This month ahead is going to be a simple one for goals since we will be having so many fun changes in our life. I can't believe it is finally time to meet our boy, I seriously can't wait! I'm trying to be patient and calm, nesting and resting, all those lovely things you do in the last few weeks of pregnancy that feel like a whole freakin year......

August Update

1// Prepare some frozen meals for after Solomon arrives - nope, didn't happen. BUT I am thankful for the many family and friends that have already promised us meals. ;)

2// Pack the bags for the birth center - packed and ready, shared  all the details HERE.
3// Finish the Hymns Series by SheReadsTruth - not quite finished but I'm looking forward to finishing this up during the beginning of September before baby boy comes!

4// Go on one last date night with Peter before Solomon arrives - we had several nights out for dinner that were nice and I think we will continue to have a dinner date night every weekend until Solomon decides to come!

5// Finish up the room and wait for baby boy - finished and I can't wait to share all the details very soon!!!! 

September Goals

1// Welcome our sweet baby boy!!!!!!!!

2// Rest and enjoy him as much as possible. 
3// Celebrate our Two Year Anniversary! 

packing the bags.

I thought it would be fun to celebrate making it to week 38 by sharing all the many bags I have packed for the big event! It was a little different to pack for a birthing center vs a hospital stay since you only stay there 4-6 hours after the baby arrives, and I haven't seen many packing lists for a birth center delivery, so I thought it would be great to share mine! 

baby bag // momma bag

(both very generous gifts at a baby shower)

The breakdown of the bags are: 

Solomon's Bag
1//one outfit  2//one sleeper  3//going home outfit + hat
4//diapers + wipes  5//two blankets  6//two burp cloths
7//socks  8//mittens  9//hand sanitizer


Momma's Bag
1//night gown  2//pajamas  3//going home outfit  4//two pairs of undies
5//wetbag for clothes  6//nursing bra  7//nipple butter
8//cloth nursing pads  9//swim top for tub  10//socks  11//slippers  13//flipflops


Toiletries Bag
1//hair ties  2//headbands  3//chapstick  4//shampoo & conditioner
5//dry shampoo  6//soap  7//face cleanser  8//face scrub  9//cotton pads
10//cotton swabs  11//toothbrush + toothpaste  12//coconut oil  13//vitamins
14//brush  15//makeup bag


Daddy's Bag
1//cell phones and charger  2//camera with lens and extra battery  3//swimsuit
4//extra set of clothes and underwear  5//pajama pants  6//toothbrush


Snack Bag
1//coconut water  2//larabars  3//bananas  4//cucumbers
5//grapes  6//glass with bendy straw


& the "just in case" Hospital Bag
1//extra sleepers for Solomon  2//extra socks and hats for Solomon
3//diapers + wipes  4//two blankets  5//postpartum wrap  6//breast pump
7//extra clothes and undies for momma  8//extra clothes and undies for daddy


What did I forget?!? Anything that you Momma's out there loved having with you
or anything that I definitely will not need??

Summer Favorites.

This summer has definitely been the most interesting summer of my life. With enjoying our second year of marriage, preparing for a new member of our family & trying to travel and have as much fun as we can in the process. Looking back over the past few months was a lot of fun and I'm excited to share little bits and pieces of my favorite parts thanks to The Circle Link-up for this month!

Starting off the summer with one of my favorite holidays

and one that hit home in a new way for me, Mother's Day!

Next up was our wonderful Babymoon in Charleston!!

It was such a fun weekend and I can't wait to take our baby boy

to one of our favorite cities in the future.

Another awesome part of summer is all the cookouts and weddings, 

it was fun to see friends and celebrate during busy weekends like this one. 

Taking road trips with for shopping and quality time with my Mom

is always a summer must and our weekend trip for baby shopping was so much fun!

Speaking of that baby boy, it was so sweet to celebrate his life with my family and friends at his two showers. The first with my family and the second with my friends!! 




