emma grace: five months

sweet baby girl,
we are so thankful for you.
i love watching your curiosity and just love watching your little brain discover new things.
your sweet smile lights up a room and you charm everyone you meet.
and even though you're still not a huge fan of naps or bed time, i really don't mind. more snuggle time for me! :)

Emma Grace: Two Months

sweet baby girl is two months old. 

i'm completely addicted to her little coos, snorts and almost-giggles.

her smiles and snarles melt my heart, even at 3:30 am. #soworthit

she never stops squirming, even in her sleep.

morning stretches are serious business and require at least 30 different facial expressions. 

she's stubborn and strong and i love every single tiny inch of her. 

month 1

Emma Grace: One Month

and just like that, our baby girl is one month old.

sleep has been replaced with snuggles and diaper changes, and my target gift cards are spent on diapers and pacifiers instead of cute shoes and maxi dresses.  i'm not complaining though...she's pretty darn adorable. even at 2 and 3 and 4 am...

inspired by @gusandrubyletterpress 

baby bump and baby beats

emma grace and i are officially in the home stretch. don't get me wrong, i love having a little buddy with me all day every day, dancing and wiggling around like a fool. pretty positive she's got some baby beats on and is practicing for her audition for step up 6...

i'm just ready to see her little face!

now that the end is in sight, everything is becoming so much more real. for the longest time, her arrival felt forever away. but now that we've crossed into the less than one month mark, we feel a definite sense of expectation and excitement. it's been so much fun getting her room ready, putting together her furniture (well fun for me to watch bub-hub at least...) and hanging up all of her tiny little clothes.

i've really been loving our family time and have been enjoying this season of stillness and calm. i'm so guilty of being a busy-bee and a multi-tasker, but lately, i've been trying so hard to sit still and soak in every minute we have left as a family of two.  i really think my level of exhaustion is a real blessing from the Lord to teach me to step back and let go.  i'm just tired enough to need to sit and do nothing, but not too tired to spend time hanging out with bub-hub and raider.

now the real test will be to see if i'm still feeling calm and relaxed a week from now. :)

life lately: homeownership

since apparently the whole becoming parents thing wasn't a big enough life change for us, we decided to add home-ownership to our list of responsibilities.  after months of searching and making offers and searching some more, we finally found our perfect little house. God is so good and provided the perfect place at the absolute perfect time.  we are in the process of packing (again...) and painting and planning projects, and I just can't even wait to move in!

lately

bub hub
has discovered his secret painting talent. #edgingexpert
is a master at unloading the washing machine now that the prego-belly is getting in the way.
won the best husband award for bringing home frozen and letting it be our packing party background music.

raider
has been a perfect walking companion, even now that mama's had to slow her roll a little more than usual.
is mastering the doggy door at the new house. #professionalpup
shows his love and excitement for emma grace by pouncing on mama's belly every time she's on the couch.

sarah grace
is still pregnant with only 8 (insert long or short here depending on the hour...) weeks to go!
is a terribly painting assistant and not so great with keeping paint off the floors.
is taking naps and sleeping in every chance

emma grace
is growing bigger every day and wiggling up a storm.
finally has a nursery...at least a room that will be decorated sometime in the near-ish future...
is already loved more deeply than a mama could ever hope and dream.

life lately

life just seems to be speeding by, which is good and a little bit not so good. good because tax busy season is over and we have bub-hub back (notice how he's missing from every single photo...oops...) and a little bit not so good because i'm realizing how unprepared we are for baby girl's arrival. that's what prayer and family are for right?



lately

bub-hub
has a love/hate relationship with the mavericks.
somehow talked sg to watch sherlock, and now they are both hooked
has officially dominated tax season and life has returned to normal-ish once again.

raider
won't stop drinking water out of the toilet.
has designated the closet as the most comfy location for a nap.
has completely forgotten his leash-walking-manners. #rebelliousphase

sarah grace
is getting used to her ever growing baby bump and puffy cheeks.
loves using sweet baby girl as an excuse for chipotle and fro-yo.
can't quite cope with season three of scandal being over already.

emma grace
is 28 weeks old and the size of an eggplant.
has a growing collection of the most adorable wardrobe, ruffles included.
is completely worth every backache she's giving her mama.

life lately

lately

bub hub
has been inching his way closer and closer to the tax deadline.
is love march madness.
is an expert curtain rod and picture frame hanger-upper.

raider
has spring fever.
is glad all his toys made it to the new apartment safely during the move.
loves his recently rediscovered rope toy.

