She's Here!

Lillian Grace
Born at home
Monday the 9th
4:35 pm
7 lbs
19 inches

She's such a blessing. We're all just soaking her in.

40 Weeks

This is what I looked like Saturday night before going to bed when it dawned on me that I should photograph the never before seen (on me) 40 week belly. It still looks like that....except maybe lower. The baby drops a little more every few days. I'm thinking that the odds are in my favor that baby can only drop so far before he/she drops out.

Obviously, we are still waiting. Sometimes a little more patiently than others. I feel good, though....and happy to get a little more time to feel those sweet baby kicks.

Not Yet....But Levi Is Home!

No baby, but Levi is here! And, that makes me more than happy. :)

We've been doing a lot of relaxing and hanging out with family while we wait for baby to make an appearance. Stephan's mom flew down today, so I am no longer outnumbered while Stephan is working. That's quite a relief for this mama.
Maybe next post will come with a baby picture! Wow. Talk about being outnumbered. Guys? There will be THREE of them soon...very soon. Three. Oh. My. Eep! A tad unnerving yet so very exciting.

The Wait

I'll be 39 weeks tomorrow. The to do list is all done, and now we're just waiting. This is a first. I've never felt so ready for birth and a baby. Pre-labor contractions started 2 weeks ago, and they just keep going and going and going. Nothing terrifically painful, but enough to remind me that any day could be the day. Every night I snuggle with Sophia and find myself thinking, "This could be the last night of her being the baby." Of course, she'll always be my baby...

She has two lovely little handmade dolls, but this plastic one is her favorite. She carries it around, nurses it, and sometimes she puts it under her shirt, pops it out, and squeals, "Baay-beee!!" I guess she thinks that's how the one in my tummy is coming out? Oh, the crazy things that must run through their sweet heads!

On a semi-unrelated note, my knitting basket is nearly empty. It merely holds a pair of socks that Stephan has been patiently waiting for me to finish for...oh...5 months now. I got a wee bit caught up in the baby knitting. I think I would enjoy sock knitting if only it didn't involve the second sock which I have, finally, started. Of course, just having a sock to work on postpartum would never do, so yesterday a trip to the yarn shop was made. And, this prettiness is waiting for post-baby arrival...

Each time I pass by this stack of yumminess, I smile. If baby waits too long then I might be diving in a bit early. It is so very tempting. For you knitterly types it's destined to become a Rosabell sweater for me. The yarn on top is Spud & Chloe's Fine, and the yarn on bottom is Ella Rea's Lace Merino.

Also, Levi is coming home Sunday! I cannot wait. I've missed him so very much.

Hello

I'm still here....just snuggling and knitting and thinking about how my babies just won't stop growing.

This one gets sweeter every day...

And, this one is sweet too, but she sometimes makes these adorably grouchy faces that are too priceless not to photograph...

They both bounce off the walls all of the time...

And, of course, we're super curious to find out what's in store for us with this new one...

The weeks keep flying by, and May is already halfway over. I just realized that in about a month and a half I'll be 31 and the mother of three. I swear I just turned 30. There's not even time to freak out about 31. Not to mention, there's just too much going on to add freaking out to the list.

P.S. Excuse me while all my posts get extra rambly  for the next...oh, I don't know...maybe forever.

Everyday Blessings

Counting my blessings...at least a few of them...

: : 34 weeks...see bump above. :)

: : Healthy me...my iron counts are even really good (which is never the case at this point for me...so far no supplements needed)

: : Baby still in the proper position!

: : A much improved attitude on my part after last week's dip.

: : Mother's day roses from my sweetheart and some handpicked flowers from my two little loves.

: : The realization that this has been the easiest of my pregnancies.

: : 3 naps in 3 days.

: : Knitting needles back in action.

: : The smallest pre-baby to do list ever...I guess that's what happens when it's the third go round.

: : My children still thinking I'm the best ever even though I've been too tired to play lately.


Life is sweet. How about you? What have you been blessed by lately?

Some Rambling

I'm skipping my usual Friday post because I'd much rather ramble, and it's my blog. I can do that. :)

Third trimester fatigue has addled my brain and caused me to forget how to count. I've been convinced for a few weeks now that I don't hit full term until June 9th. Ahem. Try June 2nd. Y'all that's coming up soon....and that means I could have a baby any time next month. I'm not sure why a week makes so much of a difference in my head, but it does. Of course, this baby could also stay chill until July, but I'm hoping not. It gets really hot then. 40 weeks is good. Let's aim for that. Okay, baby?

This week has been strange. I've been tired, but not as grouchy as I thought I would be, considering I had to go on a knitting hiatus. Who am I kidding? I'm still on it. Sigh. See this cute little baby hat....

