My second appointment for this week was at the Maternal-Fetal Medicine office rather than my usual OB office. It included a growth ultrasound to estimate how big the baby is, in addition to the twice-weekly BPP u/s.
I'm happy to report he looked amazing, passed his BPP, and was estimated to be 6 lbs. even. With the average gain of half a pound a week, we're looking at an estimated 7 lb. 8 oz. baby! I think that sounds great!
I had an interesting day yesterday with some unexpected contractions that included crazy-awful lower back pain. It was not fun! The back pain really hasn't subsided much, but I'm trying to take it easy and put some heat on it when I can.
Our little guy was still in the right position (no more breech - yay!!) and was even face-down -- the perfect position for delivery, but NOT the greatest position to get good pictures of his sweet little face. We were able to get a few profile pics, but he had a hand and the cord right next to his face, so unfortunately they weren't the best.
Other than taking it easy (as much as one can with three littles), there hasn't been much else happening, which is EXACTLY what I need right now. I have limited my outside commitments to almost ZERO (woot!), and have a list a mile long of things I still need to complete before the baby arrives. I haven't even packed either of our hospital bags, so obviously he's not allowed to even think about coming until after that is done. And his nursery still is not ready. And so many other things! I'm definitely in more of a "slow-mo" phase right now than a "nesting" phase. So little energy, so much to do! haha! I know it will all get finished eventually. Until then, I'm just taking things one day at a time and accomplishing whatever I feel capable to get done without overdoing it.
Next Monday we have one last shower, generously given by hubs' coworkers. They are calling it a "Dipes & Wipes" shower, a term I've never heard of before now! I'm familiar with Diaper Showers, but the "Dipes & Wipes" thing just makes me laugh! This baby boy will be SET in the diaper department before he even arrives! We're so grateful!
Next week I'm back to my usual Tuesday and Friday appointments, so check back for updates! Thanks to each of you for following along on our journey!
Hugs!
Friday, May 19, 2017
Monday, May 15, 2017
35 Weeks: Appointment 1 of 2
I just finished at my first of two BPP u/s and doctor visits for this week and I'm happy to report that baby deserves a giant GOLD STAR today!! First of all, his fluid level went back up to 15.8!!! Thank you, Lord! It was at 16 last Tuesday, but dropped unexpectedly all the way down to 10 on Friday. I don't think I could have drank more water in a lifetime as I have these past three days! But it was worth it! Baby performed well for his BPP, quickly earning all 8 of the available 8 points. Yes! Another 8/8! Hurray!!
In other amazingly awesome news, my little guy found his way back to the head-down position!!!! I can't even believe it! I seriously have been researching C-sections and ECVs and all sorts of poses and exercises to help get him out of the breech position, and -- at least for now -- I don't need to worry about any of it! Let's just hope he decides to STAY in his current position for the next 29 days!
On my way home from the appointment, God is Able by Hillsong came on the radio. It was just the reminder I needed that even in the midst of fear, worry, and uncertainty, God is greater than our circumstances and able to do far more than we could ever ask or imagine. I'm so grateful for His hand of protection over our sweet baby!
In other amazingly awesome news, my little guy found his way back to the head-down position!!!! I can't even believe it! I seriously have been researching C-sections and ECVs and all sorts of poses and exercises to help get him out of the breech position, and -- at least for now -- I don't need to worry about any of it! Let's just hope he decides to STAY in his current position for the next 29 days!
On my way home from the appointment, God is Able by Hillsong came on the radio. It was just the reminder I needed that even in the midst of fear, worry, and uncertainty, God is greater than our circumstances and able to do far more than we could ever ask or imagine. I'm so grateful for His hand of protection over our sweet baby!
God is able
He will never fail
He is almighty God
Greater than all we seek
Greater than all we ask
He has done great things
God is with us
God is on our side
He will make a way
Far above all we know
Far above all we hope
He has done great things
- God is Able by Hillsong
Sunday, May 14, 2017
35 Weeks!
Here's my weekly update that I finally remembered to start doing! Only 8 months in... it still counts for something though, right? ;)
Week and day: 35 weeks
Belly Button in or out: Totally in.
Wedding rings on or off: Totally still on.
Food cravings: Cake, cake, and more cake! Oh, and good Mexican food. And cereal. And fruit. You know, basically everything I CAN'T have.
Food aversions: None!
Nausea: None!
Energy level: Still solid, surprisingly! I'm well into my 3rd trimester... only about 30 days away from delivery... and my energy level is on point! This is super awesome because there are still a zillion things to do to get ready for baby. Packing hospital bags is #1 on my agenda this week. Let's hope it gets done!
Weight gain: Not bad! I don't have actual numbers, and even if I did, I doubt I would share them - LOL! Overall I'm pleased with the fact that I KNOW I haven't gained 50 pounds, so I'm counting it a win!
Mood: Great! The countdown is on (less than a month, people!) so I'm doing everything I can to soak up these last few weeks as a family of five and spend as much time with my favorite littles while I still can give them my full attention.
Maternity clothes: Duh. Seriously.
Size of baby: According to the generic BabyCenter stats, he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds -- about the size of a honeydew melon. See more below.
Next appointment: I have an OB appointment tomorrow (Monday) morning at 11:15 AM for another BPP (biophysical profile) ultrasound to check on baby and measure the AFI (amniotic fluid index). I'm praying everything looks great and the fluid level is back up. I have an appointment on Thursday afternoon at the MFM (Maternal-Fetal Medicine) office to check on baby's growth. He was estimated to be 4 lbs. 6 oz. at my last growth scan at 32 weeks, so I'm interested to see how much he's grown in the past 3 weeks.
What I've been up to: As I mentioned above, I'm trying to savor every moment as a family of five. I know each time we've welcomed a new baby into our family, I almost immediately forgot what life was like before that baby's arrival. Newlywed life? Parents of a single child? Parents of two? And now parents of three? The phases of our family have changed drastically over the past almost 12 years, and while each season has been amazing and incredible in its own right, my focus has always been on whatever current stage we were in. I know once baby #4 arrives, we won't be able to imagine what life was like before him, so I'm taking it all in now as best as I can.
