baby no. 2!

So, perhaps you may have already picked up on this by the title of this post, buuuut... we are expecting another baby!

I've kept it a big ole secret for a little while now - I'm almost 19 weeks along, meaning my whole pregnancy is nearly halfway over! It's been such an exciting journey so far. I wanted to write a post just to document my pregnancy so far, talk about how we are feeling about adding another little life into this world, and discuss our plans for the next few months of our lives. 

We first found out I was pregnant in early February - I just started to notice a few strange things that were going on - first of all, no part of me was enjoying coffee. Anyone who knows me probably can agree that this is not a natural thing for me - I'm a coffeeholic - every morning, I usually drink two cups to wake myself up and start the day and then have another cup later in the afternoon. Suddenly, it just never sounded good! I also noticed I just started feeling moody more often, and just feeling kind of sleepy. Just out of curiosity, I took a test, and I had mixed feelings when the second line was extremely faint. I figured that meant that I wasn't pregnant, and I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. I did a little research and found out that sometimes a faint positive line means that you are extremely early in pregnancy and the progesterone just isn't strong enough yet to really show a positive. I waited about a week and took another test, and we found out that our hunch had been true - I was pregnant! When we found out, we were a little overwhelmed (let's just say we planned to wait until after we had our wedding and were settled in here in California to have another baby!) but we also couldn't help but feel super excited. Chris and I love being parents and we also truly love and trust each other, and we always have the mentality that we can handle anything as long as we work together. Not to mention, we had discussed the fact that we didn't want to wait too long to have another baby so that Ben and his sibling would be close in age. As it turns out, they will be almost exactly two years apart! Ben's second birthday is October 21st, and my due date with baby #2 is October 26th. How crazy is that? We are pretty good at making autumnal babies, apparently! 

As far as pregnancy symptoms, this has been a far easier pregnancy than my experience with Ben in my belly. I had no morning sickness throughout the first trimester, which is quite the opposite of my first pregnancy. Aside from being exhausted and a little moody, I've felt mostly just like normal old me. I also had a hard pregnancy emotionally with Ben for a number of reasons - some were hormonal, and some were just situational. Chris and I didn't know what to expect during my first pregnancy, we felt kind of unprepared for the whole thing, and it was just a tough transition. Once I gave birth, everything seemed to fall into place. I don't have any big fears or nervousness about having another baby because of how much I love being a mom already. I'm expecting it to be difficult and tiring, but I'm just more comfortable in my abilities of caring for babies by now! 

We are going to our second ultrasound on June 12th to find out if it's a boy or a girl - I'm so curious and so excited to find out! We already have a name picked if the baby is a girl, and I am absolutely in love with this name. I'm not going to give the name away - I might reveal it if we find out the baby is a girl, but I will tell you that it starts with a J :) I'm going to be completely honest and say that a tiny part of me is hoping to have a girl so that we can have a boy and a girl - I would truly love to raise a daughter - but I know that if it is another boy I will be so happy and excited as well. 

I think one of the biggest things that I notice about pregnant me is how much I obsess about nesting. I honestly feel like it's a primal trait of being pregnant and expecting a child - I can't stop thinking about how I want to decorate Ben and the baby's room (most of the places we are looking at in the area are two-bedroom - I have certain requirements for where we are going to be living (a backyard with a fence, a safe neighborhood, etc.) but having a three bedroom house isn't one of them. I actually kind of love the idea of them sharing a room when they're little.) and just preparing as much as I can for the baby and constantly thinking about how I want our home to be when the baby comes. It reminds me so much of a mama bird collecting twigs and feathers for her cozy nest - you just can't help but want to create a comfy, fun, and safe home for your children (and yourself!). We are currently in the waiting process to see if we've been accepted as tenants for a tiny, adorable bright teal home near the beach, which has been so exciting and nerve-wracking!

Thank you so much for all of the kind words and support many of you have left on my social media posts announcing the pregnancy - it truly means so much to me to have so many loving people in our lives. All of your words have put a smile on my face and made us all the more excited for our new addition. I will be making a post soon with a pregnancy Q+A as well and I would love to hear anything else you would like to hear about pregnancy! I love writing about it, and sharing my experiences with others.

