Annabeth's (Really Long) Birth Story :: Part 2

Part 1

I left off on the night before I was going in to be induced. Like I said, I'd had contractions on and off on Sunday, but nothing consistent. I slept fairly well, but was up bright and early because we had to leave for the hospital at 7:00 AM.

Two days shy of 42 weeks pregnant. BLESS.

I got up, showered, did my hair, and grabbed a few more things to take to the hospital. My mom was sweet enough to get up early and make me a delicious breakfast since I didn't know how long it would be before I could eat again. By this time, those random contractions had all but stopped. Lovely. I had really thought that they might be the onset of labor, but no such luck.

I knew I was going to wake up Griffin before we left to say goodbye, but he ended up waking on his own. We got him out of bed and I got some good snuggles before we took some pictures and headed out.

Surprisingly, I was not the hot mess I expected to be when I said goodbye to my first baby. I thank God for that because anyone who knows me would've probably bet on us having a DEFCON 3 emotional situation. Griffin didn't seem to be alarmed that we were leaving because I wasn't having a total meltdown. Once again, thank you, Lord.

I was also at complete peace about being induced. I knew that I'd given it 12 days past my due date and that it was time for her to come out. I think that's another reason why I was so calm leaving Griffin; we'd had 12 days to have our "lasts", if you will. 

We got to the hospital shortly before 7:30 and went up to labor and delivery. They got us in our room pretty quickly and then my friend Janelle who is a labor and delivery nurse came in to say hello. I was so disappointed because her shift had just ended when we came in, but I was able to talk to her about some questions and fears that I had and she put my mind at ease. She also had chosen my delivery nurse and told us we would love her.

My last birds-eye belly shot!

After Janelle left, our L&D nurse Dani came in and introduced herself. She knew we wanted another natural birth, aside from the Pitocin, and was very supportive of that. I knew I liked her right away; she had a fantastic bedside manner.

Soon after Dani started getting everything ready, the anestheisiologist came in to say hello. She was incredibly kind and gave me her spiel and asked me some questions. I shared with her that as long as it was safe for the baby, we were planning to have another natural birth (except for the Pitocin, obviously). She wished us well and left.

Dani checked me and said I was still at 3.5 cm and about 70-80% effaced. Once she got my IV set up and the Pitocin started pumping (a little before 9:00 AM), she strapped me to the fetal heart rate monitor and said I could pretty much do what I wanted-- walk, sway, bounce, etc. I decided that I wanted to walk for awhile, so Tyler and I walked around the floor for about 45 minutes to an hour. While we were walking, my mom arrived. She was a great support to me during Griffin's labor and delivery and we'd decided to have her join us for the labor process once again.

We ended up going back to the room around 9:45 and I tried some different positions. I stood and swayed for awhile and then rocked back and forth while standing up. I remember that I really started to feel the contractions while I was swaying. I eventually ended up back in the bed.

We turned on a movie, but shortly after it started, things started to get more intense. I remember just laying on my side, but shifting back and forth as I could. I labored on my side for quite a few hours with Griffin as well. My mom and Tyler were great; they kept asking what they could do for me, but for a long time, I just wanted to be quiet and focused. They were very respectful of this. It was really encouraging for me to know they were there if/ when I needed them. I labored quietly and on my left side for probably close to an hour before I really needed Tyler.

Like I said, it was around 10 am when my contractions really started to get intense. I'd heard Pitocin contractions were awful, but I'm going to tell you what-- you can't comprehend how awful until you actually have them. My Pitocin contractions were much worse than my worst transition contraction with Griffin. They started out much like regular labor contractions, but they got bad so, so fast.

Starting at 10:00 am, I had contractions every two and a half minutes. I absolutely could not get on top of them. They were coming so fast and they were so intense that I could barely breathe through them. I was trying every position in the book and it truly felt like one continuous contraction. It was so much different than my labor with Griffin; his was long and intense, but I could get on top of the contractions and come down off of one before the next started.

