And the winner is....................

My mom is over tonight looking after G so she helped me pick names. and my accountant husband from Deloitte audited the results. 

The winner of the Salter Creations Gift Certificate is:

Megan

The Two prints go to 

Jennifer and Amy

And the winner of the knitted infinity scarf is

Rosanne

If you're a winner please email me: babeblessings (at) rogers (dot) com

Thank you for helping me celebrate the first year of Grayson, and the first year of being a mom. 

You're all such a huge blessing to me!

 

On the wonderful marvelous night you were born

Tonight Brian and I put Grayson down for the last time as a baby. My little man turns one tomorrow.

This past year has been an absolute whirlwind. It’s so hard to imagine that it’s been a year since I first heard him cry and held him in my arms.

We read Grayson our favourite story tonight before bed. A book given to us by one of our dear friends that puts everything we feel about Grayson into words.

The last verse is the part that I love the most.

So whenever you doubt just how special you are

Or you wonder who loves you, how much and how far

Listen for geese honking high in the sky

(they’re singing a song to remember you by.0

Or notice the bears asleep at the zoo

(it’s because they’ve been dancing all night for you!)

Or drift off to sleep to the sound of the wind.

(listen closely.. it’s whispering your name again!)

If the moon stays up until morning one day,

Or a ladybug lands and decides to stay,

Or a little bird sits at your window a while,

It’s because they’re all hoping to see you smile…

For never before in story or rhyme

(not even once upon a time)

Has the world ever know a you, my friend

And it never will, not ever again…

Heaven blew every trumpet

And played every horn

On the wonderful marvelous

Night you were born.

                From On the night you were born by Nancy Tillman

One year ago I was waiting to meet my son. The church next to my labour room had a gold trumpeter on top of its spire. I knew that everything would be alright, for God had sent an angel to look over us even in those moments. Every time I needed strength to get through the next moment I would find myself looking at that trumpeter.

Tonight I’ll wake up at 3:46 and go hold my son as he turns one. Probably shed a tear or two. And I’ll be so thankful that we’ve made it through the last year and we’re looking into the next one.

Grayson,

This last year has been the best of my life. I’m so honoured to be your mom and get to spend every day with you.

I love you so much.

 

Knitting and a Giveaway!! - now closed

In grade 5 we had a unit in class about knitting. Our teacher brought in someone to show us how to knit and we did projects and it was fun. Since then it seems I’ve always had something on the go. In the last year and a half it has been my sanity saver. During bedrest I could knit blankets for Gray and pray over him with every stitch. Or other bedrest moms or babies. And in the NICU it kept me busy during those long days when all I could do was sit and watch.

Now it’s my way of relaxing. I used to knit when I was pumping at work to keep myself occupied, now I knit at home during my lunch hour pumping sessions. I occasionally even knit in the bathtub to make sure I’m fully relaxed – depending on the project of course.

To celebrate G’s birthday I’m doing another give away. 

As you can see it’s still on the needles, the original one I did I put in the mail to a special someone before I remembered to take pictures. This will be a gorgeous infinity scarf. It is possibly the softest thing in the world. It rivals some of Gray’s baby blankets.

So to enter:

Comment below

Like babeblessings on facebook, follow us on twitter, follow us on blogloving or GFC and comment below for each action for an additional entry.

The giveaway is open until midnight on Sunday January 29^th. I’ll announce the winner on Monday.

 

Day 97 - Fast Lane - Guest by Lyndsey

Morning All!
My friend Lyndsey is guesting today. This past year we've both spent time on bedrest and both welcomed our first little ones into our family. Lyndsey has a great perspective I think we can all take something from, I know I did after reading her post.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Living Life in the Fast Lane

My name is Lyndsey Ehgoetz, and I have known Jac since high school!  We shared the same love for dance and cheerleading and now share the pleasure of being moms to our children-both the same age.  Reading all of the other stories lately, about what Jac and her network of friends are thankful for has really made me think about the past year and all of the things I have to be thankful for.  

