Martha Metzler.com

I’m sorry I’m sort of dropping the ball on the blogging but honestly, it’s been for kinda awesome reasons. I.am.busy. You see, I’ve been busy with keeping a child fed, rested, blah blah the past 8.5 months but there have only been a splattering of fun daytime activities to keep me busy this year while the hubby is at work and dealing with Bud’s naptime schedule (mainly thanks to my friends Katy R, Kim H and Meg S in Washington). Now that we are in NC, we are loving having some warm weather so that we can play with the little babies, soak in the sunshine Bud is getting to play in, and the activities like BABY SWIM CLASS that he’s getting to do. While I miss my hubbs every second of the day, being distracted and having fun is creating such a wonderful environment full of light during a dark time.

We’ve had fun cruisin’ in my dad’s mustang (sans Bud…I’m not that terrible of a mom), playing in the yard with Roy, roadtrips to Charlotte, and learning how to self-feed!

If you aren't smiling at this picture, I hate to inform you that you are dead inside.

Strike a pose Bud, you're twerkin it.

We love warm weather!! And no, I am not going to eat my son's face despite what this looks like. Or am I?

My laundry helper

My sweet friend Neely and her baby Thompson Claire. She made my ovaries twitch!

No big deal, just cruisin' through the country

Hope you had a great week!

I’ve started running again. I used to be an avid runner and then I sort of fell off the wagon when I had Bud and have slowly started again. I’m not a natural runner. AT.ALL. Things flop. Things flap. Things blow in the wind that shouldn’t blow in the wind. But it’s a release for me. Its a time when I can zone out and blare music without being afraid if it’ll wake up my babes. Today I got on the treadmill and it was as if I was running for so much more than my physical health. I had been holding in a lot of my feelings about missing Sam and they came out of their hiding place on that treadmill. I was by myself, no one to be strong in front of, no one to feel embarrassed in front of… just me, the pounding of my feet on the treadmill, and the saltiness of my tears and sweat.

Sometimes brokenness comes at the most random times, but when it does, I have to embrace it, feel it, and eventually run through it.

So, the dust is just now settling from the trip to NC. The boxes are unpacked, the boy is back on his sleep schedule, and Roy is feeling back to normal.

Bye Bye for now Washington!

How did the trip go?

Partyin' hard on the plane

Well, Bud did great as usual. We got a bulkhead seat on the long stretch and I freaked out the guy next to me when I pulled out my nursing cover so he asked to switch seats…. MORE ROOM! SCORE! I think I may use this as a strategy.. prey on the weirdly uncomfortable single dudes who freak out when there is a baby around so I can have more space. But he didn’t cry or fuss and had a great time looking around… and not napping at all. My boy is just too curious to sleep if there is anything going on around him. I got him to snooze a bit on our layover when I put the sleeping hood up on the Ergo (the God for that thing… for real) but then the mean gate attendant from Delta woke him up. It was then I realized I’m officially a grownup because instead of cussing him out (the pre-baby Martha might have done this) I said, “You know what sir, you are a mean person. Apparently you’ve had a crappy day but I’ve had one too… mainly because of you people but I’m going to walk away so I don’t lose my temper in front of my son.” Then I may have muttered something about him being a fartface… babysteps. Delta took my carry on because they said they didn’t have room but that I’d get it back right after the flight. Well I waited after the flight. And waited…. and waited. Finally I asked about it and they said, “Oh, they might have accidentally checked it and it’ll be waiting for you at baggage claim at your final destination.” Oh, no big deal. EXCEPT THAT IT HAD MY WALLET, MY FOOD, and THINGS I NEEDED! So I politely asked them to make an exception and let me get my bag since it was their mistake and I wasn’t sure if they noticed but this thing strapped to me wasn’t an adorable tumor, it was a baby and I clearly needed stuff in that bag. But, no. They didn’t and said, “You should have double checked with us before you let us take it. It’s YOUR bag after all.” You’re right Delta, it was my bag but you told me I’d get it back and I’ve learned from Snakes on a Plane that I shouldn’t argue with airline staff. But from now on I’ll assume you are all idiots and I’ll double check with you to make sure you don’t screw up doing your job. So I thanked God I put Bud’s food in the bag I did have with me and just prayed that I wouldn’t be too hungry on my 3 hour layover while nursing my son.

Oh, and did I mention when I picked Roy up out of his crate, he had a gash on his back and limped for 2 days?

DooDooPops came to get us at the airport!

But the good news is, we all got here safely and my dad brought me Chick-Fil-A to eat in the car. There’s not much Chick-Fil-A won’t fix.

I can’t tell you how big of a difference being somewhere sunny does for my spirit. I’m apparently solar-powered and have spent most of the days outside with Bud.

SUN!

We’re already fitting back into our routine and Bud has his first “Mommy & Me” swim class tonight (aka Moms watching their babies splash in adorable bathing suits). So if you need me, I’ll probably be in a coma from all the cuteness that’s going to happen tonight.

Also- do yall mind taking just 2 seconds to click this link and vote for me? I’ve fallen behind and I’d love to get back to where I was so maybe I can offer yall some giveaways!

Hey yall! I’m the worst blogger ever. But, I made it safely to NC and have been getting settled! I finally finished unpacking boxes and have been soaking up some sunshine with my family and friends. Bud was a champ flying and Delta did nothing but enhance my hatred for them. I’ll explain later but I will not be flying with them on the way back that’s for dang sure! We’ve had a hilarious time dealing with the time change ON TOP OF daylight savings time. But Bud is back to sleeping through the night and is loving his busy days.

I can tell such a change in my spirit AND his as we are filling up our days with laughter, sunshine, and feeling the grass in between our toes.  Here is a quick shot of him from yesterday after he got back from a walk outside in the sun.

Hey yall! This week is a busy one for us. We are packing and getting ready for a little trip to ole NC! The house is too damn quiet around here without my man so we’re headed east to be with family for a bit. Here are some glimpses into our life this week. We’ve had a really fun and exhausting week. Laughing and dancing around the living room, surviving our first night terror from little Bud, and brunch/playdate with some sweet friends. Life is good people, I’m going to enjoy it.

a boy and his dog

he thinks my eye mask is HILARIOUS

not too bad to wake up to in the morning... despite a rough night full of night terrors 🙁

this is what happens when i try and get him to crawl....

roy has a hard life

brunch!!

adorable boys

I mentioned in my last post about waking up each morning with Grace as I tackle single mommyhood. I regret saying that and feel like I should clarify. I know I’m not a single mama. Those women are some of the strongest, most humble, self-sacrificing people I know. In fact, I’d rather go up against Mike Tyson than a single mama in a fight because single mamas are incredibly strong and have learned how to fight for themselves and their family when no one else will.

While yes, somedays its tough when I don’t have my partner here to physically share the responsibilities of little Bud and the household with, I know that he is taking care of us in his own ways. He prays for us constantly. He provides for us financially so that I can stay home with Bud. And he is so loyal to us. This isn’t a burden forced onto us, we have also chosen this path and are so honored to be in this position. And most importantly, it’s temporary. He is coming home at the end of the year. I know that those things don’t make me a single mama, just a “temporarilyalonewithmychildgimmesomecandy” kind of mom.

So please take my apology/clarification that I know I’m not a single mama for the next year. I am very blessed to have a husband who will show my boy what its like to pursue a calling no matter how tough and to confidently put his trust in the Lord’s provision not only for his life, but for his family’s.

There, I’ve said my peace. Now, here is my no-make up, early in the morning apology face. I mean…. how can you not forgive a face like that?

I’m sorry I’m falling behind on these…. such is life. Week 7’s challenge was to write something down that you are grateful for in your everyday life.