There was none of that this time. They came and they came and they came. And they were horrible.

Dani was so diligent about coming to check on me every 30 minutes on the dot. At 11:30, we expressed to her that I was struggling big time (as if she couldn't figure that out on her own) and we asked if she would check me. She did and I was only at a 4. If you can't do basic math, that's only one half of a centimeter in two and a half hours of Pitocin. That's not a whole lot, friends.

I was so discouraged when she told me that. I started crying because I knew I could not do these contractions all day and all night. I just really wasn't progressing a whole lot and I was already exhausted. I labored on the bed for another thirty minutes before I knew that wasn't going to help anything anymore.

I decided to get in the shower on the birth ball to see if that helped. A little side note for you: Tyler had left his bag in the car (on purpose) when we got the the hospital. I was very bothered by this for some reason. I wanted him to have his basketball shorts, a t-shrit, and flip flops in case I needed him to support me while I was in the shower. So of course, when it came time to shower, he had none of this. Y'all, I FREAKED out. He was wearing his jeans, shoes, and a button down and I was so disturbed that he was going to have WET CLOTHES TO MEET THE BABY OH MY GOSH. You know, because I'm sure that's what my 0 minutes old baby was going to be focused on. The shower was set up in such a way that he was able to help me and not get wet at all, but that was after his nearly 42 weeks pregnant wife practically bit his head off about not having his FLIP FLOPS.

I got in the shower around noon. I bounced and I bounced and I bounced. I sat on that ball and had hot water spraying on my back for each contraction for the better part of an hour. Tyler stayed in that hot bathroom with me, rubbed my shoulders, helped adjust that shower nozzle and held my hand the whole time. I am so thankful he's mine; I couldn't have done one minute of the labor process without him.

While we were in the bathroom, I brought up the e-word... epidural. I was feeling so beat down. I said this before, but I virtually could not get on top of my contractions. It was the most intense physical and psychological pain I've ever felt and this is coming from someone who labored for an unmedicated 21 hours. Pitocin is NO JOKE.

I knew that I could not continue to labor like I was for hours and hours and still have the energy to push out a baby. I remember snoozing off and on between contractions with Griffin, but there was none of that this time. I asked Tyler if he would be disappointed in me if I got an epidural and he couldn't have said no fast enough. He expressed that he wanted me to have the labor experience that was right for me, that he knew I'd been working hard and that I was tired, and that he absolutely wouldn't be disappointed in the slightest.

Truly, I knew he didn't mind either way, but I kept asking him. He kept giving me the same answer, but for some reason, I needed to keep pressing the issue because that's just who I am. See? He's a really good husband.

I cried and he kept talking through things with me until we came to a decision. Again, I'm so incredibly thankful for such a supportive, level headed husband who understood my desires for a natural birth. I couldn't have asked for a better birth partner.

I'm going to finish this up in a few days with one last post. I promise I won't let two weeks go by before I post the last installment. It's important to me that I remember the details of AB's birth and that means being quite wordy, apparently. Thanks for hanging in there!

Five on Friday :: Found on the Internet

I'm linking up with the ladies today for Five on Friday! 

Since I'm still spending a great amount of time nursing Annabeth, I've been finding some fun stuff poking around on the web. I thought I'd share some things that I'd found via Pinterest, my Feedly reader, and through friends. Consider this my Five on Friday "Found on the Internet" version! 

1. Ham, Ham, and more Ham

Both of our families were in town this past weekend for Annabeth's dedication on Mother's Day. We had a ham on Sunday (one of my favorite meals!) and we were left with the ham hock plus a few baggies full of ham. What to do besides freeze the hock for soup? Of course we'll be having ham and cheese sliders from Tasty Kitchen. They are so easy and super delicious. But we needed something different. Enter Fettuccine Ferrari from Samma's blog. I made this last night (I subbed a random shorter cut of pasta I had in the pantry-- it had some fancy, weird name) and it was fantastic. Tyler and I both liked it a lot and said it would be great with grilled chicken this summer. If you have leftover ham (or grilled chicken), make this. You could even just add more veggies and leave out the meat. It's quick, easy, and tasty. Two Haney thumbs up!

