Flashback Friday

This was us last year on this same exact weekend.

We went on our 1st official date since Sophia was born! And...shamefully to say she was 18 months old. I know... we got so busy and caught up with being day to day parents that we never snuck away for the evening alone. Although, (totally guilty again), this was also my husband's Christmas party for work, so it was kind of like a mandatory "date night." I were so nervous and anxious, but so giddy and excited to get dressed up and to leave for a party with my husband. I still remember the feeling walking down the hotel lobby.

Not only that.. but it was exactly a year ago (the day after this picture) that I officially weaned my daughter from breastfeeding. It was such a bittersweet moment. I felt ready to wean her, yet the bond and love of nursing for those 18 months made me want to cry at the thought of being officially done and graduating from this most beautiful stage. BUT, it happened...and it happened so naturally. We were at church and she was tugging at my shirt and begging for me to nurse her. It was the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and I was looking at the statue of Our Lady at church and praying in despair. I felt torn inside to say "no" to my baby. So, I prayed that Our Lady of Guadalupe will help me because I am not strong enough for this alone. So... i left it up to faith and nursed my child. This was the VERY LAST time she ever asked me to nurse her again. I couldn't believe it.. we were done.

Coincidentally, we had a date night planned this evening... but it kind of fell through. So, we're going to have another fun evening planned.. just the 4 of us..husband, Sophia, myself and the little one kicking in the womb.

Have a great weekend everyone!

St. Nicholas

The other day we celebrated the feast of St. Nicholas. Normally, there are small traditions done on this feast day, such as the child waking up that morning to a piece of candy in their shoe. We decided to create our own family tradition by giving our child her Christmas gift on that day (which was a play kitchen). I have reminded her several times that Christmas is approaching and it is the birthday of Jesus. She knows that and is pretty excited. I want the focus of Christmas morning and day to be about the birth of Our Lord...and what she will give to Him. What we will all give to Him.

Needless to say, I don't think she's disappointed that her gift came a little earlier this year. I figured...she will be opening enough gifts as is from grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends later Christmas day. But for our family, Christmas morning will be about waking up and celebrating the birth of a new babe.

our Christmas card

i've been hit hard...with a spurt of the nesting stage these past week 2 weeks. i've been driving my husband mad probably with having to clean out every nook and cranny of our home here..and wanting to get everything ready for CHRISTmas. this includes...home decorating, buying gifts ahead of time, baking, and finishing up our Christmas cards to be sent out. So...here it is, our Christmas card photo for this year: i just realized...i'm probably nesting for the most important birth of all..the birth of Our Lord. i couldn't understand why i was nesting so early (because with my 1st pregnancy, i didn't feel this way until the very end)... but i'm taking advantage of my nutty behavior because i'm sure its to go away soon.

in the meantime... i don't want to lose focus on what is most important here. afterall, Christmas isn't about all the material gifts, or the cookie baking, or the pretty lit Christmas tree... but it is something so intimate and sacred..the birthday of a tiny babe that will change the world. i have been reminding my little Sophia around here that Christmas is JESUS' birthday...and we will be having a BIG BIRTHDAY party for Him here..with cake, of course : )

what are some Christmas traditions you do to celebrate the birthday of Our Lord?

ps: our picture was taken by my bff..she took it for us on Thanksgiving day this year. : )

Happy Post!

December, I welcome you with a joy-filled heart! This is one of my favorite months... i play Christmas music non-stop and find excuses to turn on extra pretty lights around the house..just because. : ) Here are a few things that have been making me happy around here..

Our Christmas tree is up! Sophia actually helped us decorate the tree this year. Although we do have several of the ornaments just on the lower half of the tree (kind of awkward, yes) and she rearranges them daily... it makes me happy. So i let her.

