I am a mother of a 1 year old

Glory to God.. my son turned 1 on the 15th of October.

Before you even go there.... I know it's been a very very vehrrryyy long time since I've posted anything on here.
It's not easy being a mother.. I tell you. Now at the slightest movement of my son.. I'm up-- I'm now going to bed a lot earlier than I used to, and the balance of nightly routines and getting up super early in the morning for work has its effects.

Plus.. I haven't really felt the need to write anything; but I've had a lot of experiences to write about which I will do at the right time.

Jeremiah is walking-- new sense of independence-- he really enjoyed his birthday and had a cake all to himself-- I just can't believe he's 1--- where did the time go?

He's no longer a baby anymore.. he is a toddler. Lawd.

One thing I will address is... as a parent you really need to keep an eye on what your child picks up, habits, etc-- I've completely stopped breastfeeding now-- but in that Jeremiah obtained a bad habit-- waking up at 1am and 5am for a bottle of milk-- which he DIDN'T need.
It was the fact when he woke up he would get something, so he would always wake up at those times.

I had to nip it in the bud quick-- so the week before I went back to work, it was 'operation sleep through the night' and in just a week he adjusted. It was tough for the first three days, he cried for almost two hours the first night-- I've been hit and scratched in the face...

But yeah. He now sleeps through the majority of the night-- he tends to winge a bit around 4:30.. but he doesn't wake up and that's where I've gotten.
All I do now is before he goes to bed, I make sure his belly is full.. and it work like a charm.

But yes.. I have a lot more to write about... soon!

7 months, behaviour and going back to work

My boy is currently 7 months and 2 weeks and I have been learning A LOT.

As a mother, you learn every single day about your child and what to do-- I've noticed something that my son does that is also a development milestone-- he knows that when he cries or he does something that will draw my attention, my attention will be on him.
Example-- he has learned how to get up from his car seat to the point where he has tipped out of it (He didn't hurt himself, don't worry) but because a couple of months back, I would always pick him up as soon as he cries, so he got used to that-- and when I caught on, I stopped.

I looked this up on google (Honestly, google becomes your best friend) and this can be called 'manipulative' behaviour; Manipulative according to dictionary.com is 'exercising unscrupulous control or influence over a person or situation.'

Babies are learning new things, so without even knowing it, they are doing this. We take for granted how smart they actually are-- children are very perceptive and are very observant.

Now, before you look at what I'm saying in disgust, I'm not saying my son is manipulating me, but he is doing it unknowingly because he's learning the ways of the world. Just how children learn how to throw things and drop them-- they want to know what happens when they do so. So just like this, if your child falls down and cries, and every time he does that, you come running to his rescue-- that is what he will believe and grow with that perception.

The reason why certain children become clingy, or bossy or whatever is based on their childhood and what you allow them to do. But it's our job as parents to be their guardians and to steer them when they are going off track so they don't spoil.

If this happened to you-- your child has been doing this thing where if they cry you pick them up, if they do something for your attention and you give it to them, as they grow in life and they see that doesn't always happen, it will mess them up-- but if you let them know from now, that things will not be like that all the time, things don't happen when you want them-- they will have a healthy perception of life and will not be disappointed when it comes to that.


I'm going back to work in a couple of weeks and I have mixed feelings. I NEED to go back to work financially wise, and it will be good for my boy to get used to not seeing me and to break off the attachment to me-- I ecen sense a hint of separation anxiety already-- because I test him by going out without him for a little while and each time I go out he cries until I get back.

Ideally I would have loved to have gone the whole year on maternity, but reality has kicked in and it would be beneficial for the both of us.


I just can't believe how fast time is flying.

Gummee Glove: Review

When my boy's teeth started cutting through, I had to rush and get some type of teething toy to soothe the pain that he was experiencing. Upon my purchase, I stumbled upon this (pic below)

Called the 'Gummee Glove'; what attracted me to it as the colours and the fact that it has so many parts for the child to chew on, and the fact that they can WEAR it. 

Especially with my boy, he can hold things very well, but he likes to throw things too so at least with this, I can secure it on his hand and he can chew away. The glove makes a crinkly sound like a plastic bag and my boy seems so fascinated with that sound, so even better.

It even comes with its own little travel bag for hygiene purposes-- how much better can you go?

And most of all, my boy likes it. So, can't go wrong! His two teeth are fully out now, but obviously there's more to go!

When you're down...

We all have our down, not so good, don't want to talk to anybody, wanna be quiet, anti social, just want to stay in bed kind of moods.. and that is perfectly ok.

The only difference is to not stay down. Life comes with a lot of disappointments, setbacks, regrets and doubts, but to put a positive spin on it, it means you are preparing to be lifted up.

There are so many reasons to feel down in the life we live in, but you need to believe that everything happens for a reason. I am a living testimony to that statement. There are so many things that I have sat down and contemplated about and wondered what was the point of this happening and meeting this person-- but after everything passed and I could see clearly, I realised that it all helped to where I am now.

We will never see why something is happening right at the start, but with time and a little bit of patience, you will see it actually adds to who you are.

Don't be discouraged if at this time you're feeling down and wondering what is next in life-- it's part of the process towards becoming great. Before you get to the top, you start from the bottom-- when you fall down, you get back up.

The point is, when you are down, the only way is up. The time to get up is all based on you.
x

Ella's Kitchen: Review

I've been actively weaning Jeremiah for a month now-- and I've been mainly using the Ella's Kitchen range to do it.
There are a wide array of flavors to try and I absolutely love them.

Above is literally only about 20 percent of what is available to try. The Ella's Kitchen range is perfect to try for your child from 4 months. 

But only attempt to start your child on these foods when you see that they are ready for weaning. What I mean is, you can see that when you're eating your food they look interested in what you are eating and they are going as far as opening their mouths when you offer your food to them.

But yeah, it starts from 4 months onwards-- and there are pouches that look like this for 4 month old babies:

and they usually only come as singular flavours such as mangoes, sweet potatoes, bananas, pears, peas, carrots, and then if you want your child to get a taste of a mixture of flavours, again from 4 months, there are pouches like these:

(Jeremiah really likes this flavour) and as you can see there's a little label with 'super smooth' on it; at 4 months especially, when introducing semi solid food, this is the best option to try because for them it's a completely new experience for them, they're not used to textures, so for the food to be super smooth, it's quite liquid like, so it will be easy for them to eat.
Once you can see that they've mastered the super smooth texture, you can move them onto this kind of Ella's Kitchen pouch:

It usually starts from 6 months, but it's now 'Smooth and creamy' so these particular pouches are a little thicker than the super smooth pouches; but every baby is different, Jeremiah started eating this at 5 months; but you as the parent will be able to tell when your child is ready to move to the next level.