Arrival plan: Still planning an induction at 39 weeks, though Sweet Baby may have plans of his own. I will be anxiously awaiting both of my ultrasounds each week leading up to his arrival to see if he's finally decided to get back into the headfirst position. I still can't believe he went breech on me! Silly boy! I'm VERY hopeful we don't end up with a C-section due to his position (or any of my other risk factors), but I guess only time will tell!
Guess what? I remembered to share a pic from today! How 'bout that belly!
Arrival plan: Still planning an induction at 39 weeks, though Sweet Baby may have plans of his own. I will be anxiously awaiting both of my ultrasounds each week leading up to his arrival to see if he's finally decided to get back into the headfirst position. I still can't believe he went breech on me! Silly boy! I'm VERY hopeful we don't end up with a C-section due to his position (or any of my other risk factors), but I guess only time will tell!
Guess what? I remembered to share a pic from today! How 'bout that belly!
Friday, May 12, 2017
Baby Update
I had my second BPP (biophysical profile) ultrasound and doctor visit for the week today. I'm pretty much on a Tuesday/Friday schedule, and I'll post updates if/when I have any info on baby worth sharing. Today was definitely worth documenting!
I started with the BPP and, no surprise, little boy was STILL breech. This is so shocking to me! Literally, how do you spend 8 months in there with your head basically ready to hit the escape hatch only to do a 180 and stress your mama out!? Goodness. I asked the doctor afterward at what point they become concerned that the baby will NOT return to the head-down position, and she said every day after 35 weeks it becomes more and more likely they will remain breech.
Guess who's 35 weeks on Sunday?
Sunday. As in, MOTHER'S DAY, people! I'll be 35 weeks on Sunday -- Mother's Day -- and it's officially the start of the end of my plans for a standard delivery. ALL THREE of my kiddos were inductions at 39 weeks. What is this little guy thinking?? I guess he realizes he's in complete control of the situation and there's literally almost nothing I can do about it. SO, in true mom2lo fashion, I've started researching c-sections to get myself up-to-speed on what to expect should we need to go that route. Ultimately whatever it takes to get this baby here safely is exactly what I want -- whether it adheres to my birth plan or not!
There was one other "issue" discovered today. At my BPP on Tuesday, my AFI (amniotic fluid index) was 16. During today's BPP, just 3 days later, it was 10. My doctor was concerned by the decrease, so much so that she wanted me to move next Tuesday's appointment to Monday morning instead. Now, it could be something as simple as dehydration -- perhaps I didn't drink enough water before my appointment this morning compared to Tuesday. Or it could be an issue with the placenta failing, which I've been told all along is a possibility as I get further along into my pregnancy due to the gestational diabetes. Regardless, it got my attention and has me slightly concerned.
According to my expert medical googling, the amniotic fluid index is between 5 cm (2 in.) and 24 cm (9.4 in.). So, 10 seems a bit on the low to me. If the fluid is too low, it can affect how the baby grows and can lead to complications during labor and delivery. This is obviously NOT part of my birth plan, either! As you can imagine, I've probably had about 4 gallons of water since returning home from this morning's appointment, and I plan to keep it up throughout the weekend in an effort to raise this baby's fluid level!
I would greatly appreciate your thoughts and prayers over the next few days. I'm not as freaked out as I could be, which is a huge blessing in itself! But my heart is definitely a bit heavier after today's appointment than it was beforehand.
Also, since I didn't have a picture to share with my 34 Weeks post on Tuesday, I decided to take a quick pic this afternoon to include here.
Grow, baby! Grow!
P.S. mmmmmmmmm cookies!
I started with the BPP and, no surprise, little boy was STILL breech. This is so shocking to me! Literally, how do you spend 8 months in there with your head basically ready to hit the escape hatch only to do a 180 and stress your mama out!? Goodness. I asked the doctor afterward at what point they become concerned that the baby will NOT return to the head-down position, and she said every day after 35 weeks it becomes more and more likely they will remain breech.
Guess who's 35 weeks on Sunday?
Sunday. As in, MOTHER'S DAY, people! I'll be 35 weeks on Sunday -- Mother's Day -- and it's officially the start of the end of my plans for a standard delivery. ALL THREE of my kiddos were inductions at 39 weeks. What is this little guy thinking?? I guess he realizes he's in complete control of the situation and there's literally almost nothing I can do about it. SO, in true mom2lo fashion, I've started researching c-sections to get myself up-to-speed on what to expect should we need to go that route. Ultimately whatever it takes to get this baby here safely is exactly what I want -- whether it adheres to my birth plan or not!
There was one other "issue" discovered today. At my BPP on Tuesday, my AFI (amniotic fluid index) was 16. During today's BPP, just 3 days later, it was 10. My doctor was concerned by the decrease, so much so that she wanted me to move next Tuesday's appointment to Monday morning instead. Now, it could be something as simple as dehydration -- perhaps I didn't drink enough water before my appointment this morning compared to Tuesday. Or it could be an issue with the placenta failing, which I've been told all along is a possibility as I get further along into my pregnancy due to the gestational diabetes. Regardless, it got my attention and has me slightly concerned.
According to my expert medical googling, the amniotic fluid index is between 5 cm (2 in.) and 24 cm (9.4 in.). So, 10 seems a bit on the low to me. If the fluid is too low, it can affect how the baby grows and can lead to complications during labor and delivery. This is obviously NOT part of my birth plan, either! As you can imagine, I've probably had about 4 gallons of water since returning home from this morning's appointment, and I plan to keep it up throughout the weekend in an effort to raise this baby's fluid level!
I would greatly appreciate your thoughts and prayers over the next few days. I'm not as freaked out as I could be, which is a huge blessing in itself! But my heart is definitely a bit heavier after today's appointment than it was beforehand.
Also, since I didn't have a picture to share with my 34 Weeks post on Tuesday, I decided to take a quick pic this afternoon to include here.
Grow, baby! Grow!
P.S. mmmmmmmmm cookies!
