Room 518

It seems as though it were yesterday Daniel and I were loading up our belonging and saying goodbye to room 518 on the 5th floor of Schneck Medical Center in Seymour, IN. This is the exact room where our lives changed forever, for this room holds the memories of where we spent 5 looonnng hours laboring and praying for our sweet bundle of joy to make his appearance. At approximately 7:55 pm we welcomed a healthy baby boy, Sawyer Lane Bohall into this world. Our hearts had never felt this kind of joy! Parents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and friends waiting patiently in the waiting room while we spent two of the most miraculous hours getting to know the newest member of our little family. Going over every single inch of that baby in complete and utter happiness, we looked at each other knowing life itself simply doesn't get any sweeter than this!

Where is all began on this day of September 27th...

Mommy and Daddy waiting the arrival!

Welcome to the world Sawyer Lane Bohall!!

Officiating Daddy with an armband!

Our blessed little family!

Taking our sweet bundle of joy home<3

Without further ado, I wish my precious baby boy a very HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY! There is not a definition in the world that explains the love I have for this child and I am blessed daily by his presence! Where has this year gone??? We will celebrate tomorrow gathered with friends and family! We can't wait!

 "I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him." Samuel 1:27

XOXO- Mommy

My forever and always<3

I have sat looking at this screen since lastnight trying to figure out the best words to type in order to express my love towards my husband on our anniversary. I have yet to find them, which leads me to the conclusion...there are no words in the world to express just how much I love this man that I am blessed enough to call my husband. It also has dawned on me that love is not defined as words written on a card or piece of paper nor is love the words that one can tell another in order to make them feel certain ways. Love is more than all of those things! Love is not just spoken, it is felt, love is a sense of safety, a bond between two hearts that have become one, and much more! Three years ago when I stood at the alter where several generations before me also stood I had overwhelming feelings of joy, happiness, and even disbelief that God had blessed me with the person I would spend the rest of my life with! That day on September 24th, 2011 I felt God right there beside me as if he were leading me in the path that was meant for me. It was as if he were saying do not be afraid, I will show you the way when things get tough and troubled, I will be there. I still feel him beside me and know without a doubt he will continue to bless our marriage for a lifetime to come. Our marriage is not always easy nor is everything romantic nights with wine and roses, but with God as our guide we will continue to to ride out this wave of life, hand in hand as one heart. We have been beyond blessed not only in our marriage but also with the birth of our precious baby boy! What we share is something that cannot be measured by any words spoken! 

I am forever grateful that God choose Daniel Bohall to be my forever and always<3 

Thank you Daniel for loving me unconditionally and standing beside in this thing called life! We are forever blessed!

I love you!

The happiest day of our lives!

When we just met! I was a junior in high school!

We were just babies!

Transitioning To Whole Milk

This week I decided would be the last week I buy supplement for my little! Let me give you a brief history on my little Sawyer's eating arrangement... I have breastfed him from birth, he is now 10 days shy of 1 year (insert sad face + cry uncontrollably)! Yes I know they say wait a year before trying whole milk but come on people we are only 10 days shy with so far no known allergies and let's face it, the thought of spending 25.00 more dollars makes me cringe!! Now when Sawyer was around 6 months old my milk supply decreased resulting in us having to resort to the dreaded "supplement". I say dreaded because any breast feeding Momma that only wants her baby to breastfeed does not want to hear that her body isn't making enough to satisfy! Anyways we got over that and continued to nurse each feeding and adding a supplement bottle at lunch and before bed to satisfy my little eater! 

So here we are a mere 1 year later still going strong with the nursing! Yay!! It can be done and isn't impossible...although at times you wonder how much more can one woman's body take!?! Ok let's get to the point here, when I began the thought of making this week the week we leave the bottles a thing of the past and also make the switch to whole milk, I had a ton and I mean a TON of thoughts and questions as to how other Mommas went about doing so, do you go cold turkey, do you switch one first then the other, do you mix the formula plus milk, and the list goes on. So I decided to write this blog just as informative post on how we did the switch and what worked for us:) 

First off let me start by saying we ARE still breast feeding morning and night (he only gets supplement at night however).

