HELLO WEEKEND

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Happy Friday everybody! Can't believe this will be the LAST work free weekend for awhile. I go back to work on Monday but normally I'll work Sunday-Thursday. I'm super stoked about going back because I love my job so much BUT the little lion is being EXTRA sweet these days which makes it so hard! He's been giving me loads of kisses and last night before bed just snuggled right into my shoulder for a long time. AGHHHHHH. Thankfully we'll still have all day Fridays and Saturdays together!

This weekend I want to make fun memories but we're also in the middle of renovating our living room so we'll probably meet in the middle with some low key activities. Can't believe it's May on Monday! I have a lot to catch y'all up on...mainly the living room plans and update but also Luca's 10 month update. Hopefully I'll have that posted before he's 11 months!!

Our weather has finally been getting warmer! Almost warm enough to bust out my new birks! I got these 50% off last October so I've been waiting foreveerrrr to wear them! I'm thinking a nice maxi like this one and the birks will be my summer wardrobe...oh gosh, already so nervous about being super preggers throughout the summer!

Hope you have an amazing weekend!

XO,
laura

PREGNANCY POST (ROUND 2) // 4 MONTH BUMP UPDATE

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Okay so here we go again with these bump updates! This pregnancy has been completely different than my last but I'm sure it has to do with the fact that I'm chasing a little lion around all day so I don't have time to soak it all in but thus is life!

How far along are you?

Just over 16 weeks! Baby is due in October and man this pregnancy is moving along QUICKLYYYY...which I imagine must be quite common for second time mamas.

How big is baby?

Baby is the size of a dill pickle...just over 4.5 inches long! When I first found out I was pregnant, this little babe was just a tiny tomato seed!!! Pregnancy always make me marvel at how amazing God is.
I have a feeling this babe is going to keep us on our toes! At our appointment last week baby was moving all over the place making it hard for our doctor to time its sweet heartbeat! It finally paused and we got the reading of 150 bpm. 

Feeling:

I'm feeling pretty good! The first trimester was pretty rough with constant nausea, a bout of the flu, and lots of exhaustion. Thankfully the little Lion sleeps like an angel and I get full night's sleep and a nap if I need it, ha.
I've been feeling the occasional movement and kick and that has been so amazing. Those movements (and my growing baby) keep reminding me that I'm carrying a baby, which is easy to forget when you have a 10 month old ha.

Food love:

Hmmmm I want chocolate all the time but that is not new at all. I don't think I've had any specific cravings yet but I'm looking forward to them!

Food hate:

Again, this time around I wanted nothing to do with cheesy esque things in the first trimester. Now, I'm pretty good except for this one butternut squash crockpot we made. I HATED IT despite James, my international student and Auntie Coco loving it! Luca was on my side though, ha.

Exercise:

I've been doing some prenatal stretching/pilates/yoga videos and they have been great. Also trying to get out for walks! Sadly because of my weak pelvic floor (TMI I KNOW), I can't go running but I'm trying to do some power walks and hopefully we'll get that fixed postpartum.
This pregnancy I started out 10-ish lbs heavier than I was when I got pregnant with Luca. I'm really hoping to gain between 25-35 lbs (I gained 45 with Luca!) BUT I'm not going to beat myself up about it. So far I've gained about 5 lbs.

Below is a photo of me pregnant with Luca on the left at 14.5 weeks and with #2 at 16 weeks. Funny how the belly has POPPED so quickly!

Clothing:

Hello maternity jeans! #noshame Why would I wear anything else? (Oh, except for my joggers and lulus ha)

What I'm looking forward to:

I go back to work in just over a week and I'm excited to get back in the swing of things! I know it will be an adjustment without being with my baby all day but hey, we'll get to do it all again come October! Also excited for the ultrasound in a few weeks....BOY OR GIRL !!! weeeee!

XO,
laura

PENDER ISLAND

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I've been squeezing in some getaways as I'm going back to work in just over a week (!!!!!!!!) My in-laws have a place on Pender and we were able to stay in it for the first time last week. Pender Island is a short ferry ride from Victoria (about 45 minutes). It's a super cute island and we had so much fun exploring!

