Almost Eight Weeks!

Can you believe it!? Time has gone by so fast with this little one. It's incredible to me how much a little baby can grow and change in such a short time. She's becoming so much more animated and expressive. Smiling has been a common occurrence, and now it's not just when she has gas! Her neck muscles are getting super strong, which is great for Mama and Daddy because wobbly-headed babies kinda freak us out, and tummy time just usually turns into her staring at the pretty, colorful dresser her dad made for her. It's so cool to see her actually starting to recognize and focus on things.

It'll only be a matter of time before this little one is all over the place!

And for that reason, I'm doing everything I can to soak up every moment of this precious time.

Besides the fact that she's adorable, I love this last picture because that quilt was my baby quilt given to me by my great-grandma. I love it and love that I can pass it on to my little boogie!

We left Eva with babysitters (our besties Megan and Eric, who are expecting their own little booboo in February) last Friday and went on our first real date since Eva was born. All I have to say is: Yay for babysitters! It was SO nice to get some good one-on-one time with my wonderful hubby. I think dating after a baby is even more fun because to me it's more special. You really have to plan, which gives you something to look forward to. 

And speaking of things to look forward to, I started my first work project since having Eva and I'm super excited to get back into it. I've revamped my design blog and am excited to be a guest blogger at The Soho later this month. There are a lot of exciting and cool things coming down the pipeline for the design biz, so stay tuned for updates!

All I can say right now is this: life is so good. I have so much to be thankful for. 

Thankful!

This first week and a half of being home with our little girl has been so incredible. From quiet time studying our new daughter's cute little face, to rocking in her nursery, to enjoying all the meals and snacks brought by amazing friends, we have so much to be thankful for.

So thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who's stopped by and everyone who's planning on it this week. Having a new baby is exciting and challenging and exhausting (in the best way) all at once, so not having to worry about meals has been an amazing blessing.

I'm also super thankful for a healthy baby who did great at her first doctor's appointment, and despite being a finicky little eater, she's managed to keep up her birth weight.

And finally, I'm so incredibly thankful for my sweet hubby who's been taking such good care of his girls since he's been home. We've been so fortunate to have him at home for two weeks and will be sad to see him go back to work. But I'm also looking forward to spending lots of one on one time with Eva and (hopefully) getting into some kind of a routine.

Here's a little look at out first week and a half at home...

Not surprisingly, I've run out of room on my phone from taking so many pictures, so I'm off to back them up so I can share more soon!

Hope your week's been great!

Lately

I'm playing a bit of catch-up here since Father's Day and our four-year anniversary have passed since my last post...two big days!

First was Father's Day. Brendan insisted that I not make a big deal out of it yet. I think his thoughts are that besides the work put into the nursery and that kind of thing, he hasn't really had to do anything fatherly yet, but I beg to differ. I'm already so proud of the father he will be to our little girl and how super helpful and supportive he's been to his baby's mama. I can't for him to get to hold her (and see how heavy this little booger is that I've been carrying ;).

Not only am I so lucky to have an amazing dad for my little girl, I'm pretty darn lucky to have a great dad myself. Though we live a few states away, I hope he knows how often he is thought of, prayed for, and loved.

Love you, Dad!!

Just a few days after celebrating Father's Day, we celebrated four years of amazing marriage! I know that sounds cheesy, but this is my blog, and I'm preggo, so I'll take license to sappy from time to time. And I feel like now's a good time for it!

It was a completely beautiful night downtown. We hung out at the waterfront for a while and upon my friend Abbie's advice, drove around several cobblestone streets and ate deliciously spicy Thai food at Basil, in hopes that maybe it would help convince Eva that coming into the world would be a super fun thing to do on our anniversary.

Welp, no such luck. My due date's a week and a half away, and I wish I could speed up the clock (the doc said she's in position and could come any day now), but I have to remind myself to just enjoy the calm and quiet now...before everything changes! :)

On the agenda this week: lots of yoga ball bouncing, walking & spicy food. Stay tuned...

Notes on the Third Trimester

I'm about a month into the home stretch. With each day getting closer and closer to our baby's arrival, I find myself feeling so many different things. Some days I feel very prepared and have a generally laid back attitude. After all, they don't call them maternal instincts for nothing. They'll kick in all will be well.

Other times, I catch myself in a little panic that I haven't done enough research and hastily whip out my iPhone, looking up everything I can re: "what they don't tell you about having a baby." Sometimes that's scary. I don't know if I recommend it.

Overall, I think we are as well prepared as we can be. Brendan has done a phenomenal job getting the nursery ready and reading through books and blogs with me that are full of really good info. And I feel really lucky to have lots of great friends who are moms to little ones, so their experiences are still pretty fresh and their insight has been so helpful.

Lately, Brendan and I both are short on sleep and he said the other day that it's just preparation for what's in store. While I do find myself wanting a nap pretty much all day, when I actually do get the chance, my mind just won't cooperate. I'm wrapping up my last two design projects, and in my line of work, you never really stop working on something.

Projects are constantly in the back of my head and even if I'm just flipping through a magazine or running my own errands, the designer in me is still scoping out things for projects or concepts. The "off" switch doesn't really exist. This isn't a bad thing; it means I love what I do, it just makes rest difficult when combined with all the other million things running through my head.

Good thing preggos need to skimp on the caffeine...otherwise I'd really be in trouble.

Luckily though, yesterday was super relaxing and Brendan and I both napped on the sofa for a few hours. It was heavenly. And for my first mother's day (which feels pretty weird!) all I wanted was to have a breakfast food feast at home and to lay around in my sweats. It was all a girl could dream of. And then we had fro-yo and it was officially the best day ever.

