#29weeks & a Sweet Mommy/Daughter Day

All of the sudden it seems like this baby is almost here! About 11 more weeks to go and I know that time is going to fly by and I'm going to be holding my sweet Waverly in my arms.

I may or may not be crying like a baby while I type this.

On Wednesay's I like to stay away from making plans and just enjoy spending time with my big girl. Especially since her days of having mommy all to herself are numbered, I've been trying to make sure we have plenty of cuddle time, playing together, coloring, and her new favorite watching mommy put together puzzles!

Today for lunch we decided to go out for some soup and rice (i.e. Sake Blue). We got there and sat in a booth together, she thanked the hostess for the menu and "color" (the sushi menu and pencil, haha), and we looked over the lunch menu together. I asked her what she'd like to get and she emphatically said, "RIIIICCEE!!". The waiter came to take our order and then brought us some waters. I got out a little fun pack of crayons, a coloring book, and some stickers for her to play with and she immediately placed the stickers all over me. We colored for a minute and then our soup and salad came. She usually loves soup but it didn't seem appealing today, she just kept signing "Rice, rice, rice, riiicee, please!". Finally her rice came and she gasped with delight! I scooped some on her plate and she dug right in, at first with her chopsticks, but then that wasn't doing the job so she switched to a fork. She was shoveling it in as fast as she could and every once in a while she would just stop and smile the cheesiest grin. Sometimes I just watch her, in awe of how smart and big she is. When she was ready for more I loaded her plate back up as she danced around waiting to get back to her yummy lunch. Finally, after she just about polished off the entire thing, she said she was finished and wanted to color some more. I continued eating my lunch and all of the sudden I found myself wrapped up in the sweetest little arms. She squeezed my neck and shouted with so much love, "Mommyyyy!". I almost cried.

It's nothing out of the ordinary for her to shower me with hugs and kisses and more love that anyone could ask for, but it hit me in a different way today. A way that happens often - but not often enough. In that moment, nothing else going on around me mattered at all. Not work, finances, heartburn, the cold weather... nothing except being present with my precious daughter. Soaking up this time I have with her while she's still the only one I have to take care of (well - I mean, I am obviously doing plenty of work growing the other one but it doesn't take nearly as much conscious effort), and while she's still so little. I feel like she is so big, and old, and mature, but really she's still just little and precious and amazed by the wonders of every small detail in life. She think Mommy's kisses have instant healing powers and she doesn't doubt or question my love for her. She knows. And she loves me back in the same unconditional way.

For anyone that's not a parent, or maybe just anyone that isn't filled with pregnancy horomones, I'm sure this is this most boring story ever but I just want to remember every bit of this special day with my girl. I already feel like the past 27 months have flown by and I am completely aware that the next 27 months will no doubt pass just as quickly... if not more so with my hands even busier with two!

After lunch, we went to Target to look for some more jeans, because there never seems to be a clean pair that actually fits her. Because she ate so well at lunch, we stopped by Starbucks and picked up a cake-pop for her, and a decaf frap for me. Today she wanted to sit and the table and enjoy her treat, so we did. Even that little "tradition" we seem to have established is so special to her and I love it. I love that we both look forward to these simple little things that we do together.

When she finished up we loaded up in the cart and went off looking for the things on our list. We found some new black boots for her, some sunglasses (which she's been asking for for weeks!), and a few pair of jeans (they were on SALE - woot!) and then we finished our way through the store, hand in hand, to the register. We headed home and then went straight upstairs for a nap and after crying and arguing "I'm not tired!", she quickly fell asleep. She's so funny, that girl. I'm so grateful for my sweet Auria - every single day.

Now that I've recorded this in the memory book, I'm going to head back upstairs and snuggle with her while she finishes her nap. And when she wakes up, I'm gonna give her tons of kisses, and we'll play until I have to leave for class tonight.

What a blessed day ♥