37 weeks and a white crib

Dear Baby,

Today is February 29th (Happy Leap Day!) and that means tomorrow I'm going to be able to say you'll be coming this month. It's still surreal knowing that just days from now we'll be bringing your sweet, tiny body home from the hospital. Oh, just typing that made my heart skip a beat! We're still getting things ready at home for your arrival...sorry this mama of yours waits 'til the last minute for just about everything. Here are a few things that your Daddy and I have been working on...

TO BUY:

crib

double stroller (still researching...)

newborn diapers

fresh, white onesies (can't have enough:)

new rocking chair (early mother's day present from daddy!)

white sheets for crib

lamp for nursery

TO DO:

Dad set up crib

wash white sheets for crib

paint nursery (and Brooks' room)

create and display a few prints in the nursery

wash linens for bassinet

put Brooks' gender-neutral newborn clothes in nursery

I'm hoping by this weekend we'll get it all crossed off (minus the double stroller, we don't need it right away...but when we do find the right one I can't wait to go on walks with you & your brother this spring!)...especially considering my doctor recently said that you may make your big entrance 7-10 days early!! That's just 2 weeks away. But who really knows when you'll come? Only you & your sweet Heavenly Father I guess, just the way it should be :)

I love you baby! And I hope you enjoyed the bowl of Apple Jacks I've been eating while writing this letter to you :)

Love always,

Mom

PS - Just thought I'd share these sweet photos of your Dad setting up your crib earlier this week...I soaked up every minute of watching him lovingly put it together. You'll have countless dreamy nights in there...and someday you may end up using it as a bounce house like your brother sometimes does with his ;)

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Spiritual Health:

Reread one of my very favorite, oh-so eloquent, and beautiful testimonies of our Savior. I first read Elder Neal A. Maxwell's "Jesus of Nazareth, Savior and King" in December 2007 (it was republished from a past General Conference address). I was dating Adam at the time, and Elder Maxwell's testimony of a loving, all-knowing brother who is my Savior and Redeemer really moved me. He said, "I thank Him for His discerning way of knowing us without controlling us, for never letting the needs of now crowd out the considerations of eternity." What beautiful words that I needed as I was prayerfully considering marrying Adam...best decision I've ever made :)

A very good Sunday

Oh how I love Sundays :)

While Adam was at church meetings in the morning, my Mom & I bundled up Brooks and went on a chilly/beautiful/sunny walk. Then while Brooks napped, we sipped on mugs of peach and raspberry herbal tea and I created some prints for the babe's nursery. We went to church where a wonderful young man gave his farewell address before leaving to serve a mission in Colombia...his words to his mom made me tear up. Then we went to Mama and Papa Kjar's for a family birthday dinner for Adam. They provided pie crusts and we each brought different pie fillings and made peach, strawberry, apple, and lemon custard pies! We lit some candles and sang to the birthday boy :) and I loved that Adam let Brooks blow them out with him, what a sweet Daddy!

It's Monday and it's going to be a great (and busy!) week, I can feel it!

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Spiritual Health:

After seeing that Adam had left the March Ensign opened to a certain article he had read and highlighted this morning before leaving for the gym, I thought I'd read it too :) It's not quite online yet, but it's called "Helping Without Hovering", a wonderful read for parents! This statement really inspired me: "As parents help their children make righteous decisions by letting them experience natural consequences, they will foster strong, independant, spiritually minded leaders... It takes courage, faith, spiritual sensitivity, patience, and persistence, but the rewards are eternally worth it."

Happy Birthday love!!

Thursday was my forever sweetheart's birthday. He's now 26 years old!

His special day went like this...

we slept in,

ate an epic breakfast at Sill's Cafe,

hung out at home sweet home,

went to Discovery Gateway,

my heart smiled as I watched my two boys play together,

held hands and walked to the Apple Store,

surprised Adam with the promise of the iPad 3 (scored major brownie points),

sweet Grandma Stum met us downtown to pick up Brooks,

Adam and I headed to Market Street Grill,

our stomachs went into a wonderful seafood coma,

(their crab stuffed shrimp are to. die. for.)

we enjoyed sweet & sassy conversation,

I gave our server candles to put in Adam's creme brûlée,

he made a wish and blew them out,

and we topped off the night with going to see "Sherlock Holmes 2" in our PJs.

It was a pretty swell day and I hope Adam enjoyed it as much as I did!

He is the most incredible man, with a heart of gold. He treats me like a queen. He is a super dad who was meant for fatherhood...he has the most tender, yet enthusiastic, love for Brooks. I feel so blessed to be a part of his life.

Happy Birthday Adam!! I love you forever.

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Spiritual Health:

Adam read Moroni 10 to me this morning...and I loved our discussion about faith, hope, and charity. Goodness that man inspires me :)

ice cream on waffles, marker towers, and Grandma's kisses...

I went to a sweet friend's baby shower earlier this week...they had a waffle bar, stocked with ice cream and fresh fruit. Oh it hit. the. spot.