2. Patio Furniture DIY

My mom and I repainted an iron patio a few years ago. We used a pretty yellow spray paint and while I have loved the color, it just hasn't held up well. Maybe it's because it's been about 3 years. I have been thinking about repainting it, but this post from my friend Rachel really inspired me to get my behind to Lowe's and spray it again. We use it almost everyday in the summer, so it really needs to be done soon. Maybe a new umbrella and cushions will be my reward! 

3. Aldi

I have noticed that my grocery bill just keeps getting higher and higher. No matter how many coupons I have and how much I try to use what's in my pantry, it's nearly impossible to keep it reasonable week after week. My sweet friend Kara (we went to college together!) wrote a great post on why she shops at Aldi and what she does and doesn't buy there. I love reason #2; Kara has such a heart for the Lord and people. Make sure you add her blog to your reader; she has a great sense of style and three of the most darling children I've ever seen! I shopped at Aldi this week and ended up spending only $60! I did buy a kickball, plate, and cup for G and didn't buy my meat there, but I'd say that's a pretty good deal! Plus, Griffin thought it was the best day of his life when he got to put the quarter in to get our buggy. Small pleasures.

4. Organizing vs. Purging

We are putting our house up for sale soon and I'm preparing by going through each room with a fine-tooth comb. Well, as fine-tooth as I can with two little ones demanding a great deal of my time. I loved this post by Tsh about how different decluttering and organizing really are. I found myself nodding as I was reading and thinking about the post days later. I think she's really on to something. I wouldn't consider myself a minimalist and I probably never will, but many of her points were spot on. 

5. Kids and Starbucks

It's no secret that I like to frequent Starbucks as much as I can. I can't help it; it's a sickness. It certainly helps that the Cincinnati area is very light on drive-thru Starbucks. It's rare that I want to drag my three year old and his 13 pound (plus heavy car seat) sister into a storefront for a coffee. This pleases my husband and our budget, obviously. But we do have one drive-thru near Trader Joe's, so if I'm in that area of town, I'll often swing through for vanilla macchiato. Griffin begs for a cake pop every time we pull into the parking lot and I usually rarely indulge him. I loved that Raechel posted about what she gets her kids at Starbucks. I think Griff would go bananas over this as he always begs for "just one sip of your Starbucks coffee, Mama!" This way he can have his own treat that isn't a ball of sugar on a stick. But you can't blame him, can you? Those things are so stinking good. 

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! I'll be back on Monday with the second installment of Annabeth's incredibly long birth story.  And just because I can't help myself, here are a few pictures of my kiddos. We're so glad spring is here to stay! 

Annabeth's (Really Long) Birth Story :: Part 1

Well, I figured that since my baby is about to turn 3 months old, it was probably time to get her birth story on paper... or, blog, I guess. I have loved reading Griffin's birth story here and there over the last three years and it's important to me that I can do the same with my baby girl!

Let's start at 40 weeks.

That is a big old 40 week belly. Whew.

I was due on Wednesday, January 22. If I had a dollar for every person who told me they though I'd have the baby early or on time, I'd be a wealthy woman. And honestly? I agreed with them. Griffin came 48 hours after his due date and in my heart of hearts, I thought we'd meet this baby before or very close to her due date.

To that, I say, "Bite me, heart of hearts." Apparently I don't know much about my own child and body.

So 40 weeks came. We had our 40 week doctor appointment and although I adore my doctor, he scared the pants off me with all of the risks you run by going over your due date. I think I cried out of fear for about 24 hours. I even called one of my favorite nurses back and talked to her about it. Thankfully, she reassured me that it's his standard speech and that they weren't worried about the baby at all.