I’ve been totally humbled by my friends since Sam left. Old friends and new friends have totally come out of the woodworks to love on my family and we are all so grateful. I was able to tell Sam all of the kind things people have done and he wanted to make sure that I let everyone know how much it means to him that Bud and I are being taken care of. And when he tells me to “make sure you do it!” I listen because have you seen his muscles?!?!

Our friends the Medicis sent this…. be still my heart.

My best friend/brother Caleb and his beautiful fiance Katrina who is so pretty and fun that it makes me sick (in a good way) sent me this…. hilarious.

A new friend Claire brought over some DELICIOUS kale soup, bread, and a bottle of wine. HELLO!!!! Best supper ever, I would show you a picture but my fatass ate it in 5 seconds flat. But don’t worry, I haven’t finished the wine…. yet.

I sent my sweet friend Katy a text about getting Mexican and she coincidentally was fixing tacos that night so she invited Bud and me over and we had such a good and yummy time.

My brother and his wife Nomi were SUCH an amazing help while they were here. We had the best time as usual. Graham did awesome things like take out my trash when I wasn’t looking and play with my son so that I could shower without worrying if Bud had stuck his head in Roy’s mouth. And Nomi did awesome things like play with Bud and lie and tell me I still looked good in a bathing suit.

I’ve gotten countless emails, letters, texts, and calls from everyone all over and they have been such an encouragement to me. Yall’s comments are still such a treasure as I go back and read them on hard days. Seriously, all of those things are what I’m grateful for every single day. Oh yeah, and of course the ridiculous amount of Grace God gives me every morning when I wake up to tackle single mommyhood for the next year!

Week 8 is going to be fun! Send someone a care package!! Packages have been received and sent out of this house the past couple of weeks so I figured I’d challenge yall to do the same. It doesn’t have to be big, just something to show up at someone’s door step and make them smile. Send one to a friend or send one to a soldier using this organization: http://soldiersangels.org/

A reader and new friend Jessi sent this to me and it looks like an awesome idea, thanks Jessi! Do yall have any suggestions for Livin’ the Dream Challenge or are you going to make me come up with all 52?

Hey yall- I’m participating in the “Leap around the Blogosphere” that my friend Andrea is doing.

1. My childhood nickname was Mart, Marty, or Half Pint. Most of my family calls me Mart and my softball and field hockey teammates called me Half Pint. I was small…
2. If you want to spoil me rotten, buy me a a night in a cabin, with a stack of chick flicks, candy, red wine, and a masseuse. It’s my party, I’ll get massaged and watch Pretty Woman if I want to.
3. The television character I most identify with is Leslie Knope. Mainly because everyone thinks we look and act alike. When Baby Mama came out, my inbox was FLOODED with emails from people that I hadn’t heard from in years, “OMG you look just like that girl from Baby Mama!” I’ll take it as a compliment.
4. If I had a whole day to go shopping and money to spend, I would go to Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters…. no doubt.
5. The most wild and crazy thing I have ever done (that I can admit to publicly) is bungee jump! I’ve been skydiving but it wasn’t nearly as scary as bungee jumping. I made peace with Jesus on that rope.
6. The one thing on my bucket list that I am most eager to do is get my pilot’s license. Too bad its friggin expensive.
7. My family will always be loyal to Charmin Toilet Paper. I never understand the people who get the thin, rough kind. ITS A TRAGEDY!
8. If I could spend a day with a celebrity I would choose Amy Poehler or Tina Fey. There is nothing more awesome to me than a funny woman who isn’t afraid of crossing boundaries.
9. In my opinion, the best invention in the history of the world is soft toilet paper and the Nerds Rope.
10. When life hands me lemons, I give it to my son because there are few things funnier than watching a baby taste something sour.

I’ve gotten a few questions about making my own baby food for Bud so I figured I’d just write a post about it. Whether you like it or not!