The other day I came upstairs to find Brooks covered in stickers and Adam making him "ooooh" and "aaaah" over his epic marker tower. Goodness I love my boys.

My Mom was able to make a last minute trip from Washington for the week! Brooks is looooooooving it.

Oh,

and it's my better half's birthday tomorrow.

February 23rd is a pretty good day is my book...pretty much marks one of the very best days :)

Happy Birthday Eve Adam!!!

Tomorrow's gonna be good. Real good.

"Choose This Day"

Don't you love it when you hear a talk or enjoy a lesson at church that just inspires you?...It makes you feel your Savior's love and you feel motivated to be a little better :)

Today in Young Womens my sweet friend Melissa shared a lesson about how we can have true, long lasting joy. One of the most impacting things we can do is serve those around us. It made me evaluate how much I serve others...I need to do better.

And then I thought about my son.

I am so blessed to be a mother. It can be incredibly hard, draining, and some moments stretch me further than I think I'm flexible. But overall, serving Brooks...doing my best to love him, to make sure his physical needs are met, to help him learn new skills, and make him smile with silly songs and dances...has brought so much joy into my life.

I know that serving God's children, helps spread joy...and that's what this life is all about.

So today, choose to serve. And choose to have joy.

We watched this video...watch it, it will make your heart smile :)

Happy Sunday :)

Brooks + Bryndee

We have these incredible friends, the Bradshaws...well, I might as well just call them family :)

The sweet little girl in these photos with Brooks is one of 3 sisters that Brooks and I are lucky enough to spend lots of time with! Their mom, Penny (like a sister to me!), and I swap watching each others kiddos a couple times a week...it didn't take long, but we grew to love them. And Brooks & Bryndee seem to have the sweetest little connection :) And I couldn't help but share a few darling photos I've captured of them together. The first 3 photos are from last fall and the rest are from the last couple days...I'm glad I have them, just in case we need to use them in a wedding slideshow some day ;)

Hey good lookin'...

Sipping on smoothies...

"Double dating" on the swings...

Some fishes for you...

Some kisses for me...

Writing love notes to each other...

2 little monkeys jumping on the bed...

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Spiritual Health:

Listened to "The Tender Mercies of the Lord"...an incredible talk by David A. Bednar

"I testify that the tender mercies of the Lord are real and that they do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. ... [They] are the very personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Truly, the Lord suits 'his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men' (D&C 46:15)."

Physical Health:

I'm not doing anything very physical for the next few weeks...there has been lots of going up and down the stairs and cleaning the house (yay for nesting!) which has caused some pretty intense braxton hicks and we need this baby to keep cooking :) But come 39-ish weeks and you'll see my awkward, pregnant self on the elliptical, just to help things along ;)

purple lilies, heart-shaped pizza, and a lover's tent

Last night I opened the door to purple lilies (my favorite color) and chocolates on our front porch...then Adam popped out from around the corner with the cutest school-boy-grin...you can bet he got a kiss that made his head spin <3

While my big Valentine and I made a heart-shaped BBQ chicken pizza (thanks for the idea Nicole!) and "BTS" cake together, my little Valentine enjoyed Mama's chocolates (aka, taking tiny bites out of almost every single one...which I didn't mind. I do the same thing).

We enjoyed our festive dinner with the glow of candle light...for about 2 seconds until Brooks blew them out ;)

Our little guy went off to sweet dream land, and we headed down stairs. I surprised Adam with a little tent of love over the couch...perfect for snuggling in, eating our huge pieces of cake, and watching a movie.

It was a very good night.

Then again, every night that my forever sweetheart comes home to us is pretty darn good in my book.

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Spiritual Health:

Read "Guardians of the Hearth" (February's Visiting Teaching Message)

"...bring up your children in light and truth." - D&C 93:40

34 weeks and family kisses

Dear Baby,

Happy Valentine's Day my little sweetheart! As I type this, you're putting the biggest smile on my face because I can feel all sorts of love taps from you...and love kicks and love stretches ;) I can't wait to see your little body be able to really stretch, from your hands above your head to your sweet pointed toes...in less than 6 weeks!

I wanted to tell you about something that really touched my heart yesterday. While reading some scriptures for Personal Progress I read in Jeremiah, "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee..." (Jeremiah 1:5). That was God speaking to Jeremiah, but I want you to know that your Heavenly Father also knew you before you started growing in my belly. And he knows you now. You are so, so precious to Him. And I feel blessed to have been able to carry you in my belly as your sweet body has grown and developed, preparing to enter this beautiful world :) So today, being Valentine's Day, I want you to absolutely know that I love you already and cannot wait to meet you. But more importantly, I want you to know that you are a child of a thoughtful Heavenly Father who loves you so perfectly. Your Daddy and I are going to do our best to make sure that you always feel His love.

Love,

Mom

PS - Before Dad left for work today we made sure to get some extra sweet "family kisses"...can't wait to squeeze you in next month! :)