Into week 40 we went. It came and dragged on and on and on. And next thing I knew, we were back the next week for my 41 week appointment. I had a NST (non stress test) and an ultrasound where everything looked good. The baby was measuring around 8 pounds and 21 inches and I had plenty of fluid. I was checked and I was about 3 cm dilated and 70% effaced. This was all well and good, but I hadn't had one contraction. I hadn't dropped. Things looked fine on the inside, but it didn't look like much was happening in the way of labor.

After these things, we sat down with my doctor. As I said before, he is a wonderful man and I appreciate him so much. He's not the doctor who delivered Griffin; he moved and I still can't talk about it without tearing up. I know, healthy. Anyway, my current doctor was very much on board with our desire to have another natural birth. Since the baby looked healthy and there wasn't a concern about her immediate health or safety, he said he was fine waiting until week 42 to induce.

However, what you have to know is I was D-O-N-E. I was huge and in pain and exhausted. I just wanted to meet my baby, but again, I wanted to have another natural birth. He told me that if I wanted to be induced, he could do it on Friday, January 31 or Monday, February 3. Tyler and I talked on the drive home and decided that if she hadn't come by then, we would induce. I felt a great amount of peace about this and thought she would surely come before then.

Again, my heart of hearts just isn't as sharp as it once was.

A "date" to my 41 week appointment

Sweet girl! It was kind of nice to have a bonus ultrasound.

My parents were planning to come when I went into labor to keep Griffin. Because they live 5 hours away, we did have a backup in case they didn't make it in time, but my labor had been so long with Griffin that they'd made it with plenty of time to spare before he was born. Since baby sister decided to be born during the WORST WINTER EVER, we were a bit nervous about the questionable weather. After my appointment, they decided to drive down that day so that they'd be here in the event that I did go into labor spontaneously and the weather was poor. I'm so glad that they did. They kept me and Griffin occupied during the long days of waiting.

This seems normal.

And wait we did. We got to Sunday and I still was very, very pregnant. In the week and a half that I'd been overdue, I'd tried EVERYTHING to get un-pregnant. Seriously. Everything. Massage, spicy food, walks, acupuncture, other... things. I tried it all. No dice. So when Sunday rolled around and I still hadn't contracted once, I resigned myself to the fact that I would be induced the next morning.

Truly? Even for someone who wanted a natural birth bad, bad, bad, I was okay with the induction. I wasn't thrilled, but my main goal was a healthy baby. And I just wanted my baby. I didn't care how she had to get here; I just wanted to see her face. After all we went through to have her, I was focused on simply meeting her. It was all about the end result for me.

We had a wonderful day on Sunday. We went to church and my mom made everyone their favorite appetizer while we watched the Super Bowl. I was able to really soak up my last day with Griffin as my only child and I was also prepared for what I knew was to come the next day. That night, as we were watching the game, I started to have some inconsistent contractions, but SPOILER ALERT, they meant nothing.

After I put Griffin to bed (and bawled my eyes out), I put the rest of our hospital stuff together and went to bed. I wanted to get up early to shower, do my hair, and eat a good breakfast before getting to the hospital for our 7:30 AM induction time. I didn't sleep well that night because I was feeling a whole host of emotions-- excitement, nervousness, anxiety, and disbelief that the day was finally here. We'd been waiting for much longer than 9 months for a chance to have another baby and I was bowled over with gratitude that our miracle was finally coming to pass. I also enjoyed a final night of (somewhat interrupted) sleep. It was a good day and I was beside myself with excitement that we'd be holding our baby within 24 hours.

Our last night as a little duo.

I'm going to continue this in another post because with the way I'm going on and on, you'll be here reading for the next week. My word with the long winded. I promise I'll post the second part tomorrow, so stay tuned!

And bless you, you're probably thinking that this whole portion has nothing to do with her birth, but to me, it was a big part of her arrival. I guess that's what happens when you reach the nearly 42 week pregnant mark. Bless.

