Saying Goodbye to 2 Under 2

Even before I took the test, I was scared. In fact, I didn’t want to take a pregnancy test the first week, because I knew it would be positive and I wasn’t ready to accept that yet. Dorothy was just turning 8 months old and I was pregnant again? She’d be 15, going on 16 months and I would be starting over? Would I survive??

As Jacob just turned 8 months, and is speed-crawling, climbing and wanting mom constantly, it’s not hard to see why, in my inexperience, I was terrified of taking on two. But here I am, on the brink of Dorothy’s 2nd birthday (Oct. 16) wondering where time is going. 2-under-2 is coming to a close. 

I knew in the end I wouldn’t be able to imagine it any other way, but it’s not just that I cannot imagine life without Jacob; I cannot imagine having kids further apart in age. I’m probably crazy and I’m not saying it’s easy by any means. I’m lucky to have 20 minutes on a given day where they are both in bed at the same time, but seeing the relationship form between these two already--so strong when Dorothy isn’t even 2--is a gift beyond measure. And as “crazy” as life is, is it actually crazy? Or are these the simplest days of my life aside from my own childhood in Clan Valley? 

Today was a perfect example of the “crazy simplicity” that is my life right now. It was just the three of us all day at Broch Tuarach. Jake woke early, but I lured him back to sleep for some extra slumber myself; however, an hour later, the cries Po-Dot woke not just me, but little brother as well. I’m not a morning person, but we muddle through. Jacob is perky. Dot is grumpy until she gets food. I am grateful husband has the coffee hot and ready for me.

Jacob takes a mid-morning snooze while Dorothy “helps” me fold laundry. When jabber comes over the monitor Lou says, “Jake’s awake!” and heads for the stairs yelling, “We’re coming Ja-ake!” Playtime upstairs while I try to do a few things and then we head back downstairs. 

After the morning nap things are always up in the air. Today’s memorable adventure was using suspenders, blue painters tape, construction paper and cardboard boxes to make a wearable dump truck. We ate a bit of lunch before Dorothy found her “silky” and paci and announced, “Want to take a rest." She acted tired, so I took her upstairs. I was hopeful but no luck. I heard lots of thumping and talking for the next hour. Finally, I checked in to find a smelly room because she’d (in her potty) gone poop. I wouldn’t want to sleep in that stink either! (She’d also pulled down her curtains for the 2nd day in a row.) I cleaned up, opened the window for fresh air and left her to “rest” again. At this point, Jacob was tired. Lucky for me, he went down easy. For about 10 minutes I thought I was clear and both were asleep… But Po’s jabber began again…eventually becoming loud. Not long and Jake was crying. I’d lost the nap battle.

So up again and we headed to the front porch to enjoy the perfect fall weather: swing time for Po and in the walker with Jake. Then we loaded up the Radio Flyer wagon for Jake’s first ride. We didn’t go far… To the Greystone coral barn and back with a few pit stops to play with HokaHey. However, by the time we were back to Lallybroch’s front porch, it was 4pm and the missed naps were rearing their ugly heads. 

I hadn’t let Jacob eat the rocks in the driveway and that’s really what set it off for him. Dorothy just wanted “a snack, a snack” even though she’d been eating the entire walk. She chilled out watching "Daniel Tiger", so I tried to begin supper, accomplishing bits at a time between Jacob outbursts. I had to hold him to get him to eat his supper—even then he decorated my hoodie with beet puree and cried to the point of nearly choking himself. 

With a snotty nose, a dirty dinner face and the outside play, I opted for a bath for Jacob (knowing Dorothy would insist on getting in as well). I thought this might bring some relief. They usually have a blast. But today Dorothy wanted all of the toys. I insisted she share. She cried. After about 90 seconds of crying, Jacob joined in. He didn’t stop. It was a short bath and I won’t attest to them being much cleaner afterward. 

I accepted the fact I had to either hold Jacob or be within his reach the rest of the night and that Dorothy would be fine if I was joining her play. I’d gotten dinner 60% of the way done and that felt like an accomplishment. I waited and  took Jacob to bed promptly when Jon got home, thinking this would keep Lou from screaming while putting him to sleep. It did not. I heard Jon bring her to her room for bed just before I laid sleeping Jake in his crib. She was exhausted. We read her stories. “Time to say prayer,” she said afterwards. We did. Said good night. Both kids out by 7:30.

Sure, sometimes I don’t get any time for myself (don’t ask how I manage to get CD done!) and sometimes two kids seem to constantly need Mama. But I can’t help but my find myself in awe of the fact these kids allow me to live so simply again. I get to pull a wagon around and purposefully seek out the sights, sounds and smells of nature. I get to rediscover the joys of a somersaults and sliding and ponder the mysteries of the moon and stars. Soon enough it will be school, practices and events keeping me from getting supper fixed and an entire day in the Valley will be rare.  

