A Letter to My Husband

Two years ago today, we stood up in front of our closest family and friends and promised that we would love each other for the rest of our lives. It was not a promise I took lightly.

You have been more than my husband over the past two years. You have been my confidant, my love, my best friend. "They" say you shouldn't marry the person you can live with, but instead, marry the one you can't live without. You are that person for me.

But now you are more than a husband to me. You are a wonderful father to our Matty. I always knew you would be! You take such good care of me -- it's only natural that you would do the same for our child(ren).

To be honest, from the moment I met you, I knew there was something special about you. And I had to find out exactly what it was. Now I know, although I can't quite put it into words. You are an amazing man that I am lucky to have the opportunity to share my life with. Every morning I wake up, I thank God that you are in my life and He put you there. Every night, I say a prayer that we will continue down this crazy road of life, hand in hand as the best of friends.

The very thought of you brings a smile to my face. You make me laugh. You hold me tight. You wipe away any tears that may fall.

YOU are the reason today is so special.

For now, it's two years of marriage in the book of Matt and Suzanne. And I pray we have many more.

Here's a little walk down memory lane:

Happy Anniversary Baby!!

5 Months

How can it be? I feel like I write that every month. But how is my little baby already 5 months old?!

The past month has been exciting. Matty was baptized and he saw his first Halloween.

For his baptism, Matty was a perfect angel. The priest told us before the service not to get upset or feel like we had to leave if Matty started fussing. Our little guy was quiet during the service, didn't cry when the priest held him and baptized him, and he fell straight to sleep afterwards. It's like he knew his part of the service was over, and he was like..."see 'ya at lunch!"

Matty wore my family christening gown. It belonged to my Dad's dad.

"We want food!" (great manners lesson, Dad)

As for Halloween...

Our neighbors are big comic book fans. So it wasn't a surprise when they gave us a Superman onesie before Matty was born. What's more -- it has a cool cape attached to it! If you know Matt, this was the perfect Halloween costume for Matty.

The wind picked up Superbaby's cape.

 Our neighbor Chris as Ironman. He made the costumer himself.

Acworth's two superheroes on Halloween

Our little boy is not so little any more. He is looking less like a baby and more like a little boy. It caught me by surprise one day, and I've been very careful to try and treasure every moment, thanks to that advice that EVERYONE gives before a baby is born about how "quickly this time will go by." (It is true!)

Matty is getting stronger every day and is "pre-crawling." I don't know if that's a word but I feel like he is on the cusp of being mobile. He can scoot on his belly around the floor or bed and get into the right position to crawl, but then he falls all sprawled out.

Matty LOVES his jumperoo! It can entertain him for a good amount of time and gives us a break from holding this wiggly boy! Matty loves to stand so he was standing on me and Matt and jumping around so we had to get something to encourage that and help him strengthen his little leg muscles.

Matty has learned there is a world behind him. That makes for a lot of twists and turns when we're holding him. And this kid has got a one-track mind. He sees something and he has to have it...NOW! He is incredibly obsessed with paper (that makes mail time exciting) and plastic bottles (no idea why). He also loves sticking his fingers into my mouth and pretending to eat his dad's face! (No, he isn't a zombie.)

I am so excited about this next month! It will be Matty's first Christmas. (Let's be honest. With as much as Matt and I love the Christmas season, we're going to raise a little elf here!) I can't wait to see Matty meet Santa for the first time, explore the Christmas tree and his stocking, and start to learn what this season is really about. On the commercialism side, I'll have to get him started on finding the perfect present and learning to enjoy the feeling you get from giving that present. On the religious side, I can't wait until he can talk and next year we can sing Happy Birthday to baby Jesus.

Coming next time: Matty's 6 month checkup and our 2 year wedding anniversary. Our family has been blessed so much in the past two years. We have so much to be grateful for.

To tide you over until next time, some more adorable pictures of my little guy!

"Hi guys!"

"My First Baseball"

Aunt Carrie picks out the BEST toys!! She gave Matty a little ball rattle thing that he loves, and the day of my baby shower we were at Babies R Us, and she showed Matt this big plush baseball rattle that has "My First Baseball" written on it. Yes, it was an impulse buy -- but check out how much our little guy likes it!!! We love giggle time in the Wooley house! 

A Third of a Year Old

Yep...you read that right. Matty is 4 months old today! Sometimes it seems he's been here forever, but others feel like he just got here and we're just starting to get the hang of this "parenting" thing. One thing is for sure: I love this little guy SO much!

We've started getting more comfortable taking Matty around. We bought a car with him. We took our first trip to Columbia. And we even took him to church for the first time. Except for a little bit in the car on I-20, he has been great out in public! (Let's be honest. He was probably crying because he was bored. I-20 is the most boring interstate I've ever traveled!)

As much as I have loved and treasured the extra time I got to spend with my little one, I know he'd rather see some different faces during the day (you can only see the same person so much, right?), so I am interested to see how he's going to handle daycare and make some friends!

