Being an Aunt

I thought being a mom was going to be the most amazing thing in the world, and trust me it truly is, the being an aunt is almost just as special. 

On Thursday, April 21, 2016 my baby sister delivered a beautiful healthy baby boy Callen Michael. I was so blessed to be able to be there during the labor process and wait patiently in the waiting room while she pushed. 

My little sister was so strong, Callen arrived three weeks early and while she was having contractions five minutes apart she kept telling herself "this is not real I cannot be in labor yet,"but she was, and as soon as I saw her I knew she was. I knew she was just scared, which everyone would be. Once we got to the hospital at 11 PM they checked her and told her that she was 4 cm and 80% effaced and that she was going to be having a baby. My mom and my other sister Chelsea we're so excited! So we stayed and pulled an all night or. It was my first night away from Everly so I missed her so much, but I knew she was at home perfectly sleeping with her daddy. 

As Michaela's contractions begin to get closer and stronger Chelsea who was her birthing coach did an amazing job. The love us three girls have for each other is one that is beyond words. It is so much more than just sisterly love. We are best friends. And that goes for my mom as well, she's our best friend too. We banded together like a family that we are and help my baby sister bring this beautiful little boy into the world. 

At 12:21PM on April 21 Callen was born! He was 8 pounds and 21 inches long and tons of black hair. He's so perfect! It was a memorable occasion for everyone The moment I got to hold him was so special. I wasn't aunt! And Brian wasn't Uncle! For the first time!! And we could not have been more excited. 

The moment that I got to hold him was beyond special! He was perfect he was everything I had dreamed up and I was so proud of my baby sister for all that she has done, not only just the last nine months of having a very hard high-risk pregnancy but for delivering this little boy like a champ! #BeastMode 😉

Wine Wait is OVER!

While in Europe prior to being pregnant we went to this amazing little Italian place in Switzerland owned by an Italian couple. It was our anniversary dinner and it was so memorable. While at this dinner I had the best "bottle" of wine in my life. 

   

Disclaimer: it was a LONG meal, I'm talking hours, and this wine was only 5% alcohol.

It was a moscato di'asti! It was from Italy and it was the most expensive wine I had ever had (mind you I don't normally order a whole bottle at a restraunt, so expensive to me is not like others) it was over $40 for the bottle but once I had two glasses I decided price wise I should drink the whole bottle, plus we were on vacation and it was our anniversary, plus is was 5% alcohol.

Fast forward a month and we are back in the US. We were attending a concert in my friends field. (No joke, a concert in the middle of a cornfield, like you see in country music videos.) Brian found me a moscato di'asti for the night and I was on cloud nine! It was so good. 

Since I was the DD to drive my family home from the concert for the night, while we were at the pre-game party I was able to enjoy the whole bottle again. It was not exactly the same but it was close, and it was hitting the spot. Brian drove us all to the concert and I didn't drink anymore. (Told you this in so my Grandma knows I was good 😊) After the concert all the "drunkies" decided we needed Taco Bell, so off to taco "hell" I drove. I ended up getting a taco, then after getting home and eating we all went to bed.

The next morning around 6 AM I woke up and could have sworn I was hung over! I was puking, felt super nauseous, had a headache, and it was terrible. After sleeping on the bathroom floor until 9, I decided it had to have been taco "hell", since I didn't drink enough to ever even get a buzz let alone be hung over today. All morning I felt terrible.......the next morning same thing.....this leading to me realizing I may be pregnant and should take a test. And indeed....+PREGNANT!!!! 

Yes this was super exciting since we had JUST started "trying", but it was bittersweet because it meant that the amazing wine I just discovered would not be able to be enjoyed again for close to a year. 

Today, an entire 11 months and one day later, after working up my milk stash, I had my first "glass" of the moscato di'asti. (Did I mention it taste like Sprite!!) Another disclaimer: I didn't drink this whole "glass" because enjoying a glass of wine with a newborn is different too, plus I think my eyes were bigger than my tummy because it had been so long. But I did enjoy it in between being a mommy. It was worth the wait and since it's so low in alcohol content I was able to avoid pumping and dumping!!! 

Back to "work" after having a baby

When I began my Mary Kay business my whole goal was to be able to be a work from home mom, make money, and not miss any of my kids moments. The goal of working from home actually happened prior to even trying to have kids, so once we were pregnant, I was fortunate enough to be pregnant and working from home as well.

This was such a blessing and I wish every women could stay home while pregnant especially in the first and third trimester. For me those were the hardest. The first I was so incredibly sick I lost 20 lbs, and had to be on nausea meds until 18 weeks, and the third I was miserable, and large and not getting any sleep because I had to pee every two seconds.

So after baby girl arrived I was able to work a little by delivering products to customers when it fit into my schedule. So I was still making money. I decided to take 6 weeks off from having any appointments so I could focus on learning to be a mom. This time period was great but I was missing my Mary Kay time. Here is baby girl on our first delivery after she was born: 

After 6 weeks I was chomping at the bit to get back into a routine with working out, Mary Kay, and still being a great Mom. I knew it would be a transition, but I was ready for it. 

I held my first weekly meeting and all was great! There was a great turn out, and Everly has some time with Daddy, which turned out to be funny because she had he first blow out!! 

So now I'm learning to work while she naps, wherever that may be, and get into a routine. 

So thankful for the amazing opportunity Mary Kay Ash has created so I can do this "work" thing while still being at home with my baby girl. Feeling very blessed.