I'm chasing dreams and with that comes a whole new territory of firsts, problems, and hopefully a lot of joy. With the encouragement of my husband, my family, and a handful of friends, I'm excited to announce that I will be introducing my photography business, Kelsey Sutton Photo.
As much as I love this little A + K blog, I have made the switch over to a new and improved wordpress blog that will better serve my images and allow me to have a little bit more control (and fun!)
I hope you hop on over to the new blog, like my Facebook page, and share me with others. I'm nervous, excited, but mostly I feel really lucky to have the support and encouragement.
Until then,
KBG
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Seven Months.
We've made it past the half-way mark. What a bittersweet moment it was when I realized we are counting down towards the big one year birthday. I find it shockingly hard to believe that we are closer to the one year mark than that September Sunday night that I went into labor. It's been seven fast months of nothing but pure joy, happiness, and so many smiles. And love. So much love.
Mornings are some of my favorite moments with Julia. She wakes up happy, full of smiles and excitement, and EARLY! She'll plant big, wet and slobbery kisses on my face and she'll dance with happiness when the Mickey Mouse Club House song comes on each morning. I usually take this time to sip my coffee and watch her enjoying the music. I know infants aren't supposed to watch much programming, but it is really stimulating for her. I work really hard to stimulate Julia throughout the day. While some may disagree with a seven month old watching television, it's hard to deny her of it when she really does enjoy it. So we let her watch. We like to think that we are passing on our love of Disney to her...It apparently runs in the family.
So much has changed this month. She's become this totally predictable baby. We have an entirely new morning routine that involves sitting together and eating our breakfast at the same time. Mashed banana for her, and greek yogurt and coffee for me. Theo is always nearby, hoping for Julia to splatter some banana on the floor or for me to notice him and give him the obligatory "big brother" doggy treat. Theo caught on very quickly to the fact that I feel like Julia and I can't eat in front of him without sharing, so he gets the petty "beggin strip" piece of bacon in the mornings, too ; )
While she isn't yet crawling forward, it doesn't mean she isn't moving. Julia has discovered how to "rock" herself from a sitting position to being on all fours. She does get on all fours but she hasn't quite figured out how to move forward. She can do a complete 360, she can crawl backwards, she can roll (when she wants too), but she has yet to put one arm out and move on leg forward. I'm hoping by the next monthly update she will have mastered this!
As far as our schedule goes, Julia has become a little alarm clock. She's usually up and ready to play around 6:30 each morning. We'll wake up, eat our breakfasts, play, watch Mickey Mouse and then be ready for a nap around 8:30 or 9. Most days she will sleep for a couple of hours in the morning and will wake around 11:00 just in time for us to squeeze in a run/walk, some lunch, a couple of errands, and then come back home for our afternoon nap around 2:30. Her afternoon nap is much shorter, usually 45 minutes to an hour TOPS, but it's enough for me to get laundry/dishes/photography done and be ready for her to wake up and hang out for the rest of the evening. If it's nice, we'll take advantage of a warm spring evening and do a second walk with Theo, then eat some dinner, a bath, sing/read, nurse and then bed. She'll then usually sleep until 2:30/3:00 and wake up to eat, go back down and then start it all over again at 6:30. All of our days are good, filled with so much happiness, and they really go by way too fast.
I feel like I have talked to so many mothers who look forward to nap times. Maybe it's mothers of multiples or mothers that have "colicky" or "difficult" babies, and while nap time is needed to get stuff done, I more often than not find myself always ready for my sweet girl to wake up and hang out with me. I've said it before in monthly updates, but Julia is like my best little friend. She smiles at me, sings at me, gives me kisses, and makes me feel like I'm the absolute best thing in the world. It's corny and I say it way too much, but Julia is the best. These past seven months have filled my life with so much joy and love that I feel like my heart could explode.
If I could describe the way that my heart has felt for the last seven months, it would be "swollen"...and I realize that may sound absurd. Swollen ankles don't feel good, nor do swollen fingers. Come to think of it, nothing feels good swollen. It's the fact that my heart has felt different for these last seven months. It's felt way bigger than it has ever felt and I keep waiting for that feeling to go down. For it to go back to a normal size. And that's when I realize that this "swollen" feeling is the new normal. This is my heart's new permanent size. It was meant to grow like this, to love like this, to feel like this. Most days it feels like it could jump out of my chest and do a happy dance. Actually, every day it feels like it could do that. Do other mothers feel this way?! I hope so. Everybody should be able to feel this way at some point in their lives.
