Ahhh Sleep

What a difference one night makes. Not just one night of Hannah sleeping fairly solidly, but one night of ME being able to get sleep! I feel so much better after being able to really get some rest! It's not until you've gone without sleep for so long that you realize how big of a difference it makes when you sleep soundly just once! And Hannah has been back to her self today! She's been happy and polite and sweet and loving and the meltdowns over everything minimal...ahh. I know it won't last forever but it sure has been nice! Even though she refused to take her nap today and is still fighting sleep in general she's being quiet in her room...there's an end in sight. At least til the new baby comes. haha :) Happy Monday all!

I confess....lately I've had a hard time. I'm weary. I'm heading into that last part of being pregnant where I just get crabby and I don't want to deal with most annoying things. I really just want to grab a mumu and hide out for the next couple months. I do ok hormone wise til I get to this point I think. Add to this the flu and other illness for the last four weeks and a 2 year old severely off her sleeping schedule and you have a very exhausted, crabby me at times. Last week I felt like I just hit an end. I was getting no sleep because Hannah will wake up at 1 a.m. and stay awake til 6 when we get up. Or, she will get up at random times in the night and scream for 10+ minutes at a time trying anything to get out of her room. About Tuesday I didn't even know how I was walking around I was so tired. When I went to lay her down for her nap, she started the same screaming routine she'd been doing for weeks. We've been having to put the baby gate up to keep her in her room because she'll get up countless times at night, so I put the gate up and laid down and just sobbed. I sobbed because I was weary and tired and I've seriously had enough of this...and the whining. (Which I HATE and am currently hearing from her down the hall) Wednesday as I went to run some errands my dad (THANK YOU!!!) offered to watch her while I went out for a couple hours to get some things done. On my way I heard this song on the radio I hadn't heard before....and the words were perfect for the week. It helped me breathe a little easier, and come home feeling a little better:

Mark Schultz - He Is

From the album Come Alive

Father let the world just fade away

Let me feel Your presence in this place

Lord I've never been so weary

How I need to know You're near me

Father let the world just fade away

'Til I'm on my knees '

Til my heart can sing

He is He was

He always will be

Even when it feels like there is no one holding me

Be still, my soul He is

Father let Your Holy Spirit sing

Let it calm this storm inside of me

As I stand amazed

Lift my hands and say

He is He was

He always will be

He lives He loves

He's always with me

Even when it feels like there is no one holding me

Be still my soul

Through every fear

And every doubt

In every tear I shed

Down every road I'm not alone

No matter where I am

He is He was

He always will be

He lives He loves He's always with me

Even when it feels like there is no one holding me

Be still my soul

Be still and know Be still my soul He is

Hannah and Jesus

Today was very cute. We read about Jesus all the time to Hannah in some of her bible stories, which recently has prompted fears of lions coming to get her (Daniel and the lion's den), but today at church they in promotion of the Jesus film they show around the world, our church decided to show it during Sunday School and service time. Hannah usually gets to choose whether she wants to stay in service with Adam and I or go where the other kids are at. Today was no exception and she chose to stay and watch the movie after a brief stint in the nursery. It was so cute though because she was asking all these questions during the movie, especially towards the end, so I'm little by little trying to explain the story to her. She keeps turning around with big eyes and asking: "Well is he ok?" "They're not nice to Jesus!" "Is He on the cross??" "Is He hurt?" "Mama will he be ok?" "Where did He go?" "Is He here now?" "Does He have owies?"

Very cute. Even though we couldn't get her to whisper I love that she was even asking the questions! Oh how we love her...

