By Paige Hewlett on May 24, 2013
This week has been spent driving here, there and everywhere… to quote Dr. Seuss. We are currently outside of Austin again, but will be headed back to the husband’s home tonight, and off to Dallas tomorrow to celebrate the wedding of two friends. Before heading off though, I am excited to visit with more family and have a little cousin reunion. It is the first time since Christmas they’ll have seen each other, and Vivi is much more interactive now. Should be great.
We’re going to be in Dallas celebrating a friend’s wedding, but I am beyond thrilled to have time to catch up with girlfriends from grad school and spend a little bit of time alone with my main squeeze. We are going to be apart (again) on our anniversary, but at least it’s just by a few states and not a war zone this year – overall, not a big deal – but we are going to be celebrating a bit early during our getaway this weekend.
Before the fun starts though, there’s plenty of work to wrap up in preparation for next week. I’ll be working during the week as normal, just from Austin, but have a big trip to Portland planned over a long weekend next week. I cannot wait to visit family and get the wheels moving on some projects while I’m there. All good things happening these days, could not be more thrilled.
Posted in life | Tagged around here |
By Paige Hewlett on May 23, 2013
Posted in life |
By Paige Hewlett on May 22, 2013
The first nine months of this adventure – the pregnant part – were easy and for the most part, anti-climactic. Sure, Zachary was deployed and our living situation was a little up in the air, but medically speaking and in general, easy sailing. The second nine months have been the longest roller coaster of my life. There are some people who just make little babies seem easy – and sure, some days are amazing and easy and make me think that I could have a million. But most days? They are tough – battled – and I feel like I have more than just a few stretch marks as scars from this experience. I’ve cried, laughed, cried more and breathed many a sigh of relief when bedtime is upon us. This article often rings too true, but I still feel guilty when I longingly wish for 7pm to arrive.
Overall though, this little adventure has been amazing. I’ve grown more as a person in these 9 months than the 3 degrees and countless jobs could have forced out me. Zachary and I, despite our minor battles, have become such a stronger couple and our marriage is better than it has ever been. Our kid – this little piece of both of us – is learning and exploring and growing and I often feel like I am getting to experience childhood again when she spends 30 minutes marveling at a peach or playing with the pups.
It is hard. Sure, new moms often would lament about the lack of sleep of the emotional roller coaster of hormones trying to regulate, but that hasn’t been the hardest part for me, at least. I’ve really struggled to find the balance between my role as a mom and myself. Keeping the little lady home, full-time for the first 6 months and then only in “school” for a couple mornings a week has been hard. Juggling work around nap-time and her two mornings a week is nearly impossible, and I often I feel like that makes me selfish, a bad mom, or worse, a bad human being. It is what I wanted though, I wanted to spend this first year primarily at home, and then we’d go from there.
For many, the first year is a major landmark. I’m not sure why nine months is a major achievement for me – it does seem a bit random, but I am thrilled. We have arrived. We made it. We survived. Of course, there is no celebration or anything planned, maybe a little dance when she goes down for the night before I get more work done. This isn’t even about her – it’s more about me, and by proxy, the husband. We did it.
PS. The photos are totally random from our drive up here – first gas stop in Texas had these fab longhorn statues. and yes, that is Zachary with his baby, the cat. Please notice the assorted pick-ups in the background.
Posted in life | Tagged baby, motherhood |
By Paige Hewlett on May 21, 2013
It seems silly to post about favorite things in the wake of all of the horrible weather and world crises recently, particularly those that have affected our friends and family. There are some amazing organizations working to help families rebuild – and as always the American Red Cross is hard at work providing disaster relief efforts. Consider donating however you are able – time, money, meals or belongings are all welcome to the many that have lost so much.
Books: Things Come Apart & Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls | Fish hook bracelet | Vintage glider | Lettuce Turnip the Beet poster (similar) | Picnic Basket | Treasure Ring | Red wedges
I’m excited to pick up a few books for fun reading after taking this month off of “the task” of reading 4 books each month. I’ll be back at it next month, but with all of the traveling and such, a few fun, interesting books were definitely called for. I LOVE this fish hook bracelet. J. Crew did a collaboration a few years ago, and now I shamelessly pine for one of these pieces. It’s not a total splurge, but I’m going to wait for a big project to finish for a special treat. Just adding it to a long list! We NEED this poster in our kitchen – how fab!? This treasure ring on the other hand, is a total splurge, and will have to wait for a major moment – an anniversary or another baby maybe? I picked up these red wedges at Target for the wedding this weekend – a pop of color, not too high – perfect for summer weddings.