I knitted it on size 1 double points which is kind of like knitting with 5 long toothpicks. That's a dumb thing to do while 8 months pregnant. My wrist is paying for it with a bit of pregnancy induced carpal tunnel. Double big sigh. And, really, even though we're not finding out the baby's gender until it get's here, I suspect boy. So, why am I knitting girly hats? A mama's gotta be prepared, right?

And, about names and gender, last pregnancy we got to the very end without agreeing on a boy name....good thing a girl came out. This time....guess what? We can't agree on a girl name, but we're good to go if it's a boy. Oh. my. It doesn't help that we're both convinced it's a boy. I'm not entirely trusting of my instincts, and I'd like to be set for either one. Stephan, on the other hand, is totally disinterested in preparing for a girl this go round....kind of like he was disinterested in preparing for a boy last go round.

And, just because she's sort of crazy and really cute this is a sampling of life with Sophia over the course of approximately 3 minutes...

Reading sweetly with Levi...

Suddenly up and trying to escape via the back door....

And, then off to pull things out of baskets and attempt to climb the shelving (the whole world is one big rock wall to this girl)....

Maybe I don't so much have 3rd trimester fatigue as chasing Sophia fatigue.

Everyday Blessings

That's the 33 week baby bump. It's growing daily. I'm sure of it.

If there's one thing that makes me instantly angry while pregnant and/or nursing it's heat, and since being pregnant causes me to register the temperature at about 10 degrees hotter than it actually is, I have been one grouchy mama lately. I thought that having a baby in June would feel better (i.e. cooler) than having one at the beginning of September. This is not proving to be true. I'm struggling to be pleasant these days. Sigh. All of that to say, this post is much needed to refocus my tired and hot self on the good stuff in life. So here we go.....a few blessings from my week:

: : What we thought was a broken ac really only being a tripped breaker.

: : My husband figuring out how to fix it right as I was about to lose my cool over the extra hot house.

: : A wonderful day trip to one of our favorite spots.

: : Homebirth supplies ready and waiting.

: : Baby to do's being knocked off the list.

: : A cute but not at all relaxing knit off the needles...I should avoid size 1 double points for awhile.

: : Swaddle blankets sewn.

: : Fun with other mamas and their kiddos.

: : A garden growing.

: : A little boy convinced that he's a farmer (and a lumberjack, and a carpenter, and all seven dwarfs....the list goes on).

: : My husband letting me rest as often as he can.

Really, it's been a good week. Sometimes I just need a little reminder.

The Same But Different

Really, things haven't changed much in the past couple of years...

Levi still loves to "listen" to the baby's heartbeat.*

He might also occasionally talk loudly about placentas in public, and he keeps telling me that he wants to be there to catch the baby.** We joke that he will be the first male midwife in Mississippi.

*No, he can't actually hear the baby's heartbeat through a regular stethoscope, but that doesn't stop him from trying.

**His desire to be there when this baby is born is endearing. However, he's a very sensitive little boy, and I am very vocal when giving birth. I think it would terrify him to no end. He will likely be swept off for an outing with Baw-Baw when the time comes.

25 Weeks...The Bump

This weekend I hit 25 weeks! I'm in disbelief. The third trimester is right around the corner. I remember time being so much slower when I was pregnant with Levi. Two kids later, and that's just not the case any longer.
So far, I'm feeling good. A little tired, but who wouldn't be after keeping up with two little ones? The healthy, leafy green cravings have subsided. They've been replaced with cravings for ice cream and Reese's peanut butter cups. I just stumbled across this fudgsicle recipe on Pinterest. Sounds like a delicious and (Gasp!) healthy way to curb this intense need for sweets. Considering the 80 degree weather we're having, it's definitely not too early to break out the popsicle molds either.

Nesting Has Hit My Knitting Basket

You know that nesting is happening full force when I organize my knitting basket. I should have taken a before photo. I had my stuff randomly piled into two baskets....already finished patterns, projects in need of blocking, 7 needles no longer in use, leftover yarn, and even a couple of kiddo toys were tossed into the mix. It's no wonder I bought new markers recently. Hard to find such tiny things in such a big mess. I even found a little bag to hold my knitting notions and a tiny box for corralling those itty bitty markers. No more hunting around.
Note that there is only one project in there. That must be remedied asap. I try to keep the chaos down by only working on two to three projects at a time, but I think one is a bit too minimalist. I enjoy switching back and forth a bit. The other day I bought some pink yarn. Everything that I've made for this baby has been very boyish looking. My attempts at gender neutral were a complete flop. I'm thinking a few girly items need to be thrown into the mix just in case. But, now, what to make? I've made a couple of these, and I bought the yarn thinking I'd make another....

                                                    Source: ravelry.com via Madeline on Pinterest

Cute, no? But, then there's this sweetness...