There are more pouches from 7 months which I can't review at the moment because I have yet to try them! But the Ella's Kitchen range is very good, and the flavours are very favourable, lots of fruits, lots of veggie selections-- it's actually inspiring me to do my own recipes!

The FULL Ella's Kitchen range is available in your local Tesco(not express, the larger ones) or Waitrose. And sometimes they run a deal where you can buy 7 for the price of 6.. so you basically get one pouch free.

But yes, give it a go and see how you get on! There are so many ranges of baby's food but Ella's Kitchen caught my interest.

Happy Weaning! x

Silence

In each and everyone's lives... there is a time where you are meant to be silent.

Ecclesiastes 3:7

"A time to be silent and a time to speak."

When this particular time comes, it doesn't mean that you have to be absolutely mute and even when someone says 'hello' you don't pay attention to them-- no, lets not take it that far.. but what I mean is, there is a time where you are just meant to take in your surroundings and listen. We all like to talk and we all like to share our views and opinions; but sometimes it's good to listen and to understand the people around us; and to take time and understand our own selves.

It sounds a little funny to hear, but a lot of us do not know who we are, what we are capable of, or what our purpose is to why we are here.

Silence can also be considered a weapon; you don't need to shout or use profane words. Just be quiet.

You never know, something that you said years ago could be used against you-- but if you were silent, then no one would have anything to stand on and say 'Oh but that time, she said this...'

When you are silent, you see a lot more that is happening around you, and things begin to make sense; you understand why particular things have been happening to you; you begin to understand why you have been feeling a particular way-- and most importantly you gain a better understanding of yourself, because in this time of silence, you can reflect.

When was the last time you just sat quietly at home and reflected on your life, your goals and your aims?

You must set a time at least once a week and do this because it makes all of the difference-- we make time for people, but what about yourself? You are the most important person-- and this is not being selfish; you must take care of yourself from the inside out.

Always make a time and just be silent. You will be surprised at how much you hear.

Living with a newborn: Teething

My boy's teeth are coming through!

He's been teething for a little while, and I didn't really realize until a couple of weeks ago and saw little white stubs on his bottom gums!

Now I'm really seeing the effects of teething-- the drool seems to have quadrupled over the space of a couple of days-- he lost his appetite just yesterday and didn't really eat much... he was crying A LOT... even as he's falling asleep.. he's crying. Whenever I give him his little teething toy, he's chomping and biting on it like no tomorrow.

My little strong man-- he's doing so well-- every day I'm seeing more of his two teeth it's so cute!

One thing I'm noticing is that he wants to sleep a lot more than usual which I guess is part of it as well-- am I a bad parent? I don't really want to give him paracetamol, but rather I want him to ride out the pain-- he's been handling it so well this long; I put his teething toy in the fridge for it to be a little cool against his gums, and that tends to do the trick.
I want to try to only give him medicine when he really needs it, (Temperature, when he has his injections etc) is that a little harsh?

I really don't like seeing my boy like this.. I had to spoil him with cuddles and kisses yesterday because he was so miserable!
But I read up on teething and it's usually only the first two teeth that are the worst-- and when the others come through it's not as bad.
But.. I'll guess I will have to see that for myself!

Another milestone-- so many more to meet! Exciting stuff.
x

Simple Baby Bath Review

So.. through a good friend of mine, I discovered the Simple baby bath range.

There's three different types:

Moisturizing bath, Moisturizing Shampoo, and All in one.

I've had the opportunity to use the 2 out of 3 h is the Moisturizing bath and shampoo and with Jeremiah's history of products and dry skin; this has been the best thing that I have used for him.

The moisturizing bath and shampoo are no tears, so if it accidentally enters in his eyes it won't sting which is great because the way Jeremiah is so mobile in the tub I have no worries.

The smell of the shampoo and bath is great, very gentle and it makes my boy's skin very soft. I love the shampoo especially, it lathers great in my boy's hair and it has helped with his dry scalp.

The only downside is you can only find this range in chemists and pharmacies. If you go somewhere like Tesco or sainsbury's you will not find this particular baby range. 

They only sell for ONE POUND! It's really good and it's best to stock up now before they become very well known.

Living with an infant: 6 months!

Thank you my Lord!!!

My boy is 6 months!! He turned 6 months on Saturday and I am so thrilled. I can't believe he has made it to 6 months. I really can't. It's just unbelievable.

I just had you yesterday!

The way time is just flying is unbelievable-- I'll blink and then he would of turned 1,

That's how it literally feels like.

But wow. Jeremiah has come a long way already-- I remember him so small and I was carrying him everywhere in my arms-- now he's on his way to becoming a little gentleman, I leave him to do his own thing and play-- he can sit up for a little longer now by himself, he's smiling and giggling now... not to mention pulling my earrings and my hair! Oh Lord!
I like big earrings.. I'm going to have to stop wearing them for a while until he stops...! (Will he stop? lol)

He does the most cutest thing now-- if I bring my face closer to his, he will lift up his arms and stroke my face. It's so adorable.

He's getting so vocal now, more 'ba-ba's and 'da-da's, and a heap of squealing.

Jeremiah is known for being 'wiggly'-- he likes to kick his legs ALOT when he's excited, when he's playing... anytime really. That has increased a lot-- I'm wondering if he will be a speedy gonzalez when he starts to walk... lol

I'm reducing on the breastfeeding.. only breastfeeding at night and will gradually wean him off the breast-- Ideally I would have liked to have stopped now-- but I will actively work on the breastfeeding this month so hopefully by next month he'll be off the breast. He's on bottles and is eating semi solids so it shouldn't be too bad.

Things are changing... Soon he'll be getting teeth.. and eating proper food and talking!
I can't wait for him to start talking!

Teehee!

Naked

The most scariest thing that I find hard to do is to open up.

Truly open up. To reveal my hopes, my dreams, my fears, my disappointments and reveal the real me. Broken, imperfect, me.

Does that make sense? We live in a world where someone says they are with you one day and leave you the next.

Unfortunately we are surrounded with some people who are only around for their own selfish gain.

