Bank’s Derby, a third birthday.
Wow, another year has come and gone..I’m the mother of a THREE year old! I am pretty sure I started last years blog post the same way, but man I am just stunned at how fast the time goes. Banks is the best part about our day, every day. He is so fun, energetic, tender, funny, cute and oh so sweet. He loves to wear his Jazz jersey and play with “the girls.” He loves to watch kid’s youtube (I know mom of the year,) and play with animals, but above all, this boy is more obsessed with cars, than I’ve ever seen anyone obsessed with anything. So a cars party it was.
Scroll ahead now if you’re solely here for the party deets (which is party most of you!) I just want to take some of this space to write down what is more important to me than the party details, and that is my top ten favorite things about Banks when he turned THREE. I never want to forget him in this freaking crazy, busy, absolutely adorable stage.
- Banks loves cars. *duh* He makes the most adorable revving engine sound I have ever heard. You can hear it in the beginning of his birthday video at the bottom of this post!
- The way he says “excabator” aka excavator. so cute. True story that he once corrected me when I told him to look out the window at a “Tractor!” He said “No mom, that’s an excavator!” WHAT.
- When he grabs Ry and I’s heads and slams them up to both sides of his cheeks and says “cuties.”
- The way he laughs hysterically when he farts or burps. #allboy
- How he prays for everything. His toys, clothes, the girls, each family member by name, trick-or-treating, his friend Alex (who I’ve never met lol,) you name it, he prays for it.
- His deep deep love for pepperonis lol
- How he sings twinkle twinkle little star in his sweetest voice.
- His love for the Five for Fight Utah Jazz commercial haha! He literally runs over to the tv to mimic the commercial each time it comes on.
- How he loves the surprise element of any sort of toy egg! It could pop out a fluffy pink unicorn stuffed animal and he would exclaim with joy!
- His love for me…He is a mama’s boy through and through. He is so in tune with me and just my little best friend. We’ll always have a very special connection that Banksy boy and I.
Okay, you made it this far. Let’s get to the party details!!
Then I just had them printed at Office Max! They’re my go-to!
To be honest, the space isn’t my favorite. It has a lot of dark brown cherry wood and I just tried to make it as cute as possible because it holds a lot of people! I decided to get crafty this year and nothing I did was super time consuming! A couple little DIY projects was so worth it!
Overall, it was so fun! It’s been three weeks and Banks is still talking about it. If I left any details or links out, just comment and I will get them to you! Thanks so much for loving his parties as much as I do! Love you guys!
A Grand Getaway
Since becoming a mom two years ago, our so-called anniversary night out, looked more like a family dinner night complete with spit-up and an 8’clock bed-time. Romantic right? Wrongo. This year, though we couldn’t celebrate on our actual anniversary, we wanted to do something special for the occasion. The Grand America Anniversary Package seemed like the perfect choice, even if we were a month late.
I have always dreamt of staying at the Grand, and waking up to their infamous Brunch brekky! I’ve told Ryan each year that is my dream anniversary! We didn’t know their brunch was only on Sundays, so we ended up ordering room service for breakfast, and it did not disappoint. Just gives an excuse to go back, right?
The Eggs Benedict 
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
After getting settled in our rooms we decided to walk the grounds and just soak it all in. It was all SO beautiful and immaculate! I couldn’t even believe the details that were put in to each and every corner. Ryan touched the wallpaper in the hall and exclaimed “BABE! HAVE YOU FELT THIS WALLPAPER!? IT’S TEXTURED!” Haha we are easy to impress but man, this place is one of a kind and we were picking our jaws up off the floor like…the entire time.
Overall, it was the best anni EVER! I told Ry that the only thing that could top it would be if we spent it in Europe. Maybe if I’m passive aggressive enough he’ll catch on one day, yanno? We raced down the halls like five year olds, had a pillow fight, ate our weight in room service, and slept in til TEN. Let me say that again…SLEPT IN TIL TEN!! Tears you guys. I love Banks, but let’s just say he’s an early riser and ready to rumble at the butt crack of dawn every day. It was so nice to sleep in and enjoy an uninterrupted bubble bath! Quick shout out to my mom for staying over-night with Banks and sleeping on his floor (she’s a sucker and couldn’t let him sleep alone ha ha) You’re the real MVP woman!
