ten smile tuesday

i pulled out my camera to upload pictures, and alas...i only have 4 pictures to show for the last week of our life...which i suppose sums the week up quite well...going, going, going with little time for snapping photos. and when i say "going"...i don't so much mean we are going anywhere...just that it seems we rarely stop moving even while at home!

1. cooler weather...bring on autumn (and pumpkins and apples and long sleeve shirts and jeans!). have i mentioned that one of my favorite parts of new seasons is switching out the old wardrobe and busting out the boxes for the new season. and honestly, i don't even mind the process of getting things boxed up or hung and neatly folded in the drawers (and really, it is the only time the drawers will be neat for the next 4 or 5 months!)...there was something so cozy and right about heading out the door for Bible study this morning in one of my favorite fall ensembles...and i just love little girls in their jeans and sneakers...i'm strange like that!

2. having daddy home for an entire weekend! this is the first time he has had two days off in a row since we were in the hospital when jillian was born 5 weeks ago. we didn't do anything particular...but it was simply nice to be together.

3. my new baby sling...i wanted to make a sling when kate was born but never got around to it...but i finally picked up some fabric, broke out the sewing machine, and whipped out a sling. it was so simple and quick to make...and miss jillian really enjoys being snuggled up against mommy...especially when we are out and about at church or Bible study (but i'm sure it will be handy around the house as well!). i'm amazed at how light she feels...much lighter and easier on my back than the bjorn carrier is...and i just love the fabric! (i had to borrow kate's baby to pose a picture...but you get the idea!)

4. our diaper changin', baby doll toting kater gator. seriously...she will spend a half an hour at a time repeatedly changing her baby doll's diaper and proclaiming "STINK-EEE!!!" every time she opens the diaper. she is our precious little fireball though, she manages to snag most of the "elmo" diapers from jillian's stash, and it isn't just her doll baby she enjoys practicing her diaper removal skills with. nope...she also enjoys practicing her newfound skills on herself...especially in the quiet solitude of her crib...so we have often found her nude in her crib after naptime in the afternoons...and, yes, i'll admit it, along with training and working with her that taking off her diaper is not acceptable (and taking strides toward potty training...GULP!)...we also have temporarily pulled out the duck tape...yep...i'm officially one of those parents right now!

5. my sweet husband who not only took the girls with him on his run to lowes last night to give me a bit of a break, BUT who also brought home an iced pumpkin spice latte for me...and that just happens to be one of my favorite fall treats to splurge on occasionally!

6. semblances of normality in the little things...like taking all three girls and making it through jo-ann fabric and target without melt-downs (yes...i was the mama pushing the double stroller and carrying the baby in the bjorn...shopping basket hanging on one handle of the stroller...diaper bag hanging on the other handle....we're a bit of a wide load!). i'm thinking that is a far easier shopping method than trying to do a cart with all three...unforetunately it only works when i don't have many things to buy.

7. a date night in with my hubby. we dropped the big girls at our normal thursday night date swap, picked up a pizza and breadsticks, and enjoyed some quiet and productive time at home. i am so grateful for a regular date night...it has definitely been a blessing to our marriage in this hectic phase of life and is keeping us much more connected than we felt after kate was born!

8. did i mention how fabulous my hubby is?! on saturday i received a card in the mail "gifting" me with the news that he would joyfully like to send me to seabrook in march to meet-up with my several of my bloggy friends! EEK! so exciting to think i am going to get to meet many of you fabulous ladies in real life...AND as a bonus i will get to see a part of the country i've never seen...AND spend some one on one time with sweet jillian, since she will be making the trip with me.

9. some time out of the house at a baby shower for a friend saturday morning. so excited for this sweet friend who is expecting her very first baby...and oh how i love the excitement of watching new-mama-to-be's open up all the goodies and seeing that glow of anticipation! can't wait to meet her little one in a month or so. and it was just nice to have some girl time...and for elizabeth and kate to have some "daddy time"...and let me tell you, that hubby of mine is a brave man...he took them to lowes for the free building clinic...they didn't actually finish the project, but they did have some precious time together.

10. longer stretches of nighttime sleep...and this is definitely a smile, as the lack of sleep over the past month or so is definitely starting to catch up with me! jillian has done several 5-6 hour stretches in the past week. praise the Lord! but really, at 10 lbs. 12 oz. the girl definitely doesn't need to be up as often! i'm also starting to see the first hints of smiling...no real smiles per se yet, but she is starting to get more "interactive" when she is looking at me...i can't wait for that first true, non-gas induced, smile!

...and so i've shared my smiles. lest you think i actually had "time" to blog, let me be certain to tell you there are mounds of laundry waiting to be folded...not to mention the other billion household chores that i could be doing...oh my, will i ever feel caught up again!? that said, i may just have another blog post or two in me before the week is out...or maybe even before the night is done...just lots of little things rolling around in my head. but for now i should push publish and get my smiles up before the day is over!