good things

 -fall is coming! the weather here is showing off its best self and the leaves are just starting to change. . . . i love, love, love north carolina fall.
-every day i feel like i'm more getting into the swing of things. our apartment is not in shambles any more, i'm getting used to running errands with the carseat and diaper bag, and dane is getting on a pretty regular eating schedule. (it helps that he's still sleeping 90% of the day.) even though i don't leave the apartment some days, we're learning how to be normal, functioning members of society again.
-after years of searching and trying many, many different recipes, i think we've found the WORLD'S BEST chocolate chip cookie recipe. hallelujah! and we have an entire batch of cookies here for our enjoyment.
-i bought a giant amount of fresh fruits and veggies at the grocery store and we're actually eating them! we are eating so healthy lately (except for the hundreds of chocolate chip cookies), and i feel great about it. one of my recent goals is to only snack on fruits and veggies (although it's mostly fruits, let's be honest). i went to the library and checked out a ton of cookbooks too, just to get ideas and break out of our boring food slump. i was really inspired by this one for great ideas for new and exciting lunches.
-tommy's parents and two younger sisters are coming to visit this week. we love having visitors, especially family, especially the leiningers. and we can't wait for them to meet dane! although we don't have any fun plans for while they're here. . . . we need to get on that. and then we're having dane's baby blessing in church next sunday, which should be awesome.
-tomorrow is the big day: 10/12! okay, for those of you who don't remember this, it's my 24th birthday. and tommy's going to stay home, and we're going to have a picnic, and organize several problem areas in the apartment, and buy ourselves new running shoes (my main birthday wish), and make gyros for my birthday dinner, and get cheesecake (to go) from the cheesecake factory . . . or any combination of those things that dane allows us to do. i am excited.
-i went to the grocery store by myself several nights ago, and tommy sent me this picture text:

 i love you mommy!

now, you can tell me that babies this young don't REALLY smile, and that this is just a fluke (or whatever), but i will not believe you. no way. this picture just warms my heart right up--it's now the background on my phone and i've been pulling it out to smile at it many times a day.

happy, happy day!