I really enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner this year, and I enjoyed thanksgiving leftovers even more. My baby bump likes it a lot. : )

This baby craves coconut water and flesh! My husband was kind enough to hack into this one, put three straws..so all 3 (ahem 4) of us can enjoy it together. We couldn't stop cracking up while drinking it.

Lunch dates with the cutest kiddo.

Laminate floors! I have dreamed about getting our nasty carpet removed forever..and my dream came true! My husband installed all the flooring himself. He is so manly. I love him. :) PS: Just don't mind the mess in the background.

What makes you happy lately?

Thankful for...

S I S T E R S

via

I hope everyone had a very blessed Thanksgiving. Our's was extra special this year because we found out that our little Sophia will be having a baby sister!!! So, surprise... i am expecting! I'm about 21 weeks now and thrilled to find out that we are having another girl!

These past few months have been quite a difficult one... we had a miscarriage over the summer and then a few short weeks later found out we conceived again! It was a total shocker and the back to back pregnancies have been very hard for me physically and emotionally. But, now that I'm half way done with this pregnancy... I am starting to feel the strength and excitement of sharing with you and the whole world of our new bundle of love that will be joining our family.

We actually never found out the gender when we were expecting Sophia and it was such a THRILL finding out after 2 hours of pushing and labor.. but with this baby I felt that I really needed to find out. Its been such a long journey getting here...and I just wanted to feel a bit more connected with this beloved unborn. I was nervous it would take away from the birthday, but it really hasn't. It fact, there's been a smile on my face from when the ultrasound technician told me 'its a girl' that hasn't left my face.

I secretly wanted another girl so badly. I reallllly wanted to give Sophia a sister more than anything. Since I don't have a sister and am totally envious whenever I see other girlfriends that have sisters... i really wanted this for Sophia... something i never had. So YES, I'm having ANOTHER GIRL and I CAN'T WAIT to see the love and hate relationship these girls will have together.

gold hearted gum giver

Sophia's newest obsession is chewing gum. She can pretty much sit there all day, unwrapping gum, sticking a new piece in her mouth.. feel content until the flavor is gone...and then of course unwrap and put in a new piece. So, when I was planning on our long flight to and back to the East Coast, I surprised my little girl with a whole packet of gum in her backpack. (you should have seen how big her little eyes got when she discovered the whole packet was her's!) and she was content for the rest of the flight. She may have gone through a whole packet of gum in 5 hours, but she was happy. So.. we were happy.

but..i just wanted to share another gum story that happened the other night that warmed my heart..and made my heart grow a little bit bigger. Sophia had 2 pieces of gum in her hand..she gave one piece to her dad and then I asked her for the other piece. She realized she wanted to give me some gum..but felt so conflicted inside because she only had 1 piece in her hand. She held it for a few seconds, and then gave it to me. (and i really didn't want the gum, i was just testing her...yes i'm a mean mom). But, it made me realize the charity in Sophia's heart...and in return I gave her a whole packet. which then of course she just grabbed one piece and gave the packet back to me. She never stops to amaze me. That evening, I realized she is even more like her loving father. My mother-in-law always said to me that her son is one of those guys that would give his shirt off his back to someone who didn't have one and needed it. And its true, for as long as i've known him he is this way.. and i love that my daughter is this way too.

life

i have been totally m.i.a from this blog. needless to say... we've been busy traveling. We spent pretty much all of october and beginnings of November on the east coast. we enjoyed every bit of fall foliage, cold weather, hot apple cider, pumpkin farms, warm clothes, even a day of snow and everything fall-ish (is that even a word?) Everyday was breathtaking, waking up in the country.. hearing nothing but nature.

We spent a day in Washington, DC. Went to the eastern market flea... had the best pizza at Seventh Hill Pizzeria.

This is our favorite dairy farm. Broome's Dairy!

We even got to visit our Alma Mater! Franciscan University of Steubenville. It was surreal being back on campus, now married.. and to bring our daughter!

This girl loves to fly. She is not like her mother. And I love that about her.