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.

assessment of life lately.

reading: blackmoore. {this month's book club book.} i just started it and am anxious to get going on it. has any one out there read it... thoughts on it?

feeling: sore. i worked out for the first time since being pregnant. yes, i've been hiking, walking my dog all summer and such... but, i'm talking worked out with weights, resistance band, etc. my muscles hate me right now.

wanting:to know the gender of this baby, oh so bad. but, the surprise will be worth it. 

craving: cinnamon raison bagels, krispy kreme donuts and muffins. common theme? carbs. 

waiting: for so many things. mainly baby to come and my little brother to be home from his mission. both will happen within the next five months. yahoo!

loving: that fall {finally} decided to show up yesterday. this thrills my heart.  

wearing: anything i can fit into nowadays. fashion has taken a back seat in my life. 

wishing: every day consisted of fall weather, cups of hot chocolate, blankets and a good book.

cooking: more than ever right now. {the joy of not having rehearsal until 9:00 every night.} the crockpot and i have become best friends recently.

wondering: how time is passing by so quickly. it's already the end of september. where did this month go? where do summer go? where did my first trimester go? boom- they are all gone, so fast.

needing: warm baths to help me fall asleep at night.

anticipating: the holidays more than ever this year. i can't believe they are just around the corner.

hearing: so much advice on baby's and pregnancy. but, i like it because i need it.

i've seen this idea done on a couple blogs recently- and i loved the idea.

some people's lists are lengthy and some or brief.

here's my version.

i want to see yours. leave a link below, so i can enjoy your list.

xoxo

we've got a wiggler.

i feel as though this little blog of mine 

has suddenly taken a turn....

a baby turn.

i realize that half my posts are centered around "baby talk".

i apologize for that.

but, then again i don't- because "baby talk" has suddenly become my life.

yesterday, lovebird and i raced down to the hospital in the morning

for our first ever ultrasound.

words can't describe how incredible it was to see our little

one moving around on that screen.

and let me tell you, our babe is a definite wiggler.

the ultrasound tech said she hadn't seen one quite this active.

our babe was doing yoga, backflips and all sorts of things in there.

she even printed out a picture to prove it- our babe was in a yoga pose.

athlete or dancer in the making? i think so.

having an ultrasound suddenly made everything seem so real.

yes, i've certainly noticed my belly growing-

but, seeing the little one confirmed that there is actually a body inside.

'something' so real, growing every day.

it's miraculous. it literally was breathtaking to see our babe.

it was heart melting as i watched lovebird watch the screen;

his eyes filled with complete joy and astonishment.

i don't know if watching babe or lovebird was more precious.

needless to say, i'm one very happy wife and {future} mother. 

xoxo

little notes

{a little celebration drink. half way there!}

dear home: would you just please clean yourself already? why oh why, can i not find the motivation to do so? i'm trying to make you sparkle, but i often find the couch and a nap far too inviting.

dear baby: lovebird and i "saw" you for the first time yesterday. you were tiny, black and white and on a computer screen... but you still gave my heart reason to explode of happiness. i am already anticipating the "real" ultrasound on monday.

dear mornings: you are still, and will always be my favorite time of the day. i cherish every second of you. your mellow light that trickles in acting as a wake up call, your silence that only appears at this time of day and your way of making life's challenges seem possible... is more than i could ask for each day.

dear bran muffins: i've already made two batches of you this week. maybe i should control my cravings.... or maybe you shouldn't be so tempting.

dear 20 weeks: i can't believe i'm half way there already. baby will be here before we know it. how did i celebrate the half way mark? ... with a big class of chocolate milk, of course.

dear scandal: lovebird and i are suddenly obsessed with you. we could watch episode after episode; you are intriguing and addicting. pair you with a bag of popcorn and i could sit and watch all day long.

dear mascara: why can't i seem to find the perfect one? you know, the one i religiously use day after day. i swear, i am always on the hunt for that 'perfect' one. {please tell me someone out there has found one they can't live without... i'd love to know your secret!}

dear fall: you are easily my favorite time of year. you are beginning to make an appearance. i am patiently awaiting for you to arrive so i don't have to come up with an excuse to indulge in everything pumpkin.