{ajm}

Us right now….and for the next 21 days, a family of three.

I'm so thankful for family. There really aren't words.

For the last three years, it's been me and her. Lots of her and me. We play and read and shop and hang out together. It's beyond surreal that in a few short weeks, we will have a new playmate. Little brother will change things dramatically. Less of my time for her, more needs to meet, less sleep, and lots more love to go around.

My sweet SWEET little girl. I love you so very much. Our next adventure is just around the corner!

Thank you Ben for taking these-it's way WAY more fun to have you around to play and read and hang with us.

Our new friends from church arranged a cookie baking playdate. Yum!! We enjoyed meeting some new faces and fellowship with a few we've known awhile. It takes time making new friends and we are fortunate to have opportunities to be with our new church family.

Last Saturday several of my sweet neighbors, the women who's husbands work with mine, my sweet sister and an honorary sister gathered to shower baby boy with joy. Jenn made this amazing quilt square for a pillow for baby boy's rocking chair-I am so excited to have it!

A delightful lunch and an AMAZING cake. Julie did a great job with the table–we even got to use her grandmother's china!

Beautiful and scrumptious!

Then we ohhed over small blue boy wonders.  Thank you sweet friends for blessing us with your love.

We got to be at home this year for Halloween and all the festivities (I am 31 weeks pregnant and can't go anywhere.) Our evening was beautifully crisp and clear, even an almost full moon! After dinner, Mallory got her costume on and out we went.

This year she helped pick out her bumble bee costume. Several days after we brought this home from Target, she discovered the Pottery Barn Kids catalog and REALLY wanted to be a cupcake. Thankfully by the time I inquired, the company was sold out system wide. Yeah for me, we saved about $60! Her next option was to be a bumble bee like the one in their catalog. I stuck to our original Target costume but caved on the yellow face painted flower. She talked about this flower on her cheek for three solid weeks. yes, seriously.

We ventured out into our kid friendly neighborhood and made it to 3 houses. Yes, only three. Mallory has this fear of scary masks (rightfullly so in my opinion) and she was DONE. "Mommy, I want to go home." Alrighty then, home we went. Once we got home, she DELIGHTED in the trick-or-treaters ringing our doorbell. She lit up each time the bell rang and wanted to help pass out candy. I will also confess she wanted to trick-or-treat from our candy bowl. Since I really didn't care, she got to have lollipops and bubbles from our stash every time the door closed and it was "her turn". So very cute and such a fun night for us all.