Annabeth :: 2 Months

Annabeth, you are two months old!

April 3, 2014

What were you up to this month?

Oh, my girl. You are such a joy! I swear you wake up happier every single morning. Never have I met a more content baby! I'm not kidding when I say that you wake up happy. It's part of the reason I still have you in our room. You never make noise when you make up besides a few quiet coos. I'm not sure I'd hear you if you weren't right beside me! Most mornings, I can even get up and around while you're awake and you won't even fuss for food. This helps me so much as your brother wakes up ready to go! You greet me with this tiny little half smile and you'll just lie there in your swaddle until it's time to eat. You are the sweetest!

You still have your wild, long blonde hair. It has fallen out a bit in the back where your head rests on your mattress, but you have so much of it that it's really not noticeable! Still no cradle cap! I've recently started clipping tiny bows in your hair. Sometimes they stay in, but your hair is so silky that they often fall right out. Your eyes are still a gorgeous blue color. I think it's safe to say that they're here to stay! 

You're out of newborn clothes and squarely in 3 month clothing. It fits you very well; there's no room to grow in length, but everything is a little loose still. I have a feeling we'll have to move you into 6 month clothing soon because of how tall you are! 

I took you and Griffin to Michigan for a few days and you were an absolute angel in the car both ways. You actually turned 2 months while we were in Michigan! Sadly, while we were there, I must've eaten something that really upset your belly. On the day you turned 2 months, you were inconsolable most of the day and had a bunch of tummy problems. It was far and away your worst day in 8 weeks of life. For a baby who rarely cries, you couldn't stop. I still haven't figured out what I ate; I'm hopeful it doesn't happen again because it hurt me to see you in so much pain.

Speaking of eating, you're still an incredible eater. You usually eat 7-8 times a day. Sometimes you take your sweet time nursing and other times, you're very fast. I'm in awe of what a different experience it's been with you. You do have a tongue tie, but after I healed from some damage during your first month, we've had zero problems. You're gaining weight beautifully and I love our special time together every day! You've taken several more bottles and you don't have a problem with them. We've started using a Como Tomo bottle and the Playtex Nurser and they've both worked well for us. You also like your WubbaNub pacifier, but you typically don't need it to sleep. 

Like I mentioned above, you're still sleeping in our room. You are the quietest little sleeper, so I think you'll be in our room until you outgrow the bassinet. I love having you close to me at night. It's been about 3 weeks since you've woken up in the middle of the night, so I think it's safe to say you're sleeping through the night! Atta girl! You eat your last full feeding around 8:00-8:30, then you take a dream feed around 10:30. Then you typically sleep until 7:00ish. It's a beautiful thing, my dear. You take after your daddy in the sleep department! You nap off and on during the day, nothing super consistent yet. You don't like getting into your carseat, but it still puts you to sleep almost instantly when the car starts moving. 

You're still loving your bouncer and the swing has grown on you a bit! You're also very content to just lie on a blanket and look at everything going on around you. You've gotten better with tummy time; it doesn't seem to upset you as much as it once did. You still love your bath; I think it's one of your favorite things. It's one of my favorite things, too! You smell incredible after you've been scrubbed clean! You also went to church for the first time this month! We started with attending Sunday School, but since then, we've gone to the service twice. 

You had your first cold this month, courtesy of your mama who passed it on to your big brother who passed it on to you. You were such a trooper and I would've never known if I hadn't been needing to suction your nose several times a day. Thanks to the Nasa Kleen, we were able to keep your nose pretty clear. 

Your brother still loves you so very much! He can love you rather aggressively, but it's almost as if he can't get enough of you. He asks to hold you multiple times a day, talks about you, only calls you Sis or Sissy, and tends to you when you cry. He also loves to give you your Wubbie if it's fallen out. He tells you you're pretty a lot. It brings tears to my eyes every time! I love seeing your little relationship grow day by day. You're pretty enamored with him and you'll focus on what he's doing when he's close to you.