Let me break it down a little more for you.
As individuals we have a choice to who we open up to-- we have a choice of which side of us we choose to reveal to the people who have decided to be in our lives. But it is not all that we reveal... 

Why?

Is it the fear of rejection? The fear that once we have stripped off that barrier we are vulnerable? The fear of being judged? Regardless there is a fear that holds us from revealing our true selves.

But really, it is a very big privilege for someone to know the true you-- weaknesses and all.

We put on so many masks, and add so many layers to who we are just to protect our hearts; but somehow we manage to STILL get our hearts broken.

Being able to reveal your true self to people is the hardest thing to do; but this is being naked.

Sharing your hopes, dreams, fears-- letting people into the deepest darkest parts of yourself... it is the most vulnerable we can be-- and this is what being naked is all about.

It is the bravest thing that anyone can do-- but we constantly live in fear of being rejected or judged. 

But when you can find that person that you can truly be naked with-- do not turn them away. 

Do not live in fear, though-- it won't get you anywhere. If there is no one you can be truly naked with-- go to God.

God knows you best.

x

Rejection

There comes a time in each and everyone's lives where you will be rejected. It doesn't mean that you are pointless or your life is pointless.. it actually means that you are being prepared to be launched into the world.

I believe in God. I believe in his power, I believe once you accept him into your life, so many things change.
God doesn't do anything by accident; if you find yourself in a place where you are rejected, where no one even knows of your existence-- don't be dismayed at all, it just means that God is hiding you for a time before he brings you back out into the world.

This time of hiding is a preparation time-- a time to be groomed, broken, moulded back up, built-- everything.. but it is all for your GOOD.

You may be feeling at this time, 'Oh why is all of this happening to me' or 'Why is no one around to help me' don't even be worried... this is all happening because God has placed you in a place where no one is meant to see this time of transformation-- when God has finished with you, no one will be able to stop you.

It is a strategy! No one looks at the people who are 'nothing', but it's those same people that when you turn around another day, it is the people that you will need to help you! Never look down upon anyone, you never know who you will encounter in this life.

Be encouraged that you are in your process towards greatness. You may be rejected today; but at the time God reveals you, you will be accepted.

Living with an infant: Toys and Development

I recently bought my son a 'playnest' (pic below) and I can really see he is developing and becoming more and more interactive-- it is truly a beautiful thing to see. Something that took 9 months to create inside of you is now growing, developing, responding and playing.

God is good.

The purpose to why I bought the playnest as because as well as my son really liking colours-- they need to start feeling and touching different things and learning by exploring it for themselves. The Playnest is good for sensory development and cognitive development as it has a range of animals-- a zebra with a very soft and furry nose, a lion that makes a very crinkly noise, a parrot with a squeaky beak, and monkey with crinkly arms, and a sunshine with little ribbons that they can feel and stroke. It gets them busy using their hands and differentiating between colours and different textures. The funniest part of this playnest is that when I put my son in it, he lounges back instead of sitting up-- it's like a little chill spot for him. lol

But he's getting really busy in it nowadays, using his little hands to pull on the monkey arms and to touch the crinkly lion-- it's nice to watch.

But I can see that now he will need a wide range of toys because he is a very active baby-- always moving and wanting to touch things-- but it's all part of the curiosity of children.

Flash Fiction Friday-- Quiet

Staring outside to the emerging sunrise; my son is sleeping, looking so peaceful, his chest rising and falling. His eyes closed and his long eyelashes looking like mini bridges across his eyelids..

Mentally planning the day ahead-- listening to the low sounds of the voices on the radio, staring at the ceiling with the cobweb that seems to be getting longer everyday...

I hear the beginnings of crying from my son's crib.

The day has now begun.

The Comfort zone

A couple of blogs back I spoke about Elevation.... but there's something we need to truly understand about the comfort zone.

Being comfortable is when you're in a place where you are familiar with everything. You know what's going on, you know where everything is, you have been there for so long and everything is second nature to you.

But this place of comfort can be your worst enemy-- you can be stuck in this zone for years and before you realize years have passed and you haven't done anything with your life. Then regret and bitterness sets in... and you begin to become jealous of the people around you, when really all you can really blame is yourself for not taking the risk.

It's very easy to stay in a place where you are comfortable-- why would you want to leave? But you need to know that in order to reach the place you are destined to be, you must take a risk and come out!
The journey towards your destination begins when you are uncomfortable. Do you know why? Because what happens in a place where you are uncomfortable; you discover things about yourself that you didn't know you were able to do or you didn't have so much knowledge about. The reason why this happens is because you are more alert to things around you because you are in an unfamiliar setting.
When you're in an unfamiliar place you're on edge because you don't know what to expect-- but this is the place you are meant to be because you can see your true potential.
Familiarity can delay your progress because when you know everything you don't see the importance or significance of that thing again-- and your eyes become closed. This is where you miss a lot of vital things for yourself and for where it could possibly take you in the long run.

We must be constantly moving and progressing because time is not waiting for anyone in this life! Take a risk today and do something that you've never done before-- you must fulfil what you were brought in this life to do!

Purpose

You have a purpose to fulfil. Yes, you.

Have you ever just thought one day that there is more to this life than waking up, going to work, going home and going to sleep and then doing the exact same thing the next day?

There IS more to life than just that-- but are you ready to walk down that path? The path that will have dark twist and turns; the path that may seem like you will never see the light? The path that will test your faith and your patience?

It is awaiting for you.

As long as you are alive to see a new day, there is something God needs you to do. He has something great for you to do on this earth.

Do you believe it?

Best believe because you have not entered this world by accident.
You have a specific purpose.

You have been created to impact the world you are living in. There is a gift, a talent, a skill.. Whatever you want to label it as; that God has instilled a very unique skill for your life to fulfil the purpose that he has written for your life.

Everyone's path in life is different, so there is no need to compare yourself to the person next to you. What they need to do is completely and utterly far from what you are doing so you don't need to compete. My spiritual father Rev Dr Abbeam Ampomah Danso says "I don't compete because I am complete"

Your purpose has been tailored for your life-- all you need to do is walk in it and believe.

Living with an infant: 5 months and weaning

Lawd Jesus in heaven... I'm weaning my child! Where has the time gone Lord?!

In the space of one week so much has changed-- I personally haven't completely stopped my boy of the breast-- but it has now only been limited to the evening/leading to bedtime. What i'm doing is slowly introducing semi solid foods into his diet... so for example yesterday he tried pureed carrots-- from the Ella's Kitchen range.

