2013 - A Year in Review

The last day of 2013 has certainly snuck up on me, but I didn't want to let it pass before taking a few moments to think back on what this year has meant for our family. Such an exciting one!

January: After ringing in the new year in Asheville, NC, James and I returned to Atlanta for just a little bit before I started a series of work trips to both normal places (New Jersey) and super exciting places (Malaysia).  James had another one of his MBA program residencies down in Auburn, so he spent a lot more time in Alabama - which is somewhere between "normal" and "exciting", I guess...    

Picture from KL, not Alabama

James also founded his new company, GovStrive, and embarked on quite the adventure to get everything up and going.  He's devoted every single day of 2013 to this company, and I'm so proud of him!

February: At the beginning of the month we found out we were pregnant - yea!!  With our history we did not get to experience regular ole fertile people pregnancy. First, I took seven (yes, SEVEN) pregnancy tests every day over the course of a week. Then we started monitoring various levels of things every other day with our Reproductive Endocrinologist for weeks. Then we drove ourselves crazy, even though we were only about 5 minutes pregnant.  It started a long 9 months of worry - but also excitement!!  

March: Lots of birthdays in March, including yours truly and the Great State of Texas.  It also marked Enda's one year anniversary of being a Sasser!  Of course we celebrated, because we like to do that sort of thing around here.

April: In April I wrote a blog post that gets the most hits out of any other blog post on You've Been Sassed: Bring Back the Banana Pudding Milkshake.  I guess there are lots of people out there just like me who are extremely disappointed in Chick Fila for withholding something so wonderful.  I still get emails and comments from strangers who thank me for the update after they find me through a google search. 

Oh, and in April we announced we were HAVING A BABY!  (I also accidentally found out we were having a boy!  This led to me coming up with lots of fun ways to tell everyone - including poor James who was not in on the secret - in May.)

The moment he found out he was having a son!

May: We got to celebrate another very exciting milestone in May when James graduated from his Executive MBA program at Auburn.  Two years of working full time while working nearly every day on assignments and coursework - quite an accomplishment!

War Eagle!

June: Over the month of June (well, and May) we had a houseguest!  James' cousin Katelyn stayed with us while she completed her internship and we had a blast exploring Atlanta and hanging out with her.  We were sad to see her go, but know she's kicking tail down in Gainesville as she finishes her degree.

July / August :  Lots of excitement in these two months as we got ready for the little guy.  We had showers in Texas and Atlanta,  got the nursery ready, and tried to keep my seemingly constant contractions under control.  By the end of August I was put on "restricted activity" or "limited bedrest" or whatever you want to call it.  It meant a lot of lounging in order to keep him cooking.

September: Always a busy month for the Sassers as we celebrate James' birthday (17th) and our anniversary (26th), but we weren't really planning on having a baby in September. God blessed us a little earlier than expected with little James Benjamin on the 29th, and our lives changed forever.

October / November / December: Obviously these are three distinct months, but they have been almost a blur as we adjust to parenthood, enjoy our precious little boy, and change and morph as a family into our "new normal".  When every single day seems to be a 'first' of something (first holiday, first smile, first day back to work), the days seem to speed by!  We had so many visits from family and friends; were spoiled beyond belief with food, gifts, and love and support; traveled cross country to Texas to visit family - during which we survived the first 12 weeks of newbornhood!

2013 was a fabulous year.  A year of new beginnings - for our personal and professional lives. (James equates launching a business with having a baby, which is *somewhat* fair.  I guess we both gave birth this year!)

We have been very blessed, and I can't wait to see what 2014 has in store.

Happy New Year!

Good Times with Grammy and Gran Gran

I realized in my last post about our Christmas in Texas, I failed to include one picture of my parents. They were one of our favorite parts of the Texas trip, and the reason for such a long trip! They were gracious enough to put up with us for nearly 10 whole days, which also meant having a massive amount of stuff in every room of their house, laundry to do every day, and a wild vizsla to terrorize/play with their cats and dogs.  Somehow I think getting to see this face every day made up for it.

