{one}
You guys, I have a problem. I don’t know what this says about me as a person, but here it is: I love to buy planners and then not use them. Every single January for as long as I can remember, I go to Target and buy a planner. I spend that day lovingly writing important dates in it. I love to flip through the months, recording birthdays (which as a person with a huge family takes quite a bit of time), anniversaries, due dates and planned trips. And then after what seems like a hot second, I abruptly stop using said planner. Not intentionally, mind you, but I just forget. So what did I do this week? Ordered a planner. But guys, look at this beauty from GraceLaced:
Maybe I’m a sucker for pretty things. Maybe I’m just ridiculous. But I needed it. I’m hopeful that the “extras” will help me to use it. Part prayer journal and part thankfulness journal, I hope that I can use this planner in all kinds of ways to focus myself on the blessings in my life.
{two}
Another weird thing about me: I really like numbers and patterns. Which is not to say that I believe in numerology, or that I even know what numerology is, to be honest. I like a good palindrome – I find the symmetry aesthetically pleasing. Something I LOVE about the date that Abigail was born is that it fits into a pattern for my family. If a family can have a lucky number, ours is 27. A lot of important events have happened on the 27th of the month for us.
April 27, 1957 – my grandparents got married
June 27, 1960 – my mom was born
May 27, 1982 – my brother was born
November 27, 1982 – my brother’s wife was born
June 27, 2018 – Abigail was born
Not only does my little girl share a birthday with my mom, but she brings lucky 27 into a fourth generation on my mom’s side of the family. I just think that’s cool. Fun fact: one of the first things that I noticed about the house when we came to tour it was the address: 5627. My first thought was my brother’s birthday (5/27) and my mom’s birthday (6/27) which I took as a good sign for the house. We went under contract that same night!
{three}
Abigail is a month old today! How did this happen so quickly? I’ll have a separate post about her month stats & milestones and probably some cute pictures after her checkup on Tuesday. I did monthly photos and chalkboards when Jonathan was a baby (example here) so I may try to do that again for Abigail. Hoping a certain big brother can be my assistant and not try to crash the shoot! I also have a letter board that I didn’t have before, so I’m taking that into consideration too.
Speaking of pictures, I’m already obsessing about wanting family photos of our family of four! But since I don’t work and don’t have an endless amount of money sitting around, I’m trying to plan when I want to do them. For Jonathan, we did our first professional family photos when he was about 3½ months old (photos by Debi Emory).
Abigail will be the same age mid-October, so maybe that will be a good time. We normally get family photos done for Christmas cards in October/November, so we could fill two needs with one deed. We’ll also have our annual fall colors trip in September-ish and I really want to continue our family photo at Bear Lake tradition in the next few months too. We have a photo of us in the same spot when we were dating, married, and then with Jonathan. We definitely need one with Abigail!
{four}
Stephen and I just got done binge watching the entire two available seasons of This Is Us. I hadn’t watched any of it when it aired because I wasn’t sure that I was ready for all the emotions that I knew would accompany this show. But we loved it. The story is great, the acting is great and there are so many little quotes that I just love. Like this one:
“I will tell you one thing. I have five kids. And before the first one was born, I was all questions too. Can I? Will I? But what they don’t tell you is that babies come with the answers. They come out, they look up at you and you at them, and… they tell you who you are. You’ll see. Tomorrow you’ll have all the answers you need.”
Ugh, SO GOOD. I’m sad that we’ve watched them all and now have to wait to see more. It’s also helped spur on conversations between Stephen and I, especially around body issues in raising a little girl. This is truly one of the scariest parts of having a daughter: how to effectively and lovingly guide her into a healthy relationship with her body, exercise, and food. Kate’s story in This Is Us has started us on conversations regarding our intentions as parents to help her to not be pressured by the world around her to look a certain way, but to be healthy and kind to herself in whatever body she has. It’s a conversation we’ll continue to have in the years to come, but one that we’re being mindful of even this early when she’s in the 10th percentile for weight.
{five}
ClickList. It’s my new best friend. Lots of stores do this now, but I’ve only recently joined the rest of the world in enjoying the benefits of grocery shopping online. I get on the King Soopers website, search for the items that I want, apply digital coupons, and then drive to the store at the appointed time to pick up my groceries. It’s easy and involves not taking two children into the store, one of which will want the cart with the car, which is, of course, not the one with the car seat holder. It also helps me avoid impulse buys, which had significantly increased during pregnancy. It makes me have to plan meals because I want to only buy what I need. I’m a fan.
And now, a few gratuitous pictures of our kids for reading all of this:
Quote the Rabon 