Baby BOY joy

I'm horrible, I said I'd let you know what we were having last week and just didn't have the energy to follow through, sorry! Let's make everything easier and just follow me on IG (@thefamilysmith4) mmkay? Now then let's get down to business.

We're having a BOY!!!

I had a feeling I was carrying a boy because so many things were different than my pregnancies with Kinsey and Brielana; my taste buds were so off I couldn't enjoy eating sweets and really craved salty snacks (chips are amazing), my boobs were huge like right away and that just doesn't happen to me (to my disappointment, ha!) and my bowels were all out of whack. So call it mother's intuition or what have you, I would have bet money on carrying a boy.

I also had three dreams all featuring a baby boy and that really swayed my vote. I had exactly one dream with each of my girls that were spot on- like with Kinsey it was almost deja vu!

When my doctor called and told me the results of the 10-week blood draw I cried happy, ugly tears. And then I did it all over again when I called Brian and told him. 

It has been amazing to say the least. I feel like a huge honor has been bestowed to me and one that I didn't even know that I needed. God is amazing. 

Linking up here.

   

   

Children's Book Club // Dr Seuss fun {March}

Welcome to March's Children's Book Club, Jess and I are so happy you are joining us! What kind of Seuss fun have you had this month? I actually took this month's fun to my Preschool classroom and had a full week of silly shenanigans.

We had Slime in our water table/Colorful rocks in our sensory bin with Seuss characters/Patterning like The Cat in the Hat's hat/And finished it off with green eggs and ham!

Next month in celebration of Spring we will be reading Eric Carle's The Tiny Seed, so link up with us on Tuesday, April 18th! Below is some inspiration for you. And link up too!

An InLinkz Link-up

Eric Carle flowers // Do A Dot Flowers // Tissue Flowers // Flower Prints

Seed Packet Fun // Sorting Seeds // Plant Diagram // Growing a Seed

Linking up here.

   

   

Mint chocolate chip cookie bars // Green {A Year of Color #3}

Happy St Patrick's Day! Any leprechaun shenanigans happening at your house today? To make this day special for the girls I knew a treat was in order. Actually my pregnant self has been on a baking jag so I really didn't need any prompting to make these. But I figured it was the perfect time to try out a new mint recipe and what pairs better with mint than chocolate? 

Nothing. That's what. Throw in some green food coloring and your festive St Patrick's dessert is ready. Doesn't that dough look pretty?!

Mint chocolate chip cookie bars

recipe adapted from Nestle Tollhouse

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups  all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon  baking soda
1 teaspoon  salt
1 cup (2 sticks)  butter, softened
3/4 cup  granulated sugar
3/4 cup  packed brown sugar
2 teaspoon  vanilla extract
1/4 mint extract
2 large  eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.)  chocolate chips (I had mini morsels on hand)
Optional- green food coloring

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare pan by spraying with PAM or buttering bottoms and sides.
Mix flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl and set aside.

Beat butter, both sugars and vanilla and mint extracts in mixer. 

Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.

Gradually incorporate the flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spread dough into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown (I use the toothpick trick)
Let cool. Cut into bars.
I should add you let the bars cool for a good 30 minutes or longer but we all know I didn't wait. I love the ooey-gooey texture of the freshly 

baked bars and the melted chocolate, but I know I may be in the minority here (or am I?!)

Now it's your turn! Add your link below. Thank you for joining Desiree, Justine, Stefanie and me for A Year of Color! Next month's 
color is pastels and the link up will be on Friday, April 21st (the day after Brian's birthday, ha!)

An InLinkz Link-up

Linking up here.

   

   

Spring florals with PinkBlush

Spring is in the air (hello time change!) and in my opinion that calls for all things floral. I know I can't be alone in this. Next to Fall, Spring is my favorite season; there's something so refreshing about seeing new growth, shades of green and flower buds and the warming weather. Add in the fact that my belly just keeps growing and I had to call in reinforcements- enter PinkBlush to the rescue! 

I have been a long-time fan of PinkBlush, ever since I was pregnant with Kinsey and again with Brielana, I relied on PinkBlush's fashionable and comfortable maternity clothes to get me through nine months of a changing body. Bonus: PinkBlush also has non-maternity clothes so all mama's can look and feel gorgeous!

And well, carrying baby boy now is no different, I want to look good and feel comfortable! Especially since this belly has popped a lot sooner! I find it extremely amusing and maybe also a little bit embarrassing (there is no hiding the fact that there is a tiny human growing in me!) 

I will be spanning Spring and Summer with this early Fall (September 7th!) pregnancy so I wanted something that would transition nicely through both seasons and still be functional and comfy to wear. What better than a maxi dress? And isn't this maternity dress everything?! 

It is so soft and drapes beautifully. For being more on the dressy side, it wears as a casual dress; at times I forgot how fancy the dress is because of how easy it is to move around in! That's a plus for my line of work as a Preschool Teacher and a mom!

Check out more fabulous florals at PinkBlush- you can thank me later :) Happy Spring!

Linking up here.