Thankful Thursday

Well, here it is. The last day of 2009. What a year. What a decade! 10 years ago I was at a party at a friend's house getting to know a cute guy named David (and was only slightly worried about Y2K.) Wow, how far God has brought us!

Over the past ten years, I dated and married that sweet guy. During this decade I have also graduated high school and college, worked several different jobs, and moved seven times. I have changed churches, dress sizes, vehicles, and my last name. I have traveled to Connecticut, California, Ecuador, Florida, Maryland, Alabama, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, US Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, New York City, Tennessee, Aruba, South Carolina, North Carolina, Colorado, and West Virginia. Oh yeah - and I had a baby.

As I think back to how much things have changed in our household this year alone, I'm overwhelmed. This has undoubtedly been one of the best, and one of the toughest, years of my life. Half of it was spent pregnant, the other half with a new baby. I started out the year employed and am ending it not making a dime and working harder and more hours than ever before. And I wouldn't change it for the world.

I have to admit that we probably won't ring in 2010 as extravagantly as we've done in the past. We've spent New Year's Eves in New York City, on the beach, in Colorado, and at big parties. Tonight, however, it will just be the three of us. We'll have a fire, eat dinner, give Audrey a bath together, and enjoy some leftover birthday cake. To tell the truth, I doubt David and I will even make it until midnight! But, this New Year's Eve, we'll spend it being content. The decade that began with two teenagers figuring each other out is ending with two adults and their sweet baby enjoying a wonderful life together. Thank you, Jesus!

Here is this week's list:

1. A good report and Audrey's 6 month check-up. She weighs 16 lbs 10 oz and is 26.25" long. We got the green light on starting fruits and veggies. We're going to wait another day to make sure she doesn't have any reactions to her shots (which, as usual, she handled like a trooper!)

2. A great birthday! David took the day off, which was by far the best part. The three of us went to lunch and briefly shopped before we came home and rested. Then I went out by myself to Wolf Camera and to get a massage (David's gift to me). When I got home, there were two birthday cards waiting for me on the table - one from AJ and one from David. I totally teared up when I read the one she "picked out" and saw her little hand print outline inside. So precious! We stayed in the rest of the evening, hung out, ate pizza, and caught up on our DVR. Perfection.

3. Publix cake. It is delectable.

4. Baby Orajel. AJ is crazy close to cutting her first teeth, and her crankiness proves it. (At least, I think that's what it is. It could be a growth spurt.)

5. Updated pics! It took forever because of computer problems, but I finally got caught up. Check out the gallery for Christmas 2009 and her Six Month Professional Pictures (done by our sweet friend Ally. Visit her website at www.thejourneybyally.com.) I also updated the Perspective Shots Album and added a couple to her Six Month Album. Enjoy!

However you celebrate tonight, be safe and enjoy it!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I HOPE 2010 IS YOUR BEST YEAR YET!

Audrey's First Christmas

...and what a first Christmas it was! The festivities started on Wednesday, the 23rd, as we drove to David's grandparents' house in Alabama to celebrate with his mom's side of the family. She was an angel on the long ride over. (The ride back, not so much.) When we arrived, she ate, then we ate, then we took pictures, then she napped while we opened gifts. Once she was up and fed, we began the marathon session of opening her presents. She quickly got into it, and entertained everyone with her commentary of each gift. She "made out like a bandit" (that one's for you guys, B&K) and we are so appreciative of everyone's generosity. We loaded up our car to the brim with toys and leftovers and trekked home.

On Christmas Eve, we lounged some and cleaned some and lounged around some more. It was wonderful to stay in together and not have anywhere to be. David and I ate our traditional Christmas Eve meal of tacos and cheese dip (I don't know why, but we've done that since we got married.) We dressed Audrey in her new Christmas pajamas and read the story of Jesus' birth and The Night Before Christmas. Afterward, we let her open one present - an ornament of her own that we'll send with her when she is grown - and hung our stockings by the chimney with care. We set out cookies and milk for Santa and then tucked her in.

Christmas morning came early, as the cinnamon rolls and sausage balls weren't going to make themselves! David and I got ourselves dressed and cooked breakfast, then got Audrey up and fed. We took her downstairs, where Santa had set out a LeapFrog table, some books, and a small toy truck. She loved all of it, but was most excited about the big red bow on top (of course.) We played, opened her stocking, ate, and then put her down for her morning nap while David and I opened gifts. I gave him clues that led him on a treasure hunt for his present (a new lawnmower!) He got me a camera lens filter, a book, and some DVDs I wanted (more on those later.) It was perfect.