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
34 Weeks!
Okay, so with my previous pregnancies, I did a relatively decent job of documenting the journey here on the blog. Unfortunately, I've found myself a bit overcommitted to all.the.things. lately and my blog has taken a major backseat. Which means that documenting my pregnancy with baby #4 has been less than stellar. I'm sorry, baby boy! As a fellow fourth child, the last thing I want is for you to feel forgotten about!
So without further ado, I am going to {attempt to} document the remaining weeks of this pregnancy!
So without further ado, I am going to {attempt to} document the remaining weeks of this pregnancy!
Week and day: 34 weeks, 2 days
Belly Button in or out: Still in. It always stays in. It's never NOT been in. I don't expect that to change.
Wedding rings on or off: Still on! I really haven't had any noticeable swelling during this pregnancy, so that's awesome!
Food cravings: As if I'm allowed fun pregnancy cravings with the wonderful insulin-controlled gestational diabetes... Ugh! But it hasn't stopped me from craving cake, cookies, donuts, brownies... basically any sort of baked good or dessert. It's such a terrible life I'm living! haha! Thankfully, I don't give into those cravings very often at all. And if I do, I'm always sure to push several units of insulin beforehand! For the most part, though, I'm super happy staring down a ginormous bacon cheddar burger with cheese curds, or a sizzling medium steak with some sautéed veggies. I'm not missing the potatoes (baked, french fried, mashed, etc.) as much as I thought I would. But I AM missing the cereal and milk LIKE IT'S MY JOB!!!
Food aversions: None.
Nausea: None! Hurray!!
Energy level: My energy level continues to be relatively solid! This is good, considering I am 34 weeks pregnant in my very late 30s. Go, me! :)
Weight gain: It hasn't been too bad! I haven't been paying a TON of attention to the number because it's just that: a number. As long as it isn't creeping up into crazytown, I'm good. I did happen to notice at my appointment today that I have only gained 4 lbs. over the past 2 months. And I'm quite certain at least 1 lb. of that went to the baby, so, I'm pretty content with 3 lbs. in 2 months!! ;)
Mood: Super excited... somewhat apprehensive. I still have a LOT to get done before he arrives, and it seems I'm crossing items off that list slower than I'd like. The ridiculous sunburn I'm still recovering from may have something to do with that. (ugh)
Maternity clothes: 24/7. Because, really.
Size of baby: According to BabyCenter, this week he now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (about the size of a cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long.
Next appointment: I had an OB appointment this morning to do a biophysical profile ultrasound (BPP) and see the doc, and have another appointment on Friday to do the same thing again. Basically, I'll be going twice a week from now on until delivery day.
What I've been up to: I have been recovering from an INSANELY ABSURD sunburn from our Hilton Head vacation last week. It's been 9 days and my shins are still glowing red, sore to touch, and swell up when I stand for too long. UGH. I spent 3 straight days in bed last week, and was barely functional for my birthday on Saturday, but made some solid improvement on Sunday. It was a SUPER busy day with my sweet LO's baptism!!! (post coming soon), lunch with the family, and a photography session that evening. I was shocked I made it through everything! Yesterday was a long day as well, capped off with an awesome Diaper Shower with my lovely CC mamas, but I paid the price when I got home just after 10 PM. My ankles were swollen bigger than I have EVER seen them in all of my life. Obviously I need to give my slow-recovering self more time to slowly recover from that sunburn!
Arrival plan: The game plan is to schedule an induction at 39 weeks, which is exactly what I've done with my previous three, so no surprises here! I'm looking at June 13th as a possible date, assuming there is room in Labor & Delivery at the hospital. That is 35 days away, people. THIRTY-FIVE DAYS!!! I'm so excited but I'm trying to enjoy every second since this is our last time going through this process.
I had planned to include a picture of my 34 weeks pregnant self, but I'm pretty much just too lazy to make that happen at 11:43 PM. I'll do better next week -- I promise! ;)
Arrival plan: The game plan is to schedule an induction at 39 weeks, which is exactly what I've done with my previous three, so no surprises here! I'm looking at June 13th as a possible date, assuming there is room in Labor & Delivery at the hospital. That is 35 days away, people. THIRTY-FIVE DAYS!!! I'm so excited but I'm trying to enjoy every second since this is our last time going through this process.
I had planned to include a picture of my 34 weeks pregnant self, but I'm pretty much just too lazy to make that happen at 11:43 PM. I'll do better next week -- I promise! ;)
Baby Shower for #4!
I'm several weeks overdue on sharing this post, but these days, I'm totally okay with the "better late than never" cliché.
On April 6th, my dearest and closest friend, along with my amazing mother, threw an incredible baby shower to welcome baby #4! It was so beautiful and I couldn't help but take a TON of pictures throughout the evening. There were so many special touches that made this such a memorable night! I couldn't be more grateful and blessed to have these two women in my life, and to have the opportunity to gather together with so many friends and family to enjoy delicious food and plenty of fellowship as we start to prepare for baby's arrival.
We had plenty of food, which included barbecue chicken and ribs, courtesy of hubs, and a huge spread of deliciousness, coordinated by my party co-hosts. We enjoyed our fellowship, delicious cake, and lots of adorable baby goodies!
Here's a recap in pictures...
Just look at the beautiful details!
Sweet baby boy!
Love the arrows!
So cute!
Love this verse!
Awwwwww!
Such a YUMMY cake! I seriously gave myself an extra shot of insulin to prepare for a big ol' slice of this deliciousness! And it was sooooooooo worth it!
How adorable is this?! I'm taking it to the hospital to put on our door in the recovery room. So sweet!
Just look at those tiny baby feet!!!!!! Awwww!!
It's not a party unless you get a few pics of the FOOD! hahahaha! So much yummy food!!
Lots of baby goodies! What an incredible blessing that my little one is loved so much already!
A MAJOR THANK YOU to my dear friend and my mama for such an incredible evening of celebration for baby #4! I'm so grateful and so blessed!!!
Keeping It OhSoVery Real
===I'll originally wrote this post several weeks ago, but stumbled across it tonight in my drafts, and figured I ought to post it if for no other reason that to serve as a reminder for me to reflect back on in the months and years ahead.===
Y'all. It's 4:32 PM as I'm starting to write this post, and I just woke up from a 3-hour Sunday afternoon nap. And it was heavenly! I wish I could say this has been the norm for me, now in my 3rd trimester with baby #4, but sadly, I haven't had quite as many nap opportunities as I'd like. Such a shame, no?
