Joys of Motherhood

Two days before I went into labor!

Well it happened!  Six weeks ago my heart grew and is now overflowing with love for a little boy that we named Dexter.   There are absolutely no words to describe the feeling that I had when the Doctor placed my little boy on my chest.  How quickly I have forgotten about the “joys of motherhood” that I joked about while pregnant, morning sickness (that wasn’t just in the morning), the sore back and hips, peeing my pants a little when I sneezed, a foot being pushed out the side of my belly, and we can’t forget about the 27 hours of labor.  These sarcastic joys of motherhood have been replaced with the real joys of motherhood, my baby snuggling up to his Momma, the middle of the night “my belly is now full” smiles, witnessing the love that his Daddy has for him, listening to the baby squeaks and groans, etc.  This mother is still learning, dealing with a “fire hose” is a completely new concept and mastering diaper changes without the fire hose going off took some time, but we finally got it!

Our sweet baby boy.  Thanks to Meri Valentin Photography!

My daily routine is nothing compared to what it used to be, a shower first thing in the morning has been replaced with being satisfied to get a shower in at some point during the day.  For someone who used to cherish her sleep greatly, I have absolutely no problem waking up in the middle of the night because my baby is hungry (the bonus is we get to take a nap together during the day).  People attempted to explain all of this to me before, but it didn’t sink in until I got to experience it first-hand.

Baby Smiles!

Each day brings new joys and excitement.  The difference that just 6 weeks has made is remarkable.  You wouldn’t think so but there is a big difference between a six pound baby and a ten pound baby.  The newborn size outfits that were baggy and falling off of him at birth are now stretched tight and it won’t be long before they will be nothing but history.  It is somewhat sad to see my baby grow so fast, but very exciting to see what he learns next.

They say your life changes and while I am still learning what that truly means I wouldn’t change this for anything.  The joys that I experience each and every day now were totally worth anything that I went through for those nine months. I am truly blessed to be on this journey called Motherhood!

Mixed Feelings About the Upcoming Husker Season

The calendar has turned my friends, which means we have reached my favorite part of the year, Husker Season!  Yesterday was Husker Fan Day, the day when the media coverage picks up and the internal excitement for the upcoming season starts to build.  There is no way for me to describe the feeling of joy I get from being in our seats for pregame with all the action in the stadium and then the Husker vision screen goes black and it starts….the tunnel walk!  With all that said, this year I have mixed feelings.  

Anyone who knows me and my husband, knows that starting towards the end of August through Thanksgiving, on home game Saturdays from 8:00 am until sundown we can be found in the great city of Lincoln, NE.  My husband has attended every home game for the past ten years, and our annual vacations are set around Husker away games.  Some of my favorite memories of my husband and I were made at the Husker home games we have attended.  The Stadium holds a special place in our hearts, so much that when he proposed to me, he did so as we were on a walk around the outside of the Stadium.  That proposal was over 6 years ago now, our lives have changed since then and are about to change in a big way very soon.

As my belly continues to grow and I head into the last 3 weeks of pregnancy, reality is setting in. While I am totally overjoyed about this little boy growing inside of me and can hardly contain the excitement to meet him, a piece of me is sad that I know my normal fall Saturday routine will be changing.  As a new Mom-to-be, I don’t really know what all the changes will entail.  I do know that sometime very soon my Saturdays will probably start before 8:00 am, and won’t include loading up the car, stopping by both the coffee and donut shop before heading to Lincoln.  My Saturday mornings will include new things like getting my little man dressed for game day which, thanks to his dad, he has a plethora of outfits to choose from. They will also include late night, early morning and all day feedings, naps, snuggles and passing along the love of Husker football to my little man from the comfort of the couch. 

 

While my Saturdays may change for awhile, I also know that there is no shortage of family that will be willing to watch my little man, so that my husband and I can have a “Date Day” in Lincoln and I can experience the joy and excitement of Husker season from inside Memorial Stadium.  While I will always cherish the memories of Husker home games from the past seasons and will miss not making new ones at every game this year, I have no doubt the memories I will make with my little man this season will easily become some of my new favorites!

Go Big Red!

4th of July Extravaganza!

Featherbone Ribs, Buster Bar, Scotcheroos, Bocce Ball, Racecar fireworks races, a planned out fireworks displayed set to music…..these are just a few of the details that make up the Schutz Family 4^th of July Extravaganza!  Sometimes you don’t realize how much you truly enjoy something until you have to go without it one year.  Around the holidays people often ask what your plans are, or invite you to various parties or gatherings. 

For the Schutz family, the 4^th of July was one of those holidays you knew you would decline any other invitation you got because nothing was better than your family’s party.  The only detail you needed to check the invitation for was what time “gates” were opening.  Maybe in college you attempted some other plans, but the whole time you found yourself thinking, “People call THIS 4^th of July, they have no idea what they are missing out on.”  

Buster Bar

As I think back to past year’s 4^th of July gatherings, I could tell you just about every detail including the menu.  The main dish is Featherbone Ribs cooked by my uncle.  These ribs are so good, that Bo and I decided that all we wanted for our wedding rehearsal dinner was my uncle’s ribs!  Everyone else brings a side dish, and because the guests are the same every year, you can count on your favorite side dish from the prior year to be there the next year.   There are salads, fruit bowls, deviled eggs, beans, the list goes on.  And after you fill up on the main meal, the desert choices are Bluster Bars (an ice cream desert made by my aunt), Scotcheroos, or cookies.

The afternoon yard activities are made up of various games for various ages.  The kids run around with water balloons and shoot off some little fireworks with their blow torches.  The next generation can typically be found in the yard playing a game of Bocce Ball.  And the older generation is sitting at the table with their dice yelling out “Snake Eyes”, “Box Cars”, and “Eight, Skate and Donate.”

On your mark, get set, go!

At some point after everyone has been there for a while but before it gets dark, it is time for the races.  Everyone lines up in the street with their firework race car and the countdown begins.  There is the standard class, and then the modified class.  The goal is to have the car that goes the furthest, it doesn’t matter how fast it gets there.   You just want it to be the one that travels the furthest down the street, in the right direction!  

Then as the sun goes down, the real excitement begins!  The fireworks display that they have been planning and preparing for multiple weeks.  This is no “you light this one and when it gets done then I light that one” kinda show.  The shells and roman candles have special canisters that allow multiple fireworks to be strung together so they go off one right after another.   They get laid out in the street in a very specific order so that the men lighting can work from one row down to the next and so on.  The patriotic music begins and the show gets started!  

Getting the show set up!

The only rule for the day that has to be followed is “No Drunken Buffoons around the fireworks”!

Fountain Display!