some happy news

we're expecting another baby!

everything is much different this time around.

and i have a whole lot to say about it all.

good things and happy things and, also, worrying things.

but all of that is for another day.

baby is healthy and growing, and its little heartbeat is strong.

so today we're celebrating!

Flitterin'

Life for us the past few weeks has been consumed with short spurts of busy-ness followed by short spurts of lazy-ness. The weekends were the busy times, filled with trips home to my parents' house, visits with family and friends, playing with nephews, sleeping in a different bed, packing and unpacking. We spent the weekdays playing catch up--on sleep, on work, on cleaning, on groceries, on cooking, on Mad Men. 

As fun as the past 4 weekends have been, I'm glad to have a quiet one coming up.

I want to make good meals, go on a couple long walks and hit up some yard sales, if I can find them.

In other good stuff kind of news, if you want to know what my most favorite part of nannying is lately,

it would be bath time.

It's like bathing fat, wet noodle.

And there's nothing sweeter than a clean, calm, soapy baby.

Just in case you wanted to know. :)

Amelia Approved.

There's a little story my mother likes to tell

about a girl named Amelia (that's me)

who politely asked her darling mother to buy her a cute tee at The Gap.

When her mother said, "Wait until your birthday, dear,"

Amelia pouted and yelled, "But I want it NOW!"

That story is true. And while I was not 18 years old at the time,

(that's my mom's version.) ((I think I was 13.))

I was a brat.

But guys. 

I know what I like.

And I know what I want.

I can't even help it.

Lately I've been discovering some quality stuff, both in life and on the internets, that I like.

Stuff that I want. 

Now.

1. Rebekka Seale's pretty prints. They're delicate and sweet and I love them. I wish I had thought of them. And while we're at it, her blog is just as good. So dreamy!

2. Watercolor supplies. I can't find my favorite brush and it's bumming me out. So I'd like: a nice Moleskine to keep little paintings bound in one place, and some lush new brushes. Practice makes perfect!

3. Free printable party invites on Making it Lovely. So cute. And free!

4. I like any type of clothing or accessory that reminds me of what my mom wore when she was my age. These sandals do that.

5. Lemon drops. An old favorite has become new again. Mmm.

6. Every time I go into Anthropologie, I sniff this candle. Deeply. I should just buy it already.

And there you have it. Amelia Approved.

the day ryan came home from work early

Ryan had a meeting in Chicago yesterday. When he kissed me goodbye at 6:50am, he told me he'd be finished around lunchtime, and that on his way back to the office he might stop at home for lunch.

So I scurried around making the house sparkly and welcoming. I put on some lipstick and whipped up a batch of brownies, and waited.

He texted me around 1:30 to tell me that the meeting went long, and that he and his coworker were getting lunch at Cheesecake Factory. Well. I asked him to make up for it by bringing home a piece of cheesecake for me. But he didn't.

It's fine.

No, actually it was fine. He ended up getting back around 3:30 and decided it wasn't worth it to drive back to the office. So he stayed home! The brownies were perfectly cooled by then, so we sat at our table and had a nice snack together. At 3:45pm! On a Tuesday! It was fun.

Afterwards I convinced him to take me to Anthropologie.

And then I convinced him to buy me a dress.

I had to give up 2 weeks of foot rubs to get it.

Worth it.

Easter

We spent the Easter weekend at my mom and dad's house. Holidays there are always a cozy, happy time. My mom keeps such a sweet house, and she cooks like Martha Stewart. She does laundry like her, too. I would know... I brought 6 loads of laundry with me and she did 5 of them. Thanks, Mom!

Like usual, after a wonderful church service (Easter morn trumpets! Has there ever been a more joyful sound? It made me wonder what heaven was like and what my baby was doing that day. Must have been beautiful!) we headed outside to take some pictures in our Easter Sunday best. A few days later I looked through them, and was a little disappointed to find that hardly any of them turned out. A few days after that I looked through them again and was pleased to realize that, while they aren't the most flattering pictures, they are hilarious. I'm glad I've got them.

However, here are a few things that did turn out:

one slightly blurry photo of me and my cute husband,

and the apple pie that he made. 

That turned out quite nicely.

an apology to my little blog.

Dear little blog,

I've been neglecting you. And I'm sorry. You're so young and small and I haven't visited you for...2 weeks? 3 weeks? I forget. The point is, I've been rude. Sorry 'bout it. But the good news is: I have missed you. Lots! In fact, I have missed you so much, that I made myself a blogging schedule and I plan on sticking to it. I even got out a planner. So. Get ready. Things are about to get pretty structured around here. Maybe I'll even give you a little makeover? Fix you up something nice? Hm?

And to anybody sweet enough to still be reading, I've missed you, too! And I haven't forgotten about you. And I'll make it up to you. Also, I love you.

To prove it, here's another picture of spring flowers:

There. All better?

I hope so. See you tomorrow. :)