He liked it-- it's so funny to see their faces when they're introduced to something new-- the face of disgust, astonishment, and then the last emotion is 'oooh, this is really nice actually' and then sometimes.. you get a mouth full of saliva and pureed food. Lovely!

But there's two types of weaning methods that I have come to realise: the general weaning method where you introduce semi solid foods, and they adjust to different tastes and textures... and then there's baby led weaning, where you skip the semi solids completely and go straight to the solid foods, carrots, etc, finger foods that they can hold and also get used to different textures.

When to start weaning is when you can see that your baby has taken interest in your food, they're looking at it with such focus, they're reaching out for it etc.

But obviously you don't start giving them big heaps of semi solids, you start small and progress because it is something brand new to them-- all they are used to is breast milk or formula lol

Once you can see they are finishing the small portion you give them, gradually increase until they finish everything-- the most important thing about weaning is patience. Some babies may not immediately take heed to new tastes, so you have to keep trying at least 3 or 4 times so they get used to the taste.

The most important thing about weaning is to start them with veggies and wholesome foods-- (baby rice, porridge..) because as much as it may not seem like much, you are actually setting their food habits from now. If you give them too much sweet stuff, all they will want to taste is sweet stuff and it will be harder to introduce veggies and the foods that are good for them- it won't be impossible, it will just be more difficult.

I just can't believe how fast time is flying....

God is good though. x

The baby that cried itself to sleep

I had to pause flash fiction friday because this is something I must write down and I must articulate clearly.

Why do people judge almost instantly when they see something that they don't agree with?
On Wednesday evening I was on the bus making my way back home..

My son was crying in the buggy. The cry was continuous. To the point where he began to squeal and wail.

Before it got to that point mind you, I checked on him. He had been fed, cleaned and burped before I left where I was to get on the bus.

I checked something because my son is very much used to being carried and has developed an attachment to me which I am actively trying to break. Before I even move on.. Babies will of course form an attachment to their mothers.. But it's when they become overly attached and want you to hold them all the time is when it becomes a problem. So continuing the story... I slowly took off the plastic cover and pushed down the hood of the buggy and veered close to him as if I'm coming to pick him up.

He stopped crying instantly.

It's something he does at home as well. So what I do is leave him to cry it out.

The amount of dirty looks I received on the bus was ridiculous. I actually had a man approach me and tell me that my child is crying and that I should pick him up. If I gave in to to the pressure, I would have done so. But I won't do that because people have so much to say when they don't understand a damn thing.

I got on two buses and on both buses I checked him and he kept doing the same thing.
Eventually my son fell asleep.

I'm a new mom yes, but there is something that has been instilled in me before my son was even born and that is intuition. 

Before my son was born I went through a week of being in hospital and so much was declared about what was happening to me. 

But yet my son came healthy and happy.

How dare you tell me what to do with my own child. Do you live with me? Do you know how my child is on a day to day basis? 

No. You do not. So how do you feel you have a say in how I should heed to my child?
Yes you probably can't stand the crying, but I know why I am doing what I'm doing.

Plus, he's only 5 months old, unless I really do need to take him out I will, but there if there is no dire need, I won't.

If he was crying because he was hungry, and I had to whip my breast out, again I would still get funny looks so either way I can't win!

A lot of people disagree with the whole 'letting babies cry it out' but at the end of the day wasn't there a time that this method was actively being done?

I refuse for my child to be attached to my hip-- he will be a child that can be independent and that will also allow me to still get things done in the house.

When your child is overly attached to you.. It's very difficult; anyone you give him or her to, the child will cry for you and want you to hold them all the time-- and then what can you do?

Of course babies will have an attachment to their mothers, of course, but it shouldn't be so much that you can't even leave the room, get food, or even go to the toilet without him or her wailing until you get back.

So to all of the people that had something to say either out loud or in their minds and gave odd looks-- you don't live with me, you don't know my son. I have to even pose the question, do you even have children to understand where I'm coming from?

At the end of the day, I'm his mother and he is my son. End of.
When you have your own child you will understand for yourself.

Don't judge me, judge yourself.

Body image and the new mother

Sagging breasts.
Stretch marks tattooed into your skin.
Baby fat.
Loosened muscles down below.
Incontinence.
Post partum hair loss.

Becoming a mother takes its toll on your body alone. This is partly why a lot of mothers go through post partum depression. The amount of changes that go on in a woman's body before and after pregnancy is beyond belief.

Me personally, I have noticed my body has changed drastically-- both good and bad. I have lost a lot of the extra baby fat I had (Hallelujah) but in exchange I have an unsightly amount of stretch marks all over my stomach, as well as the skin on my stomach looking a lot darker than it did before. My skin generally has become a lot drier, and i've noticed my skin easily scars too.

This hasn't got me down, oh no-- I just look at it and remember my 9 month journey. Sometimes I will admit, I look at it and really don't like the way that I look, but then I look at what I've been blessed with and I forget about it.

As women.. We do worry about the way we look.. We wonder if we can 'snapback' to how we were before we got pregnant.. Even though it is very possible, our bodies are never the same.
We go through a lot. A LOT. After giving birth there is a process of healing that must take place.. Especially if you've had a perinnial muscle tear and need to get stitches.. There is a lot that happens when you have a baby that not everyone mentions. All you see is the mother screaming and then a beautiful baby pops out. There is a lot more to it than just that.

So many complications can occur when being on that delivery bed.. It is only by the Grace of God that sees you through.

The changes that occur DOES NOT make you less of a woman, rather it is all proof that you are a superwoman! Your body was able to endure the stress of carrying a human being inside of you.

What an accomplishment!

It's understandable that you may lament about all of the changes that your body has gone through-- but it is all part of the process-- God has given us the strength and the ability to be able to go through it!

All of these things doesn't make you less of a woman, rather it shows how much of a woman you really are-- to be able to go through each day and nourish a growing human inside of you-- still being able to function and to still take care of your other children (for the mama's that have more than one child)

It is a blessing. You are much stronger than you think supermom-- the changes your body has endured is proof that you harbour so much strength and resilience. Be proud of your body. Love yourself, embrace everything about the body God has blessed you with.

Happy International Women's Day! x

Living with an infant: My boy is 5 months!

Thank you Jesus! My boy has made it to 5 months! I cannot believe it!
I look at him all the time and just say to myself 'Weren't you just born yesterday?'

