Family babymoon | HHI

What a sweet double-dip of a trip we had to Hilton Head Island this past weekend! We got to see my special long-time friend, Lindsay, get married on the beach (which prompted questions that led to a sweet explanation of marriage to Wren) before dancing the night away in celebration. Then we extended our trip to soak up a bit more memory making as a family of three with some simple beach days.

Basically, we played hard and crashed hard. On repeat. Wren LOVED sleeping in her cozy bunk bed, feeding the turtles near the boardwalk on the way to and from the beach, jumping endless waves and building crab houses in the sand with Daddy. And I got the privilege of at least one more tuckered out beach nap snuggled up with my big girl that will somehow always be my baby.

Of course I had to shamelessly tickle and chase in order to snap a few beach pictures, but I want to help us remember. After all, we know a big transition is coming our way. Wren told everyone that she met (which were plenty because....well, she's quite the social creature) that she is going to be a big sister soon and oh how fun it is to see all of her excitement and anticipation and enjoy how it serves to magnify our own.

We'll see you next time, beach. All four of us!

32 weeks | baby bink 2

The countdown is nearly on at this point. Not really you-could-come-any-minute style, but rather I-have-a-toddler-and-I'm-pregnant-so-time-is-relative style. Truly, I feel like I have blinked twice and here we are in single digits. But beyond the physics of it all, we remain in awe of the blessing of you, sweet Bink babe. Your time inside my womb so far has been restorative for the soul of our little family (especially mine) and I have a hunch that we will forever benefit from the perspective and truth we have been made privy to on our journey towards you. Although it is true still, that I am 0-2 in terms of feeling all perfectly glowy and blissful about pregnancy, but I promise that my heart has been so glad.

Just recently, my best girls have all showered you so sweetly. You are already so loved by such a special village! And we talk about you constantly these days! Daddy and I have been telling Wren all about becoming a big sister and all the ways she can help to welcome you home with us soon. She doesn't particularly like that you won't be able to actually talk right away, but I'm sure with her help you will be gabbing like the rest of us before too terribly long!

Tomorrow we head to the beach for our last hoorah as a family of three and while we are excited to impress upon our hearts the last few ounces of the sweetness that is this stage, we really.can't.wait until you're adventuring right along with us! There's a spot saved just for you, my littlest one.
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28 weeks | baby bink 2

Bink babe, our excitement and anticipation over you is growing by the day! We have rounded the corner to the last trimester and I spend a lot of my daydreams wondering what you will be like and the moment we will get to meet. I'm trying to get pumped about laboring again, but ain't that life. At least this time I'm no stranger to the immeasurable joy the moment it is all over and I know you are going to double my heart that very instant in much the same way your sister burst it wide open. 

Everyone has been asking what we think you'll be - boy or girl. Honestly, I think we'll be surprised if you're a girl come delivery day. But our hunches were wrong round one so we're steadfast in maintaining our neutral ground. I will be so thrilled either way! 

With a quick trip to the attic for the old carseat and a load of laundry we could nearly be ready for you (as far as this mama of one knows - ha! I'm sure new essentials will make themselves known very quickly), so we're spending our time praying for your health and development and for our family rhythm to flex so you can ease right on in. 

We love you so much and sure hope you don't mind continuing to hear the infamous watermelon story from Wren at bedtime every.single.day until we meet (; 

My sweet mama

Happy, happy birthday today to my sweet mama! 

It has been no small blessing to be your daughter - to have a front row seat to your life. You have always handled all of those dear to you with such great intentionality, care and tenderness; you have been there for every single ounce of the memory-making; and you are always joyfully available to walk alongside all of us down our paths so we are never, ever alone.

In this way, you wear your many hats so well - sister, friend, Mama and Oowa. You're simply just the sweetest soul and I am so proud to be yours...and that Wren and this new baby of ours get a slice of that too.

You make me better, braver and more steady. We love you to pieces and hope you always know how celebrated you are. Especially today - Happiest Birthday, Oowa!

24 weeks | baby bink 2

24 weeks and bumping right along. Sweet littlest babe, we are in so much wonderment over you! Boy or girl; early or late; wild or laid back or a little of both like your big sister, Wren? We simply cannot wait to see how you will fulfill your special place in our family. 

I've been mulling over a few things lately as plenty has been different this second time around. Most pertinent is that you'll get to have 30 year old parents with a little bit of season behind them. Hopefully that will prove in your benefit and you'll develop your own allowance of grace with us as our hearts grow bigger and we learn to stretch and pour ourselves out farther and wider. In some ways I can already feel that you are going to calm us down and keep us locked in on the simple joys of the present instead of tending to hold our gaze on the "just beyond." I already appreciate that about you. 

We love you to pieces and rest knowing that the promises remembered this Easter weekend of our Savior defeating death, offering Himself for us all already applies to you in the womb. And that your sweet Daddy, that we also celebrate this weekend for his 30th birthday, already loves you, provides for you and honors you by who he is and always strives to be. See...you already have our gaze on the important things (: