LATELY I’VE BEEN…

…working on ordering some Chatbooks. It’s been on my to-do list for forever now, and what better time to try out this thing than with some photos of my little girl! I went to use this promo code for a free book but didn’t realize it is good only for an Instagram series book…and I had already spent time putting together a custom book! I was bummed, but I guess you can’t be choosey with freebies.

…excited to have my mom and sister here for a visit. Well, technically, my sister isn’t really visiting since she is staying with us for the summer to work at our little peach stand. But they came up on Wednesday and mom will be here for a few days yet, and it’s just such fun to have them with us. Ayla loves all the extra snuggles and faces to smile at, and I just love watching my family take as much joy in her as we do.

…craving all things summer! Watermelon! Burgers! Sweet corn! Zucchini! Fresh picked berries! We’ve been using our grill a few times a week for chicken or veggies or whatever else we can think of to slap on there. My mom brought us some sweet corn from South Carolina, so I grilled up a few ears to see if we would like it. I either grilled it too long or not long enough because it was just ok.

…reading The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems by Tracy Hogg, and it’s the best baby book I’ve read so far! I feel like her methods and recommendations are very common sense, and kind of right in the middle of the road between attachment parenting and the Babywise school of thought. I sorta like aspects of both styles of parenting really, and so this book really connected with me. We’ve been working on doing some sleep training with Ayla for the past week using the method from this book, and so far it seems to be working well!

…feeing so grateful for my life. Some days I just stop and look around me…at my baby girl and my husband and my home and family…and it feels too good to be true. Being a stay-at-home-mom is my dream and to be living that out with such a sweet daughter and a truly good husband is the best thing ever. I am so thankful every day for the life I am living and the blessings in it!

…watching Call the Midwives when I’m nursing. A friend of mine told me about this show way back when I was pregnant, but I didn’t start watching it until after I had Ayla…mostly because it was just my own personal choice to avoid watching/reading/listening to things related to birth that were dramatic or traumatic while I was pregnant. But I started watching a few weeks ago, and it’s a pretty good show! The characters are relatable and there are funny parts and who wouldn’t want a woman like Chummy to be attending you at a birth, hehe! Plus I’m always a sucker for anything with British accents in it.

…having iced mocha coffees every day. I haven’t successfully made the cold brewed coffee thing yet, but I always just make an extra amount in the morning with my good old fashioned percolator and stick it in the fridge to cool down for when the craving hits. I recently got a stainless steel shaker through Amazon Deals (for one dollar!), and I like to use it to shake up my coffee, milk, ice, and syrup till it’s good and cold!

…inspired by reading The Power of a Praying Parent. I love the reminder that it’s never too early to start praying life and blessing over our children. I don’t usually actually use the sample prayers she outlines in the book, but it’s still a great read about being intentional in praying for the little ones under our care.

What about you: what are some things that you are loving lately? What are you grateful for in your life today?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!