We only stayed one night, so we didn't have a ton of time to do stuff but thankfully we'll be able to go back! There's even a pool at the cabin grounds, so you betcha we'll be making use of that this Summer!

How stunning was that sunset?! Can't wait to go back soon :)

Outfit details:
Laura- Jeans- Topshop // Jacket- Artizia 
James- Denim Jacket- Nudie Jeans // Jeans- Nudie Jeans
Luca- Plaid top- Carters // Grey onesie- Joe Fresh // Jeans- OshKosh (Thistle & Wren) // Shoes- Adidas (Thistle & Wren) // Carrier- Ergo

Happy Friday everybody! Hope you have an amazing weekend!

XO,
Laura

HOLD ONTO HOPE

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Hope...defined as "the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best". I've often been someone who hopes for the best. As I've shared before in this place, I'm a natural optimist...sometimes a realist...and sometimes a pessimist but mostly an optimist. And sometimes that has gotten be into trouble. My hopes were not met, and I ended up disappointed. 

It may seem easier to not get your hopes up but I don't believe that is the way God has called us to live. 

(Trigger warning- I will be sharing my pregnancy story which may conjure up feelings if you've suffered a loss. I'm so sorry if that is you, and I understand if you don't want to read further.) 

This pregnancy has been very different than my pregnancy with Luca. You may remember, God told me through a dream that I was pregnant before I even tested. We had been trying for months and I was expectant that it was going to happen. Luca was my promise from God. I held onto that through the whole pregnancy.

This one came very differently. No dream, no word from the Lord, just a positive test when I was least expecting it. A few days after I tested positive I experienced some spotting. I didn't know what was happening but in that moment, I remember giving it to God and hoping for the best. Thankfully the bleeding stopped and at our 8 week ultrasound things looked great.

I had a routine doctor's appointment at 9.5 weeks and my doctor pulled out the doppler. It was very early, and the baby was very tiny at this point so I knew there was a big chance that I wouldn't hear the heartbeat. She searched for a couple minutes and we couldn't find it. I was a bit disappointed but knew I would hear it soon. My lovely doctor booked me to come back two weeks later instead of four to calm my nerves.

Two weeks later at 11.5 weeks the heartbeat can usually be heard. I went into my appointment pretty hopeful that I'd be able to hear that beautiful sound. With Luca, we heard it at 11 weeks. I had a resident doctor instead of my usual doctor that day and after asking the usual questions, he got the doppler out. He informed me that he wasn't as good at it as my normal doctor so if he couldn't find it, he'd grab her. After five minutes of searching, he went to get my doctor. Right before he left the room I remember him saying, "Even if we can't find it today, don't worry. Everything is most likely okay." I don't know if doctors are supposed to say those kind of things, but I so appreciated his optimistic outlook in that moment.

My doctor comes in the room a little while later and tries another doppler. After what felt like ages but was probably about 10 minutes of searching, we don't hear anything except for my heartbeat and the placenta. She had searched and searched and searched. Thankfully she booked me to come in three days later to try again, and encouraged me not to worry even though I probably would.

Those three days felt like some of the longest days of my life. Through those three days I had to FIGGGHT for hope. My mind wanted to not get my hopes up. My mind wanted to prepare me for the worst. My mind wanted me to not be disappointed.

But my heart longed for hope. So I did what I've done in hard circumstances in the past, I opened his word, declared his promises, praised him and got prayer warriors praying.

I turned to one of my favourite verses in Romans...

Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping...20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. 21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. Romans 4:18&20-21

It was a tough three days. My mind and heart battled it out.

During that time I was reading Anne of Green Gables and came across this beautiful quote. At this particular section, Marilla was trying to help Anne understand the real world.