We left for our return trip on Saturday so that we could spend my Dad's birthday, Friday the 27th, with him.  Both James and I woke up sick that morning (sore thoat, drainage, etc - typical Texas allergies making us miserable), but since it was our last day AND a birthday we had to make it special! We let my Dad choose any place he wanted to eat, which was, of course, a hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese place in another town. So for lunch we schlepped over to Killeen, Texas for some yummy Pho (which was actually a good thing because, see above, James and I were suffering something terrible.) It might have been in Sketchville, but it certainly hit the spot! 

After a great day - and nearly two weeks! - hanging out with these two, it was really, really tough to say goodbye and head back to the ATL.  So many good times, good memories, and good cuddles with their grandbaby.  We miss them already! 

Merry Christmas from Texas!

Our second family Christmas of 2013 has come and gone, but it was a wonderful day (well, really week!). Stepping back a bit, I want to brag on us for our bravery in driving 14 hours (over two days) with an 11 week old baby (plus dog) from GA to TX.  AND WE SURVIVED!  JB did great in the car as long as we kept things moving and we stopped to let him eat every 3 hours.  (Now, once we arrived at the hotel on the first night and my parents' house on the second night, it was clear that the travel really took it out of JB.  Talk about craaaaaaaanky.  Lots of pouting and angry baby screams to let everyone know we had arrived!)

We spent a good week before Christmas in Texas so that we would have plenty of time to see folks.  It meant that Grammy and Gran Gran got lots of one-on-one time with their newest grandchild, and that JB got to meet many Kerr friends and family that had only seen him thus far through pictures.  Besides the fact that this was JB's first Christmas, having our little guy receive so much love was probably the most special part of the trip! 

Meeting his aunts and girl cousin:

Meeting his boy cousin and uncles, who are already trying to teach him bad habits:

Meeting Krystal, Aaron and their precious little girl Ella.  (James and Aaron were there, just too busy trying to get the little ones to look at the camera!):



Meeting Laura, Ben and her sweet baby girl, Annie.  Little Annie was so gentle with JB and wanted to touch his feet and stroke his face.  (Again, those boys were on "entertain the babies" duty and not in the photos.)

Meeting the Caswell clan!  We can't wait till JB is a little bigger and can play with these guys.  (And, next year, their newest addition!)  (Also, where are our husbands in these pictures!?)

More boys to play with when they grow up!  One of my mother's oldest friends and her daughter and grandsons.  They were also so good with little JB.

When we weren't introducing friends and family, we spent a lot of time hanging out at the house, eating, opening/playing with gifts, eating again, etc.  Thank goodness our niece, Tori Claire, was here the week so that she could work her baby soothing powers on JB.  (Really, how important is 6th grade?  Can't she come live with us a few months?!)

Speaking of baby whisperers, this one had his hands full on Christmas, trying to juggle both of these little ones.  (That is our precious one year old niece, Brielle.)  :)

I can't express how blessed we felt to have a little one to share Christmas with this year.  It was something we've waited for a long time, and I tried to soak in all the special moments.  And he was such a joy! We took him to my home church for the Christmas Eve services, where I've attended my entire life.  The pastor even called out how JB was sleeping so calmly in the pew, "maybe like the young Christ child in his stable on that night 2000 years ago". (Hey, he said it, I didn't!)

Christmas morning we had a happy little camper who enjoyed all the attention and excitement of family around to talk and smile at him.  I know next year he'll be all about the presents, too (or at least the paper and boxes.)

It was just a beautiful day and a wonderful first Christmas for James Benjamin.  We so loved all the time with our family, introducing our new son to so many special people, and celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus. 

A very Merry Christmas, from our family to yours!

Santa Visit!

One of many firsts during this special Christmas season - JB visited Santa Clause!  He did particularly well for their first meeting, and didn't cry one little bit with Old Saint Nick.

 
JB asked for the following: more Wubbanubs, since Enda likes to "share" his; a crib that feels just like people arms; and for a bottle that is just like the real thing.  (Or, to just never be offered a bottle again. He'll take that, too!) 

Hopefully Santa Clause comes through, because he's been a very good boy in his short little life!

Family Christmas - the First of a Few!

Since getting married, we've grown accustomed to having multiple Christmases to accommodate the fact that our families are in different states.  There is always a Georgia Christmas, a Texas Christmas, and then maybe even a couple of straggler Christmas dinners if certain family members can't make it to the main event.  But who's complaining?  It just means more festivities for everyone! 

