A New Start

Source: weheartit.com via Joy on Pinterest

I've been thinking a lot lately about what I'm doing with this little blogspot. Obviously, I haven't been here much at all over the last few months and I was curious as to why I was avoiding this space. Writing is really enjoyable for me, but for some reason(s), I wasn't taking the time to fill any pages with anything. I've missed it.

Here's what I figured out:

A) Admittedly, I probably started HappyCandido for the wrong reasons. You know, to post photos, write funny stuff, and get a following of thousands. Okay, not probably but definitely for the wrong reasons. With this popularity contest mindset, of course I got burnt out!

B) During a busy week, if there were a couple days where I didn't have the time/inspiration/ambition to post, I felt guilty about not doing so. Like I owed somebody a daily post and if I didn't write anything on Tuesday, I didn't have the right to come back on Wednesday. Uh, kinda weird. I know.

C) Then there was the me, myself, and I problem. I was tired of my content because my content was always about...me. And I got kind of annoyed about that. This wasn't supposed to be a selfish place and I might have thought that's what it had turned into.

So I just backed out for a while.

{insert almost 6 month hiatus HERE}


Well, now I'm feeling a stirring in me to get back to the pen and paper/keyboard. It probably has something to do with this baby in my belly, or the spring that's finally in the air. Whatever it is, I want to come back for the right reasons, with the right mindset and game plan.

How to do that?


Whatdya know, at the same time I was feeling confused about how to start over again, I found this helpful post from Elsie. She even linked back to this older post (just for me?!) that was also a great starting point. I'm excited to start brainstorming new ideas for fresh, inspiring content - things you'll enjoy reading and that I'll enjoy writing! There are so many ways I could be expressing my creativity through this blog, and I'm going to take some special care in making this a place I love.

I've got a lot of techy stuff I'll have to teach myself. I don't want to rush into it again this time so bare with me as the next couple months might be mostly about Baby Candido (ya know, so we can have these memories documented).

I'm ready for a fresh start! Now where is my pen and journal...

xoxo
Joy

Tan lines and diamond rings

Man, oh man. This weather is totally rockin'! It's been sunny since I can remember (granted, there are some days my memory doesn't go farther than what I had for breakfast but still...) and I've been sure to get out to enjoy it!

Paige is a great trip-to-the-park-companion and we've spent a couple days in the grass on our picnic blanket. Yesterday we went to Greenlake for a lunch and got a nice dose of vitamin D. In two days I'm almost caught up to Camillo's brown skin!! And ya know what I think is fun? Having a tan line where my wedding ring sits on my finger! Haha, just sayin'. Today Shelby (big sis) is home with us so we're making a list of things to pack because, you guessed it, it's definitely another picnic at the playground kind of day. 

I hope it's sunny where you are and that you get to enjoy it! 

xoxo

Joy

6 months and Mother's Day

An August 13th due date made this baby boy 6 months big on Mother's Day! While I didn't expect any recognition, it still made my heart happy to know I'm already his mama. He's getting big enough that I can feel most of his little wiggles, not just his soccer kicks. We love him so much and can hardly wait to meet him!

After a pedicure with my mom and grandma, we spent Sunday afternoon at the park with lots of family. Aunts and Uncles and cousins and grandparents - some of whom I haven't seen for a few years. It was so great. They all got to meet this baby bump and he loved all the tummy rubs! The sun was shining super hot and, even though I'd hoped to get a little tan, had to sit in the shade most of the day. It was beautiful, a day I'll remember for a long time!!

I hope all you mamas and someday mamas had a great weekend with the ones you love! 

xoxo

Joy + Baby

It's a Monday

It's my first day back to work after 9 days off! But how can I be sad if coming back means spending time with this little monkey?? The week was full of friends, naps, and projects :) I'm so grateful for the time I got to rest but happy to be back into a routine. I think I do well with daily structure...

Happy Monday!

xoxo

Joy

Almost missed it: 24 weeks!

This week marks the big 2-4! My vacation started with a visit from my mama and 2 of my little brothers. It was super nice to have a relaxing weekend, not stressing about all the things I needed to do with the 2 days in between 50 hour weeks. We walked around Ballard, found a new gelato place, sat in the park, played frisbee, ate pizza, found a couple sweet vintage children's books, and baked cookies! It was so lovely, let me tell ya. 

Can we please talk about these bright green pants?! They're, well, bright green. Kinda skinny. And they're made  just for baby mamas!!! I found them at Motherhood Maternity for less than $40! I was so happy, it's kinda ridiculous. But I lovelovelove all that skinny colored denim and was worried that I'd miss the boat while this tummy grows. I might wear them everyday...

I've had a great week and gotten to spend time with a couple of my favorite peeps, mark off big chores on my to-do-before-baby-comes list, and enjoyed a couple naps...sweet!

We'll be back soon!

xoxo

Joy

This baby bump and 'the long asnwer'

Thanks for all of your congrats via comments here or on Facebook. Camillo and I are so so excited and it's fun that everyone knows now. We kept the news quiet for a while so we could cherish it. Like our own little secret surprise. I've seen lots of FB posts lately with photos of positive tests, gender announcements, and name choices. It all kinda makes me cringe. And not in a judgmental way, I'm just way more personal than to be showing everyone my pee stick. So if you're waiting for daily updates from me, you might be disappointed! I do, however, want to keep my first 40 weeks as a mama documented for the future. So, aside from my daily journaling, I'll be here with weekly(ish) growing photos and mini updates. Even if just for me, baby, and baby daddy. 

The last few weeks have gone by super fast and I am grateful! I can't wait to meet this baby! My tummy is getting bigger by the day and I'm actually glad because now there's no "is that girl pregnant? Or just...?" People are asking how I'm feeling every day and, in order to keep things simple, my short answer is usually something like "Right now I'm feeling ___" Insert awesome, great, good, okay, nauseous, tired, achy, dizzy, etc. On any given day the long answer could be "Push out your stomach as far as you can...further...until it hurts. Yeah, right there. Ouch, right?" Or "Baby has been moving so much today and it's the most amazing feeling ever - I'm so happy!" Or "I'm sleeping with my eyes open as we speak." Or "I've had tons of energy today and gotten so much done around the house, hooray!" 

Thankfully I've had a great 23 weeks so far. Nothing too drastic in the way of nausea. I'm enjoying pregnancy and making it a point to be positive even on rough days. Camillo and I are journaling love letters to baby so we can remember all that we're feeling during this beautiful season. Someday baby will be able to read it and see how much we've loved him from the very beginning. I'm already trying to take way more photos throughout our days so that baby can someday see who we were and what we were like when he was growing. Inside scoop? I'm already planning our newborn photo shoot :) 

Thanks again for all the sweet comments and congratulations. Only 4 more months until we'll get to introduce this little bundle!! 

xoxo

Joy

All of this week's photos by my brother Jordan. See his Flickr feed here.

Coming Soon...

Baby Candido!!

Due August 13th, 2012

♥♥♥