That afternoon, David's parents came over with a sleigh full of gifts. (But rest assured, they "did not go overboard this year." Wink, wink.) Audrey was fascinated by more ribbons and bows as she opened more toys. While she napped, Mommy and Daddy were less fascinated by the bows as we tore into our stash! We ate dinner and enjoyed being amused by Audrey's babble and expressions. The most hilarious part of the evening came when Audrey gave her own special present to her Granddad...and her pants...and the carpet..... What a memory that will be! We fell into bed that night, tired and feeling unbelievably blessed as our favorite Gift slept soundly in her crib.

On Saturday, we went to my brother's house and celebrated with my side of the family. With an 18 month old, a 9 month old, and a 6 month old, it was intense! It was hard to keep up with everyone - just as one got finished eating, another would start or one would go down for a nap when the other was just waking up. We had so much fun watching them all and tried to take lots of pictures. I know next year it will be even crazier once they're all mobile! As had been the trend that week, Audrey got way too many toys and loved every minute of it. It was wonderful being with everyone and it ended all too soon when we had to pack up and rush home in time to feed her and put her to bed.

Now you would think surely we were finished, right? Alas, we had one more celebration the next day. On Sunday we went up to David's parents house and celebrated with his Dad's side of the family. We had brunch, played cards, opened more gifts, ate more food, and looked on as everyone gushed over our Baby Girl. David and AJ even got in a mini jam session on the drums. It was a great day and we loved seeing family that we don't get to visit with that often.

Thus concludes Christmas Extravaganza 2009. It is wonderful to stretch it out and not have to be multiple places in one day, but it's also a lot of work to haul a baby (and her massive amounts of gear) around. We calculated that we spent about eight hours in the car during the three trips we made. Not bad compared to others' drives, but still a lot considering we barely left the state. I am so glad we established a "Not leaving the house on Christmas Day" rule!

It was definitely worth it, of course, and we are very grateful to all of our family for helping to make Audrey's first Christmas so special. The traditions we started and the memories we made will last us for many years to come. I hope you and your family had as wonderful of a holiday as we did!

Thankful Thursday and Merry Christmas!

Well, we made it. It's here. The shopping is finished, the gifts are wrapped, the house is clean, the cooking is (mostly) done. In less than 24 hours, it will be over for most of you. (For us, we have celebrations tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday, so we get to stretch it out a bit longer.)

Did you spend the season the way you wanted? Did you soak up time with family and friends or were you dashing around frantically trying to get it all checked off the list right up until a few hours ago? Were you like me and wished it didn't go by so quickly or did you find yourself secretly hoping it would just hurry and get here so you could get it over with?

I'll be honest, this season wasn't quite as perfect as I was hoping it would be. David had to work way too much and way too hard and we weren't able to spend the time together that I would have liked. I didn't get all of my shopping finished and stuff done as early as I usually do, which was overwhelming and stressful.

But here's the thing: tonight, it doesn't matter. It's done. Somehow on the night before Christmas, everything else fades away and all is peaceful. We're together. And we're healthy and we're happy and we're home.

"Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.'"

A Savior. Born for ME. For that, and for the million other blessings that Savior has given me, I am thankful. I hope you can say the same tonight.

Merry Christmas!

Six Months

Yesterday was Audrey's six month birthday. If only someone would've told me how fast it goes by! ;) Sarcasm aside, it really is hard to believe how much she has grown and changed over the past six months. As I watched her sitting up in the floor grabbing toys from her Daddy, it was hard to believe how far we've come. Every day has been an adventure. Some good, some bad, but hardly a one of them dull.

Overall, I'd say things have been getting easier as time goes on. One of the biggest differences is that I find that I'm worrying less about her physical health (maybe because her fat rolls
speak for themselves). However, I am still just as conscious as ever about her overall well being. I drift off to sleep recounting the day's events and wondering if I did the best I could. Did I pray "with" her and for her? What did I do with her today that was educational? What did I do with her today that was fun and silly? Did I treat her with kindness? Did I treat myself and others with kindness in front of her? Did she see me scowling about my to-do list or did she notice me smiling as I went about the day's chores? Did I show love and respect to her Daddy? Was I patient? More often than not, I fail in some way or another. But, more often than not, I'm learning to focus on what I did do right and pray that God's grace will fill in the gaps where I fall short.

