I don't know about you, but I can hardly believe that we are in week 29 of this pregnancy already! Third trimester is here, and I am visiting my midwife every other week. I'm measuring right on target for belly/baby size, and my weight gain is still definitely low compared to last pregnancy (although Christmas cookies have not helped at all, whatsoever). Overall, I feel good. Little 2P is getting bigger by the minute and continues to do plenty of flip flops to let me know he is healthy and strong!
Life has been so busy, which I'm sure contributes to the blinding speed of this pregnancy. Christmas preparations and celebrations, work responsibilities, studying for the EPPP (licensure exam for me). Oh, and watch for a blog post covering Mikayla's first birthday parties (!!). One happened just after Christmas in New Jersey, and the other will take place when we visit my parents in January, closer to her actual birthdate. Spoiler alert: this girl loves cake!
And the nesting? OH my my. Despite nursing a cold and sore throat for the past four days, I was upstairs yesterday clearing out drawers in the nursery and reorganizing the hall closet to make room for 2P's things. I have a TON of boy clothes, thanks to my dear sister passing along some of Elijah's clothes, and a few friends who also had boy clothes to give. My goal today, if I have the energy, is to do yet another clothing swap, putting away Mikayla's 9-12 stuff and pulling down the 18 month bin. And we will be ready to set up crib #2 as soon as we invite a friend over to help Joel move the mattress and box spring up to the attic, since we took the guest bed down a few weeks ago.
Phew!
This flurry of activity is, I'm sure, related to the start of the New Year and my closing in on the week 30 mark. In my mind, "after the holidays" and "January" have been the objects of my baby-prep procrastination. And now that those are actually drawing quite, quite near, the reality of having this baby soon is hitting me (well, us, if I may speak for Joel as well). Once we are into January, this baby will be here in just two months! Yikes! And I need to fit in a licensure exam and wrapping up loose ends at work before it all goes down.
Overwhelmed? Not at all...ok yes, a little...but with a supportive hubby who is finished with school (a Master of the Masters!), we should be able to get all these preparations knocked out in a timely manner.
Off to wash some diapers...and organize some baby clothes...and then collapse into a heap of sick tiredness for awhile. Stay tuned for "during" and "after" pictures of the nursery as it transitions from a one-baby room to a two-baby circus!
SDG!
(Almost) 11 Month Update
Our little girl is growing so fast! We are continually amazed and grateful for her joyful personality, her love for her parents, and her wonder and curiosity for life - even in our boring little house. We love being around her, and it is evident that she has such a loving heart already. She is definitely starting to show that she is a little person and not a baby anymore! Her introverted, laid back nature shows through (especially around groups of people), though she is certainly outgoing in the comfort of home. While we try to be careful not to allow ourselves to build her up primarily for what she does (more on that in a later post), we are blown away each day at what she is learning or doing. I wrote the first draft of this post two days ago, and when I revisited it, some achievements or milestones already seemed outdated! Here are some new things in Mikayla's world lately:
- She LOVES to hear music and singing. She has also started to dance on command, and has even started to dance spontaneously when her little Mozart cube plays.
- She knows who made her, responding to the question with an exuberant single hand raised upwards. Two hands thrown upwards shows how big she is.
- Mikayla regularly says mamma, dadda, and uh-oh, and we thought we just heard a "ki-gu" for "kitty" when Niko walked into the room.
- Speaking of words, she says "uh-oh" whenever she drops something on the floor as well as whenever she plain old feels like it. Take last Sunday for example. Our pastor just finished reading Romans 3:23, and Mikayla followed it up with an authoritative "uh oh!" Awkward. We are working on context.
- When asked what a cow and kitty says, she responds with "mmm" and "ah-wo," respectively. She can also pick her cow out of an animal lineup when we ask her where it is.
- She also just started with the "n" consonant sounds, which means "no" is on the horizon.
- Though Mikayla enjoys flipping through her board books on her own, she won't sit very still for long for us to read with her. I'm sure that time will come. Hopefully soon.
- She is cruising around on everything, including the walls, and has even started to walk while only holding onto one of our hands.
- Mikayla is fascinated by doors and light switches. Particularly the one big kitchen cupboard that she can reach: we were playing Ticket to Ride this afternoon over the din of her repeatedly opening and slamming it because, well, she can. No pinched fingers yet.
- She loves throwing her food onto the floor, even though she knows she will be disciplined. Most of the time she looks directly at us and still throws it on the floor with an "uh oh!" Yes, Mikayla, Romans 3:23 applies to that.
- Finally, Mikayla has never met a person or situation that didn't warrant a super cute wave. She doesn't always do it on command, and her favorite time to wave is when someone starts walking away after imploring her to wave.
21.5 Week Belly Progression
It's been about a month since our last belly progression pic, so I thought I'd post one. Mainly I wanted to offer proof that I do, in fact, get haircuts sometimes.
17.5 weeks with shaggy hair on October 16:
And today at 21.5 weeks looking far more chic and with way cooler lighting:
I promise the next belly pics will be in something other than a dress. I feel like it is a little hard to see exactly how the belly is progressing when I'm wearing something drapey. So next time will be jeans and a nice fitted maternity shirt so you all can be amazed at how I am all belly and so adorable and haven't gained any weight anywhere else, etc. etc. Because that is what's important here, obv.
Try to ignore that everything written to this point has basically reflected huge insecurities about how I look as a preggo mom. I am apparently working hard to overcome the emotional baggage of having gained 50 pounds with Mikayla and also having gone about 2 months without a haircut not long ago.
Also, please ignore Mikayla's Christmas presents in the background of the new belly pics. She isn't supposed to know about them and yes we are lame parents for hiding them in plain sight, and this is probably the first and last Christmas that this strategy will work, which works out since we are in a house without much closet space.
Anyway, thanks for checking in! Time to go Sabbath for awhile...
SDG
17.5 weeks with shaggy hair on October 16:
And today at 21.5 weeks looking far more chic and with way cooler lighting:
I promise the next belly pics will be in something other than a dress. I feel like it is a little hard to see exactly how the belly is progressing when I'm wearing something drapey. So next time will be jeans and a nice fitted maternity shirt so you all can be amazed at how I am all belly and so adorable and haven't gained any weight anywhere else, etc. etc. Because that is what's important here, obv.
Try to ignore that everything written to this point has basically reflected huge insecurities about how I look as a preggo mom. I am apparently working hard to overcome the emotional baggage of having gained 50 pounds with Mikayla and also having gone about 2 months without a haircut not long ago.
Also, please ignore Mikayla's Christmas presents in the background of the new belly pics. She isn't supposed to know about them and yes we are lame parents for hiding them in plain sight, and this is probably the first and last Christmas that this strategy will work, which works out since we are in a house without much closet space.
Anyway, thanks for checking in! Time to go Sabbath for awhile...
SDG
Just Don't Play "Butterfly Kisses"
I am super emotional this morning and I'm not sure why. Not really tired, not really stressed. Just...pregnant! And thinking about our little man ever since I woke up. The moment my eyes opened this morning, I felt him kick and I called him by name. Good morning, precious boy!
Thinking about it brings tears to my eyes.
Also, I started to cry listening to Indelible Grace's version of "The Church's One Foundation". The line where "the great Church victorious shall be the Church at rest" just got to me. I don't know, people, I'm just reporting the facts as I experienced them.
So now I'm sitting here just eating some breakfast (homemade raisin granola bars fresh from the oven; slightly crumbly, but oh so buttery and delicious) and every time I feel our son wiggling around in my belly, the emotions are almost overwhelming. I suppose these are the moments a second-time-momma ought to cherish and treasure in her heart. My firstborn is sleeping peacefully and it's just little 2P and me enjoying each other.
But as with most momma moments, this one is not to last very long. My sweet sister in law Becca is on her way to visit with her kiddos, AND sister in law Amy, who is by far the coolest aunt among us (sorry Becca...I've come to accept it already, personally) is planning to stop by this afternoon, too! Dinner is in the crock pot and granola bars are made, but do you think I look remotely presentable? Time to dash through the motions of making myself fit for company and then back down to do the same for this poor kitchen!
SDG!
Thinking about it brings tears to my eyes.
Also, I started to cry listening to Indelible Grace's version of "The Church's One Foundation". The line where "the great Church victorious shall be the Church at rest" just got to me. I don't know, people, I'm just reporting the facts as I experienced them.
So now I'm sitting here just eating some breakfast (homemade raisin granola bars fresh from the oven; slightly crumbly, but oh so buttery and delicious) and every time I feel our son wiggling around in my belly, the emotions are almost overwhelming. I suppose these are the moments a second-time-momma ought to cherish and treasure in her heart. My firstborn is sleeping peacefully and it's just little 2P and me enjoying each other.
But as with most momma moments, this one is not to last very long. My sweet sister in law Becca is on her way to visit with her kiddos, AND sister in law Amy, who is by far the coolest aunt among us (sorry Becca...I've come to accept it already, personally) is planning to stop by this afternoon, too! Dinner is in the crock pot and granola bars are made, but do you think I look remotely presentable? Time to dash through the motions of making myself fit for company and then back down to do the same for this poor kitchen!
SDG!
Go Team Blue!
She squirted warm goop all over my belly. She pressed the ultrasound wand down with a squish. And what should we see immediately on the screen but a clear view between 2P's legs. There is no doubt that Mikayla has a little brother!
Here are a few less-invasive photos of our son that we were able to bring home:
He had his little hands up to his face the whole time, as if sucking his thumb or, at times, together as though he was saying a little prayer. But we caught a glimpse of his precious face and, providentially, we were in the room with the new ultrasound machine, equipped with 4D capabilities! So we have a close-up, albeit slightly lumpy, photo of our little man. Isn't technology amazing??
In that first moment when we saw that it is a boy, his name sprang to my lips, and tears sprang to my eyes. Hello, my little son! The whole rest of the ultrasound session, as our wonderful technician narrated her measurements and pointed out organs and parts, I kept thinking, "There is ____'s little heart, beating strong and clear. And there are his tiny feet, and his hands. Look, ____'s spine is perfectly formed!" It struck me that this was the closest, most intimate view we could have of him. Even after his birth, we will only be able to look at him from the outside...but at this moment, we were actually exploring his whole little body, inside and out, beholding how fearfully and wonderfully he is made. What a sweet blessing to a momma's (and dadda's!) heart, to know that our child is healthy.
And of course, as soon as we left, my nesting energy and motivation kicked into overdrive as I began to visualize all of the preparations that we need to make for our son before he comes home. We can take down the guest bed this afternoon, right? Good thing I bought that crib bumper for $5; we can get the crib from Laurie and have the nursery set up by this weekend. Because it's so important that he have a place to sleep 19 weeks before he's born.
How grateful we are to the Lord for granting us this baby out of the abundance of His grace. Seeing his little form and face make it all so real that we will be welcoming him in a very little while. We can't wait to meet you in person, sweet son!
SDG
Here are a few less-invasive photos of our son that we were able to bring home:
He had his little hands up to his face the whole time, as if sucking his thumb or, at times, together as though he was saying a little prayer. But we caught a glimpse of his precious face and, providentially, we were in the room with the new ultrasound machine, equipped with 4D capabilities! So we have a close-up, albeit slightly lumpy, photo of our little man. Isn't technology amazing??