Today I felt compelled to share a little glimpse of what these past few days have taught me. In our Sunday School class this morning, we were asked, "Where did you see God show up this week?" It didn't take long for me to think of several of the ways He showed up in my life this week. My wheels started turning and I found myself compelled to write this post. So buckle up, friends! It's about to get real over here!
God has been working in my heart and life in a very specific way over the past year. And let me tell you -- He's had His work cut out for Him to get through to me in this specific area. Let's just say I have had a tendency to commit, commit, and overcommit myself -- in many areas -- and sometimes to my own detriment. Okay, in ALL areas. I love to serve. God created me with a servant's heart. And I feel He has gifted me in more ways than I am deserving of, which makes it even more apparent to me that I should live to serve Him and others by using those gifts. And for thirty-COUGH-something years -- definitely from my late teens until now -- I have done just that. Maybe with a few blips here and there where I might have turned down a service opportunity or two, but for the most part, living to serve. And loving every minute of it.
Just think about it. As a teenager, I had free time. As a young, single, working professional, I had free time. In spades. Even as a newly-married woman, and then a first-time mom, I still had time. And I didn't have to really even think about anything -- serving others was just part of who I was, who I'd been for so many years, and I never questioned it. I just did it. And I truly believe God blessed me and others through my efforts, and sometimes, even through my sacrifices.
Fast-forward a bit to last year. It's now 2016. I have been married over 10 years. I have 3 children. I am a full-time homeschool teacher, bearing (with God's help, and my husband's gracious support) the burden of my childrens' educations, a responsibility that I do NOT take lightly. My life continued to evolve and the demands for my time were beginning to spiral out of control.
So tell me: Which do you think would God honor more?
Let me give you just one (of MANY) examples: I never in a million years would have expected God to call me out of the Worship ministry at my church. I had served as a relatively integral part of our worship team--on piano/keys--for over 20 years. TWENTY YEARS, people. And I loved every. single. minute. of it. I had a purpose, and it was a good one! Helping to lead others to the Lord through worship was something I felt God just had to bless, right?
But at what cost?
This is where I get ohsovery real with y'all. It's something I haven't really shared with anyone, I haven't brought attention to it through facebook posts, and I definitely haven't blogged about here. But 2015 and 2016 brought the strongest and hardest marital struggles I had ever experienced. I'm not going to get into details here, but let's just say that my marriage was suffering. Like, really suffering. Satan had his grip on us and was throwing everything possible at us to pull us apart. I honestly can't even discuss this beyond what I've said already as I can't bring myself back to that place to talk about it. It's still too raw and too deep. But my point in mentioning it is this: I put my time and effort and energy into serving God through so many activities and commitments and various ways of volunteering within the church that I was no longer investing the time and energy in making my marriage a priority.
But I was still serving God, so He should bless me and my life, right?
WRONG.
I say all of this to say that sometimes, you HAVE to make a choice.
Y'all. It's 4:32 PM as I'm starting to write this post, and I just woke up from a 3-hour Sunday afternoon nap. And it was heavenly! I wish I could say this has been the norm for me, now in my 3rd trimester with baby #4, but sadly, I haven't had quite as many nap opportunities as I'd like. Such a shame, no?
Today I felt compelled to share a little glimpse of what these past few days have taught me. In our Sunday School class this morning, we were asked, "Where did you see God show up this week?" It didn't take long for me to think of several of the ways He showed up in my life this week. My wheels started turning and I found myself compelled to write this post. So buckle up, friends! It's about to get real over here!
God has been working in my heart and life in a very specific way over the past year. And let me tell you -- He's had His work cut out for Him to get through to me in this specific area. Let's just say I have had a tendency to commit, commit, and overcommit myself -- in many areas -- and sometimes to my own detriment. Okay, in ALL areas. I love to serve. God created me with a servant's heart. And I feel He has gifted me in more ways than I am deserving of, which makes it even more apparent to me that I should live to serve Him and others by using those gifts. And for thirty-COUGH-something years -- definitely from my late teens until now -- I have done just that. Maybe with a few blips here and there where I might have turned down a service opportunity or two, but for the most part, living to serve. And loving every minute of it.
Just think about it. As a teenager, I had free time. As a young, single, working professional, I had free time. In spades. Even as a newly-married woman, and then a first-time mom, I still had time. And I didn't have to really even think about anything -- serving others was just part of who I was, who I'd been for so many years, and I never questioned it. I just did it. And I truly believe God blessed me and others through my efforts, and sometimes, even through my sacrifices.
Fast-forward a bit to last year. It's now 2016. I have been married over 10 years. I have 3 children. I am a full-time homeschool teacher, bearing (with God's help, and my husband's gracious support) the burden of my childrens' educations, a responsibility that I do NOT take lightly. My life continued to evolve and the demands for my time were beginning to spiral out of control.
So tell me: Which do you think would God honor more?
Focusing my time and energy on my marriage, or spending time serving in one (okay, really, several) ministries?
Preparing homeschool lessons for my children, or spending hours as a volunteer photographer for my childrens' various activities?
Deepening my walk with the Lord through an immersive 3-day prayer and Bible study experience, or baking for 3 days straight to help raise money for a non-profit organization?Let me be clear: there are no WRONG ways to serve God. At least, that's what I believe. But sometimes, in all of the serving, in all of the giving, in all of the thinking you're doing the right things, God can show up in unexpected ways.
Let me give you just one (of MANY) examples: I never in a million years would have expected God to call me out of the Worship ministry at my church. I had served as a relatively integral part of our worship team--on piano/keys--for over 20 years. TWENTY YEARS, people. And I loved every. single. minute. of it. I had a purpose, and it was a good one! Helping to lead others to the Lord through worship was something I felt God just had to bless, right?
But at what cost?
