anticipation and thankfulness, or pregnancy and baby showers

Tomorrow is 38 weeks on the baby wait calendar.  And it has made for some interesting personal reflections.  It has been interesting seeing how my thought process has evolved from when I was expecting no. 1.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote this post about my insecurities about being a momma of two.  Since then...I have realized more and more strongly that things will work out.  Not easy, lots of hard work, but exactly how God plans them to be.  I have an amazing husband, supportive family, dear friends, and a heavenly Father who are always with me.

The point is that I am really looking forward to having two.  I am very aware that my time will be even less my own than is currently the case but does it matter when you have another pair of arms to nurture so that they will give me hugs and cuddles like Hito does already?  I don't think he quite knows that he is going to have a sister but that's ok.  =P  He is growing into quite the affectionate, curious, mischievous little guy and I can't wait to have another little person in our house.

Am I being very biased if I say he is getting to be too stinking handsome?

One of the things that I am so thankful for right now are a church family and dear friends who mean the world to me.  These ladies threw me a baby shower about a month ago and that was when it really set in that another baby was going to enter our lives.

My dear friend Kristin (who you have heard me talk about regularly) threw me the shower and did such an amazing job!  I felt so spoiled and loved!  I mean, just look at what she did!  She knows that this book, Jamberry, is one of my absolute favorite children's stories and used it as the theme for the shower - it was to die for!

Kristin used the book as a guest book!  It was the sweetest idea!

And her decorations on the dessert table alone are kind of amazing!  And the food was fantastic too!

Kristin, thank you so much for the time and effort you put into this shower and for your sweet friendship.  You are a huge source of encouragement and love and growth to me and I thank God that He put both of us in the same church with the chance to meet and grow together!  Xoxo!

Check out Kristin's blog for more pictures too!  (As well as her website because she is kind of amazingly talented and makes beautiful bridal and hair accessories!  She even made me a hair piece for the shower - but you have to go check out her blog to see that!)

Have a beautiful day!

my end of pregnancy style staples

I am less than a month away from my due date and it is now a daily battle to find something to wear.  A battle to find something that makes me feel remotely fashionable and cover the rather large baby bump I've got going on.  =P  I will admit, there are a few things that people will be seeing me in rather regularly from here on out.  So in case there are any other mommas out there who need something to cover their baby bump, here are my suggestions!

~The Nursing Friendly Maxi~

This dress is so easy to wear that I have been kind of living in it.  It can dress up, down, or in between and is specifically designed to transition with you once baby comes.  The criss-cross front is modest but definitely stretchy enough to easily accommodate the breast-feeding momma!

Liz Lange for Target

~The best pregnancy pants I have found~

I had been hearing great things about Gap's maternity wear and hadn't needed anything so I hadn't bought anything.  Well an amazing coupon code showed up in my email a few weeks ago and I took the plunge with these fun polka-dotted jeans.  I don't know what took me so long because these are amazing!  The band is comfortable and provides great support.  The denim is high quality and stretches exactly how I need it to.  I can't recommend these pants enough!

1969 always skinny jeans by Gap

I apologize that I did not have my act together enough to actually get pictures of these things on me but trust me, they have been on my body very often.  =)

Have a beautiful day!

the confessions of an only human momma

With the approach of #2's due date (June 14th, if that was your next question), I've been having some inner...turmoil...about taking care of Hito and how adding another child to the picture will effect my ability to maintain my pursuits...and the house...and life.  This inner searching has been helpful and unsettling at the same time.  Maybe it is just a different version of the nerves I dealt with before H came.  Either way, I thought I would share them in case any other mommas need a little boost - because as anxious as I may be, I know that things will work out.

Will I be able to balance spending time with two kids?
Will I be able to adequately take care of my husband and his needs while juggling two kids?
Will I be able to pursue the jobs/goals/tasks that I see God opening up for me?
Will we be able to train our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?
Is my behavior modeling Christ or making Him harder to see?

I don't have answers for these questions at the moment.  But somehow, I'm ok with that now.  Having written them down and being aware that I will shortly be clicking the "publish" button to share them with the world has reminded me that things will work out.  That doesn't mean that I know how they will work out.  But I know that the sun will rise, my children will grow, my work will go on, and my husband will be by my side the whole way.  And through it all, I have a loving and merciful heavenly Father who is only giving me what I can handle.

"...My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness..."

2 Corinthians 12.9

Have a beautiful day!