My New Years Resolution

So, I started this blog almost a year ago with full intentions of updating on a regular basis. Time has flown, this has taken a backseat, and I never have posted again...until now. I have made it my new years resolution to start doing a better job of documenting milestones in our lives.

It is so difficult to believe that our little man is almost 6 months old. The 9 months of pregnancy seemed like 9 years, and the past 6 months have seemed like 6 weeks. Funny how that happens. Braden has grown and changed so much over the past 6 months, I cannot even imagine what the next 18 years will bring. All three of us have adjusted to daily life with two working parents. Braden is one of the most easy going babies I've ever seen, and hardly bats an eye as we tote him all over the western suburbs before and after work. We are very lucky. He is easily sleeping 10-12 hours a night, laughs often, hardly cries, eats everything we put in front of him, grabs his feet non stop and is making a valiant effort to crawl and walk. Yes, at 5.5 months, he is even taking a sippy cup.

I am certain that having the two of us as parents has absolutely nothing to do with the amazing disposition of this child. He does, however, seem to have a very pleasant combination of Brett's serious and focused approach to any task at hand and my laid back attitude, for which I am very grateful. I can only hope that this continues through his childhood and teenage years.

Brett and I are adjusting well to this new life also. We are making a valiant effort to keep our marriage about us, while making family our priority. Its definitely a struggle, but we are getting there. The extra sleep over the past 3 months has certainly helped all 3 of us!

I am finding my most recent struggle to be finding ME time. I am, after all only 25, and while most of my friends are living in the city, single or newly married without kids, I am at home or working 24/7. Yes, I know that in having a child, this is what I "signed up for", but sometimes I just need to be one of the girls. I miss having time to just kick back and relax over dinner and drinks without thinking about when we have to relieve a sitter or if Braden is getting too sleepy for us to stay and have a good time.

I keep telling myself that soon all of my girlfriends will

also be married with children and living in these wonderful suburbs (all that is, except for Emily-she'll always be a city girl!). I just hope that "soon" comes quicker than I think.

In the end, what I have learned so far from having a child is the following:

1. I really don't matter as much as I thought I did. Not

being a Debbie Downer here. Seriously, I don't.

2. Being selfish is no longer an option.

3. Christmas is so much more fun now.

4. Being 25 with a baby makes you much more relatable to the 30+ age group.

5. I am getting old.

6. Going down the street or across the country requires the same amount of packing.

7. I have never done more laundry in my life, and I don't see it decreasing in volume anytime soon

8. Babysitters coming over after the baby is asleep is not nearly as cool when you are the one paying (I seriously have to pay you $10/hr to sit on my couch, watch my t.v. and eat my food?)

9. Living 30 minutes from our parents is both a curse and a blessing. Mostly a blessing, and I can't imagine NOT having their help

10. I have now become the biggest sap around, and totally understand why my mom cried at every major life event that has ever happened in our family