First off, it’s not as hard as you think! It’s actually pretty dang easy. It’s cheaper than buying the food in the store and you can make it in batches and it lasts you awhile! Bud watches me while I do it and I talk to him about the different kinds of food (I’m sure he knows what I’m talking about… right?)

Have you read Super Baby Food by Dr. Yaron? If you haven’t, I’d highly recommend it. It has everything you need to know about feeding your baby solids. She has tons of recipes and schedules about what they can eat and at what age.

Bud HATES rice cereal, still does. So, we actually switched to baby oatmeal instead. He downed that stuff! At first, we used the Earth’s Best baby oatmeal and mixed it with breastmilk. We tried it super runny at first and he couldn’t really get the hang of it so we thickened it up just a bit and that made it really yummy to him. Once we switched to oatmeal, we never went back. It’s still a grain, so it has the same fiber benefits, etc.

I now make my own baby oatmeal. I buy the big ole thing of old fashioned oats that I eat in the morning and just put a couple dry cups in the blender and blend it until its powder consistency. We did a few weeks of oatmeal, upping the quantity and frequency. We started it at supper, then added at breakfast, then added at lunch.

Then at 6 months, we started with sweet potatoes, then avocados, then pears, then bananas. We started with just about a tablespoon to make sure he didn’t have any reactions and followed the “Four Day Wait Rule”. He definitely didn’t love the avocados and bananas at first but now he LOVES them. So don’t give up if your kiddo doesn’t like something right away!

I cook the fruit and veggies (except bananas and avocado) and then put them in the food processor. Then, I pour it into the ice cube trays, cover them with foil and let it freeze. Then I pop those cubes out and put the food into freezer bags. I label them and put the date on there. Portion sizes… easy as that!

Pureeing some apples!

Easiest way to cook butternut squash- cut in half, place in water face down, bake for 45 min or until soft

I batch cook on Sundays which lasts me for a couple weeks; that way I only get the food processor out once a week (code: only have to clean it once a week).

You’ll figure out your baby’s appetite and what he’ll eat/how much he’ll eat. For breakfast we do oatmeal with a fruit (apples, pears, mangos, and peaches are what we’ve tried so far). For lunch, we do a mashed up banana and a container of YoBaby Vanilla baby yogurt. For supper, we do oatmeal with 2 cubes of a veggie (squash, peas, cooked carrots, or sweet potato) and cubed up avocado. I still nurse him 4-5 times a day and I do it before I feed him solids, that way he’s still getting most of nourishment from me.

If you drop food on the floor, Roy the Sweeper will help you

Pears, mangoes, and sweet potatoes!

Green peas are the prettiest color...i want to make a dress out of it. Is that weird?

Look at all those cubes!.... and all the single lady food on top 😉

There you have it! If you have any questions at all, just holler at me! marthabmetz@gmail.com

My brodder and all of his pomade are here! Shenanigans always are a part of the package when he’s around. He is SO good with Bud. It’s been really nice to have someone in the house to hang out with once Bud goes down for the night. Don’t get me wrong, my glass of Cabernet has been wonderful, steadfast and never gives up on me but I was ready for some company that actually talks back to me.

He has swooped in when he sees me juggling Bud while trying to do another task and just takes him without me having to ask (I suck at that asking for help thing) and he’s been changing diapers like a champ!

His sweet wife Nomi came in on Sunday and they will be here until Tuesday! HUZZAH!

Oh another note, I got the most hilarious care package from my amazing friends Caleb and Katrina. It was candy and sleep masks but they were all labeled with different baby “remedies”…. all totally appropriate and legal. Oh, and it came on a Saturday which means I only had to wait ONE DAY to eat all of it on my Sunday sabbath from Lent… WIN! The poor Sour Patch Easter Egg aka Baby Xanax didn’t make it into picture because my mouth got to it first.

Hope you all had a great weekend! Did you do anything fun? Do you take Sundays off from Lent like I do??