THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS

THANKFUL FOR: The closer you get to having a baby, the more people tell you to enjoy this peaceful time, to rest, and relax. As a busy body, I don't get the rest portion, but swollen appendages have been enough to make me stop and take a moment or two for myself. I guess it's the silence and being alone part that I didn't think I'd have a problem with. I typically LOVE being by myself (introvert alert!), but all of this quiet time scares the bejeezus out of me. I'm a naturally introspective person, but for some reason or another, the time alone means that I have to be one with my thoughts. Yowzah! Depending on the moment, my mind can wander, and I get so incredibly scared about the future—it can feel paralyzing at times. The moment I begin to feel this way, I know I can look behind me and Beesly is right there sporting a smile. It's like she knows I can't be trusted and that I need her companionship now more than ever. Her goofy grin and stinky breath are enough to wipe away anyone's worries. Sometimes I wonder if she gets tired of following my every move. I truly appreciate her unconditional love and tenacity. She's the best!

EATING: Tomorrow we'll celebrate Flyboy's 29th birthday. So how do we plan to whoop it up? I'm glad you asked. Aside from a few confetti guns (I'm kidding, kind of...), I plan to make him this Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake. I told him I'd make him any dessert he wanted and this is what he chose. I can't say I hate the idea of indulging in this bad boy over the weekend. While it says it serves 10-12 people, I have a feeling the two of us will have it finished by Monday morning. Additionally, I'm going to go ahead and attribute any weight gain at next week's appointment to this hunk of deliciousness.

WATCHING: Seeing Flyboy read books like "Dude, You're Gonna Be a Dad" is an absolute hoot. Last Saturday afternoon, I found myself organizing my closet for the umpteenth time. Convinced I should take a quick break, I visited the living room to see what my sweet family was up to. The pups were conked out and FB was nose deep in his book. When I originally bought it for him back in February, I never realized he would take it so seriously. In fact, it's proven to be rather annoying because the more he reads, the more anxious he gets about me doing anything. I could pat my stomach and say "Ouch!" simultaneously, and suddenly he thinks it's time to head to the hospital. Don't get me wrong, it's incredibly sweet, but it has me wondering which one of us will be calm, cool, and collected when D-Day finally arrives. I predict there will be plenty of comedy in the chaos.

FEELING: I have to apologize, m' dears. I think this head cold has zapped my creativity this week, so I'm sorry if the blog content has been a little dull. I've been in an absolute funk since last Sunday, and I'm so ready to say good-bye to all the sniffling and stuffiness. I tried to sweet talk my nutty nurse into giving me some of the good stuff, but it looks like I'm stuck gargling salt water and packing tissues with me wherever I go. I hope a few generous slices of ice cream cake and a relaxing weekend will bring a fresh start.

THINKING ABOUT: 

Three of my favorite guys EVER were born in the month of September. There's my Dad, Flyboy, and my dear Godson, Kinnick. That being said, I'd be more than alright to have Max hold off for a few more weeks and grace us with his presence in October, as originally intended. It's not that I don't want him to join this fabulous cast of characters, because he'd be in the BEST company, but I could really use a few more weeks to prep (both mentally and physically). I'm honestly not sure if I'm ready to meet the lil' fella quite yet. And now that I put this out there on the Interwebs, I've surely tainted myself, haven't I?! Gulp.

LISTENING TO: While some little girls dream about castles and prince charming, my sister, Aubrey, had her sights on unsuspecting subjects—like Jane Goodall and wild chimpanzees. This past Monday, Aub sent my mom and me a text saying the famed primatologist would be visiting the University of Missouri this week. This meant that she would finally get her chance to see the woman she's idolized since grade school speak at a lecture. Um, hello bucket list! When I finally got an opportunity to discuss the lecture with Aubrey, I could hear the utter joy and excitement in her voice. I don't think it gets much better than that, my friends. I only wish I could have attended the event with her to witness the double-barrel grin that was painted on her face.

READING: You know I love me some Whoorl, so naturally I thought Sarah's latest Mindful Monday post was fantabulous! I especially appreciated how she shared Christian Larson's words, but included thoughts of her own in parenthesis. Promise me you'll read it...

LOVING: This past May, I was approached by Nuna to review a few of their products and share it on my blog. Pretty cool, huh?! But because we haven't had a chance to put our car seat and bouncer to the test just yet, I've been reading all sorts of reviews and staring at the products just wondering what it will be like when a baby is actually using them one day. I really can't wait to share my thoughts with you! Based on all the great things I've read, we went ahead and opted to get a Nuna stroller which conveniently has adapters that work with the car seat we were gifted. My in-laws graciously purchased the Pepp Stroller for us and it arrived this week. Hooray! I just know it's something we'll get plenty of use and enjoyment from. Now if I could just figure out how I'm going to walk two dogs and push this contraption at the same time. As Bob Wiley would say, "Baby steps."

Enough about me. How are you feeling today? What are you up to? Thanks for stopping by!!