Gingham Dress | Jack Rogers Sandals | Earrings | Watch | Mom Bracelet | Monogrammed Clutch | Y-Chain Necklace | Personalized ‘Beckam’ Necklace | Mom Keychain | Gold Bangle | X Ring | Live Colorfully Perfume Set [The best! Jake LOVES it!]
In April of 2016, I became a mom. A title I craved to own for years. A name I now melt when I hear my son say. A gift that is my life’s greatest blessing.
I learned all about being a mom from my own mother. She was always my biggest cheerleader [she literally never missed a single game I cheered at all the way through college!], she is my constant prayer warrior in times of need and is my forever best friend. Now that I have joined her amongst the mom ranks, I can look back and gain a greater appreciation of just how amazing she is. I could honestly write an entire book about her patience and love but most importantly, she really set the bar high for me.
To give you a brief background, I’ll share my journey to becoming a mom. My husband Jake & I spent over two years trying to become parents. It was a long and very difficult road. An emotional one that was filled with a heartbreaking loss, countless doctor appointments & medications and more tears than I ever care to remember. In fact, when we found out we were finally pregnant [again] with Beckam, we didn’t tell anyone for a long time. We actually didn’t make a public announcement until I was nearly 18 weeks along. The fears of more loss and embarrassment were more than I could handle. When we finally shared our news with friends & family, we were just beside ourselves with excitement and relief. I could finally let myself enjoy our answered prayer!
While everything was going perfectly [yes, I was one of those lucky ones who had an incredibly easy pregnancy] we soon learned that it wouldn’t last the 40 weeks it was supposed to. At 33 weeks we made an emergency trip to the ER in the middle of the night. After lots of testing, poking & an oxygen mask, we found out I had an abruption. From the time the Doctor gave us the news to Beckam being born was a rushed 50 minutes. I am sure I was scared but I honestly can’t hardly recall anything from that day. Everything happened so fast. Beckam was born weighing 4 pounds, 3 ounces on April 12, 2016. And since the hospital he was delivered at didn’t have a sufficient NICU, he was immediately taken to another hospital across town. This left Jake in a tough spot because he had a brand new weak & tiny baby in one place and a recovering/emotional wife in another. I was released exactly 26 hours after my emergency c-section and we spent hours and hours every. single. day. at the hospital just watching him in his tiny little box. We took advantage of any kangaroo care time the nurses would allow and spent the rest of the time just staring at him. Beckam spent nearly a month in the NICU before finally getting to come home with us.
While the day he was born was the scariest day of my life [I had never heard of an abruption but oh my… it’s terrifying!] it was the BEST DAY of my life. Because it was the day I became a mom!
I still get emotional thinking about that day and all of the things that ‘could‘ have gone wrong. But as I sit here and write this out my sweet 1 year old is crawling around the house, babbling up a storm & playing with his favorite toys and I am suddenly reminded that I am SO incredibly blessed. I never planned [or hoped!] to become a mom in such a dramatic fashion, but if THAT is the story that gave me Beckam, then I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
Mother’s Day 2016 was my first official holiday as a mom. However, it was shortly after bringing Beckam home and I swear, those first weeks of no sleep left me delirious. So I am absolutely elated to be celebrating Mother’s Day again this year- and this time on a full 8 hours of sleep! I am truly so thankful to be a mom. All the years of trying, a loss and a terrifying delivery make me even more appreciative of days with my son. Every stinky diaper, all of the scattered cheerios and the puke stained clothes are reminders of just how lucky I am.
Even though I have only been a mom for about a year, I already have a much deeper understanding of the feelings, emotions and love my mom has experienced over the past 26 years. And I want to spoil her this Mother’s Day- not because she needs it but because I can and she deserves it. If you’re looking for Mother’s Day gifts for your mom… kate spade new york has so many great options at different price points. This bracelet [look at all of the mom sayings!] is under $60!
If you are a preemie mom, mom of an angel or a mom-in-waiting, please know that I pray for you. I know your pain. I spent many Mother’s Day’s in tears because I longed for the opportunity to have a reason to celebrate it myself. So in the same breath that I am thanking God for my gift, I am certainly praying for yours too.
I love y’all & thank you so much for letting me get a little more personal today! xox
———- SHOP THE OUTFIT ———-
———- SHOP GIFT IDEAS ———-
I have this dress too. Isn't it the cutest?! You look so pretty in it! Y'all are so sweet together!
This is so cute! I love that dress on you, and Beckham looks precious!
http://www.kayleighskloset.com
How cute is your little babe?! And I love your dress!!
xo megan | pinebarrenbeauty.com
These photos are too cute!!!
I loved reading your story! So happy for you and your family! And I love this dress 🙂
Maggie
http://www.polishedclosets.com
what a beautiful story!!! you look gorgeous!
This is the cutest!!! I love your dress so much! You guys are too adorable.
Xo Makayla
http://www.fashionablykay.com
Such a sweet post and your dress is gorgeous!
I loved getting to read your story Kelssey! You make such an awesome mommy! And look beautiful while doing it! Happy early mother's day… being well rested is going to make a huge difference this time around. 🙂
I absolutely LOVE your dress!! And these pics are way too cute!
xo Kelsey | http://www.chasingcinderellablog.com
Omg, you little man and his spikey hair! So cuuuute!
Omg how adorable is he?! You look amazing too, happy almost mother's day!
I love these photos of you and Beckam! And this Kate Spade perfume is the one I wear every day! Great post, girlfriend!
xo, Sara
Y'all are SO CUTE. Happy mother's day, sweet mama!
Coming Up Roses
These pics are so cute!
Such a cute post girlfriend!
such a cute post girlfriend!!
xo Emily
http://www.thehipsuburban.com
your little one is so adorable!
These photos are adorable! Happy early Mother's Day! <3
Love your dress and your son is too adorable! XO, Jaime Sunflowers and Stilettos
Oh this is the cutest post! And your son is so adorable!!
xo
Sami
http://www.theclassicbrunette.com
Melt my heart! You two look absolutely adorable! XO
Anna || A Lily Love Affair
What a great story!! Every story is so different and even though it took us a while to get pregnant, I can't imagine your scary journey of the abruption. Enjoy this year, YOU DESERVE IT!!!
xoxo
Tiffani
http://www.tiffaniatbretonbay.com
Happy Mother's Day Kelssey! I'm happy to hear that one year ago, in spite of the abruption, everything turned out OK. I'm pregnant & hoping for the best. You look beautiful & thank you for all the cute gift ideas.