We started out the season this year with our Georgia Christmas this past Sunday.  (It was a little earlier than usual so that we could hit the road for Texas on Monday, but that deserves an entirely different post.)  We hosted the event at our house, despite the fact our decorations were completely minimal this year.  Although it was a practical decision (with the short Christmas season, plus the fact we're in Texas half the month), it definitely left us a little blue on a few occasions.  Fortunately it didn't seem to dampen anyone else's spirits!  Plus, it was JB's first Christmas dinner, and that's enough to make anything special.

James once again wowed with his mad Big Green Egg skills.  He smoked a ham that was covered in a homemade dry rub and homemade glaze - it was FANTASTIC (and this is coming from someone who only really digs pork if it's in bacon form.)  I made a wild mushroom 'pate' for an appetizer, and then that was the extent of our cooking contributions.  The rest of our family completely pitched in to make sure we had a wonderful spread! 

(Now, I did not get a picture of the "before" food line because little JB decided he wanted to eat right that very same second.  Hopefully the picture of the carnage is enough to convince that we had a very yummy meal.) 

I did something a little different this year for the place cards and blessing:  taking the Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke, I printed a verse on everyone's place card and arranged them at the table in the order of the story.  Before we said the prayer, everyone read their verse aloud.  Reading the Christmas story in this way was a beautiful reminder of the reason for our dinner - for the overall season! - and a tradition I hope to carry on.  I loved it! 

After dinner, it was time for the annual White Elephant game.  Lots of good gifts, lots of steals, and, in the end, James got a Lottery Ticket and I got a Chick Fila calendar and gift card.  Excellent! 

We were spoiled rotten with gifts, especially little JB who racked up lots of cute outfits, special ornaments, and books.  I received more accent plates from my china set, which means I'm nearly able to have a multi-course dinner for 12 (which is one of my ultimate goals as a Southern lady).  James also received some beautiful camellias for the backyard.   Enda even received some homemade dog treats!

For his first family Christmas, the little guy was a teeeeeeeeny bit fussy and not wanting much to do with the festivities.  We tried our best to get some photos before all the ladies took turns trying their hand at soothing Mr. Bah Humbug.  :) 

What a wonderful evening with our family, and great way to kick off the Christmas season. 

A Day in the Life

Our little guy is two and a half months old, and I have an acute awareness that these days are precious.  When I'm struggling with the lack of schedule, lack of routine, occasional chaos, sleep deprived moments, and cries/screams/screeching, I try and remind myself that I will never get these special moments back with him.  (Then I fall into a weepy, nostalgic mess because, HELLO HORMONES.  Then I have a little talk with myself to say "think of all the great things to come!"  Then I get on with my day.)

I go back to work Full Time in a couple of weeks (still not ready to talk about it), but we'll spend the days leading up to that in Texas with the Kerr family.  Last Wednesday was one of my last "normal" weekdays on maternity leave with my first born.  Instead of crying about, I decided to document it all.  I want to remember all the details when I look back on this one day!

A Day in the Life of 10 week old JB and His Mama (+ Daddy)

4:45 AM: JB wakes up after sleeping SIX FULL HOURS (yea!!) and is ready to eat. He has only done this long of a stretch a handful of times, and I am super happy. I change his diaper in the dark so he realizes this is still night time. (5AM might be Daddy's wake up time, but Mama still considers it a 'middle of the night' feed).  Hungry boy eats 13 full minutes, which is actually a big meal for him, and then James comes in to rock him back to sleep so I can get back in bed. 

7:00AM: Our "normal" wake up time (but we have zero routine at 10 weeks old - something I needlessly stress/obsess about). I check in and see the little guy is still conked out (score!) and move from the bed to the couch. 

James brings me my half decaf coffee with chocolate almond milk and we discuss the day. I have totally forgotten that he needs our car to go to Dublin today, and I quickly panic to think how I will survive this day in the house without a car with a 2 year old Vizsla and 10 week old baby.  

Normally I would have used this time to get ready for the day: dress, make up, hair, make the bed, etc.  Instead I cuddle with Enda on the couch and watch MSNBC until Willie Geist moves over to the Today show. Then I switch to NBC. I love Willie (and being lazy).