Ryan and I are notorious for pillow fights…Like they start out fun but then Ryan takes it too far and usually knocks me to the ground ha ha it’s fine, I’m fine, everything’s fine.
We loved loved loved The Honeymoon & Anniversary package. It includes a stay in the Executive King Suite, VIP amenities (trust me you’ll feel like royalty,) a $100 hotel credit you can use for a variety of services; such as a couple’s massage from the Spa at the Grand, a floral arrangement customized by their in-house florist, or breakfast in bed in the comfort of you room! We obviously chose the food option because duh….Nothing is better than eating food, in a robe, while laying in bed… Am I right!? Also you get to keep the robes and you get a romantic red rose and four hand-crafted chocolate truffles with your package. I just really loved it and lucky for me, Ry said he wants to make this a tradition for us so um, YAY?!
We watched the morning session of the LDS General Conference in our room, and in between sessions we hit up the indoor pool and spa! I did feel a little awko taking these pics since I had an audience HA HA but that’s okay! Name of the game I guess. The pool and hot tub were nice, but let me just say….The four point showers are un-freaking-real! I wasn’t originally going to get my hair wet but then I accidentally turned the wrong knob and got a fire hose spray to the face ha ha but I am so glad I did because my hair was so soft and smooth afterwards! Side note: The shampoo and conditioner is made out of Utah Honey! How cute is that?!
Anyway…The Grand America man, they do everything right. The presentation, the luxury, the details, the food…All of it was worth raving about. I can’t wait to come back for more next year since it’s our new tradition! It was so fun to get some one on one time with my cutest Ryan. It really was so nice to re-connect with him and laugh our butts off stress free. If you’ve always wanted to stay there, I’m here to tell you that it’s 100% worth it. Get out and date your spouse!! Lastly, I can’t end this post without my favorite picture from the whole staycation….Ryan in his natural habitat: a bubble bath.
You’re welcome.
Love you guys,
Safari!
Traveling with Delta X AMEX
This post is sponsored by Delta + American Express
Okay…let’s talk TRAVEL. It’s no secret that Ry and I love to travel. I have always said that the world is so big and beautiful, it would be a shame to die and not have experienced it. Right? I know what you’re thinking “I would love to, but it’s too expensive!” Wrongo. Would you believe me if I told you that we hardly ever pay for flights? Our secret? The Platinum Delta SkyMiles® American Express Credit Card. When we first signed up with American Express a few years ago, they had an amazing promotion featuring 75k bonus miles after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card in the first three months of Card Membership. So after three months, Ry and I had round trip tickets to Kauai, HI. What!? Best. card. ever. I haven’t seen an offer like this in a couple of years, but lucky for you this offer is back! It’s live now and ends April 3rd, 2019 so now would be the time to take advantage! In fact, Ryan currently is the cardholder, but I am going to get my own this time around.
Besides earning miles, I’ve listed some of my other favorite features.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- First Checked Bag Free – We try to pack everything into one big bag that Ry checks for free roundtrip. Then we bring three carry ons and a purse. Lol. People probably hate us but hey, we like free stuff okay?
- Earn 2x Miles when you use your card for purchases made directly with Delta, including flights, seat upgrades, or in-flight purchases. Bring on the snacks baby
- Delta SkyMiles – Miles Boost(Ⓡ) – Alright, so this one has been a huge reason on how we earn so many miless. So you can earn 10,000+ bonus miles after you spend $25,000 or more in a year. We put all of our business expenses on this card which is why we’re able to spend that much and earn those bonus miles! For every $25,000 we spend, we get 10,000 points so they can add up really quick! If you have a business, this is a really great way to earn miles!
- Earn 1x Miles on everyday purchases! Every eligible dollar spent = a mile earned.
- Apply here to start earning miles peeps!