In that first moment when we saw that it is a boy, his name sprang to my lips, and tears sprang to my eyes. Hello, my little son! The whole rest of the ultrasound session, as our wonderful technician narrated her measurements and pointed out organs and parts, I kept thinking, "There is ____'s little heart, beating strong and clear. And there are his tiny feet, and his hands. Look, ____'s spine is perfectly formed!" It struck me that this was the closest, most intimate view we could have of him. Even after his birth, we will only be able to look at him from the outside...but at this moment, we were actually exploring his whole little body, inside and out, beholding how fearfully and wonderfully he is made. What a sweet blessing to a momma's (and dadda's!) heart, to know that our child is healthy.
And of course, as soon as we left, my nesting energy and motivation kicked into overdrive as I began to visualize all of the preparations that we need to make for our son before he comes home. We can take down the guest bed this afternoon, right? Good thing I bought that crib bumper for $5; we can get the crib from Laurie and have the nursery set up by this weekend. Because it's so important that he have a place to sleep 19 weeks before he's born.
How grateful we are to the Lord for granting us this baby out of the abundance of His grace. Seeing his little form and face make it all so real that we will be welcoming him in a very little while. We can't wait to meet you in person, sweet son!
SDG
Banana Baby (21 weeks)
According to people who know, 2P is about the size of a large banana this week. About 7 inches long and 11 ounces in weight. Although 2P has grown by leaps and bounds in the past few weeks, he or she has lots of room to wiggle around yet. And we are feeling it! Last night, with his hand just below my belly button, Joel felt kicks for the first time! When 2P has active spurts, he or she seems to be a little more consistent than Mikayla was. I remember sitting and hoping she would kick again so her dadda could feel it. 2P was not nearly so difficult to keep track of, kicking and flipping around probably 5-6 times within a few minutes so that Joel kept sayin, "ooh was that one? I felt that!" It's so much fun to sit and talk about whatever needs talking about, and be able to react together when we feel little 2P do a cartwheel. I love this part of pregnancy!
There are, however, parts of which I am slightly less fond. To this list I would add both fatigue and morning sickness, which have returned with a vengeance this week. The heck? At 21 weeks I should be enjoying my adorable baby bump while still feeling energized and nesty, not moaning and hoping Mikayla will understand why Momma just wants to lie on the couch today. And why no, she may not sit on top of 2P because it will only make things worse.
The Lord is gracious in this season of weakness, however. It seems that at the times when I feel most tired and most sick, my work schedule just providentially opens up, allowing me to rest. This week, for instance, just as I feel slammed with exhaustion and illness, I had only two appointments yesterday and two again today...one of which canceled, allowing me to be home all evening. What a blessing, to both me and my clients, since I doubt the words coming out of my mouth would be very helpful with my brain turned off (and oh, it is turned off when I feel this tired).
So little 2P, you are reminding me of the very beginning this week. Except now I know for sure exactly why I feel the way I do - there is no doubt of your presence as you wallop me in the bladder, tailbone, whatever your little tootsies can reach at the moment. And as you increasingly take up residence out in front of me. One client said just last week, "So, are you having twins or triplets?" I guess that means it's getting obvious? I know I'm not THAT huge though, simply by comparing my weight gain to where I was last time around. I have gained a total of 10 pounds and I'm pretty sure it all goes through the doorway before I do. Joel commented to me maybe a week ago, as I sat at the kitchen table, that if he didn't know I had a belly underneath the table he'd never know I was pregnant. Of course, it is also in his job description to say things like that...and he is experienced now in the art of managing a pregnant wife...but I'd still like to say there is at least a grain of truth to what he said.
And at least he hasn't asked me to scoop ice cream lately...
Tomorrow: Anatomy/gender ultrasound!! Tune in tomorrow for some (Lord and baby-willing) exciting news!
There are, however, parts of which I am slightly less fond. To this list I would add both fatigue and morning sickness, which have returned with a vengeance this week. The heck? At 21 weeks I should be enjoying my adorable baby bump while still feeling energized and nesty, not moaning and hoping Mikayla will understand why Momma just wants to lie on the couch today. And why no, she may not sit on top of 2P because it will only make things worse.
The Lord is gracious in this season of weakness, however. It seems that at the times when I feel most tired and most sick, my work schedule just providentially opens up, allowing me to rest. This week, for instance, just as I feel slammed with exhaustion and illness, I had only two appointments yesterday and two again today...one of which canceled, allowing me to be home all evening. What a blessing, to both me and my clients, since I doubt the words coming out of my mouth would be very helpful with my brain turned off (and oh, it is turned off when I feel this tired).
So little 2P, you are reminding me of the very beginning this week. Except now I know for sure exactly why I feel the way I do - there is no doubt of your presence as you wallop me in the bladder, tailbone, whatever your little tootsies can reach at the moment. And as you increasingly take up residence out in front of me. One client said just last week, "So, are you having twins or triplets?" I guess that means it's getting obvious? I know I'm not THAT huge though, simply by comparing my weight gain to where I was last time around. I have gained a total of 10 pounds and I'm pretty sure it all goes through the doorway before I do. Joel commented to me maybe a week ago, as I sat at the kitchen table, that if he didn't know I had a belly underneath the table he'd never know I was pregnant. Of course, it is also in his job description to say things like that...and he is experienced now in the art of managing a pregnant wife...but I'd still like to say there is at least a grain of truth to what he said.
And at least he hasn't asked me to scoop ice cream lately...
Tomorrow: Anatomy/gender ultrasound!! Tune in tomorrow for some (Lord and baby-willing) exciting news!
Confessions of a Part-time Mr. Mom
I (Joel) have the privilege of being home alone with Mikayla for four afternoons/evenings each week. It is incredible. Here are some thoughts that have been tumbling around my head during our times together.
-When giving your baby a bottle, make sure the top cap is on tightly, and that the cap isn't mis-threaded. You'll learn the hard way. Not that I know anything about it.
-I'm slightly nervous for when Mikayla enters the stage when we have to step up the discipline and instruction. We do basic "no" and other training now, but I know it will only get harder. As if it wasn't hard enough, I'm finding that it's next to impossible to say "no" or withhold from her. If it's this hard now, how am I supposed to say no even once in the next 18 years?
-What child doesn't like grapes or cheese? Mikayla devours avacados, plain yogurt (ew), and other seemingly strange foods, but refuses to touch these kid staples. Skins on, skins off; colby jack, mozzarella, or cheddar: it doesn't matter. I really hope she didn't inherit my picky childhood eating habits (I'm really sorry, Mom, I'm sure your stroganoff was delicious). At least Mikayla seems to like one type of Cheese.
-I now have even greater respect and admiration for stay at home moms. Their job is tough! And I'm only doing it four half-days a week, with one delightful little girl. Whenever Elizabeth gets to stay home full time, she has her work cut out for her. She isn't leaving a job to sit at home and eat bon-bons, she's leaving a tough job for a tougher calling. And with worse hours.
-Mikayla just might grow up to believe in ghosts. Her dinner time coincides with the neighbors' dinner preparation, and she loves hearing the cupboard doors slamming shut through the partition.She always looks around so expectantly, hoping to see the source of the sounds, but they remain disembodied.
-Before Mikayla came along, crying or babbling kids never bothered me one bit in church. But now that Mikayla is at the screeching/babbling stage, I am paranoid that even a tiny peep from her is as disruptive as a streaker at a baseball game. I have to keep reminding myself that Out of the mouths of infants...
-A child's laugh is the greatest, most beautiful sound in world. It can render the darkest of days and the foulest of moods inconsequential and utterly self-centered.
-People frequently talk about how having children gives you a new perspective on a lot of things, not the least of which is our adoption as sons and daughters of God. It's true. Related to my second observation above, this has affected our prayer: "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (Matt. 7:11)
-When giving your baby a bottle, make sure the top cap is on tightly, and that the cap isn't mis-threaded. You'll learn the hard way. Not that I know anything about it.
-I'm slightly nervous for when Mikayla enters the stage when we have to step up the discipline and instruction. We do basic "no" and other training now, but I know it will only get harder. As if it wasn't hard enough, I'm finding that it's next to impossible to say "no" or withhold from her. If it's this hard now, how am I supposed to say no even once in the next 18 years?
-What child doesn't like grapes or cheese? Mikayla devours avacados, plain yogurt (ew), and other seemingly strange foods, but refuses to touch these kid staples. Skins on, skins off; colby jack, mozzarella, or cheddar: it doesn't matter. I really hope she didn't inherit my picky childhood eating habits (I'm really sorry, Mom, I'm sure your stroganoff was delicious). At least Mikayla seems to like one type of Cheese.
-I now have even greater respect and admiration for stay at home moms. Their job is tough! And I'm only doing it four half-days a week, with one delightful little girl. Whenever Elizabeth gets to stay home full time, she has her work cut out for her. She isn't leaving a job to sit at home and eat bon-bons, she's leaving a tough job for a tougher calling. And with worse hours.
-Mikayla just might grow up to believe in ghosts. Her dinner time coincides with the neighbors' dinner preparation, and she loves hearing the cupboard doors slamming shut through the partition.She always looks around so expectantly, hoping to see the source of the sounds, but they remain disembodied.
-Before Mikayla came along, crying or babbling kids never bothered me one bit in church. But now that Mikayla is at the screeching/babbling stage, I am paranoid that even a tiny peep from her is as disruptive as a streaker at a baseball game. I have to keep reminding myself that Out of the mouths of infants...
-A child's laugh is the greatest, most beautiful sound in world. It can render the darkest of days and the foulest of moods inconsequential and utterly self-centered.
-People frequently talk about how having children gives you a new perspective on a lot of things, not the least of which is our adoption as sons and daughters of God. It's true. Related to my second observation above, this has affected our prayer: "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (Matt. 7:11)
2P Popped!
Anyone wondering when in the world we were going to get around to our first belly pic of the pregnancy? Yeah, me too.
Confession: I was pregnant with Mikayla at the same time that my SIL was expecting #2, and I was completely engrossed in every developmental milestone of every week. At the drop of a hat, I could have told you how far along I was (probably in hours) and the precise size of my growing baby and which organ systems began to function that week. I wondered why in the world my SIL was neglecting fun pregnancy details like the belly progression pics.
I bet it had nothing to do with running around after her firstborn. It's not like that takes time and energy away from constantly focusing on your growing belly. (Yeah...Enter Mikayla, the most eye-opening little person in my entire life.)
So my first belly photo at almost 18 weeks will hopefully represent my eating of a little crow and a newfound understanding of second time (and third, and fourth...) mommas-to-be. Blink and you miss weeks and fruit-stages (is 2P the size of a grapefruit? kumquat? cantaloupe? Who knows!). All I know is that 2P is a lovely size to serve as a seat for Mikayla when I carry her around. (Not the last time she'll sit on her little sibling, I'm sure.)
Ignoring my dire need of a haircut for a moment, I think we can agree that hello, 2P!
For the record, since I use this blog as a journal of sorts (I'm turning many of my previous entries into a Pregnancy Scrapbook for Mikayla), I have only gained about six pounds so far. I lost about five pounds right off the bat due to morning sickness, gained it back around the end of the first trimester, and now have gained another six. This is a serious improvement over my rapid and ongoing weight gain with Mikayla; I am hoping to gain about half of what I did with her, which was about 50 pounds. (Yes, seriously. What in the world.)
In other news, from the sounds I'm hearing right this second, Mikayla can apparently reach the doorknob of her room from the comfort of her crib. I'm pretty sure she can't actually, you know, get out.
Guess I'd better go check. Still no time for navel-gazing for this momma...
SDG!
Confession: I was pregnant with Mikayla at the same time that my SIL was expecting #2, and I was completely engrossed in every developmental milestone of every week. At the drop of a hat, I could have told you how far along I was (probably in hours) and the precise size of my growing baby and which organ systems began to function that week. I wondered why in the world my SIL was neglecting fun pregnancy details like the belly progression pics.
