Thankful on a Thursday

Strangely the last two Thursdays I've felt out of sorts both physically and emotionally. It was hard to push myself to do my thankful posts but making it a habit has really been a great thing for me and my outlook. It's those crummy days that I need to focus on the good things even more. Today however has been a much better day!

I have been reading my Bible EVERY day this week which is something I'm constantly convicted about. It's such a challenge to find a quiet moment to focus on the word of God and journal/pray about what I read. It has been so good to get a fresh start and really dive into the word of God. This isn't something I'm bragging about (ooh look at me, I read the Bible). I'm simply pointing it out because I credit having His word in my mind and on my heart with how good I've been feeling.

This morning Kai + I got our flu shots (his 2nd one this season). It was the first time I'd gone to get immunizations without Ben. Kai screamed at first but didn't continue or even cry. He did an excellent job! I on the other hand have been nursing my arm all morning, it hurts! So we both had a dose of tylenol when we got home from errands to keep the aches away.

After nap time we are headed out once again. This time we have our appointment with anesthesia to prepare for Malakai's surgery next week. I'm looking forward to getting some questions answered and hopefully have some of our fears ceased.

This week I'm very thankful for...

581. a very generous and surprising gift.

582. the sunshine while we have been out + about today (nothing worse than dashing through the rain with a toddler!)

583. super fun kids' birthday parties.



584. borrowed cars that make it a bit easier some days for this one car family.

585. the ability to get vaccinated against diseases.

586. giving parents + in-laws.

587. all the blessings that the future holds.

588. God's unending provision. Things may get tight, but He ALWAYS provides.

589. listening to Kai's expanding vocabulary + comprehension.

590. the love, affection, and devotion of a very handsome man.

What are you thankful for?

what day is it?!

I totally started writing a thankful on a thursday post. I'm all thrown off because I went into the office this morning and I always go in on Thursday mornings. Tomorrow, the real Thursday, we have all sorts of doctor appointments so I had to change our usual routine for the week.

I'm having a strange (in a good way) day today. I was thinking about fruit trays, like at Costco and I really started craving some on my way to the church this morning. I get there and notice that someone has a plate of fruit and so I check the kitchen area. There's a note on the counter that there's a fruit tray in the fridge and to "help yourself". SCORE! Pineapple, honeydew, strawberry, grapes and mango. YUM!

There is nothing like satisfying a pregnancy craving. Last night I had a cheeseburger and a mini oreo blizzard from DQ. I had been craving soft-serve icecream for the past 8 weeks and hadn't indulged it until then. AWE-SOME.

Then I was sitting here entering giveaways for baby stuff that we won't be able to afford after all of the medical bills from Kai's surgery and my labor + delivery. I checked my facebook for the first time today and had a message from a friend asking me if I'm still looking for an ErgoBaby Carrier and if so, to text her. Interesting.

I've been wanting an ErgoBaby every since Kai outgrew other carriers at an early age. At 10 months he refused to let me put him in any type of carry in the woven wrap and no longer fit the weight limit on our front carrier (a cheap version of a BabyBjorn). When he was almost a year old we went camping and borrowed one of those aluminum framed backpack carriers. He liked it but Ben + I both wanted to die it hurt our backs so badly.

So I've been looking for a discounted ErgoBaby, they are rated up to 40lbs and you can carry baby in the front, on your hip, or on your back. I began to imagine us at the Farmer's Market with our cumbersome stroller that irritates all the locals and how nice an ErgoBaby would be for Malakai and his parents to navigate crowds such as these with ease. I did what any internet savvy mom would do, I asked my friends on facebook. They suggested BabySteals and Craigslist. I was really hoping someone out there would have one I could just borrow. They are hardly ever on BabySteals, but I've been checking it religiously every since and the one I found on Craigslist was already gone (plus CL just creeps me out).

Back to the email. I texted her back to say that yes, we were still looking for one. I was anticipating that she perhaps knew of someone who was selling one. She texted back "Got one for ya!!!" and I was immediately confused. I asked her if she knew someone who had one and how much we owed her. She replied "Ha! you owe nothing!"...which is when I started to cry. Oh hormones. But more than that, I am just so touched that someone would see our need and choose to bless us in such a big and unexpected way. She's even dropping it by on Friday, I can't wait to try it out!

