29 things I Learned my 29th Year

Continuing my 29 Things series... 

(In no particular order)

1. God is faithful. Even when it seems that He has forgotten
2. A baby's smiles can clear away the worst day
3. Nursing is one of my favorite experiences
4. The pain of contractions is nothing compared to the pain of delivery (News flash to future moms: If you are going natural, get ready)
5. Love gets stronger when fed
6. Babies laugh in their sleep (and a ton of other stuff about babies)
7. It really is different when it's your kid
8. I'm more alert, awake and patient at nighttime than Brandon (we were both surprised by this)
9. The plural of accoutrement is accouterments
10. Babies prefer bouncing to rocking. At least mine does.
11. I have a lot to learn about the providence and care of our God
12. I enjoy war time novels
13. Android OS is fundamentally, drastically different than iOS (nerd alert!)
14. Why iDevices have better touch sensitivity than other touch devices
15. I like giraffes
16. How to feed a baby
17. Cloth diapers are awful because they make your tiny baby look enormous (We're giving these another shot now that August is older and fits into them better.)
18. LA is a place I never want to live (or visit again)
19. How to make pompoms
20. I have the most supportive friends and family (If you didn't look yesterday, see here.)
21. Courage and bravery will be a part of August's future
22. Midnight planting makes a garden grow
23. We (mothers/ women) are the memory keepers (Someday I'll share more of how I've been keeping.)
24. As life gets harder, the blessings of the Lord go deeper
25. It is up for debate: My favorite sound is either "mumma" or the tiny whispers as he wakes
26. The purpose of discipline is to prepare hearts for the Lord's discipline 
27. How to make homemade pizza (thanks, Sara)
28. Photography is my favorite way to count the good things
29. Sharks are quite intelligent 

Tomorrow, I will be listing the top 20 highlights of my 20s. I know you're pumped. 

29 Things I Did in my 29th Year

Continuing my 29 Things series... 

(In no particular order)

1. Made a baby
2. Birthed a baby (in water!)
3. Fed and sustained another human using only my body
4. Travelled to LA alone and pregnant for work
5. Went to North Carolina for work
6. Rung in the New Year at my in-laws watching an amazing Clemson victory over LSU (#SECwho?)
7. Craved watermelon and mojitos
8. Watched all of Friday Night Lights
9. Read the existing books in the series ASOIAF (For other reads, see this post.)
10. Thrifted
11. Cried in the first bathroom stall at HLS. A lot. (Pregnancy...)
12. Oversaw the release of an app for iOS and Android.
13. Travelled to Boston for work (and did NOT slip in the icy snow)
14. Refused to travel in my 3rd trimester for work
15. Fell in love with a baby
16. Fell in love (again) with his daddy
17. Took a picture every hour of my first mother's day
18. Threw up on an airplane.  First. Time. Ever. (Pregnancy...)
19. Returned to work after having a baby for my family. (The. Hardest. Thing.)
20. Bought an iPhone (happy 29 to me)
21. Went to two funerals of my great aunts
22. Missed a funeral of Brandon's dear uncle because I couldn't travel. (Pregnancy...)
23. Missed a wedding of a dear friend because I couldn't travel. (Pregnancy...) 
24. Missed two weddings of two good friends. (Motherhood.)
25. Was showered (4x! Read more here.)
26. Helped throw a surprise birthday scavenger hunt/ party for my dads 70th
27. Convinced my orthodontist to remove my braces 3 weeks before August was born
28. Dyed my hair brown!!! And loved it even though it rapidly faded to orange.
29. Took a picture every day of July and September

I am so thankful for this year; the Lord has given me so many blessings in the form of friends, family, gifts, experiences, favor... In search for blessing, I've found joy in what's been one of the hardest years of my life. As life gets tougher, the Lord's tailor-made-for-me blessings seem deeper and truer. This is a list of "I did" and certainly, I am proud of much of it. This should be called "I'm so thankful..." List because in truth, its been a wonderful year.

Check out the other "29 Things" posts here. More lists tomorrow...

29 Things I Read in my 29th Year

(In no particular order)

1. A Game of Thrones by GRRM
2. A Clash of Kings by GRRM
3. A Storm of Swords by GRRM
4. A Feast for Crows by GRRM
5. A Dance with Dragons by GRRM
6. Hypnobirthing by Marie Mongan
7. Birthing from Within by Pam England
8. What to Expect when You're Expecting by Heidi Murkoff
9. Girlfriend's Guide to Surviving the First Year of Motherhood by Vicki Iovine (I'd only recommend this to be read IMMEDIATELY after coming home with baby. In fact, read it in the hospital. The most important information regards the first two weeks.)
10. Prickle Moon by Juliet Marillier (It is always a good year when there's a new Marillier!)
11. Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje
12. The Cow whoFell in the Canal by Phyllis Krasilovsky
13. Click Clack Moo; Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin (A current August favorite)
14. Morris and Borris by Bernard Wiseman
15. Raven Flight by Juliet Marillier
16. Let Me Be a Woman by Elisabeth Eliot
17. Unbroken by Linda Hillenbrand
18. Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier (You can tell it was a REALLY good reading year for me.)
19. Crossed by Ally Condie
20. This blog
21. And this blog
22. and this blog
23. This blog post (reminding me to imprint the moments)
24. Facebook marketing books
25. Twitter marketing books
26. Pinterest marketing books
27. XML books 
28. Apple Developer Guides
29. the Bible. (I actually listened to the whole Bible aloud so August could hear it in utero. He still quiets when I he hears the recorder's voice.)

So, the theme of my readings this year: fantasy with a bit of history (as usual), lots of pregnancy (this is new!), motherhood (trending), and techy (hopefully dwindling).

Stay tuned for another list from 29 tomorrow.

Claiming 30.

On Friday I will no longer be in my 20's. I have seriously considered whether or not to carry on telling people that my age is 29. My great-aunt, LeeLee, was known for making this claim. As she passed away in my 29th year, perhaps it is only fitting that I carry on her tradition.

But in all reality, I am okay with turning 30. Brandon asked me last week if I thought I would be where I am at 30. Aside from my geography, my answer was "yes." I am a bit anxious about 30; but I am also content. I think I'll claim it.

In making my claim to 30, I want to wrap up the 20's with a series of lists. (Who doesn't love lists?!) This week, you might learn a thing or two about me...