SunshineBound: Life Lately

WELL HELLO, FRIENDS!

Been awhile! Life has been busy. I have been busy making my life as normal as possible.

By "normal," I mean smooth-running, enjoyable, and fun-filled. Life will never be like it was pre-Atlas, but that doesn't mean it can't be just as good. In fact, it can be even better than it was before. It IS even better than it was before. Atlas is amazing, and hilarious, and a really happy baby besides his eating and sleeping issues. He cracks me up. Life is just different.

It has taken me awhile to really believe that, even though I have been telling myself that since I got pregnant. Having a baby and adjusting to mom life has been a real shock to my system, and although I never had postpartum depression, I think I definitely had a wicked case of the Baby Blues. You may have never guessed, by all my photos of everyone looking all happy, but I have been pretty honest about the hardships we have faced for the past almost six months. Just because I have my hair and makeup done doesn't mean life has been easy. Doing those things for myself were NECESSARY, and I took precious time out of my day to do that, because it was the only thing that made me feel like my old self.

Let us not forget that moms have identities other than MOM, and it is important to keep those identities, not just for ourselves, but for our kids. I really believe Atlas needs to see that I am my own person, so that he learns that it is okay for him to be his own person.

The one thing Eric and I loved doing was going out to eat. Not EVERYTHING revolves around food, but... jk, it does. Really. I finally got to a point in life where I was comfortable enjoying all kinds of food, and comfortable with my body. I could eat pizza, cookies, JUPITER DONUT FACTORY!!!, and drink beer, without feeling guilty. Nym and I went for walks, and I did little home workouts sometimes, but I no longer felt like I had to exercise or starve to make up for the calories I consumed.

And then, I got pregnant and felt sick all the time. And then, I had Atlas, and we ran in to his food allergy issues.

So, the one thing that would have been KEY to making me feel "normal" again would be going out to eat and drink with Eric and my friends, with Atlas in tow, and having a good time. I would have felt really accomplished. And I haven't been able to do that. As silly as it sounds, having food restrictions has made my adjustment to being a mom really difficult.

BUT WE'RE GETTING BACK ON TRACK! Atlas's most recent test results came back normal. We have a GI appointment coming up, so hopefully we will formulate a plan for reintroduction sometime in the next few months. In the mean time, I am looking forward to giving him some veggies and fruits in the next couple weeks. He is getting so grown up.

Besides all that, I have been making friends, doing playdates, and getting out of the house WITHOUT Atlas every once in awhile. I still kind of act like a zombie, but at least I'm out. Kristin, Katie, and I have been doing trivia night every week. We kill it with team names that ode to pop culture phenomenons, such as McNug Lyfe (we won a round of drinks with that one) and The Salt Baes. And I even went out for sushi (Rookie mistake. Accidentally exposed Atlas to soy, even though I asked for no sauce. Damn them.) and drinks with the girls from my new moms group!

Oh also, Atlas is 5 months old, almost 6, and we still haven't put together his 5 month picture, hah. Eric has been swamped with work, and god knows I have no clue how to edit photos. Maybe I'll post it with his 6 month picture, when that time rolls around.

Alright, have fun watching the Superbowl tonight. May the best team (aka not the Patriots) win.

I get my shopping done with Atlas in the carrier now. He's pretty good most of the time!

Grabbing his toys while he gives me that cute Atlas smile

Once upon a time, this sleep sack belonged to my favorite little buddy. Can't believe Atlas fits in it now, and can't believe Alex is too big for it. Time flies by WAY too quickly.

ALIEN BUTT!

Nym has been so good on walks with Atlas. She stays right next to the stroller and listens to commands on the first try... as long as we don't see another dog. ;)

Got lunch in sunny West Palm with Charity. Well, I got a smoothie and a coffee. But it was good to be out!

This guy can sit pretty well on his own now!

Blue eyes

He sleeps with his arm over the side of the DockATot haha

Grabbing some coffee at a local shop in Tequesta. This cold brew was SO good.

Mornings with Dad before work. Sometimes, it's the only time of day Eric gets to see Atlas. <3

We read Goodnight Moon every single night before bed. It was my favorite as a kid.

Inauguration Day 2017. We all know how I feel about the current state of affairs, so I won't get into it.

Atlas LOVES seeing himself in the selfie cam. What a ham.

The up side of Atlas's lack of nap routine: He will sleep anywhere on the go, as long as he's tired enough! The noise and movement soothe him to sleep.

So mommy can day drink on the weekend. ;)

At Civil Society

GQ. I did not pose him. He likes to lounge.

My heart <3 <3 <3

Atlas's first time in his exersaucer. He was unsure at first...

... til he realized it was the BEST THING EVER!

He wouldn't stop moving!

He tried so hard to roll the other way. He finally got it! Now he's a roly poly and rolls wherever he wants to go.

All You Need Is Love

A little chair from one of our mommy friends! He LOVES IT!

Atlas has never been a "milk coma" baby, probably due to his tummy issues, but I do get this smiling face looking up at me after he eats. That smile is the best.

Sushi! My first meal out in months. I thought it would be fine, but apparently not. Cross-contamination with soy, probably. But I enjoyed it VERY MUCH, and Atlas recovered in a few days.

Feeding Atlas on the dock at Guanabanas. So peaceful and beautiful.

Nym came to hang out before bed.

Fam squad!

He loves it.

Obsessed with the dragonfly.

He seriously cracks himself up when he looks at the selfie cam! It's adorable.

It got chilly (for real, in the 40s), so we had to wear a jacket. He thought it was weird. At least it had monster spikes on the hood.

Sitting in his high chair for the first time. He thought it was a little weird, but he got used to it pretty quickly. Can't wait to start feeding him food in this thing.

Cuddle bug. <3

Trying to crawl... HELP ME. I really am not ready for this.

Story time: Nym had a dental cleaning (yes, we are crazy dog parents), and Eric was supposed to take her, but he had a surprise work meeting. I ended up having to take BOTH of these guys during Atlas's first nap time of the day. He didn't sleep in the car, so he was thrown off for the whole day. Also, Nym was too crazy with the other dogs to bring in to the waiting room, so I had to wait in the car with wild Nym in the back and cranky Atlas strapped to my chest. Turns out, Eric had the appointment time wrong, and it actually isn't until NEXT WEEK. At least they had fun in the car! I had to literally lol at my situation.