I just always count my blessings, thank my higher powers, kiss my sweet Julia, and let Alex know that by me marrying him and us becoming parents together, he has made the happiest, lovey, and content mom/wife/daughter/sister/friend on the face of this earth.
...And that's the end to this sappy post. Happy seven months, Jules. You make our lives so bright.
Xo,
KBG.
Mornings are some of my favorite moments with Julia. She wakes up happy, full of smiles and excitement, and EARLY! She'll plant big, wet and slobbery kisses on my face and she'll dance with happiness when the Mickey Mouse Club House song comes on each morning. I usually take this time to sip my coffee and watch her enjoying the music. I know infants aren't supposed to watch much programming, but it is really stimulating for her. I work really hard to stimulate Julia throughout the day. While some may disagree with a seven month old watching television, it's hard to deny her of it when she really does enjoy it. So we let her watch. We like to think that we are passing on our love of Disney to her...It apparently runs in the family.
So much has changed this month. She's become this totally predictable baby. We have an entirely new morning routine that involves sitting together and eating our breakfast at the same time. Mashed banana for her, and greek yogurt and coffee for me. Theo is always nearby, hoping for Julia to splatter some banana on the floor or for me to notice him and give him the obligatory "big brother" doggy treat. Theo caught on very quickly to the fact that I feel like Julia and I can't eat in front of him without sharing, so he gets the petty "beggin strip" piece of bacon in the mornings, too ; )
While she isn't yet crawling forward, it doesn't mean she isn't moving. Julia has discovered how to "rock" herself from a sitting position to being on all fours. She does get on all fours but she hasn't quite figured out how to move forward. She can do a complete 360, she can crawl backwards, she can roll (when she wants too), but she has yet to put one arm out and move on leg forward. I'm hoping by the next monthly update she will have mastered this!
As far as our schedule goes, Julia has become a little alarm clock. She's usually up and ready to play around 6:30 each morning. We'll wake up, eat our breakfasts, play, watch Mickey Mouse and then be ready for a nap around 8:30 or 9. Most days she will sleep for a couple of hours in the morning and will wake around 11:00 just in time for us to squeeze in a run/walk, some lunch, a couple of errands, and then come back home for our afternoon nap around 2:30. Her afternoon nap is much shorter, usually 45 minutes to an hour TOPS, but it's enough for me to get laundry/dishes/photography done and be ready for her to wake up and hang out for the rest of the evening. If it's nice, we'll take advantage of a warm spring evening and do a second walk with Theo, then eat some dinner, a bath, sing/read, nurse and then bed. She'll then usually sleep until 2:30/3:00 and wake up to eat, go back down and then start it all over again at 6:30. All of our days are good, filled with so much happiness, and they really go by way too fast.
I feel like I have talked to so many mothers who look forward to nap times. Maybe it's mothers of multiples or mothers that have "colicky" or "difficult" babies, and while nap time is needed to get stuff done, I more often than not find myself always ready for my sweet girl to wake up and hang out with me. I've said it before in monthly updates, but Julia is like my best little friend. She smiles at me, sings at me, gives me kisses, and makes me feel like I'm the absolute best thing in the world. It's corny and I say it way too much, but Julia is the best. These past seven months have filled my life with so much joy and love that I feel like my heart could explode.
If I could describe the way that my heart has felt for the last seven months, it would be "swollen"...and I realize that may sound absurd. Swollen ankles don't feel good, nor do swollen fingers. Come to think of it, nothing feels good swollen. It's the fact that my heart has felt different for these last seven months. It's felt way bigger than it has ever felt and I keep waiting for that feeling to go down. For it to go back to a normal size. And that's when I realize that this "swollen" feeling is the new normal. This is my heart's new permanent size. It was meant to grow like this, to love like this, to feel like this. Most days it feels like it could jump out of my chest and do a happy dance. Actually, every day it feels like it could do that. Do other mothers feel this way?! I hope so. Everybody should be able to feel this way at some point in their lives.
I just always count my blessings, thank my higher powers, kiss my sweet Julia, and let Alex know that by me marrying him and us becoming parents together, he has made the happiest, lovey, and content mom/wife/daughter/sister/friend on the face of this earth.
...And that's the end to this sappy post. Happy seven months, Jules. You make our lives so bright.