I know there is much to look forward to in their growing up, but I already get sad thinking about today's simple joys that I will one day all too soon miss. They are a treasure beyond words and the fact I am already experiencing it with not just one, but two kids is incredible; two little souls I am seeing form a lifelong bond before my very eyes. That love I witness in them is so pure and the true essence of God’s existence.

Moments Not Forgotten

It's the first month of two under two... Every moment is special. I'm so grateful for Jacob's laid back personality. (IE: He is not like Dorothy who cried LOTS and always needed walked around and bounced, didn't want to latch, destroyed my nipples, wouldn't take a pacifier, had a piercing cry...) and I cannot be prouder of my little girl, now a big sister. She is very patient with me and Jacob. Oftentimes when I am feeding him or rocking him, it's like she understands that he needs me. Not always (sometimes she is her standard 16-month old self), but many times this is when she will go off and play on her own, flip through book pages, push her shopping cart around, etc. and completely leave us be. 

• Be wary of what 'games' I teach Dorothy to play with Jacob at this point. I thought peek-a-boo would be fun when trying to occupy Dorothy while also rocking Jacob on my lap. I proceeded to cover his face with my hand, without touching his face, and then uncovering it saying "peek-a-boo!" Dorothy loved it... So much so, she thought she would do it herself...which resulted in her attempting to slap down on his face repeatedly... Oops....
• She loves helping change diapers. He hasn't been the biggest fan of diaper changes, and tends to cry... So now, whenever he begins to cry, she scurries to the spot in the living room where I lay him for changing downstairs and begins pulling out all of the changing stuff. (And by "all" I mean, she pulls out every diaper and item in the basket I have sitting there.
• She's wanted to hold him and there are not words for how adorable that is. Obviously I really hold him but she sits so still (you have no idea how abnormal that is for this child) and just looks down at him. Precious.

• She tries to offer him food... Anything from her water cup to green beans.
• She gets excited in the morning to come see him in the space pod (our name for the cradle-n-swing)... Almost as excited as she would get every morning during the Christmas season to run to that same spot and insist I turn the lights on. 

• She loved helping me bathe him. She gets a kick out of his little tub.... "Splish Splash" time is a favorite of hers anyway...
• She likes to mimic much of what I do with Jacob with her stuffed animals/dolls. She lays them out on the blanket I use on the floor to change Jacob... She puts them in the swing... She holds them against her chest to love on them when I'm carrying or burping Jacob. She just wants to be the best big sister!

• She loves Jacob's hats. Okay, so she loves hats and head gear in general--let's be honest. If she recognizes it as something to go on one's head, she wants to wear it. (And sometimes she wants to wear things as hats that are not hats at all...) She brings me Jacob's hats to put on his head...even when he is already wearing one. She also tries to wear them herself. (Her current favorite is actually one that was made for her last Christmas. It was crocheted and stretches so we make it work.) 

• She also likes to bring me bibs for Jacob or try to put them on him. Bibs are another thing she likes to wear herself--probably because she relates them to getting to eat (which she would do non-stop if we let her!) 
• Jacob watches her. I swear. I know his eyesight is still developing and not really clear yet, but I swear he knows her and is comforted by her presence. I think he knows her in a similar way that he knows me. He probably heard her crazy talk and noises throughout the time in the womb--she was always right there with me. And now that he is with us, he spends all day every day with both myself and Dorothy. 
• She gets upset when he gets upset. She doesn't like it when he cries. It's not like the crying noise bothers her specifically, but that she understands he is upset about something and she doesn't like that.
• Recently, Dorothy was playing near the "space pod" (swing) when Jacob was in it. In one moment all was fine, and the next I looked up and the thing was rocking at full speed side-to-side. Dot had him MOVIN'! Yikes! Although it didn't seem to phase the little guy one bit. 

They have a special connection already and I can just sense it. Maybe this is something every mother/parent feels of their children, but I see the way she has changed in the short weeks he's been here. I see how genuinely interested in him she is. I see his intrigue in her and when she is nearby. After finding out I was pregnant, I often prayed that at night their souls would meet; that in their sleep they would spend time together, coming to know one another, so that when they were here on this earth together, they'd already know each other and have a special bond. I still pray that their souls meet in times of slumber. 

To Contract or Not to Contract Out....

