Hello everyone! I’m so excited to share this update. I’ll admit I’m a little sad maternity leave is over — I loved spending every moment with my babies these last three months. It was an amazing time: exhausting and challenging at times (newborn + a one-and-a-half-year-old is no joke), but I absolutely loved it.
Before I get into life updates since December, here are some photos to take you through the past 12 weeks.
First, a few hospital photos from the day we welcomed baby Colton into the world.
Then some sleepy newborn shots — those tiny snuggles when they fall asleep anywhere for hours are priceless.
Then we had Christmas, which was cozy and special with the new baby.
Shortly after, we moved from Kansas to North Carolina. It was an exciting but bittersweet change — we loved our life in Kansas, where we spent much of our Army journey, endured two deployments, and welcomed both kids. We made lifelong friends there and created lasting memories. Here we are in our empty Kansas house, ready to hit the road to Charlotte.
I have to include some Ford photos for extra cuteness — it can’t just be about the new baby.
This is one of the most recent photos of Colton — I think it was taken yesterday, so this is where we’re at right now.
Pretty cute, right?
Summing up the last three months feels almost impossible — so much has happened. Seth finished his Army career, we moved to Charlotte, he started a new job at Bank of America, and I’ve been finding our new normal with two kids instead of one while balancing work and motherhood. Many days look like this:
These months have been among the hardest and most rewarding of our lives. Newborns are exhausting, and adding a toddler raises the chaos to a new level. Fun fact: neither Seth nor I seem to have the DNA for great sleepers. Both Ford and Colton mostly slept only when held for the first few months. Ford needed darkness and white noise, while Colt was fine being in a bright room as long as he was being held.
Having a baby who only sleeps when held is nearly impossible when you also have a toddler who needs attention. It was manageable while Seth was on paternity leave and between jobs, because there were two of us to share holding duties. Once he returned to work, we had to make a change.
We began sleep training earlier than planned: Ford at four months and Colton at about three-and-a-half months. After a week of Seth working, I realized I needed to start training Colton — it had been a week of chaos trying to keep him asleep in my arms while Ford wanted to play or needed me for something else.
We started the training five days ago. There are good days and bad days, but overall Colton is doing really well, and that has made life much easier.
My take on two kids under two: it’s hectic, chaotic, and I’ve never been this tired. There have been countless days without showers and wearing yesterday’s clothes, but it’s also the best thing in the world. I’m so in love with both of them and wouldn’t change a thing, even on the hardest days. It’s possible to feel completely fulfilled and yet have almost no time for yourself — that’s parenting. Kids fill your life and heart in a way that’s overwhelming. If anyone tells you it’s easy, they’re not being honest. Those picture-perfect families on social media rarely show the mess and the real struggle.
I read a line that perfectly captures the hard days of parenting: “Parenting is feeling all day like you are just trying to survive until bedtime, and then missing them like crazy the second they go to bed.”
Other updates: we’re loving Charlotte. Our new neighbors are wonderful, and there are so many family-friendly activities nearby — parks, a great rec center with a huge indoor play area for toddlers, children’s museums, and kids’ libraries that are perfect when the weather is bad. Seth is still settling into his new role, so we’re waiting to see what his regular routine will be.
On the blog front, I enjoyed cooking without the pressure of recipe testing and photographing meals, but I’m ready to get back to work. I started testing recipes a few weeks ago and hope to resume posting three times a week like before Colt arrived. Two kids changes everything, so we’ll find a new rhythm together. Sound good?
I’ll close with my favorite photo from the last three months — one that makes me laugh every time and has major meme potential:
Have a wonderful Monday, friends!