Happy Friday everyone! Sweeter words were never spoken (written? whatever).

As we prepare for baby to come, the weeks feel packed, which also means they're flying by. I'm working double time to get grading and lesson planning in place for school, so there are no loose ends to tie up once the baby is born. Somehow no matter how furiously I grade papers, though, my stack never seems to get smaller. This is witchcraft, and must be stopped.

However, the kids and I are now officially on Easter break, so I've got a lot to check off my to-do list - some fun, others not quite as fun. Besides the papers to grade, there are a few things to do yet to prepare for baby's arrival at home, some blog posts to have in the queue, and some quality time to be spent with my family. I'have some ideas for a mother-daughter day with my three-year-old, as well as a date night with my husband.

And that's our life update in a. nutshell. Now let's "hop" (hop...because Easter is coming up...) into the good stuff!

Friday Favorites

1. Countdown to baby

And as of today I'm changing that sign to say 19 days! A scheduled C-Section still wouldn't be my first choice (see this post), but it is kind of nice to have an absolute deadline for when the baby will be born. It's especially handy for planning purposes, since we will have family flying in from out of town to help and attend the baptism.

So what's left to do? Well, I should probably pack a hospital bag at some point for baby and me, we need to get the infant car seat set up in the mini van, and clean and set up the bassinet in our room. Other than that, we're finally stocked up on diapers, wipes, and all of his little clothes are washed! Although maybe I would like to buy him his very own coming home from the hospital outfit...

2. Surprise baby shower

A group of mama friends completely surprised me this week with an adorable baby sprinkle in the park. In fact, when I first saw the balloons in the park, I was sure I had forgotten someone's birthday, and felt really bad for showing up empty handed until they all shouted, "Surprise!" I'm feeling so grateful to have met such wonderful friends in my city, and my kids were in seventh heaven because there were donuts and balloons.

3. Solo Target trips

I believe this is one of the most stunning images I have ever captured. An iced coffee, a cart free of children, and the baby aisle at Target...it felt like I was on vacation! Lately I've even been putting in my husband's wireless headphones and listening to podcasts while I shop. I know it's antisocial, but #noregrets. My weekly grocery shopping trip is my one chance to have some quiet time away from the kids, so I'm going to make the most of it.

4. Easter finds

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So Teddy has been going through a growth spurt lately, and I also realized he has approximately 1 church-appropriate shirt that fits. I finally pulled the trigger and placed an order for some dressier clothes for him from Gymboree since all of their Easter clothes were 50% off last week. I'm seriously thinking of placing another order, though, because everything is $14.99 and under right now, with free shipping. I've got my eye on some adorable summer dresses for Pippa, some swimwear for everyone, and of course, baby clothes. I mean...off the shoulder dresses for little girls? Too adorable.

I've also been slowly gathering supplies for my kids' Easter baskets. After our purged our house of extra junk and toys, I didn't want to just stuff their baskets with anything I could find from the dollar spot at Target. We settled on a U.S. Map puzzle for Pippa, since puzzles are her current obsession, and I'm using an old H&M gift card to order Teddy some cool shades and a new hat. Don't worry, though. They'll still be getting candy in their baskets, mainly because I want to steal some.

5. Waking up early

Ever since the new year started, I have consistently woken up at 5:15 every day to write on the blog or get other work done, read the Bible, and sip my coffee. It has been the most peaceful time of day for me, and helps me prepare for the chaos that inevitably occurs once the kids wake up. I just realized, though, that my days of waking up early to work are probably numbered. Once the baby comes, I'll want to get as much sleep as I can to make up for middle-of-the-night nursing sessions. I'll be sad to temporarily abandon my alone time in the morning, but am going to enjoy the baby snuggles while they last.

That's it for this Friday! What's got you smiling this week? Have a wonderful weekend!

Linking up with Carolina Charm and Hello Happiness for Five on Friday, and Andrea from Momfessionals for Friday Favorites!

friday favorites #13