Xo,
KBG.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Baby Caden : Hospital Session
Amy and I go back about five years. We first met while taking a microbiology course in the summer at DMACC and then we both transferred to the University of Iowa where we majored in nursing. We would meet every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings outside my dorm that first fall semester and walk to the Animal Biology lecture hall. We both had boyfriends, but neither of them went to school with us. We'd often spend our walks talking about our long distant relationships and discussing what the unknown future held. Here we are now; married to our boyfriends, working as nurses, having babies, AND living in the same community. How wonderful is it to share all these milestones and life changes with another friend who experiencing them at the same time?!
Congratulations, Amy and Matt. Caden is a beautiful and lucky baby boy. Here are a few of them:
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Today...on ICMB!
Today I'm contributing over at the Iowa City Moms Blog (ICMB!) Hop on over there and read all about our difficulties with Julia taking a bottle (and share your tips if you have any!)
I guess now would probably be the time to share that I will be contributing here and there on ICMB. I'm really excited - Iowa City has needed a group like this. Moms who are passionate about their communities and looking to form more mom friends. I feel that we, as moms, can never have enough support. In the short time I've been working with these new mom friends of mine, I have been so encouraged and inspired by all that they do. Seriously. Some of them have multiple kids, full-time jobs, and find time to immerse themselves in hobbies, churches, activities with their kids, and now this.
Some days I'm still lucky if I can go for a run, shower, brush my teeth, do the dishes AND attempt to make some dinner. Not all of it always happens, but I am learning that being a mom is a balancing act. At the end of every day, it doesn't really matter if my house is sparkling clean, or dinner is a microwaveable dinner or my hair is a little dirty. It does matter that I have a happy baby, husband, and puppy. That's my job as a mother. To keep this family playing, staying, and loving together. I'm just always looking for a little extra help as to how to do all of it - which is where this blog will come into play.
If you have friends in the Iowa City or surrounding communities that are pregnant, experiencing life as a first-time mom, or are adding more members to already growing families, this blog can be a place for them, too.
So, Iowa City Moms Blog. Go check it out!
Kelsey
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Mexico
As all good vacations do, it went by way too fast. Until next time, beautiful Mexico...
Xoxo,
KBG
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Six Months
In addition to all the fun we were having on vacation, we also celebrated Julia's six month birthday! It's hard to believe that our little bean turned half a year. Time needs to slow down just a bit.
She is such a social little girl these days. She sits at the table when we eat and is very good at making her presence well known. It's especially noticeable when we are eating somewhere; Julia sits in her little high chair and whips her head around when there is activity or someone walking by her. It's funny to watch her wait for people to make eye contact with her. When she finally locks eyes, the biggest and most proud smile comes across her face and she bats those little eyelashes like crazy. Such a flirt.
Before I had Julia, I imagined the first year of her life as a lot of crying, sleeping and eating, but I never really stopped to think about when personality traits would begin to shine through. At six months of age, Julia is so full of life. It's early to guess, but I do think she has a lot more Alex in her than she does me. While I was a happy and smiley baby, I know from stories that I was not the social girl that Julia is. Alex and I are total opposites; public speaking gives me the heebie jeebies as does large groups of people. He thrives on that stuff; cracks jokes, participates in large group debates, and is pretty much a social junkie. I wish I could be that way, but it's just not in my nature. It makes me really happy to see pieces of her dad in Julia. I love her dad like crazy and if she is anything like he is, I know she's going to be such a fun little girl to experience and witness all the changes and growth that will shape her into the young lady she will someday be.
In the past month, she has gone from a little "leaning tower of Julia" to being able to sit unsupported anywhere from 10-15 minutes at a time before eventually toppling over. It's made our days a lot easier now that she isn't constantly wanting to be held or being propped up by our well-loved boppy. She loves to sit near her play gym while I sprinkle all sorts of toys around her. She'll play with one, get bored with it and then lean forward to find a new one to pick up. Her reaching and grabbing has really developed this month. If it's in reach, it's fair game. Hair pulling is also a new favorite thing as well as putting her fingers to my mouth or whoever currently holds her at the time. She is transferring objects between hands but she isn't quite putting everything to her mouth yet. I'm sure that at the next monthly update she will be chewing and trying to eat everything in site. We shall see!