He's growing so much... He now knows how to work his arms and his fingers.. He grabbed my shirt and held it with so much strength!
He's babbling and squealing a lot more.. Doing his 'ba ba's and 'la la's' he rolls now.. He can sit up with my support but I'm going to get him this toy where it allows him to sit up and play with very colourful things..
And then.. The weaning will soon begin..

Lord give me strength!

Faith

There is something I'm seeing nowadays and I am so happy...

Christianity is being embraced more. In the media especially.. social media, television, radio-- even when I step out there's adverts on buses and trains talking about Christianity.

I'm so happy. The UK is a Christian country, and now it's being embraced by the people.

Personally I wasn't an active Christian myself, let me be honest-- but I believed in God.
What made me embrace the faith more was when I lost my mother to cancer. It was a big blow for me because I had just entered my 20's and was coming towards the end of university about to enter the grown up life per se!
So losing my mother, my only guardian in my life.. What do I do now?
But now being 28.. What God did was draw my attention TO him.

Come on now.. A girl just entering her early 20's, naive, vulnerable, no experience yet to stand on.. I could have easily been swayed into the darkness of the world.

But God had a greater plan. He has literally been guiding my path since my mother died.
The DAY my mother died.. I got a new job. The WEEK in which my mother died I received a word from God about my life.

Like come on, won't he do it! Ain't got good people? So even though my mother isn't alive, before she died at least she died knowing that I'll be ok, you know?

And since then I have been encouraged and strengthened by my almighty father every day.
I have my biggest support system, my church God's Solution Centre and my spiritual father Rev Dr Abbeam Ampomah Danso.

I know God wanted my attention. He's definitely got it lol. My life has changed so much and I am forever grateful. Having faith is definitely something that changes your outlook on life and reassures you there is more to life than a 9-5.

You can never force anyone to believe in what you believe but there is no harm in sharing. It isn't fair to keep something to yourself when it has impacted your life in such a positive way.

That's why I will always say, Jesus loves  you whether you want to believe it or not.
He does ❤

Living with an infant: Growth

My son is going to be 5 months this Saturday. Oh my goodness *cries*

Where has the time gone? It was only yesterday I had him! Lol

Every day he is changing right before my eyes.. His personality is unfolding and it's just beautiful.

I'm also slyly starting to wean him.. The other day I tried to give him a little porridge and he liked it! Watching his little mouth smack with all vim and kicking his legs with glee. 

I gave him potatoes today (in very tiny portions) and he kept crying for more!
It's so funny to watch their faces adjust to the new tastes and textures of food.

But I will definitely document here when I fully begin to wean..
The way he looks at my food it's possible I can begin when he's even 5 months (they recommend to begin at 6 months!)

I'll see how it goes...

The Golden Rule

It's such a simple thing to do-- and I'm sure all of you who are reading have said this phrase yourself at some point. How you would like to be treated, treat people the same and you see it will come back to you.

It's similar to karma, if you believe it-- if you treat people anyhow, badly, negatively you will see the same things happening to you and you will wonder why-- because once upon a time there was a person that you spoke to, and you didn't speak to them or treat them in the nicest of ways.. it's all part of it.

You wouldn't like to be spoken to in a rude, condescending way, would you? So don't do it to other people.

The way you wouldn't like to be treated, don't do it to your neighbour, your friend, even the stranger that you see walking alongside you on the sidewalk.

Because I tell you-- the way you treat people will always be remembered-- if their memory of you is good-- at the right time your good will speak for you-- you may not even remember what you did for that person, but it doesn't matter because goodness goes far.
Be careful how you treat people in life because you do not know who you will need to help you-- that person that you looked down upon on so many years ago will be the same person that you will be running to for help.

The world is round-- treat people with kindness. My spiritual father, Rev Dr Abbeam Ampomah Danso always says that 'Kindness pays'

When you pray for a blessing, it comes in the form of a person; but how can that person be a blessing to you if you've treated them in a horrible way?

Do good, and it will come back to you.

x

The many roles of motherhood

Well.

Becoming a mother is not easy-- and there are many other parts that we have to play. We're not just a mother, we are wives, partners, friends, and most of all, we are women.

As a mother there are people who expect so much from us-- we have to be able to handle our children well, support our partners, and on top of that we need to look good otherwise we will definitely be looked down upon.

I understand that because as we have children, we are their role models so we must be able to be a good example-- but being able to juggle all of these roles is not easy and it takes the strength of God to be able to do it.

But from when you become a mother, you can see that you CAN do it-- it can get stressful at times, yes, everyone around can frustrate you at times yes-- because they don't know how you're feeling, what you're thinking about and all of the other million things that are running through your mind-- and even if you try to break it down and explain, they may say 'I understand' but they really don't! As a mom, there is so much weight on you-- but God knows why he has made you into a mother-- he knows you can handle it-- he has given this child to you to be their guardian here on earth-- he knows why he has done it.

So there is no need to fret! Your child is a blessing. You are a great mother. It's ok to make mistakes-- it's ok to feel tired-- you are only human. The biggest thing I have learned with becoming a mother is you really do need a good unit of support around you-- even if you are a single mother, still, your support unit must be there even if it's not immediate family.

There is so much that you can do by yourself-- just small things like popping out to the shop to get some food for the baby or picking up some stuff from the house, it all helps in the biggest of ways.

But I applaud all of the mothers out there-- it is not easy because we have so many roles to play as women. But at the end of the day, we get it done!

The funny moments of being a mother

I never thought seeing poo would be so exciting.

That sounds strange right? Well as a mother, that becomes the topic of conversation on a daily basis. And actually, it is healthy conversation because the poo of a baby reflects their health and how their digestion is fairing.

See.. when they're newborns.. their poo is BLACK. But that's because they've just come out of the womb and that's their first poo full of all of the stuff that they ingested.

And from then on their poo keeps changing colour until you see it to be a mustard yellow colour (unless you've put them straight onto formula) then I believe it's a kind of brown tinge? (I can only speak from a breastfed baby's pov!)

But yeah.. Everytime my boy pooed I was so happy. I think when he was around 2 months going to 3... The pattern of his pooing changed.. He would do a poo maybe twice a week.. And before it was everyday. So.. I got a little worried... But he continued doing his normal wet nappies meaning he is well hydrated. 

When he did his poo it was the same mustard yellow.. So he wasn't constipated thank God!

But as a mother you need to be very watchful of your little one, especially when they get to the age where they start rolling and want to sit up and just... want to MOVE! lol.

