Bear Branch Park.

Yesterday was beautiful. Not too warm, just a little bit breezy, & the kind of day where we all just wanted to get out. We met friends Natalie & Ella at Bear Branch Park - the perfect playground for toddlers (with no causes for mama anxiety like the park across the street from us - I still hate that ramp!). Quinn & Ella ran around chasing (& feeding?) each other, I gave West some lunch while chatting with friends + my mom, & Mike played with the littles. Afterwards, we ran to a nearby toy store (Q's obsession with trains has reached new levels & he was beyond excited about what my mom picked out), swung through the drive through at Chick Fil A, & made it home in time for naps (+ my mom getting packed + ready to go - but I don't want to talk about that right now).

Yesterday was a good reminder a year after getting here - & sort of being a lonely & emotional wreck those first few months - that we're feeling nicely settled & loved. I've participated in this sort of silly & ridiculous program through our insurance company regarding my pregnancy, & I had a post-delivery follow up call today. One of the questions the nurse asked me (amidst queries of depression, anxiety, etc) was, Do you have family nearby? When I said, None the nurse was automatically concerned. Friends? Anyone to help? Yes, absolutely. Our friends have taken really good care of us since West came. Really, really, exceptionally good care (meals! play dates! visits just to say hello!), & I think we're really lucky. It's also been a good kick in the pants for me, reminding me that I need to reach out more. Just give me a few weeks... 

(I'm also feeling really happy about having extra space + a washer & dryer with baby #2. Oh my goodness, those things make a big difference. I'm also quite pleased with my decision the week before West arrived that we needed an extra refrigerator / freezer in our garage. I now have enough Trader Joe's frozen goods + leftovers to get us through the rest of 2012, & am confident that I will not have to actually make dinner any time soon. Hooray! Sorry,  Mike.)

Also, & totally unrelated but worth knowing: Q learned a new word yesterday! It has four letters, & you can only find it in R-rated movies (& some sketchy PG-13 ones). I have no idea where it came from - of course - but he started spewing it around our kitchen yesterday afternoon out of nowhere. We were all (sadly?) in hysterics, & he just wouldn't stop! My innocent, sweet, blond little boy! My mom was laughing so hard she was crying, & Mike of course pulled out his phone & took a video. We're hoping it doesn't go viral on YouTube, hindering his chances of getting into BYU forever.