In the last year my husband Andrew and I have done a lot.  Most people joke that we really like to keep our lives as interesting as possible.  Yes-that may be very true!  In the last two years we have done it all.  We have been married, filmed a reality television show, sold our house, bought a brand new house, started a business, and had a baby girl!  Yes-that's right, in that two years, we really did all of that.  An expensive two years, to say the least!  Amongst all that was even more stress.  My pregnancy was pretty rough, consisting of bed rest and some pretty scary moments.  Our beautiful daughter Lily Ann was born three and a half weeks early, but incredibly healthy after all of that!  I'm thankful for so many things these days, most importantly Lily Ann's safe arrival.  I'm thankful for our home,  our health, and our incredibly supportive network of family and friends.  I'm thankful for Andrew's ability to start his dream job-even though I may have appeared fearful. 

A few weeks ago Andrew and I were discussing this year, and how he has now been in business a full year.  I'm so proud of him and it is going quite well.  He works so hard and even when it seems like “keeping up with the Joneses” is the thing to do, we will remain in our modest and cute home for another few years.  He told me that he is thankful we have a beautiful home and nice things.  He went on to say that so many people are not happy with what they have and they always want bigger and better.  I must say, I am guilty of wanting bigger and better most of the time.  I have a real knack for picking out and wanting the most expensive things-just ask my dad!  This past year however, I believe I have really learned about what it means to be truly happy with what you have.  I feel so blessed for my beautiful and healthy daughter, and that we have a home filled with love.  The size of our home and the “things” we have inside, don't make us a happy, loving family.  It is US that make our family and lives filled with so much happiness.  I'm so thankful for the success that my husband has had so far, and he is so happy everyday when he comes home from work.  We had to take a step back to move forward in our lives.  That step back was more than just a financial step back.  I learned so much more about what happiness truly means.  It goes so much deeper than the material things.  My baby girl is here and healthy, my husband is enjoying his dream job, and I am a mom.  That is SUCCESS!  It doesn't get better than that!  

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Don't forget to enter the giveaways going on this week!!

Jennifer at Finding My Way in Texas is giving away a giftcard for her shop
 !!!
and

Jessi at NaptimeDiaries is giveaway some prints!!

you have until Midnight on Sunday to enter.

PLUS

I'll be posting another giveaway tonight. Hint!! I made it!!!!

 

The White Stuff - Day 95

Today I am thankful for just a spoonful of the wonderful thing we call white sugar.

On Monday Brian and I started a wheat free diet, and on top of that I’m trying to cut out processed sugar. I’m taking the second part slow, but this week it started with not putting any white stuff in my coffee. Instead I’ve been putting honey in my coffee and slowly decreasing the amount. I’m to about half of what I was having on Monday. I know you’re thinking how did she do that so fast – I drink a LOT of coffee through the day.

Well today I needed a cup of tea, a really good cup of tea. One that included white sugar. Honey was not going to cut it today. So I made a real cup of tea white sugar and all.

Goodness it was good!

I know that making the little changes will make a big difference in the future.

 

Gratitude - Guest Post by The Momma Bird Michelle

Today I'm super blessed to have Michelle from The Momma Bird blogging here for me. I have been so blessed by her blog, and I hope you enjoy this post and pop over to her blog.

Blessings all!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello BabEblessing readers! I'm Michelle and I write over at The Momma Bird. I write about being a Momma, life as a military spouse, living overseas in England, and of course I love giving things away! I'd love for you to pop on over across the pond and say hello!

Gratitude.

Being a military spouse we live far from our family. Far as in - we used to live 18 hrs from them and now we have an entire ocean that separates us! Our kiddos have never grown up with lots of family around, just the 4 of us. They know their grandparents from our short visits and from weekly Skype calls. It didn't use to bother me, and most of the time it doesn't but lately I see Cohen, our almost 3 yr old, starting to turn into a little boy and it kills me. They weren't there for all of this 'firsts', they aren't seeing our youngest, 1.5yrs old, turning from a baby to a toddler. They don't get weekends with the grandkids, special days together or fun trips. They get phone calls and skype.   

Well. God is good and knows that my heart is hurting over this. A few weeks ago we found out that my husband has a conference to go to in DC in the spring. When we mentioned it to my inlaws they insisted on buying the boys a plane ticket so we could come visit and we would only have to pay for my ticket. When I spoke with my parents about the idea, since they were planning a visit in the spring, they said they could postpone their visit and pay for my ticket since they would be seeing us.

In Germany with his PopPop

Visiting Nonna before our move to England

This spring the boys and I will be spending 3.5 weeks in Florida with my inlaws and 3.5 weeks in Ohio with my parents. I'm not sure who is more excited - me or the grandparents?! This will be such a wonderful time for them to connect, bond and enjoy being with their grandbabies. I will get to experience life around family aka MOMMA NEEDS A BREAK! And Jesse and I plan to go on multiple date nights and even a date WEEKEND! You guys, we have only gone away ONCE for 1 night since the kids have been born - and it was when I was pregnant with Lucas! IT. IS. TIME!

