The Barnes Family

9 months… I can’t believe that my little monkey (that’s my nickname for him because he is a) my little chunky monkey and b) he likes to scream like one.) is 9 months old!!! I just can’t believe it! I love it and hate it all at the same time. I love this age! He has the cutest personality. Here is what Wyatt is up to these days…. • Crawling… most of the time it’s still the army crawl but on occasion he gets up on his knees. • Pulling up on EVERYTHING… we have moved the crib yet again to the lowest setting and now he has found joy in reaching for the video monitor that sits on top of his crib. • Working on the word “No”! He doesn’t like it but then again who really does? If he does something and I say “NO”, he looks at me and then most of the time turns around and does it anyway. I say it again and he will stop or I drag him away. We are working on it. • Waving- not always at the right time but he is getting better. • Napping like a pro!!! Wyatt has always been a pretty good sleeper but ...

Having a baby not only changes your life but your body! All you mommies out there know this and wouldn't change it for the world. After reading that a friend hit her before baby weight today, it inspired me to write a little about my journey. I hate working out and I hate dieting! Thats not a good for losing weight. In Febuary it hit me, only a couple more months before I would have to get into a bathingsuite! My dad informed me of this new diet they were selling in his gyms and offered it to me if I wanted to try it. WHat the heck! What diet haven't I tried; PHC, weight watchers, howard diet, etc. and none have given me long term success. This diet worked! In one month I lost 16 pounds! After I was done with the 26 days of dieting I started to work out; met with a trainer twice a week, started walking and even recently started jogging. The jogging is VERY recent! However, I am still losing weight. The diet complelty changed how I look at food and what I eat. I am so excited ab...

Yesterday was my first official Mother's Day and it was GREAT!! Really GREAT! My started by glancing at the monitor around 6:45 and realizing that my little man was starting to wake up. My wonderful husband realized this as well and jumped out of bed allowing me to sleep in. I didn't really sleep in, but I took full advantage of doing what I used to love to do on Sunday mornings before baby, lay in bed! I just laid in bed and enjoyed the breakfast of champs (a piece of the cookie cake Todd bought me) and watched part of a movie. Then I took a nice shower, got ready for church and did not worry about Wyatt. When he finally woke from his nap, I went to get him ready for church and Wyatt had placed a card on the edge of his crib (okay, he might have had help from daddy!). After enjoying church with Wyatt in the nursery, we had a great meal at P.F Chang's and then walked around the mall, then on the River, and then just drove around and looked at houses while Wyatt took an aft...

I love being a mom. I love waking up to see my precious boy smiling and playing in his crib. I have always wanted to be a mother and it truly is the greatest joy I have ever experienced. It is the toughest yet most rewarding job! I know lots of great mothers and so this post is for you! This is to thank all the women who give up a little of themselves each day to make the lives of their children better. Now that I am a mom I have a much greater respect for my own mother. I have learned a lot from becoming a mother, some from my own experience, some from my friends, and some from my own mother and other family members. I have also come to understand A LOT about having children... 1. No matter how good your child is... there will be days when they just don't want to behave! They don't want to nap, be held, play alone, be let down, they just don't know what they want! This is when PATIENCE comes in. 2. An outfit (that fits) should be with you at all times (you can even keep i...

So last week Wyatt was having some sleeping issues and this week (so far) he's a brand new little man. Let me start by filling you in on our weekend. Saturday Wyatt and I loaded up the car (note to self: before having another baby, need a bigger car) and we drove to Atlanta to meet Todd. Somehow we made room in my little car for Todd to join us and he drove us to Birmingham, AL to see his sister and her 3 week old little girl. Wyatt was a trooper, he did great in the car and even though we kept him up past bedtime, he did great. We stayed at an Embassy Suites, and for all of those who have kids let me just say that is the BEST hotel! We set him up in the first room, closed the blinds and shut the door and had the second room to ourselves. Put him down at 7:30 (8:30 GA time) and he slept until 8:40 (9:40 GA time) WHAT!!!! I couldn't believe it. I heard him once at 5 but left him and he went back down. I heard him again at 6 but he went back down! Now, he only did this one night....