Thankfulness

I realize it's a few days past Thanksgiving, but it was nice this year to have a low key stay-at-home kind of Thanksgiving. I love this time of year because I feel like it kick starts the holiday season and that equals fun times with friends and family.
It sometimes hits me how very much we nochalantly complain about things in our lives without even thinking about them....or how our lives would be WITHOUT them! So this year I am thankful beyond words. I am thankful for a husband that loves me. For a husband that is someone I count as my greatest friend, that I have around to make me laugh and smile and to walk next to me in all we currently have going on.
I am thankful my husband has a job. A fairly stable job right now when so many do not.
I am thankful for my daughter Hannah. I am thankful I have her around to make me smile and laugh at the new things she says and does daily. I am thankful I have her to keep me active when some days all I want to do is sit. Without her I wouldnt be even close to who I am. Perhaps I'd be slightly more rested at this point, but that wouldn't be even close to worth to not having her around. And so I have to remember that even though she is having a ROUGH time right now I would not trade any second of her for anything.
I am thankful for new baby Abby, regardless of how much I don't like to be pregnant. The end result is a miracle...one I am MOST excited to meet! And we are nearing the end! I just have to hang in there!
I am thankful we have a roof over our heads and for our family for allowing us to be here sharing it with them. We have many friends and family that live with their parents right now because of money. And even though I know I look forward to having my own place I can decorate and be in soon, the blessing of having this place as an option is unspeakable! We are safe, we are warm, we are fed, we are making it and thriving. Many cannot say that.
I want to remind myself that even on the worst days when so much is stacked against us, we still choose. I can choose to give into the grumpiness (which sometimes I have to admit feels good!) or I can choose to be happy. I an choose to focus on a list of negatives about something, or I can look more towards the positives and let those win. There are many options in life, and the point is we choose-what we do, how we act or react, to take responsibility etc... I am extremely thankful for all of those in my life that contribute on levels great and small. :) Happy Holidays!!

The purple dress...

What a ham!

It's hard to tell here but she is wearing this beautiful dark purple, sparkly dress that my mom bought her. I tend to be more simple and classic in what I buy her so she already knows if she wants something fancy and frilly she goes to Gram. We were out and she saw all these sparkly dresses that "twirl!" and she says Ooh sparkly...gramma buy? So indeed Gram did. She looked adorable and was twirling around all day. (I'll get a better picture of the dress up later.) Right before we left for church she decided she needed her sunglasses on too so she could be "So gorgeous!" Then she needed to come check herself out in the mirror. She makes me laugh. :)

Hair Cut

Last week I took Hannah to get her hair cut. I had trimmed t a few times over the last couple years but it was getting to point crazy. It was unruly. She has beautiful curls which I was super reluctant to cut off but it was all in her face and just all over. So I took her to have it cut. I most likely will not visit this place again for a kids cut because the woman was horrible and unfriendly and I don't think had ever cut a little kids hair! However, Hannah did great (I kept her quiet and still with a sucker!) and we got it done. It's shorter than I wanted but it's ok. It looks a lot healthier and her hair grows like crazy so in no time it will be about the length I'll keep it for awhile. I cannot believe how much more like a little girl she looks with just a simple hair cut. It took me a whole day to get used to! I kept looking at her not sure why she looked SO different. What a cutie!

Halloween

I got really sick around the time of Halloween. On actual Halloween day I had a horrible fever and was so achy I could barely walk...so I spent the day in bed. I was so sad that I had to miss the party my brother and Jen were putting on at their place. But Adam took Hannah and went so she could have some yummy pizza and see her cute little cousin Kendyl and Aunty Becca and Fran. I was very bummed that I missed seeing Hannah trick or treat and just all around being cute but I guess she had a marvelous time. Since I wasn't there, there weren't many pictures taken but she was so cute. She wasn't really anything. She had on cute pjs that glowed in the dark and cat ears and mask. But I guess she had an absolutely marvelous time! Thank you to Adam for taking her so she could have some fun. :)

Oh my goodness!

I have been HORRIBLE about updating the blog lately. Not that things haven't happened but I got really sick and things have just been crazy and I didn't really have the energy to try and update this...so I'm playing catch-up today! Starting all the way back with Natalie's birthday. :)

@ the end of October we were invited to Natalie's birthday party. We went and Hannah had SO much fun. And as always it was wonderful to see my friends Sara and Bethany and their families. You girls are great and I'm glad I have you in my life! Here are a few pics from Natalie's 2nd birthday party:

Bouncin on the new trampoline! (Natalie and Hannah)

Little buds (Hannah and Penelope)

Such cute little girls