As an extreme penny pincher, the idea of building our house completely on our own--or at least doing our own contracting, was oh-so-tempting; however, a few items on the "Con" list of that idea eventually allowed getting a general contractor to win out... Some of those things were:

• The contractor would do all of the coordinating and that work load/headache would be off our plates.
• I felt the subcontracted jobs (Concrete, leveling, electric, plumbing, etc, etc.... the list goes on and on) would be much more responsive to and timely with a contractor they worked with regularly--and in turn brought them regular business--than to a random young couple who didn't know what they were doing. 
• We had a builder/contractor who was UNBELIEVABLY flexible in the way we wanted to approach building. He'd do as much as we wanted him to and let us do any part of it we chose. We could tell him WHO we wanted to do a certain job if we had a preference. We would pay as we went along--and he'd turn all of the actual invoices over to us to see the individual expenses. (Although we only had to write a check to him and he took care of the individual payments.)
• Ummm... We'd just had a baby... Yeah that was a big one.

Mingus talking with our GC.

I'm so glad we went with the decision we did... Although I am tracking exactly how all of the money is being spent. (Thanks to having every invoice and receipt.) Yes there are costs for the management of a GC, but my goodness, the payoffs are worth it!

• I'm glad I'm not having to call around about everything. With the winter being as cold as it was, we had some major delays...and I'm sure I would have had a heck of a time getting them to pour the foundation on a Saturday--when the occasion finally arose when it was warm enough to pour concrete. But you better bet they did pour on a Saturday thanks to the GC. 
• It's not just the headache/work of doing the coordinating. I honestly don't know how I could have had time. We'd probably barely be getting the house under roof if it'd been left up to us. Mingus works all day and has projects like his bees, bunnies, the garden (and on and on) when he is home. Me? Well, when I'm not keeping up with an infant/now 7 month old... I'm trying to keep the house is some sort of order AND get in the work-from-home jobs I'm trying to manage in order to keep our income where it needs to be.
• I hate making decisions! Just picking out paints and stains is hard enough--and there are so many detail decisions... Adding on top of that having to choose WHO was doing each job? I'd be second guessing myself the entire time--not to mention being torn between going with the "cheaper" option and the higher quality option... I trust our GC completely to send us teams that he would be comfortable with building his own house.
• I don't feel like I HAVE to be present for every project taking place. Someone else is making sure these guys find their way out here... Someone else deals with making sure the long tractor trailers can make it across our tiny bridges. Aaaannnnd...a big one....
• Someone else calls people back when they did something wrong. That's a good thing, because sometimes I can be too nice. Even though I'm paying these people money... AND this is the house I'm going to be in forever... AND changing things AS they build is a thousand times easier (and less expensive) than going back later to make changes... I still feel bad when I ask for a change on work that was already done or realize they did something differently than I requested. Half the time I find out it's an easy fix/change... 

Although contracting, we have chosen to take on certain jobs on our own--which I must say has really only been possible thanks to (Mingus's) family and friends. Most of the time I end up doing about 10% of the work--if that--because DL has my hands full. The things we have done ourselves include:

Exterior staining with the help of Mingus's parents. A MUCH easier job
to accomplish thanks to being able to use the GC's scaffolding.

• Sub-contracting our in-floor Pex for heated concrete.
• Locating, choosing and buying our outdoor wood furnace.
• Buying the metal for our roof
• Buying our windows and exterior doors
• Buying the chimney pipe for the indoor wood stove.
• Buying the paints, primers, stains, etc.
• Staining the wood exterior.
• Concrete staining (WHAT a project... more on that to come) 

We also plan to do all of the interior priming and painting as well as hanging the doors and putting up trim.   

We toyed with the idea of laying the in-ground pex ourselves, but I'm glad we
simply bough the pex and then sought out someone with experience.

In the end, I feel the expertise and efficiency has been well worth the money spent on not self-contracting. Another point I should make is, perhaps if either or both of us had any experience in home construction I would have leaned toward doing it ourselves, but we don't. Neither of us have ever even owned a home, so we are definitely noobs at every aspect. But with drywall ready to go up... I'd say we are quite pleased (and very excited!) about where things are at this point!

Friends taking in sunset with Mingus after a long day of cleaning--and
re-cleaning the concrete in preparation for staining.

