A Coincidence and a Spill

Coincidence:

Today we went to Babies R Us armed with coupons to get some wipes and Diaper Genie refills. As a Babies R Us Rewards Member, I also had a 20% off coupon for any baby item, so we went and looked at the jogging strollers. The stroller I have had my eye on was $120, (so with the coupon, it'd be about $100) but we decided we'd look a bit longer (on Craig's List) to see if we can find a better deal. I knew it was best to wait, but I walked out of the store a little dismayed, to be honest. I've been taking him on walks (it's gotten lots warmer!) in the travel system, which is fine...just kinda bulky and I worry I'll wear the wheels out long before their time if I keep doing it...SO...I'm ready for a jogging stroller!

So we went home right after that and Stace got the mail from our mailbox and handed it to me. I then proceeded to open a card from a return address I did not recognize (in South Florida).Inside was a Babies R Us gift card for exactly $100! It was from one of my dad's friends whom I've never met. What a coincidence! Slash blessing! What are the odds!? Sooo neat!

Spill:

And, now, for the spill story! This morning I played my first soccer game since high school. In the pouring down rain. It was soooo much fun. But quite the humbling experience! Ha! I guess I figured it'd be kinda like riding a bike and that I'd just pick up where I left off with my "skillz." Not. so. much! I learned at least two things:

1. Playing soccer is not like riding a bike. At all.

2. I am way more out of shape than I even realized! (And I thought I was all too aware...)

Like I said, it was raining the entire time. So the field was reeeaallly muddy. I had not one, but two, quite elegant and sophisticated MAJOR SPILLS. The first one was particularly lovely. That was the one Stace saw...then I'm pretty sure he just stopped watching...perhaps it was too painful for him to look on (he was in the car with the baby).

By the way, I kind of also thought I would be playing with a bunch of gals who were just as out of shape as me. Not so. The girls all looked like my varsity high school teammates, and all seemed to take it VERY SERIOUSLY. One girl even got mad at me/ the referee when I accidentally tripped her going for the ball and the ref said "play on!" and she yelled at the ref "what?!" I told her I was sorry and that I didn't mean to. Hey, soccer is like Ring Around the Rosie anyway, we all fall down. Just most don't eat as much dirt as me while doing it.

All in all though, it was really fun! Granted, during the game I admit I kind of hated my life and kept wondering when the final whistle would blow (due to the nonstop intense sprinting and stopping and running and jogging for an hour!), afterward I was like "that was so much fun!" and I was all energized and excited for the next game! All my teammates made me feel a little better by saying "whoa! you just had a baby 8 weeks ago?! you did great!" but...I'm very aware they were being super nice...I was definitely NOT the MVP!

Mind Control

Kim: "can you open this jar of apple sauce for me?.....like a BIG, STRONG man?"

Stace: He puffs up his chest and flexes his muscles and echoes "Big, STRONG man..." in an exaggerated deep, manly voice.

he then opens the jar in .05 seconds, scoffs and says...

Stace: "Weeszh, I coulda opened that with my mind."

Julian's Newborn Photos

Safe in Daddy's hands

LOVE his furrowed brow in this pic...this one makes me smile every time!

Mommy's little monkey looks like he's crawling up mommy:)

Forever family

Look what love has done

Baby mine, don't you cry

Mommy's sweet angel

You make everything perfect, baby boy

love this

my sleeping boo bear

*More to come by Kim Brock!

I've Been MAC-ATTACKED!

Not the computer brand, silly! "MAC" as in "Mary Ann Carr"! Mary Ann, her sweet baby boy Riley, and her awesome husband Jonathan came up from Tampa to visit us this Saturday! It was soooo good to see all of them. Here we are at a yummy restaurant called "BJ's"...it was Julian's first restaurant experience! He slept the whole time:)

Kim holding MAC's baby boy and MAC holding Kim's baby boy:

Mary Ann is one of my most wonderful friends, and I am so grateful that I know her. Many of my blogging friends also know Mary Ann, and I know we would all be in agreement when I say that she is truly a light to all who know her. What a special person she is. When I am around her, I always am uplifted. Thank you, Mary Ann, for being who you are and for coming to visit! (PS: Jonathan, you know we also think you are "just delightful!")

As a bonus, here is our sweet angel boy sleeping on the way back home. It's so funny how when he's sleeping, he looks like he has these big luscious lips...haha! And...no matter if he's sleeping or awake, he always has his big chunky-monkey cheeks in tow!

A Couple of My True Joys in Life

and

They are always the thing I'm craving, and it's ALWAYS been that way! My BFF, Kathleen, who also was my BFF in high school, can attest to this. As can pretty much any of my other BFFAE's. Don't know what I did without that Coke Zero/ Diet Coke during pregnancy...

actually, I do know. I drank lemonade instead...which was also good, but there's no replacing "the real thing."