Most of the other lessons I've learned so far I've already written about in previous posts (Having momfidence in yourself, avoiding comparison parenting, and other random stuff) but there were a couple that I don't think I've shared yet that I wanted to pass along:

1. Let your husband do it his way. This really hasn't been as hard for me as I thought it would be. Maybe it's because by the end of the day, I don't have the energy to interfere. Perhaps because I've had a taste of going it alone during his business trips, I'm just so grateful for the help I don't want to discourage it! Whatever the reason, I've learned to step aside and let David handle Audrey without me hovering and instructing. It doesn't matter if I think I know a more efficient or productive way. That's not nearly as important as letting him get to know her and sharpening his skills as a Dad. As long as it's not a safety or health issue, I try to butt out. Besides, it teaches Audrey to experience things differently and be flexible.

2. Do what's best for your core family. This means conquering the fear of making others angry or disappointed. They'll get over it...or not. Sometimes they'll understand, sometimes they won't. Either way, we have a Little One to look after now. Sure, there are times when schedules need to be put aside and we stretch Audrey to her limits to accommodate others. But there are also times when we know what she can handle or certain things are important to us and we put our foot (feet?) down.

3. Stretch yourself...and the baby! I think that having a schedule and sticking to it is really important for Audrey. It gives her a solid routine and something to depend on, which I think she finds comforting and thrives under. However, I've discovered it's sometimes equally important to throw the routine and rules out the window for the sake of new experiences. In the past six months we've done this multiple times: Doing a 5K, attending a new Bible Study at a different church where I don't know every nursery worker, and taking a road trip to Savannah. Each has turned out better than expected, and we've made memories, gained confidence, and exposed AJ to exciting new things in the process.

I can only imagine how much more we will learn over the next few months and years. My prayer is that my mind and heart will remain open and teachable, and in the process, that God will mold me into a better person and mother.

Happy Birthday, AJ. We love you!

Thankful Thursday

Well, I was really hoping that this post would contain a lot of (polite) bragging about how I got everything finished and am ready for Christmas. I'm closer, but still not there yet. David and I seem to be burning the candle at both ends these days and would really like the chance to relax and enjoy the season with our sweet baby girl. Please pray that we get that opportunity soon and that we all stay well and healthy during the most wonderful (and stressful!) time of the year.

In an effort to slow down for a moment and remember just a few of the many things I have to be thankful for, here is this week's list:

1. My Dad. His birthday was yesterday and he came over on his lunch hour to visit with Audrey and me. I give full credit to him and my Mom for making me the fine specimen of a human I am today. And teaching me to be humble. Seriously, he was and is the best Dad a girl could ask for. From him I get my business sense, my humor, my love of music, and my driving skills. He has faithfully served God, his country, and his family and has made a lot of sacrifices in doing so...more than I'll probably ever know. Thank you & Happy Birthday, Dad!

2. David's work ethic and commitment. He has been busting his butt for the past...well, six years, but specifically, the last couple of weeks. Several times lately he has worked a full day and then had satellite passes very late at night. (When he tests his satellite systems and antennas, he has to time the tests for whenever the satellites will be passing over in outerspace. Crazy smart stuff.) A couple of nights, he hasn't crawled into bed until midnight only to get up again at 6:30 and go back to work. Lately he has had customers in town and satellite passes and just general chaos going on. And yet he has still managed to meet me for AJ's Santa's pictures, come home at lunch for a photo shoot, and keep Audrey so I could go on a few outings that were important to me. You're awesome, babe. We're thankful for your dedication to your job, but more importantly, your greater dedication to your girls.

3. Christmas cookies. Yum-o. I've made seven dozen this week alone. (Not to worry - I did give most of them away!)

4. Courteous sales people. I can't imagine working in retail this time of year. Given what kind of stress they're under, I sure do appreciate it when I get to deal with a non-jaded, polite employee. And if they say "Merry Christmas" on top of having good manners, they'd better watch out - they may just get a hug.

5. Advent calendars. This year Audrey is "helping" me open the little paper doors as we practice counting. It's a sweet moment in our day!

Have a great weekend!