We did take a trip to the doctor today for his 4-month check up and vaccines.

Here are his stats:

Length/Height: 26.75" (he's grown almost 6 inches since he was born -- no worries, given his mother's height, he'll stall out soon)

Weight: 16 lbs, 11 oz (up more than 7 pounds since birth)

Head size: 16.5" (almost 3 inches bigger than when he was born)

Since our little guy has grown up so quickly in the past four months, I figured today we'd take a trip back...to where it all began.

Here it is: 4 months in under 4 minutes. (Mom, I know you...grab a tissue, please!)

Coming next time: Matty's baptism!

Until then...

10 Things No One Tells New Parents

Matty will be 4 months old on Friday. In that time Matt and I have discovered there are a lot of things no one tells new parents. Now...I'm not sure if this is because we are just supposed to know (we didn't), parents forget to share (a likely possibility), or if you tell a new parent they would freak out (I'm betting on this one).

I'm sure in the first few weeks after we had Matty I had this glossed over, deer-in-the-headlights look. What was I doing? Am I making the right decision? Was I about to screw up my kid for life? I don't think I ever "freaked out," but I do remember thinking: "I wish someone would have told me about this!"

In that spirit, here is my list of the 10 things no one tells new parents.

Babies eat a lot. And often. Sometimes around the clock. 

(Note to new parents: THIS IS NORMAL!)

I fully admit, I did not take a breastfeeding class. To be honest, I didn't think I'd be successful at it. And I didn't think I would really take to it. I was wrong on both counts. I LOVE breastfeeding and definitely am bonded to my little Matty. That being said, I wish someone had told me about cluster feeding. I remember the week Matty got home he cried and cried, and seemed to want to eat ALL the time. I was exclusively pumping at the time, and Matt and I had no idea how much milk to heat up for him. I remember my mom kept saying, maybe he's hungry. But I said, he just ate 2 ounces! How can he be hungry again?! Sure enough SHE WAS RIGHT (see Mom, I said it). He was hungry and cluster feeding. Now at 4 months, there are still nights when he cluster feeds, and some when he wants to nurse all night long.

My advice to new moms (especially breastfeeding moms): this is not an indication that you are underfeeding your child. And it is no reflection on your supply -- in fact, it is helpful! Cluster feeding helps your milk to come in.

Babies cry. Sometimes they cry for no reason.

(Note to new parents: Again, this is normal. Don't freak out.)

As long as baby is fed, has a clean diaper, and not in pain, there's not much more you can do, other than hold, cuddle, and try to soothe them. Matty is currently in a fussy phase. Around 5 o'clock (his witching hour) every night, he starts crying. We can usually calm him down within half an hour, but sometimes he is just inconsolable. (Any experienced parents with tips, other than cry it out -- I'd love to hear them!)

Babies spit up...a lot.

Yes, I knew babies spit up, but to the extent Matty does sometimes. YIKES! I know he's not actually spitting up everything he eats, but sometimes it seems like it. (Did you know that sometimes that spit up looks like cottage cheese and that's totally normal?)

Babies spit up just after you've dressed them for the day and are heading out the door.

Seriously? I will have gotten my little one in the cutest outfit, and he loses his breakfast! A must for the diaper bag: a change of clothes.

(Note to new parents: It doesn't hurt to take an extra shirt for you too!)

Burp cloths are a waste of money. Invest in soft kitchen towels instead.

I love the burp cloths that I got. But now that I've used them, I know -- soft, absorbent kitchen towels are the best. See the note on spitting up a lot. There's just so much that the burp cloth can handle.

As a new mom, you will check on your perfectly healthy, sleeping baby 5-10 times a night.

It's not always the baby that is keeping you up. Sometimes it is YOU keeping yourself up. After I put Matty to bed, I find myself getting up, walking to his pack-and-play, and checking on him. Sometimes I can postpone this trip if he has sighed, made a little noise, or tossed and turned because than I know he's okay.

"Sleep While Baby is Sleeping."

This is NOT always possible. There are so many other things you will find to do when the baby is sleeping other than take a nap yourself. There's the dishes in the sink. The living room floor than needs to be vacuumed. If it isn't cleaning, it is showering, eating, or even a trip to the bathroom! Babies -- at least mine right now -- demand constant attention! This is also difficult to accomplish if, like me, your child likes to cat nap several times a day rather than settling down for a 2 hour nap!

You will remain in an uncomfortable position to avoid waking your sleeping baby.

I can't count the number of times I've found myself in the most uncomfortable position on the sofa holding Matty while he sleeps. Sometimes he sprawls out across my lap. (He has done this since birth.) I can go nowhere. I can't reach the switch to turn the fan on or off. The blanket is just out of reach, and I'd rather sit and shiver for an hour than risk waking him up.

Babies (newborns) don't need a lot, other than onesies.

You will go through several onesies a day. (see above regarding the spit up) You won't be going anywhere for the first few weeks, so those cute newborn outfits aren't necessary. If your child is like mine, shoes aren't necessary either. We have several pair of shoes for Matty -- none were expensive. But they end up in the diaper bag versus on his feet, every time we go out of the house.

