One whole year. I remember when a year used to seem like a century…do you remember that? When you were in elementary school and it seemed like a school year was forever long? What happened to that? Why did this year feel like it was a month long?

Huxley Rae has been the best teacher this past year. Crazy, right? A baby being a teacher…but it’s true. She has taught me so many life lessons. If I had to sum up the top five things my baby teacher has taught me it would be these:

 

1.     Be okay with things not going as planned. Because they won’t. Before she was even here, she taught us this. It took us three years to get pregnant with her. When we finally did, Caleb had to leave immediately to be deployed for six months. Then she tricked us into thinking our easy pregnancy would result in an easy birth (hello there, C-section). It seems like I ebb and flow with how much I consider myself a “planner.” I go through seasons where my life is very well-planned, thoroughly thought-out; then others seem like I kind of just go with the flow and let whatever happens happen. Well, HRH has taught me that I no longer get to plan…only sort of plan then hope for the best. J

2.     It’s okay to accept help. I am stubborn. I am independent. To a fault. Ask anyone close to me. But little ones are a lot of work…24/7 work. And I have had to learn to be okay with asking for help. Something as simple as asking someone to watch her for the day for a session or wedding is hard for me. She is ours and our responsibility, so why should someone else have to watch her? Yes, when I say it out loud, I know it sounds ridiculous. She has four doting grandparents that love to watch her. But it’s still hard even though I know it’s okay. Also, sidenote, shout out to any moms of multiples—don’t know how you do it, but you’re rocking it.

3.     You don’t need half the sh*t on your registry. For those soon-to-be mommas and dads, you need: diapers, wipes, a couple blankets, a night light, some bottles, either formula or a pump depending on how you plan on feeding your baby, like fifteen onesies, and a whole lot of patience and love. The rest just takes up space. Modern conveniences sometimes turn into modern inconveniences when they just begin to take up space and save a marginal amount of time.

4.     Moments are fleeting. So embrace them while they last. I remember thinking how much I love it when Huxley held my finger when she nursed or I was rocking her to sleep. I told myself that I would never break that hold. If she was holding me, I was going to stay there until she fell asleep and let go. Aside from a few times, I stayed true to that, and I am so glad I did. She doesn’t hold my finger very often anymore, and she’s just a year old! I’m lucky if she falls asleep on me at all! If you are a person that likes The Office, do you remember when Pam takes a “mental picture” of Jim on their wedding day when he cuts his tie after she rips her veil? Well…I find myself taking mental pictures at each milestone these days.

5.     Watch my mouth. Tiny ears have big minds and big mouths.

 

To say she has changed our lives seems to be an understatement. She has impacted our lives. I feel like she’s always been with us, but I can remember when it was just me and Caleb (and we would binge watch shows for four hours a night instead of just two…such sacrifices we make, I know!). I would like to thank my parents and Caleb’s parents for giving us the genes to make this cute, even-tempered, perfectly sassy but still sweet, little human we get to call ours. And also thank you for being the “help” I have so learned to accept. To round out this blog post full of clichés, it takes a village, and we are certainly thankful for ours.

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Now, if you don’t want an overload of baby pictures, now is the time for you to close the browser. <3

We were all so in awe of her. She had a turbulent entrance into this world, but thing have been surprisingly smooth since she arrived.

I realized later we never got any newborn pictures of me holding her. But that’s okay. We knew she was bound to be a daddy’s girl from the start!

So many firsts this year—first Christmas, first snow, first Valentine’s Day (yes, I’m just going to list every holiday), and first time meeting her cousin, Colton John!

It amazes me how she has always just sat and entertained herself, with a book, a toy, that teal thing that has no real name. Also, her first Easter. 🙂

MY first Mother’s Day. <3 Sorry to Caleb who we did not get a legitimate photo of on his first Father’s Day…

Are you really from Fluvanna if you don’t go to Old Farm Day?

I started my business to work for myself, but really, she’s my boss. 🙂

This was about the time that I realized “monthly” photos were no longer going to be easy.

Caleb taught Huxley what it meant to be a Marine—it means wearing really uncomfortable gear with your name on it.

She also got to celebrate our anniversary with us and spend time with her baby bestie, B, at IKEA.

We made her a Nationals fan, whether she liked it or not. And she has some pretty amazing grandparents that she was able to spend lots of time with this year. We are all so thankful to be close for that to be able to happen.

She was lucky enough to visit THREE beaches in her first year—OBX, Virginia Beach, and Topsail!

No, really, guys…she’s my boss.

With all the time she spends with me in this office, I hope she learns by watching me do what I love.

And lastly, we can’t forget the infamous cake smash debacle of 2019. Here you go, in all its glory!