Lists... Dot firsts | Home Building | Prayers

I am an avid list-maker... and since time is running short, this issue I’ll simply make a few lists:

Dorothy Lou Firsts

1. She had her longest road trip to date, going with Mom and Nana to North Carolina to visit her Great-Aunt Anne and Lorms family members.
2. She attended her first Juice Plus+ training and was quite a hit as a happy, healthy Juice Plus+ Babe!
3. She experienced her first major power outage in February. We took refuge at Greystone for 3 1/2 days, keeping warm, reading books and playing by candle light.
4. She got the devil scarred out of her! She was baptized at Sacred Heart Church with Holly Jo and Michael becoming her Godparents.
5. She had her first play date with Sadie Jo & Maya together; however they were all only 3 months old and did not do much playing at that point. Actually... Dorothy screamed...
6. Enjoying springtime in The Valley. We are so glad for the warm, sunny days and getting outside. It’s amazing the effects the fresh air has on her.

 Home Building things that are exciting & scary
1. Pouring foundation. A real sign of construction! ...But we put in radiant floor heat. Hopefully it’s right because there is no going back!
2. Walls going up. It looks just the way I envisioned when drawing and redrawing sketches... But NOW is the last chance for any changes...what might we regret?!
4. Moving on from one stage to another. Progress is exciting, but this tight wad sees the dollar signs rolling...eek!
5. Picking out paint and stain colors. I’ve always been a creative person, so coming up with color schemes is definitely fun, but there are so many options! What if when everything comes together it just looks like a hodge podge of colors? Paint doesn’t come cheap so I’m not looking to redo anything anytime soon.
6. Staining our concrete. There are so many cool looks this can provide, but the colors are so dependent on your concrete and every slab provides a different look--not like paint. And once you’ve stained it, there is no going back!
7. Cabinets for our kitchen. I’m excited to fill out our kitchen (since the downstairs is very open concept and it’s still hard to envision the kitchen exactly), but this is such an important room for us (ME!) what with loving to host, making home-cooked meals daily and preserving garden food regularly. The kitchen is definitely THE room I don’t want to have regrets about.

Things currently on my prayer list
1. The continued guidance on decisions about our home construction and the guidance of the workers actively taking part in its construction.
2. Alyx and Mr. Special K... for a safe delivery (for Mom and Baybo) in the coming month. I’m so excited to meet him and for Dorothy to have a little boy cousin to join in on games of dress-up!
3. The upcoming marriages of Ian & Robin and Boo & Kristen. While I look forward to the fun of their wedding days, I mostly pray that it be the beginning of a wonderful union, one in which God is very present.
4. Guidance as a mother. All praying mothers ask God for help in this special responsibility as well as the health of their child, but more specifically I pray:

• That I do all I can to guide this soul into becoming who it is God has planned, so she can best be on the path to achieve the tasks God has set out for her. I pray that our souls connect in our nightly slumbers so that we can better understand one another in our waking hours.
• That I am loving you as much as any child deserves. I’ve always known I wanted to be a stay at home Mom, but I am still doing certain work from home and I pray that I am not taking too much away from the most important job: being a Mother.

5. For our financial stability. People often say, “I wish I could afford to stay home” in reference to being a single-income family. The truth is, I don’t know if Jon and I can afford it. It’s scary. We are not wealthy by any means, but we’re following what we truly believe is God’s voice. We simply pray that we hear his calling and are doing what he would ask of us--whether that be for me to be at home or otherwise.
6. My Aunt Anne, her battle with cancer and her entire family. Such a special person in my life and my Uncle Kelly was gone far too soon. She still has such an important role to play in the life of her children and grandchildren, at least from my perspective. Of course, God is all-knowing and we trust in him.

Hey...Where did you go?

I originally wrote this post sometime in November 2013, but the craziness of new parenthood kept me from getting around to finalizing and posting it... I hopeful now, a month into 2014, my blogging will return to my life!
 
Oh, did you notice my sudden disappearance from the blogosphere? I bet you'll never guess as to why that might have happened...hmmm....

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BABY DOROTHY LOUISE ARRIVED!!

I won't go into the long details of those final weeks and days... There were definite signs in the final three weeks, like losing my mucous plug just before 38 weeks and I definitely had more Braxton Hicks contractions, but the first real ones came on Saturday evening, Oct. 12. They lasted several hours before stopping all together. Sunday was normal and we had our 39 week appointment on Monday Oct. 14. I was 1cm dialated that morning and around 3 p.m. that afternoon the contractions--very light-- started at about 12 minutes apart. From there they never stopped even though Dorothy ended up not being born until Oct. 16 at 11:40 p.m.! It was a long, long labor... the tough contractions really began Monday evening around 8 p.m. Living so far from the hospital we went up around midnight to check my status...over the hour they monitored me I went from 1 to 2cms and contractions were about 3-5 minutes apart. However, we did not get admitted and instead spent the next couple of hours wondering Walmart in attempt to move things along... Thank goodness it was the middle of the night with mainly just workers stocking shelves, because when my contractions hit I was quite a site to see!