This is where I get ohsovery real with y'all. It's something I haven't really shared with anyone, I haven't brought attention to it through facebook posts, and I definitely haven't blogged about here. But 2015 and 2016 brought the strongest and hardest marital struggles I had ever experienced. I'm not going to get into details here, but let's just say that my marriage was suffering. Like, really suffering. Satan had his grip on us and was throwing everything possible at us to pull us apart. I honestly can't even discuss this beyond what I've said already as I can't bring myself back to that place to talk about it. It's still too raw and too deep. But my point in mentioning it is this: I put my time and effort and energy into serving God through so many activities and commitments and various ways of volunteering within the church that I was no longer investing the time and energy in making my marriage a priority.
But I was still serving God, so He should bless me and my life, right?
WRONG.
I say all of this to say that sometimes, you HAVE to make a choice.
Sometimes, you HAVE to reevaluate your priorities.
Sometimes, you HAVE to say no.
For people like me, that's not an easy concept, and it's surely a difficult one to embrace. I'm reminded of the Old Testament, when Joshua spoke these words:
Am I keeping His commands when I say NO to taking on a large project for our homeschool co-op?
Am I serving Him with all my heart and with all my soul when I say NO to ((fill in the blank))?
Saying no is okay. It doesn't mean I don't love God. It doesn't mean I don't love others. It just means that I love my God, my husband, my family, and myself enough to do the RIGHT things at the RIGHT times. This season of life with three-going-on-four young children who demand so much of my time just isn't the right time for me to say yes to ALL.THE.THINGS. It just isn't. And that's okay!
It's taken me almost 10 years to figure that out.
It really is OKAY.
I love my husband. I love my children. And I want to be the VERY BEST wife and mother I can be. And that takes time. It takes commitment. It takes making my husband and kids a priority.
And I'm perfectly okay with that.
So please know that yes, I love to help. I love to serve. And I love to be God's hands and feet to make a difference in the lives of those He calls me to serve. But please also know that God can (and has and will!) honor my choice to say no sometimes so I can ensure my focus continues to be on Him and His plans for my life and my family.
Please also know that I'm not at all saying that you shouldn't volunteer in your church, find a place to serve with your children's various activities, take a meal to a friend in need, start a Bible study, etc... I just want to remind you that you should evaluate your priorities and try not to take on TOO much.
I know this was a long read and for those that made it this far, thank you! I am hopeful that this post has been an encouragement to one (or more!) who needed to hear it. Sometimes we need to be reminded that it's okay to say no, because taking on too much can come with too great a cost. And I don't believe that is how God has called us to live.
[[steps down from soap box]]
"But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul." {Joshua 22:5}Am I loving God and walking in obedience to Him when I say NO to taking on a volunteer commitment for a church ministry?
Am I keeping His commands when I say NO to taking on a large project for our homeschool co-op?
Am I serving Him with all my heart and with all my soul when I say NO to ((fill in the blank))?
Saying no is okay. It doesn't mean I don't love God. It doesn't mean I don't love others. It just means that I love my God, my husband, my family, and myself enough to do the RIGHT things at the RIGHT times. This season of life with three-going-on-four young children who demand so much of my time just isn't the right time for me to say yes to ALL.THE.THINGS. It just isn't. And that's okay!
It's taken me almost 10 years to figure that out.
It really is OKAY.
I love my husband. I love my children. And I want to be the VERY BEST wife and mother I can be. And that takes time. It takes commitment. It takes making my husband and kids a priority.
And I'm perfectly okay with that.
So please know that yes, I love to help. I love to serve. And I love to be God's hands and feet to make a difference in the lives of those He calls me to serve. But please also know that God can (and has and will!) honor my choice to say no sometimes so I can ensure my focus continues to be on Him and His plans for my life and my family.
Please also know that I'm not at all saying that you shouldn't volunteer in your church, find a place to serve with your children's various activities, take a meal to a friend in need, start a Bible study, etc... I just want to remind you that you should evaluate your priorities and try not to take on TOO much.
I know this was a long read and for those that made it this far, thank you! I am hopeful that this post has been an encouragement to one (or more!) who needed to hear it. Sometimes we need to be reminded that it's okay to say no, because taking on too much can come with too great a cost. And I don't believe that is how God has called us to live.
[[steps down from soap box]]
Saturday, February 4, 2017
20 Weeks!
On Monday, January 30th, we had our 20 week full anatomy ultrasound for baby #4 to make sure everything looked good. Our ultrasound tech was awesome and talked us through everything. We, of course, started with baby boy's heart and the first thing we clearly saw was FOUR CHAMBERS! Praise the Lord!!! The tech continued to check all of the standard "stuff" and everything. looked. perfect.
It was so good to see baby "Rufus" -- did I mention that's what we're calling him until we decide on his actual name? hahahahaha! -- and to get a positive report from our beloved Perinatologist! We go back to see him at 26 weeks. He plans for me to have my glucose test at 24 weeks (usually it's scheduled at 28 weeks) so we can see if I'm going to go ahead and jump on the Gestational Diabetes bandwagon again this time around as I did with E's pregnancy. The odds are ever in my (unfortunate) favor that I will, and of course we'll want to start monitoring it sooner rather than later. #nomorecake #nomorecaramellobars
I can just hardly believe I'm half-way through this pregnancy already! I'm getting more and more anxious to meet this little guy. There's so much to do before his arrival, though, so I'm thankful to still have another 19 or so weeks ahead of me!
{{{ We're having a healthy baby boy!!!!!!!!!! }}}
It was so good to see baby "Rufus" -- did I mention that's what we're calling him until we decide on his actual name? hahahahaha! -- and to get a positive report from our beloved Perinatologist! We go back to see him at 26 weeks. He plans for me to have my glucose test at 24 weeks (usually it's scheduled at 28 weeks) so we can see if I'm going to go ahead and jump on the Gestational Diabetes bandwagon again this time around as I did with E's pregnancy. The odds are ever in my (unfortunate) favor that I will, and of course we'll want to start monitoring it sooner rather than later. #nomorecake #nomorecaramellobars
I can just hardly believe I'm half-way through this pregnancy already! I'm getting more and more anxious to meet this little guy. There's so much to do before his arrival, though, so I'm thankful to still have another 19 or so weeks ahead of me!
