Friday, February 27, 2015

Blogging Challenge -- Days 5-8

Good Morning! I'm continuing the blogging challenge with days 5-8 ! Hope everyone has had a great week of snow and ice (at least here in Atlanta). I personally am ready for the warmer weather and the time change. Come on, spring! Have an awesome weekend, everyone and hope you enjoy this post.

5. Favorite Movies You Never Get Sick of Watching -- Twister & Titanic. Yep, 90's and old school. I have watched each of these movies countless times and they never get old. It doesn't help that they both come on TV all the time and I still manage to get sucked in.

6.Your Last Random Act of Kindness -- Two years ago, I chopped off my long hair and donated it to Locks of Love to be made into a wig for a cancer patient. It was a really neat experience and very rewarding knowing I was going to help someone in need. I would have loved to meet the person the wig ended up going to!

7. What's Your Dream Job? For years, I have always said my dream job would be working for a non-profit doing some type of marketing. I have a degree in business marketing and management and I would love to utilize that more. Also, I always wanted a job that made a difference and impacted people's lives. At the end of each day, I would like to know my job and where I'm investing my time made a difference in someone's life and not just their wallet.

8. Biggest Pet Peeve -- My biggest pet peeve is probably people complaining about something, but doing nothing to fix it. I am a doer and a fixer. I am proactive about what I want and I go after it. Sometimes I struggle to understand people who constantly gripe about an issue, but do nothing to change it. I believe we are all in control of our own lives and we have the power to achieve whatever we want. If you want it, go after it and make it happen!






Monday, February 23, 2015

Blogging Challenge Days 2-4

Well, I've already completely slacked! I didn't post at all over the weekend, but I plan on getting back on track this week with my blogging challenge! Today I am going to answer the questions for days 2-4.

2. Favorite Quote -- "Do not look back and grieve over the past, for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has yet to come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering.”   ― Ida Scott Taylor

I love this particular quote because I am a worrier and I tend to overanalyze most things. I critique the past and struggle to move forward while also worrying so much about the future that I can't enjoy the present. This quote is a beautiful reminder to focus on the present which I tend to need reminding of.

3. What makes you happy? Well this question could be very long if I answered it fully. Lots of things make me happy! Dessert before the main course, going running on a fall day, the beach, and someone making me feel special all qualify as answers. But the first thing that popped in my mind as I read this question was my family. My family's life is pretty hectic, so any time I am spending uninterrupted quality time with my husband, son, and puppy I am very happy! They are my happy place without a doubt.

4. Best Childhood Memory -- While this may seem cliché, one of my favorite and best childhood memories was going to Disney World! I went with my family when I was in 7th grade and it was one of my favorite family trips. I have such good memories from that trip and still remember it really well. It was such a fun and magical place despite the fact that I was already 13 years old. I absolutely loved Disney World! I remember taking pictures with the characters, riding every single ride, and spending the evenings playing cards and laughing with my mom, dad, brother, uncle, aunt, and cousin. My family was in a really good place at that time and the memories we made on that trip were unforgettable (in the best way!).

Well that's all for today!

Friday, February 20, 2015

Let Me REintroduce Myself -- Blog Challenge!

Well hello there! My name is Brittany and I would like to welcome you to my blog. I started this blog almost 2 years ago and it's been a fun space for me to explore my love of writing, as well as, share my life with you all. When I started this blog, I was a newlywed living in a basement apartment in Atlanta with my husband and fur baby, Cedric. I was working a full time job and learning how to be a wife, as well as, manage a home. I was in that awkward post-college phase trying to figure out who I was and what I wanted my future to look like. Since then, my husband and I have purchased our first home, moved to an Atlanta suburb, and started a family. I spent last year navigating the ropes of cooking, decorating a home, commuting to my job and preparing for motherhood. And now, well my life looks more different than it ever has, but in the best way! I am currently a new mom, pastor's wife, part-time worker, church member, daughter, and friend...just trying to balance it all! I wanted to reintroduce myself as I spend more time writing and giving more attention to this blog. As you can see, my life has changed and progressed over time and I have the same hopes for this blog. I love writing and sharing my life with ya'll and am excited to continue that this year!

I wanted to start off my blog revival with a fun 31 Day Blog Challenge. My sister-in-law sent me this link and I thought it was pretty cool. So over the next 31 days, I am going to be writing and participating in this blog challenge. Yes, I'm aware that it says March 2013...but just ignore that! So if you are interested, just keep reading and I'll be sure to answer each of these questions over the next 31 days!