8:00AM: JB is stirring so I decide to get him up. Normally I would wait for real cries, but in the morning he gets his Prevacid and must wait 30 minutes until eating.  Have you ever tried to hold off a starving newborn? I have to employ every strategy in the book! Fortunately I see we have a good activity to distract us: clean up after a blow out. JB seems quite pleased in his fresh diaper, so we hang at the changing table for a while.  Enda waits patiently for the treat she knows we have stashed in the nursery.

8:30AM: Breakfast for JB! Of course Enda uses this time to whine at the door.  It was only after I opened the door that I realized the neighbors have workers on their roof.  Oops! Fortunately the top news story today is a picture of super model Giselle nursing. She's making public nursing look attractive! Unfortunately I look NOTHING like Giselle at the moment...

Then it's breakfast for Mama while JB hangs out in his bouncy and looks at the lights. I am obsessed with these baked pumpkin oatmeals.  Check out the recipe (especially if you need gluten free, vegan, or just plain healthy eating.)

After some time playing and talking, JB gets a little grumpy and is ready for his first little nap.  He goes down well, and I finally decide to be productive and get ready for the day. (And, yes, I still put on make up evey day. Only people with very blonde eyelashes will know why - I look TERRIBLE without a little mascara!)

10:30AM: Homeslice decides that 45 minutes is a long enough nap, and when I pick him up he immediately acts like he is starving! I panic and question my schedule, as it's only been an hour and forty five minutes per my timer.  I decide it's okay to feed him, only for JB to reject the boob, scream a little louder, and give me a tired yawn.  Oh, newborns and their trickery! He's not hungry, he's still tired. So I re swaddle, give him a paci, and start to rock again. It's obvious he's still tired, and he is making it quite clear he prefers to nap in my arms.  So we do that for a while, until I get brave enough to set him in the rock 'n play.  

I'm Asleep....JUST KIDDING!

Oh well! By this point he's slept another 45 minutes and seems content.  Diaper change and time to eat.

11:30AM: I can tell from the start this will be a bad feed.  With his reflux, he will sometimes be hungry but not feel good. It's so painful to watch! He'll go in to eat, but then cry and pull away.  We go through this for a while (stopping to calm him down in between) until he finally latches and eats. Only 8 minutes, but I'll take it! 

Instead of then being awake, JB decides that he needs to sleep off this full tummy.  So I set him back in his bouncer so I can grab some lunch and tend to the crazy Vizsla.

1:30PM: After another quick meal (and me still worrying that we're not on a schedule!), I decide we should brave the cold and go outside.  It seems really frigid, so I quickly go to my source for all information on my newborn: google.  I type in "how cold is too cold to walk with a newborn" and I get lots of things that say zero degrees.  REALLY?  YIKES!?  It's only 50 outside, so I decide we can do it. I bundle him up really well in the k'tan, and we're off!  Enda enjoys the walk, too, and I even let her off leash for a bit at the park.  We're lawbreakers that way...

The Rest of the Afternoon/Early Evening: JB is hitting his fussy phase, so we do a lot of the following: bouncing, walking, singing (me), crying (JB), and eating (both of us).  I am getting less smiles and more screeches.  It's a very tiring point of the day, and usually when I keep repeating "everything is a phase...."

6:30PM: Daddy is home!  He takes over some of the walking, bouncing, and talking while I fix dinner. JB seems to be particularly calm this evening, so we take advantage and practice our tummy time.  That usually doesn't last too long, so we quickly flip him back over and let him look up at the Christmas lights.  It's also a constant battle to keep Enda from giving kisses while he's on his playmat. 

"I'm done, guys..."

"I just want to kiss him so bad..."

8ish: We're totally off a schedule now so I'm not even paying attention to my timer.  Between snacks every hour or so, we give the little guy a bath to help calm him down for bed.  He is liking baths more and more - yea!  Until it's time to get out....

9:30PM: JB is super tired and fighting sleep.  I decide to go ahead and nurse him one more time, which results in one conked out baby. Into his reclined napper he goes!

11:00PM: As I do many nights, I am determined to do a "dream feed" so that he'll sleep a wee bit longer into the next morning.  But JB is dead to the world and nothing - not even a boob - will rouse this little guy.  

So I end the day with a quick snuggle of my sleeping boy, a kiss on the head, and (as I do all day long) a little prayer over our son.  I don't take for granted for one single minute how blessed I am to have spent my day with him. :)