Unfortunately for me, when we went back to the hospital, I had not progressed and the contractions, while more intense from my perspective, were further apart! At that point we went on home, but with the contractions so close I couldn't sleep... I just pushed through them the entire day and Mingus stayed home with me...trying to get the place cleaned up and what not, assuming the baby would be coming soon. At 4pm Tuesday we went back to the hospital, wanting to get checked again while our doctor was still in the office. Again, my progress was small...which was disheartening considering it had been over 24 hours of painful contractions and I hadn't been able to sleep. Instead of going home, thank goodness I have family that lives in town and I went to their house to walk for another few hours. In my next hospital trip, I had progressed to 3cms and contractions were close enough we went ahead and got admitted around 9 p.m. I stole a bite to eat first since I wouldn't be able to after the fact.  

From there it was still a long haul with no sleep and only candy and Popsicles for me to eat. Mingus did an excellent job helping me through the contractions as they got worse and worse but basically the little Peangling wasn't progressing enough. I got to 5cm and nothing changed no matter what the contractions were like and my water wasn't breaking. In the end we chose to have them break my water the next afternoon... I did progress then but only to 9cm. She was face-up so that may have had something to do with her inability to move on down. I tried all sorts of tricks to get her to turn and drop--all while in crazy amounts of pain with contractions lasting as long as 2 minutes and only a minute or so break in between. Mingus took a true beating from me and the nurses couldn't help but laugh at my "manners" throughout the process. (I was still saying 'please' and 'thank you' despite screaming it.) After so long, since my water was broken, we had to make a call and chose to get the epidural, as a C-section was the next option. (They couldn't let me go too long with my water broken due to risk of infection.) Our doctor's hope was that the epidural would be enough to relax my body and allow the contractions to move the Peangling on down. It really only gave me about 30 minutes of true relief (which was awesome after over 50 hours!) Either way, finally being able to push was great. Our doctor was amazing and able to get the Peangling to "flip" and be face down and after an hour or so of pushing she came out with a head full of hair! 7lbs 8 oz and 20 inches long.

Excited, but so exhausted. The process was so different from what I'd imagined. Even though we did not go 100% natural, I have no regrets. I know we did what was necessary when the time came and we were so grateful for a wonderful nursing staff during the entire process, as well as a doctor who did an excellent job guiding us through each step and decision. I never expected labor to be so long, and even though I knew labor would hurt... It was so much more than I could have imagined, especially with being so tired (no sleep for three days!) and hungry. I'm just so grateful for the great conditions, a wonderful husband that was there through the entire thing, and to have come out perfectly healthy myself as well as a perfect and beautiful little girl!

Baby Growth: Weeks 34, 35, 36 & 37

And we've made it full term!

This is really the last 4-week update post I can guarantee, since at this point it's just a matter of when this little munchkin wants to make it's grand appearance. (I know they say your first rarely comes early, but you really never know!) I'm just excited that October is officially underway, as I absolutely LOVE this month. You'd almost think I planned to make this baby month, but I swear I didn't. It's the same birth month of three of my very best friends... It's our anniversary month... And I've always loved Halloween... Not to mention it's the best month for fall. Definitely glad it'll be the month of our first baby!

Comfort: It's not getting "better" but in some ways it is. Maybe I'm getting used to it? That's not to say I'm liking having to practically roll and rock (not as cool as rock-and-roll) to get from one sitting or lying position to another), but my pelvic soreness is getting better. Either my bones are starting to settle or the chiropractic adjustments are working. My belly officially feels like a table top and I can't help but rest my hand on it most of the time. Swelling is hit and miss. I took my wedding rings off shortly after my last post after being warned that it's not unknown for people to have had to cut their rings off when they get too tight. They are now safely on a chain around my neck. (But I do miss them...) My feet swell a little everyday but sometimes its more obvious than others. For whatever reason my left foot swells much larger than my right.

Sleep: I'm actually sleeping better. I wake up for more potty breaks through the night, but I fall back asleep much quicker than I did at the beginning of this 4-week stretch. The insomnia was getting tough and for a period it would regularly take me 45 minutes to get to sleep. Glad that has past and hope it stays away! I've noticed, though, my fatigue level overall is increasing, even if I do get good, decent sleep. If I happen to wake up earlier than normal, or am out during the day, I feel completely exhausted. I'm trying to do a better job of getting off my feet regularly during the day and not overdoing it. I'm also trying to actual elevate my feet more when I sit down to rest.

