"I Want One"

     Jim and I have this ritual.  Whenever we are out walking, or in a restaurant, or at a store and see an adorable child - we nudge each other and whisper "Cute kid alert!"   Then the other person whispers back, "I want one."  It's kind of a silly little game we play, but it does have a purpose.  First, it reminds us of why we want to be parents.  And second, it helps us to keep hope alive while we wait.
     We are really excited about becoming parents!  There are so many things that we are looking forward to- precious moments like snuggling up for bedtime stories, silly moments such as dancing around in our pj's, and yes even the not so fun moments like changing a blown-out diaper.  We decided to make a list of what we day dream about.  Enjoy and feel free to add some ideas of your own.

Things we are looking forward to about parenting...
*Not being able to sleep because we are mesmerized just watching our baby sleep
*"Arguing" over who gets to hold the baby
*Celebrating all of baby's first- first smile, first giggle, first words, first steps
*Playing rock/paper/scissors to decide whose turn it is for late night feedings or diaper duty
*Watching each other make fools of ourselves with funny faces and baby talk
*Rocking our baby to sleep while singing lullabies
*Crawling around the floor to play
*Taking walks and playing in the park across the street
*Dancing around the house and singing
*Pulling out all the plastic bowls and wooden spoons to play along to the music
*Exporing nature and seeing the wonder and amazement in our child's eyes
*Building a "fort" in the living room with the kitchen chairs and all the blankets in the house
*Climbing in the above mentioned fort to read stories by flashlight
*Toys all over the house
*Little fingerprints and nose prints on the walls and windows
*Cookie crumbs under the car seat
*Getting together for play dates with our friends' kids
*Taking trips to grandma's and grandpa's house in Arizona
*Visiting aunts, uncles, and cousins in Michigan, Illinois and Texas
*Enjoying hot chocolate after an afternoon of sledding and snow angels
*Splashing in muddle puddles
*Building sand castles at the beach
*Making a huge pile of leaves to jump in
*Having a hug and bandaid ready for scraped knees and other assorted boo-boos
*Baking cookies
*Hanging hand-drawn pictures on the fridge
*Going to church together
*Visiting some of our favorite places- Lake Tahoe, Burney Falls, and Sequoia National Park
*Teaching our child how to pet the kitty
*Laughing at corny knock-knock jokes
*Bedtime stories and cuddles before bed
     Our list could go on and on, but you get the idea:)  We have waited a long time to become parents and will cherish each moment!  Praying that our day dreams become a reality soon:)

Jim pushing our friend's son Quinten on the swings

Amy playing in the leaves with our friend's son, Mason