This month was also all about the feet. She had started pulling her feet to her hands just before we left for Mexico, but discovered how much fun her little toesies could be when they weren't covered by socks and footie pajamas. I will forever hold the mental image of Julia hanging out in her big girl umbrella stroller with her little booty hanging out in the air and both hands playing with both feet. It was so Julia at the time we were down there.
As she gets older, she also gets a little more demanding. She's not mobile yet and I do think she gets frustrated because she sees toys that she wants, but she just isn't quite able to get to them yet. Tummy time still isn't awesome, but she does push up with her arms and moves her feet at the same time. I'm sure crawling isn't far off, but for now I'm okay with that. Baby proofing the house and chasing a crawling infant sounds like a whole different territory. I'm enjoying this current stage way too much to think about moving on yet.
Xo,
KBG
She is such a social little girl these days. She sits at the table when we eat and is very good at making her presence well known. It's especially noticeable when we are eating somewhere; Julia sits in her little high chair and whips her head around when there is activity or someone walking by her. It's funny to watch her wait for people to make eye contact with her. When she finally locks eyes, the biggest and most proud smile comes across her face and she bats those little eyelashes like crazy. Such a flirt.
Before I had Julia, I imagined the first year of her life as a lot of crying, sleeping and eating, but I never really stopped to think about when personality traits would begin to shine through. At six months of age, Julia is so full of life. It's early to guess, but I do think she has a lot more Alex in her than she does me. While I was a happy and smiley baby, I know from stories that I was not the social girl that Julia is. Alex and I are total opposites; public speaking gives me the heebie jeebies as does large groups of people. He thrives on that stuff; cracks jokes, participates in large group debates, and is pretty much a social junkie. I wish I could be that way, but it's just not in my nature. It makes me really happy to see pieces of her dad in Julia. I love her dad like crazy and if she is anything like he is, I know she's going to be such a fun little girl to experience and witness all the changes and growth that will shape her into the young lady she will someday be.
In the past month, she has gone from a little "leaning tower of Julia" to being able to sit unsupported anywhere from 10-15 minutes at a time before eventually toppling over. It's made our days a lot easier now that she isn't constantly wanting to be held or being propped up by our well-loved boppy. She loves to sit near her play gym while I sprinkle all sorts of toys around her. She'll play with one, get bored with it and then lean forward to find a new one to pick up. Her reaching and grabbing has really developed this month. If it's in reach, it's fair game. Hair pulling is also a new favorite thing as well as putting her fingers to my mouth or whoever currently holds her at the time. She is transferring objects between hands but she isn't quite putting everything to her mouth yet. I'm sure that at the next monthly update she will be chewing and trying to eat everything in site. We shall see!
This month was also all about the feet. She had started pulling her feet to her hands just before we left for Mexico, but discovered how much fun her little toesies could be when they weren't covered by socks and footie pajamas. I will forever hold the mental image of Julia hanging out in her big girl umbrella stroller with her little booty hanging out in the air and both hands playing with both feet. It was so Julia at the time we were down there.
As she gets older, she also gets a little more demanding. She's not mobile yet and I do think she gets frustrated because she sees toys that she wants, but she just isn't quite able to get to them yet. Tummy time still isn't awesome, but she does push up with her arms and moves her feet at the same time. I'm sure crawling isn't far off, but for now I'm okay with that. Baby proofing the house and chasing a crawling infant sounds like a whole different territory. I'm enjoying this current stage way too much to think about moving on yet.
Endless baby kisses and snuggles, cute little coos, and the most amazing baby smiles. First airplane rides, putting her toes in the ocean, trying ice cream, and playing patty-cake with those chubby little baby feet. That's how I will forever remember this stage. Pure happiness.
KBG
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Catching Snowflakes.
It's March. One of the craziest months in the state of Iowa. Snow one day, sixty degree weather the next, blizzard-like conditions the following day.
I was a little happy this morning when we woke up to four inches of snow. I had been neglecting to do Julia's "First Snow" pictures all season long. While I don't enjoy the shoveling, the slush, and the crazies that drive their huge trucks at scary fast speeds, I am thankful we got these four inches. Had we not gotten them, I never would have witnessed Julia's joy in the snow; scooting her little tush, closing her eyes, and feeling the wind hit her face with that little tongue.
As excited as I am to say hello to Spring and farewell to Old Man Winter, I'm also a little bit sad. Because as we welcome a whole new round of "firsts," we also tuck away the previous round of firsts and try our best to keep those memories vivid, fresh and special.
What a wonderful Winter it was.
Xo,
KBG
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