But it's so funny as a mother you monitor everything about your little one... Who can confess with me that when they're sleeping... Especially when they're newborns you check if they're still breathing?

Yep me too.

Lol.

The Uniqueness of you

Matthew 5:13-16

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

You are a unique individual. There is no one that looks like you, talks like you, thinks like you, walks like you-- you get the idea. There is a specific reason why God has created you this way. He knows there is something in you that is needed for the world.

In the scripture above, the first line is 'You are the salt of the earth'. What does salt do? It adds flavour to whatever it is put in-- so you as an individual add something special wherever you go.

The scripture also mentions that 'You are the light of the world' Again, what does light do? It brightens up the darkest of places-- or in other words it shines bright wherever it is.

Do not look down upon yourself-- based on this scripture alone you should know that you are special and that you are needed by so many people you have YET to meet.

Don't compare yourself to anyone else; there maybe someone who can talk better than you,-- but you must see it as that is the gift that God has put in them-- there is a very specific gift/talent/ability that God has placed in you that you need to begin to use to make a change in the world.

Never allow anyone to cause the light in you to become dim-- you must take into consideration the journey you are enduring-- there are people along the way that will need your story, that will need the problems you faced, the trials you thought you would never overcome to give them hope.

When God wants to bless you, he brings a person. That person is you. You are a blessing to so many.

Do not ever think you are not needed, do not ever think you are not valued, do not ever think that you are a nobody.

You are someone in the eyes of God; and you are so important.

x

Flash Fiction Friday: Moments

That moment when they finally close their eyes to sleep-- looking like angels sent from heaven.

That moment when they first recognize their hands-- staring at them, wiggling them, learning how to bend them; they are growing so fast.

That moment when you see them smiling in their sleep-- you as a mother feel as if you have accomplished the greatest thing in the world-- making your child happy.

That moment when they stare at you, registering in their minds that you are indeed their mother/father..

Beautiful moments.

Living with an infant: Co sleeping

Co-sleeping was something that was really frowned upon when I was leaving the hospital after I had my son. When I was waiting to be discharged, we had to attend a talk that went over everything from taking care of ourselves while we are healing (I had to get stitches because I tore a little when I gave birth) along with getting a lot rest while the baby is sleeping, feeding, etc.

Co-sleeping however was not encouraged, they made sure they said that make sure the baby is sleeping in a crib, feet touching the end and to be careful of covers in case they may suffocate themselves.

Now-- a brand newborn baby I understand because they're fresh-- they're tiny, they're fragile-- but it happens that they sleep better with mommy and daddy-- and a lot of people do it.

Me however... I didn't have a problem with him sleeping in his crib-- but now at 4 months, he still has his moments. There was one morning where I was so tired, I had my son on my chest because when he was around 2 or 3 months, that was his place to sleep-- his dad had gone to work, so I lay him next to me on a very flat pillow and boom-- he slept for about 4 hours straight.

Whaaat! And I think around that time that was the longest I had ever slept! lol But babies find the smell of their mother comforting so I think that was why he slept for so long-- but I was very happy about that! So almost every morning after his dad goes to work, he will sleep with me and we sleep really really well. lol

But if you know you're a very rigorous sleeper... you really should not co sleep with your child.... just to prevent any accidents.
Medical professionals like to scare new parents by throwing SIDS around (Sudden infant death syndrome), so for example you should never have your baby sleeping on their stomach, co sleeping is definitely not advised, no covers in the crib that can make them too hot-- I understand it is all for the safety of your child, but we as the parents know best and will do what works well for us.

I wouldn't advise co sleeping-- because there are dangers involved but if you happen to do it and it works for you-- go for it.

Living with an infant: 4 month immunisations

I absolutely hate hate hate when it's time for my boy to get his injections.

Hate it!

Depending on the baby-- they can either sleep a lot, barely sleep, get really fussy or grumpy, get really clingy, or they're absolutely fine-- they say they can get a fever-- especially with the doozy of the three injections they get at once at 2 and 4 months.

My boy is a man! He only cried when the needle went in and that was it...  but I hate to see it go in his little leg.. but it was quick.

I don't like it... but it's needed for them... And anyway the good part about it now is that he won't have another set of injections until he's 1

Hurrah!

Just felt to share.

x

My Breastfeeding Experience

During my pregnancy I yearned to be able to have the ability to breastfeed. Sometimes it just doesn't happen-- it doesn't make you less of a mother. But with me being a first time mother with my first child-- I really wanted to have the experience-- I heard so much about breastfeeding and how you bond with your child and all of those beautiful things..

And here I am today--- breastfeeding. I've been breastfeeding for 4 months-- 3 months exclusively but I had to begin to mix breastfeeding with infant milk because my boy wasn't gaining his weight like he was supposed to-- nothing too drastic, but at my health visitor visits, we would weigh him and he would always be a couple of ounces off the specified weight he was supposed to be. But despite that-- I could still see that my son was thriving. He was a little on the lighter side.. but still meeting all of the normal development stages.

But with introducing the infant milk as well as continuing to breastfeed-- he is putting on more weight because what the infant milk does which I have noticed is that he sleeps a lot better in the night-- when I was exclusively breastfeeding-- for me, he would wake up so much in the night and it's because he was hungry-- I know at the beginning, newborns, they will do that because their stomachs at that stage are the size of a pea-- but as he was getting older, it was still happening-- and babies need as much sleep as possible to grow. He would sleep a lot through the day and at night he would constantly be waking up. But... presently, he's up a lot in the day and sleeps for at least a solid 4 hours before waking up for a feed which is a very big improvement. A lot of people around me can see he's steadily gaining weight and is looking and maturing very well.

When I made the decision to mix breastfeeding, and also giving him infant milk-- to be honest, I felt discouraged-- I felt like I can't even provide my son enough milk to grow. But boy babies LOVE TO EAT! So it has nothing to do with me not providing enough milk-- they need more. And glory be to God, at least I was able to breastfeed exclusively for 3 months straight, and he was fine. I just made up my mind that I was going to breastfeed all the way until he's 6 months-- but one thing I've come to realise is that things don't always go according to the plan you have in your mind-- and that is ok; because at the end of the day it's about the child and what is best for the child at that particular time.

