Catching Up

Well November is almost over (how?!?!) and I did not quite succeed
in posting everyday for 30 Days of Thankful. I'm going to cut myself some slack
and be happy with what I did post. It was such a fun project and I look forward
to doing something similar again next year!

December is shaping up to be a very busy month for us and I could
not be more excited. I love everything about the Christmas season and can't
wait to spend more time with friends and family.

In the last week or so Drake has started talking almost entirely
in full sentences! He has been pretty close to doing this for some time but
always left a word or 2 out. Not anymore! This boy has something to say about
everything. I spend a good chunk of my day laughing at the hilarious stuff that
comes out of his mouth!

Little Brother has a name. We have told family and some friends
but are keeping it to ourselves for now. Hint-It does NOT start with the letter
D! :) Real helpful right?!?

Speaking of Little Brother- I can't believe he will be here in 4
months! I'm so excited and also a little nervous. We pretty much have life down
as a family of 3, so I'm a little scared what throwing a newborn into the mix
will be like. I can't wait to snuggle a new baby and I really can't wait to see
Drake with his little brother.

That is it for now. Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and are
gearing up for the holidays!

 

Thankful Project (Day 26) - Medicine

Today I am simply thankful for the medicine that is making this annoying sinus infection, double ear infection, yucky cough thing jut a little bit easier to handle.

Thankful Project (Day 25) - Patience

On days like today...



Patience is really something I am thankful for!

Thankful Project (Day 24) - A Day to be Thankful

I woke up to house still sound asleep. I snuck out of bed to the kitchen where I made myself a cup of coffee. I popped some cinnamon rolls in the oven and sat down to look over the Black Friday ads.

Soon the littlest of the house was stirring and we started our day with a warm breakfast together.

We loaded up the car and headed to my parents where my sisters met us. We laughed and talked and ate and had a great time enjoying each others company.

After a few hours we loaded the car back up and drove the short drive to Ben's parents. The house was filled with the smell of yummy food and the sound of 2 cousins chasing each other around the house.

As we drove home last night, we were full. Full of food, full of memories, full of love, and full of thanks.

Disney on Ice Review

Tonight Drake, Ben and I had the opportunity to attend Disney on Ice.

Thankful Project (Day 23) - What Little Boys Say

In the last few days Drake has said:

• "We are at the Penguin house!" when we pulled into the movie theater parking lot to see Happy Feet 2.


• "Cookie house" when we stopped at the grocery store yesterday. They give free cookies to kids there and he does not forget.


• " Medicine house" when I stopped at Wal-Greens (Are you noticing a theme?!? He is super into everything being a house of some sort right now)


• "I don't want to" when I asked him to come eat lunch today. I have no idea where he got that, but not such a fan of that line!


• "I skate too Mommy" when we talked about going to Disney on Ice. Good thing we are in the balcony so he has a long distance between him and the ice!


• "I want Drakie's house" as he screamed and begged to leave the car wash.


• "It's a sister" when he ask him what his brother's name is.

Where the kid comes up with the stuff he says I have no idea, but he makes us laugh every single day with something new that comes out of his mouth and for that I'm thankful!

Thankful Project (Day 17) - 2nd Trimester

I'm in love with the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. Since about week 18 I've felt great and have enjoyed all things pregnancy. I have minimal heart burn, sleep great, and enjoy feeling the baby kicking around all the time. I know it is only a matter of time until I hit the uncomfortableness that is the 3rd trimester so I'm thankful to be soaking up every last drop of this wonderfulness.

When I was pregnant with Drake I wrote about pregnancy is like a Oreo cookie and the 2nd trimester is the middle. I still like to belive that is the way it is!

Thankful Project (Day 16) - My In-Laws

I was lucky enough to marry into a family where I am one of them. I've never felt like an outsider and have always felt like I fit right in.

Drake has the best time with his Grandma and Grandpa and asks almost every day to go to their house.  We are lucky that they only live a short 15 minute drive from us so Drake gets to see them often.  My mother-in-law had 2 boys of her own and is now expecting her 3rd grandson. She knows just how to deal with little boys and has a soft spot in her heart for them.

I know many people do not get along with their in-laws so I'm beyond thankful to not only have in-laws that I like, but in-laws that I love!

Thankful Project (Day 22) - Superman

Tonight I am thankful to have my very own Superman in the house.




This is how Superman sits when he is in time out

Thankful Project (Day 15) - My Dad

My dad is the kind of person who people think they know. They think he is smart and serious and a hard worker. They think they know him, but they really have no idea. My dad is all of those things they think he is, but he is so much more.

I know that my dad is funny and kind-hearted. I know that he loves to work outside in his yard. I know that he is a good friend. I also know that he puts his family first 100% of the time.