Love,

Megan

practicing patience and easing stress

This may come as a shock to some of you, but patience is not my strong suit. I have a hard time waiting for things. No, I'm not the impatient person huffing and puffing in line at the grocery store behind an old lady with a million coupons. I don't even get frustrated in long drive thru lines when I'm picking up my latte! I can tune out to the music playing and relax without an issue. The kind of patience that I really struggle with is the long-term, big-goal sort of things. Whether it's waiting for us to truly feel settled here in California to waiting and slowly practicing something to be successful at it. (If that sounds confusing, I'll give you an example - Sometimes, I see really successful bloggers, entrepreneurs, or artists, and I get super frustrated at myself for not being successful. I get worked up about it and feel defeated before I even truly have put in the time and effort to become a success! At my worst, I ultimately give up and try something new, and the cycle repeats itself.) I recently discovered that my Enneagram is, without a doubt, a Type 7, and this helped me understand why I'm like this. (If you haven't looked into that whole Enneagram thing, I suggest you should! It's a really interesting way to find out more about your personality.)

I basically wanted to write an honest and real post to maybe help others out there (and myself right here!) remember that good things come in time. The law of attraction is all about putting good energy into the world and believing good things are coming to you, and in return wonderful things work their way into your life. We've had kind of a slow start since we've moved out to California in settling in - we are lucky to be living with Chris' family, who are a generous, loving, awesome group of people, but going from living in our own space, with a full-time job that Chris really enjoyed to basically a complete 180 and scrambling to figure out our future has been hard to adjust to. If you're at a place in your life that things seem uncertain, unstable or confusing and you're having a hard time seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, rest assured - you are not alone! I wanted to write about some of my personal tips for achieving more peace and calm when it comes to these seasons and include some quotes and activities that help me clear my mind and feel hopeful and positive again.

Photo via Greta Hollar and @momentaryhappiness. I found this on Pinterest and I absolutely love this quote!

Photo via Morgan Harper Nichols - aka poem and wonderful quote QUEEN!

Read about Law of Attraction and manifesting reality.

This stuff works, guys! There are tons of blogs, books, and videos all about manifesting your reality.

Spend your morning outside or moving. 

Whether it's taking your little ones to the playground and breathing in the fresh air, doing some early-morning stretches on your bedroom floor before an early workday, or doing a full-on outdoor yoga class in a field of wildflowers, get moving or get some fresh air in the morning. It motivates me to chase the rest of the day with a good attitude. Listen to an inspiring podcast or some upbeat music, and do some positive self talk. One thing I've been telling myself while everything feels like a big question mark above our heads? 

Make a mantra or do positive self-talk when you start to feel discouraged.

A few of my current little mantras that I tell myself when things get crazy or I start to get impatient with our big life stuff?

"One day at a time." 

"I am doing my best."

"What's meant for me will not pass me by." 

Another mantra I've been loving for #momlife (lol!) is this - "I am in charge of being calm. No matter how my child behaves." Ben's behavior hasn't been bad or anything, he's only a little guy, but sometimes it's hard to stay patient with him when he's having a hard time just shopping with me or when he's getting worked up a lot if he's tired. (If you have a toddler, you understand. Sometimes it's just kinda wild.) 

If you clicked on this article hopping to get tips to chill out in the grocery store line because you rage at any kind of a wait, I'm sorry - my best advice for you is to take a deep breath and remember that life is too darn short, haha!

Love,

Megan

keeping a positive mindset

Good morning, everyone! Happy Sunday - Hope your morning is filled with banana pancakes, mugs full of coffee, and coziness in general. (I now realize that it's Monday when I am actually finishing this post... whoops! Still - hope your Sunday was just lovely.)

I've been thinking a lot lately about what it means to be "positive" or have good energy. Though I wish we could all be happy all of the time, it's impossible. Happiness is a great and wonderful emotion, but it's not a permanent state of mind - some days are going to bring a crap-storm of destruction and frustration or sadness, making it hard to stay happy all the time. There is a distinct difference between feeling happy and keeping a positive mindset - keeping  positive mindset is more of a change in lifestyle. It helps you persevere through the times that are just plain old unhappy and come out on top, still fighting for yourself. It keeps you calm and peaceful through crazy times and unsettling periods in life. It's really hard and you will probably not be able to always keep a fully positive mindset, but part of having that sort of mindset is realizing that you aren't perfect, and you can't expect yourself to be happy-go-lucky and filled with rainbows all the time.

I wanted to write out some ideas and tips for how I slowly am able to reframe my mindset when I'm feeling negative and discouraged.

