MAMASTUFF

a simple life.

11:13 PM



"do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives.
such striving may seem admirable,
but it is a way of foolishness.
help them instead to find the wonder
and the marvel of an ordinary life.
show them the joy of tasting 
tomatoes, apples, and pears.
show them how to cry
when pets and people die.
show them the infinite pleasure 
in the touch of a hand.
and make the ordinary come alive for them.
the extraordinary will take care of itself."
-william martin

i can hardly believe it has already been almost two weeks since i have wrote. my best blog posts always come to mind either driving, usually as i near home, or in the shower. super convenient, right? and then i sit down to write, and nothing. or it's just not the same. i am much more eloquent in my mind.  all to say, in my mind i have written much, here…not so much.

it's been slow around here. and i like it. this season of our life has been a major shift. with my husband gone much of the time and with our car, it has limited holland and i on what we are to do. not to mention, winter weather (which we finally seem to be getting) and the occasional winter blues. but this time has allowed me to realize, up until now, so much of my time, focus, and energy has been on going, going, going. rushing here or there. be it to the next place or my son's next stage. taking him to museums, or children's discovery places, new park after new park, the zoo, city dates, play date after play date,  going, going, going. and right now that just isn't reality (not that he even will remember those things). during the last nineteen months i got completely caught up in the new-parent-i-have-to-show-and-share-everything-with-my-son thing. but really, most of those things are for us parents. our babies have no interest of the zoo when they are, i don't know, four months old, but we do. i think it is natural to want to share things with our children. the activities we found and still find joy in and i am not saying this is wrong at all, but when busyness overtakes all, it is something to ponder. when it is constant and tiresome and time is slipping away, but you keep doing it anyway. i thank the lord for the season we have entered as different as it may be.

we have spent many of our days at home lately. our days are now filled with more casual mornings, coloring or painting, stories, a little too much handy manny (in all honesty), cooking together, bird watching, dancing, house chores, long walks, coffee dates, occasional trips to the park, many, many afternoons sprawled on the floor of my son's room stacking blocks only to smash them down again and again, moments finding pure joy from something as simple as a jack-in-the-box, and laughing to our whits end at just about nothing, and you know what? i love it. though sometimes i long for those day trips, and some of our days at home seem unreasonably long, i know a time where we are busy again will be back once more, but this slow, simple pace is nice. i always told myself i wanted a simple life. at times even pleaded for one, and in the end, i was the one to blame for making it not so. and the time in which i was so focused on keeping us busy and entertained day in and out, was utterly fleeting. in some ways, i feel as i missed out on a pretty huge chunk of holland's baby months because i was so high strung if we are to be honest. i didn't soak in those sweet newborn snuggles the way i thought i would, i didn't savor quiet afternoons alone with him, all the while thinking we had plenty of time for that later. and my baby became a toddler before my eyes, those sweet newborn snuggles faded, the days of rocking him to sleep in my arms faded and traded for the exploration of independence. but i am cherishing my son now, cherishing him in the way i thought i always was, cherishing him in a more real, intimate kind of way. and it is my absolute hope to continue this as our clark arrives late this summer. to spend quite moments together, to bask in each other, to let our boys just be and be together. to let them be happy and satisfied in themselves, in each other, in family, in the mundane, because it is often the mundane that is the most beautiful. if you let it be.

MAMASTUFF

it's a....

12:44 PM

It's a...
BOY!

and there you have it! clear as day. gender is not something our boys have been shy about thus far. no questions there. we are totally thrilled. a brother for our holland seems like the perfect fit for our family. how great is it that our lord knows these things even when we don't and full heartily gives them over to us? i was dead convinced holland was a girl. now i can't even fathom such. i pray we steward well. what a gift. two boys. it just blows my mind. and...if any little girl cooper comes along down the line, we know she will be well looked after to say the least.

let's talk about our ultrasound. another amazing thing. our family (those nearby) was by our side, holland was a trooper. seriously, he put on his BEST behavior. such a charmer, that boy. and overall, this little gent seems like a mellow fellow. isn't it amazing how technology allows us to get to know our children on such an intimate level so early on? to get to glimpse in at who they are becoming at such a tender age. i absolutely love it. this gent is snug in there. getting a peek at his face was actually a challenge. seriously, he seemed like a warm sleepy little bear. but with a little shifting, some light pressure, and me on my side, he finally yawned, rubbed his tiny feet together, snugged his arms back up across his chest, gave us a brief glimpse at this face, and rolled back over again, face down, nudging against me with his little head. um, is this real life? we love you already!!




 profile.

snug or what? ^^


melt my heart.

we can't wait until our next peek at you. you have us smitten already.