You truly are the happiest, happiest baby I've ever met! You rarely cry and I'm not just saying that. Days can go by without you shedding a tear. When you do cry, you are a fierce little thing! I love that about you. You started smiling when you were 5 weeks old and you haven't stopped. It doesn't take much to make you break out in a huge grin. Basically, if anyone starts talking to you, you'll just light up! You smile with your whole face and every time, I just can't help but laugh with delight! You are full of joy, my angel girl. 

Annabeth Noel, I'm not sure how two months have already flown by. You are my perfect peach of a girl. I could kiss your little lips all day long. I'm so glad you're ours! 

2 Month Stats

Weight: 11 lbs, 4 oz (70th percentile)

Height: 25 inches (98th percentile)

Head circumference: 15.2 inches

Diaper size: Size 1

Nicknames: Sis, Sissy, Sissy Bear, Bethy Girl, AB

Happy two month birthday, angel! We love you!

Five on Friday!

It's time for Five on Friday with the ladies! I love this linkup; it's perfect for a sporadic blogger like me!

1. Belated Anniversary Date Night

Our anniversary is in August, but instead of celebrating then, we decided to buy tickets for Wicked when it came to town wait to have our date. My parents came into town and kept the kids while we went to dinner and the show. We had a fantastic meal at Sotto, one of my favorite restaurants in Cincinnati. We had goat cheese & honey bruschetta, polenta with fried egg, brown butter, and parmigiano, pennette with vodka sauce, and braised beef with tomato, red wine, and polenta. The food was incredible and we finished our meal with the ricotta donuts and dipping sauces. I was kind enough to share them with my husband, but I could have bathed in the salted caramel sauce. 

After our dinner, we headed to the theater to see Wicked. In February of 2007, we went to dinner at the Signature Room in Chicago and afterwards, Tyler asked me to marry him. Spoiler alert: I said yes. After we got engaged, we went to see Wicked, but I was practically giddy so I honestly don't remember much of the musical! The company that put on the show here in Cincinnati did a phenomenal job. I enjoyed every minute; Wicked is such a clever story and the music is wonderful. It was one of my very favorite theatre experiences. Tyler and I had a wonderful night out and it was great to spend some time together without our little people. 

2. Burrito Love

I'm pretty sure that I've talked about food in every Five on Friday. Oh well, it's just who I am. I've been eating these Amy's Bean and Cheese burritos for lunch and I love them SO much. I craved Taco Bell bean burritos with extra cheese throughout my pregnancy with AB. These are a much healthier option and they really are delicious! I haven't made them in the microwave yet; I just wrap them in foil and baked them for about 50 minutes. They're a fool-proof, easy lunch! 

3. Toys Galore

Griffin was an only child for nearly three years and he was also the only grandchild on both sides of our families until his sister came along. Naturally, this position comes with lots of spoiling and toys. His room was getting so cluttered and he was just going from one toy to another. He really didn't even know all that he had because there was just so much stuff. While he was at school on Thursday, my mom and I organized his toys into four groups. I put three groups in the attic and kept one group in his room. It's my plan to rotate groups of toys every Sunday. This weekend, I will take the laundry basket in his closet that's full of toys and replace it with the next group that we have in our attic (our attic has very easy accessibility). Some of my friends do this with large Rubbermaid bins and just bring down a bin a week, but I didn't really want to spend the money on bins and a laundry basket worked just fine for us. It's also easy for me to carry up and down the stairs depending on where we're hanging out that day. We'll see how it goes; my parents just left today, so Griffin's been occupied with playing with them and hasn't realized that a lot of his toys are "missing". 