But breastfeeding is beautiful. You as a mother create this unbreakable bond with your child-- sometimes when they get to the stage where they recognise your face-- they will look up at you with this gaze like 'You're my mommy' and sometimes even flash a smile. When they get to the stage where they start to recognise the use of their hands, they begin to grab your fingers-- some squeeze your breast-- but it is all part of the bonding experience. It makes you feel so good that this child that you have carried for 9 months is here and you're able to provide nutrition for him/her.

I've also posted up my breastfeeding experience on the Huffington Post. Check it out and make sure you leave a comment!

x

Flash Fiction Friday: No sleep

As I cradle him in my arms, his arm resting on my left breast-- I regret nothing.
Sunrise. Worked the baby night shift. So tired.

As I look at his sleeping face, his little chest rising and falling so peacefully-- all I can do is thank God. Thank God for giving this gift to me. Thank God for providing the strength to take care of this gift.

He buries his head into my breast and exhales.

3 easy ways to utilize your time with an infant

It can be a struggle to do things around the house with an infant depending on you for everything. It gets to a point where you become a little frustrated and stressed due to the lack of sleep (Which will end very soon) But it is very possible to still get things you need to get done and for life to still continue!

1. Sleep

It's without a doubt up until their first birthday-- infants need as much sleep as possible-- once they feel to sleep they will cry, fidget and make the most noise possible-- do not ignore this cue! Once they are asleep... you can do as much as you possibly can-- do the laundry, eat, make important phone calls, dance around-- whatever! This is the best time to use your time productively (even though.. a lot of time it is recommended that whenever the baby is sleeping, we as the mother should be sleeping too =/)

2. Play and Multi task
If your child is anything like mine-- in regards to fighting sleep until he can't fight it anymore, this is another thing you can do to make the most of your time in the day. Specifically speaking.. if your child is at an age where they can be in a bouncer or a walker-- put them in and if you have house chores or things you need to do around the house get it done! The baby is safe in there walker/bouncer and won't hurt themselves-- and they won't be too far from you!

3. Take turns
I don't want to generalise because everyone has different circumstances with their children-- but if you happen to be with your partner this is a very good thing to do-- as a mother sometimes it can become too much handling an infant-- it isn't wrong to take some breaks and let the father also have some duties with the child. If your child is on infant milk or you happen to pump your breast milk, give it to dad to feed the baby-- not only does it create a bond between daughter and or son and father but you get a break and have a little leisure time to yourself.

Let me know what other tips you have in the comments! :)

The Process of being built

Isaiah 64:8
“But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand.” 

In this life, there is constant change, constant growth-- we make mistakes but that contributes to the journey we are facing.

Do not be discouraged through the situations and problems that you encounter-- it's all part of building you up. We are all different individuals with a different story to tell-- which is what makes our lives so unique. Do not compare yourself to the next person because the journey they are facing is completely different from yours. This is why you must see your life as a blessing-- the problems that you face and you are somehow able to endure, if someone else goes through the same issue-- they are most likely to become a victim and tragically not be able to make it through.

This is also why we should not judge people at first glance-- we have no idea what they are going through. In this life there are so many stories untold, and so many things that have decided to be unsaid all we can do is just to encourage ourselves and the people that have decided to be around us as we all go through our individual storms.

Going through storms and going through problems doesn't make us weak-- we are strong for being able to stand amidst of them-- and it is a good sign when we are battling problems-- it means that we are being broken down to be built up to become stronger, more wiser, more mature because where we are heading is to a place of greatness.

Look at it this way-- whenever you encounter a situation that looks so hard, that is so dirty, that can get to a point that it so scary-- it just means God is preparing something great for your life-- he is just testing you to see if you truly believe in him and trust that he is with you every step of the way.

Our lives are in the hands of God-- he is moulding us in his hand to the person he has already destined us to be come.

Keep the faith and keep standing strong.
x

Letter to my son

Dear Jeremiah,

I love you so much and I want you to have the best-- more than what I had when I was growing up.
I had you at a time in my life where things weren't where I wanted them to be but God knew more than I did.

You came at the right time.

You are my motivation. You give me the drive to do better, to be better.. When I think of you it puts me back in line and reminds me that there is more that I can achieve-- after all it is me and your dad that you will be looking up to. I still make mistakes-- but it will help me when teaching you how to do the right thing in life.

I will always be here for you.. Through the rough patches of puberty.. Throughout being a teenager.. And becoming a young adult.. Even when you have your own family I will still be here on the outside for any moral support you will need.

I'll be your shoulder to cry on. I'll be the first one to put you back on track if I see you going wayward.

There will be times where I say or do things that you may not like or agree with, but know it's for your good. I'm still your mother and I still have to guide you to the right place.

I always pray to God that he will give me the wisdom and knowledge to raise you into the great person you are destined to be. I look at your face and I see blessing. I look at your face and I see prosperity. I look at your face and I see pure joy.

YOU give me joy. I could feel a little down but as soon as I see that smile on your face I'm filled with joy and begin to be uplifted.

May that joy never leave you my son-- for the joy of the Lord will always be your strength.

I am here for you. Through the good and bad. You are teaching me new things everyday. Your innocence is beautiful.. Smiling at the littlest of things.. The smallest of things that entertain you.. Most of all how fascinated you are with the world around you.

I am afraid of how negative and corrupt the world is at this time.. But God has made you a light. You will not struggle. You will not be affected by the stress and frustration of the world. You will be different.

I pray you will shine and impact everyone that comes in contact with you.

I am blessed to have you in my life and thank you for reviving a zeal in me to let me know there are still things that I need to conquer..

Everytime I look at you it pushes me to do more.

Thank you Jeremiah for restoring hope in me.

Mommy loves you so much.

x

Living with an infant: Sleeping saga continues

So... For the past couple of days Jeremiah seems to have reverted back to fighting sleep like never before-- so bad it got to the point where I would need to rock him until he is drowsy before he would fall asleep.
It's currently 7:09am and Jeremiah kept waking up in the night as a result of pulling his hair-- he does this when he's tired-- and when he does this he wakes himself up... Crying because he pulls his hair so hard!
Also! As soon as I would attempt to put him in his crib he would start to cry and I was really wondering why he was doing this-- because I could see that he was so tired!
I even had to revert back to him lying on my chest! These things I have stopped!

So do you know what I did? I took my pillow that I sleep on and I put it in his crib-- it was a really flat pillow so it's not too dangerous.. But it looks so funny because the pillow is big for his crib so half of the pillow is on the wall.
But getting back to the point... So the pillow is in the crib... When I got him a little drowsy I lay him on the pillow in the crib.. And he went straight to sleep.