My family never traveled much growing up, so I didn’t realize how important it was. Ryan swears that he and his family bonded the most on trips. He has always valued travel so much, and now I see why. There is nothing quite like stepping onto a new land, breathing in the air, absorbing the culture, and making memories with the ones you love most. Our best memories have been made possible thanks to our Platinum Delta SkyMiles American Express Credit Card! Apply here!
I promise you won’t regret it, and this amazing offer ends April 03, 2019! Terms apply.
A
@Delta @AmericanExpress #Sponsored #DeltaAmex
Banks is O’fish’ally TWO!
Man…I have a two year old. When did that happen? They were right when they said time would fly. We had so much fun celebrating him at his “nemo” birthday (hehe!) Planning the party was so much fun, but being this boy’s mom is the most fun I’ve ever had.
There are some things I want to remember about my Banks at age two. First of all….He gets cuter each and every day (not biased at all 😉 ) He has a deep love for cars and won’t go anywhere without his Lightning McQueen or Cruz Ramirez. (See above picture lol.) He is OBSESSED. He even puts them in a safe spot right before he climbs into bed. Cute, right? He has like eighteen cowlicks in his hair and Ryan and I can’t ever figure out which way it goes so usually it goes both ways or straight up in the air. ha ha His favorite word is “cookie” thanks to his best friend, Graham. Oh, he has a best friend named Graham. He loves Moana, Nemo, Cars, Coco, and The Greatest Showman. Yes you read that right, The Greatest Showman. His favorite food is The Cali Toast from the Protein Foundry and he loves juice. He is so social and adores other kids. He’s got the best little personality and does “knucks” with everyone he meets. He loves being outside and is freaking terrified of our Roomba vacuum. No one knows why? He says “Was that?” a hundred times a day, and you can find him with stickers on his face almost always. Lastly, he is obsessed, OB-FREAKING-SESSED with me. and I love it. so much. (low key bugs Ryan though lolz) Anyway, those are some of my favorite things about my favorite person. He is so special to me. I love him so much. Can’t believe he is mine. Okay, now I’ll get to what you came here for….THE PARTY DEETS!
Loveland Living Planet Aquarium
So…Obviously I changed his theme THREE times before deciding on the aquarium! First, it was ‘Welcome to the zoo, Banks is turning two!’ then since he loved cars so much, I felt like I had to do a cars theme. I had already designed those invitations as well as purchased party decor when I had the idea to do it at the aquarium. We have season passes there, and he loves it so much! We were playing in their “Turks Playhouse” area when I spotted the nice and spacious party rooms! I immediately text my friends to see what they thought about the idea. They were all on board, so I got home and started researching! I vetoed the other ideas and contacted the aquarium to see if it was available. We were so happy to learn that it was and “Banks is O’fish’ally Two ‘was born! We had the best experience with them! They have decorated, private party rooms, they do all the clean up, and Aquarium admission is included. They also have delicious in house pizza they make as well as unlimited soft drinks. It was so nice to not have to worry about clean up! You can check out their party options here!
Decorations + Food
So the rooms at the aquarium already had beautifully painted murals (they are simple and not too much,) but I brought a couple of things to make it more personal for Banks! I designed and printed off a banner for the wall and made a balloon arch to hang above the dessert table. Other than that, it didn’t need much decorating!
Since they provided pizza with our rental, I decided to go all out for the most important part of the meal…dessert!
We had donuts by Utah’s best, Banbury Cross Donuts! My father in law made these adorable donut stands for me for less than $10! The owner of Banbury Cross said that the cake donuts stack better than the regular so we went with those. The blueberry were my favorite and I seriously crave them like every single day. SO GOOD.
I wanted to provide a Vegan and Gluten Free option for the guests that had dietary restrictions so I decided to go with Dough Co, which is edible cookie dough…Let me say that again, EDIBLE COOKIE DOUGH PEOPLE! We did the Chocolate Chip, Samoa’s, Loaded Brownie, Cake Batter, Cookies N’ Cream (vegan,) and Oatmeal MM (Gluten Free.) They were so easy to work with too! They cater to parties, weddings, etc all the time so they have it down to an art! They also offer Nationwide Shipping for all of you out of staters! 😉
Other Party Deets
Last minute I had the fun (and slightly crazy,) idea to make some shark hats from scratch..Literally had no Idea what I was doing. I reached out to my cutest friend Sarah of @calliandoak and she had a party hat template made for me in like five minutes. Literally pulled it out of her butt! She is so talented and has the cutest party ideas / tutorials on her instagram. Also she is just a good person…SO go follow her!
