Babies on the way!

My work always has a bunch of girls pregnant at the same time but this go around two of my good friends are included in the mix. Both have had their struggles getting to this point which makes celebrating with them all the sweeter. Alicia is due here in the next week or so and is going to be surprised if it is a boy or girl. Megan is due around Thanksgiving and is having a little girl. I got the honor of hosting both their showers at my house... with help from some awesome work friends of course.

 

Beth and I planned Alicia's shower and made it little lamb themed with neutral colors.

 

Alicia has craved doughnuts this pregnancy so it had to be highlighted at the shower :)

Decorating shenanigans

Look how fantastic she looks at ~31 weeks. We should have gotten a side view of that cute baby bump.

 

 

Then Megan's shower was kite themed based off cute fabric I found for her diaper cloths I made. I was happy with some of the new projects I attempted for this one, like the hanging 3D boxes.

 

 

 

 

 

I love how it looks like Sydney is choking her sister in these

With Ro added in the mix

Yummo peanut butter chocolate and marshmallow chocolate cupcakes courtesy of Shanda's cooking skills

The pregnant girls, Cathi Megan and Alicia. Cortney left before this pic was taken, she would have been the fourth work friend pregnant at the shower.

Me and Meg

 

I am so excited for both these girls and can't wait to meet their sweet babies/Rowan's new friends. I'm slightly bummed I don't have any other parties coming up now that Megan's is over. I love throwing parties, well at least decorating for them, so hopefully the occasion to party plan will arise again soon!

Ode to my husband

Five years ago today I married my best friend. Marriage has taught me patience, forgiveness, self sacrifice and undeserving love. Matthew is so many wonderful things that I am not and our family is blessed to have him as our leader. He looks after me and Rowan so well and I have just become used to this high standard of  love. So much though that I often forget or don't take time to praise him and thank him for the job he does. So to my "Words of Affirmation" guy here are some things I love about the way you love us....

 

-You give me back tickles and rubs almost every night before bed

-You make my lunch for work when I am running late

-You tell me I am beautiful even when I feel like eczema is ruining my life

-You have attempted to cook dinners even though you hate it as much as I do

-You pray with Rowan and I

-You help out with every single baby task  there is, nothing is above you or too gross for you or too scary for you or any other excuses I hear other dads make. From washing her cloth diapers to making her food to wrestling and playing with her, to putting her to bed, Rowan is blessed by your involvement in her life.

-You watch dumb shows like the bachelorette with me just so we can spend time together

-You water the lawn and mow the grass because you know I like our lawn to be pretty

-You have created a hundred different spreadsheets for running our house from monthly budgets to plans to pay off our mortgage to goals for the year.

-You never second guess my judgment when it comes to spending money and sticking to the budget.

-You go to work 5 days a week to an often stressful job yet you hardly complain

-You can be silly and join in my dance parties/ sing along sessions around the house.

-You write me sweet letters and notes

-You have made me thankful I married you every day for the last 365 x 5 days :)

 

Happy Anniversary Babe, I love you!

 

 

Outside

I don't know what we are going to do when cold weather sets in because Rowan's favorite thing to do lately has been to go outside. In the morning she plays in the driveway, we go on walks to the mailbox, walks around the block and on adventures to pick up rocks and put them in our pails. We watch the school bus pick up the kids every morning and wave to all the dogs that are out being walked before it gets too hot. In the afternoon she plays on the back porch because it is covered and not quite as hot. She will even play by herself if I'm in the kitchen cleaning/cooking. Then after nap  she would love it if everyday we went outside to play in the water. Turn the hose on and she is set for the next 30-45 min at least of dragging it around "watering" things, taking sips for herself, watering herself, filling up buckets with water ect. We will also paint the driveway, ride in the taxi, kick around balls, play with bubbles and draw chalk, have picnics and snacks at our picnic table. It is pretty great if have nothing to do and are willing to waste an afternoon. One of the partial SAHM joys I'm soaking up :)

 

 

 

We like the share our love of the outside with our cousin as well

 

 

Oh you want in too? Uhhhhh ok

Simple Joys

After dinner one night, Matt went outside to mow and water the lawn. I brought Ro out to say goodnight to him before bath time. Unprompted by either of us, Rowan shrieked with joy when she was put down and ran head on into the sprinklers. This 10 minutes of fun had to be captured in pictures :)

Getting sprayed in the face but not caring enough to move.

Love this one

Trying out the side sprinklers as well

Confused as to why all this grass was sticking to her

 

 As my brother so perfectly put it when I texted him pictures of this, "What a beautiful mess."