The first night I mixed half and half, formula + whole milk after he was finished nursing. My thought was if he were to have an upset belly or any allergy maybe only making it half and half would lighten the pain a little? I don't really know if it would have or not because luckily he has no allergy or upset belly from the whole milk!

(Note: the red cap or vitamin D milk is the same as whole milk)

The second day I nursed him as usual in the morning plus he ate his cereal and then for lunch he had his full sippy cup with whole milk plus his lunch. I personally went ahead and did without the bottle on the second day because he is relatively good with the sippy already. Dinner followed the same pattern drinking a full sippy plus eating his dinner. And at night he nursed and then had a sippy with whole milk to top him off before bed. 

So far we have used the nuk and nuby cups, they seem to work well for him at this time.

We are on day three and everything is going just as planned! He is taking his sippy very well and adjusting to the changes. I will say that the nursing times have became extra enjoyable for both parties because we have missed each other all day! Lol I have to say the hardest part of it all is cutting out those daily breastfeedings! I always said we would nurse until his was a year but my goodness this year went by faster than I could have ever imagined and the bond that has grown is more than I could have prepared myself for. Throwing out these morning and night feedings may be the death of Mommy! For now I will try not to think about it. Plus this post is not to serve as a sob story for me! Only information on our personal experience of switching! Good luck to you on your switch! And always remember...what works for some doesn't for all! Do what works best for you and your baby! Best of luck to you!!

Xoxo- Ashley + Sawyer

The measure of success

At what point are we and others considered successful??

I have recently been questioning a few different things in life. Many of us go through life day by day with the simple plan of waking up, getting ready for work, putting in a full day, coming home cooking/eating dinner, going to bed and waking up to do it all over again. This is life. With the exception of ball games, sick kids, massive piles of laundry, or the toilet that you just wish would clean itself already, this is reality! We all have our own "struggles"...money, relationships, wanting a bigger house, maybe another baby, or just a new car. Each day lived out in a bit different way, but typically with the same outcome...same amount of money on the paycheck, and driving the same car to work and back to the same house we feel isn't big enough to fulfill our wants. We all want more! Which is exactly what I am questioning...why more? Is that success? At what point are we happy with the amount of success we have been granted? Why as humans do we all want more? Can we ever been content with the life that God has provided us? 

My husband and I are not rich people nor will we ever claim to be. Heck in today's society we probably aren't even considered middleclass! Is there even a middleclass these days or is that a thing of the past too? We have daily struggles just like every other American family in this world. We all want more! More money, more success, nicer vehicles, bigger houses, you know normal stuff! Right?! All I have ever claimed I wanted out of life was to be comfortable or content, but I am...aren't I? I have a wonderful loving husband, a beautiful happy baby boy, a house (well for now...soon to move), my dream car, a flexible career, and my bills are paid. What more do I need? The answer is NOTHING! It's only what I WANT! As a child I remember telling my Mom constantly of things I "needed" and she would say Ashley is that a want or a need? Well the answer is a want! I had everything I needed as a child! And that holds true still to this day, I have everything I need and more so therefore, why is it so easy to want more? Can I just find satisfaction in the reality of life?

I have decided to change! I have never considered myself a successful person in the past but I am taking on a new thinking process for myself! I am successful! And so are you! Success in my opinon is no longer measured by the amount of money we have in the bank or the ranking we are considered by our peers and the community. Success is all in what we make it. Can we find happiness in what we already have? Can we consider ourselves successful with our current lifestyle or do we have to wait until we are debt free with 30k in the bank? Is that considered success? If so, how many of us will die unsuccessful? 

Yes I know this is not a typical post from me! I typically do not want to post the deeper thoughts in my mind for the world to "size me up" or completely judge me. In fear of what people will think of me. I am completely letting my guard down in hopes that some of you can relate maybe even just a little to what I have said. I understand we don't all feel the same but I hope for many of you that you can find success in yourself even if that means you aren't perfect because after all...no one is! 

XoXo-Ashley