I bet it had nothing to do with running around after her firstborn. It's not like that takes time and energy away from constantly focusing on your growing belly. (Yeah...Enter Mikayla, the most eye-opening little person in my entire life.)
So my first belly photo at almost 18 weeks will hopefully represent my eating of a little crow and a newfound understanding of second time (and third, and fourth...) mommas-to-be. Blink and you miss weeks and fruit-stages (is 2P the size of a grapefruit? kumquat? cantaloupe? Who knows!). All I know is that 2P is a lovely size to serve as a seat for Mikayla when I carry her around. (Not the last time she'll sit on her little sibling, I'm sure.)
Sunday, October 16 (17.5 weeks):
Ignoring my dire need of a haircut for a moment, I think we can agree that hello, 2P!
For the record, since I use this blog as a journal of sorts (I'm turning many of my previous entries into a Pregnancy Scrapbook for Mikayla), I have only gained about six pounds so far. I lost about five pounds right off the bat due to morning sickness, gained it back around the end of the first trimester, and now have gained another six. This is a serious improvement over my rapid and ongoing weight gain with Mikayla; I am hoping to gain about half of what I did with her, which was about 50 pounds. (Yes, seriously. What in the world.)
In other news, from the sounds I'm hearing right this second, Mikayla can apparently reach the doorknob of her room from the comfort of her crib. I'm pretty sure she can't actually, you know, get out.
Guess I'd better go check. Still no time for navel-gazing for this momma...
SDG!
Mikayla at Nine Months
Can you believe that we just had Mikayla's nine month check-up at the pediatrician yesterday, and scheduled her ONE YEAR appointment for January? Oh my, where has the time gone?
I'm happy to report an overall very clean bill of health from the doctor (who, by the way, gives me tips on cloth diapering and is impressed that I still use prefolds, since she switched to pocket diapers). Mikayla weighs in at 17 lb 5.5 oz, placing her at the 70th percentile for weight, and is 27 inches long, placing her at the 50th percentil for height. I'm skeptical of the latter measurement, however, since she barely held still long enough to see where her foot reached on the baby-length-measurer-thing. But the general consensus is, she continues to grow and thrive in every way!
Other than the rash covering her entire body, but that has mostly cleared up today so we'll not speak of it.
Let's see, what milestones are we hitting these days? Mikayla has partially weaned herself from nursing, sticking with the morning and bedtime feedings but otherwise having no interest at all. I blame 2P. We give her a bottle of formula at lunch and dinner, which the doctor said is good since she should be getting half her nutrition from milk/formula and half from food at this point. The doctor asked whether she has developed her "pincer grasp" (thumb and forefinger), and I wracked my brain trying to think...I think she CAN pincer grasp, but about 90% of the time she still "rakes" (full hand grasp) because seriously, the girl's #1 priority is getting ALL of the food into her mouth at once! I observed her more today and noticed that yes, she definitely can pincer grasp, particularly when she wants the bananas and not the cheese. She's a champ with her sippy cup, and holds her own bottle as well. So independent! Her favorite foods include cheerios, bananas, sweet potatoes, kiwi, and YOGURT oh my goodness yogurt. She delights in almost every food we introduce, but she lights up when she sees the yogurt coming. Plain yogurt. I don't understand it, but hey, it's good for her.
Outside of the kitchen, she is standing and cruising like nobody's business. We just borrowed a slightly more sturdy walker from friends of ours, and we have watched her take several steps with it before plunking down on her bottom. Grandpa Pearce claims that today she walked the length of the room with it! Without firsthand parental confirmation, I can't completely vouch for the truth of the claim (you know how grandparents can exaggerate), but I wouldn't be at all surprised. She is ready to move! Mikayla does "so big!" and this adorable head tilt, and has recently been giving her dadda high fives. Not always on command, of course, but the doctor assured me that it's normal for her not to perform like a monkey at nine months of age. She does say dadda and mama sometimes, as well as "ha-ta", whatever that means.
To give you an idea of how active munchkin is, yesterday I was sitting on our bed with her crawling all about. I had her by the leg of her pants, as she was squirming toward my nightstand to check out the monitor and whatever else is over there. She wiggles so much that while I tried to hold onto her ankle, most of the time I had a firm grasp of nothing but denim. I looked away for a moment to do whatever it was I was doing, still keeping her by the leg, and suddenly heard a big THUD and realized I was holding empty pants! Mikayla had wiggled right out of her pants and toppled off the bed! She cried for about three seconds, and not very hard at that, since it was a short fall from our low bed onto the soft carpet. Thankfully. My little wiggle worm has not stopped moving since the first kick in my belly!
At the same time, though, she is incredibly laid back. We took her our to a restaurant for the first time yesterday evening and sat her in a high chair while we ate with Joel's dad. Even though we kept her out past her bedtime, she fussed only minimally and kept a big smile on her face right up to the end, charming other diners with those big eyes of hers. So we have this great combination of mellow and active/inquisitive. It's so fun to watch her develop!
I stopped by a big Mennonite-run general store today to pick up some diaper doublers for Mikayla for overnight. They have a pretty nice baby section, and I found myself looking at tiny onesies, receiving blankets, baby books...wondering whether I will soon be shopping for a little sister or little brother. I was so tempted to buy something for him or her - it's a good thing I don't know whether to buy blue or pink! I was like a child in a candy store...I had forgotten how much fun it is to shop for baby things. We should find out soon whether 2P has a little stem on the apple, and then, my friends, then I shall go back and BUY things. Don't tell Joel.
I certainly hope this is coherent. I'm not going to bother to edit...I have a bit of a fever today, amongst other issues, but I wanted to update you on Mikayla. Inspired by the prompting of a friend - apparently, inquiring minds want to know how big my daughter has gotten :).
SDG!
I'm happy to report an overall very clean bill of health from the doctor (who, by the way, gives me tips on cloth diapering and is impressed that I still use prefolds, since she switched to pocket diapers). Mikayla weighs in at 17 lb 5.5 oz, placing her at the 70th percentile for weight, and is 27 inches long, placing her at the 50th percentil for height. I'm skeptical of the latter measurement, however, since she barely held still long enough to see where her foot reached on the baby-length-measurer-thing. But the general consensus is, she continues to grow and thrive in every way!
Other than the rash covering her entire body, but that has mostly cleared up today so we'll not speak of it.
Let's see, what milestones are we hitting these days? Mikayla has partially weaned herself from nursing, sticking with the morning and bedtime feedings but otherwise having no interest at all. I blame 2P. We give her a bottle of formula at lunch and dinner, which the doctor said is good since she should be getting half her nutrition from milk/formula and half from food at this point. The doctor asked whether she has developed her "pincer grasp" (thumb and forefinger), and I wracked my brain trying to think...I think she CAN pincer grasp, but about 90% of the time she still "rakes" (full hand grasp) because seriously, the girl's #1 priority is getting ALL of the food into her mouth at once! I observed her more today and noticed that yes, she definitely can pincer grasp, particularly when she wants the bananas and not the cheese. She's a champ with her sippy cup, and holds her own bottle as well. So independent! Her favorite foods include cheerios, bananas, sweet potatoes, kiwi, and YOGURT oh my goodness yogurt. She delights in almost every food we introduce, but she lights up when she sees the yogurt coming. Plain yogurt. I don't understand it, but hey, it's good for her.
Outside of the kitchen, she is standing and cruising like nobody's business. We just borrowed a slightly more sturdy walker from friends of ours, and we have watched her take several steps with it before plunking down on her bottom. Grandpa Pearce claims that today she walked the length of the room with it! Without firsthand parental confirmation, I can't completely vouch for the truth of the claim (you know how grandparents can exaggerate), but I wouldn't be at all surprised. She is ready to move! Mikayla does "so big!" and this adorable head tilt, and has recently been giving her dadda high fives. Not always on command, of course, but the doctor assured me that it's normal for her not to perform like a monkey at nine months of age. She does say dadda and mama sometimes, as well as "ha-ta", whatever that means.
To give you an idea of how active munchkin is, yesterday I was sitting on our bed with her crawling all about. I had her by the leg of her pants, as she was squirming toward my nightstand to check out the monitor and whatever else is over there. She wiggles so much that while I tried to hold onto her ankle, most of the time I had a firm grasp of nothing but denim. I looked away for a moment to do whatever it was I was doing, still keeping her by the leg, and suddenly heard a big THUD and realized I was holding empty pants! Mikayla had wiggled right out of her pants and toppled off the bed! She cried for about three seconds, and not very hard at that, since it was a short fall from our low bed onto the soft carpet. Thankfully. My little wiggle worm has not stopped moving since the first kick in my belly!
At the same time, though, she is incredibly laid back. We took her our to a restaurant for the first time yesterday evening and sat her in a high chair while we ate with Joel's dad. Even though we kept her out past her bedtime, she fussed only minimally and kept a big smile on her face right up to the end, charming other diners with those big eyes of hers. So we have this great combination of mellow and active/inquisitive. It's so fun to watch her develop!
I stopped by a big Mennonite-run general store today to pick up some diaper doublers for Mikayla for overnight. They have a pretty nice baby section, and I found myself looking at tiny onesies, receiving blankets, baby books...wondering whether I will soon be shopping for a little sister or little brother. I was so tempted to buy something for him or her - it's a good thing I don't know whether to buy blue or pink! I was like a child in a candy store...I had forgotten how much fun it is to shop for baby things. We should find out soon whether 2P has a little stem on the apple, and then, my friends, then I shall go back and BUY things. Don't tell Joel.
I certainly hope this is coherent. I'm not going to bother to edit...I have a bit of a fever today, amongst other issues, but I wanted to update you on Mikayla. Inspired by the prompting of a friend - apparently, inquiring minds want to know how big my daughter has gotten :).
SDG!
Heartbeats and Flutter Kicks
Little 2P, you must be growing up! I listened to your heartbeat last night, and sweetie you were putting on a show. Usually when I use our borrowed doppler to listen to you, I get the swish, swish that lets me know you are nearby, and I am hearing the pulse of your blood flow. But last night, you must have been front and center, pushing out toward the front of my belly to say hello! From within a few seconds of placing the doppler against my skin, I heard a strong, loud pounding that told me I had found your very heartbeat. It was so loud that your dadda could hear it from a foot or two away, while the earphones were snug in my ears! I just kept listening to that bam, bam, bam and felt so grateful that you must be a healthy, strong baby already. I couldn't take my ears off you!
I've felt a few flutters over the past few weeks that I think are you, too. Particularly in the last several days, you have popped and kicked. Often it happens so fast that I wonder whether I really felt anything, and I press my hand to my belly to see if I can feel you again. What a tease you are, because I never feel you twice in a row :). But I know you're in there, making your little presence known.
Everyone at work knows about you now. I told them last week at our staff meeting. They are so excited! I was a little worried about what they would think of me taking another maternity leave so close to the first, but all they could say was how fun it will be to have you and Mikayla so close in age :). And my clients have been excited to learn about you too. What evidence that regardless of our differences or our struggles, we all view a new life as a precious gift from the Lord. Excitement over a new baby is something that seems to draw us all together, from clients in my office to strangers at the grocery store. It is such a blessing to have so many rejoicing with us over your life, sweet 2P.
In a few weeks, Lord willing, we should be able to have an ultrasound that tells us whether you are a little brother or sister. I can't wait to begin calling you by name!
