three little pumpkins sitting in a row.

happy halloween

this is arguably one of my favorite holidays. 

i love everything about it.

from pumpkin flavored anything/everything, to dressing up,

to trick-or-treating, to candy galore, to spooky decorations,

to the perfect fall weather, to haunted houses, to cuddling indoors.

the list goes, on and on.

{lovebird insisted on a baby, mama & papa pumpkin this year.}

currently:

i couldn't stray from tradition, so i've got a pot of chili in the crockpot.

i tried a new recipe this year, due to lovebird's health kick at the moment. 

with a few tweaks, of course.

also, a big pan of cornbread waiting to be plopped in the oven.

the house smells divine.

baby's been dancing around all day- 

i think he/she can smell the goodness too.

and quite possibly since my deep love for this holiday.

thank goodness my mother raised me loving halloween.

she is halloween's number one fan.

she taught me well.

oh, and thanks to her hand-me-downs, my house is decked out.

it saddens me to hear of people who hate halloween...

how dare they!?!

so, i too, hope you'll be enjoying a bowl of chili and
a slice of cornbread this evening.

tonight is halloween; and i couldn't be happier.

have a spooky night. 

the 3 month jitters.

{photo taken by: this lovely lady, kirsten wiemer}

we are exactly three months 

out from our due date. 

can i get a "hurrah and yikes!" all at the same time?

we are so ready for our little one to be here;

as in snuggled up in our arms; spoiling us with love and warmth.

but are we ready for our little one to be here?

the brutal answer is no. 

 i feel as though we have not a clue what to except.

not to mention our nursery is still so empty.

am i procrastinating? not in the slightest.

am i clueless? in just about every aspect.

am i scared? i wouldn't call it scared.

am i ready to be a mother? beyond ready.

it's interesting that something can be so familiar, yet so foreign.

i think of all the babies i've ever held, cuddled or babysat-

yet, i seem to feel as though i'm left clueless.

sure, i know how to change a diaper and give a bottle.

but, do i know which diapers to buy or what bottles work best? no.

lovebird is often getting mad at my anxious and nervous mind;

i'm thankful to have him as a reminder that things always seem to work out.

i have to keep telling myself, this is something 

i will never be prepared or ready for.

but more importantly, no one is ever ready or prepared. 

why? because having your first baby is something so new.

it's a first.  

so, it boils down to this...

we are eagerly counting down these last three months,

because ready or not... here baby comes!

and the underlying truth is... we are are beside ourselves with excitement. 

nameless.

naming your child is a hard task, i tell you.

so hard, i sometimes think our babe might be

 nameless for a month after it enters this world.

{i am too embarrassed to even tell you how long it took us to name our dog.}

there is so much behind a name.

the sound of it, the meaning behind it, how popular it is,

where it comes from, the spelling, using a family name, the initials....

does it sound good with your last name?,

are all nicknames "good" nicknames?

is the name unique enough.... or too unique?

will every future classmate share the same name?

you get the idea....

some say, why care? name your child what you want.

other's check the popularity charts daily before naming their babe.

some only stick with family names,

while others go to the extreme of coming up with the most unique name possible.

i'm not so sure what category lovebird and i fall into yet.

we are so undecided. 

of course, we have some favorite names floating around in our heads-

but- i'm the world's most indecisive person.

i keep blaming my indecisiveness on finding a name i love, 

on the fact that we aren't finding out the gender of our babe.

but let's be honest, that's just an excuse. 

help me, people.

i'm beginning to lose sleep over finding a name.

why? because in all seriousness, i believe a name is so important.

it's the first thing one says when introducing themselves.

 a name gives a first impression.

a name says so much without saying anything at all.

your name is your name... for the rest of your life;

it's what people know you by and what they remember you by. 

so... as of now, our future babe is nameless.

please, oh please send me naming tips, naming powers,
the ability to be decisive and any baby names you just love!
maybe then, our baby will have a name by the time he/she arrives!

oh, hey.

oh, hey.
yes, it is me again.
this whole disappearing from the blog scene is easier than i thought.
i blame my busy life, busy mind and endless tiredness.

it's october.
one of my favorite months.
it's full of weather changes, crunchy leaves, conference, crockpot meals,
pumpkin chocolate chip cookies,
the last four weeks of my second trimester,
snack size candy bars, crisp air and the best time of year for fashion.

life is good.
life is oh-so-good over here.
sometimes i fear that if i blink, i'll wake up from a dream.
but, daily, i pinch myself and remind myself that this life is real:
this beauty around me is a gift.
my husband is my biggest blessing.
this baby bump {little one swimming around} ties for first.
family is the core to having a life rich of love, support and purpose.
the gospel is divine.
daily breathe and health are also a true gift, never to be taken for granted.
love is the root of all happiness.

october is a month for realizing just how blessed i am. 
whether that be by indulging into a batch up pumpkin chocolate chippers,
or indulging in this life that is sometimes too good to be true.

happy october.