Thankful Thursday

We've been busy around here this week! On Monday, I got Audrey all dolled up and took her to see Santa. David met us at the mall on his lunch break so he could witness this important first. There was only one person in line in front of us, but it still took longer than I expected. They let you choose three poses on their tiny computer screen, which is time consuming, and the lady working there was not all that computer savvy. We finally got Audrey settled on his lap and she didn't cry a bit. In fact, I had her smiling a great smile, looking right at the camera. I turned around and said "Did you get it?!" to which they replied "No. Our camera jammed." Seriously?! SO, by the time they got it rebooted, she was over the experience. We did get a couple more smiles, but they weren't looking straight ahead. Oh well. It's not like we were going to get an 11x20 of her and Santa for above the mantel.

That afternoon and Tuesday morning I got some Christmas shopping done. I cannot stand having this much to do so close to Christmas. Normally, I'd be 99.9% finished and have most of it wrapped. Instead, I'm stressing out about what to get those relatives who are impossible to shop for. (You know who you are.) I keep waiting for a grand epiphany, knowing that I'm just going to buy them that item I thought of in August. Next year, I'm going to save myself the trouble and settle early.

What's even worse than the last minute-ness is the cluelessness. I'm left to wander around big manly stores such as Bass Pro and track down salesmen who see dollar signs as I walk towards them. The conversation usually goes something like this:

Me: "Do you have a thing-a-majig for a whatchamacallit?"
Them (stifling a laugh): "A thing-a-majig? You mean a thing-a-maBOB?" "
Me (blushing and trying to figure out some way to work into the conversation that I have a college degree): "Right. a thing-a-mabob. That's what I said. I'll take two please."

Oh well. Hopefully the men will appreciate that part of their gift is my pride.

Later that afternoon, Audrey sat up on her own for ten minutes and played. That's right, we have a big girl sitter on our hands. She's been able to do a little bit unsupported without toppling over for a couple of weeks, but Tuesday was the official going-in-the-baby-book day.

On Wednesday, we had a sweet friend come over and take some photos of Audrey. I say "some." I had the poor baby change outfits four times and us twice. My friend was here for over an hour and a half. It was quite an ordeal. She may never offer to come back! David came home at lunch to jump in a few. I wanted some Christmas ones, but also some "regular" ones for her 6 month shots. I cannot wait to see the results!

This morning I got up to make a dish for David's company luncheon and drop it off hot. I know what you're thinking: I'm an amazing wife. Good thing you don't know that's the first time I've cooked all week. Unless you count making boxed mac and cheese and tossing a salad to go with a deli-made rotisserie chicken. In my defense, he has worked late every night this week so it's hard to plan dinner for those evenings.

After our drop-off, Audrey and I went to the mall AGAIN to grab a few more gifts. We got a lot accomplished. I now only have about 5-6 more things to buy. The problem is, I only know what 2-3 of them are!

Anyway, we'll get there. This time next week I'm sure I'll be happy to report how finished I am! Until then, here is this week's list:

1. Pretty Christmas dresses and the beautiful baby girl that goes in them. (And the husband that doesn't mind me buying those pretty Christmas dresses.) She hardly complained at all, though I know those tights cannot be comfortable!

2. Sweet, talented photographer friends. In addition to our friend Camille, who did my maternity shots, Audrey's newborn shots, and does our Christmas cards, our friend Ally is a wonderful photographer willing to endure our craziness for the sake of gaining some experience. Visit her website at www.thejourneybyally.com and check back here soon to see more of her amazing work!

3. Consistent SLEEP. I've held off on this update just in case it was a fluke, but Audrey has been sleeping 11-12 hours straight through the night for the past two weeks or so. Out of nowhere, she did it four nights in a row. On the fifth night, she woke up twice, but by that point she had already proven to me she didn't need to eat to get through, so we settled her back down without feeding her and it's been blissful sleep ever since. Praise the Lord and pray it continues!

4. Alabama's Christmas CD. Yes, it's old and corny, but it's what I grew up listening to and I love it. How can you go wrong with a CD that has a song about a Christmas bear (named Thistlehair, no less!) Good stuff.

5. Santa cokes. I had one today because it's Christmastime and it's required. It was my first regular non-caffeine free coke in 8ish months and it tasted like syrup it was so sweet!

Enjoy your Friday and your weekend!