You will find yourself talking to your friends about feeding, poop and sleep patterns.

Conversations change after you have kids. I noticed this awhile back with my sister and her friends. At one point they sat around talking about the guys they were dating, then they got married. Then they sat around talk about their pets, then they had kids. Once they had kids I heard them talk about aspirators, nap times, best bottles, etc. I now find myself doing that as well. Sometimes I'll be texting with a friend and Matt will ask what we're talking about. I'm like...oh, we're talking about how Matty threw up all over me this morning four times. It's just normal conversation.

Finally, my piece of encouragement and advice. There will be times when you feel like you have NO idea what you're doing. You will question yourself, your parents, and all the great "advice" you received. You will think you are the only person whose baby is doing whatever it is that is frustrating you at the moment. Guess what...there will be times when you don't know what you're doing! And that's okay. Just remember the baby is learning too. You are not going to mess them up for life when he or she is just 3 weeks old.

I'm sure as we travel along this path of parenthood we will stumble upon other things we wish people had told us. Until then...some new pictures for you to enjoy!

Photos courtesy of my Dad

Our little munchkin is growing up so quickly!!

Coming next time...Matty's 4-month stats!

Until then...

Has It Really Been Three Months?

My little man turns 3 months old today!!

He has really grown up in the past month. Unofficially (because we don't go back to the doctor until next month), he has gained 3 pounds in the past month. He's fed, he's happy...we must be doing something right!

Matty really brightens up my day. I spend so much time playing with him and giving him kisses! I don't know what I did to fill my time before he got here.

I've been told that apparently I didn't tell a lot of people Matty's name before he got here. That certainly wasn't on purpose! It took us awhile to decide exactly what we were going to name him. We knew his middle name would be Anthony, after Saint Anthony of Padua. When Matt was confirmed he had to pick a saint, and Anthony was the saint he picked. It's meant a lot to him and his family. But Matt didn't know if he wanted to name our first child after him. We didn't think we could name a successive son "Matthew." However, I kept telling him (from before we got pregnant) that I wanted a little him, so his name had to be Matthew, right? Ultimately we settled on Matthew Anthony, and I think Matty is such an adorable nickname.

Back to our last month though...it has been a busy one!

Matty took his first swim in the pool!

Thanks to Aunt Carrie for the great float!

Check out Matty's Mickey swim suit and sunglasses!

My mom and dad (Lynnie and Grandfather) came for a visit, and Matty and I did a little photo shoot in the front yard.

You can see he wasn't really into taking pictures.

We did manage to capture some adorable faces on camera though!

"Seriously, mom?"

"Eh, I could smile and make her happy."

"Hehe, I've got a secret!"

I did finally get a few good pictures, including my favorite:

And then once Grandfather got his hands on him, Matty turned out a few of his famous smiles!

Matty and Lynnie

Most of our days are filled with eating, playing and pooping. He's mastered the first and third very well. And of course, he's most definitely mastered the sleeping routine.

You can see his favorite napping spot is sleeping on somebody...especially his sleeping buddy, Lynnie.

This week Matty has started laughing!! It really is the cutest thing, although it gives him the hiccups!!

That's it for now!!

Coming next month...our first trip to the SC State Fair, which will also be our first trip out of town (wish us luck!!). Also, our 4 months official stats!!

Until next time...

Raising a Child in Trying Times

Being in the news business means you have to check your opinions, and often your feelings, at the door. You will simply go mad if you internalize all of the bad news that happens in the world that you have to report on.

I have now left that business behind, and although I rarely offer an opinion on a major news story on here, now that I am a parent, I find myself wondering about the world my child is going to grow up in.

I admit I never flew in an airplane before 9/11 so I don't remember a time where people weren't hyper aware on board or a security line where you could keep your shoes on. Most likely my children will also never know that as a reality. I however have never felt uncomfortable or avoided a flight because of fear.

If there is one thing I can teach my child. It is not to live his life in fear. No one knows when his time is up. For a 13-month-old in Brunswick, Georgia, God called him home much too soon for those of us here. 13 people at the Navy Yard were just going to work when God decided he wanted them back in heaven. It is a tragedy, for sure. But the people who wreak havoc on our every day lives, they want us to live our lives in fear. Those are the "terrorists" we should really be concerned about.

None is us knows when our time will run out. Hopefully it will be decades from now and I will be able to see my children's children start to grow up.

In addition to raising a kind, loyal and honest child, I want my Matty to grow up fearless. I want him to take chances. I want him to make mistakes. And yes, I want him to fail on occasion because, if we are honest with ourselves, we learned many lessons from our failures.

I look forward to a world where those with mental illnesses get the treatment they need, and teenagers don't find themselves so bored that they want to shoot someone because they feel like it. I hope my child can grow up in a world like that. If he can't, I hope he will at least embrace every day and ploughing ahead at full force to live his life to the fullest.