1. Pay attention to who/what you surround yourself with. Who do you spend the most time with? What accounts are you following on Instagram? Is your home a comfortable and clean place to live? Some changes you can make are quick, and some take time to slowly adjust. Go through your Facebook friends and who you're following on Instagram once every few months, and clean it out. Whether it's an account that is constantly posting negative things, or someone you often compare yourself to, just keep it fun and positive. I love following my friends and family, other mom bloggers who inspire me, and funny accounts or inspirational photos. If your space (your home, apartment, car, cubicle, etc.) needs a good clean, do it! Simplify, get rid of old things you don't use, put pieces that make you smile around you - whether it's a new piece you're hanging on your wall to an air freshener in your car, do little things to make you appreciate your space more. Lastly - and this may take a long time and is tougher - think long and hard about who you're spending your time with. If someone close to you is always negative and tears themselves down or judges others, think about what all of that negativity is filling your head with! No, I'm not saying to dump everyone from your life who might complain or be sad sometimes - I'm talking about people who don't make you feel good, or who make you feel like crap or like you're not being your best. Distance yourself for a bit, and see how it feels. 
2. Let yourself be excited about things, but keep your expectations reasonable. If you expect everything in your life to go smoothly and perfectly, you will be disappointed often. I love being excited and planning for big events in my life, but I always try to remember to be realistic - nothing will go perfectly. One example is a bride who is determined to have every single thing go absolutely perfect on her wedding day, and the moment one thing goes wrong, the whole day is ruined. Especially if you have children - no matter what the occasion - things will probably not go according to plan 100% of the time. Let yourself ebb and flow with what happens, and stay calm. For instance, if you have a big plan to do a full shopping day with your toddler and they immediately begin throwing tantrums like wild man, it can be very easy to get worked up and frustrated. Take a deeeeeeep breath and be flexible - maybe letting them nap in the car or play at the playground first will be in both of your best interest. 
3. Work on new projects. I really love always having a project on my plate. Even if it takes me months to finally get around to working on it, it's nice to feel like you've accomplished something and made something yourself. I am currently working on re-selling my favorite thrift store finds, restoring an old beat up shelf system, and I always have blog or my jewelry-making or painting to turn to if I have a little downtime or am feeling like I need to do something creative. I'd love to practice embroidery or weaving someday as well. Whether you enjoy doing creative things, sporty activities, or something completely different (kite flying! lotion making! The possibilities are endless!), have something to do that inspires you and takes a little time to learn.
4. What you release, you attract. This has been echoing through my mind a lot - a few weeks ago, I was feeling frustrated and worried about all sorts of things in our life, and Chris and I sat down and talked and he gave me a reality check - if I only see the negative, there will ONLY be negative! No matter all the times Ben laughs every day, or the moments where Chris and I have a hug in the middle of the day, or all the times we get to watch the sunset - nothing will seem impressive if I'm constantly feeling negative. It helped me remember and see in my life that being patient, positive, and unworried just brings good things to life! This also goes for your interactions with others - if you hold grudges, get really jealous, or hold anger - this will only affect you in a very negative way. Release that tension! Rest, exercise, clear your mind of anger and frustration.
5. Appreciate all the good little moments, and embrace them. There are so many wonderful little things that occur in a day, even when it may not seem like it. Soak in the moments when your little one gives you a big hug when they get scared, the feeling of a hot shower at the end of the day, your sheets feeling warm and cozy while you fall asleep, give yourself a smile in the mirror after you put on your makeup in the morning, take a deep breath if you are having a hard time with the day and have a big drink of water and stretch, pick our a great new book to read at the library, smell the flowers at the garden center at the grocery store or at the park with your little one, make brownies after dinner, give yourself a pat on the back if you had a great interaction with a customer at work, appreciate the hard work you did cleaning your house, light a candle and cozy up under a blanket while you watch TV at the end of the day with your partner or yourself. These are all entirely ordinary things, but they're those little moments that can be so enjoyable. 
6. Keep an inspiration board. Whether it's a physical board where you collage photos that inspire you or do a virtual board on Pinterest, it's good to have a visual of something that inspires you. I love using Pinterest to inspire me creatively and mentally - quotes, creative ideas, mom ideas, etc. 

Hopefully this was a helpful blog post to someone out there - I love focusing on positivity and self improvement, and in some seasons of life, it can be hard. Just try to enjoy where you are right now, and focus on the silver lining. You are doing a great job!

Megan