We're Having Another...???
As I mentioned yesterday, I've been a bit behind with posting here on my blog. So without further ado, let me share some exciting news we found out 4 weeks ago on Friday, January 6th.
The kids were rather adamant that we find out together whether we were having another baby brother or a baby sister. Hubs and I didn't want to bring the kids to our next scheduled ultrasound, which was January 30th, because it was the full anatomy scan with the Perinatologist and we didn't want the kids there in the event any issues were uncovered with the baby.
My other option was to schedule a gender reveal ultrasound at my OB office. This seemed like a good idea, but I didn't want to cram all of us in a tiny room for it. Plus, the kids had also decided that CAKE needed to be involved (these are awesome kids, I say!). So here's what I ended up doing:
- I scheduled the gender reveal ultrasound for Friday, January 6th. I went to the appointment alone, and asked the u/s tech to turn off my viewing monitor.
- Prior to the appointment, I stopped by a local bakery to order my own gender reveal cake. Weird, right? I gave them all of the details -- with the obvious exception of the color for the inside filling.
- At the end of my ultrasound, I gave the tech a card with the number to the bakery and asked her to call them with the results.
- I left the appointment, went by the bakery, picked up a pink and a blue balloon, and headed home.
At home, we gathered around the cake, turned on the video camera, and cut into that beautiful cake! Now, keep in mind that ALL of us were ((sorry baby #4)) TEAM GIRL. Even Chase and E. It was the cutest thing. But especially LO. And even I was completely convinced it would be a girl. You can just IMAGINE the SHOCK when hubs and I cut into the cake and saw lots and lots of blue filling.
I immediately looked at LO and she said she was disappointed, but she would still love him.
WHEW!
My sweet precious girl!
So there we go! The exciting news of baby #4!
Here's a little glimpse of my sweeties patiently waiting for the big reveal...
And I just had to share this one of Chase. He's so crazy. And so big!! And so into Pokémon (No more Mario!! Can you believe all that you've missed with my lack of blog posts??).
Friday, February 3, 2017
Catching Up... Again
Who drops a "We're having another baby!" bomb on their blog and lets almost TWO MONTHS go by without so much as a single word or update?
((points at herself))
-------} THIS GAL! {-------
I mean, really, this blog has been my outlet to the world, my public journal, my brain dump onto proverbial paper, since June 3, 2008. I did the math. That's going on NINE years, folks. For nine years, I have shared {almost} every detail of the many happenings in mine and my family's lives.
Spoiler alert: Having 3 kids done totally messed me up! At least from a blogging standpoint (and probably many other standpoints as well, but we won't get into all of that now). Anywho, I realized after E was born that I didn't find as much time for blogging. Was being a parent to three kids really that different from two?
But further unofficial research also uncovered the fact that I DID, in fact, find time for Facebook. Lots and lots of time for Facebook. All of my time: Facebook. Sure, I love the social aspect of it, but it's not very useful for journaling. For record-keeping. For brain-dumping. All of the things my blog has always been for me.
With that in mind, I'm going to try a little experiment. I am going to -- wait for it! -- DELETE the Facebook app from my phone.
((pause for audible GASPS))
That's right! I've heard it's possible to do this. I mean, I certainly don't have any experience with it. I certainly can't recall a time in my life during which I didn't have the Facebook app on my cellular device. I'm thinking it's quite possible I may lose touch with the millions (LOL) of people I connect with daily. But it's worth it to me.
Why?
Because my family is more important.
There. I said it. That's it! That's my reasoning! Less time on the Facebook app on my phone should, in my calculations, result in more time with my family. Like, time that I'm really THERE with them, ya know? Not watching-the-latest-Marvel-giphy-on-my-iPhone-while-my-daughter-shares-a-crucial-life-changing-moment-she-experienced-before-breakfast kind of there. See the difference?
The other side of my decision will hopefully result in more blog posts! I know that sounds so 1997, but I love reading through posts from years ago and reliving the experiences our family has shared. In fact, just today I realized there were several blanks in E's 1st year baby book, and I felt like a terrible mommy! However, I jumped onto my blog here and was able to rediscover those special milestones with E... first tooth, first time rolling over, first time crawling, first time walking... so many special times! And it was all right here. On my blog. Perfect.
So keep an eye out for more posts from me here. And pictures, too! And fun announcements. And more baby milestones.
I'm happy to be "back."
((points at herself))
-------} THIS GAL! {-------
I mean, really, this blog has been my outlet to the world, my public journal, my brain dump onto proverbial paper, since June 3, 2008. I did the math. That's going on NINE years, folks. For nine years, I have shared {almost} every detail of the many happenings in mine and my family's lives.
Spoiler alert: Having 3 kids done totally messed me up! At least from a blogging standpoint (and probably many other standpoints as well, but we won't get into all of that now). Anywho, I realized after E was born that I didn't find as much time for blogging. Was being a parent to three kids really that different from two?
But further unofficial research also uncovered the fact that I DID, in fact, find time for Facebook. Lots and lots of time for Facebook. All of my time: Facebook. Sure, I love the social aspect of it, but it's not very useful for journaling. For record-keeping. For brain-dumping. All of the things my blog has always been for me.
With that in mind, I'm going to try a little experiment. I am going to -- wait for it! -- DELETE the Facebook app from my phone.
((pause for audible GASPS))
That's right! I've heard it's possible to do this. I mean, I certainly don't have any experience with it. I certainly can't recall a time in my life during which I didn't have the Facebook app on my cellular device. I'm thinking it's quite possible I may lose touch with the millions (LOL) of people I connect with daily. But it's worth it to me.
Why?
Because my family is more important.
There. I said it. That's it! That's my reasoning! Less time on the Facebook app on my phone should, in my calculations, result in more time with my family. Like, time that I'm really THERE with them, ya know? Not watching-the-latest-Marvel-giphy-on-my-iPhone-while-my-daughter-shares-a-crucial-life-changing-moment-she-experienced-before-breakfast kind of there. See the difference?