By the way...those are Danish Pancakes from Trader Joe's. You need to get them. They're delicious.

Anyway, I'm off to get some work done! Hope your Mother's Day weekend was great!

Scatter Brain

Oh boy...I can't believe we only have about eight more weeks until our little Eva Joy gets here! In some ways I feel like it was just yesterday that the faintest pink line appeared in the little window of the pregnancy test. Already, our lives have changed so much and it's only about to get crazier!

Brendan and I got a book called Baby 411...which by the way, we have no idea who sent it to us...so whoever you are, thanks!...and it's been super helpful in preparing us for what we're in for.

I'm starting to pack my hospital bag, just in case this little one decides to make an early debut. I can't believe I'm saying that! All of a sudden, time has flown!

And I know I'm a little all over the place...but here's a sneak peak of the nursery...

Can't wait to show you the finished room!

Morning?

Good morning! I say that like it actually is morning, even though it's 11:45. It still feels like morning to me because if a morning is rough and I have the chance, I try to sleep it all away for like an hour, after which point, I will wake up and be hungry, despite the fact that I was sick just a little earlier. It's kind of like deciding that the day just needs a restart.

I can't do that every day that I'm sick of course, but days when I can I do. And today I slept through something on Hoda and Kathie Lee about a no-bake cookie recipe, which I may have half-dreamed, and woke up reeeally wanting to make the cookies, but now can't find the recipe online:(

Anyway, I don't really have anything new to report on the pregnancy front. Yesterday was the first Monday in three weeks that I haven't been sick and thought this could be the week that breaks the cycle, but then I drank maybe a little too much orange juice this morning and well...it wasn't pretty. I yi yi.

Tomorrow's our monthly check-in with the doc in two weeks we're finding out if this booger's a boy or girl! I can't wait! There will be so much we (and by we I mostly mean Brendan) can start doing. Painting the nursery, painting the crib, starting the hunt for all the cool things I want to put in there. Poor Brendan. There really is a lot I would love to have done before the baby gets here, not even including the nursery. We have four bathrooms to swap out mirrors and light fixtures in, paint, etc. Not to mention painting our room, the downstairs living room/studio area, putting up more blinds, doing some wainscoting in the dining room....

Ok, my head is spinning now. I think on that note, I'll get back to work. More pics and gender announcement coming soon!!

Happy Birthday B!!

Today's my sweet hubby's birthday! Have I mentioned how great he is??

Brendan, I am so proud of you. Thank you for being such a sweet, loving husband.

Thank you for getting up out of a sound sleep the other night to get me cheese and crackers. Thank you for making good decisions for us and our family, even when it's not easy.

Thank you for your level-headedness when I'm scatterbrained.

Thank you for not taking things so seriously.

Thank you for cleaning the kitty litter since I can't right now.

Thank you for not being mad at me when I leave the dishes in the sink for too long.

Thank you for being understanding and allowing me to follow my dreams, even when the start is slow.

Thank you for being my baby daddy and the man I can't wait to raise this kid with.

I love you and I can't wait to see what this year holds for us.

Happy Birthday!

Whatever You Are...

Quote: Abraham Lincoln
Card: 3 Lambs Graphics via Etsy

Just a little encouragement for your hump day. I think I need to particularly take this to heart. It's easy for me to want to not put as much effort into what I'm doing now because there are other things I'd rather be doing.

Yes, I can't wait to get started with my design business, but I know and am continuing to learn through mentors and studying that this will not happen over night. Ok, obviously, I never had those kind of expectations, but I think what I'm beginning to understand is that I can learn a lot from what I'm doing now that will translate very well into what I want to do with my future. At first, that seemed unlikely, but when I really think about it, it's true: dealing with vendors, meeting deadlines, tracking progress, creating new business systems and workflows, dealing with the public and training colleagues. No, there's not an ounce of fabulous style in it, but it is rich with business-savvy wisdom I really need to be soaking up right now. As for the style, I really think you either have it or you don't.

I am amazed at the resources that are out there for people who actually take the time to look. And I'm sorry that the last three posts have been dedicated to my design career, but I am just SO pumped about it and it's pretty much on my mind 24/7. So obviously I want to share.

But just out of fairness to the other things on my to-do list, here are something other things running around in my brain:

• I miss my mom!
• Move over Caribou. I picked up this coffee in Italian Roast at Whole Foods and it is the best. I'm in love.
  

• I'm obsessed with this bag from Urban Outfitters:

• I think this might be my favorite Bible verse of all time. It's encourage in hard times and even in times when you're floating along and everything's peachy:

"In this world you may have trouble. But take heart! I have conquered the world."
John 16:33b

And I love it's use here.

• My hubby is awesome!
  

Welp, that's all for now, friendlies. Happy Hump Day!

New York in Four Seasons

Spring: Me

Summer, Fall, Winter: Hubby

Love &hearts

These Streets Will Make You Feel Brand New

So my husband may be the most amazing man on the planet. Okay. He is the most amazing man on the planet- for a lot of reasons. But what does that have to do with the picture above??

That's where he's taking me for my birthday! If anyone can understand how much I whole-heartedly adore New York City, it's him. I mean, he is the one who has to listen me obnoxiously gab about "If we were in New York right now, we could do this," or "Today would be a great day to walk around Central Park," or "I could really go for some [insert one of my plethora of favorite cafes, bakeries, vine bars, etc.] right now." He listens patiently as I spit every lyric of Empire State of Mind. He understands. It has been engrained in him. Manhattan is my favorite place in the world.

How lucky am I to be to be going with my favorite person in the world to my favorite place in the world on my birthday?

More lucky than I ever deserve to be.