Hey everyone - It has felt like forever since I've been on here. Needless to say, motherhood keeps me busy! Asher just turned six months this week and I cannot believe it! He has rocked our world in the best way and I can't imagine life without him. With that being said, I wanted to give a little update since my last post about him.

In these last six months, I have learned so much about motherhood, the struggles of sleep, introducing new foods, and the products I now can't live without. I've also been working on finding that sweet balance between a job and being a mother. These last six months have been a whirlwind, but in the best way. So, let me share with you everything I've learned in this short time so it can hopefully be a helpful resource for a new mom or a soon-to-be mom!

We have had a crazy couple of months recently, as my husband and I moved back to Texas to be near family. I don't know why this always happens, but it seems like people plan a move right before or after having a baby. And it.is.for.the.birds. Needless to say, this really affected Asher's sleep.

I chose to drop his sleep suit right after our move and he was almost 4 months old. Most of the time, babies have a lot of sleep regressions starting at that age. I knew his sleep regression was coming and I didn't want him to be dependent on a sleep suit. So, I decided to rip it all off, cold turkey, and boy did it hurt! I so badly wanted to keep him in his sleep suit, but I also didn't want to keep him from doing what he needed to developmentally, by learning how to move around in the crib, find his comfy spot, etc. 

Naps - Babies naps don't start to develop until 4 months and it can take 1-2 months to find a rhythm. Now, he typically takes one long nap, about 1.5-2 hours, and one shorter nap, about 1 hour. 

Add in teething to all of this and well, you've got yourself a wakeful baby. He has been a champ though and is amazing at falling asleep in his crib by himself. I will forever thank sleep training for this. I didn't realize how crucial it was for a baby to know how to fall asleep on their own. It helps them when they wake up in the middle of the night to know that they don't need anything to fall asleep. He usually wakes up once a night (around 4:30/5AM) for a feeding and then he's up around 7AM. 

We introduced food as soon as we got the green light! I had been excited to try new things with him and see what foods he liked, so I was rearing to go! Plus, I had heard from so many people that once they started on solids they slept even better. I am here to tell you something....that is a LIE. I honestly think it depends on the baby. I do think that once they are more mobile, they exert more energy during the day and sleep better. However, I do not think food has anything to do with it. Plus, the first year, food is for fun. So, it's less about calories and more about getting them to understand textures and flavors. This really helps with their speech too, so it is important to get them used to different textures as best you can. 
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And now that we have solid foods in the lineup - this baby can eat! He loves sweet potatoes, chicken, apples, and peanut butter! I had high hopes he would love avocado, but so far he hates it (see picture below for proof)! Surprisingly, he is really good at chewing already, even with just two teeth. I typically do a mix of baby led weaning and purees. Honestly, I just didn't want to overthink it and make it stressful. I just want to feed him the same foods that we eat and make it an experience for all of us as a family when we eat together. 
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Another note on food. Choking. Wow, I never thought something could be so scary! Asher definitely chokes (slightly) on food from time to time and recovers. I feel like the less we react, the more it empowers them to be able to figure out how to recover without fear. At least, that's what I keep telling myself ha! 

Well, let me tell ya. I wish I had believed my mom friends who told me "you really don't need as much as you think", because that is the dang truth. However, I will share the 5 products that have been absolute must-haves for us. 
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• Baby Bjorn
• Jogging Stroller
• Hatch 
• Beauty Counter Baby Wash
• Bucket Hat
• Wine. Just kidding...but seriously...kidding...no seriously 

TheBaby Bjorn was a LIFESAVER for us during the witching hour/hours. We wore him all around the house, went on walks with him, basically helped us still get things done while keeping him happy!

This Graco Jogging Stroller has been my best friend! I love to take Asher for walks in it, and I recently joined a workout class for moms and you'll see me running around parks with a parade of other mom's and their babies. It was gifted to us, but I would hands down spend the money on it! 

Our Hatch...oh our hatch. If you know, you know. This bad boy is what get's Asher to sleep through noise and he cannot sleep without it. It sounds just like the womb, but they have other settings as well. It's also a perfect night light for those middle of the night feedings. 

Beauty Counter! I am a MAJOR believer! This stuff is amazing and worth every penny. The baby wash is SO gentle and it's the only thing I use on Asher. It's about $20, but lasts forever and is so gentle on your baby's skin. 

If you follow me on Instagram, you've probably seen Asher in his bucket hat. We honestly use this every single day because it keeps his little head shaded and protected from the sun. Since we spend a lot of time outside, this is perfect. 

I've been working part time at home for the past couple of months. At first, I was completely overwhelmed balancing baby and work. Asher was not napping well and I felt that I had no free time to actually accomplish the things I needed to. Luckily, he is finally napping more consistently and we've hit a really good groove. As I mentioned above, all in all, I have about 2-3 hours to really hammer through work while he naps. I spend some time on the weekends working, but it has not been too crazy. I have really enjoyed challenging my brain in a different way and I work for the kindest man. He is very pro-mom and works with my schedule so that I can be the most efficient with my time. So far, this has been a great experience (besides the initial bumpy start) and I'm so thankful to be able to work and be with my baby. 

For moms looking for a part-time job, I found my current role through an incredible resource - hiremymom.com. I had wonderful interactions with every contact I made through the job searching process and there's something for everyone. There are options for those just wanting to work on one or two projects or permanent jobs posted. I highly recommend this website and have already passed it along to a few of my mommy friends. 

 Well I am officially 6 months post partum! Woo! Man, does it feel good to finally feel like myself again. Those first few months are so hard physically and the last thing I wanted to do was workout. I was exhausted and giving my all to a baby, so doing something like working out sounded terrible. I didn't know what I wanted to do, how I would fit it in or find childcare. Fortunately, one of my best friends introduced me to Stroller Strides. It's a workout class for moms and you can bring your children to it. Surprisingly, it's honestly one of the hardest workouts I've ever done and it's probably in part because I am lugging a child around while working out! They do a lot of HIIT, running, barre classes, etc. It has been perfect for us and is in a lot of major cities, check it out! 

Something one of my sister's told me when I was pregnant was to make sure I didn't lose myself in my child. I never really understood that until becoming a mom. You give everything to your children and sometimes it's hard to remember to do things for yourself that make you feel like you! For me, that's been working out, spending time with friends, finding outfits for LTK, and making sure I get in the word every single day. Speaking of, I think that for me as a Mom getting in the word has looked really different. Now I find myself clinging to a verse for a day, instead of an entire chapter. Time in the word feels shorter and sometimes rushed, but I know that it is for a season. However, I do find myself needing the word, my "bread" daily. When I don't get in the word one way or another, my focus is off. My mother-in-law gave me a great devotional that I'll link here. It's wonderful for moms and really encourages you to take the word seriously, even if it is rushed on most days. It has been a lifesaver for me in this new season. 

And there you have it! 6 Months with Asher! He has been such a treasure and I can honestly say that motherhood, while the hardest thing I have ever done, is my dream come true. I wouldn't trade this role for anything and I can't wait to see how the Lord continues to shape our little family. I hope you enjoyed reading along!

XOXO
​Grace 

Since we missed our typical Friday post, happy Fashion Monday! :) Grace is showing off her new workout gear form TJ Maxx - click here to shop her look. Rachel is sporting a fun summer outfit from Amazon and Old Navy - click here to shop her look. Plus, both Grace and Rachel have been using an amazing self-tanner, under $30, that mixes right in with your lotion and is streak free. It's linked on our LIKEtoKNOWit profile! 

Have a great week!