The other side of my decision will hopefully result in more blog posts! I know that sounds so 1997, but I love reading through posts from years ago and reliving the experiences our family has shared. In fact, just today I realized there were several blanks in E's 1st year baby book, and I felt like a terrible mommy! However, I jumped onto my blog here and was able to rediscover those special milestones with E... first tooth, first time rolling over, first time crawling, first time walking... so many special times! And it was all right here. On my blog. Perfect.
So keep an eye out for more posts from me here. And pictures, too! And fun announcements. And more baby milestones.
I'm happy to be "back."
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Big News!
We are so very thrilled!!! And, I feel inclined to mention, this was completely intentional! I'm the youngest of four kids, and two of my sisters have four kids, so it's totally our norm! We always considered the idea of one more after E, and the time finally seemed right! We can't wait to meet this newest little one!
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Chase's 7th Birthday!
First up? The invitation! Simple and fun!
I was proud of the Lloyd (from LEGO Ninjago) cake I made. Lots of fondant (side note: did you know fondant is basically just marshmallows and powdered sugar? whoa.). I continue to learn about making and working with fondant every time I cover a cake with it, and this one was no exception! Chase requested a chocolate cake with cookies & cream buttercream filling, and he wanted it to look like Lloyd, his favorite character from the show. I did my best! :)
A few fun party accents: the LEGO Duplo napkin holder:
The LEGO utensil holder:
I let Chase choose the entire menu for his party. It will come as no surprise he picked a wide variety of healthy choices from across the food pyramid.
Ya, right.
Let's see... fruit snacks!
Granola bars!
Cheese puffs!
Fruit (finally something healthy)!
Veggie tray.
And of course, M&Ms.
Beverages were simple and included lemonade and bottled water.
Some of the lovely party decor, compliments of LO! I especially loved her Lloyd made from crape paper!
Outside, hubs had put together a Ninja Obstacle Course in the backyard for the party guests to enjoy. Chase LOVED it!
Practicing his ninja star throwing skills.
Such determination!
Go, Ninja Chase!
Time to sing and have cake! Love the big smile on this boy's face!
Make a wish, sweet boy!
Naturally, he loved opening his presents after the food, fun, and cake!
A special birthday decor addition from LO introducing all of the ninja!
What a wonderful day we had! We are so very blessed to have this amazing, incredible boy in our family! We love him SO much!! He is such a blessing... I just can't even put it into words!
Happy 7th Birthday, Chase!!!!!
Friday, September 9, 2016
An Open Letter to the Moms of the Girls on the Softball Team My Husband Coaches
Dear Moms of the Girls on the Softball Team My Husband Coaches,
Even though our season just began last week, and we’ve only played two games, and still have ten more games to go, I feel it necessary to help you help yourself be a gracious human being by sharing the gems of advice below:
- Please do not permit your daughter to arrive at a game with bronchitis. We appreciate you telling us that she loves the game that much — to show up with back pain and her chest on fire — but we aren’t interested in forfeiting the rest of our season because all of our players mysteriously contracted bronchitis. Boundaries can be a helpful parenting tool.
- If your daughter has been upset and in tears late into the night because she didn’t get to play her preferred position(s) in a game, that is not my husband’s fault. You need to help her learn to adjust her expectations. With 12 players on a team, you should have expected this. It’s called rotation, and it will happen a LOT this season. Please adjust your daughter’s expectations accordingly.
- Yes, you are correct: My husband does sacrifice a lot of time coaching our team. However, he cannot be expected to teach your daughter everything she needs to know to be an outstanding softball player in only 3 short practices. Parents should anticipate the need to practice with their daughters at home if they are interested in improving their softball skills. Even if they have been playing since they were 4, there’s always room for improvement.
- I’m sorry if your daughter’s confidence was so shaken by her position toward the bottom of the batting order in a particular game that she could not connect with the ball when she was at bat. Please see #3 above. Please also recall the previous game where she was one of the first 3 at bat, which resulted in the same outcome. Numbers don't seem to be the issue here.
- Regarding your daughter being heartbroken at the thought of not playing for an inning: We are talking about ONE inning. Because we have 12 players. And can only have 10 (sometimes 11) on the field at a time. And again, this will also rotate throughout the season. It will impact all of the players. Everyone’s daughter (including our own) will rotate throughout the season, and chill on the bench for a single inning. This is called life.
- Let me remind you: We’ve played only TWO games this season. Apparently you have not provided my husband with an adequate opportunity to demonstrate to you that players will rotate field positions as well as batting order during our remaining TEN games. I’m confident that even though it’s been hard on you to watch your daughter suffer so terribly, she will have plenty of opportunities to play her desired position(s) and bat right smack dab at the top of the order. Trust me. My husband knows numbers, and he knows how to be fair.
- We’ve had 3 practices and 2 games. While we appreciate your daughter’s desire to show that she is a good player, if it were in fact true, it would have already been demonstrated by now.
- Do let us know what you expect my husband to do when the other 10 players’ moms send him an email asking him to consider giving their child more opportunities on our team. I’m curious to know exactly how he is supposed to appease All. The. Moms.
- Thank you for asking but no, there is nothing you can do. My husband won’t be persuaded into giving your daughter preference over his other 11 players. All of these girls deserve the same opportunities, and will receive the same opportunities. See #8 above.
Sincerely,
The Wife of Your Daughter’s Softball Coach
Thursday, August 18, 2016
Back to HOMESchool!
I'm so excited! We still have a few weeks of summer left, which we plan to wholeheartedly enjoy with plenty of trips to the pool, the movies, the museum, the park... lots of play dates and fun still ahead!
BUT... we've also officially started our THIRD year of homeschooling! LO is now in 4th Grade and my sweet Chase is now in 1st Grade! And of course my littlest one, E, is in Pre-Pre-K -- haha!
It's been a great start to school... once I was finally able to get my classroom in order! I'm such a neat freak and have such insanely ridiculous OCD tendencies that it seriously must take me about 12 times longer to do a few simple things than your average person. I seriously have issues. But at least I admit it, right?? ;)
So I took a few minutes today to take a few pictures of my classroom now that it's (A) clean and (B) set up for our new year. I know it won't stay this clean and organized for more than a fewdays hours, so I had to document it while it wasn't embarrassing!
