Pregnancy helpers

Yep, it wasn't easy.

At the end of Judah's pregnancy I recorded this list of actions and 'things' that helped with pregnancy
round #2. I'm seeing that I forgot to post it, but feel it's still good material and may be helpful to other mama's out there.

I'd like to thank all the friends who have lent their helping hands and pregnancy gear that helped me through the harder days of belly vs. toddler.

Helpful Friends...

Lent me their maternity pillow
Listened/Celebrated/Lamented/Texted/Chatted with me every at every stage
Arrived early to Root Group to help prep and lend their husband to play with David
Stayed late after Root Group to clean up
Babysat David so I could go get a pedicure 
Washed dishes
Carried and changed loads of laundry
Babysat David during worship practice so I could stay put
Threw me a "Last Hoo-rah! Diaper party for Judah"
Organized a meals for mom sign-up
Brought their toddler over to play with David while I got mom-chat-time
Dropped by lasagna leftovers
Played with David while I did laundry, sewed
Treated me like I was exhausted, even when I tried to pretend like I wasn't


Helpful Things...

1. Maternity Pillow
2. Celestial Seasonings Herbal Teas (specifically Lemon Zinger) as a decaf option
3. Sweet Petula Mediterranean Mint Butter Balm for belly
4. Craigslist boxes of plentiful maternity clothes, one stop shopping
5. Coconut water, or boxes of healthy drink options for on the go

I think there must have been more helpful things I found, but this is where the list ends. Maybe with round #3, it'll grow.

Another Weekend in the Smokies

Oh-Olivia! You're just gorgeous.

This past weekend, we revisited the Smokies in Sevierville, Tennessee for Tripp's annual family reunion. Read about last year's for more detail about the stay experience. This year, it was all about the kids.

Leaving Chicago at 6:30pm at night, Tripp and I forged the 10 hour road trip in the dark. I was coming down with a pretty severe cold and the pain in my head kept me awake and alert for us to arrive by 5am EST. We immediately set up pack and plays in closet & bathroom and got to sleep from about 6am -9am EST. Tripp woke up with David and I slept in waiting on Judah. That sweetie pie (and Claritin) gave me rest till 10:30am EST. The rest of the day consisted of visiting with Aunt Bebe, Uncle Bill, Suzanne & the King family in our cabin, and also a walk up the steep hill to visit more of our Savell family.

David surprised us and revealed
excellent hidden cutting skills.

Thanks to my cold, I was allowed lots of naps and miraculously – Judah slept longer naps than he's ever done in his life. I felt that was God's grace tangibly extended to our family who was very much in need. Tripp worked out a business meeting in Knoxville for Monday, so we spent our last night at Uncle Bill's house. That meant a little more time together with the family and a stop at a very delicious buffet with southern home cookin'.

You'll see below some very precious shots of our kiddos spending time together. Last year, Tripp and I were in newborn Judah mode and this year, we felt much more at home in the reunion experience and enjoyed our family even more.

Aunt Cayte!

I think we'll have to continue to pose the kids
together on this swing. Such cute mugs.

Encouraging & beautiful Wallpaper

iPhone wallpaper. Had to share. You can check out Lizzy Lee's backgrounds on her flicker site (they're all the ones with scripture). She has a lot of sizes and very neat image options. These are all at original size, so they should be okay to save out and use.

From Eat Drink Chic

From Eat Drink Chic

From Quinn Luu

Cafe Bustelo & a tbsp of sugar

Last Year's RP Parent's Group Halloween Party
where Kerri's family met mine

Last year, this time, I met Kerri and her two young red headed boys at our park on a city cleaning day. The leaf blower man loudly cleared debris from each nook and crevice of the play structure, while we attempted to play. Judah was only 3 mo. old and napping in my Ka'Tan wrap. This was a memorable day because we learned how to make new friends.

Kerri was tall with gorgeous long highlighted hair and I was sure she couldn't be American. Her oldest boy was 4 and walked along with David up and down a half-moon cinderblock wall as we waited on the leaf blower man. Her youngest sat snuggly in his stroller. Kerri initiated conversation with me and I discovered that she was new to RP. They had just relocated from the East Coast for her husband's job. Our conversation carried on for the next hour as her oldest patiently directed David around the big kids play structure. I so enjoyed talking to Kerri, and before we parted she invited us over to play. Our first invitation to have a play date with new friends!!

Heading over to Kerri's apt for the first time, I reassured David that our destination contained lots of new toys and his new buddy. Upon entering Kerri's beautiful home, my hopes were confirmed - amazing toys and David's friend was ready to give a tour. Kerri and I chatted about our families, her husband's job at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba, and I felt like I had known this woman for years. We discussed this shared familiarity, how we were thankful to have found one another. However, I was most thankful for Kerri's example of reaching out and inviting new friendship in. I'm not sure she even realized all that meant to me. She had come at a time where I was navigating the loss of close friendships and anticipating winter.

In the Spring, Kerri and her precious family ended up moving back to the East Coast for her husband's job. We didn't get enough time playing with them before they left, due to our youngest boys, their nap schedules and runny noses. However, I think of Kerri often, and it warms my heart to think about the possibilities of relationships in our futures. Kerri's family did not claim any specific belief in faith, but God definitely used her in my life to remind me that He provides. I didn't have to reach out to find her friendship, she reached out to me.

Sometimes it's easy to forget about people who are in our lives for short seasons. And sometimes, little events bring the memories back. I remember now why I knew of Cafe Bustelo, beyond that my bud Kelly shares her daily pot with me often - It's the coffee Kerri poured me on our first play date. Still more memorable was the heaping tablespoon of sugar I was offered to sweeten it! She had asked me if I took sugar, to which I replied, 'Oh yes.' And apparently that translates into a heaping tablespoon. Cafe Bustelo is so intense that one must have a heaping tablespoon of sugar to sweeten. And thus, I'm thinking of my dear friend and praying for her two boys as I enjoy yet another cup (and tbsp of sugar).