my 2nd trimester faves

Am I really almost done with my second trimester?! As it is usually goes with pregnancy, my second trimester has been a 180 of my first trimester. No more feeling sicky, no more aversions to 90% of the foods out there, and no more 3 hour naps after work. Plus, I'm sporting a pretty good sized bump these days which has got to be one of my favorite things ever.

And, as I found in the first trimester, there have been several things and products that I have really loved through this phase of changes.

1. Clif bars/Larabars - I have had the appetite about the size of a horse, so eating good snacks throughout the day has been a must. These two have been my morning snacks of choice for several weeks, and there's usually one in my purse for when hunger strikes during things like church and shopping at IKEA. The flavor they can pack into a Larabar with so few ingredients really blows my mind. They're so delicious!

2. Belly band - I have seriously been able to wear so many of my "normal" pants and shorts up until recently thanks to this wonderful invention. Early in my second trimester, I picked up this one from Target and have really loved it.

3. Smoothies - These have become a staple of my morning breakfast routine and with all the fresh summer fruit available, they have been extra delicious.

4. Walking - Also a staple of my morning routine. Every morning after breakfast, Callie and I (and sometimes Tim) go for a nice 1 mile walk around the neighborhood. I have become such a morning person over the past year, and I have yet to hit snooze in order to trade sleep for my walk.

5. Blue Sky Soda - Because sometimes you just gotta have pop with pizza! I discovered this stuff in the natural/organic section of our grocery store and it has become my "special occasion" treat. While it does have sugar, it isn't full of artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, etc., and there's a ton of different flavors. My favorites are cola and ginger ale.

6. Energy - Pretty quickly after I hit the second trimester mark, my energy levels shot back up to normal, which means that my 3 hour naps have turned into 30 minute naps, and I don't feel completely wiped out by the time 2:00pm rolls around.

7. Hazelnut steamer - Even though it's summer and hot drinks aren't really in season, there have been a few chilly and/or rainy days that have called for a hot beverage. Since I'm doing my best to avoid caffeine, the steamer has become my go-to drink of choice with hazelnut and 2% milk, please.

my favorite kind of weekend

This past weekend was spent doing some of my most favorite things. It was one of those rare weekends where we had absolutely nothing planned and we were free to make spur-of-the-moment plans.
+ Saturday started with running errands and picking up some patio furniture, and ended with a spontaneous visit by my favorite 16-month-old niece and her dad. I swear that girl just gets better every time I see her.
+ Sunday started with church, followed by an afternoon trip to Buffalo to explore it's many antique/occasional shops. (Mom, I have GOT to take you there!) The weather was beautiful and Tim and I just meandered the streets looking for treasures and deals. The day ended with naps in the sunroom, church, a trip to the grocery store, and Miller home videos from 1987.

on motherhood + hard work

I have been thinking a lot about motherhood/parenthood lately (big shocker). And while I'm so thankful for this pregnancy for many reasons, one that I've been realizing lately is the fact that I now have first-hand experience in this precious stage of life. It's like I've suddenly been plunged into this whole new network of women that I can now relate to. I have also been learning things like what to not say to a pregnant woman or expectant parents. For example, "You think you're tired now, just wait until you have the baby...you'll never have a good night of sleep again" or "You think you're busy now, just wait until you have the baby...you'll never go on another date again."

Yes, our lives will drastically change, our routines will be different, and there may be things we won't do as often, but as with any big change, there will come a "new normal." For the planner and routine lover that I am, I know that this will be a challenge to get used to, especially knowing that with a new baby there are hardly ever two days that are ever the same. I am pretty much counting on one or two total meltdowns on my part and a few middle-of-the-night calls to Mom. And I'd be lying if said I wasn't worried about being a good mom and having no clue what I'm doing. But I take comfort in knowing that many mothers before me have gone through these same things...and have not just survived, but call it a blessing.

And I think my friend Teddy Roosevelt might be on to something because I've always felt the most satisfied when working at something that is difficult. And now I have been tasked with one of the greatest challenges of all - growing, birthing, and raising and training up a child. So I'd rather not view it as a chore, a drag, or something that is interrupting my "normal" life, but instead a chance to work (very) hard at work worth doing.

lately // staining a deck + washing a dog

Sweet summertime is here in the form of extra warm days, house projects, peaches, and long evenings outside...until we get chased in by mosquitos. Our ceiling fans are constantly spinning and the cool leather furniture has become a welcomed sight after activities like mowing and standing over a pot of boiling corn on the cob.

Thanks to the warm and (mostly) dry conditions, Tim was able to stain and seal the deck, making that project nearly complete. The only things left are to router the edges and maybe add a step along the whole front perimeter of the deck. Oh, and patio furniture of course. I'm just waiting for a sweet Craig's List deal or an end-of-summer sale at Home Depot.

Summertime also means that Callie's bath is an outdoor activity. She loves the water when it's in the form of a lake, river, or pond, but when it involves a bath tub or a garden hose, she gets a little sour.

step 1: get Callie wet

step 2: have some fun at Callie's expense

step 3: shake what your mama gave ya

step 4: soap/massage time = Callie's favorite part

step 5: dry off as you watch Tim remove stain from the house siding

Summertime, I hope you stick around for awhile this year. That'd be great. Thanks.

baby update // 21 weeks

Things of note in this photo:

• Squirrels - it seems we are following in Bob Miller's footsteps and have accumulated quite the squirrel population. One evening, we counted 7 in our backyard at one time. 
• Blanket - maybe one of the most beautiful gifts Grandma D. has given me. It's so unique and different and I love it.
• Sunroom - while it is technically "sunroom season", the extreme humidity lately has pretty much made the room unbearable for the past week. However, we did do something the other night that we've talked about since moving in - moved our old box TV to the corner of the sunroom and watched an episode of Friends. Now if we could only watch a Twins game on there, I'd be in heaven.
• Slippers - yep, it's July and I'm wearing slippers. Since Tim is sure he might die of exposure to any temperature over 80 degrees, the air conditioning has been consistently set at 69 degrees. And I've always said there's nothing worse than a hot/cranky Tim, so comply with this by donning slippers and usually a sweatshirt and blanket.
• Belly - Baby Miller's growth is right on track and has begun punching and kicking everyday (love it!). At this point, it seems that the general consensus is that it's a boy, but the logic behind this is of course not really grounded in anything.