How a Baby Changed Our Marriage | Monday Musings

How a Baby Changed Our Marriage | Monday Musings

We heard it over and over again: a baby is one of the biggest stresses your marriage will have. It was something I worried about more when we were new into the adoption process, but as time passed I stopped thinking about how our marriage would change once we brought a baby home. When we finally adopted Willow, I did not have time to think about anything besides the immediate future in the whirlwind events that followed.

Once we were settled in, though, Nathan and I both realized how much our lives had changed already, and how much things would shift in the future. While I will never say that our lives revolve around our baby, she is certainly a huge part of our day-to-day and every decision we make, from our daily schedules to long-term plans. Only then did I begin to think about how a baby would change this 8-year relationship and what it would mean for us...

The 3 1/2 Month Willow Update | Personal

The 3 1/2 Month Willow Update | Personal

We met Willow exactly 3 months ago today, and in such a short time our lives have been changed forever. We are so in love with this little girl who eats, poops, smiles, and forces us to prioritize her and our family. Looking back, it's hard to believe how much she has grown in such a short time, so I thought I'd share a little update on how she is doing and what's new with our family!

Willow was born weighing 5lb 14oz, and though I don't know her exact weight (I will find out today!) she has at least doubled her size since then. When we first brought her home she barely fit into newborn sizes but now she's firmly in the 3-month range, and I packed away her itty-bitty doll clothes about 2 weeks ago. It's hard to believe how much she's grown, especially when she still seems so small!

As far as milestones, I feel like there are SO many in the first few months...

The Best Change I've Made to My Phone | Personal

The Best Change I've Made to My Phone | Personal

My phone is constantly buzzing, ringing, and making noise. I love this. I love knowing that an email just came across, or that someone sent a text because they were thinking about me. While I have established pretty good boundaries around social media and not being on Facebook or Instagram all day, I still pick up my phone every few minutes to respond.

I didn't see any problem with this until Willow came home. Then I realized that I was letting other people dictate my day more than myself. If she was crying and a notification pinged, I felt guilty for not responding right away. If she was in a good mood and a text came across, I would interrupt our playtime to answer.

The thing is, nobody expects me to do this...