"'You set your heart too much on things, Anne," said Marilla with a sigh. 'I'm afraid there'll be a great many disappointments in store for you through life.'
'Oh Marilla, looking forward to things is half the pleasure of them,' exclaimed Anne. 'You mayn't get the things themselves but nothing can prevent you from having the fun of looking forward to them. Mrs. Lynde says, 'Blessed are they who expect nothing for they shall not be disappointed.' But I think it would be worse to expect nothing than to be disappointed.'"

And I couldn't agree more with Anne. It would be worse to expect nothing than to be disappointed. Life is hard, but there is always hope...always.

image by andrearhowey

His peace came in waves over me and I held onto hope. I'd expect the best and if the outcome wasn't what I planned, God would be there for us but in the meantime I wasn't going to let my mind go there.

So James and I went into the doctor's that Friday morning, trusting God (shakily, but still trusting). Our doctor went to business right away and at first touch we thought we heard the baby's heartbeat but then she felt my pulse and realized mine was 130 bpm. After a couple minutes of searching we heard a movement, that my doctor said was a baby moving and seconds after that, we heard that precious heartbeat. 166 bpm. 

I know not everyone shares the same story as us and a lot have suffered loss. My heart breaks for you and my prayer for you is that you would keep hoping because God isn't finished with your story yet.

Easter is just around the corner and I'm reminded of how hard it must have been for Jesus' disciples after He was crucified on Good Friday. Those three days must have been full of despair and heartache but thankfully that's not where the story ends. Three days later, He rose in Victory. He triumphed over death and proved that hope exists in Him.

Life is hard but there is hope. Keep hoping, keep trusting, He's not done yet.

XO,
Laura

WE'RE HAVING ANOTHER BABY!

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of e.p.t.. All opinions are 100% mine.

James, Luca and myself are thrilled to announce that baby Liira #2 will be making his/her debut this fall! 

We are beyond excited to welcome another baby and give Luca a sibling. If this baby arrives on its due date (like Luca did!) then they will be a little less than 16 months apart! It's wild and crazy  and they will be a little bit closer than I had originally planned but hey, it's all going to work out just fine :) (at least that's what I keep telling myself....ps. so thankful we have a lot of family and amazing friends in town!)

It was so crazy testing this time around. As you may remember with Luca, it took about 6 months to conceive him and I tested negative after negative. This time around my cycle was a bit out of whack and I was on day 45 so I decided to test. So early morning I tested and was clearly a bit tired because I thought it was negative and put in the trash can. I go and tell James we're not pregnant then think, "Oh my gosh, I'm supposed to wait a few minutes, I should really go check again." So I pull it out of the trash and there you go, a faint positive line!!!!!  

I actually found out SUPER early.... 3 weeks 2 days to be exact! So thankful for pregnancy tests like e.p.t. that detect pregnancy 5 days sooner and are 99% accurate!

FYI- if you live in the states you can pick up e.p.t. from Walmart, Wallgreens or RiteAid. I just ordered mine from Amazon, which is the best because who knows who you could run into while buying a pregnancy test lols!

I cannot wait to see Luca become a big brother. I know not to have crazy expectations as he's still a baby himself BUT he's just such a loving little guy. I know in his time, he is going to be such a loving and caring big brother and I can't wait to watch it unfold! I'm kinda hoping for another boy so him and Luca can be besties (and because we have all the boy stuff already lols). Obviously, I would be completely thrilled with whatever the sex is! Oh and incase you're wondering, we are definitely finding out and this time I'm hoping to do a fun gender reveal.

I'll be heading back to work a month early, which I'm actually pretty excited about. My bosses have been so encouraging and supportive. So thankful to work in a place that is in support of families!

Baby is due early October. It's going to be so different to have a fall baby (Luca was born in mid-June!) but I'm already imagining newborn snuggles while I sip a pumpkin spice latte lols. It's also going to be pretty interesting being super preggo in the summer. I'll probably try to squeeze in lots of lake swims to cool my huge preggo self down, ha.

Can't wait to meet this baby bunny! It's already going by so quickly. I'll be back soon with a more detailed bump update. (Yes, I'm planning on doing these this pregnancy!)

And mama's with two under two, give me alllll your tips please and thank you!

XOXO,
Laura