2.28.2012

You might have a newborn if...

You might have a newborn (and a toddler!) if...
  • Taking a shower in a 24-hour period requires Dad being home to hold down the fort,  is considered a REAL accomplishment and means you had a "good day."
  • 90% of your meals are eaten left-handed and with great care not to spill food on a tiny, sweet head and you often find crumbs from meals she did not eat on her little clothes.
  • The minute your children go to sleep (if they do) you do crazy adventurous things like go to the bathroom and see how fast you can "straighten up" in 15 minutes before the little one changes her mind about napping.
  • You and your husband truly understand what is meant by the phrase, "Ships passing in the Night" except that 'night' usually means the wee small hours of the morning and 'passing' means groggily sharing snippets of conversation while trying to get baby girl back to sleep.
  • You find yourself daily torn between relishing in the exhausting weeks of newborn sweetness and looking hopefully ahead to the spring, "when we will all feel more normal."
  • When you thought about writing this post, the points you wanted to mention were completely different and now totally escape you.
  • You have a renewed appreciation for being married to "the right man" as you travel through these days of weariness and lean on one another on a daily basis. 
  • You have a renewed appreciation for the promises of God's daily provision of strength and sustenance. He has been faithful to help us in this "survival stage."
  • You hurriedly wrote the last two bullet points of this post while a certain someone began to stir and request their next meal. :)




We appreciate the prayers and the kind words many of you have sent our way! 

2.06.2012

A Lesson in Laundry

This week I learned something whilst doing laundry. ( I also learned I would like to use the word, "whilst" more often. It feels so much more Jane Austen than just your everyday "while")

Upon doing the first in what will be many, many loads of little girl laundry in which the clothes belong to TWO little girls instead of just one, I was struck with several realizations. First, time really does fly. So fast I can hardly fathom where the last 2.5 years have gone since I was folding, preparing, re-folding these tiny newborn sleepers for Lucy before her arrival. Second, the sizes are so much more obviously different when they are side by side! My skinny minnie's clothes look HUGE next to her baby sister's! Not to mention for her I'm folding pajamas, play clothes, socks and underwear-- no more diapers for her! She has gotten to be such a big girl overnight!

The difference is what concerns me most. I think it's easy when you have only one child of one gender and then you know you are having another of the same, to fall into this auto-pilot mode of expecting everything to be just as it was before, just a repeat. This is something I've noticed about my own heart and mind lately that I am having to condition myself to having TWO completely different little girls, with TWO completely different sets of needs.

Though Lucy has been fairly calm and such an "easy" child with all major milestones, I know we may get a real firecracker with little Abby. If her movement in-utero is any indication, that is exactly what is in store for us.

So back to the laundry, I realized how great an opportunity folding the clothes of these little dear hearts is to pray for them and their specific needs. I pray that God gives us what we need to parent two different, though possibly similar, children and that we do it with His grace, patience and love. I also pray He reminds me of these little lessons and opportunities in a few days when I'm buried beneath a sea of onesies and pajamas-- must remember the fact that babies go through multiple changes of clothing as opposed to my, "Mommy, I need a napkin, I have a crumb on my hand" daughter.

Here's to seasons of change!!!

2.02.2012

To miss or not to miss, that is the question. (Thankful Thursday)

Being that we are about to meet our 2nd daughter next week (yay!) I already find myself torn between wanting just a little more time of being pregnant and wanting her to come now, TODAY and not next week. I wouldn't say that this pregnancy has been easier or harder, just different for different reasons. But as I sit at the end of a 9-month road, about to enter into a new season of life, I cannot help but ponder what things I will and will not miss. Funny how big changes always prompt that in us. I had to write this all down for myself so I remember!

To miss:
* The movements. All the little kicks and feelings that remind me of the beautiful one God has created in His image in my growing belly. From the first little flutters months ago to the full-on conga line the last few days, I have LOVED being constantly reminded from our little girl, "Hey mom! I'm in here! Take good care of me!"
* The affinity for food. This sounds funny, but any currently pregnant woman will attest, you either hate food or you LOVE it. As ferociously as I despised having to think about cooking, eating, meal planning in the beginning, the 2nd half of the pregnancy has brought with it, a fresh appreciation for all things culinary! There are only a few things I really cannot stand but mostly, there are so many things I liked before that I can't get enough of now! Luckily, they are (mostly) all healthy things. :)
*My time with Lucy though I know I will still have this to some degree, we have been just inseparable the last little bit, as I have been soaking up the time with her. We have made some great memories and I though I greatly look forward to time with TWO little girls, I will miss the "just she and I" time.
*Having clothes that fit like they're supposed to. This may seem like it's in the wrong category but I have really enjoyed Maternity clothes this time around-- much more than last time. And I was reminded of the awkward stage that comes immediately after when your clothes don't fit right yet but the maternity clothes look a little strange without the cute belly sticking out. BUT, we have a double stroller, and this mama will be hitting the pavement as soon as the Dr. gives me the ok. :)
*My predictable time with Lance as much as this is no where what it was before we had kids, every night we know bedtime for the little one is coming and as soon as it does, we can sit and be uninterrupted for as long as we like, usually until we both fall asleep these days. :) I will enjoy getting into a new normal and establishing our new routine of "us" time.
*My rockstar parking spot at the Grocery Store. Really. Once I got big enough to really show, I have completely used the "stork" parking every time we go--especially when I have little Lu with me. Lifesaver!

NOT to Miss:
* My lack of gracefulness. Seriously, I have never dropped so much, knocked so much over, and spilled things in my life.
* The many embarrassing, uncomfortable, and very often painful symptoms that remind you, "By the way-- you are growing another life and you probably won't feel normal until you are finished doing so." These are the things that you forget about from one pregnancy to the next. That's the selective memory that allows us all to keep having children. :)
*Sleeping propped up. Honestly, I've never had Heartburn or anything else that always seems like something your grandpa gets, but this pregnancy, whoa buddy.
*My energy level decline.  Though I know this will only sink further over the next 6-9 weeks-- I look forward to being able to do things all day long without having to take multiple breaks.
*Not being able to pass a bathroom without a visit. The funniest thing about this is, Lucy recently became potty trained and so every time she goes, I go just in case. So between my having to go every 15 minutes, her going every 30 and all the time in between, we don't get very much done when we leave the house. HA! Too much information? sorry.
*Expecting some weight gain on a regular basis. I mean really, who WANTS to keep gaining weight? Thankfully, I have gained WAY less this time than last. Chasing a toddler vs. sitting at a desk will do that to you. :)

All in all, this has been a great pregnancy and I'm just so happy to be having another Healthy baby that I think I should be rejoicing no matter the discomforts. Praise God for sustaining us and for my wonderful Husband. He has been a true knight in shining armor through the whole experience and I am SO very thankful to be able to walk WADDLE this road with him at my side.

And just for fun, let's take a brief look at where the PREVIOUS 9 months of pregnancy took us:

 From Here... 05/26/09

 To here... 

 To here: 11/2009

To here--  05/2010


 To here 04/2011 (Sassy Pants)


To here! 01/2012