My dad is a busy guy. He is a family physician who has taken on many roles outside of patient care. He is has a passion for family medicine, but an even bigger passion for his family.

I'm thankful for all that he has done and still does for our family and the community. He is well-loved  and very respected by many. But I can guarantee you that nobody loves my Dad quite as much as my little boy. I don't know what exactly it is, but Drake and his Papa have a bond that is unlike anything else. Drake is Papa's little buddy and Papa is Drake's favorite person. When Papa is around everyone else could disappear and all would still be right in Drake's world.

So today I'm thankful for a great father who has turned into a great Papa. I'm already dreaming of  all the wonderful memories he will create with Little Brother.

Papa with his 2 grandsons?

Well that might just be too much for my heart to handle!

Thankful Project (Day 14) - Saturday Morning Breakfast

It is not unusual to find Ben, Drake and I at our local coffee shop on any given Saturday morning. We roll out of bed, brush our teeth, throw on some clothes and make the short drive down the road. We order breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, muffins, omelets, toast and of course...coffee.

We settle in a booth and chat while Drake plays a game.  We enjoy our warm coffee and linger over the food. We always run into somebody we know there and end up staying longer than we planned talking to them.

Our Saturday morning breakfast is something I look forward to every week and something that I am so thankful we can do together as a family. It is one of the first tradition we started with Drake and one that hope hangs around for a long time.

Thankful Project (Day 21) - Growing Baby

Me at 21 weeks with Baby Boy #2

 Me at 27 weeks with Drake.

I'm pretty much the same size now that I was when I was 6 weeks further along with Drake. This explains why it is already getting hard for me to bend over and get the laundry out of the washer. I could not be more excited to be growing though. Growing means the baby is thriving and doing well and growing also means that we are getting that much closer to meeting Little Brother. Love him so much already!

Thankful Project (Day 13) - Family Pizza Party

A few weeks ago when Aunt Meggie was visiting we had our first movie and pizza night. I spread out an old sheet on the floor, baked a Papa Murphy's pizza, and started up Gnomeo and Juliet on Netflixs. As I sat there eating my pizza and watching how excite my little guy was to have his first pizza party, I thought about how thankful I am for the little things in life that sometimes make the best memories.

Thankful Project (Day 12)- Belly Laughs

I know I'm so far behind on this. We had our annual meeting at work last week and I've had zero time to be at the computer. I'm going to try my best to catch up over the next few days.

As I am sitting here typing this my ears are filled with the sound of Drake's belly laughs as Skinner chases him around the kitchen. Knowing my boy is happy and filled with joy makes me smile.  I'm so thankful for those sweet, sweet belly laughs!

Edited to add- Well I just found out what is really causing all those belly laughs. Drake is running around with a peanut butter sandwich and giving Skinner bites. He laughs whenever Skinner takes a bite. Gross. But still cute!

Thankful Project (Day 11) - Healthy Baby Boy

Thursday night I had butterflies in my stomach thinking about our big ultrasound the next day. Of course I was thinking about if we would have a boy or a girl and what our family of four would look like, but even more than that I could not help but pray over and over again for a healthy baby.

In the past 2 years since Drake has been born, my eyes have been opened to friends who have had miscarriages, early labor, and even a stillbirth. I don't have the luxury of being unaware of what could happen like I seemed to be while I was pregnant with Drake.

When the ultrasound tech called my name my heart started to pound. I relaxed a little every time she would take a look at a body part and say that it looked great.

Finally she had all the measurements she needed and assured us that we had a very healthy and growing baby on our hands.  I finally could totally relax. I watched the screen as she started to look for the gender, after a short amount of time. She said "It's a boy!"

The moment she said those words my heart filled up with love for my unborn son. Images of football in the backyard, legos, trains, and lots of cuddles filled my mind.

We are so blessed I thought as we left the room with a handful of pictures of the little. Ben and I sat in the waiting room talking about names and what life with 2 little boys would be like. The one thing that we both knew in that moment was that we could not be more thankful for a healthy baby.

God is so good.

Thankful Project (Day 10) - Answered Prayers

Today I am thankful simply for answered prayers.

There is no better feeling in the world than knowing He is listening and that His timing is perfect.

So very thankful.

Thankful Project (Day 9) - My Mom

I'm so thankful for the relationship I have with my mom.

She has taught me everything I know about being a mother.

She has told me things I did not want to hear but needed to.

She has gone to bat for me in more than one situation.

She has taught me what a strong and loving wife looks like.

She is the person I call with good news...and bad.

She is a woman I admire.

A woman I am so thankful to not only call my mom, but also my friend.

Thankful Project (Day 8) - Dance Parties

I love nothing more than spending an evening having a dance party with my favorite little dance partner. His current favorite song is Move Like Jagger and man does that kid have some moves!

