{Snapshots of Christmas 2013}

Christmas day has come and gone. I'm pretty sure that our tree is drying out, but don't be surprised if you stop by and I am still playing Christmas music in the kitchen while I sip my gingerbread latte...

I love all things Christmas and having little girls has given me an excuse to be a big kid!  Early Christmas Eve morning, I started rocking our Christmas tunes and making reindeer pancakes.  Abigail was so joyful trotting around our house dancing to " Jingle Bells".  And then we saw the snowflakes!  It only snowed for about ten minutes, but I bundled her up and out on the deck we went to dance around in the snow!  It was such a fun morning!

We enjoyed this Christmas season so much because it was filled with memories of family and snapshots of joy!  Abigail has gotten the hang of presents and after we celebrate her birthday next month, I'm pretty sure she'll be ruined for life.  She thinks everyone is bringing her a present these days!  Her big gift this year was an adorable little pink kitchen that we found second hand.  She watches me so intently when I'm baking and tries to do exactly what she sees me doing so I knew this would be a hit.  We brought it down from the attic late on Christmas Eve and put it by our tree.  Mike and I giggled as we pictured all the excitement that was just a few hours away!  

My own little Christmas miracle was sleeping in on Christmas day.  This little baby slept until 5:00 which makes for a very happy mama! Violet is such a joy and is just starting to really focus and grin!  I was able to enjoy a few precious moments watching her smile and coo before Mike brought Abigail into our living room.  It's moments like these that I want to remember forever. 

And then, the fun began!  Abigail came around the corner to our living room with wide eyes as she saw lots of presents and her new kitchen! 

 

 She has played so much with this little kitchen and she hasn't even opened her pots and pans or noticed her apron yet.  Mike's mom had a friend make the cutest aprons for Abigail and of course Uncle Alan got her the most adorable winter coat!  I'd say she's a happy little girl! 

Mike's mom and dad were able to come down from Chicago and spend Christmas with us again this year and it has been wonderful!  Alice always comes with a box full of cookies and recipes for us to try.  Dan of course is getting his exercise running around our house with Abigail in his arms or on his back...and occasionally on his head! We even took a trip down to Columbia for Christmas dinner with my family and ventured out to the Opryland Hotel to see Christmas lights . What a wonderful Christmas it has been! 

{These are a few of my favorite things}

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in our home!  I love this time of year and I've enjoyed decorating our house this year more than ever.  Abigail loves our Christmas tree and since she loves owls so much we decided to get an owl ornament to add to our collection.  Mike and I started the tradition when we got married to get one new ornament each year for our Christmas tree.  Here is our pretty little owl of 2013!

I think my favorite new addition this year is our burlap stockings by the mantle.  I wanted to get stockings with our names on them and I found a cute design on Etsy that I fell in love with.  Aren't these adorable?

I love to decorate our mantle with each changing season and Christmas is probably my favorite!  This year I added miniature pine cones.  I also have a few hanging from our tree.  

If you follow this blog or my instagram, then you probably know that I love chalkboard art.  This year, I found a few ideas on Pinterest and decided to decorate the chalkboard on my entry buffet.  The lyrics of this hymn are beautiful and powerful and I try to let the words sink in each time I pass by. 

Each night, Abigail and I read stories and sing Christmas songs before bedtime. Her favorite book right now is Frosty the Snowman!  We sing it over and over for her.   I also started reading a children's advent book to her.  This is the book we have and I think it's perfect for her age. 

I love creating memories for Abigail and I can't wait to do the same for Violet.  Last year we gave Abigail her first Christmas ornament and we picked out a cute little stocking that we could stuff with a special note.  We have the same ornament for Violet and this year Mike and I wrote a special note for her first Christmas. 

Merry Christmas! 

2013

Nanna's Table

There are so many sweet memories surrounding the kitchen table at my grandmother's house.  Long conversations and good food mixed with laughter and timeless stories are what I think of most when I think of the kitchen table at Nanna's.  

I am so thankful that I now have pictures of me, Abigail, and Violet all at her table!  They are priceless to me.  

I think these were taken at my first Christmas so I was one week old.  You can see where my girls get all their hair!

This picture was taken when Abigail was around 8 weeks old.  I remember this visit so clearly because Spring was in the air and after staying cocooned for 2 months with a newborn, I was ready for a road trip!  

And this last one is Miss Violet taken at 4 weeks old.  She's working on her follow through of course.  I'll have to tell her all about her great grandmother one day and how she was an All American basketball player!  

Violet's First Month!

We are all finally healthy in our house and now that I am out of my postpartum/I've been sick for 2 weeks phase, I've had a chance to realize that a whole month passed in a blink!  Even though the first few weeks were tough physically and emotionally, there are many joyful moments that I want to remember!  

Violet is a sweet little cuddle bug and I am enjoying every second.  I have a little different perspective this time around so I'm intentionally trying to savor each moment.  I know how quickly the night time feedings pass and how soon they stop letting you snuggle them quietly in the nook of your neck.  I remember every mom telling me when Abigail was born that she would be a year old before I knew it!  It always made me want to cry, but they were right. Before I know it, Violet will be running through our house and climbing all over me when I want to hold her close.  Until then, I'm going to enjoy her sweet smell and kiss her every chance I get! 