It's funny how prayers get answered in the most random yet thought out ways. I can't express how much gratitude I have for our families helping us so that we can be together, even if it's only for a few weeks.

 

Thank you Jac for having me on your blog today & thank you for challenging me to look for the 'gratitude' in my life.

Grace and a Giveaway! - now closed

Grace has been on my mind a lot lately. Not the grace that I learned in the ballet studio during the last 20 years, but God given grace to get through any situation.

People have commented that I have gotten through bedrest and the NICU with grace.

And now on a daily basis I’m asking god for grace in every situation. I ask for grace with Grayson, with Brian with my attitude.

So today I’m starting a giveaway. My dear friend Jessi and I are pairing up, and giving away two of her prints. I looked through her shop for hours trying to pick just two prints, goodness it was hard.

Here are the two prints I’m giving away. 

I think as mom’s we can totally agree with the first one. And this second print is of one of my favourite hymns of all time.

So to enter to win one of the above prints comment below.

For additional entries ‘like’ Naptime Diaries on facebook

Like babEblessings on facebook

Follow naptimediaries on twitter

And follow babEblessings on twitter. 

comment for each additional entry.

I will draw two names on Gray’s birthday, Monday January 30^th.

 

Day 89 - Jennifer from Finding my Way - Giveaway now closed

Jennifer is here today to share one thing she's most thankful for. Jennifer has been my friend since before I was born. We were destined to be friends. I miss her daily since she's moved. 

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Hello babEblessing friends!

My name is Jennifer and I write about my new life down in the south at Finding My Way in Texas.

Besides adjusting to the Heat (110+ was the average for a good chunk of the summer), I’ve had to adjust to being thousands of miles away from Family and Friends.

That’s where Jac comes in. As one of my oldest and dearest friends, she’s been AH-Mazing about keeping me in the “loop”. Our weekly (sometimes more) virtual “coffee dates” have helped to keep me sane! She is definitely one of my favorite people on the planet and I miss her and little G desperately. (Oh I kinda miss B too… kinda :p )

If there is one thing I’ve discovered living so far from home, its who my true friends are. In some ways that’s kind of a sad statement, and for anyone back home that knows me and is reading this, please don’t be offended. Its just that some people have made an effort to stay connected, and Jac is one of the best of them. I am honored to have her as a life time friend who has been there for me through thick and thin!

I could not say it better than that! Its an amazing feeling to know that no matter how far apart we are, Jac is still only a phone call or text away!

Thanks for having me Jac! And I know we’ll be some of the coolest, old gals on the block someday!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jennifer has an amazing Etsy shop, and as part of the last few days leading up to Grayson's birthday she's starting off our celebrations.

Jennifer is offering a $20 gift card for her Etsy Shop: Salter Creations


So here are the details.

each of these will get one entry.
Comment below - let me know what you love in her shop
like babEblessings on facebook
like Finding My Way in Texas on facebook
follow babEblessings on Twitter

leave a each comment below for the last three to let me know you've done them.

I will randomly pick a winner on Gray's Birthday, Monday January 30th. 

Thanks for celebrating with me.

 

Cheating - Day 84

Today we are cheating. We are cheating a lot.

Gray has some diaper rash that hasn’t gone away in a few days with the cloth diaper friendly cream, so we pulled out the strong stuff and put him in disposables and we’re cheating.

We don’t often cheat, not for whole days at a time. Sometimes if we’re going to be out for quite a while we’ll throw him in a disposable, or on the trip to and from the Island. At night we put him in a disposable; if we put him in cloth he’s so wet that he won’t sleep through the night, but in a disposable he goes a good 11 hours usually.

Today I’m thankful for disposable diapers. I know that after a day or two with the strong diaper cream his bum will the free of red blotches and we’ll be back to our cloth. It also gives me a chance to strip our cloth diapers; it’s been about 6 months so I should probably do that.

 

Rachel - Day 83

I’m sitting in Dan and Rachel’s kitchen blogging about them. Seems a bit funny to me.