Now I don't know if he was just reallllyyy tired so he fell asleep.. Or if my smell on the pillow caused him to fall asleep. I'm gonna do it again tonight and see if it makes a difference.
Because babies take heed to their mother's smell.. It calms them down..

So I will see what happens.. I really do pray I will conquer through this sleeping thing with Jeremiah!

Career orientated mama

Since giving birth I have been highly motivated to getting back on track with my writing.
Before and while I was pregnant I felt very lazy to write.. I had a lack of motivation.. I was suffering from a lot of writers block and I generally wanted to give up, really.

I have been writing for years and my writing hasn't got to a stage where i'm well established and there is some type of familiarity associated with my blog or my general writing.

I am still unknown!

But who's fault is that? My own.

But since having my son.. A zeal has come over me and I have a lot of goals writing wise that I really do want to achieve this year.

I think the thought of my son looking up to me is what is pushing me.. I want him to see that he doesn't have a deadbeat mama that just settled being a stay at home mother. Not to say that being a stay at home mother is a bad thing-- but for me personally

I know there is more I still need to achieve-- my life doesn't stop here.

I want him to be proud that he has me as a mother-- I want him to know that whatever he wants to do in life he can do it.
And for myself I want to know that I can achieve whatever I put my mind to.

I don't want to use the excuse that I had a child so there was no time to do anything.

You need to make the time.

God doesn't do anything by accident you know. He knows exactly what he is doing-- if he knew that he allowed a baby to come at a particular point in your life where you weren't ready he wouldn't release it. He knows what is good for your life. Even if you think you're not ready and God releases it, he knows why and you will see it for yourself eventually.

In a way having my son has rejuvenated my drive to chase my dreams.

I pray with God's help and guidance I will get there and my son will be proud of his mama!
x

Sunday morning reflections

My sleeping pattern has changed a lot since having a baby but I'm using it to my advantage to communicate with God and to better myself as a person.

At least a couple times in the week I reflect on myself.. The kind of person I am.. What I need to change.. And since becoming a mother I think my thoughts have quadrupled lol.

I just want to be the best mother to Jeremiah-- I am not perfect but there are small things that I can change about myself to be better and to be a good role model to my son.

I know I'm a good person and I always wish the best for people-- that may not be the case with everyone else in the world, but who cares? Not everyone is going to love you-- and that's ok.

Psalm 23:5
'You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.'

Sometimes you need some people who necessarily don't like you or wish the best for you to see you excel. Keep killing them with kindness.. Love them. God will do the rest.

But generally I always think of how to better myself.. I'm stubborn. God has to help with that one! But the good part of it is I am working on it.

That is the major key in becoming better-- acknowledging that there are things that do need to be changed and put it into action.

We are all fortunate to still be here-- there are people who haven't made it to see today.

Living with an infant: Interaction and Personality

I love watching my son. It is so funny-- the expressions, the smiles, the way he looks at things and analyses it for himself.

One thing I've noticed about Jeremiah-- and I've mentioned in a previous blog is I can see that he really likes colours. I have a very large muslin with colourful leaves on it-- and every time the muslin is around he stares at for so long. I recently bought new sleepsuits for him, and one is blue with stripes-- he was staring at the stripes on his sleeves for ages, with some serious focus!

So I believe he'll like a lot of colours but we'll see how that progresses.

Now-- my boy is starting to recognise the use of his hands-- he stares at them from time to time but now he's starting to grab things, my scarf, his hair, my shirt (as I'm wearing them..) my breasts (while he's nursing)

Yeah... I'm going to need to get him toys soon so that he can start keeping himself occupied and it will also be good for his cognitive development.

Also I'm still observing his personality unfold-- he's a cool baby-- he likes to chill out, but he likes to play a lot too. He doesn't get easily bored, but if he's left for too long by himself (If he's awake and I need to go up and get something) he doesn't like it-- he likes having everyone around which means he'll probably be a really family orientated young man. I read up on his star sign (I like to read them from time to time) and he is a Libra-- Libra's are peacemakers-- and I would not be surprised in the slightest if he grows up to be someone who likes to solve problems.

He's also becoming very vocal too! I am loving it, the cooing sounds, the little gurgles and squeaks he makes-- I love it-- it's just so lovely to see him growing. I feel so honoured to be a mother to such a blessed child. My phone is always camera/video ready to document all of these moments!

But overall these are just small observations-- his personality could change once he becomes a toddler.. who knows!

...Oh no the terrible twos...

I'm thinking too far now!

lol!

Flash Fiction Friday: Hold on

He's such a bundle of joy. Skin caramel like chocolate. Smelling of fresh shea butter. His small little legs are rhythmically kicking at my thigh.

He feels so comfortable sitting on my lap observing his new surroundings. His new life. So small but ready to explore the world around him.

His little arm resting on mine-- cooing happily and comfortably. His hand with his 5 tiny fingers clasp my index finger with such a grip. He's holding onto me with the little strength he harbours.

A gummy smile shines on his face.

Hold on to me for as long as you want.

Elevation

There comes a time in your life where you need to move to the next level. I am a prime example of wanting to stay where I am comfortable-- but comfortability does not bring success; it rather stunts your growth and delays your progress.

It's so easy to be in a place where we are comfortable-- but before you realise a decade has passed and what have you done with your life? It's good to take a look at your life and evaluate what needs to be changed so that you can continue to strive to newer and bigger levels.

What we like to do as human beings-- and I am the first guilty person-- we love to make excuses to why we should remain in our comfort. 'Oh, it's better I stay here because I know everything that I need to do' 'I like it here, I don't need to move' But we DO need to move. We DO need to get to places where we don't know exactly what we are doing-- but this gives us the opportunity to learn and to add to what we already know. Once that happens, you've gained more experience for your life and it betters you as a person.

Don't you ever get to a point where you become uncomfortable? When you feel like that-- it means it's time to move on; do not ignore that urge because you must always be moving to new levels throughout your life, it is a sign that you are progressing.

This doesn't mean however, that you should compare yourself to other people and make rash decisions. There are times where you are meant to be in a place for a significant amount of time before you move to another level-- everyone is different, and everyone's experiences are different. The most important thing to do is take your time, follow your instincts-- when it's time to move you will know.

Don't be afraid to jump out of that comfort zone and be elevated-- your elevation means you are taking the right risks and movements to reach success.

Move from where you are to somewhere better and conquer your fears.