I am so thankful for the advice that a few of my mom friends gave me to help get me ready for 2 babies under 2 years old and to help Abigail adjust to our new bundle of joy!  Here are a few things that I would also pass along.  

1.  Remember that your toddler still needs you...a lot.  It's easy to make the mistake of thinking that overnight they matured and completely understand how much your new baby needs you.  

2.  Even though " man to man coverage" is the easiest way to care for two small children, make sure you switch and spend equal time with both babies.  

3.  Your newborn only needs you for the necessities of life.   A good friend reminded me of this and it has been a great reminder!  Violet gets a lot of time with me, but Mike can burp her or get her ready for naps.  This is a a good time for me to get my quality time with Abigail. 

4.  When you introduce your toddler to your newborn, have someone else holding them so they aren't confused and jealous 

5.  Have special gifts from the baby to your toddler so they don't feel left out as all your visitors and your attention are shifted to the new baby for a while.  


Thank you friends for all your epic mommy wisdom!  So far Abigail loves her little sister and if I can keep her from poking her in the eyes and dropping the ipod on her head...we will all be just fine! 

Abigail or "Gabba-gail" as she calls herself is in love with her baby sister!  I have seen her wrapping her baby dolls up and rocking them and giving them all lots of kisses!  

I am so anxious to see if Violet will end up with blonde curly hair and blue eyes like her big sister.  Their newborn photos look so similar but I'm sure Violet will have a special look that is all her own.  We love you sweet baby girl!  Our life has been much sweeter in the last month with you in our arms! 

Here are a few of Abigail's newborn pictures.  Can you see a resemblance??  

I cherish these photos and I am so thankful for my sweet friend Abby that captures these moments and helps me freeze them in time.  She is an amazing photographer! You can check out her website here at Abby Gray Photography.

Violet Anne Harder

My sweet Violet.  I absolutely adore this picture and I remember clearly what it felt like to look down at her face for the first time and really take in that I had another little girl to love.  I feel so blessed that I get to be her mommy. Welcome to our crazy family baby girl!

The Lord has been so good to us and He answered all my prayers surrounding her birth.  In the days leading up to my delivery, I was really anxious about her position.  She didn't seem to be completely head down and she was still face up.  Anxiety about having a c-section or a difficult delivery started to weigh on me.  Thankfully, I was able to deliver her naturally without any complications.  My labor was actually pretty quick this time too.  I was admitted around 4:00 in the afternoon at 7 cm and 100% effaced.  Miss Violet was in my arms at 7:00 that evening.  I delivered her with the Midwives at Vanderbilt and I can't say enough about how wonderful they are.  You can check out THIS POST for more information on The Vanderbilt Midwives and preparation for natural birth if you are interested.  

The last few weeks have definitely been a blur for our family.  I felt great shortly after Violet's delivery and felt like I was bouncing back pretty quick.  Unfortunately, only a few days after being home, I ended up in the ER.  I was diagnosed with postpartum fluid shift which is something I was not familiar with.  Symptomatically, it presents like congestive heart failure.  I had a few episodes of waking out of a deep sleep in a panic attack with the sensation that I was suffocating or drowning due to fluid in my lungs.  I would have to stand or walk around to get my breath.  Each time I would try to lay down to go to sleep, it would happen again.  Thankfully, we live within a few miles of a hospital and they were able to complete a full work up on me in about an hour and send me back home.  Apparently, sometimes after pregnancy and delivery your body can hold on to excess fluid in your blood.  In my case, it was filling into the spaces of my lungs when I was lying down.  Fortunately, a few nights of attempted sleep in an upright position took care of that...

Just when I was about to get rested and feel on the mend, Abigail came down with a fever that lasted three days.  I tried so hard to keep her away from Violet and to stay as isolated as I could, but despite my best efforts, I got sick and ultimately Violet got sick.  But who really needs sleep anyway?

As Thanksgiving is upon us, I have definitely had time to reflect on what I am thankful for.  There are times when I can feel so defeated and down that I have to force myself to see the silver linings.  I have had a few of those days and this is what I am most thankful for.  


1- Family.  My goodness - my family and Mike's family have been life savers     while we have been sick and sleep deprived.  So thankful. 

2-  Getting Sick.  I am actually thankful that I got sick because it allowed me to pass antibodies on to Violet through breastfeeding.   

3-  Mike.  My husband is absolutely amazing and such a partner.  I couldn't have gotten through the last few weeks without him. 

4-  Friends.  We have incredible friends that have blessed us with meals and have even offered to come hold Violet so I could sleep during the day.  Blessed. 

5.  Perspective.  I have been nervous about taking care of two kids by myself.  But after the start I have had, when we are all healthy, things will seem like a breeze!  Silver lining!

Blessed. November 2013. 

Fun at the pumpkin patch! {Walden Farm}

This afternoon we took Abigail out to Walden Farm  and for all my mommy friends with toddlers, this is a win!  There were so many activities for little ones and everything was pretty close together so it was easy to cover a lot of ground.  Abigail loved the pumpkin patch and the sunflowers!

