Getting Ready for Baby...

Even though I have been pregnant for almost 9 months up until just a few weeks ago I had very few photographs from this pregnancy. For those of you that know me at all I am sure you find this hard to believe but it was true. As you can tell from the pictures Liam loves my belly and loves to kiss and talk to the baby. This special bond is something that I wanted to be sure to document.  Thanks to a fellow photographer and friend who I met through my MOPS group we now the photographs to remember these days and tell the story of this time in our lives. Naomi did an amazing job capturing our family and the excitement we all share over welcoming this new little one into the world!

A Taste of Spring

Last week we enjoyed a brief taste of spring (sadly as I write this post today it is 41 degrees outside and rainy) so we headed out to the park to play and picnic with some of our friends. We had a great morning and can not wait for the warm spring days ahead. Liam is very excited by all of the signs of spring and loves to point out all of the daffodils as we walk through our neighborhood since he now knows they are his mommy's favorite!

Liam ready to cheer for the Tarheels that night!

Liam's friend and crush Elisa.

The ever-so-serious Baby Parker....

and her cute little piggies...

and of course, her big brother, Hunter!

Pure Joy

Happy St. Patrick's Day

This year we started off our St. Patrick's Day by borrowing a family tradition from our friends in Texas, The Lees.  We made green Shamrock pancakes for breakfast. Liam loved stirring up the mix and adding the green food coloring. Pancakes are normally a Saturday morning treat at our house so Liam thought this mid-week pancake breakfast was very cool. 

After our pancake feast we headed out for a St. Patty's Day scavengers hunt with our MOPS group at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Maryland.  Spring is slowly starting here in Maryland and we enjoyed a beautiful spring morning following the leprechaun's footprints through the garden. Liam had a wonderful time running around and discovering lots of new and exciting things throughout the garden. I think one of the true joys of motherhood is just being able to watch your child grow. I often times find myself gazing in wander as he discovers something new, tries something on his own for the first time, or even when he is getting into trouble...these are special moments that I would not trade for the world and feel privileged and honored to be able to stay at home with him. Here are a few photos from our adventure through the garden. 

Too cool and he knows it!

Finding a gold coin along the path!

Following the footprints left behind by the leprechaun.

Finding the leprechaun at the end of the path. 

Letting Go and Letting God

"Change is never easy. You fight to hold on. You fight to let go." ~ The Wonder Years

Being stuck in your comfort zone is easy. The challenge is change. Fear of the unknown is a powerful thing and it can hold us back when what we need to be doing is moving forward, moving on. Sometimes we must accept that it is better to let go and accept the change ahead. Over the last few days, weeks, and months I have truly been struggling with letting go on a daily basis. I am struggling with letting go of Liam as my sweet baby boy, letting go of our comfortable "normal" family life, and most recently, letting go of being pregnant (I truly love being pregnant). I absolutely can not wait to welcome this new life into the world but I also realize that in order to do that I must let go and let God. 

As I have been struggling with this over the last few days I have found the following scriptures that have brought me comfort:

There is an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on Earth. ~Ecclesiastes 3: 1

Whatever was, is. Whatever will be, is. That's how it always is with God. ~Ecclesiastes 3:15

I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord. ~1 Samuel 1:27-28 

My prayer as I move into this 41st week of being pregnant is that I may allow myself to let go and let God and in doing that we will be able to welcome this new amazing little one into the world. I know that God has amazing plans for our family and that as with everything in life change is inevitable and the easiest thing we can do is embrace it.

Little Boys Love Puddles

"Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain." ~ Anonymous