Where have I been?

Yikes, it's been awhile since I've blogged. What has the Melton Family been up to, you ask? A lot...and a lot of nothing (which is glorious)!

A post will soon follow, but until then, here's my cute kid.

Last week, we said good-bye to Sam for the first time!

But he had a blast with Grandma (& Aunty Val)!

Sam is one.

On 3.9.12 Sam turned one. Wow. Sometimes I think someone used a zapper, time machine thing on me while I was sleeping to fast forward a year. How else can we explain how this year went by so fast? One minute you find out you're pregnant, the next, you have a squishy, stranger baby in your arms... and POOF! He's a year old.

So what have I learned so far being a parent of a one year old? Well, too many to write. But I have a few lessons that should be jotted down for the future... because I know I'll forget.

1. Don't sweat the small stuff. So I admit to you, this is a really broad category. How do you know how to classify something as "small"? Well, only you can be the judge of that, but I've learned that you will never be able to control all factors in the situation, but it's good to be reminded that life is messy. That's what makes it beautiful and allows you to grow in ways you didn't know possible.

2. Go with your gut. After a year of taking care of Sam, I've realized as a mother you have to go with your intuition. There have many times where I felt like I should do something, but couldn't, wouldn't, or felt I shouldn't. But out of those times, it seemed that doing that very thing I initially wanted to do would have been best for him.

3. Protect time with your spouse. Now this is a touchy one. I'll be the first one to admit that I've failed at this one many times. And will probably continue to in the future. I've found in our relationship (and most for that matter) that it's crucial to have protected time without any interruptions. Interruptions being a baby around. :) Now this may mean you need to get creative with your schedules. I know with the husband busy in seminary, we've definitely had to get creative. Maybe it's an at home date night after the baby is in bed. Either way, it's important to keep your relationship in tune, and in return, this will allow you to be great parents because you're working on a stable foundation for your children.

4. Document it. So if you've seen my Facebook, you'll know that I have no problem in this area. My motto is I'd rather have too much than too little. Photos and video are both great ways to keep track of your baby's growth and milestones. Try journaling about what you're experiencing or what he/she is currently doing. It not only can relieve stress that you may be experiencing, but it will be a nice momento. I need to work on journaling.

5. And most of all, enjoy your baby! Whatever difficulty or trial you may be facing as a parent will never be as important as enjoying and loving your baby. Thanks to my husband for reminding me this important lesson this last year, I've learned that it's always about perspective. We choose what light to view our lives in. Enjoying your baby (over anxiety) is what God intended us to do.

Here are just a few things I've learned over the past year. Feel free to add any more tips. I'd love to learn from you!

Skin Deep

This last year, I have begun to start paying close attention to what I've been eating and every day products I've been using. Maybe it's because of documentaries that have been released that are informing our nation of the health crisis we're in. Documentaries like Food Inc. and Forks Over Knives are a must-see in my opinion.

But also realizing that our skin is our largest organ. Therefore, soaking up everything that we put on it. A couple of our close friends recommended this website to search your products.

It's called EWG.org/skindeep. And it's such a brilliant concept.

This search engine is great because it does the "research" for you, and already has your products rated on the following scale:

0-2 Low Hazard-- Green light (Go ahead, use it)
3-6 Moderate Hazard-- Yellow light (Wait a sec, you might want to reconsider)
7-10 High Hazard-- Red light (DO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT!)

I love it! And have already searched all of our products. It's shocking at what you'll find!

Sleepless in Dallas Part 2

When I wrote Sleepless In Dallas, I was a new mama. It's funny to think back on those nights when you run into the room every 10 minutes to make sure your baby is breathing. Oh wait, we still do that. :) My, my does life change when you have a baby. And I wouldn't trade it for the world.

The other night, Sam woke up around 4:15 am. Poor guy is teething 4 molars. Ouch. So after a few attempts to rock him back to sleep -- which consisted of these steps:

1. Rock him

2. Lay him down

3. Tuck myself in bed

4. Hear him cry

5. Repeat

--I decided to get up with him. I opened the blinds in our living area, and we both quietly gazed out at the sleepy city's beautiful lights. He was in awe. He first looked at me, pointed to the lights through the window, then start whispering his jibber jabber. He did this over and over with his contagious smile.

So much joy flooded my heart watching my boy while he enjoyed the view. I thanked the Lord for giving me this time with Sam because most nights, I don't know my right hand from my left. True story.

What a surreal moment I had watching Sam to think that my baby is no longer a little baby (And how many times have I heard mothers or fathers say that?! But it's so true!).

It was a special moment between us that I will always remember. After a few minutes together, I laid him back down and he soon fell asleep. I, on the other hand, was so overwhelmed with how blessed I truly am. Both of my boys are such a gift to me.

It also made me think of the final scene from the movie, Nine Months starring Hugh Grant and Julianne Moore. This isn't the best video quality of this scene. It's in a foreign language. But the song, These Are The Days By Van Morrison was the couple's song. Hugh's character plays it for their new son to lull him back to sleep.

Call me corny, but I think it is pretty sweet. Here it is.