This has become my favorite monthbook this year! Maternity leave began this month! We were officially on baby watch on Aug 1st. First day of maternity leave looked like sleeping in and letting my body just rest. The hustle was real to complete everything before signing off MP until November! I say this over and over, but I’m SO grateful for a team to cover everything MP related, so that I can really rest and honor myself and my family. Our last date before baby was a simple lunch date to PDQ. Nothing fancy, just us.

About a week before baby joined our family, my brother and I took Ethan to a nearby park for some quality time. We had one hour before dinner was ready so we rushed over to have some play time with just him before the sun set.

One weekend, our friends Dave and Ashley asked if I wanted to find the Goodwill pile in the garage and that led to a full unplanned garage haul. To avoid embarrassing myself too much, I don’t have a before picture of our garage on purpose. Just know that there was one very narrow pathway to the washer/dryer and tons of … STUFF.  So grateful to these friends for the push and extra hands to get it done! Lord knows we wouldn’t get to it after the baby girl arrived.

At the end of weekend, after physically laboring in the garage for two straight days… I went into labor. Our little girl, Selah Eden Carney, was born 6 hours later. For those of you asking, it’s pronounced say-lah. I know this will sound so cliche or cheesy (or both) but I have never loved Wayne or Ethan more than when I see them with her. We are officially a family of four! My heart has exploded for this little girl and her full head of hair!

We got to go home the same day  she arrived which allowed Ethan to meet his baby sister at our home. Wayne came home with Ethan and he was mentally preparing him and telling him that baby sister was home. Selah and I were waiting in my bedroom, on the bed to meet him. Wayne had walked in to grab something and told Ethan to wait outside the door. Well Ethan didn’t get that memo and he walked right into our room behind Wayne, unaware that Selah was in the room with me. My little boy turned towards me and stopped right in his tracks. He legit gasped “That’s my baby sister!” His face was PRECIOUS and I LOST IT! (this is happening a lot these days) This little boy was so excited and I was a puddle on the floor.

Ethan has transitioned to big brother really well. He’s been having special time with grandparents, friends and mommy + daddy. Some of my architecture lady friends even sent Ethan a cookie jar that was labeled “Big Brother.” You can tell his excitement in the image below (Mommy and Daddy may or may not have taken more than a few cookies).

 While I can show you a ton of really yummy and cuddly pictures with Selah, newborn life is still newborn life! There are cuddles…

and then there are moments like… 

Just being real! lol

The days have been slow and the nights have been long (and sleepless). Nursing and pumping has taken up a lot of my time. There’s a lot of laundry from spit up or spilled milk and there’s constant washing of pumping supplies. With the exception of the day my brother took our family pictures, my hair has been in a constant top-bun and my face hasn’t seen makeup. With that said, I can tell you whole-heartedly that while I’m exhausted, I am overjoyed and so in love. I read something today about shifting our mindset from “I have to” to “I get to.” This is exactly how I feel in this season. I am honored that I get to stay up through the night to nurse this sweet little thing. I am honored that I get to console Ethan. I am honored that I get to wash pumping supplies. I am honored that I get to fold these teeny tiny onesies.

My weary body is more grateful than anything because I am empowered and sustained by His grace and goodness in my life.

Until next month!