Weekend Review

What an amazing weekend! On Saturday my parents, grandmother, brother, sister-in-law, and nephew came out for a visit. We had a great time hanging out and catching up. My nephew Carson was very entertained by our Christmas tree and ornaments (I did remember to hang the less fragile and semi-harmless ones towards the bottom) and we were very entertained by him. He is such a ball of energy, but will stop just long enough to sit in someone's lap while they read a book. He is learning to jump and loves to jibber-jabber and has the most gorgeous blond hair. Man, we make some cute kids in my family.

Watching everyone pass Audrey around was so precious. They got such a kick out of every grin and noise she makes...which happened to be a lot on Saturday. She loved the attention and napped long and hard that afternoon! That evening, I snuck away for an hour by myself and got a pedicure. Yay for Mommy time-outs, foot massages, and trashy celebrity magazines!

On Sunday, David and I had an amazing date. His parents came over and kept Audrey while we spent five hours by ourselves (new record)! It started with brunch and a little Christmas shopping. Then we went downtown to the Fox Theater and saw the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. It was a wonderful show and I was so impressed with the flawlessness of the performances. Those Rockettes are in amazing shape (I tried not to spend the entire time coveting their legs) and I can't imagine the hours and hours of rehearsal and training that go into that. The grand finale was a live nativity and it was powerfully beautiful.

After the show, we grabbed some lunch/dinner at Five Guys (What's that you say? My legs will never look like a Rockette's if I eat like that?! Honey, these thunder thighs ain't never gonna be close anyway.) We got home and I scooped up Audrey, who seemed like she barely noticed we were gone. I, on the other hand, had missed her terribly. But of course I'm glad we went. It was so special to spend the time with David doing something we don't normally do and it definitely got us in the Christmas spirit. We spent the rest of the day relaxing just the three of us.

So, this weekend had it all: time with family, time alone, time with just us. We are so looking forward to Christmas when we get to see everyone again (and David takes some time off!)

I'll close with this video of Audrey laughing just in case you have a case of the Mondays. I dare you to watch this thing without smiling. Have a wonderful week!

Thankful Thursday

1. Snuggle time. On Tuesday, I let Audrey take her morning nap in my arms. She rarely does that anymore, mainly because she gets restless and wants to be put down in her crib. It was cold and rainy outside and we had the Christmas tree lit and carols on the radio. I held her close and savored every moment. When she woke up she got in my face and smiled a huge smile as if to say "Well hey Mommy! You're right here!" Pure bliss.

2. Leftovers! I haven't had to cook in awhile. (Okay, me not cooking isn't really all that out of the ordinary. BUT, we've been eating well and I haven't had to cook it!)

3. Hobby Lobby. Audrey and I took a quick trip over there today. I love their home decor and low prices.

4. Shipping. On two different occasions this week, I have called stores to check whether they had specific products. When they did, I asked if they would ship the items to my house. Both were more than willing to do so at extremely reasonable prices. (One package actually cost less to ship than I would have spent in gas driving to pick up!) It saved me a ton of time, which I'm all about these days. Thank you Pony Express for starting it all!

5. Christmas movies. My favorites are The Grinch (old and new versions), Miracle on 34th Street, It's a Wonderful Life (possibly my favorite movie of all time), Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, White Christmas, A Christmas Story, Elf... You name it, I love it. Even the really cheesy Lifetime Christmas movies. I'll conclude the list with a clip from one of my favorites:

First Comes Love...

In my doctor's office hangs a poster that reads "Everything I Need to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten." It lists fundamental life lessons such as sharing, cleaning up your own mess, and the importance of naps. It's a cute and insightful collection, but I think it's missing one of the most important things we need to remember - a commonly known rhyme that was often sung on the playground: "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage."

Notice the order: Love, Marriage, Baby.

I think it's worth pointing out that it lists love and marriage separately. Do you remember that feeling you had when you first fell in love? How new and exciting everything was? How you couldn't wait until the next time you talked to him or saw her? How electric the first kiss felt? Everything was fresh and wonderful and fun.

Then comes marriage. Now don't get me wrong or get any rumors started! I have a wonderful marriage and am so very blessed. BUT, sometimes marriage means a mortgage and trash night and laundry. It becomes bogged down with discussions centered around finances and children. You completely forget about that rush you used to feel and instead try to refrain from "accidentally" kicking him when you crawl back in bed after a 3am feeding and he is snoring. Or maybe that's just me. At any rate, it's SO important to remember the love that came first.