We swapped houses tonight so Dan and Rachel could have date night, and we could babysit the twins for them. Dan and I have been conspiring for weeks of how to spoil Rachel for a night. Brian and I prepped a gourmet meal for them and left it at our house, and popped over here, took the baby monitor and sent them to our place for a nice meal, china and all.

Rachel is honestly the sweetest person I have ever met. We became friends after our babies were born. We would go for walks in the afternoons and chat for hours. It was nice to have someone to hang out with. She helped me through the rough weeks. She got me out of the house, and out of my head and kept me from the self-deprecating spiral that started some days.

I’m so thankful for Rachel in my life. And though we haven’t had as many coffee dates since I’ve been back to work, I’m hoping that once busy season is over we’ll get back to our coffee dates.

 

Blood - Day 81

Jen is such a blessing to me. She is constantly encouraging me in my walk with God and reminding me who I am in Christ. She has such a great perspective on life. I hope you enjoy her guest post for my 100 days of Gratitude.

~~~~~

Hi y'all! I'm Jen and I blog over at The Arizona Russums. On my blog you will find bits about my faith, my marriage, my grad school research, and our adventures since moving to Arizona. Mainly, I  hope my blog is a place where women are encouraged to love Jesus more deeply.

Okay, this is probably the strangest post I've ever written. When Jac asked me to write a guest post for her 100 Days of Gratitude series, I was delighted. I said "yes," although I had no idea what I would write about at the time. I mean, I am thankful for a lot of things... my faith, my marriage, my home, the opportunity to be in grad school, my health, my functioning legs {which I have to remind myself of every time I feel like I am about to die on the treadmill}, our church, my friends and family... I have been blessed in so many ways and I don't deserve any of it.

Very thankful for all these blessings...

However, I didn't really want to write about any of these things, mainly because I have already written about them quite a bit over the holiday season. But one night it came to me. I knew exactly what I would write about for this guest post. Here comes the weird part... I am thankful for blood. See, weird right? In all honesty, I think blood is kind of gross. When I would fall down or hurt myself as a child, I would always start crying, close my eyes and ask my mom "Is there bud? Is there bud?" If she said there was blood, I would go hysterical. If she said there was no blood, I would open my eyes, miraculously healed. I probably could have broken my arm and as long as there was no blood, I wouldn't have minded one bit. But a scraped knee... ahh! The thing with blood is that we usually only see it in the worst contexts. We get a paper cut, scrape a knee, have to get stitches at the doctor's office. Yuck. And that annoying blood that visits women for a few days each month... ugh. Not my favorite. When you hear about blood in the media, it's often associated with violence, murder or car accidents. Blood has a bad reputation. But the truth of the matter is that blood is our lifeline. Most of the time, our blood is pumping as healthy as can be through our veins. We don't even think about blood unless there is something wrong and yet it is there sustaining us, nourishing us, and uniting the different parts of our bodies. The blood is what feeds a baby in the womb. Our blood is what keeps us alive and can provide life to others. Even at it's most disgusting, blood is usually the indicator of a greater blessing. Menstruation is a quiet reminder that a woman's body was made to make babies. The blood of labor is evidence of a new life born. Even when we do get injured the fact that blood can clot and a scab can form is evidence of how our bodies know how to heal in amazing ways. God knows that our blood is our life. In fact, he says in Leviticus: "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life" (17:11). God created the blood that pumps through our veins and only blood (life) can pay the penalty for our sins. Our blood represents our life, and we owe our life for our sins. God knows the significance of blood. That's why he called the Israelites to sacrifice the blood of animals as a temporary means of atonement for their sins. But the blood of animals was not enough in the long run. Human sin ultimately demands human blood. Although God requires blood to redeem sin, He also provided all the blood we will ever need to be redeemed. When I think of the blood of Christ poured out for me, I am overcome with a humble awe and quiet joy. It seems unreal that someone else would give the blood I owe for my sins. I can hardly work up the guts to donate blood {it makes me queasy just thinking about it}, yet Jesus would give up his life for me in one of the most bloody and horrible deaths imaginable. And to think of what I receive in return for his sacrifice... forgiveness of my sins, joy forevermore, and intimacy with God for eternity.

{via}

And that, my friends, is why I am thankful for blood today and always. Not only does it remind me of the life I am blessed to be living right now as blood pumps through my veins, but it reminds me of the life I will live with God forever, because my Savior was willing to pour out his blood for me.

So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.

-Hebrews 13:12-

xoxo,

Jen