By Natalie
My time at the courthouse was particularly uneventful. It felt mostly like being on a very long train ride. I was first summoned to appear in January. I’d asked to be deferred or excused stating that I was a stay at home mom with a baby who was still nursing. They said they offered day care and provided a lactation room. We could have my service deferred if needed. (more…)
By Natalie
Dearest Felicity,
Today we had to say goodbye. We visited the place where you were born and had to walk away just the same. It didn’t make too much of a difference to you but it was bittersweet for me. My heart holds on to things, unable to let them go. Today I’m grieving the loss of this birth center. Walking into the farewell party felt warm, felt like home, surrounded by dozens of women who shared in the same care that I did. Dozens of babies your age and younger crawled and played across the floor. (more…)
By Natalie
After making it through the first few hard months of caring for our infant we decided to keep our goals for the year small, but intentional. A personal goal of mine is to remember people’s names better when I first meet them. Remembering someone’s name always makes them feel noticed and that’s what I strive for. I’ve always been terrible at this and I think I’ve actually been doing better these past few months simply by being mindful. (more…)
By Natalie
She won’t remember these days but I will.
When the sun begins to rise we pop open the blinds, Felicity in my arms. A ritual we do every morning for our houseplants to get some sunlight. Sometimes we squint our eyes and I talk about how bright it is. Sometimes it’s cloudy and I tell her it looks like it’ll rain today.
I set her down in her walker. She presses the music button as I kiss her head. My hand runs through the hair on the back of her head and I think to myself how much I love her. She straightens her legs out, confidently running across the kitchen.
By Natalie
Happy Spring! We’ve been dusting off the pollen that’s been finding it’s way onto our outdoor furniture. We’re spending every day outside we can before the humidity hits because nature is proven to boost your mood. Aren’t you glad the sun is out?
Here’s a list of my Spring favorites! (more…)
By Natalie
Dear Baby and Co,
I’m devastated by the news of your closing.
On July 3, 2018 I labored at home for nine hours, then walked through the doors of the Charlotte center, my belly swollen and round. Women I came to know over the past several months greeted me excitedly. I didn’t think I could do it. In that moment I thought laboring in a birth center was certainly my worst idea yet. (more…)
By Natalie
I’ve always hoped to plant a garden one day. I’m not so great with plants, but I love the way they look and I try my hardest to keep them alive. I have a peace lily upstairs that’s on it’s last leg. I’ve had dozens of succulents die on my watch and even a cactus that once toppled right over from overwatering. I tend to forget about my plants and then drown them in hopes to make up the days they went without nourishment.
This house has given me a fresh start. If you’d call this that.
By Natalie
I had to share this easy 3 ingredient recipe I came up with for the babe. Fried rice is a staple in our household. It’s one of Brandon’s favorite meals to make. He usually fries it up with chicken, but it’s easily converted to vegetarian. In this recipe I subbed rice for cauliflower rice and I suppose it’s not technically fried but it looks like fried rice! Felicity loves each of these veggies on their own so much that I decided to combine them all and call it baby fried rice! (more…)
By Natalie
Felicity is still battling some separation anxiety when it comes to leaving her at church. But that’s to be expected with both Brandon and I being home with her. We’re still trying! It doesn’t bother me too much. I’ve recently taken some wisdom from a mother of eight and a mother of six, who I met in the nursing moms room. They make my new mom woes seem piddly in comparison. They both told me to give myself grace. Felicity’s all proud of herself in this photo because we were so happy she made it through a whole service!
God bless those volunteers. I’ve been in their shoes and fussy babies are a handful. (more…)
By Natalie
Happy Valentine’s Day everyone ♥
Valentine’s day is a day for us two girls to flaunt our puff sleeves and fill the house with pink.
We don’t usually do anything extra special on Valentine’s day. Brandon makes us dinner. Sometimes I make us dessert. I say I don’t need to have flowers but I secretly always do want them. Sometimes I feel sheepish when people say they don’t really give gifts to eachother for Christmas or don’t really celebrate Valentine’s day. Confession! I really love holidays. I like Valentine’s day. I love all of the balloons and heart shaped things in the stores. I like seeing flowers on Valentine’s day. (more…)