So, first love. Then marriage. Then baby. Does this mean Audrey is stuck with leftovers? That she gets less because we try to focus on each other first? No, I believe just the opposite. Sure, she is little and depends on us for everything whereas David and I can fend for ourselves. But, the very best thing we can do for her is to put each other first. If we make sure to prioritize our marriage, it goes a long way in helping to create a loving, peaceful home for her to grow up in.

But how on earth do we do it? With my minimal experience, I'm definitely not the right one to ask. We're so new at this and I know it's going to reach a whole new level of difficulty once sports practices, music lessons, and Room Mom responsibilities are involved. (Not to mention...gulp...if we have another child. But it's still waaay too early to discuss that.) So, I did a little research and reading on the topic. Below I've picked the suggestions I liked the best and coupled them with some of our own tips:

• Pray for each other. I try to take moments throughout the day to lift David up in prayer. Taking the time to do so reminds me that he is out there working hard to provide for us. His job may not be as glamorous as changing diapers (wink, wink), but it's stressful and he needs God's help to make it through.
  

• Date. Try to go out alone together once a week. This frequency is difficult even for us to do, and we have family all around to help out. I can only imagine how hard it is if you live far away from loved ones or trusted babysitters. At the very least, aim for once per month. Put it on the calendar so you'll be more likely to make it happen. If you can't leave the house, try to set up dinner or dessert together after the little ones are in bed. And for pete's sake, try not to talk about the kids...much. Yes, sometimes it's a pain to coordinate feedings/naps, but we're always glad we took the break.
  

• Greet each other first. When David comes home from work, it would be easy for him to immediately scoop up Audrey and immerse himself in her adorableness. But instead, he says hello to me first. He takes just a moment to kiss me, ask me about my day, and make me feel noticed. Then, of course, he's all about smothering her with attention.

• Keep the lines of communication open. We are so guilty of putting Audrey to bed and then vegging out in front of the television. We turn out the lights soon after, exhausted, and I realize I didn't ask him about his important meeting or tell him about my phone conversation with so-and-so. Even if it means the shows stay on our DVR a little longer, it's worth taking ten minutes to have a face-to-face discussion about what's going on in our lives.

• Hug, kiss, and hold hands in front of the kids. We want AJ to grow up seeing our affection for each other, even when she gets to be a teenager and pretends it grosses her out.
  

• Get on the same page as parents. Being that I have one five month old, my experience with this is next to nothing so far. Still, I try to run whatever few decisions we need to make by David, even if I know he's going to default to me about most things at this stage. I think it gets us used to talking about stuff and reaching conclusions together before we implement a plan.
  

• Keep pictures of just the two of you around the house. Since AJ is so much cuter than we are, I was tempted to take down all the pictures of David and I and put her cute baby self up everywhere. Of course I replaced quite a few, but I still want her to grow up seeing that Mommy and Daddy were Husband and Wife first who had exciting adventures together. As the comedian Sinbad said "Your parents used to be cool. Then they had you!" She needs to see photographic evidence that we did have lives before she came along!

• Remember the kids will (hopefully) move out eventually. When you're up to your elbows in...ah-hem...poop and you're nursing seven times a day, it feels like you're never going to be finished with this stage of life. But, from what everyone tells me, it goes by so fast. One day the kids will be grown and gone and it will just be you and your spouse left. Therefore, it's really important to do all that you can to ensure that you still know and like that person.

• Spend time in God's Word. I confess, I'm horrible at this right now. But, I know from experience that the better my relationship is with God, the better it is with David.
  

• Laugh together. Have a sense of humor. Don't take it all so seriously. One of greatest things about parenting so far has been all of the hilarious inside jokes David and I have accumulated. We have laughed until we cried (probably because of the exhaustion) over the past few months and it's amazing how close that makes us feel to each other. Not to mention the stress it relieves!
  

I want to reiterate that I'm no expert. I cannot tell you how many times I've already screwed this up. Unfortunately, I know it's going to be an ongoing battle. I think a big key is to be aware of where your marriage stands on your list of priorities and whether that is where it needs to be. I happen to know a little rhyme that can help you with that... :)

Please feel free to comment or email me with things you do to try to keep your marriage first. Especially those of you who have a little more experience to offer!