5 Random Facts About ME:

1. I would live off of chocolate and coffee if I could. Dark chocolate and a tall skinny vanilla latte to be specific.

2. I was nervous about having a little BOY. I am a girl, so I feel like I know girls. But boys, not so much. The day I met my son, Grayson, my life changed forever. I never knew I could love someone so much. That little boy has me wrapped around his little finger and more in love than ever before. I am so excited to have a son!

3. My husband and I were good friends for a year before we started dating -- I highly recommend it! :)

4. I am very interested in health and fitness. I stink at most sports and have little hand-eye coordination, but I love running, hiking, and the elliptical.

5. I am a Christian and am very active at my church. My husband is an assistant pastor and youth pastor and I love helping him with his ministry, but I am still figuring out exactly where I fit into it all.






Monday, February 9, 2015

Grayson's 1 Month Update!

I cannot believe that my precious baby boy, Grayson, is 1 month old -- the time has seriously flown. (Technically he is 5 weeks and 3 days old today!) The first month of his life has been one that I will never forget...after I recover from the exhausted zombie state that I am currently in. ;) But in all seriousness, each day flies by and he has already grown and changed so much. It's crazy how quickly babies discover, explore, and learn new things about themselves and their surroundings. So far, I am loving being a mommy! Yes, its challenging, but also very rewarding. I've had so many people ask me how it's going and I would say it's going very well! We are adjusting and learning more about each other (Grayson and I, that is) each day. It's harder than I thought in some ways and easier than I thought in others, but at the end of the day being his mama is such a fulfilling job and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I'm sad that Grayson's first month is already over, but I am also looking forward to all his milestones to come! Here's a little bit about how our first month with Grayson Otto in our lives went:
Weight & Height: At his 2 week appointment, he was 7 lbs. 14.5 oz. and 21 inches long putting him in the 21st percentile for weight and the 55th percentile for height. We recently weighted him and he is currently 10 pounds! I knew he had grown, but I was so excited to see him reach the 10 lb. mark after being born at 7 lbs. 1 oz. I am exclusively breastfeeding, so I felt like this was an accomplishment after the challenges that breastfeeding has held. I will say that he is a great eater, so that definitely helps! If anything, it shocks me how often and how much he eats, but apparently he is a growing little boy! :) On average, he still eats every 2 - 3 hours, but will sometimes eat every hour for a few hours. Like I said, the boy likes his milk!


Sleep: Sleep has definitely been rough. I will say that this has been the hardest part for me as a new mom. I am getting sleep, but only for very short periods of time (sometimes only 1.5 hrs at a time) and after a while, it wears you down. Overall, Grayson is actually a wonderful sleeper! He loves to sleep in the car, in his car seat, and when we are out running errands. Grayson loves loud noises and actually sleeps best in a louder environment. The trouble we have had has been getting him to know the difference between days and nights (he would sleep all day if I let him) and getting him to go for longer than 2 hours between feedings at night. We are still working on it, but we are starting to see progress, so that's encouraging! Grayson LOVES to be held and would prefer to be held while sleeping or to sleep in our bed next to us, but he is doing better about sleeping in his Rock and Play next to our bed. He actually loves his crib, so hopefully the transition into his crib won't be too bad. He is also a very loud sleeper, making noises and grunting most of the night! Right now, he sleeps an average of 3 hours at a time at night. 

Clothes: This week he started wearing some of his 0-3 month clothes (still fitting in a lot of his newborn clothes) and size 1 diapers. I couldn't believe it! I was definitely sad to see him transition out of the newborn diapers and clothes. It's awesome, yet hard to see your baby grow!



Mood: Josh and I joke calling Grayson "Oscar the Grouch". He is definitely expressive of how he feels and isn't shy about telling you when he is unhappy. Haha. Sometimes his resting face looks a little grumpy, but mostly because he hasn't learned to smile yet. At the same time, he is super sweet, loves to cuddle, and stares at you perfectly content with his big blue eyes that melt your heart. Recently, he starting cooing and making sweet little baby noises while he plays happily on his play mat. 



Loves: being held, cuddling, his play mat, his pacifier, movement and being bounced, car rides and his car seat, music, taking naps with his daddy, and the fan (he stares intently at it for long periods of time!)


Grayson's first bath!




Grayson's most recent bath -- definitely made progress! 


Doesn’t like: diaper and outfit changes, being burped,  and bath time (he wasn't a fan of bath time at first but now he is liking it more and more!)