Five on Friday!

I think my theme lately (and maybe throughout the next year or so) is better late than never! I haven't linked up for Five on Friday in a sweet forever, and I just made it today by the skin of my teeth, so I thought I might take a quick go at it while my kids are napping. Eek, I'm still not used to saying that I have more than one kid!

1. Siblings

I had to start with this… can you blame me? Annabeth is quickly approaching her one month "birthday", which I can't even talk about because how has it already been a month!? One of the sweetest things about bringing her home has been watching Griffin with her. Sure, we've had some challenges, but he is nothing but sweet and loving to his baby sister. It brings my heart the deepest joy to watch him be a big brother to her. He would kiss her and hold her all day long if we'd let him. There's something about watching answered prayer that makes me feel deeply grateful and a little weepy. I plan to share more of these pictures from our newborn shoot soon (it's on a long list of blog posts I hope to start chipping away at!), but can you even handle how sweet my babies are? 

Thanks to the fantastic Abby Veldman for these beautiful shots of our family! 

2. Nursing 

My nursing experience with AB has been a complete 180 from my nursing experience with Griffin. As a result, I truly need the right nursing gear, if you will, this time. Last time, I don't believe that my milk ever fully came in. This time is much different, so I'm in desperate need of some nursing tanks and bras.  Here's my question… as someone who is nursing exclusively for the first time, where should I go to purchase a good nursing bra and tanks? Should I go now at about a month postpartum or wait another few weeks until things "regulate"? Also, where do I go? I have to tell you, when I'm not pregnant or nursing, I'm rather… sizable… on the top, so right now things are a little bit drastic, if you see what I'm saying. It's not going to work for me to go to Target for a nursing tank or bra. Trust me, they don't fit. If you have ANY advice about this, please feel free to chime in! I'm really at a loss and am hoping to go shopping with my mom this next week for some appropriately sized things. 

3. Skinny Pop

Okay, listen. I like popcorn just fine. I love movie popcorn and I really love popcorn in our WhirlyPop, but we just don't make it that often because the pot is kind of awkward to clean and dry. A few months ago, my parents left a bag of Skinny Pop at our house that they'd grabbed at Costco. Griffin asked for some, so I opened the bag and happened to try a handful while I was pouring him a bowl. Oh. My. WORD. This stuff is incredible! It's light and perfectly salted and so addictive! But at 39 calories a cup, it's okay to get addicted! It's the perfect snack for me while I'm trying to work on losing the last of my baby weight, but I'm pretty sure I'm sabotaging myself by pouring some Reese's Pieces into my Skinny Pop bowl. But I can't lie; the combination is fabulous. I grabbed some individual sized bags to keep in my van for Griffin, but I have a feeling I'll be ripping into one soon. I've only seen Skinny Pop at Costco, Kroger, and my parent's local neighborhood market in Michigan, but I would guess you can find it just about anywhere! (It's in the organic section at Kroger, FYI.) 

4. Meals 

For the last few weeks, our friends have been bringing us dinner every other night. They did this when we had Griffin and it was wonderful, but it's a much different blessing this time. I'm literally busy every minute of the day right now. If I'm not nursing a baby, I'm meeting her other needs along with her brother's, cleaning up, or doing laundry. It has been such a relief not to have to worry about dinner. I truly believe it's one of the very best ways to bless a mom with a new baby, no matter how many children she already has! 

However, before Annabeth was born (and even the week after she was born), I was able to really stock our freezer with some meals that we could pop into the oven or crockpot after the meals from friends stopped. My basement freezer is filled to the brim with buffalo chicken meatballs, gumbo, chili, sloppy joes, vegetable soup, mostacholi from my mother-in-law, chicken and rice from my mom, and some other great meals. I'm hoping to do a post with the recipes and links so that it could be a good resource to me (and anyone else) for future freezer cooking! 

I've also cooked a few times since AB was born. I resurrected an old favorite, taco mac (leave out the cayenne if you don't like heat!), and utilized my crockpot for chicken and dumplings (cut the pepper in half!). Very different recipes, but we really love both! 