Labor Signs: My Grammo has insisted I no longer use the riding mower (or I may just vibrate the babe right out!) Luckily the green growth is slowing down. I notice the Braxton Hicks contractions on a daily basis along with some other slight menstrual cramping but it's not anything regular. The frequency in a day's time is increasing but in no real pattern. I still feel movement from the babe but according to an ultrasound I had at 37 weeks it is head down, so hopefully it's settled down there until the big day arrives. This may sound odd, but I am actually getting more confident about going through labor and delivery the closer we get rather than getting more nervous about it.

Classes: We attended the hospital's breastfeeding class and got to meet the lactation consultant. I had done my research and reading on a lot of what they taught but hearing it again, having Mingus also hear it, and learning a lot of the norms, benefits, tips, etc. was really, really good. I know it will help reinforce what I go through when the time comes. I'm so glad we went. We also went to the final birthing class for a second time. We initially decided to re-attend for a refresher on the breathing and relaxation portion, but we actually got a lot out of the first part, which was the session with one of the pediatricians. Fun Fact: I found out after the fact, this particular doctor was actually one that treated my brothers and I when we were kiddos! He  covered different stuff from the previous pediatrician (whom we also liked) and it made us all the more comfortable with our pediatrician options.

Other things to note: We have very little left that we still need. Our car seat is in the car and I've finally put our clothes, towels, sheets, etc, through the wash. I'm in the process of prepping our cloth diapers. (Several wash & dry rounds to increase absorbency.) The nursery is more or less done but I just need to tidy up from the laundry loads. I've sort of started a hospital bag, but it's kind of more in my head than actually all in a bag. (Does that even count??) I had an ultrasound at 37 weeks that wasn't initially planned, but it was simply to check my fluid levels since the external measurement of my uterus at 36 weeks seemed small. As the doctor expected, the levels were fine (she suspected it had more to do with my small frame) and all is good on the inside.

Fun Happenings: It's been a busy several weeks, including two showers. (I'm behind and haven't gotten to post about them yet, but I promise, it's coming!) We had a fun mini-photoshoot that was not expected or planned. I got to spend time with a lot of my girl friends over the past month, knowing I may not have the luxury to get out with the girls in the coming months. I also treated myself to a pedicure and a final haircut. Jo and I are going to get together one final time next week to bump bellies (we hope in our next meeting we will be able to share a drink!) I saw Michelle a couple of weeks for one last belly picture together. Becky and I even got to see each other and talk babies when she visited (her due date is almost exactly a month after mine). Also, I'm oh-so-grateful, STILL, for Valto lending her maternity clothes...now that fall is upon us I'm able to dig back into her tub and find new fun stuff to wear!

Weeks 30, 31, 32 & 33
Weeks 26, 27, 28 & 29
Weeks 22, 23, 24 & 25
Weeks 18, 19, 20 & 21

An impromptu maternity shoot...sort of...

I had a fun little unexpected experience this past weekend. I ended up doing a mini-maternity shoot right here in our very own Valley!

Katy Sweeney-Wilson is someone I feel like I've known my entire life. Although we have never been close personal friends, our families and paths have been intertwined for years. Katy was a good friend of my older brother's, as she was a little ahead of him in school. Her mother was my eighth grade English teacher and her father led the youth leadership charge during my pre-teen/early teen years. He has since been mayor of our lovely, little town of Liberty. (He was one of the early non-family members to make calling me by my nickname, "Peat", okay!) Katy has always been a phenomenal dancer and worked with my group of Kentucky Junior Miss contestants when I was a senior in high school. That's just a snapshot of our many meetings over the years... That's life in a small town and you've got to love it!

It just so happens that my cousin, Ru, and her cousin were also married several years ago and now she and my cousin are co-workers at one of the local elementary schools and have become even closer friends because of it. Ru, like myself, has always been a lover of pictures and photography. She did most of her three children's photos herself through their wee years, but Katy, having kiddos of her own, has also developed a knack and enjoyment of photography. She's currently pursuing a small side business in photography on the weekends. She was visiting our property last weekend in order to do a shoot for Ru's family and one of them (not sure who!) thought it could be a great opportunity to add some maternity shots to her portfolio. 

I'm not exactly model material and I warned them that my chances of getting Mingus to clean up and be nice looking for a photo op on a perfectly beautiful Saturday (when he hasn't been home on a Saturday in five weeks!) were slim to none, but I was happy to do it. I did not plan to do any maternity photos, as purchasing my Canon Rebel was my investment in future family photography, so it was a nice excuse to let someone else have the creative eye and see what they came up with. Mingus was a sport about it. While he did not "get pretty" or even clean up... he did take a break from digging potatoes in order to help Katy out. Luckily the outdoor shots made his look seem to fit well.

