What A Wonderful Life // 2015 Holiday Card

If you know me, you know I LOVE paper goods and receiving things via snail mail. : ) I'm loving all of the holiday cards we're receiving from friends and family this year! And I'm really happy with how our holiday card turned out; Mpix.com offers some great designs! The coloring was spot on as well (it's a bit discolored on the blog because my scanner isn't the best). For our front image, we used a photo from our maternity/family session with Anna Arpasi last October.

On the back, we used various Instagram photos. Our favorite memories included trips to Sunset Beach, Chapel Hill and California.

The Tucks hope your new year is the best one yet! 

37 WEEKS!

Technically, this is 37 1/2 weeks. Almost at the finish line! I FEEL like this baby boy is going to drop any second now, which is why I had the hubs snap a few photos of me over the weekend. Just for good measure, I also included a b&w one from when I was 37 weeks with Brooklyn. Pretty decently similar... although I think baby boy is slightly bigger. Fun to compare... hair lengths and all. : )

Brooklyn // Highlights (1 year to 18 months)

Today, I am 37 weeks pregnant and let me just start with this: I'm feeling all the feelings. Whenever I prep posts about our little girl, I get so overwhelmed because I have so much to say and can never find the right words. She brings us so much joy, and I'm in constant awe of the person she is becoming. I cherish the time spent one-on-one with her, and I'm feeling more and more nostalgic that we won't be a little family of three ever again (six if you count our pups!). Don't misunderstand: I am beyond thrilled to meet our little boy soon. However, I know it'll be an adjustment period for all of us, and I just hope that it goes as smoothly as possible, especially for our little lady who is used to having our undivided attention. : )

Among the many park trips and wagon rides around the neighborhood, there are highlights galore from her life spanning one year to ~18 months. Here are a few of my favorites:

-We saw an Orioles game (my first time at Camden Yards - gorgeous ballpark!).
-I took her to Butlers Orchard to play in the flower field.
-Over the summer, we frequented the local water park because this child LOVES ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE WATER.
-We visited the local county fair to see animals and show her the rides (still a bit too young to participate!).
-We flew across country to visit Ryan's brother and brother's fiancée, who lived in Carlsbad, CA at the time. Such a fun family trip!
-Even though we're still Atlanta Braves fans, we took her to another Nationals game. ; )
-Brooklyn got to see her cousins (my brother's kids) during a quick visit on their way back home from vacation.
-We visited our alma mater (UNC) and got to see close friends who live in the area.
-Brooklyn's Mimi and Pappy visited from North Carolina for little man's shower.
-We visited the pumpkin patch a couple of times!
-Brooklyn dressed up as the cutest little cow for Halloween.

I have to start with my absolute favorite photo from our family trip to California. We were in the middle of walking around the San Diego Botanic Garden on an extreeemely hot day and stopped to take a break on a bench in the shade. Being the very active and inquisitive toddler she is, Brooklyn rarely looks straight into my lens anymore. I'm usually chasing her to get "the shot." So, this moment is a unique gem.

I have to pour my heart out to my husband here for a minute. Ryan is the most exceptional Dad to Brooklyn, and I treasure the bond they share. During the week, he gets her out of bed every morning, spends quality time with her before he has to go to work and races home (quite literally, I'm afraid) to do her bath routine every evening. I know he's exhausted 99% of the time but he doesn't show it. He cares for her in a way that makes me love him on a whole different level than before. AND he finds the time to rub my swollen, pregnant ankles and give me "time off" when I need it. Needless to say, I love these two with all of my heart and I'm so grateful for the day-to-day happiness they bring me. I thank the universe every day for my good fortune; I struck the family lottery! My heart can only grow with love from this moment forward. Heart eyes emoji. 

Brooklyn // First Birthday

Brooklyn just turned 18 months old so these are better late than never, right? :) I wanted to post a few photos of Brooklyn's first birthday party last May because it was a big success! The theme was flowers, and we celebrated our little "May flower" at our home. We're so thankful for the family and friends that could make it special for her. (Special shout out to my brother-in-law, Alden, who took photos for us while Brooklyn was opening her presents. We're ever-so-grateful!)

I also wanted to include a few photos of her actual birthday, which was during the week. We took her out to lunch with family and to our neighborhood playground - pretty much a toddler's dream.

Brooklyn // Pumpkin Patch

A couple of weeks ago, I took Brooklyn to Butler's Orchard to pick a couple of small pumpkins for our front stoop. She LOVED it, and I loved watching her frolic around the patch. The weather was perfect - sunny and temperate - and after picking pumpkins, we sat under a tree and ate blueberries together. The morning will forever be embedded in my heart.

As time gets closer to the birth of our second child, I am having such mixed emotions. I cannot wait to meet our little man and bond and grow our family. I know my heart will expand tenfold. On the other hand, I'm getting a little weepy that it won't be just Brooklyn and me anymore. When the hubs is at work during the week, we've become each others' side kicks, and I'm doubtful that I'm ready to start dividing my attention. So even though I'm getting more and more tired as the third trimester progresses, I'm trying really hard to make these moments count and soak up all her loveliness and charm. Here's to filling up the memory bank with my original muse.