a baby) fit in the closet. So far, it has been amazing. As Hayes grows out of his clothes, I break down the diaper boxes that we’ve used, turn them inside out & put the “too small” clothes in the boxes. We throw them back up on the shelf in his room & don’t have to use other precious storage space.
We were on a pretty limited budget, ya know, because…life. So, all of the items in here were crazy affordable.
Scroll through the photos & check out the text below them for where the decor was purchased.
Continue reading “A Woodland Nursery”
Tubby Time
There may be no smiles in these, but it’s only because he gets so dang distracted by the “big camera”. He LOVES water, baths & splashing.
I cannot believe my 7 lb peanut is now almost 6 months & 20 lbs! All those rolls & dimples ❤
HAYES | 5 Months
All the heart eyes for our little man. He is growing up so fast!
He loves to play with his toes, does NOT like peas or bananas, & must put everything in his mouth. He learned how to roll from his tummy to his back this week & is so close to rolling from back to tummy. He loves other little faces & his pugs. Especially Emmy. Who is so patient & lets him tug on her ears & face for 10 minutes straight 🙂
Homemade Baby Food
If you’ve ever taken a stroll down the baby food isle or have kiddos of your own, you know that baby food is crazy expensive. I was determined to save as much money as possible on food for Hayes. Especially since he has to be on soy formula, which can cost an arm & a leg! (Let alone his NICU bill… YIKES.)
Yes, making your own baby food is a little work, but so worth it.
I bought a bag of organic sweet potatoes for $7 at Costco, a butternut squash for less than $2 & two ice cube trays from Walmart for $1.50 each.
Here are the directions for some of the food I’ve made so far!
Feeling Nostalgic
I have no idea why it’s taken me so long to post these amazing shots by Alicia Arlene Photography. They make me want a newborn SO bad! Don’t get me wrong, 5 months is such a fun stage. I love interacting with him more, but I miss the newborn snuggles 🙂
Chillin’ in his “Big Boy” Chair
Becoming a Mother (in images)
I never thought I would be someone who wanted pictures of myself in labor, in probably the most unflattering moments of my life, but I will forever cherish every image that Alicia captured of Hayes’ arrival.
He is our greatest gift.
New Years Day
Somebody wanted to party until 4 am last night.. (I’m not pointing any fingers..)
So, we slept in today.
Christmas
This Christmas was unlike any other.
Hayes being born just before Thanksgiving made the holidays this year slightly chaotic. I want to make it clear that I love my son more than I can put into words, I love being a mom, but here’s the truth. Being a mom is HARD. Wicked hard. The trials you face after you have your baby are so unpredictable, which is why I felt so unprepared for Christmas this year.
Mentally – I was all over the place. Postpartum hormones got the best of me & landed me in the emergency room a week & a half after Hayes was born. It felt as if a sack of bricks was sitting on my sternum making it difficult to breathe. We were afraid that maybe it was a blood clot or even something going on with my heart. I was convinced that it was something big. It ended up being an awful, AWFUL anxiety attack. I’ve had them in the past, but nothing like this. This sternum pain lasted for a few weeks & still even happens every once in a while if I do too much or I’m feeling overstimulated. In addition to this pain, I also have my bouts of crying for no reason. Such a joy 🙂
Physically – I was exhausted & stuck at home with a newborn. Which is a blessing that I know a lot of mothers don’t get, so I’m very grateful, but being home bound made me stir crazy & a little depressed. Our traditional visit to Temple Square to see the lights was out of the question with a newborn. I didn’t get to do a lot of holiday shopping or bake any yummy goodies. Although, I ate enough of everyone else’s to make up for it!
Spiritually – This aspect of Christmas was something I was more in tune with than other years.
Welcoming a little, perfect spirit into the world brought me closer to my Savior than ever before. It helped me reflected even more deeply on the birth of my Savior, on Mary & her role in His life & on His atoning sacrifice. He was born to save us from our sins so we could return to live with our Heavenly Father. Because of Him all families, including my little family, can be eternal & we can one day be perfect. This year, I’m even more grateful for that truth.
Earlier this year, my uncle Mike was diagnosed with lung cancer, which is treatable, but incurable. Witnessing Mike’s strength, the strength of his eternal companion, my sweet aunt Mary Ann, & the strength of their children, is incredible. Over the past year, I’ve seen Mike & his family have to endure, & overcome, unimaginable trials. I’ve seen people give & bless their family & I know that the Lord has sent these angels to lift the Morley’s up. This has helped me understand the true meaning of Christmas & the need to be Christlike always. Not just during the holiday season.
I love my Savior. I love my family. Though, I may feel inadequate & weak at times, I can be strengthened through Him. Through him, we can do anything.
beautifulthingsawaityou.com 