SDG
As Promised: Mikayla's Very Interrupted Nap
I shall strive for brevity in this post, but since it is my way of journaling, please bear with me as I also strive to capture each detail of this precious unfolding of events.
On Tuesday, July 5, 2011, I awoke at the early hour of 5:30 a.m. feeling suddenly and terribly ill. It was a nauseating combination of that woozy low-blood-sugar sensation and the feeling of being too hot all over, with the distinct possibility of throwing up everywhere to keep things interesting. It was not altogether unlike "the spins" which, you know, I have heard from a friend of a friend might sometimes happen after an evening of too much libation. Around 6 or 6:30, I sent Joel from the room for a cold washcloth and ultimately from the house for ginger ale and pepto bismol. Both of which I swigged generously upon his return. I canceled everything, believing myself to have come down with a nasty stomach bug.
In the next few days I continued to feel rather continuously nauseated, even as I muscled through supervision and appointments at work. By Friday, when I was still feeling ill, Joel and I were starting to wonder what was up. Over the weekend, the sickness seemed to come and go (but it mostly came), making it still difficult to eat much. We began to murmur between ourselves that it seemed an awful lot like the days of morning sickness but...Mikayla is only six months old, I am nursing her throughout the day, I haven't had any signs of returned fertility, and besides, do you remember how long it took us to conceive munchkin? It couldn't be...
I even took a pregnancy test to be sure. And it was negative. So were the next two... (I tend to be compulsive about pregnancy tests; that one wasn't positive, but what if I take one in five minutes and it IS??)
Now, I wasn't opposed to talking about baby #2. As I tell people, we were starting to talk about thinking about when trying for #2 might be on the radar. My goal was to have my postdoc comfortably finished and my license in hand before another child would arrive, but I also didn't want to wait TOO long.
With our discussion of morning sickness coming and going along with the nausea, I decided to order some cheapie pregnancy tests online on Sunday of that weekend, and promised Joel that I would hold off until they arrived later that week to test again. Besides, the sickness might clear up by then anyway, and it made no sense to keep wasting money on expensive tests at the store.
So Sunday night I dreamed that a baby suddenly and enthusiastically appeared in my belly and was trying to kick his way out. We're talking Alien-style attempts at hatching himself free of my body. Freaky, and when I woke up on Monday I thought you know...that is the kind of crazy vivid dream I used to have all the time when I was pregnant. Pretty much as soon as Joel left for work, I hustled Mikayla into the car and headed for the Dollar Store, my promises to hold off on testing completely forgotten (by me, anyway). I grabbed a couple of the cheap blue-dye tests and we headed back home.
I put munchkin down for her nap shortly upon arriving at home, and set about the process of, you know, creating the necessary conditions for taking a pregnancy test (read: lots of water). In the fullness of time (see what I did there?), I took a test and....the faintest of blue lines that only an experienced POAS-er would be able to detect. What?!?!
The emotions that swept through me were too many to recount. Tears sprang to my eyes. A positive pregnancy test was simultaneously the greatest shock and surprise to my eyes, but also the greatest confirmation of what I had known in my heart for almost a week. Oh, the song of praise and thanksgiving that went up from my spirit as I sat just taking in the sight of that little plus sign! Proof of a tiny, living person inside me! If Mikayla is our miracle baby because of all it took to conceive her, how much more is this unexpected child a miraculous gift from God? I almost laughed at this bounty from His hand.
This is the part where Mikayla becomes a victim of her momma's crazy.
After staring for two minutes or two hours, I jumped up and flew into Mikayla's room to share the thrilling news with the only person near enough to tell. Poor girl! I snatched her up from her crib and swung her around, bleary eyed, holding her close to me as I sang out that she would be a big sister. I showed her the pregnancy test, which she promptly attempted to eat. I just know that was her way of expressing her delight.
And because you just can't trust a faint line on a blue-dye test (and because I realized I shouldn't be washing my food down with pepto bismol anymore if I am pregnant), I immediately hustled Mikayla BACK into the car and over to the grocery store where I went through the checkout line with a baby on my hip, and a pregnancy test and bottle of Maalox in the other hand. Yes, ma'am, this is exactly what it looks like, why do you ask?
When Joel arrived home from work, he found (a sleepy) Mikayla in a bright yellow bib on which I had written (quickly and non-decoratively), "I'm the big sister!" The look on his face was priceless, and I know he was excited even though his first action was to take the Sharpie-fuming bib off of our infant daughter. Hey, I didn't have much time to plan the daddy-announcement, I did what I could. Besides, I'm pregnant, I do silly things! We spent several minutes in disbelief and excitement together, snuggling with Mikayla on our bed as we kept laughing, starry-eyed, and asking each other, can you believe we're going to have another one??
So, little 2P, you were not exactly on our radar ahead of time. But your absence from our plan is all the more proof that you were most certainly in the Lord's plan for us, long before I felt the first effects of your presence. Sweet, tiny one, you have started more with a bang than a whisper. You are precious to us already, and have brought great joy and laughter to our lives as we tell others about how bountiful and gracious our great God is to us. We can't wait to meet you, and see what our Father has in store for your life!
As always, soli deo gloria!
On Tuesday, July 5, 2011, I awoke at the early hour of 5:30 a.m. feeling suddenly and terribly ill. It was a nauseating combination of that woozy low-blood-sugar sensation and the feeling of being too hot all over, with the distinct possibility of throwing up everywhere to keep things interesting. It was not altogether unlike "the spins" which, you know, I have heard from a friend of a friend might sometimes happen after an evening of too much libation. Around 6 or 6:30, I sent Joel from the room for a cold washcloth and ultimately from the house for ginger ale and pepto bismol. Both of which I swigged generously upon his return. I canceled everything, believing myself to have come down with a nasty stomach bug.
In the next few days I continued to feel rather continuously nauseated, even as I muscled through supervision and appointments at work. By Friday, when I was still feeling ill, Joel and I were starting to wonder what was up. Over the weekend, the sickness seemed to come and go (but it mostly came), making it still difficult to eat much. We began to murmur between ourselves that it seemed an awful lot like the days of morning sickness but...Mikayla is only six months old, I am nursing her throughout the day, I haven't had any signs of returned fertility, and besides, do you remember how long it took us to conceive munchkin? It couldn't be...
I even took a pregnancy test to be sure. And it was negative. So were the next two... (I tend to be compulsive about pregnancy tests; that one wasn't positive, but what if I take one in five minutes and it IS??)
Now, I wasn't opposed to talking about baby #2. As I tell people, we were starting to talk about thinking about when trying for #2 might be on the radar. My goal was to have my postdoc comfortably finished and my license in hand before another child would arrive, but I also didn't want to wait TOO long.
With our discussion of morning sickness coming and going along with the nausea, I decided to order some cheapie pregnancy tests online on Sunday of that weekend, and promised Joel that I would hold off until they arrived later that week to test again. Besides, the sickness might clear up by then anyway, and it made no sense to keep wasting money on expensive tests at the store.
So Sunday night I dreamed that a baby suddenly and enthusiastically appeared in my belly and was trying to kick his way out. We're talking Alien-style attempts at hatching himself free of my body. Freaky, and when I woke up on Monday I thought you know...that is the kind of crazy vivid dream I used to have all the time when I was pregnant. Pretty much as soon as Joel left for work, I hustled Mikayla into the car and headed for the Dollar Store, my promises to hold off on testing completely forgotten (by me, anyway). I grabbed a couple of the cheap blue-dye tests and we headed back home.
I put munchkin down for her nap shortly upon arriving at home, and set about the process of, you know, creating the necessary conditions for taking a pregnancy test (read: lots of water). In the fullness of time (see what I did there?), I took a test and....the faintest of blue lines that only an experienced POAS-er would be able to detect. What?!?!
The emotions that swept through me were too many to recount. Tears sprang to my eyes. A positive pregnancy test was simultaneously the greatest shock and surprise to my eyes, but also the greatest confirmation of what I had known in my heart for almost a week. Oh, the song of praise and thanksgiving that went up from my spirit as I sat just taking in the sight of that little plus sign! Proof of a tiny, living person inside me! If Mikayla is our miracle baby because of all it took to conceive her, how much more is this unexpected child a miraculous gift from God? I almost laughed at this bounty from His hand.
This is the part where Mikayla becomes a victim of her momma's crazy.
After staring for two minutes or two hours, I jumped up and flew into Mikayla's room to share the thrilling news with the only person near enough to tell. Poor girl! I snatched her up from her crib and swung her around, bleary eyed, holding her close to me as I sang out that she would be a big sister. I showed her the pregnancy test, which she promptly attempted to eat. I just know that was her way of expressing her delight.
And because you just can't trust a faint line on a blue-dye test (and because I realized I shouldn't be washing my food down with pepto bismol anymore if I am pregnant), I immediately hustled Mikayla BACK into the car and over to the grocery store where I went through the checkout line with a baby on my hip, and a pregnancy test and bottle of Maalox in the other hand. Yes, ma'am, this is exactly what it looks like, why do you ask?
When Joel arrived home from work, he found (a sleepy) Mikayla in a bright yellow bib on which I had written (quickly and non-decoratively), "I'm the big sister!" The look on his face was priceless, and I know he was excited even though his first action was to take the Sharpie-fuming bib off of our infant daughter. Hey, I didn't have much time to plan the daddy-announcement, I did what I could. Besides, I'm pregnant, I do silly things! We spent several minutes in disbelief and excitement together, snuggling with Mikayla on our bed as we kept laughing, starry-eyed, and asking each other, can you believe we're going to have another one??
So, little 2P, you were not exactly on our radar ahead of time. But your absence from our plan is all the more proof that you were most certainly in the Lord's plan for us, long before I felt the first effects of your presence. Sweet, tiny one, you have started more with a bang than a whisper. You are precious to us already, and have brought great joy and laughter to our lives as we tell others about how bountiful and gracious our great God is to us. We can't wait to meet you, and see what our Father has in store for your life!
As always, soli deo gloria!
Breakfast!
Poor little 2P is starting life at a disadvantage. With Mikayla, I worked full-time at the hospital through my first trimester, and while I thought it was the worst thing EVER to drag myself in there at 8:00 a.m. every day (I still don't disagree with that opinion), I did get free breakfast at least two mornings a week in the hospital cafeteria. My standard order was two scrambled with green pepper and cheese. Nowadays, my breakfast often consists of a small handful of cheerios and the stray oatmeal and yogurt I lick off my fingers while I feed Mikayla. Perhaps a few slices of banana if I'm feeling selfish. But this morning? This:
(Yes, I took the photo on the couch.
I may have cooked breakfast, but that doesn't mean I'm completely civilized.)
I recreated my old favorite. Why don't I make breakfast every day?? Oh wait...because I have an eight month old who waits for no man (or pregnant lady) when it comes to nursing, diaper change, and breakfast in rapid succession. Phew. By the time she goes down for her nap at 9, I am often ready to do the same. But occasionally, hunger wins out and I actually make breakfast for myself. Yesterday I was all motivated to eat, and discovered that my box of cereal was gone. It had been long enough that Joel managed to finish my frosted shredded wheat. Sigh. We have also gone through a gallon or two of milk since the cereal came home, so I guess I shouldn't have been terribly surprised.
Anyway, off to eat my two scrambled with green pepper and cheese (emphasis on the cheese, obv) before my daughter wakes up. Five minutes ago. The life of a blessed momma :).
