high five for friday

today, im linking up with lauren at from my grey desk to talk about my five favorite things from this week.

1)  yay for being on day 11 of my workout plan.  i went through this plan in 2011 and completed all 3 levels except for the last workout on level 3.  that day was the day we moved into our new house and i just kept putting it off and then it never happened.  husband is doing it with me this time and im hoping to see it through to the very last day. 

2)  my first attempt at homemade bread did not exactly qualify as a success.  that is ok though.  i am determined to find a good recipe that i can make weekly and will take the place of the sandwich bread we buy. 

3) i downloaded the free mini week from the fresh 20 website.  they offer recipes and shopping lists for meals that do not include preservatives, frozen ingredients or processed foods.  i tried two already and making the last meal tonight.  not only was it fun to try out new recipes, it also felt great to serve something so fresh and healthy.  i am really looking forward to signing up and seeing how much i can stick to it over the next 3 months.

4) i was able to get in some really good snuggling with the pups.  they are not usually allowed on the sofa because henry hangs out there.  

5) husband and i have noticed that henry likes to be able to see one of us at all times.  especially if i am trying to get something done like cooking dinner. my solution is break out the moby wrap and make him help me :)  he seems to like being my helper.  

two months

10 lbs 12 oz

22.4 inches long

having this little guy in our lives has been such a blessing.  he is healthy and sweet and full of giggles.  when he smiles at me it is the biggest self esteem boost ever.  for the past week he has been sleeping through the night which is awesome.  last weekend, we made the transition from the bassinet to the pack n play.  mainly because i feel like we were overusing the vibrating feature to sooth him.  now he is a few feet away instead within arms reach and he is learning to fall asleep on his own without the vibrations.  next step is sleeping in his own room in the crib.

flapping his arms and legs at his two month wellness visit.

and just in case you dont follow me on instagram (@mebenfield) here are a few other photos from this past month:

wise wednesday

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currently ...

missing ... being pregnant.  i know, can you believe it?  i dont miss everything about it, but i was doing some pretty important stuff inside my body and it was really special.  

loving ... having to get dressed in the mornings.  ok, so im not sure how long this will last but its kind of nice having to take a shower and look presentable.  i do not have the discipline to do that when im home for the day. 

thinking about ... my future.  what are my goals, options and priorities? 

listening to ... my stomach growling.

drinking ... yummy water.

thankful for ... everything!!!  my cup runneth over. 

addicted to ... the smell of henry and giving him lots of kisses. 

dreading ... taking down my christmas decorations.  yes, they are still up ... dont judge me.  :)

watching ... friday night lights.  i had never seen even one episode until a couple of weeks ago and now im only a few episodes from finishing off season 5.  i think it might be as sad as when i finished reading the harry potter books ... like im loosing my best friends. 

dreaming of ... springtime!

excited about ... the new year.  everything thing is new this year.  new baby, new schedule, new body.  thats right ... im living in this body that served me well over the past year.  the trouble is i dont recognize it :) but im looking forward to taking good care of it.  i hope to do a few posts about my post baby weight loss and how husband and i are taking baby steps to a cleaner diet.  

friday favorite

today i am linking up with rachel from finding joy to share something from this week that i am grateful for. 

my favorite things from this week are smart phones and facetime!!!  henry spends the morning with a friend of ours and the afternoon with husband.  since my first day back i have received many pictures to get me through the day but on thursday, husband called so i could facetime with my little guy.  the best part was that he responded with lots of arm flapping and giggles ... the kind that melt your heart and get you through the week.  

i plan on spending a lot of cuddle time with this cutie this weekend.  

what about you ... any favorite things from this week? 

 head on over to finding joy to link up or just leave a comment below.

first day back

ready to have a great day!

today was my first day back at work and henry's first time staying with someone other than me or husband.  since it was my first day i got a lot of "did you cry?" or "wasnt it so hard leaving him?" etc.  the answer, of course, is yes.  it was extremely difficult to not be with him all day long ... i missed him terribly but i am proud to say i didnt cry.  i was able to have peace throughout the day.  all i could think about when i was driving away is how very blessed i am.  i know that i left him in a stable, friendly and Godly environment.  i know that he will be kissed and hugged and when needed, disciplined.  i also know that our friend's little girl will be a good friend to him and that he is so lucky to be able to spend the afternoons with his dad.  i also realize that i am so blessed to have a good job to go back to with great benefits.  

i kept all these blessed thoughts in my head and i was able to have a really good and productive day.  im thinking thats a pretty great start to the year, no?  i plan on staying positive and working hard to help the days go by quickly and then focus on my family when i am home.  

yay for the new year and all its possibilities!!!!

photo sent via text from husband: "nap time"

wise wednesday

perfect for a new year!

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