                                                   Source: ravelry.com via Madeline on Pinterest

And, if I spend much more time on Pinterest and Ravelry I'll likely find 200 more strong contenders. I have trouble making decisions sometimes.

Everyday Blessings

Is it just me or are Mondays coming around faster these days?
Anyway, happy Monday! Here's my attempt at starting the week off on the right foot...one of gratitude.

I am grateful...

: : that teeth eventually have to surface and no longer cause 3 am wake ups. I'm going for advanced gratitude with this one. ;)

: : that I am very close to finishing Levi's Gramp's Cardigan. It's been awhile since something has sat in my knitting basket for sooooo long.

: : that despite being oh so tired from the many teeth Sophia has coming in, I have still managed to be a not too terribly grouchy mama. I'm pretty sure that was all God's doing because I certainly struggle to be nice when exhausted.

: : that I have a really sweet husband who cleaned the microwave. That sounds so dumb when I type it out, but it had been on my neglected to do list forever. Then I woke up one morning, put a cup of water in, and surprise! It was sparkling. He gets me.

: : that this baby's kicks are getting stronger each day. Little baby kicks make it all so much more 'real' (for lack of a better term). I'm not actually ready for baby just yet. There's still lots of knitting to be done. Okay, and maybe a few other more practical things too. Thank goodness for a 9 month waiting period, but at the same time I can't wait to meet him/her. 

: : that Levi and Sophia love each other so much. They wake up each morning and first thing want to see one another. They hug and squeal and laugh and play. It makes my heart smile.

: : that my mom came over this evening to watch the kids while I went to a yoga class. While she was here she even folded laundry, and got the kids ready for bed! She's a good mom.

I could keep going. It's been a good week, but I think I'm going to knit a bit more on that Gramp's Cardigan and then hit the sack. After all there's a very likely chance of another 3 am wake up.

Dear Teeth,

Please, feel free to take a break for a night or so. We could all use the rest.

Thanks,

Sophia's Mama

So, how about you? What have some of your everyday blessings been?

The Bump

I'm nearly 20 weeks....halfway there! How did that happen so fast?

My first two pregnancies were so different from one another. After Sophia was born, I decided that it must be because she was a girl and Levi was a boy. Ha. This one is really different from my previous two, so unless there's a third gender that I am unaware of then I have to come to the conclusion that all pregnancies (at least mine) are just different.

Although, the differences are many, the one that is most on my mind these days is food. With Levi all I wanted all day long was junk food...chocolate in particular. With Sophia I had so many food aversions that I actually had trouble eating, but what I did eat was generally healthy. Oddly, though, I gained more weight with her. With this one, I've craved healthy foods and lots of them...raw onions, cucumbers, any veggie drenched in lemon juice, pomegranates, oranges, avocados, and salads. Okay, so red meat and dairy were major cravings for awhile there too...not exactly my idea of health food but still different from my previous pregnancies.  

Levi and Sophia are pretty much like compatible (at least for now) polar opposites. It all just makes me curious about this new little one. Will he or she be wildly different as well? No two are alike I suppose, which really just makes it all the more exciting. In 20ish more weeks we'll get to meet this new, tiny person...who, I am positive, will fit right into our little family no matter what.

Oh, The Cuteness

I've been diligently working on an owlie sleep sack for the new baby and on Levi's sweater that I started months and months ago. I have had plans to start up more baby projects when those are finished. Ahem. Then I saw this.

                                                    Source: lionbrand.com via Tanya on Pinterest

And, this.

                                      Source: images4.ravelrycache.com via Madeline on Pinterest

Now, all I can think about is how much fun it is to knit for girls. Both of those just scream Sophia. It probably doesn't hurt that they are in shades of purple. I am inexplicably drawn to purple and yellow when pregnant.

Maybe a little knitting detour is in order.

Food and Knitting

A good day = fulfilled pregnancy cravings and loads of knitting.

Today was a good day.
Stephan (my knight in shining armor) not only went out of his way to get me the best tacos around....

But, he also made me a bowl of my very favorite. Tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, and mint swimming in lemon juice...heaven.

And, he let me sit around knitting all afternoon while he entertained the kiddos.

I don't think I could have asked for a better husband. Or a better day.

Hope you had a happy Wednesday, too!

Everyday Blessings

Some of the joys and blessings from our week...

: : My kids melt my heart...today Levi said, "It would be fun if I put a crown in your hair. Then you could be my beautiful, beautiful mommy. Let me go get some pipe cleaners." Then, post crown-making, "There! Now you are a beautiful princess!" The resulting crowns (he needed one too) are above.

: : My dad has spent the past two Monday evenings watching the munchkins so that I could attend a prenatal yoga class. It's six weeks long, and he, my mom, and Stephan are splitting the evenings up, so I can go. It's been really great, and I already feel more prepared for carrying and delivering this baby.