Best Monkey Ever
We recently discovered that Mikayla knows a few words. Not to say them, but to clearly respond. Yesterday when I asked her for a hug, she promptly leaned her little head down onto my shoulder and snuggled me! For Joel, she snuggles into his chest. She knows how to hug!! (Sort of. No arms yet.) She will give us a hug every time we ask for one now. My favorite was today, asking for a hug as I was putting her down for her nap. What a blessing to a momma's heart!
She's also catching onto the idea of giving kisses. She doesn't do it every time yet, but when I ask her for a kiss she will often lean in for one. Baby-style, with mouth open and drool everywhere. A kiss only a mother could appreciate, probably, but it fills my heart up so much to think she wants to give us hugs and kisses. She does both with a gigantic smile on her face. I pray that these are her first little responses to us because she experiences so much love herself. That is my prayer for my daughter through her whole life, and for all our children: that their lives are characterized by love because that is what we have filled them with, in Christ, by the grace of God.
We're also trying to teach her "so big" because we watched a video of cousin Jillian doing this, and we can't let her get too far ahead. Hopefully Mikayla doesn't inherit too much of her dadda's competitive spirit, geez! (For those who are curious: we have had several successes in a row with her throwing her hands in the air when we ask how big she is. Soooo big!! Although sometimes she just looks at us and laughs, so we are not 100% yet.) It is just so cool watching her clearly understand our words and even having her start to associate them with actions.
Oh, and very important tidbit: unless something significantly changes, she is going to be a lefty like her momma! Her left hand is her exclusive cheerio shovel these days.
She's my favorite. I can't wait til 2P arrives and I get to have TWO favorites!
SDG
.
She's also catching onto the idea of giving kisses. She doesn't do it every time yet, but when I ask her for a kiss she will often lean in for one. Baby-style, with mouth open and drool everywhere. A kiss only a mother could appreciate, probably, but it fills my heart up so much to think she wants to give us hugs and kisses. She does both with a gigantic smile on her face. I pray that these are her first little responses to us because she experiences so much love herself. That is my prayer for my daughter through her whole life, and for all our children: that their lives are characterized by love because that is what we have filled them with, in Christ, by the grace of God.
We're also trying to teach her "so big" because we watched a video of cousin Jillian doing this, and we can't let her get too far ahead. Hopefully Mikayla doesn't inherit too much of her dadda's competitive spirit, geez! (For those who are curious: we have had several successes in a row with her throwing her hands in the air when we ask how big she is. Soooo big!! Although sometimes she just looks at us and laughs, so we are not 100% yet.) It is just so cool watching her clearly understand our words and even having her start to associate them with actions.
Oh, and very important tidbit: unless something significantly changes, she is going to be a lefty like her momma! Her left hand is her exclusive cheerio shovel these days.
She's my favorite. I can't wait til 2P arrives and I get to have TWO favorites!
SDG
.
The Flip Switched
This is the story of a transformation that defies all logic and understanding. An answer to prayer, if ever there were one.
The back story is that this pregnancy has been a little rough for me. I have felt sicker more often (I actually lost rather than gained weight in the first trimester, though I am now back to pre-pregnancy weight), and the fatigue has just been killer. Some of this is due to the fact that I'm now starting my days at 7:00 a.m. whether I feel ready to or not...although thinking back, I was working full time through my first trimester with Mikayla so I was certainly getting up early then as well. So maybe this pregnancy really is worse.
ANYWAY.
All this to say I have been slacking horribly on things like laundry, dishes, menu planning, paperwork at work. Anything that has not been mandatory for paycheck or basic survival has gone out the window for at least the past month. Our frequent travels have not helped me stay up to speed on any of this, either.
Fast forward (or rewind or whatever) to this past Tuesday when for some reason, I looked around and realized...HOLY BANANAS, there is so much to do and so little time to do it! I was anticipating flying to New Hampshire for a wedding weekend, not to mention working the equivalent of several full days this week, and wondering how in the world the clothes are going to get clean and the notes are going to get written and the groceries are going to get boughten. The icing on the cake was Mikayla choosing to just, you know, be NEEDY all day. Not cranky, per se, but she certainly didn't want momma doing anything that didn't involve kisses and giggles and food (ok, mainly food).
No wait, the ACTUAL icing on the cake was that I'm freaking pregnant and, as I told Joel recently, I am tired IN MY LIFE. It all came together in a perfect storm of hormones and overwhelmedness and holy bananas I might need to cancel work today and just find a cave to cry in. (Mikayla is into bananas right now.)
My solution? Make a list! And create a calendar! I spent my last half hour before work (I couldn't come up with a satisfactory way to say to clients, "I can't see you today because I am freaking out".) on Google calendars actually scheduling all my household chores (daily, weekly, and bi-weekly with repeating occurrences, but no alarms because seriously. That's just ridiculous.)(Unlike putting your chores on the calendar, that is normal.) I then calendared the projects that I need to finish in the near future. These included catching up outpatient notes, catching up inpatient notes, organizing baby clothes, moving the guest bed into the attic, and cleaning out our hallway to make room for a bassinet.
And by "near future" I mean "the next six months" but it all FELT urgent, I promise. And I now have plans to have all this accomplished in the next ten days. Mostly in the next four days, but I decided to relax the guest bed thing because I'll probably need Joel's help and I don't want him to think I'm crazy. Like the time when I was pregnant and made him help me rearrange the nursery AGAIN because I thought it would work better. This is very, very similar to that, actually.
So, here I sit on Thursday with my outpatient notes all caught up, inpatient notes in a very good place, laundry almost finished, litter tidied (yes that's a bi-weekly chore now; Joel is the scooper but I am the tidier), office filing from the last month finished, and all phone calls returned. And tomorrow I am scheduled to dust, vacuumm, sweep, mop, and grocery shop. And I am excited about it.
I told Joel that I don't even recognize myself today. And then I realized...you know what today is?
SECOND. BLESSED. TRIMESTER.
Yesterday I officially hit 13 weeks. It's like a switch flipped and I AM BACK, BABY. Or at least I have really good intentions; I will let you know how tomorrow goes!
So first trimester went out with a bang (much as it entered, which I will detail for you in that post I promised about Mikayla's Very Interrupted Nap), but second trimester has arrived in all its glory. Thank you, dear heavenly Father, for this great mercy. Please could I stay in the second trimester all the way until delivery?
SDG!
The back story is that this pregnancy has been a little rough for me. I have felt sicker more often (I actually lost rather than gained weight in the first trimester, though I am now back to pre-pregnancy weight), and the fatigue has just been killer. Some of this is due to the fact that I'm now starting my days at 7:00 a.m. whether I feel ready to or not...although thinking back, I was working full time through my first trimester with Mikayla so I was certainly getting up early then as well. So maybe this pregnancy really is worse.
ANYWAY.
All this to say I have been slacking horribly on things like laundry, dishes, menu planning, paperwork at work. Anything that has not been mandatory for paycheck or basic survival has gone out the window for at least the past month. Our frequent travels have not helped me stay up to speed on any of this, either.
Fast forward (or rewind or whatever) to this past Tuesday when for some reason, I looked around and realized...HOLY BANANAS, there is so much to do and so little time to do it! I was anticipating flying to New Hampshire for a wedding weekend, not to mention working the equivalent of several full days this week, and wondering how in the world the clothes are going to get clean and the notes are going to get written and the groceries are going to get boughten. The icing on the cake was Mikayla choosing to just, you know, be NEEDY all day. Not cranky, per se, but she certainly didn't want momma doing anything that didn't involve kisses and giggles and food (ok, mainly food).
No wait, the ACTUAL icing on the cake was that I'm freaking pregnant and, as I told Joel recently, I am tired IN MY LIFE. It all came together in a perfect storm of hormones and overwhelmedness and holy bananas I might need to cancel work today and just find a cave to cry in. (Mikayla is into bananas right now.)
My solution? Make a list! And create a calendar! I spent my last half hour before work (I couldn't come up with a satisfactory way to say to clients, "I can't see you today because I am freaking out".) on Google calendars actually scheduling all my household chores (daily, weekly, and bi-weekly with repeating occurrences, but no alarms because seriously. That's just ridiculous.)(Unlike putting your chores on the calendar, that is normal.) I then calendared the projects that I need to finish in the near future. These included catching up outpatient notes, catching up inpatient notes, organizing baby clothes, moving the guest bed into the attic, and cleaning out our hallway to make room for a bassinet.
And by "near future" I mean "the next six months" but it all FELT urgent, I promise. And I now have plans to have all this accomplished in the next ten days. Mostly in the next four days, but I decided to relax the guest bed thing because I'll probably need Joel's help and I don't want him to think I'm crazy. Like the time when I was pregnant and made him help me rearrange the nursery AGAIN because I thought it would work better. This is very, very similar to that, actually.
So, here I sit on Thursday with my outpatient notes all caught up, inpatient notes in a very good place, laundry almost finished, litter tidied (yes that's a bi-weekly chore now; Joel is the scooper but I am the tidier), office filing from the last month finished, and all phone calls returned. And tomorrow I am scheduled to dust, vacuumm, sweep, mop, and grocery shop. And I am excited about it.
I told Joel that I don't even recognize myself today. And then I realized...you know what today is?
SECOND. BLESSED. TRIMESTER.
Yesterday I officially hit 13 weeks. It's like a switch flipped and I AM BACK, BABY. Or at least I have really good intentions; I will let you know how tomorrow goes!
So first trimester went out with a bang (much as it entered, which I will detail for you in that post I promised about Mikayla's Very Interrupted Nap), but second trimester has arrived in all its glory. Thank you, dear heavenly Father, for this great mercy. Please could I stay in the second trimester all the way until delivery?
SDG!
Mikayla's Many Favorites (8 Month Update)
Wow kids, I haven't blogged in forever. Want to know why? The current reason for not blogging began on July 11 when we found out that I'm knocked up again. Hello, baby #2! Since we decided to sit on the news for awhile before announcing, I basically forsook the blog because what else was there to write about?
Well, yeah, I mean Mikayla is still cool. But. Another pregnancy? Was definitely going to slip out somehow. But now that it's Facebook official, I am back baby! (babies?)
And this post is not actually about 2P, as we are calling him, until we find out via ultrasound whether it is maybe what we have been calling her. My gut is saying boy but I think it is because my sister just had a boy, and I have been following in her footsteps for oh about two years now in all things baby.
Nothing like waiting until the fourth paragraph to introduce the actual thesis statement of the post, eh? Since it is not about 2P, it is quite safe to assume that this is an update on Mikayla. I found myself composing a Facebook status update a few minutes ago that made me think, hmm, this is one of those stati that a) about three people will be excited to read, and b) is going to annoy the remaining 273 friends who will see it because it is so long. So. To the blog!
Mikayla is just in a fantastically cool stage right now. I know, we have said that about every stage so far, but seriously I really mean it this time guys. She is eight months old and SO active and inquisitive! For the past week or two she has been pulling herself up to stand - you read that right, she is cruising around her crib and standing to play with her toys. I had to Craigslist a few things because all of her toys so far have been small, handheld jobs and this girl is needing something to hold her interest (and her weight as she learns to balance!). She is the proud new owner of an activity cube and mail car walker as of about a week ago. My favorite is the delight she finds in turning the wooden gears on the side of the cube - with her foot. She started to use her hand once, but decided it was WAY neater to use her little toes.