Fun fact about me for your day. Sorry to have wasted your time! Just thought I'd share:)

They must be feeling helpless, but we can help

The devastation seems to be unfathomable...so much so that it's truly hard to think about. But it's reality...and they need any and all the help they can get. Finally tonight I watched the news on the earthquake in Haiti...it's heartbreaking. When disasters and tragedies of this nature happen, I always feel so helpless, and I hate that. As Stace and I were watching the news we both wondered what the Church is doing to help; we knew it was doing something. So we went to the LDS Newsroom and learned that hygiene kits and supplies for newborns have already been sent. The Church is sending a team of doctors and medical supplies to help those who have been injured and will administer the care in a Church meetinghouse, which was largely unharmed during the earthquake. It will do and send much more.

Image from www.telegraph.co.uk

Tonight as I read the updates on the LDS Newsroom Web site, I realized that I am not the one who is helpless. I don't have a lot, but I have so much more than most of the people in that country, and you do too, so we can help. If you are looking for a way to help, there is a link on the Web site to donate to the relief effort. Please donate if you can!

One hundred percent of your donation goes to help those in need.

Today President Obama pledged $100 million to the recovery and rebuilding of Haiti. If 10 million people (or members of the Church) donate just $10, that pledge can be matched. Follow this link to donate: http://give.lds.org/emergencyresponse.

Simply Scrumptious!

A few photos taken in January for your viewing pleasure :)

Words cannot begin to express how in love with this little guy we are. He's perfect. If I could dream up a baby...he would look like and would have the temperament this sweet baby boy does. He's pure love.

When I Start, I Start, and I've Finally Started!

Got it? Good! Today I FINALLY started eating healthy again. I meant to start on Saturday but my little sister came to visit and when we're together we just let loose and like to eat ice cream and pizza! So..."starting" got postponed to today. And I DID start! Finally! Holler!

The prospect of fitting into my normal clothes again and losing the rest of the pregnancy weight just. feels. good! So tonight when Stace offered me the last couple pieces of pizza (leftover from dinner last night) I looked at him like "you gotta be kidding me, right?" (hehe) and said "when I start, I start, and I've finally started!" to which he replied "you're awesome."

darn tootin!

(note: this is a phrase Stace swears I made up simply because he's never heard it before. Silly Stace!)

But I'm going to have to get a bit more creative with exercising than I'd like...I like to run and be outside for cardio, but it's FREEZING and A:) there's no way I'm taking Julian out there in these arctic temperatures, and B:) I have yet to get a pump (IE: he's not been bottle fed yet) so I'm always a bit nervous to leave the house because he might get hungry. That's really not a major problem at all, I've left him with Stace or family a few times and I just leave right after I fill his little belly up, but trying to work out schedules with Stace in order to do this and it still be light outside once Stace gets home is where it gets tricky. I REALLY want to join a gym so I can take pilates classes...but for now it looks like I will be stuck in my apartment... (wha wha wha!) any suggestions on good work out videos I can try that have worked for you?

Here's to STARTING!

A Couple Belated Letters

Dear Ankles,

Welcome back! I missed you while you were gone from September-ish to December. I never realized how grateful I was to not have cankles until I had them. I like you, dear ankles, much better. Thanks for coming back.

Your Owner

Dear Waistline,

You have been gone far too long! Seriously, it is way past curfew. March yourself right back here, young lady; you are in a lot of trouble. You are in for some serious pain to make up for what you did to me. Your punishment commences at 0900 hours tomorrow morning. I hope you're ready to work.

Your Owner

Snuggling With My Heaven

As I laid there holding my little one this morning, I couldn't help but think it was like "snuggling with heaven." And I thought "that sounds like a poem!" so I wrote one...I'm no Tennyson, but these words describe the feelings I had as I soaked in all of Julian's sweet baby-ness and tried to savor it:)

I lay here and hold you as you peacefully sleep

This feeling I have is like a secret I can't keep.

As your head rests so sweetly upon my chest,

I listen to your little movements and your quick little breaths.

I hold your little baby thigh, not much longer than my thumb

And I brush your tiny arms, so rounded, so angelically young

I notice how your little body runs perfectly from my chin to my waist

And I can't help but thinking this is the way heaven must taste.

If I could just bottle up your smell and if your stature could stay the same...

If I could just keep your tiny hand grasped around my finger, and never let it change.

If I could choose, my lips and the top of your sweet little head would always be together

Oh, if only I could pause this moment and hold it in my heart forever.

I love you, little boy. Thank you for choosing daddy and me

To love you and to raise you to grow into who you're meant to be.

You, little one, are a great blessing He has given,

And so is this very moment, as I snuggle with my heaven.

Happy 1 month birthday, Little Peach:)