I remember early on in my pregnancy wondering how I would manage it all - being a wife, working full time and being a mom.  As my belly grew, I went from wondering to worrying as the comments came flooding in.  "How are you going to do it?" "I bet you won't go back to work." "When I had my children, I thought I could but I just had to stay home." "I could never leave my child's side."

Was everyone right?  Am I crazy to think I can do it all?  Am I already setting myself to be a horrible mother?  I began to worry about how I would even survive, much less attempt to excel in all.

But when I set eyes on our baby girl for the first time, an incredible peace came over me.

Every time I held her, I felt stronger and more confident.  I went from fearing to believing.  With every day that passed, I kept thinking, I've got this!



Yes, there were many sleepless nights and challenging days.  Many times I wondered how I would ever function on just 3-4 hours of sleep each night, but as my mom always said "Ya veras como le haces". (You'll see how you do it.)

And the thing is, you do.  You find a way.  When you love what you do, you make it happen.


Now, nine months later, I'm not just balancing my career, my marriage and motherhood, I'm LOVING it all.



So while I may not know the secret to sleep training, or best postpartum workouts, or even how to get a teething baby to stop fussing, I'm happy to share with you what I've lived so far - my personal adventure as a career-driven, busy mommy and devoted wife.  If anything, I hope to provide you some encouragement and lift your spirits when you think you can't do it all.

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This summer my husband and I will be welcoming a beautiful baby girl! And as much as we want her to be here already, we are truly enjoying the journey because these are nine special months we want to treasure as much as possible.

So here are a few things Paul and I have done to enjoy our time as expecting parents.

Celebrate!
I'll never forget the day we had our first ultrasound.  Soon as we left the doctor's office, we treated ourselves to lunch at Perry's Steakhouse.  Not saying it was a huge celebration, but it was all we could do on a Friday during lunch before heading back to work.  But trust me, we'll never forget that lunch as it officially marked the beginning of a new and wonderful chapter in our lives.

Go on dates to baby-friendly places
Rather than looking for hip bars Downtown or hitting the best happy hours around, we now seek restaurants with nice, outdoor patios and family-friendly settings we can envision bringing Baby Coffman to this summer.  Crisp in the Heights, for example, is ideal for a Sunday brunch after church.  It offers a cozy patio, lots of shade and the most delicious sage sausage and provolone hashbrowns.

We've also picked Barnaby's Cafe off Shepherd as a future Coffman family outing for their delicious breakfast menu which includes fresh, hand-squeezed orange juice and my all-time favorite 'green eggs', plus they allow dogs on the patio!  You can't beat that!  Just make sure to get there before 10 a.m. to beat the long wait.

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I ran into this post last week, and it got me thinking about the characteristics of my now-husband, and how I quickly knew I wanted to keep him forever.

1.  He treats my parents with utmost respect.  When he first met them, he didn't know a single word in Spanish, nor did my parents in English, but through the years Paul has gone above and beyond to show them the gentleman he is, how much he cares for me, and how appreciative he is to be part of the family.

2.  He treats my friends like his own.  He is genuine and fun, and always there to lend a helping hand, whether it's for his friends or mine.

3.  He loves dogs.  I knew whoever I married had to love my dog just as much as I did -- nonnegotiable.  Not only does he love my dog, but also Ruckus who joined our family last fall.


4.  He is an amazing cook.  He can cook just about anything, but no one comes close to him when it comes to cooking steaks and smoking brisket!

5.  He plans for the future.  While you can't predict the future, you can sure plan for it financially, and my husband has done that to a T.

6.  He takes responsibility for his actions.  He'll never whine or complain, nor will he blame anyone else for anything that happens to him.  He holds himself accountable for every action he takes and it's consequences, and for that I admire him.

7.  He supports my every dream and ambition - From winning my first Lone Star Emmy to my dreams of writing a book and opening my own PR firm, he supports me in all AND cheers me on.



8.  He knows how to dance! Luckily I discovered his great dancing moves the first night I met him, and danced to 'Shout'.

9.  He knows how to make me laugh every day. - Even if I'm in tears or ready to pull my hair after a stressful day, he always manages to make me burst out in laughter.



10.  He loves me and all my little quirks.  I tend to make up my own words (fuzzy, shiznay, mother-A), and dance whether anyone is looking or not, and I refuse to mix flavors when I eat, among a few other quirks.  But he loves me just like that, lucky me!

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We've been married and living together for nearly three months now, and we've yet to hang up any pictures, art or decor on our walls - nothing.  In fact, there's still a few unopened boxes here and there, and we avoid the garage at all costs since there's still furniture waiting there.

But as bare as our walls may be and as mismatched as our furniture is, it still has that warm cozy feeling every time we walk in.  It's not the decorations, or the family pictures or the furniture that make a place 'home'.  It's the people that live in it, and in our case, the DOGS!

We are a family of four, for now.  When kids come along, it'll be four plus 1, 2 or how ever many children we have.  If you're a dog lover like us, you'll understand how these amazing creatures become a part of your family because nothing beats fumbling to unlock your front door and hearing their paws scrambling down the stairs racing to greet you after a long day at work.  Or taking road trips with the dogs eager to take the front passenger seat!




Or best of all, simply enjoying a relaxing Sunday afternoon with your dogs bumming out on the sofa alongside you and your love.



If you have a dog waiting for you at home, make sure to let them know how much you love their furry faces!  Because without them, your house would really be empty.

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