In addition to standing and taking steps with help, Mikayla acts like a big girl by eating more than her dadda does. A typical breakfast is an entire pear or banana, a generous 1/2 cup (plus) of yogurt, and as much oatmeal as she wants til she's full. Usually at least a 1/2 cup. Dinner tonight was half a sweet potato, a cup of oatmeal, and probably 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt. A strange combination, perhaps, but we really need to get groceries again, apparently...We work on baby signs, in the spirit of cousin Khloe, but so far Mikayla asks for her sippy cup by yelling and banging her hands, and indicates that she would like "more, please" by panting and opening her mouth wide enough for a bus. She has made momma's life a freer place by eating three meals a day plus nursing at bedtime. Sometimes she is up for a snack in between meals, but most days she eats enough at her big-girl meals to get through. So nice!
Diaper changes have become less fun because they are BORING, even when Mikayla gets to hold onto a chosen toy while she lies there. But folks, bath time has moved on up to a favorite activity! Since she has become more stable in sitting, I've scrapped the baby tub and just been bathing her in a few inches of water in the regular bathtub. Not to mention RUBBER DUCKIES. Oh my goodness. We have this nifty mama duck that was a gift from my friend Michele (and the frontrunner to be Mikayla's husband, Jacob). She has three baby ducks that sit on her back as she floats around in the water. Mikayla has enjoyed them SO much that she adopted one of the baby duckies as her very own, to be toted everywhere she goes. It becomes more and more realistic throughout the day as it gathers feathers (well, cat hair...creativity is key when you have kids).
My favorite bath moment occurred yesterday, as Mikayla was playing with said duckies. She was just so taken with the idea that there are THREE baby duckies that she can play with all at once!!! She picked up the first ducky with one hand, picked up the second with her other hand, and looked at the third ducky intently. I could practically see the light bulb above her head as she popped ducky #2 into her mouth (head first, rest assured) so that she could reach for the third ducky. Unfortunately, holding duckies in her hand and mouth simultaneously seems to take a fair amount of concentration, so the third ducky kept bobbing just beyond Mikayla's clumsy grasp as she tried not to lose the first two. She adjusted the ducky in her mouth several times, holding it by its wing, then by its tail, but never quite found the perfect tooth hold that would allow her to hold all THREE duckies. It broke my heart, but I was so proud of her perseverance. Maybe next time, little girl. Maybe next time.
And yes, most nouns in our home end with "y" or "ies" at this juncture. Why do you ask?
Another current favorite occurrence is going to pick Mikayla up after her naps, and anticipating what position she will be in. My favorite so far had her lying on her back, sucking her thumb, sprawled out in a devil-may-care sort of way. Her legs were flung through the crib rails, basically using the bumper as a footrest for one foot and dangling her other leg casually toward the floor. The look on her face said, "Hey momma, what's up?" LOVE this girl! Sometimes I will find her draped over the bumper head first, as though she's been using it as a pillow or peering over it at the floor (like today, when she realized she had lost her ducky at some point during her nap and gazed longingly down til momma rescued it).
Mikayla is a huge fan of our black cat, Niko. When she sees Niko lying on the floor, or nearby on the bed, or crossing the room in the distance, Mikayla lets out a gigantic shriek of happiness. Niko is generally pretty patient with her, and even walks up to Mikayla fairly often to allow a few quick strokes (read: fistfuls of fur). I think this is why Mikayla thinks they are such great friends. However, Mikayla's shriek of happiness tends to be emitted at the same volume regardless of how near or far Niko happens to be. And is repeated frequently as long as Niko is in sight. A fact which, unfortunately, does not cause Niko to stick around for very long. But Niko is hungry enough for adult attention that she comes around even when Mikayla is present, and like I said, she has surprised me several times by nuzzling up to Mikayla for a few moments. Niko, thank you for making a baby's dreams come true.
I am realizing that there are so many "favorites" with Mikayla: moments, activities, sounds, faces. It would take a sweet forever to chronicle them all, and I seriously doubt that you had slated enough of your day to read through a much longer post than this (in fact, are you still here?). So I will stop here and let you know that you should simply hang out with my daughter sometime soon. K?
Up next: In Which Momma Learns of 2P's Existence (Or: Mikayla's Very Interrupted Nap).
The Heat Has Melted My Coherence (or, Too Many Pop Culture References)
It has been forever since I wrote a "just because" post. But tonight I find myself with a rare several hours to myself while baby sleeps and hubby wraps things up at the chicken shack (his term, not mine). After ending a really dumb movie about twenty minutes before it ended (it was supposed to be scary, but in actuality was quite predictable and I thought I'd save myself some minutes of boredom/suspense), I stuck my foot in a banana peel that was lying on the bed and decided to blog. None of these events is quite related, but I got a kick out of the random juxtaposition. Did you?
So here we are, fair reader, with a few minutes all to ourselves before I turn in for the night. Laundry is folded, the ironing board tucked away, the dishes all safely in their cupboards. You'd think it was a Saturday (and, also, not a heat index of 19,000 degrees) from the productivity I've displayed this evening. Speaking of the heat, you want to know what it made me do today?
This:
(Forgive the shampoo bottle in the background; it's easier to see my hair with the shower curtain open, but it means you get to see some of the little sundries of life.)
This strange new lack of hair? I like it. I am even now leaning back against a pillow with nary a worry, not even a thought that I might be smushing a curl. Poor Mikayla doesn't know what to do with herself now that she can't tangle her fist in momma's flowing tresses while she nurses, but I? I am ok with that because: CONVENIENCE. It takes five minutes from my head in the bathtub to walking (running frazzledly) out the door. Or grabbing a screaming baby/changing a diaper/juggling flaming knives. Moms of the world, I understand you.
Not that this is a mom haircut. This is the sassy of Shannyn Sossamon meets the pixie-chic of Emma Watson. Meets, you know, a whole new level of bedhead in the morning. Which is why it's so fantastic that Joel's first glimpse of the new 'do will be tomorrow morning as we awaken to a fresh new day of Mikayla wondering where breakfast is because seriously child, have I not fed you every morning for your entire life and yet you persist in acting like this might be the day we leave you in the crib forever?
I LOVE my daughter. She is actually full of sparkle and laughter first thing in the morning. But while she is amazing at sleeping alllll the way through the night, the downside of ten hours between feedings is that breakfast tends have a certain...urgency to it. Hey, I don't have a problem with it. It is so sweet watching her rub the sleep out of her eyes until she realizes DADDA!! MOMMA!! You are here this morning, too!! Then there is a split-second change while her tummy connects with her brain and STARVATION. But it is really not too shabby to start each day feeling utterly (udderly? I'm hilarious.) needed, and then as soon as she's done eating we get to snuggle and exchange smooches and giggles until one of us decides oh right, diaper change.
Hmm. Wow. Stream of consciousness much? Chicken shack --> banana peel --> hair --> BABY. It's like playing Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, only better because everything is better when Chick Fil A and babies are involved.
Well, it is hot and past my bedtime, and I don't see this post suddenly becoming a whole lot more organized or interesting, so I hope you enjoyed my haircut and...
Go Pirates!
sdg
So here we are, fair reader, with a few minutes all to ourselves before I turn in for the night. Laundry is folded, the ironing board tucked away, the dishes all safely in their cupboards. You'd think it was a Saturday (and, also, not a heat index of 19,000 degrees) from the productivity I've displayed this evening. Speaking of the heat, you want to know what it made me do today?
This:
(Forgive the shampoo bottle in the background; it's easier to see my hair with the shower curtain open, but it means you get to see some of the little sundries of life.)
This strange new lack of hair? I like it. I am even now leaning back against a pillow with nary a worry, not even a thought that I might be smushing a curl. Poor Mikayla doesn't know what to do with herself now that she can't tangle her fist in momma's flowing tresses while she nurses, but I? I am ok with that because: CONVENIENCE. It takes five minutes from my head in the bathtub to walking (running frazzledly) out the door. Or grabbing a screaming baby/changing a diaper/juggling flaming knives. Moms of the world, I understand you.
Not that this is a mom haircut. This is the sassy of Shannyn Sossamon meets the pixie-chic of Emma Watson. Meets, you know, a whole new level of bedhead in the morning. Which is why it's so fantastic that Joel's first glimpse of the new 'do will be tomorrow morning as we awaken to a fresh new day of Mikayla wondering where breakfast is because seriously child, have I not fed you every morning for your entire life and yet you persist in acting like this might be the day we leave you in the crib forever?
I LOVE my daughter. She is actually full of sparkle and laughter first thing in the morning. But while she is amazing at sleeping alllll the way through the night, the downside of ten hours between feedings is that breakfast tends have a certain...urgency to it. Hey, I don't have a problem with it. It is so sweet watching her rub the sleep out of her eyes until she realizes DADDA!! MOMMA!! You are here this morning, too!! Then there is a split-second change while her tummy connects with her brain and STARVATION. But it is really not too shabby to start each day feeling utterly (udderly? I'm hilarious.) needed, and then as soon as she's done eating we get to snuggle and exchange smooches and giggles until one of us decides oh right, diaper change.
Hmm. Wow. Stream of consciousness much? Chicken shack --> banana peel --> hair --> BABY. It's like playing Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, only better because everything is better when Chick Fil A and babies are involved.
Well, it is hot and past my bedtime, and I don't see this post suddenly becoming a whole lot more organized or interesting, so I hope you enjoyed my haircut and...
Go Pirates!
sdg
You Can't Teach Height (Six Month Update)
Imagine my surprise when I found out this morning that Mikayla is SUCH a big girl that she doesn't need another check-up until October! My first thought was...but there is so much time between now and October for me to screw something up. Somehow I have earned "their" trust, whoever "they" might be.
So just how big is Mikayla? She weighed in at 15 lb 10 oz (48.9%ile), 26.75 inches (67.3%ile), and head circumference 42.3cm (50.4%ile). She has taken a little dip in weight percentile, though still right where she should be for her age, and remains tall. Unsurprising for our little Pearcelet, who also inherits some serious length genes from her Maclay/Steele forebears. No match for her cousin Jillian, however, who sounds like she will be able to take Mikayla with one arm tied behind her back, at least in basketball.
Mikayla got two shots today and was a very brave little girl. She cried for a few seconds but quickly pulled herself together, forgiving the needle-wielding nurse and smiling up a storm on her way out the door. She makes a momma proud. Her curiosity made the check-up quite interesting, as she grabbed and attempted to chew the nurse practitioner's bracelet, and any stethoscope that came within reach. The doctor and staff just marveled at Mikayla's development: her speed, agility, dexterity, and visual acuity were apparently stunning. At least, their comments of "Everything looks just fine!" sounded to me like she is off the charts in both achievement and aptitude, wouldn't you agree? .......
She continues to gobble not only medical paraphernalia, but anything on a spoon or in a sippy cup. Her current menu includes oatmeal, avocados, sweet potatoes, and pears. The doctor recommended again today to start red meats soon. While I questioned this at our last visit, this apparently is a new recommendation from the American Pediatrics Whatever because parents were waiting so long to give meat, that babies apparently were not getting enough iron? They said that giving her meat will help proper brain development, and that was all I needed to hear. Far be it from me to hold back my little rocket scientist. So if I can get to the store today, our New Food Friday might just involve BEEF. Crazy, huh?
What are her favorite activities? Let's just say that watching her play makes me think of the Beach Boys: "I Get Around" describes her quite aptly these days. She will be such a happy camper when she can crawl, but for now she employs her rolling skills to get wherever she needs to go. If I take my eyes off her for a few minutes, I can be assured that I'll find her across the room from where she started. And momma can no longer doze while baby plays on the floor; the other day I opened my eyes to her reaching for the potted plant in our living room while banging on the TV stand door. Hm. While she isn't strong enough to pull anything over on herself just yet, I am not a fan of taking chances. Next stop, Baby-Proofing 101. Or possibly just, you know, staying awake.