& of course you have to celebrate summer with a 4th of July cookout!
I'm so glad we have made this a fun tradition with our family and friends!! 



The Summer vacation to Niagara Falls was the perfect way to end the busy season
before taking time to settle in at home and prepare for the big arrival!
It was so much fun to get away and out of town in a new place with family.

What are YOUR summer highlights? Are there things you learned, trips you took, photos you took that you haven't shared yet? Or are there some things you still hope to cross off your summer bucket list? Write your post, grab a button (or use the hashtag #thecirclelinkup), and see what everyone else was/is up to this summer below!

pregnancy post // month nine.

well... I'm officially full term, so you can join us anytime, little man!

Weeks 33 - 36

Somehow I missed week 32 & 33... big fail. Ooops!

Some questions we've been asked

are you having a girl // This is probably the most asked question on a daily basis from strangers. I think I offended the poor girl at Target a few weeks ago when she asked if it was a girl. I didn't mean to sound irritated but it is just hilarious that everyone guesses girl, including myself and Peter and a lot of family the entire time leading up to the 20 week ultrasound. All I have to say is, if Solomon comes out as a girl, we will all have a BIG laugh, but based off of the pictures from the ultrasound, I feel pretty safe in the fact that we will have a boy!

is the heat killing you // Honestly, it hasn't been that bad. Just in the past month I have started to have the heat wave feeling where I feel like I'm going to pass out from being overheated but it usually doesn't have anything to do with the weather. It just kind of happens randomly. I'm a very cold natured person so I've still been using my heater at my work desk and there have been several times when I've stepped outside and thought, this feels good! Weird, but I'm thankful for it!

are you ready // YES! I am so ready. I want to hold my baby and kiss him. I want my body back. I want to experience becoming a mother and have that magical moment when our eyes meet for the first time. It is all so exciting and I am beyond ready! Also, especially now that I'm 37 weeks all things are good to go for the birthing center... I've been praying that he would stay put until at least 37 weeks, so I wouldn't have to go to the hospital and now we are in the clear. SO YOU CAN COME ANYTIME NOW, SOLOMON!

a trolley ride with a cute boy.

For a VERY long time we have been promising my nephew, Jaden, that he could ride on the trolley bus whenever we saw it downtown but the timing never worked out. This past weekend we made sure it was going to happen. Watching the excitement on his face when he saw the bus coming was so cute. He was honestly just as happy to get off the trolley as he was to get on since keeping the attention of an almost 3 year old, on a long ride on a hot bus, isn't very easy. But, he did love it and I'm so glad we got to go on the trolley with him! 

His sweet little smile is one of my favorite things in all the world!
So thankful to have this boy in our life.

Taking Stock 007

^^^ the cutest little frog thanks to Diana Basna Artist!

It's so nice to have a talented and sweet cousin!!!

Just fair warning... this is most definitely a pregnancy/baby taking stock post because that is honestly all my brain can comprehend at this point. Sorry, it's the truth and there is no escaping it, so I decided to go with it. 

Making // so, so many to do lists
Cooking // hardly anything, I just don't have the desire or energy
Drinking // water and crunching ice like a champ
Reading // so many amazing birth stories lately (also watching, like this video that made me cry like a baby)
Wanting // my body back
Looking // forward to all the fun holidays ahead with our little boy
Wasting // nothing....? I guess it's a good sign that I can't think of anything being wasted right now
Wishing // little man would stop pressing on my gallbladder
Enjoying // all the great massages that husband has been giving
Liking // the relaxing acupuncture appointments I started last week
Wondering // how the sleeping/feeding schedule will work out but putting together my Mom's On Call inspired schedule makes me all kinds of giddy
Loving // the way Solomon's room is finally coming together
Hoping // baby boy comes on time... or before time, either would be great
Marveling // at how my body has made room for another person, God's way of creating life is amazing and I'm so thankful to be a part of HIS plan
Needing // to finish packing those bags for the big day
Smelling // everything, that sensitive pregnancy nose will not be missed
Wearing // flats, not even gonna attempt to wear heels until October
Following // all the amazing mommas on instagram
Noticing // how much I hate not knowing when Solomon will decide to make his first appearance, the planner in me is dying
Knowing // our world is about to change forever, but I can not wait
Thinking // about how we are ONE MONTH EXACTLY from the due date (insert heart eyes emoji)
Bookmarking // so many books and advice on Pinterest for postpartum help
Opening // my new planner that I bought for the new season of parenthood (will share soon!!!)
Giggling // about all the tiny pieces of clothing that I have been washing and folding, it makes me feel so happy I might burst
Feeling // impatient