MAMASTUFF

let's talk about 15 weeks.

8:24 PM


um…bump alert?! and guilty selfies. ^^

 it's been a bit of a long haul but also an exciting week thus far. i feel like my belly is really popping out there these days, and last night i began to feel those precious little thumps and bumps i've been so eagerly waiting for. praise the lord! and also my favorite part of pregnancy (aside from the fact that i'm actually growing a person in there). with my son, i distinctly remember feeling him move by 13 weeks, so needless to say i've been a little totally paranoid up until now that i wasn't feeling anything remotely baby move in there, especially being second pregnancy and all. but i feel it now and that's what matters. i am happy to be out of the woods of first trimester whatnot these days. my energy is pretty good and nausea long gone. aside from about 3 weeks, i had it pretty easy on that front. but headaches, let's talk about those. i have had one for at least two, maybe three weeks…solid. actually that's a lie, i had a single day break a few days back. talk about tolling. if i wasn't growing a human, i would be a bitter, bitter person by now. i am just about at my wits end about this. but...tomorrow is a big day and i am excited, headache free or not. tomorrow, we find out if this little babe is a lady or a gent, assuming he/she cooperates. so, if you have a guess, here's your chance to cast it. and stay tuned for gender news.  :)

OURSTORY

valentine's.

4:43 PM




happy valentine's. it was a simple one for us. we enjoyed a little family time this morning, cooked up a storm and sent hubby off to work with his favorite korean chicken (recipe here), while my holland played ever-so-good by himself much of the morning (a rare occasion) and i picked up around the house. music was playing, giggles happened, cards were made and our house was full of love. what more could i ask for? i have my forever valentine by my side, a bun in the oven, and the most precious of sons. my heart is full. i hope that on this day yours is too.

happy love day friends.

craft

A little heart garland tutorial for a rainy day.

1:33 PM




We got a little bit crafty this week and made ourselves this super quirky, totally overly full heart garland to get ourselves in the Valentine's spirit. And because we've actually had rain...finally. And there's only so much you can do with a toddler stuck in the house until you have to get crafty.

It was the perfect late morning activity. I cut the hearts, Holland was in charge of gathering them all, and when it came time, handing me every single one so I could string them with needle and thread. He did so diligently. He also learned to say the word heart, which has been not only super cute, but really neat to talk with him about. Attempting to explain it is a shape, an organ, and yet something people talk about as a feeling (of sorts). I don't expect him to get it, but it's been fun. And he understands more than I give him credit for.

You will need:
fabric scrap or scraps
scissors
needle and thread (big kids/adults only)



Simply cut your hearts to your desired size. We chose to in no way make ours match. Gather your needle and thread and do 1 simple stitch, weaving in, then out of your fabric near the top center of your heart (that little divot at the top, that well makes your heart, a heart and not a diamond ;) )

Tie off at the ends leaving a little extra thread for hanging and admire.

And if you're anything like me, move it ten times to find the perfect home for your new, quirky garland.
We finally settled on a little nook just above my toddler's play kitchen so he can enjoy it.



Happy crafting to you.

OURSTORY

Saturday.

7:28 PM


Saturday should be filled with lazy mornings, cartoons in bed, pancakes, leisurely strolls, sweet snuggles, afternoon naps, and coffee shops. But ours so often are not. We've allowed general business to creep in and completely take over, becoming slaves to our own day, our days rolling into one another with no distinction about them. So, we've recently stopped and said goodbye to the Saturday rush we've created, embracing the slow Saturday along the way. Our alarms are off, our breakfasts late, and mornings slow. And though we generally don't have the pleasure of spending the entire day together, what we've had, has been utterly refreshing. 

The most tender of moments have happened in these times (like those captured below). The moments where my heart just wants to explode as I look on at my husband and sweet son and can't believe they are mine. Sweet memories, beautiful smiles, and precious sights. And how much greater is that than a mark on your to-do list? We're creating our own reality friends, and it is a beautiful thing. Won't you join us?

It is a happy Saturday indeed.








 

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