She was relaxed and easy to work with--especially for someone like me who definitely feels far from "natural" on camera. She was also speedy on the turnaround for having photos for preview. She has a good eye for lighting and camera scope. I love what she was able to do with a natural environment and to use the natural light and colors.

Thanks for choosing me to be your maternity "guinea pig", Katy! 

**All photos taken, edited and owned by Katy Sweeney-Wilson

Baby Growth: Weeks 30, 31, 32 & 33

Eek! We're down to only 7 weeks to go? Really?? I don't know why but seven just seems so much shorter to me than eight. I guess because in the back of my mind there is such a reality that it actually could happen at any time--what with people having premies and all. 

Comfort: I admit, I'm getting more and more uncomfortable. The point of excitement about my growing belly has past--at least for me. Now I have to heave myself up from any position--out of the car, out of bed, out of chair. off the floor, etc, etc... A lot of times I have to do a round-about/roll-around to get to my feet. There is constant soreness down low, I suppose from my body adjusting and preparing for the Peangling to drop down. I tell myself that this pain is for my own benefit and will help make the delivery process smoother. My feet are definitely swelling more frequently. Luckily Mingus has treated me to some foot rubs, God love him! I sure do...

Sleep: I am also having more trouble sleeping. The pee-breaks aren't so much the problem. I do go but it's more just a matter of not being able to sleep.  I have some sort of acid reflex thing going on--except not from acidic food. It happens anytime I lay down... I feel like something is at the top of my throat ready to come up, so laying on my back is now out in addition to the stomach sleeping that was gone long ago. A lot of times laying on my sides doesn't even help the situation. Last night I finally gave up and read for an hour before trying to go back to sleep. 

Other things to note: My belly button is full-on outie. I know I'm still growing because of the fact I have to pull my belly back in order to even see all of my belly button. My once "extra big" t-shirts are now snug (See the week 33 photo...That shirt swallowed me at the beginning of the summer) and I'm resorting to rooting through Mingus's dresser drawers for comfy shorts and shirts. I'm trying to do some stretching and walking regularly to keep everything as loose as possible and to be ready for that "marathon" they call delivery. My once extra-loose rings now don't budge off my fingers. My belly periodically gets very hard, which I'm starting to think are the Braxton Hicks contractions but I'm not sure. 

Fun happenings: During the last four weeks we've had plenty of good things happen too. Activity continues pretty consistently. We had our second shower and we had our final ultrasound. We even got to see the little Peangling's face! All reports from the doctor's remain positive and I continue to show an earlier due date than originally projected. (Oct. 17 instead of Oct. 21) I was able to snag a few baby Mingus pictures from his family on our last visit so when the babe arrives I have a better idea what features it gets from its Pop. My cousin-in-law with two little girls passed on a lot of toys and gear she is now done with.  

Birthday: Mom gave me a great breastfeeding book for my birthday I know will be an excellent resource; however, I do still need to sign up for the hospital's course. Jon did a great job shoe shopping once again. At first he was going to get me some cute black Crocs, but then opted for these colorful and fun Keens. He too, at this point, has noted my swelling feet and legs and thought more supportive shoes would be a good idea--and they do feel great. (He's also been a gem and rubbed my feet/calves from time to time!)

Weeks 26, 27, 28 & 29
Weeks 22, 23, 24 & 25
Weeks 18, 19, 20 & 21

The Backyard Baby-Q!

August brought for another wonderful shower with family! We traveled to Newburgh where Mingus's parents and sister did an excellent job of bringing together both sides of his family as well as family friends for a wonderful evening barbecue. 

Rather than the traditional ladies-only afternoon shower complete with pastels and games and finger foods, we had a relaxing backyard barbecue that Mingus and I could both enjoy. We don't get to town a whole lot as is and even when we do we don't usually see a lot of the family. This gave both of us the opportunity to catch up with everyone in the family--well to some degree. Obviously there is only so much catching up you can do in an evening with that many people.

The food was absolutely amazing. His parents, sister, aunt and uncle all contributed to the food. It was a beautiful day--rather warm but their wonderful neighbor Peggy lent her outdoor furniture for the backyard, which had just perfect shading to keep everyone comfortable. Purple, green and yellow decor brightened the atmosphere.

We were blessed with many warm wishes, the opportunity to meet the newest member of the Harris family: Isabelle. She was only a week old and itty, bitty! We were given so many wonderful gifts as well. We are pretty much set with bathing necessities. We got fun books and toys as well. We were really excited to get the diaper bag we registered for, which is a chocolate brown and is actually a backpack style bag. Jon is the one who found it at Babies'R'Us when we registered and was equally pumped to have gotten it. 