She also LOVES hanging out in the Exersaucer, jumping around and going to town with the full range of toys available for her amusement. And if we happen to look over and catch her a) playing or b) watching us, she completely freaks out with smiles and giggles because OHMYGOODNESSYOUNOTICEDME!!! She gets a big kick out of playing with momma in front of the mirrors in our house (I'm not sure she quite grasps that she's looking at herself, but holy cow, TWO MOMMAS!). Her favorite is when momma sings "La Cucaracha" (I basically know the words "la cucaracha" and then hum the rest) or hums "Can-Can". She apparently is a big fan of watching others humiliate themselves. Add this to the list of "things you will never find on a YouTube or Facebook video".
Mikayla continues to sleep a good 12 hours at night, which continues to strain credulity with medical personnel everywhere (the purple room AND the yellow room at Grace Pediatrics, for example). They seem to breathe a little easier knowing that she now gets a nice big dinner every evening before her bedtime nursing. She is just a champ at falling asleep on her own for naps and at night; I attribute this partly to her temperament and the sweet blessings of the Lord, and partly to the hardish work we did early on with letting her cry and get used to being alone in her crib. It felt SO sadistic, but now it is hilarious to watch her hanging out in her crib before and after sleepytime. She kicks her foot back and forth like she is impatient, rolls down to the monitor cam to tell us stories and sing us songs, and occasionally turns the camera to give us a REALLY informative view of her crib bumper. All this, and she is so content to just be in there until we're able (or willing, as the case may be) to go in and get her. This is a particularly helpful skill set for her at 5:30 a.m. when it is just NOT time to get up yet. But when one of us peeks in the door, YOU'REHEREAGAINTODAY!!!! Sometimes the happiness overwhelms her so that she doesn't know how to express it, resulting in some rather disjointed flailings at times. Love!
If I had to describe Mikayla's personality today (which clearly I don't HAVE to, but do you seriously think I am going to hold back on MY blog?), I would say that she is primarily happy and delightful with generous sprinkles of curious, active, and determined. She is, so far, securely attached to both Joel and me, which allows her to confidently go rolling/exploring, greet new people with great pleasure, and whimper when we go away which actually is kind of a blessing to this momma's heart because hello, MINE. She is also remarkably resilient when she misses sleep or gets a short nap; she'll make up for it later, without TOO much cranktankerousness (new word). That's a good word for her actually - not cranktankerous, but resilient. Easygoing. (Mostly) unflappable. Thank you, dadda. If I could have MTO'd a first baby for us, my first move on the touch-screen would have been Joel's steady-eddy personality (and then his blue eyes, which she also has!).
We praise the Lord and give thanks constantly for the miracle of Mikayla Grace. She is certainly a precious gift to be regarded with much joy as well as humility, for we are not worthy of such a trust from the Lord. We pray that He makes us worthy and helps us to work out this whole parenting thing day by day, and we rely wholly on His grace to mend the places where we fall short. Thankfully, we know for certain that God is faithful to save and guide His children despite imperfect parenting (the fact that there are any who love Him is testimony to this).
Soli deo gloria!
p.s. Photos of Mikayla
(These don't include up-to-the-moment 6-month photos, but we thought you'd enjoy having access to this album anway.)
So just how big is Mikayla? She weighed in at 15 lb 10 oz (48.9%ile), 26.75 inches (67.3%ile), and head circumference 42.3cm (50.4%ile). She has taken a little dip in weight percentile, though still right where she should be for her age, and remains tall. Unsurprising for our little Pearcelet, who also inherits some serious length genes from her Maclay/Steele forebears. No match for her cousin Jillian, however, who sounds like she will be able to take Mikayla with one arm tied behind her back, at least in basketball.
Mikayla got two shots today and was a very brave little girl. She cried for a few seconds but quickly pulled herself together, forgiving the needle-wielding nurse and smiling up a storm on her way out the door. She makes a momma proud. Her curiosity made the check-up quite interesting, as she grabbed and attempted to chew the nurse practitioner's bracelet, and any stethoscope that came within reach. The doctor and staff just marveled at Mikayla's development: her speed, agility, dexterity, and visual acuity were apparently stunning. At least, their comments of "Everything looks just fine!" sounded to me like she is off the charts in both achievement and aptitude, wouldn't you agree? .......
She continues to gobble not only medical paraphernalia, but anything on a spoon or in a sippy cup. Her current menu includes oatmeal, avocados, sweet potatoes, and pears. The doctor recommended again today to start red meats soon. While I questioned this at our last visit, this apparently is a new recommendation from the American Pediatrics Whatever because parents were waiting so long to give meat, that babies apparently were not getting enough iron? They said that giving her meat will help proper brain development, and that was all I needed to hear. Far be it from me to hold back my little rocket scientist. So if I can get to the store today, our New Food Friday might just involve BEEF. Crazy, huh?
What are her favorite activities? Let's just say that watching her play makes me think of the Beach Boys: "I Get Around" describes her quite aptly these days. She will be such a happy camper when she can crawl, but for now she employs her rolling skills to get wherever she needs to go. If I take my eyes off her for a few minutes, I can be assured that I'll find her across the room from where she started. And momma can no longer doze while baby plays on the floor; the other day I opened my eyes to her reaching for the potted plant in our living room while banging on the TV stand door. Hm. While she isn't strong enough to pull anything over on herself just yet, I am not a fan of taking chances. Next stop, Baby-Proofing 101. Or possibly just, you know, staying awake.
She also LOVES hanging out in the Exersaucer, jumping around and going to town with the full range of toys available for her amusement. And if we happen to look over and catch her a) playing or b) watching us, she completely freaks out with smiles and giggles because OHMYGOODNESSYOUNOTICEDME!!! She gets a big kick out of playing with momma in front of the mirrors in our house (I'm not sure she quite grasps that she's looking at herself, but holy cow, TWO MOMMAS!). Her favorite is when momma sings "La Cucaracha" (I basically know the words "la cucaracha" and then hum the rest) or hums "Can-Can". She apparently is a big fan of watching others humiliate themselves. Add this to the list of "things you will never find on a YouTube or Facebook video".
Mikayla continues to sleep a good 12 hours at night, which continues to strain credulity with medical personnel everywhere (the purple room AND the yellow room at Grace Pediatrics, for example). They seem to breathe a little easier knowing that she now gets a nice big dinner every evening before her bedtime nursing. She is just a champ at falling asleep on her own for naps and at night; I attribute this partly to her temperament and the sweet blessings of the Lord, and partly to the hardish work we did early on with letting her cry and get used to being alone in her crib. It felt SO sadistic, but now it is hilarious to watch her hanging out in her crib before and after sleepytime. She kicks her foot back and forth like she is impatient, rolls down to the monitor cam to tell us stories and sing us songs, and occasionally turns the camera to give us a REALLY informative view of her crib bumper. All this, and she is so content to just be in there until we're able (or willing, as the case may be) to go in and get her. This is a particularly helpful skill set for her at 5:30 a.m. when it is just NOT time to get up yet. But when one of us peeks in the door, YOU'REHEREAGAINTODAY!!!! Sometimes the happiness overwhelms her so that she doesn't know how to express it, resulting in some rather disjointed flailings at times. Love!
If I had to describe Mikayla's personality today (which clearly I don't HAVE to, but do you seriously think I am going to hold back on MY blog?), I would say that she is primarily happy and delightful with generous sprinkles of curious, active, and determined. She is, so far, securely attached to both Joel and me, which allows her to confidently go rolling/exploring, greet new people with great pleasure, and whimper when we go away which actually is kind of a blessing to this momma's heart because hello, MINE. She is also remarkably resilient when she misses sleep or gets a short nap; she'll make up for it later, without TOO much cranktankerousness (new word). That's a good word for her actually - not cranktankerous, but resilient. Easygoing. (Mostly) unflappable. Thank you, dadda. If I could have MTO'd a first baby for us, my first move on the touch-screen would have been Joel's steady-eddy personality (and then his blue eyes, which she also has!).
We praise the Lord and give thanks constantly for the miracle of Mikayla Grace. She is certainly a precious gift to be regarded with much joy as well as humility, for we are not worthy of such a trust from the Lord. We pray that He makes us worthy and helps us to work out this whole parenting thing day by day, and we rely wholly on His grace to mend the places where we fall short. Thankfully, we know for certain that God is faithful to save and guide His children despite imperfect parenting (the fact that there are any who love Him is testimony to this).
Soli deo gloria!
p.s. Photos of Mikayla
(These don't include up-to-the-moment 6-month photos, but we thought you'd enjoy having access to this album anway.)
A Little Gratitude To Get the Dust Out
I am not usually one to post simply because I haven't in awhile, but I really feel the need to sweep a few cobwebs out of here before the big 6 month update (coming soon!). We are blessed to have been SUPER BUSY lately, not only with our sweet Mikayla in all her solid-food-eating glory (and the corresponding...diaper changes, if you will), but also enjoying tons of good food and fellowship during this beautiful Lancaster summer.
We were sad to say goodbye to my sister, her husband, and their two little ones (well...one is still inside Brittany's tummy for ease of transport, but he counts!) as they moved away about a week ago. They have been on a whirlwind adventure with Kory's Chick Fil A manager training program, which involved a three-week class in Atlanta followed by a graduation-day assignment. Meaning, yes, they found out on a Friday just when and where he would begin a new job. So that you catch the full impact of this, Brittany is entering her third trimester of pregnancy and they had the possibility of being placed anywhere. in. the. country. Mercy. So...it turns out, they had all of four days to get their hineys not to the west coast, but to our old stomping ground of western PA! That's right, they were assigned to a store in the Monroeville mall, so that my parents are easily able to help with Khloe and all the new baby hoo-ha come September. The Lord just continues to provide, provide, provide. As I said to Brittany, isn't it funny how He is always faithful, just like He promises, and somehow we always seem to feel amazed and relieved when He does? How just like a wee, little human being I am.
The upshot to saying goodbye is that I was blessed to spend some extra time with Brittany and Khloe (while Kory was at his class) helping them to pack up. We shared some meals together (with Kory, too) in the last days since I personally boxed her entire kitchen and just didn't think it would be right to sentence her to nothing but Chinese takeout in her condition. (Although thinking about this now...Chinese food while pregnant is basically like heaven. So, sorry Britt!) And Brittany and Kory decided to bless us like CRAZY by unloading their dining room table and widescreen TV on us, since they are moving to a furnished place. Honestly, I am more excited about the table because it has allowed us to extend hospitality that was previously impossible for us, especially in our Church of Large Families. Well that and we have to give the TV back eventually...
What else am I thankful for?
Our sweet friend Deborah who babysat (and washed our dishes. Seriously people.) and allowed Joel and me to go concerting and fireworking at Long's Park on Sunday night.
Joel's parents who came to visit on the fourth, and the Troxells who helped us eat some delicious brats (and hot dogs for their girls, who are not brats, for the record).
A flexible job that allowed me to stay home today to get over a little stomach bug. And a sweet daughter who didn't mind lying on momma's bed and playing with the same four toys ALL day til dadda got home from work to mix things up a little. Best company I've ever had on a sick day!
The young ladies of our church who are turning out to be rather insightful and SO much fun to hang out with at our Bible studies and other events this summer. And their moms, who could not be more supportive and helpful of the girls' ministry endeavors as we seek to cultivate Proverbs 31 womanhood. I am really looking forward to baking pies this Friday with whoever can come!