Best part about dance parties with Drake? He loves my dances moves more than anyone and that makes me very thankful!

Plus? How could you not dance with somebody who has a face like that?

Brothers

Today I could not be more excited to share that this spring we will be having a BOY! He looks healthy and beautiful.

I'm so lucky to be his Momma.

And he is so, so lucky to be brothers with the sweetest little boy I know.

Brothers....I like how that sounds.

Thankful Project (Day 7)-Work Schedule

I pretty much won the lottery in terms of my work schedule. I am able to have the best of both worlds make a good living doing something I like and stay home with my little boy.

I work 3 days a week outside of the home. One day, either my mom or mother-in-law watches Drake. Those days are beyond priceless to Drake as he adores both his Nana and his Grandma. The other 2 days Drake goes to an in-home daycare. We could not be happier with the care and love he receives there. He looks forward to going and always has lots to tell us when we pick him up.

Thursdays and Fridays are Momma and Drakie days. We clean, run errands, go shopping, go to the zoo or the science center, play, cuddle and just enjoy our time together.

Saturdays and Sundays are reserved for fun. Our little family of 3 spends our weekends, exploring, going out for breakfast, visiting family, playing with friends, and enjoy each other.

I'm so blessed to have the opportunities I do and for that I could not be more thankful.

Thankful Project (Day 6)-Flutters and Kicks

Today I'm simply thankful for feeling flutters and kicks and having the reminder of the little life that is growing inside of me.

Thankful. Very, very thankful.

Thankful Project (Day 5)-Faith

Today I'm thankful for my faith and the ability to believe in something I can not see.

I'm thankful the road that my faith has taken me down.

I'm thankful for my faith in the good times...and the bad.

I'm thankful to have grown up in a family of family and thankful to be able to raise my children in the same faith.

Today I'm thankful to know I'm part of something much bigger than myself.

Thankful Project (Day 4)- Sisters

I have been blessed with 2 younger sisters.

Younger sisters who are more than sisters, but are my best friends.

Best friends who I can be 100% myself around.

Best friends who make family gatherings my favorite place to be.

Best friends who happen to make really great aunts.

Best friends who are like sisters to my husband.

Best friends who just happen to be my sisters.

Thankful Project (Day 3)-Home

Yesterday I spent a good 4 hours cleaning my kitchen from top to bottom. It was the kind of cleaning where I took everything out of the cabinets, wiped them down, and reorganized everything. My kitchen was so clean that we got McDonald's for lunch and ordered out for supper because I wanted to just enjoy the sparkling clean for one whole day!

Anyways, as I was cleaning yesterday, I could not help but think about how thankful I am for our little house that we call our very own. It is not fancy or big, but it is ours and we love it.

So today I'm thankful we have a cozy house where we can raise our children, relax, and make memories.

Disney on Ice Ticket Giveaway

GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED. WINNER IS COMMENT #9

Would you like to win a family 4 pack of Tickets to see Disney on Ice at Wells Fargo Arena this month?

Thankful Project (Day 2)-Ben

This man will cook.

He will clean.

He will shop.

He loves the Iowa Hawkeyes.

He likes to snack all day.

He is patient.

He is kind.

He is laid backed.

He is thoughtful.

He is all of those things, but the 2 things I'm most thankful for are not listed above.

Ben is the most respectful husband a woman could ask for. He never raises his voice and treats me as an equal partner. He fights fair. He listens to my ideas. He lives his life as a respectful person and for that I'm so thankful.

Ben is also the most amazing father to Drake. He is often found playing trains on the floor with him and always has time to stop for a hug and kiss from his favorite guy. Bath time is boy time and Ben cherishes those moments so much.  I know many people do not have husbands who are an involved parent and I could not be more thankful that Ben is an equal parenting partner with me.

I'm so thankful to have found the perfect partner and father in Ben and even more thankful to have found the love of my life.

Thankful Project (Day 1)-Drake

I particpated in this last November on Facebook and loved seeing all the things people are thankful for. I decided to bring it to my blog this year so I can expand on the the things I'm really thankful for.

What I found interesting last year, is that it is SO easy at the begining to think of things your are thankful for ( family, friends, a house, etc.) but it get challanging once those run up. If you are doing something silimiar on your blog or on Facebook/Twitter let me know so I can follow along. So here we go....

Day 1- I'm Thankful for Drake

This kid makes me smile. Every. Single. Day.

The joy he has brought into my life can't be put into words because it is that great.

He has those big blue eyes that melt your heart and those perfect little lips that give the best kisses.

He has a heart of gold, always wanting to make sure other people are happy and can often be heard saying "You OK Momma?" if I'm not wearing a smile.

He is funny, and smart, and witty, and active, and sweet.

 He is my little boy.

He is the one who made me a Momma for the 1st time and for that I'm Thankful!