The next step

This is the car we bought last week. It's a Jeep Grand Cherokee and it's big and it guzzles gas. It's taken a week for it to set in but it's growing on me. It's actually a wonderful car and seems to be built just for us. Lots of room for a certain toddler along with all the gear needed when transporting said toddler... stroller, sling, diaper bag, toys and games for travel entertainment, snacks and drinks, yoga ball (if you don't know why i'll have to explain later). It's a much needed upgrade from our Scion XA.

This is what we traded in. Not only was it PAID OFF, got 30 miles per gallon, maneuvered impossible U turns and fit in the tiniest parking spaces, it was also the first car that I bought that I really really liked and it holds so many memories, the most important being taking Liam home from the hospital in it.

(It was also used to transport our doggies around town back when they were our babies).

But... it was time. When we put the infant car seat in it for the first time we immediately knew that this day was inevitable. We had to move both the driver and passenger seats up in order for it to fit properly. Now, 15 months later Liam sits with his legs bent and his feet propped up on the head rests in front of him. Not to mention, the trunk barely fits the stroller meaning that it doesn't go shopping with us because there would be nowhere to put our groceries. If/ when we have another baby there's no way our tiny car would fit 2 car seats.

Still, it was a very difficult purchase for me. Not only for financial reasons but also for some strange emotional one. The day we bought the Jeep, 3 different people told me, "It's the next step." It really feels like it's the end of an era and the beginning of another. That, or I just have a really bad case of buyer's remorse! No, I seriously think it's because it's the next step in motherhood. It's another confirmation that I am an adult and I'm growing my own little family. It's a scary but amazing feeling! Next step... soccer gear! 

I'm so very thankful

(Pardon the red eye in the above photo. It was taken just before we invested in a better camera.) It's hard to believe that Liam was ever that tiny (and bald), let alone only a year ago!

The other night I was thinking about all the things I am thankful for, as I believe most people do around Thanksgiving. Here's my top 10 in no particular order.

1.  The incredibly blissful relationship I have with my husband. He makes me laugh everyday, makes me want to be a better person, and, yes, occassionally, drives me up the wall! To be incredibly open on here, I have to admit that we had a rough year adjusting to parenthood but the fact that we pulled through it and are still crazy about each other makes me that much more confident that our relationship can withstand anything!

2. My Lee Lee Boy. He's the Oreo Cookie to my milk. Enough said.

3. My amazing family and friends. I have so many great people in my life that it should be a crime.

4. The fact that I'm able to stay home with Liam. I've recently learned that not all moms who stay home do so for the same reasons. Some can't afford childcare, some have husbands who make them, and some, like me, have been there, done that, and feel confident and relieved that I am able to do what I feel like I should be doing on a daily basis.

5. Every materialistic thing I have. I feel I should only dedicate one bullet point to this because, in the grand scheme of things, it's not very important. But, yes, I'm incredibly thankful for my home, reliable and safe vehicles, and for sushi!

6. As much as I complain about it, I'm thankful for my husband's job. It's a good job with good benefits and it provides for our little family. It also makes #4 possible.

7. I'm thankful for answered prayers. I pray constantly for increased patience, energy, tolerance, and stamina (see #4 again) and I feel that God hears me and he's working on it.

8. Health! It's something I take for granted everyday (I really need to start running) but it's so important to me and I'm so thankful for the health of my entire family.

9. Happiness, fun times, great memories, and good ol' silliness. If I could walk around with that face on at all times, believe me, I would!

10. God in my life. I know I already put answered prayers but this is different. This is the assurance of never being alone, knowing everything will turn out alright, and the constant reminder about what really matters in life.

Have a great Thanksgiving! Spend it with the people you love and eat way too much!

Christmas Bells are Ringing

We went to Disneyland yesterday and they are ALL decked out for the holidays! It makes me feel all warm and cozy inside despite the fact that it was a good 75 or 80 degrees out... or maybe that's where the warmth was coming from. I'm always super excited about the holidays this time of year but even more so this time around since Paul will be off work for the entire month of December! He hasn't had a vacation in a few years minus his family leave when I had Liam. (And let's face it, that was no vacation). So my head has been filled with pictures of all the christmas movies we are going to watch, the hot chocolate we are going to consume, the lights we are going to see, the short trips we are going to take, and especially the time we are going to have together at such an important time of year!

Yesterday I asked Paul, "Don't you just love Christmas?" "Yes," he replied. "As much as I do?" I asked. "I don't think anyone loves Christmas as much as you do," he said.

Yay! I'm starting a blog. I'm new to even reading blogs but I've found my favorites to be humorous, encouraging, educational, and insightful. But... I feel I have something different to bring to the interweb. I don't have it all together and it's by the grace of God that I make each day something worth writing about. So my goal is to keep track of these crazy days while maybe encouraging another, and if all else fails, have a few laughs. So here we go!!