Hint** You’re going to need more jelly beans than you think lol. I had a late night run to Zurchers the night before to re-stock…for the third time. BLESS UP!
Video Highlight
Taco ’bout a party! Banks is ONE.
Well, Banks is two so I thought I’d better get his first and second birthday party details up! Anyone that knows me, knows I love to plan parties. Like…LOVE LOVE. I thought I’d take advantage of his first birthday, considering he didn’t have any hideous requests yet lol. So we did a fiesta because I obviously I wanted to serve tacos..Obviously. Anyway here are some pics, the dirty deets, and the cutest video done by Bri of The Copper Creative!
Before I go into the party details, I just want to note some things I remember about my sweetest most precious little one year old. The day of his party, he decided to skip his nap so he wasn’t really into it. Because yanno one year olds do what they want I guess. We had over fifty people come, and show us the utmost love and support! ‘WOW! He is so loved’ I kept thinking! He loved all of his presents but especially loved his books and the wooden toys from Ikea! He was a little unsure what to do with his cake, but eventually loved to stick his hands in it. (Though he didn’t get much of it in his mouth.) I loved this day. Celebrating one year with my Banks. One year of growth and learning, but so many good and truly joyous moments being his mom. He has such a sweet spirit about him and is the very best part of our lives.
Party Details
Invitations: Me! I do a little Graphic Design on the side so I refuse to let anyone else do his invitations…Plus I’m picky so I’d rather just do them myself. I always get them printed at Office Max and they have them done for me within a day or so. Super easy peezy! I wanted to something simple and they turned out just how I envisioned them! Can you even handle the picture on the back though? He had no chill with that sombrero.
Food: We did a taco cart and dessert bar which was equal parts easy and adorable! I had so much fun setting up the dessert bar and making those cupcake toppers!
Cake: We opted for cupcakes for the guests, and a small smash cake for B. He didn’t eat it but hey it was freaking cute! I ordered the Vintage Donkey topper off of Etsy and it was my most favorite detail. As for the cupcakes, I ordered them from Sams Club and they are THE BEST…like so good. Then I made the cupcake toppers myself and they were a hit.
Cookies: I had two different people make custom cookies. Both were amazing and tied everything together. Love Ivy Custom Cookies, and Cakes by Mary both brought my vision to life.
Chalkboard: Karli Noel Calligraphy made this entrance sign and it was such a fun detail. She is so talented and can literally make anything I tell her to. Then we had one of those blankets we got in Mexico so I just put it under the board to add some dimension!
Baby Proofing with Little Nomad
Hey guys! Something you may not know about me, is I love interior design, but I also struggle with commitment. So I switch up my living room like every six months according to the latest trends, and our families needs. Our latest transition, baby proofing.
Since Banks’ was born I’ve known that the days of “baby proofing” we’re short to come. Just when I had my house just right, he was army crawling around, trashing the place. It wasn’t long before I decided I needed to transform our downstairs into a safe space for our littlest family member. So that’s what I did.
Here are my tips + tricks to baby proofing your home, whilst keeping your house a space that you love.
Rug – What? Why would a rug matter? Well let me tell you something. When your rug is 100% wool and 100% sheds like a damn sheep (or whatever animal you can think of that excessivley sheds) 24/7…Oh and is casually WHITE, it’s not going to work for you when you have a baby. Not a chance.
I fell deeply in love with our first rug..It’s Moroccan beauty made all of my interior design dreams come true. But when the baby came, and everything went in his mouth, the rug was the first to go. We sold it to this cute couple who had like four huskies and said it would be fine. SWEET. You go.
Our downstairs went rug-less for a long time. Owning a store that sells Vintage Turkish rugs…I was bound and determine to rep one of my own in my house. Well. That didn’t happen. They rarely make them big enough to cover the space that I needed, so I found THE BEST AND GREATEST ALTERNATIVE. Little Nomad. Little Nomad Play Mats are beautifully illustrated, and look like rugs..WHAT! I loved the idea of a play mat to keep my little one safe, and my carpets clean..But always hated the bright, obnoxious colors. Here are some of the best things about them.
- Constructed from super soft and durable eva foam, perfect for babies who are learning to walk!
- Designed with the highest child safety standards in mind
- Attached boarders, completing the look
- Easy to assemble and expandable to fit any room size. BOOYA!
- Super, SUPER easy to wipe clean!
- EVERYONE’S reactions when they find out it’s a play mat and not a rug…Never gets old.
Next on the list, Push Up Blinds-
I once saw a terrifying video of a child who had accidentally strangled themselves with the blind cord..Luckily the mom found him in time and he suffered only minor injuries. I knew in that moment, that their HAD to be an alternative. When we were building our house, and it came time for the window covering selection, I knew I wanted something cordless, for my future babes. Now, I am SO glad I have them, and that it is one less thing I have to worry about! I have these ones and I love them! The ones in my downstairs are nice because they still let light in, and in our bedrooms we have the blackout version which keep our rooms PITCH BLACK! Here are some of the things I love.
- Easy to put up
- Affordable! Have you ever purchased blinds? They’re FREAKING EXPENSIVE PEOPLE.
- Sleek in design and look
- Fully customized sizing with a perfect fit guarantee! This is a huge relief when ordering online, because of this, we went for it! We just measured our windows and they did the rest. We had one that didn’t fit perfectly, and they refunded us our money, and sent us a replacement without any questions asked!
- SAFE, SAFE, SAFE!
Baskets, Baskets, and more Baskets-
I once asked on social media ways to baby proof without having to ruin my decor that I had worked so hard to perfect…The best advice I got, was BASKETS! I replaced my breakable / spillable decor that was within his reach, with baskets. Baskets full of toys and books, and blankets. Though his toys are always everywhere…I love that I have an adorable, non-fragile place to “hide” them! My favorite basket finds are at Target, World Market, and TJ Maxx! I found these giant ones at World Market and they are a total-game changer. I swear they each hold like 200 toys lolz. They were a little pricy but so worth it!
Cabinet Locks-
I bought the Safety 1st Spring and Release Latches for our cabinets downstairs, and I’m not quite sold on this particular style. My little Banks can rip the cabinets open still, but it does prevent him from slamming his fingers! I am going to try out a different style, in these because I would love for him to not be able to open the cabinets. However, I am putting this on the list because it is SUPER important to save their little fingers from being smashed!
Baby Gates-
Devastated to report that my little one took a pretty rough tumble down the stairs last week…It traumatized me, though he wasn’t injured! I mean he full on TUMBLED you guys…It was so sad and killed me. We have a baby gate at the bottom of the stairs, but we will be installing one up top this week. Not risking that again. Nope. Cya.
Glass Corner Covers-
We have this glass table with sharp corners. We just purchased some glass corner covers on amazon that give me a piece of mind! I was worried they would ruin the look of my breakfast nook, but you really can’t even notice them and they were super easy to install!
Those are just some of the main things I have done to make my home more of a save haven for my Banks! I would love any other suggestions or advice, please comment them below!
Banks’ Birth Story
A year has come and gone, and it’s time I document the most special day of my life. The day I became a mother. That day resignates in my heart as so many things, but mostly just sweet + precious. I remember the nerves and excitement driving there, the anticipation of the contractions, the nod of approval when it was time to push. The pep-talk. “I am going to give birth. I am going to do this. I can do this.” The doubt, “I can’t do this. I don’t know what I’m doing. Am I ready?” Well..Here I am. A whole year later…Here to tell you, that I did it. I’m doing it. And I want to do it again, ten times over. Here’s the story of that time I brought a child into the world.