Posted in life | Tagged good things |
By Paige Hewlett on May 20, 2013
… loving being around family and near friends for a few extra days
… catching up on work and making some exciting things happen
… reading over notes from this weekend’s Alt for Everyone, and thinking about projects, changes and plans for this blog and for how to help others
… running
… remembering how good it feels to just “run” without goals of weightloss or distance, just to run
… looking for books to read for fun
… planning fun things to do and friends to visit
… inspired to purge our house again once I return home – no corner is safe
… thankful for dear friends that help make a sudden departure that much easier to handle
… thrilled to celebrate the wedding of friends this weekend and get to reconnect with some of my favorites
… excited to spend a few days alone with the husband this weekend, in a pseudo anniversary celebration
… slowly feeling more and more like “me” — this whole baby thing is tough!
I knew May would be good – sure, it’s had its ups and downs, but what month doesn’t. It’s funny how leaving for a few days gets me inspired all over again to start making things happen around the house, the business and in life in general. A little perspective does wonders. As we approach two years of marriage in a couple weeks and the little one is nine months old in a few days, I can’t help but think about how much everything has changed in such a short time. So many things have changed, and it has occasionally been a battlefield, but I cannot imagine being anywhere else. The next couple weeks are going to fly, and before we know it, June will be here.
Posted in life |
By Paige Hewlett on May 17, 2013
Posted in life | Tagged around here |
By Paige Hewlett on May 16, 2013
After putting myself in a bit of a timeout on Tuesday (sorry again, husband), I pulled my head out of my bum and tried to get it together. I had grand plans of posting my AMAZING no grain granola and getting on with the week as usual, but my computer had other ideas. All is well now, but yesterday it was crashing every 15 minutes or less, restarting, letting me do a couple things, and then crash again. I think I solved the issues, but we are just waiting now… a new computer is in my future, but I’m trying to delay the purchase as long as possible.
We are headed to Texas today, a week earlier than planned because my husband’s grandfather had a bit of a health scare and the tornadoes blew straight through his home town. His family is fine – but we are heading that way to help and spend a little extra quality time with family. I’m not sure if prayer is your thing, or you just send happy vibes into the universe, but either way, send good thoughts for our safe drive and for his family and neighbors.
I plan on getting in a few posts over the weekend to make up for some seriously missing fun the past few days, but feel free to follow along on our journey through Instagram and Twitter, too. Driving through the rural south we are sure to encounter a few glorious photo-worthy moments. I’ve been going through some old family photos and have stumbled across a couple great ones – I’m going to do a full post sometime soon, but here’s just a sample of what’s to come. I think we were supposed to be making crazy faces, but it seems only John and I got the memo?
Posted in life |
By Paige Hewlett on May 13, 2013
Some days are really hard – sometimes motherhood just kicks me in the gut and I thank the good stars that tomorrow is in fact another day, a new beginning and a fresh start. Other days, well, THE other days make me feel like motherhood fits like a perfect pair of jeans – it looks good, feels good and gives everything you see a bright halo-like glow. Obviously every day can’t be like that, but it’s those days that I live for – and that get me through the tough ones. Motherhood is one big adventure.
Oh little girl, you make my heart sing and I am truly the lucky one in that I get to be your mother. In your short few months you have taught me more about myself than the previous 24 years combined. You have made me a better person, a more loving, caring, empathetic person and I cannot wait to experience all of your firsts, and seconds and so on and so on. I love our slow mornings, you with your oatmeal and me with my coffee. The crazy, frenetic afternoons where we squeeze in errands and trips to the playground and try to keep you happy and laughing and all you want to do is be a grump. Your curiosity, even when it almost takes you over the side of the bed, nose first into the grass or leaves you with a handful of Charles’s hair from too tight a grab. Thanks for choosing me to be your mama sweet girl. You are my wild and my crazy, and I love you to the moon and back.
Posted in life | Tagged baby, motherhood |
By Paige Hewlett on May 12, 2013
I’m out celebrating motherhood with my little nugget, but just wanted to say Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms out there – especially my own mom and mother-in-law. I’ve learned so many amazing things from you both – and can’t wait to pass along those nuggets of wisdom to my own littles.
Posted in Uncategorized |
By Paige Hewlett on May 10, 2013
Posted in life | Tagged around here, military life |