I haven't edited the kids' first day of school pics yet, but I hope to share those really soon!
Enjoy a little glimpse of our Home Sweet Homeschool!
First up: The reason I do what I do. These three are my heart.
This year we will be focusing on learning to tell time on analog clocks, so I decided to hang one above our white board.
I'm not afraid to reward hard work with candy, so here ya go! Skittles are also super helpful with our math games! Yum.
I love my rolling cart from IKEA! I'm using it as individual bins for the three kiddos. Can you guess which one belongs to each kid? Shocker: You may notice -- Chase is phasing out his Mario addiction!
I love organized, color-coded paper. Special props to LO for her mad sorting and organizational skills!
LOVE artwork by LO. Such a fun addition to our schoolroom.
Classical Conversations timeline cards! We love these things!! And I'm madly in love with them in these binders!
And all the organizing Type A OCD folks unite in glorious song! Check out these art supplies, my friends!
{{deeply inhales}} Breathe it all in, folks. The glorious goodness of organized Crayola. Is there anything better?
Lots of art supplies! I may be hating myself for this later, but last year I kept all of the art supplies out of sight in my homeschool cabinet. The kids (LO) were constantly getting into it and (LO) leaving the door open and (LO) making it a disorganized mess and (LO) never putting things away, so I decide to embrace their (LO's) huge love of all things crafty and create an art center right in the middle of our schoolroom in plain sight. I'm hoping I'll have the ability to keep an eye on E to make sure these don't end up drawing on walls, curtains, furniture, etc., but we'll have to wait and see!
I'm literally in love with these storage canisters from Oriental Trading of all places. Math games beware! We are stocked in the ping pong ball, marble, and math die categories! Bring on the fun!
Whew. This one is gonna be a biggie this year! LO will be adding Essentials afternoon classes with our morning Foundations classes with Classical Conversations. I don't know a thing about it yet, but I did know enough to basically leave an entire bookshelf free for all of the materials we'll be using. :)
I decided to add a few things on the walls this year -- just for fun! LO & Chase already know the Presidents, and LO knows all of the states and capitals (assuming she remembers them all from when I taught them to her in 2nd grade), while Chase knows all of the states. I guess it's time to start teaching E his US geography now!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this ginormous laminated map I hung up outside of our pantry (there was no room for it in our schoolroom). I found it at Hobby Lobby for like $9.99 I think -- but I used their 40% off coupon and it was literally the best homeschool purchase ever! I'm excited to start working on our European geography this year!
Never one to shy away from the camera, I had to include a goofy pic of my silly E! This pretty much sums up how I feel about finishing the prep work for a new year of homeschooling, knowing that all of my hard work will soon be destroyed by eager little learners! I couldn't be more thrilled!!
BUT... we've also officially started our THIRD year of homeschooling! LO is now in 4th Grade and my sweet Chase is now in 1st Grade! And of course my littlest one, E, is in Pre-Pre-K -- haha!
It's been a great start to school... once I was finally able to get my classroom in order! I'm such a neat freak and have such insanely ridiculous OCD tendencies that it seriously must take me about 12 times longer to do a few simple things than your average person. I seriously have issues. But at least I admit it, right?? ;)
So I took a few minutes today to take a few pictures of my classroom now that it's (A) clean and (B) set up for our new year. I know it won't stay this clean and organized for more than a few
I haven't edited the kids' first day of school pics yet, but I hope to share those really soon!
Enjoy a little glimpse of our Home Sweet Homeschool!
First up: The reason I do what I do. These three are my heart.
This year we will be focusing on learning to tell time on analog clocks, so I decided to hang one above our white board.
I'm not afraid to reward hard work with candy, so here ya go! Skittles are also super helpful with our math games! Yum.
I love my rolling cart from IKEA! I'm using it as individual bins for the three kiddos. Can you guess which one belongs to each kid? Shocker: You may notice -- Chase is phasing out his Mario addiction!
I love organized, color-coded paper. Special props to LO for her mad sorting and organizational skills!
LOVE artwork by LO. Such a fun addition to our schoolroom.
Classical Conversations timeline cards! We love these things!! And I'm madly in love with them in these binders!
And all the organizing Type A OCD folks unite in glorious song! Check out these art supplies, my friends!
{{deeply inhales}} Breathe it all in, folks. The glorious goodness of organized Crayola. Is there anything better?
Lots of art supplies! I may be hating myself for this later, but last year I kept all of the art supplies out of sight in my homeschool cabinet. The kids (LO) were constantly getting into it and (LO) leaving the door open and (LO) making it a disorganized mess and (LO) never putting things away, so I decide to embrace their (LO's) huge love of all things crafty and create an art center right in the middle of our schoolroom in plain sight. I'm hoping I'll have the ability to keep an eye on E to make sure these don't end up drawing on walls, curtains, furniture, etc., but we'll have to wait and see!
I'm literally in love with these storage canisters from Oriental Trading of all places. Math games beware! We are stocked in the ping pong ball, marble, and math die categories! Bring on the fun!
I {heart} organizing!
Whew. This one is gonna be a biggie this year! LO will be adding Essentials afternoon classes with our morning Foundations classes with Classical Conversations. I don't know a thing about it yet, but I did know enough to basically leave an entire bookshelf free for all of the materials we'll be using. :)
I decided to add a few things on the walls this year -- just for fun! LO & Chase already know the Presidents, and LO knows all of the states and capitals (assuming she remembers them all from when I taught them to her in 2nd grade), while Chase knows all of the states. I guess it's time to start teaching E his US geography now!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this ginormous laminated map I hung up outside of our pantry (there was no room for it in our schoolroom). I found it at Hobby Lobby for like $9.99 I think -- but I used their 40% off coupon and it was literally the best homeschool purchase ever! I'm excited to start working on our European geography this year!
Never one to shy away from the camera, I had to include a goofy pic of my silly E! This pretty much sums up how I feel about finishing the prep work for a new year of homeschooling, knowing that all of my hard work will soon be destroyed by eager little learners! I couldn't be more thrilled!!
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