Happy Birthday to Me

Aren't birthdays a great time to start blogging again??? My goal is to update this blog once a week. We'll see how that goes :) Philo caught his first cold and has had a little cough. His little hoarse voice is very cute, but in an effort to help him feel his best, Philo and I stayed in most of my Birthday. Dave did a great job at still making it a special day for me. He decorated our table beautifully and bought me new slippers and a new robe. He was also very sneaky and had my neighbor, Kim, put a new zipper on my very favorite fleece jacket. I've been wearing it for years with a broken, frayed zipper. Dave came home from work with a pint of ben & jerry's and we ate pizza and ice-cream and watched "Ballerina". It was a great day

And a little bit about life as a new mom...
Little Philo continues to be such a blessing in our lives. We had hoped and prayed to be parents for so long, not really knowing what the Lord had intended for us. We were so thrilled to get pregnant and have our little boy. It is funny though how sometimes, when you dream about something for so long, you think "the real thing can't possibly live up to my expectations." Having baby Philo in our home has been even more wonderful than I ever could have dreamed.
Yes, going from a dance career to being a stay-at-home Mom has been an adjustment and certainly taking care of a baby has its challenges (uh, can we say sleep deprivation) but I feel so certain that this is exactly what I need to be doing at this time and there is nothing on earth more important or more fulfilling than taking care of this sweet little guy. I also feel like I have more time to care for my awesome husband, our home, and more time to serve in the church and my community than I ever have before. I've learned so much already about being a little less selfish, managing my time, and creating a Christ-centered home. Obviously I'm still a total rookie, but every day is a new adventure.
I remember while I was pregnant so many people commenting, "Enjoy being pregnant, it is way easier having them on the inside than on the outside." I have to disagree with that one. Having him on the outside is a million times better than being pregnant. I will take cute baby and sleepless nights any day over feeling nauseated and tired for 9 months. Some days I just wake up smiling and thinking, "I'm not pregnant anymore!!".
I'm so grateful for all the wonderful mothers I'm surrounded by that are powerful examples in my life. And thanks to my own mother who sacrificed so much to help me grow.
A couple of notes about Philo. He is a mover and a shaker. He loves the baby backpack (much to his Daddy's delight) and loves to be in motion. He has turned into a great sleeper, goes down for naps happily and knows when it is night time. He is also a hungry, hungry, hippo so can't sleep for super long stretches at night without having to eat. His smiles are adorable, and we will pretty much do anything to get him laughing.
He does love a good cry as well, especially right before mommy needs to teach a lesson, during meetings, or pretty much when I'm trying to get anything done. He is not one to just lay down on a blanket and play contentedly.

I realize this was 3 posts in one, and a little jumbled, but hey, at least I did it....I promise more coherent posts in the future.