Mike and I enjoyed watching her toddle around and touch all the little pumpkins until she found just the right one!

And apparently, this was the best pick of the patch folks!

After running through the patch and playing with the flowers, we moved on to her next favorite activity at the farm.  The corn. Of course, the PT in me was pretty happy with the sensory play activities!

I think she would have played in the corn until we went home, but there were animals for her to check out too!  She has been learning all about the farm animals and what sounds they make, but she was not so excited to actually pet them yet...

So we moved on to the pumpkin ride!  Bless my sweet husband who is six foot tall for sitting in that little wagon to ride with her.  I found a nice little bench to rest on and sat this one out!  

Here are the big perks for Walden Farm if you are trying to decide on pumpkin patches.  Admission is free and most of the " toddler" activities are free.  We were able to play in the pumpkin patch, go through the petting zoo, slide down a big slide, ride the pumpkin train, and play in all the corn for under 5$.  I liked that everything was really close together and not as spread out as a few pumpkin patches I've been to.  They also had good food and plenty of shade for a nine month pregnant lady to sit down!  I would definitely go back!  

Til next time Walden Farm!  

{Walden Farm - Fall 2013}

Pastor's Appreciation Month

I am currently reading this fabulous book that I picked up at the ACTS29 Pastors Retreat this summer and I can't tell you how much I am learning and growing.  If you are a Pastors wife, I encourage you to read it.  I know that it will minister to your heart! 

October is Pastor's Appreciation month and as I prayed for my husband this morning, I was reminded how demanding his calling can be.  It's a beautiful calling, but demanding.  Please join me in praying for our spiritual leaders this month.

"His work involves engaging people on a deep spiritual level, resolving conflict, making difficult decisions, dealing with life-altering issues, counseling, training leaders, correctly handling the Word of God, and bearing the responsibility for the spiritual health of his God-given flock, with little help, appreciation, acknowledgement, or encouragement.  In addition, he has a marriage and family to lead and nourish."

                                       ~Christine Hoover

{Nursery Sneak Peek}

Violet is due to arrive in six weeks and her nursery is all ready for her now! Aside from washing things and actually having them in the drawers, I think I'm finished.  Of course, now there is plenty of time to clean the garage, organize the pantry, and detail my car. My poor husband...

There are a few special things about Violet's nursery that I thought I would share. If you remember This Post I did for Abigail, I have a friend that makes nursery paintings and I wanted to have one made for Violet's room.  I love that they both have something handmade from the same person.  

Emily did a fabulous job tying in the colors and details from my decor.  I absolutely love how it turned out!  Let me know if you need something special made for your nursery and I will pass along her info to you! 

Okay, the next special touch might be my favorite.  I decided I wanted to frame an old hymn for Violet and display it on her dresser.  Since we had hundreds of old hymnals in the basement of our new church, I knew I could find something that looked a little "vintage"! 

Mike and I chose " Be Thou My Vision" because the words are a beautiful testimony of our heart's desire for Violet. I can't wait to sing it over her when she is finally in my arms.  

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art;

Thou my best thought, by day or by night,

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true word;

I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;

Thou my great Father, and I Thy true child,

Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Riches I heed not, or man's empty praise,

Thou mine inheritance, now and always;

Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,

High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,

May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's Sun!

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,

Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

I had so much fun getting her room ready and giving old pieces of furniture new life! Thanks to Annie Sloan chalk paint, we spent very little money buying furniture and other than her crib, I painted everything in her room!  I forgot to take a before of the old rocking chair, but I picked it up one day from Our Thrift Store in Franklin for $20.  I painted it "old white" and distressed it to match the dresser.

The dresser was special y'all!  It needed someone to rescue it from an old junk store in Columbia, Tennessee and give it a little love!  Here is the before. 

Much better!  This is also painted "old white" and distressed with 120 grit sandpaper.  I got the drawer pulls at Hobby Lobby for 1$ each.  

The tall dresser was also given a makeover.  It was something Mike brought along with him from college so I think it will be sweet to tell Violet one day that her dresser once belonged to Daddy.  Thank goodness I could make it pretty for her!  Here is the before and after.  I used Annie Sloan's "duck egg blue" for this piece and also distressed with 120 grit sandpaper.  

My last nursery project was to pick out a crib and hang paper lanterns from the ceiling.  I decided on the Jenny Lind crib because it has a vintage look to it and I have so many friends that have used this crib with their precious ones.  I have to say it was super easy to put together and I think it's beautiful!  I did learn however, that it is not easy for an eight month pregnant lady to stand on a chair and hang paper lanterns by herself.  After too many holes in the ceiling and tired legs from climbing on and off the chair, I got smarter and asked my husband to help me! Thank goodness he loves me so much!

 

I hope to enjoy these last few weeks of being pregnant and not wish them away too quickly.  Thankfully, the weather has been beautiful and we have been able to enjoy watching Abigail run through open fields and play at the park in our neighborhood.  She has been rocking her baby and giving her plenty of kisses so I know she will be a great big sister!