one last night.

A couple of nights ago I got a big treat thanks to my Mom; she was given two tickets to see Cinderella at the Peace Center and she chose me to share them with. While I was working on this post I couldn't help but think back to our last, kind of special in a way, Mom/Daughter date night from a couple years ago. That night was special because it was our last night to enjoy dinner and some fun time before I became a wife. Once again, we got to enjoy some time together, but now it's before I become a Mom!!! So many exciting changes ahead and I'm so thankful to have her by my side for it.

The show was so much fun and we had a great time. I know we will still have our little Mom/Daughter nights once Solomon comes along but they will be different. I will always have that little man on my mind, or in my arms, so it was wonderful to just be carefree one last time with my mom, before I take on that role myself! She definitely gives me a lot to live up to, and for that I'm so incredibly thankful!

a few little things.

Pregnancy has been amazing! Like, so in love with it that I'm scaring my poor husband by asking when we can do this thing again? (Soon, please?!?) But, I do believe that God has this magical little way of making us ready for the end. I thought so many times that I would miss pregnancy, (and I still think I will in a way!) but I'm at the point now where I want this little man to be in my arms. I want us to be two, no longer one. It is a beautiful thing, this entire experience, and I thought it would be fun to list a few of the little things I cant wait for......

let's be honest, I want all of the following within the first month of his departure... a juicy medium rare steak, a spicy margarita from Bacon Brothers & some amazing sushi with way too much raw goodness // seeing his tiny little feet and kissing his toes constantly // my pelvic bone to feel normal again, I'm scared to ask how long this might take // starting the adventure of breast feeding, I've been praying and hoping that I love it as much as I think I will // all of the amazing holidays coming up so soon and having our family of three to celebrate them with // sleeping on my stomach again, I may have shed a few tears because I miss it so much

What did you miss during pregnancy??

ps. that's my favorite non maternity shirt (size medium) that I can't get enough of!

Goals // 8.15

We made it to the final month. The last month without a baby. The countdown is on!
I can't believe it is August already. I know everyone says that it flies by and then the last two weeks feel like 100 years. We'll see how it goes but I don't have any super high expectations for my situation to be any different than most women, mainly so I'm not let down when September comes around and I'm still very much pregnant. But, we'll see how it all plays out, and I'm excited to whatch God's magic unfold once Solomon decides he's ready to join us. 

Taking advantage of my early mornings during this month ahead.... 

July Update

1// Finish the nursery so we can enjoy August and not feel rushed - so excited about how adorable everything looks. Still have a few things to do here and there but majority of everything is ready!

2// Travel to Niagara Falls for the Family Reunion and a cousin's wedding - we had such a fun weekend with family! I shared a little bit of that HERE and HERE.
3// Enjoy the baby shower for Solomon, given by my sweet girlfriends - it was such a fun day with my sweet friends and I shared all of the awesome details HERE.

4// REST! (a third trimester must) - thanks to the swollen feet I have been making rest more important. Trying to get the best sleep possible at night and going to bed early is helping a lot, also!

August Goals

1// Prepare some frozen meals for after Solomon arrives

2// Pack the bags for the birth center
3// Finish the Hymns Series by SheReadsTruth

4// Go on one last date night with Peter before Solomon arrives

5// Finish up the room and wait for baby boy