: : Speaking of baby. Y'all, there is an itty bitty person inside of me, and it kicks a ton! Squeal! I love baby kicks...especially when they're too small to aim for my bladder or lungs. 

: : For awhile now we've been having some...hmmm...shall we call them challenges?...with Levi. It's been hard, and there have been times when we've been at a total loss. We've prayed and talked and prayed and talked, and finally we seem to have found some things that are working. We've made quite a few changes, and we're starting to see some really positive results. So, yay! Sigh of relief.

: : The pipe cleaners find their way onto more than just heads around here. It's fun to stumble upon Levi's pipe cleaner "installations" around the house. His favorite theme being the spider web...

: : And, of course, I have to mention the van again! We were extra blessed with that one because we didn't have to go into debt to buy it. We were a little nervous about being able to find something good in our price range, but, of course, God pulled through...despite our doubts. Also, we bought it from a preacher who was selling it so that he could afford to go on a mission trip. I love that our money not only got us exactly what we needed but also funded missions.

So, what blessings have come your way this week?

So Far So Good

So far this week, we bought a van! It's so roomy, and a third car seat will be no problem. Plus, it's way easier to park than the truck. I am the world's worst at parking, so this is major for me. (Promise I was at a full and complete stop when I took that pic.)

The belly is a growing. I'm nearing 18 weeks, and I finally felt this baby move!!!!!!!!

Yay!!!!

That's actually Sophia signing "nurse", but it's super cute and looks appropriate for "Yay".

Happy Wednesday!!

Everyday Blessings

Guys, it's Monday already! I had to check the calendar just to be sure. Time for a little gratitude...

: : We had our second check up with our midwife last week. All is well. We got to hear the baby's heartbeat. Even though I still haven't felt any movement we now know that he/she does indeed move. Norma had to chase the heartbeat.

: : We're getting a new washing machine. Our old one died...kind of a bummer since I liked it. But, I've been without a washer for a few days now. I'm thrilled that I should be able to start washing clothes again in a couple of hours.

: : Thanks to Simplicity Parenting (my new favorite parenting book) it finally dawned on me to get a timer for tooth brushing. Why did I not think of this sooner?!! I bought a two minute sand timer, and Levi now thinks tooth brushing is the bomb. He also actually scrubs for two minutes instead of two seconds.

: : Just this past week Levi has developed a love for vacuuming...hard not to feel blessed about that. He's pretty good at it too. Sophia is also very into helping. She tries to vacuum, but her real strength is in putting things back into the baskets she pulls them out of.

: : I finally pulled out the knitting needles again. It's been awhile. I knitted a couple of these balls for Sophia. I had them on my Christmas to do list for stocking stuffers, but the first trimester put quite the kink in that. It felt good to be back to knitting.

Any blessings come your way this week?

Hello

Well, hello there. I'm kind of shocked that I went over a month without blogging. It's so unlike me....and through December too! Gasp. 

There's really not much to share. With the exceptions of growing a baby bump and keeping my other children alive, I did absolutely nothing throughout the whole month of December. I didn't even knit...or sew...or cut out a snowflake. I don't think I even did laundry. My husband rocks by the way. 

I'm 14 weeks along now and finally starting to get some energy. Also, I'm impatiently waiting to feel those first flutters. I felt them at 14 weeks with Levi and Sophia (super early, I know), so I admit that I fully expected the same thing to happen with this one. So far, nothing. There's still a few days for the little one to follow in his/her siblings' footsteps. We'll see.

So, how were Thanksgiving and Christmas? Mine were low key, but nice. Well, Sophia did wake up throwing up at 1 am on Christmas morning. Not so nice. She recovered enough by mid-morning to still enjoy the day, but then she passed the illness on to my parents. Oops. There aren't many Christmas photos, but I'll post a few soon.

Hope y'all are having a lovely post-Christmas week!

A Not So Everyday Kind of Blessing

A couple of weeks before we went on vacation I started to feel a little off. Odd things were happening...at one point I had to talk myself out of an extreme and very strange craving for raw beef. How gross is that?! Obviously, red flags went up. I took a pregnancy test but thought there was no way it could be positive, and it wasn't. I chalked the weird craving up to needing more protein or iron and just moved right along. But, then I missed my period, so I took another test. It was negative. The night before we left for the beach I fixed Levi the only vegetable he'll eat...asparagus. I could barely finish cooking it. The smell! Ugh. That feeling was all too familiar. The next morning I took another test. Turns out that it is indeed possible to have two false negatives.

That's right. Baby number 3 is on its way! Arrival is estimated to be June 23. We are thrilled! Now if only I could get through this first trimester fatigue and sickness, so I can get to knitting! I have 9 months worth of stuff I want to make, but at this rate I may only have 6 months of time to make it in.