Reintroductions

Well, hello there. Has it really been over 3 years since my last blog post? Goodness! 

I never really meant to stop blogging ... I just kind of forgot to update because LIFE. Seriously! Life with a little baby turned toddler was tricky to keep up with things like blogging. I definitely am one of those moms who didn't just fall into a natural rhythm immediately ... it took me quite a bit of time to really find my groove. But now, almost 4 years in, I feel like we have settled into a pretty good routine and honestly, having the Timehop app on my phone has me feeling all the feels when I read my old blog posts! Anyone else? I love being able to see a glimpse of what my life was like a year ago/3 years ago/7 years ago. It's amazing to see my perspective change over the years and it makes me a little sad that I didn't keep up blogging because there's now a 3-year gap in those memories. BUT I have kept up with photos over on Instagram, especially lately, so I don't have quite as big of a gap as it could be. For that, I'm grateful!

So a little update for you …

Our family: Jason, Alina, Conner, and Hudson Smith

Jason and I have been married now for 8 ½ years and still live in McKinney, just a different house. We built a house a few blocks over a couple years ago when we were pregnant with Hudson and love our new neighborhood! There are lots of young families and we are close enough to walk to both the elementary and middle schools.

Jason

Jason is still working as an engineer and really enjoys his job. He’s still with the same company he started with after college … 16 years! So proud of that hard working husband of mine! He really enjoys wrestling and playing with the kids, anything involving his tools, xBox, playing his guitar and reading. He is such a great dad and I am so thankful for him. He always goes above and beyond for us, and I am so appreciative. And he’s a hottie.

Alina

I am still a stay-at-home mom – going on 4 years now. I’ve gotten involved at our church’s mom’s group that meets every other Friday and I love it! I’ve met so many sweet friends and really enjoy the break from my “mom duties” while my kids play happily downstairs. We are also very involved in our life group at church and I’ve met so many sweet friends through that, as well. A lot of my days are spent doing typical things … laundry, changing diapers, making meals, cleaning up meals, laundry, disciplining, wiping noses, playing with dinosaurs and cars, laundry, vacuuming, checking the clock for when Daddy is on his way home…HA! All I know is that the days sure are long, but the years are so, so short. This is not the most glamorous time in my life, but that’s ok. My kids will never need me more than they do right now. I try to soak that up and remember it when the days get long.

Conner (3)

This sweet, wild boy cracks me up daily and has unending energy. He loves mac 'n' cheese, dragons (especially Toothless), playing outside, wrestling with Daddy, playing with Hudson, and cuddling with Mommy. He will be 4 in just a few days, and I can hardly believe it! This age is so fun (and trying!), and I can't wait to see what's next.

Hudson (2)

My wild child! He loves animals, being tickled, wrestling with his big brother, giving big bear hugs, dancing, playing with Daddy, and cuddling with Mommy. He's got so much love to give and I can't wait to see him take on the big brother role!

Speaking of Hudson becoming a big brother…

We are expecting baby #3 in March 2016! And it’s a GIRL!! I don’t think I could be more excited if I tried. It’s funny because when I was pregnant with Conner I was totally freaked out by the thought that it could be a girl. And then when I was pregnant with Hudson, I was more open to the idea of a girl, but really felt overjoyed/relieved when we found out he was a boy. This pregnancy? I have never been this ok with the idea of a girl in all my life! It’s totally new territory for me, but I think that’s the part that excites me the most … new relationships, new family dynamics, and new clothes. Haha! Going shopping has taken on a whole new excitement for me now that I can take off the blinders and look at both the boy stuff and the girl stuff. I haven't bought any girl clothes, mostly because since she's due in March, that's a completely different time of year than the boys were born (Fall and Winter). I have no clue what size she'll be wearing during the different seasons, or how big she'll be. They say girls are typically smaller than boys when they are born (please!), but you never know. I think I know what outfit I want to get to bring her home in, though. I just haven't bought it yet. I actually have only bought 1 package of bows so far ... and that was just because I wanted to do the bow on the pumpkin for our announcement. I'm holding off as long as I can because I know once I start ... the floodgates will be OPEN. Danger, Will Robinson! 

So, now that I'm back to blogging, I'll try to post some pics of some of our favorite memories over the last 3 years from time to time. I also am looking forward to documenting the rest of this pregnancy, our day to day life, some of my favorite recipes, and the fun crafts I have in the works. Almost nothing will be Pinterest-worthy, so let's just set our expectations way down low. ;)


I hope you are enjoying your time with your loved ones this Christmas season - we are so looking forward to Jason being home for 2 whole weeks!! Family time is our FAVORITE!!