5. Apples

This is so random, but it makes me happy, so I wanted to share it. Griffin's very favorite fruit is an apple. He goes in phases with other fruit, but he'll always eat an apple. I pulled one out last night to cut it up for his supper and he started waving his hands at me saying, "No, no, no! I want to eat it like Mimi!" Mimi is my mom and when we're together, she and Griffin will typically share an apple a day. Sometimes they'll have it in slices, but often she will just offer him bites of her apple. He really went to town on it. I thought it was so sweet that he wanted to eat it like my mom; that kid doesn't miss a beat!

Happy weekend, my friends!

Introducing…

We are overjoyed to announce the birth of our daughter! Better late than never, right?

Annabeth Noel

Born on Monday, February 3, 2014

4:16 pm

8 pounds, 4.5 ounces

21.5 inches long 

She is absolutely perfect. We are smitten and so, so blessed!

"The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy." 

Psalm 126:3

To My Boy

Dear Griffin,

This week, life as you know it is going to change in one of the biggest possible ways. We are going to welcome your little sister into our family and you're going to become a big brother.

I have no doubt that you will be a fantastic big brother. You already talk to the baby and talk about how you're going to tickle her and play with her. You call her Sissy and Bubbles and Baby Sissy Bubbles. We're not sure if you'll actually ever call her by name!

I'm so excited to meet your sweet sister. She has been hoped for, prayed for, and dreamed of for a long time. One thing that Daddy and I desired so much was to give you a sibling and this week, it's going to happen.

However, it is one of the most bittersweet things I could ever imagine. Primarily sweet, but a little bit emotional for your old mom here.

For the past three years, day in and day out, it's been me and you, buddy. I've been so blessed to be able to stay home with you and although we've had plenty of hard days, the wonderful days have outweighed those hard days a thousand times over.

Griffin, you made one of my biggest dreams come true. You made me a mama. The day you were born was the best day of my life beside the day I married your dad. You are my joy boy!

I will never forget the moment they laid you on my chest after you were born. I'd been (stupidly) afraid that I wouldn't love you, that I wouldn't feel connected to you. I was afraid I wouldn't have enough love in my heart for you and your dad, even though they're very different kinds of love. But the very second I saw your face I would have done anything for you. That hasn't changed for one second since March 6, 2011 at 8:33 pm. If anything, it's gotten stronger. God blessed me beyond my wildest dreams when He gave me you.

There is no one I love like I love you right now. You are my buddy, my Bubba Boy, my tiny mouse. You are my only baby right now, but this week, that all changes.

But you taught me something so important, my boy. I'm not afraid this time. I'm not afraid that I won't love and connect with your baby sister. I'm not afraid that I won't have enough love in my heart for you both because you helped to teach me that unconditional love is very, very real. You helped to teach me that my heart can just expand to fit more love.

It may sound basic, but it's true. You have taught me so much. You've taught me how to be your mama and soon, Bubbles's mama. And you have been the most patient, loving, gracious teacher. I have learned so much from you.

We have had a fantastic three years. There is so much I love doing with you. I love to watch you play alone and play with you. I love doing puzzles with you and dancing with you. I love how you love to snuggle and hold my hand.

I love how you love to sing with me in the car. I love your love for music and especially drums. I love how you're so in tune with others and how they're feeling. I love grocery shopping with you. I love how fun and carefree you are. I love that you feel deeply, even though that means we butt heads often.

My sweet boy, it is a pleasure to be your mother. It has been a pleasure to spend the last three years with you, day in and day out. You have made it easy to love being a mama… you've made it easy to love being your mama.

Tonight, I laid in bed with you and you sang me your songs and I started to cry. It's not because I'm sad, but just because it is the end of our era. It's the beginning of a new and super wonderful era, but at the same time, the days of our little duo are coming to an end rather quickly.

You know that this week, I'll go to the "hostibal" and that when we come home, we'll bring your sister with us. You say you know, but I know you don't really know. I've tried to prepare you the best I can, but I think you're going to rock this big brother thing.

I know you have somewhat of an idea that things are going to be different soon because you have never loved me more. I think it will be hard for you to see me giving another little person so much attention. It might take awhile, because you are your mama's boy and we don't love change, but I think we're going to do just fine with this particularly precious change. I cannot wait to see you with your sister. I know you're going to love her and that she will adore you. What's not to adore?

I love you to the moon and back, my precious Griffy. Thank you for being my best boy.

Love, Mama