What's an unexpected blessing you've received lately? How did you respond?

SO BLESSED,

12 weeks {for real}

Yesterday I hit 12 weeks in this pregnancy, by the standards of my new due date. PHEW! It's weird to sort of hit a milestone twice. Although 12 weeks isn't yet the 2nd trimester (it's actual 14 weeks and 3 days or something silly like that) it's still a milestone for when the nausea is supposed to dwindle and energy is supposed to come back. I've been feeling it VERY SLOWLY.

With the sun staying out longer and the rain not coming down 24/7 we've been able to get out for a few walks recently. Today it looked a LOT warmer than it was outside, there was a nasty wind that froze our ears. We walked 2 miles and played at the park before lunchtime anyway. I always seem to feel better and sleep better when we get out of the house.

Here's me today at 12 weeks 1 day. I am SO not wearing this outfit today, I actually wore it Sunday and wanted to get a picture in it but we slacked on the pictures this weekend. So I just put it back on for the photos and now I'm back in my t-shirt + yoga pants...

And just for fun, here's what I looked like in this dress when I tried it on for the first time last July. I was shopping at Target by myself and couldn't decide between 3 dresses so I sent photos to Ben for advice... this of course was one of the winners. By the way, they are selling these dresses again and they're only $15!

How far along? 12 weeks, 1 day...for realsies...I hope.
Total weight gain/loss: +3 lbs.
Stretch marks? nope
Maternity Clothes:  I've started wearing some maternity jeans because I can't stand any pressure on my belly, but I've been LIVING in my new roll top yoga pants.
Sleep: different every night. Last night was a bit restless but mostly because my husband set the clock in his sleep multiple times throughout the night...
Best moment this week: hearing little ones heartbeat at my last appointment.
Movement: once every day or two at night I feel little movements. 
Gender: we'll find out at the end of May
Labor Signs: no thankyou.
Food Cravings: jamba juice!
Belly Button in or out? in
What I miss: an occasional glass of wine.
What I am looking forward to: Ben coming to the next appointment so he can hear little swimmie's heartbeat for the first time.
Weekly Wisdom: stay active, even if you feel icky and have no energy...but don't push it!
Milestones: hearing the heartbeat on the doppler.
Baby Brain Moment of the Week: making up random words or not knowing the word for normal everyday things. If I forget your name, don't take it personally!

sing-song

Over the past week or so Malakai has developed my most favorite habit of his, singing. He takes on a sing song tone and just goes through words he knows and some that we aren't sure about quite yet. Sometimes it's to the tune of Old MacDonald or the alphabet, sometimes it's a tune all his own.

Here he is at lunch today, singing his version of the alphabet as he points at the letters on his plate. I love this stage...

photo friday: finally spring

I've been agonizing over blog posts + facebook updates from those of you in warmer climates talking about your lovely weather and calling it "summer" already. In Oregon's Willamette Valley spring is a bunch of rain mixed with some sunshine (which makes vibrant rainbows), but mostly cold.

This week we were finally able to experience the spring that the rest of you have been talking about. Unfortunately yesterday I was feeling quite miserable so we stayed inside, but this morning we went for a walk to the park and played outside for a good hour and a half. It was warm enough for me to take off my sweater on the walk home!

We ate lunch with the back door open, airing out the house, and I felt too productive to take a nap wile Kai snoozed, so I worked on things for my job and calling doctors, nurses + schedulers to figure out Malakai's consultations + surgery stuff for the next couple of weeks. Plus, we're finally getting our flu shots! Well, I am, and Kai is getting his booster. We're so late that our doctor's offices were both out of the vaccines so we're going to Public Health.

Of course I grabbed my camera while we were out this morning and snapped some photos of play time at the park and a few things blooming out my front door.

{looking cool in daddy's shades}

{top left: asking me "please" for help...then he learned to go down by himself!}

{he loves to climb!}

{he kept putting the bark in the holes on the stairs, driving the car, sitting at the table}

{he discovered a stick, it was the most fun he's ever known}

{pink hyacinth lining the walkway to our front door}

{the first tulip}

What has spring been like where you live? 

Happy Weekend!