Easter Week!

It was a gorgeous week preparing for Easter- we were outside a lot enjoying this beautiful Earth and teaching Zara about Jesus and Easter. She had a meltdown about dying the day after her school's Easter party and she keeps asking me to show her photos of Jesus while he is dead. It's so hard to explain Easter/ the atonement/ Easter as a tradition and belief/ be very honest and open about death (because I deal with it constantly and she visits the funeral home so much). I know, she is only 3. I know it is not possible for her to understand but she still asked. If I do not explain things to her satisfaction, Z always says "Talk to me."

Anyway, this week we cleaned a lot- I am constantly trying to finish things in/ around our house and now I am really trying to finish it all before our new baby. So we did yard work and ate outside a few times. We picked up some praying mantis eggs that will hatch in a few weeks! I am so excited. Zara helped us make pizza one night (seen below)- she did a great job! We also decorated for Easter and tried to talk about it a lot. ::

Saturday, Zara's soccer was canceled so Jonas took her to the Easter egg hunt at the zoo. & they met the Easter bunny. I love that he took her while I was at work (& in the rain!)::

We dyed eggs together. Z was very proud::

With her eggs, art and a million Easter stickers she put all over the house::

 Easter Sunday was quite stressful, but worth it. Unfortunately I woke up before 5am (darn you, pregnancy insomnia!) I had to go to work for a little while but made it in time for church and to see Zara sing with the other kids-it was the sweetest song called "Gethsemane"(and maybe Z just stood there with the other kids, ha). We changed, gave Z her basket, took a quick family photo, made it to my Aunt's home, my grandmother's grave at Lexington Cemetery and my sister's house. Even though we arrived home very late, Jonas still watched Game of Thrones but he is crazy!

I love to see her face light up! ::

There were tears this year trying to get a good family photo::

My Aunt Pam had a beautiful brunch and an egg hunt in her lovely backyard::

Little cousins::

We visited my Grandma's grave again this Easter. Z was curious about her and how/ why she was buried. It was a really special visit::

My sister made cuban food and homemade drinks. She makes the food of my dreams::

Another egg hunt in my sister's orchard::

Zara loves this crew. Every time we leave, she gets pretty lonely for them::

Egg hunt for the grown kiddos::

I am so thankful I was able to have a wonderful Easter with my family. I was pretty stressed I would miss half of it with work & you never know. What a beautiful day!

spring weekend with giants & thunder!

My sister and her girls spent a Saturday with us- starting at Z's soccer clinic. Zara gave up on soccer half way through though and decided she didn't want to walk and she did want to act like a lion and chew on grass instead of practice. That girl!

 We had lunch at our favorite- Taco Luchador!

We spent most of our day playing at Bernheim Forest. We came to see the forest giants but loved all of Bernheim!

 My nieces put flowers in their hair. Now this is one of my favorite photos ever!

Jonas, Zara and I braved Thunder over Louisville, It was so loud and full of cigarette smoke but Zara still fell asleep before the fireworks were over. & she was so excited to bring her little Minnie Mouse chair.

We loved this day!

20 weeks!

So far, I have been pretty lucky with this pregnancy (compared to the many crazy awful things that could have happened). It has certainly been more difficult than the first- I have Zara, a house, more responsibility in every way & I was (way) more fit with Z. The exhaustion has been the worst part this time around- I sure do miss having energy.  But I am healthy, the baby is healthy and I still go to work and get everything done..eventually :) Twenty weeks does look a lot different this time too-  my belly was much smaller before so the discomfort arrived earlier than with Z. It won't last forever though. It will not even last long. I cannot believe I am halfway to that very scary pregnancy finish line. And then my healing journey begins along with mothering two little girls! & breastfeeding. It is all incredibly daunting. Like that first year with Zara, I have no goals beyond taking care of myself and my two girls & surviving those first few months after maternity leave. Wish me luck!