We also got an extra fun gift we weren't expecting. It's a full-size red kiddo wagon with rubber wheels and everything. Obviously it's not something the Peangling can or will use right away (although I can imagine some great photo ops!) but any baybo/kiddo in the Valley needs a red wagon for growing up and I'm SO glad we have one now!

We're so blessed to have such wonderful family and especially to have them praying for us and excited and supporting us. Thanks to them for giving us a great celebration and a wonderful time with everyone. 

Oliver with baby Isabelle

The expectant ladies!

Mingus & Grandma Lily!

A scrunched up little face

There really is a baby in there!!

We had our final ultrasound last week. It was primarily for the doctors to get measurements and check on a few things that all is A-OK, but it also meant the opportunity to see our little baybo and to have the chance to take a glimpse at the face! 

All is good healthwise as far as they can tell, so we are grateful for that. My weight gain is good, the heartbeat is good, all looks good and it's up to about 4lbs--for what that's worth. It's still showing ahead of the original due date and leaning towards Oct. 17 rather than 21st, but that only means so much of course. It'll come when it comes!

It was a'movin' when we were there. It's foot was up near it's head and from the angle they had the picture it looked like it was sucking on its toes--bizarre! (It's already weird just like us!) It was also facing down with its face to my back (the way it should be) but it made getting a good face picture tricky. It had its hand blacking the face also. Luckily there were two ultrasound techs there and one was more experienced so she gave it a shot after the other lady had little lucky getting a good face shot and the second one actually got some great ones. 

I always think the 3D pictures look a little alien-like, but I guess it goes to show it's all a different story when it's your own baby! We were thrilled to see the little mouth and nose all scrunched up in there. I'd say it looks like me but that's just because I was so scrunched up looking in the face as a newborn--and I'd say any baby is going to look scrunched in the womb!

So grateful for continued good health and I pray I continued to do all the best things I can to help nurture this little soul!

Family Fun in Tipp City

There are millions of great things about family reunions but there are two particular things I love about our reunions with my Mom's Rousculp/King side of the family: the location and the kiddos.

Vita, Merrick, Carolyn, Mackenzie & Molly

If I were to ever dream of living anywhere besides the Valley, it would be in a town just like Tipp City, Ohio--and probably Tipp since I have family there. I'm sure part of it is the childhood memories of visiting my Grandma there since the beginning of my life, as well as hearing the stories from both of my parents of growing up in Tipp. Any time we visit it's almost as if they transport back in time and wave of energy from their youth fills their spirits. Every street corner and building is a memory and it's hard for them to go anywhere without STILL knowing someone.

The town itself is small but I have the joy of having three relatives own houses along main street--just before the railroad tracks that lead into the real "downtown" area of Main Street. My Uncle Mike has owned an old house on Main my entire life (I'm pretty sure) and my mom and sister actually lived in a house across the street for a time before moving to Kentucky. Just a few doors up is my cousin and her family of five--three little girls and her hubby. Then just about three years ago my other uncle--my Mom's other brother--bought another house on the street, which was actually where my Uncle Kelly (my mom's brother-in-law) grew up. (I told you: SMALL TOWN!) The houses are all so old and beautiful. It makes me SO jealous to not be able to afford to build a house with as much character as such houses used to have.

Since my grandma's passing in 2009 our gatherings have typically been at one of my uncle's houses since both have splendid porches to enjoy summer days. It also makes it hard for anyone in town who knows the family to miss the fact we are having a get together. It's never a surprise to have someone just drop-in when they see an event taking place. It's also easy, from either house, to take a stroll to downtown. Antique shops, boutiques, a great toy store, restaurants, the public library and great coffee shops all line the picturesque streets. Maybe it's just me but it feels like something from a movie. 

The more recent great thing about our gatherings is the ever-growing number of kiddos present. The family had an explosion of girls several years back, so there are always lots of pig tails running about. Since then we've added some boys to the mix. These kids really are just stair stepping along. I believe the oldest is going into 4th grade with several more that range down to kindergarten. Then we have a few toddlers--two boys and a girl (who was sadly not there this year...) And rounding it out: a 16-month old, 11-month old and 7-month! The trend is obviously not ending soon with Michelle and I finally pulling the weight for my Mom's share of the next generation kiddos. Despite these kids only getting together maybe once a year--twice if they are lucky--they always seem to have a fantastic time together.

Lyla

Rosey

Luke

James

Theo

This really does not relate to the rest of the post but I can't not include note of and a picture of my cousin's awesome, redone '92 Jeep. Yes, this was a normal jeep that he turned completely awesome and now has the pleasure of receiving comments and looks everywhere he goes!