February 08, 2017 – This day started out like normal, I woke up, could not roll myself out of bed due to my lovely case of Pubic Symphysis Diastases. In short, it’s the separation of your pubic bones without fracture, about 31% of pregnant women get it. It’s debilitating and in my case prevented me from rolling over, putting my pants on, or tying my own shoes. #goals A-NY-WAY. I had Ryan help me roll out of bed, and I went to work. That day one of our clients’ happened to be my OBGYN’s wife. So I conversed with him for a short while about how I was ready to pop and he left me with “well maybe I’ll see ya tonight!” I rolled my eyes and told him I’d see him at my next appointment..Because there was no way that I would be lucky enough to go early all by myself! That night, my water broke.
February 09, 2017 – I woke up at 5:30 AM on my side, straddling my pregnancy pillow. I remember the voice in my head saying “Did I FOR REAL just pee the bed?” Pissed (literally,) I got myself out of bed to go finish my business in the bathroom. Right when I stood up, a flush of water came gushing out..I hopped my huge ace to the bathroom, peed, and tried to orient. “Did my water break or am I losing it?” Another gush came out in the toilet, and I flipped on the lights and said “Ryan!! My water just broke!” Let me tell you people, I have never in my life seen him move so fast. I mean he flew out of bed. I stood up off the iron throne, and ANOTHER FREAKING GUSH of water came out. Immediately I flipped on the shower and got in. I washed + shaved my entire body (well best I could people,) and got ready. My contractions were about every 10 minutes at this point, and not super intense yet so yes, I got ready. Did my hair, a quick contour, called my mama, and was out the door by 6:30 AM.
We arrived at Riverton Hospital around 7:00 AM after making a necessary pit stop at good ole fashioned Mickey Dee’s! By the time I got there, my contractions were pretty frequent and intense. I got wheeled up to Labor + Delivery and both my diaper (not a joke,) and leggings were soaked through with water. #yum The nurse took me back to LDR 3, I was so excited because when we toured the hospital, this was the room I loved. I felt so lucky that it was ready + available just for me! Once I changed into my robe, she checked my cervix and you guys..I was NOT EVEN AT A ONE! No dilatation at all..Zero. Zilch. Zip. Because my water broke, she wanted to make sure I gave birth within 24 hours to prevent complications, so she advised I start Pitocin to get things movin’. The nurse asked if I wanted the epidural, and I told them I wanted to wait until I was at least at a five. WRONGO! Within minutes of the Pitocin kicking in, my contractions were more frequent, and more intense than anything I could handle. Ryan was talking to me, and I couldn’t hear a word he was saying. All I could do was stare at the monitor, bracing myself for the next contraction. My anesthiologist showed up and started walking me through the epidural, “I don’t care, just get that thing in me!” I said. I felt a poke and boom, relief!
The first couple of hours of labor, Ryan + I spent hand in hand. We talked about how excited we were to meet our little bean, to be parents. We talked about what he was going to look like, and finalized our name choice. The spirit was so strong in room LD3. I felt so much love for that man, and the time we had just the two of us. We could not even believe, that we were about to become parents.
Over the next 17 hours, I labored.
I was progressing fairly quickly, until I got to a seven. I was stuck there for hours. Five to be exact. Eventually, they decided to do an internal check on my contractions. I was so nervous because they had to apply some contraption to my uterus and baby’s head in order to check the strength of each contraction! The nurse immediately found that my they weren’t strong enough to help me effectively dilate, so they needed to up my dosage of Pitocin. After they upped my dose, I napped. I woke up an hour and half later due to extreme pressure in my pelvic floor.
IT WAS TIME.
I called the nurse in and told her I could feel his head, that he was ready. She had me put my feet up for a “practice push” before we called Dr. Matthews in. I will never forget the look on her face when she said “Put your feet back down, don’t move, and don’t breathe. You’re crowing.” DUH. I knew that because hello, I could feel it. She ran out the door, only to run back in to tell me that she called Dr. Matthews, but wasn’t sure if he believed her. “Okay, well. You better go call him again.” I remember being like lady listen…Don’t tell me that. Just get him here. About fifteen minutes later, he showed up! He had visited me earlier in the day and promised he would be here, even if that meant leaving his family night at Classic Skating. He walked in, still wearing his lime green wrist band, and thanked me for letting him skate. Sure sure, I’ve just been here eating ice chips ‘n stuff. No prob. He gloved up, put down his bee-keeping mask, and gave me the nod. Let’s have a baby! 2.5 pushes and what seemed like only 30 seconds later, Banks Ryan Bruin was born. We did it!