sarah grace
is obsessed with her pre-natal barre workout dvds.
loves getting to wear comfy cozy clothes all the time, even to work.
has been rocking her grocery budget goals, but not so much her fun, shopping ones.

baby emma
is already 25 weeks old.
is swimming around and kicking up a storm, especially when we were at the mavs game!
can't get enough frozen yogurt, topped with almonds and m&ms and blueberries.

twenty five and i'm feeling good!

last week, i turned twenty-five. ahhhhhhhh!
i spent the day being spoiled by my sweet bub-hub, and the rest of the week/weekend being spoiled by friends and family.
twenty-five is a pretty big life stage.

bub-hub's family has this fantastic birthday tradition that involves the birthday-ee choosing all of the meals for the day. when we got married, i made sure to inherit this tradition.

we splurged on donuts for breakfast, chick fil a for lunch, and chipotle for dinner with fro-yo for dessert. the next day, we had a yummy family birthday dinner at sfuzzi's! and of course, lots and lots of red velvet birthday cake!

i think twenty-five is definitely my favorite age so far, and i have a feeling it's going to be my best year yet!

what birthday is your favorite?

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pregostyle // feeling stripey

i'm definitely not a fashion blogger, and i definitely wouldn't consider myself a fashionista, but i do appreciate fun clothes! and if i'm being completely honestly, i've been struggling with learning how to dress this sweet little baby bump of mine. so when i feel like i hit a win, i'm going to celebrate it by getting out of my comfort zone and snapping some selfies.

darcy swing tunic from anthropologie // love the structure of this shirt. it's fitted on top and flowy where it needs to be. i love that it's long enough to be worn with leggings or jeans, and that it can easily transition from a casual to cute. also, since this isn't a maternity top, i'll be able to wear it after baby arrives. yay for multipurpose-pieces!

black skinny maternity jeans from gap // i love leggings as much as the next girl, but some days, i just need a little bit more structure. these are really comfortable and have just enough structure to make me feel productive. plus i found them on final clearance. #forthewin

nude patent flats from target // let's be real. i own these in about half a dozen shades.

hampton necklace from crave jewels // i won this little beauty in a giveaway a few months back. she probably thought i was a stalker because i entered EVERY giveaway she was doing, but it paid off and i eventually won! :) a little miracle worker to help perk up an outfit.

p.s. let's be instafriends please and thank you! :) @mrschastain_gmd

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high five for friday! // january 31

happy friday!

the cold weather this week had me stuck inside a little more than i'd like, but it definitely helped with my productivity. if only i could make it through the day without taking a nap, or thinking about how badly i want to take a nap…

one. i recently downloaded lightroom, and i've been trying to get my brain wrapped around it. i know everyone says is so simple to use, but i'm not gonna lie, i'm pretty intimidated. but i bet all the free tutorials i've been finding online will make me a pro in no time!

two. i've started my first project life album. i got one for our family and one for baby! i'm obsessed. i can't wait to share more layouts and pages as i figure it out.

three. raider and i have been training for the color run. after not being able to run for four months, it's been quite the task getting back in the swing of things, but it's great to have a running buddy! even if he doesn't quite know what he's getting himself in to.

four. bub-hub and i took our first expecting parents class last weekend. i didn't think it would be possible to feel more prepared and less prepared at the exact same time, but that's where we are! i feel so encouraged knowing we have such a supportive church body. and know i have a list of things to figure out. but at least i have a list now! :)

five. is it wrong to blame my addiction to thin mints on baby? i'm the worst future mom.

how was your week? have you given in to the girl scouts yet?

fifteen weeks

baby chastain is 15 weeks old and growing strong!

each tuesday, the little baby center update pops up on my phone, and get to read how baby is growing, what it's doing, and baby becomes a little more real.

this week, baby is the size of an apple!
since honey crisp apples are my favorite, and this is my favorite baby, i'm choosing to believe baby is the size of a honey crisp apple.
i can see bub-hub rolling his eyes at my logic as i type…

happy news to start off the new year!

it's the second week of 2014 and so far, it's been pretty great in the chastain household. and it's about to get even better because we finally get to share an exciting piece of news!

recently bub-hub and i found out that we are expecting our first baby!
yayyyyyyyy!!!!!

thrilled doesn't even begin to describe our excitement. looking back at how the Lord has provided for us over the first year and a half of our marriage, we have no doubt that his timing is perfect, that he is sovereign and that he will prepare us for this exciting adventure.

i've been itching to share our new years card with you all, and here it is!

thanks so much for the love and support you all have shown us over the years and we can't wait to continue to share our adventures with you!