4. Potty Training

Well, last Friday I decided that it was time for Griffin to say goodbye to his diapers. This was after I'd spent $70 in diapers for two the week before. No way, man. Plus he was totally ready. I used an abbreviated version of the "three day method" and he did so well! He had a few accidents on Friday, one on Saturday, and since then has only had 2-3 more! I am so proud of him! We decided to wait to night train him since I'm a little more tired than usual these days, but we're planning on working on that next week since he's done well. I'm not as worried about that. My little guy sure is growing up fast. Time really does fly! And how darn precious are those little boy underwear?? I thought my heart was just going to melt. I love being that boy's mama.

5. My Babies

And for my grand finale, here are two gratuitous pictures of my sweet babies. I just can't help myself. Griffin loves sleeping with his hammer that he borrowed from his buddy next door and Miss Annabeth started smiling last week. I couldn't love them more if I tried!

Happy weekend, friends!

Five on Monday

I didn't get a chance to link up with Five on Friday, so I'm doing Five on… Monday? Let's all say it together… better late than never!

1. Pixie Pants
Right now I'm in that really awkward stage of post-pregnancy where nothing fits quite right. Shirts, pants, you name it-- it doesn't fit well. I headed to Old Navy last week to check out their new pixie pants because I thought they might be a good transition pant for these last weeks of winter and spring, and I was right! I was able to go up one size and feel very comfortable. They're a good streamlined pant and I'm able to pair them with lots of different types of tops. They're also a great price point! I'm glad to be wearing pants that aren't of the yoga variety, but let's be honest, I'm still wearing a lot of those too.

2. Sandwiches

This is a weird one, but I thought I'd add it anyway. Before I was pregnant with Annabeth, I can probably count on one hand the number of deli meat sandwiches I'd ever made for myself. They just didn't really appeal to me much. Then when I was pregnant with AB, I craved them hardcore. I would make myself subs and bake them in the oven to make them "pregnancy approved". Now that she's here, I literally have a ham and salami sandwich with colby jack cheese, light mayo, dijon mustard, and Penzey's Sandwich Sprinkle every. single. day. I look forward to lunch so that I can have my sandwich. It's the strangest thing, but it sure is a delicious and easy lunch! Griffin usually joins me and has a "ham ham sandwich", as he calls it. It makes me laugh every time he says it! Also, this Sandwich Sprinkle is one of my favorite things; if you have a local Penzey's Spices, go grab some. It's delicious!

3. Mrs. Meyers Honeysuckle Hand Soap

I have to be honest… I'm not a huge fan of Mrs. Meyer's cleaning products. Eek! I know that's not a popular opinion, but I much prefer the candles and the hand soap. I honestly don't love a lot of their scents. Iowa Pine is a favorite around Christmas time and I love the Bluebell scent, but it can be hard to find. I recently grabbed a bottle of the Honeysuckle hand soap and I am obsessed. I have it in my kitchen and it is the perfect spring scent. Now, if only spring would show up and stick around. 

4. Pens

I'm sure I've written about my love of office supplies here before, but I'm about to wax poetic again. I love, love, love them. Highlighters, notebooks, Sharpies, spiral notecards, etc. Staples is my happy place! About a year ago, I fell in love with a new set of pens. I'd been faithful to Sharpie pens for a long time (and still love their pastel colored pack), but I grabbed a new brand on a whim during a trip to Target. The Staedtler Triplus Fineliner pens have made me a changed woman. They come in this handy little case that becomes a stand and it's so easy to throw them in your purse (or diaper bag) along with your planner. Most importantly, they write well! I love the super fine tip. I've used these to color code my planner and our family calendar that hangs on the fridge. If you're an office supply freak like me, get you some. 

5. St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Paddy's Day! We have corned beef every year, but we always have it in the form of reubens with lots of sauerkraut, swiss cheese, and thousand island dressing. I cook mine in the crockpot using this recipe (no coleslaw for us). It's easy and always yields a really delicious corned beef! The smell has been taunting me all day long. I'm eager for 5:30 to get here! Annabeth O'Haney says, "Happy St. Patrick's Day and have a great week!"