First impressions.
I would be lying if I said the first thing I noticed was anything but the huge lump on the side of his head. It was the size of a golf ball, if not bigger. No one said anything, but the energy shifted. I could feel the elephant in the room. What in THE HELL. Was that. Finally, Ryan said to my doctor, “What is this lump on his head!?” It looked like a tumor, and was absolutely terrifying. My doctor casually said it was due to me being stuck at a seven for so long and that his head was literally being sucked through like a suction cup! Can you imagine how traumatizing that had to have been? I would have had a straight up panic attack if my head was being vacuumed through a hole for five seconds let alone five freaking hours! He assured us that their heads are super pliable when they’re born, and that it would be down by morning. I believed him and by morning, it was down. The rest of him was so perfect. He was alert, and calm. Those big brown eyes skimmed the room, then back to me. Tightly gripped fingers, and the cutest, I mean CUTEST feet. Fuzziest ears, and daddy’s dimples. He was sent straight from heaven. Straight from Grandma Monica’s arms.
All the feels.
Someone once told me that it was instinctual for women to cry when they first hear their newborn cry. I felt a moment of guilt that I wasn’t overly emotional, that I didn’t shed a tear. I was overwhelmed and tired, and shocked that I just pushed a baby out of my vag! Like WHAT! I never felt like I was going to be a natural mother, in fact, Ryan always had more of a connection with kids than I did. I was absolutely terrified, and felt immediate inadeqcaucy. He was here. So now what? The next couple of hours were a blur. I hadn’t eaten or drank anything for 27 hours, and my body was weak sauce. We did skin to skin for an hour and half and he made his way down to nurse all by himself. “Okay, I can do this” I told myself. From that point on, he has proven to be the easiest baby. He has made my transition to motherhood so smooth and doable. My now one year old, has taught me so much about patience, and love. He loves me the same whether my hair is done or five days unwashed. He loves me the same whether I have makeup on or if I look like Shrek. He loves me with my extra five pounds that I can’t seem to lose, and when my mustache is coming in hot. Most importantly, he loves and learns with me each day and is so patient when I fall short as a mother. He is truly everything I didn’t know I needed, and so much more!
Banks Ryan Bruin, you made February 09, 2017 the most memorable, special day of my life and I am so happy you made me your mama.
Hey hey!
Hiii! Welcome to Safari Natalia, I so happy you’re here! I created Safari Natalia nearly four years ago, and have been sitting on it since then..NO LIE. I have been encouraged countless times to start blogging, but haven’t been able to bring myself to do so. Instead I just keep paying the fees to keep it running, and telling myself that one day, I will “go for it.” Meanwhile, reading everyone elses’ blogs. (Which I love!) I realize that there are one million bloggers, so I’ve mainly created this blog to give my carpal tunnel bound wrists a break from physically writing everything, and to have a place to keep track of our lives. I never want to forget the experiences that have shaped me. This is where I will share my successes + shortcomings as a business owner, wife, and mother!
What’s a first blog post without a little “about me,” am I right? Though I’m sure the only people reading this are those who already know everything about me..But just in case, here I am. These are the things that define me in the form of bullet points!
- I love bullet points
- Yes, my real name is Safari
- I am half Egyptian
- Danced for the University of Utah for two years
- I served a LDS mission in Uruguay
- I returned home early from that mission
- Danced for the NBA’s Utah Jazz for two years
- I can only eat chips if I break them first
- I love to plan..my life, dates, parties, you name it.
- Married in the Salt Lake Temple on March 04, 2015
- Got tricked into getting a puppy
- Obsessed with that puppy
- Madly in love with my husband, Ryan
- Sucker for chips + salsa
- Podcast obsessed
- Eye for design
- Lover of motherhood, and all that it entails!
If you’ve gotten this far, BLESS YOU! Thank you all for following along, I am so excited to share with you the things that make me, me.