I feel like I could go on and on, but right now I am singularly thankful for the sound of the back door and keys hitting the counter, that let me know Joel is home and ready to hang out (and maybe let me beat him at a game, since I was sick today.) Glory to God for His goodness to us, even when it takes the form of stomach bugs and bittersweet goodbyes...
We were sad to say goodbye to my sister, her husband, and their two little ones (well...one is still inside Brittany's tummy for ease of transport, but he counts!) as they moved away about a week ago. They have been on a whirlwind adventure with Kory's Chick Fil A manager training program, which involved a three-week class in Atlanta followed by a graduation-day assignment. Meaning, yes, they found out on a Friday just when and where he would begin a new job. So that you catch the full impact of this, Brittany is entering her third trimester of pregnancy and they had the possibility of being placed anywhere. in. the. country. Mercy. So...it turns out, they had all of four days to get their hineys not to the west coast, but to our old stomping ground of western PA! That's right, they were assigned to a store in the Monroeville mall, so that my parents are easily able to help with Khloe and all the new baby hoo-ha come September. The Lord just continues to provide, provide, provide. As I said to Brittany, isn't it funny how He is always faithful, just like He promises, and somehow we always seem to feel amazed and relieved when He does? How just like a wee, little human being I am.
The upshot to saying goodbye is that I was blessed to spend some extra time with Brittany and Khloe (while Kory was at his class) helping them to pack up. We shared some meals together (with Kory, too) in the last days since I personally boxed her entire kitchen and just didn't think it would be right to sentence her to nothing but Chinese takeout in her condition. (Although thinking about this now...Chinese food while pregnant is basically like heaven. So, sorry Britt!) And Brittany and Kory decided to bless us like CRAZY by unloading their dining room table and widescreen TV on us, since they are moving to a furnished place. Honestly, I am more excited about the table because it has allowed us to extend hospitality that was previously impossible for us, especially in our Church of Large Families. Well that and we have to give the TV back eventually...
What else am I thankful for?
Our sweet friend Deborah who babysat (and washed our dishes. Seriously people.) and allowed Joel and me to go concerting and fireworking at Long's Park on Sunday night.
Joel's parents who came to visit on the fourth, and the Troxells who helped us eat some delicious brats (and hot dogs for their girls, who are not brats, for the record).
A flexible job that allowed me to stay home today to get over a little stomach bug. And a sweet daughter who didn't mind lying on momma's bed and playing with the same four toys ALL day til dadda got home from work to mix things up a little. Best company I've ever had on a sick day!
The young ladies of our church who are turning out to be rather insightful and SO much fun to hang out with at our Bible studies and other events this summer. And their moms, who could not be more supportive and helpful of the girls' ministry endeavors as we seek to cultivate Proverbs 31 womanhood. I am really looking forward to baking pies this Friday with whoever can come!
I feel like I could go on and on, but right now I am singularly thankful for the sound of the back door and keys hitting the counter, that let me know Joel is home and ready to hang out (and maybe let me beat him at a game, since I was sick today.) Glory to God for His goodness to us, even when it takes the form of stomach bugs and bittersweet goodbyes...
Four Generations of Faithfulness
Last weekend, Mikayla spent some quality time with both of her great-grandmothers - one near, one far. My Grandma and Grandpa (Steele) stopped by via Skype, and were just in awe of how fantastically adorable, alert, and amazing Mikayla is. It was so precious to me, to watch the looks on their faces as they beheld their great-granddaughter. They couldn't take their eyes off her! I look forward to telling Mikayla that she visited them in Florida while she was still inside momma's belly. And I look forward to their first meeting with each other, which I hope is sometime soon!
And as if that weren't enough, Mikayla got to meet my Mama (Maclay) - live and in person! From the first moment, Mikayla kept turning her head toward Mama, smiling at her voice. She seemed to know from whence she came! Watching them together, as Mama held Mikayla in her lap and showed her the little bird she had brought for her...honestly, it brought tears to my eyes. What a sweet moment. I had to just sit quietly and take it in. You can see for yourself:
And the highlight of my weekend was having the Boucher/Maclay/Steele/Pearce mothers and daughters together for a photo.
Have you ever seen a more good-looking bunch? (Try to ignore the fact that Mikayla is muffin-topping her too-tight 3-6 month jeans, and that my bra strap decided to make a photo-bombing appearance.) Mama's beauty genes have really stood the test of time, and have swum determinedly through the strainer of natural selection. That, and we all have really good taste in husbands.
What it really makes me reflect on, though (far more than how gorgeous we all are), is the Lord's faithfulness through so many years. He has been so kind to us, starting even before Mama and continuing right down through Mikayla's first four months. I have no doubt that there were moments in the lives of our mothers and grandmothers, just as there have been in my own life, of weakness. Moments of doubting His goodness, of wondering when His kindness will end or believing that my sin might stand in the way of His grace. We have worked hard. We have suffered and endured hardships. But look at how He has continued to move His hand and to bring forth good things. What a reminder this photo is of His unchanging, eternal love for His elect. He has our ultimate good in mind, in all that He sends us. Thank God there is nothing I can do to thwart His purposes!
Soli Deo Gloria :)
And as if that weren't enough, Mikayla got to meet my Mama (Maclay) - live and in person! From the first moment, Mikayla kept turning her head toward Mama, smiling at her voice. She seemed to know from whence she came! Watching them together, as Mama held Mikayla in her lap and showed her the little bird she had brought for her...honestly, it brought tears to my eyes. What a sweet moment. I had to just sit quietly and take it in. You can see for yourself:
And the highlight of my weekend was having the Boucher/Maclay/Steele/Pearce mothers and daughters together for a photo.
Have you ever seen a more good-looking bunch? (Try to ignore the fact that Mikayla is muffin-topping her too-tight 3-6 month jeans, and that my bra strap decided to make a photo-bombing appearance.) Mama's beauty genes have really stood the test of time, and have swum determinedly through the strainer of natural selection. That, and we all have really good taste in husbands.
What it really makes me reflect on, though (far more than how gorgeous we all are), is the Lord's faithfulness through so many years. He has been so kind to us, starting even before Mama and continuing right down through Mikayla's first four months. I have no doubt that there were moments in the lives of our mothers and grandmothers, just as there have been in my own life, of weakness. Moments of doubting His goodness, of wondering when His kindness will end or believing that my sin might stand in the way of His grace. We have worked hard. We have suffered and endured hardships. But look at how He has continued to move His hand and to bring forth good things. What a reminder this photo is of His unchanging, eternal love for His elect. He has our ultimate good in mind, in all that He sends us. Thank God there is nothing I can do to thwart His purposes!
Soli Deo Gloria :)
This Four-Month Update is Late Because We've Been Busy Applying to Colleges
If my state of mind from the past week is any indication, this post will probably include a little of this, a little of that, and have no discernible organization. But at least you'll be updated!
First, Mikayla Grace had her four-month birthday last week (on May 12, for those keeping score at home). Our new pediatrician doesn't do weigh-ins at the immunization visits, so near as I can figure she is at least 15 pounds according to our super-precise bathroom scale, whose numbers and hash marks I can barely see from my towering height of completely average. I have to wonder how my vertically gifted husband comes up with any sort of reliable data when he uses the thing.
I digress. But you were fairly warned.
Due to a growth spurt in the last few weeks, Mikayla is now into the next size of diaper prefolds, which will fit her until she hits 30 lbs. She is on the fence with regard to diaper covers; I feel sort of bad for the smalls as we streeeeetch them around her tush, but the mediums are still a little overkill. This is why I think she is a little more than 15 pounds - the mediums are supposed to start at 18 pounds, and are only the slightest bit big. In clothing, just today I started to put away her 3-6 month things. Some of them still fit (dresses, onesies that run big), but she is definitely into her 6-9 month pajamas. Somehow I only have one pair of 6 month jammies, so I pulled out the 6-9 as well and...they are not nearly as ridiculous on her as they should be. She is so long! Her thighs are just starting to chunk out, but for the most part she is an athletic, agile little peanut.
At four months, Mikayla rolls easily from front to back. She pulls her feet in, sticking her bottom in the air, and then topples over. Sometimes she stops halfway and hangs out on her side. The best part is that she only rolls when she should be falling asleep. We have caved at times to the pressure of her pitiful wails when she is in her crib like a turtle on its back. When, oh when, will she learn to flip back over? And she refuses to roll on command, so we may not have photographic evidence until she starts kindergarten. Mikayla also expresses her kinesthetic genius by holding - yes HOLDING - her toys. I can say with the humility of a first-time momma that your child has never grasped a rattle nor shaken a linky toy with the sheer brilliance that Mikayla demonstrates. You can just see in her eyes that she is thinking very deeply about her every move. (Hmm...I just realized this could also be interpreted as a sign of slowness...nah. Denial, it's not just a river in Egypt. [That one's way funnier out loud. Oh shoot, where was my train of thought?]) Oh right - Mikayla is just constantly learning about her little, rapidly-growing world!
I am also pleased to report that we have *drumroll* a SCHEDULE!! Well, if you don't count the past few weeks when Mikayla had that growth spurt and that nasty head cold. And if you sort of disregard the crying fits at bedtime. I guess this is like saying that except for the exceptions, we have a rule. But still - she gets up like clockwork around 7 a.m. (praise the Lord she has bumped it back a little from 6:30!), naps at 8:45 for at least an hour, often two. Afternoon naps are briefer and move around a little, but it's normal for those to develop a little later than the morning nap according to my hero, Dr. Weissbluth. (Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child = the sleep & schedule Bible of first-time parents.) We also discovered the beauty of leaving her in bed for a good ten minutes when she appears to be stirring...she has turned 45-minute naps into 2.5-hour naps by falling back asleep.
Mikayla's little personality is absolutely delightful. Joel has made a habit of peeking into her room each morning before he goes for his shower. This is usually a little before 7 a.m., and he tells me that she is usually flipped onto her back and awake at that point. And when she sees dadda peeking into her crib, she goes absolutely BANANAS with smiles and wiggles. It is their special moment before he heads off to work and before I get her up for the day. Then we spend our mornings together playing, cuddling, nursing, and napping before I get ready for work myself. It is so precious to me that Joel can be with her while I'm gone, and makes it so much easier for me to be back at work part-time.
I have been saving the most momentous update for last. Are you ready for this? Mikayla has been drooling for at least the past month, chewing on her hands and having mystifying crying spells at bedtime. We suspected teething, but saw nary an incisor on which to place the blame. Then, just last night, I arrived home to Joel changing her into her jammies and he pointed out what we've all been waiting for. Mikayla Grace, my sweet little baby who was only just born, has not one, but TWO bottom teeth poking through her gums!! I scooped her up and hugged her tight, and wondered who would be showing up on our doorstep next week asking for her hand in marriage. Joel thought that was a bit much, but doesn't it feel like they grow up right before our eyes?
Oh, and if you think I have photographic evidence of the teeth, you have obviously never attempted to photograph the inside of a baby's mouth. If you don't have a baby handy, try nailing jello to the wall with one hand and snapping a clear shot with the other. Email me the result and we will all have a good laugh at your expense.
Aaaaand you're up to date with Mikayla Grace! Thanks for stopping by!
SDG!
First, Mikayla Grace had her four-month birthday last week (on May 12, for those keeping score at home). Our new pediatrician doesn't do weigh-ins at the immunization visits, so near as I can figure she is at least 15 pounds according to our super-precise bathroom scale, whose numbers and hash marks I can barely see from my towering height of completely average. I have to wonder how my vertically gifted husband comes up with any sort of reliable data when he uses the thing.
I digress. But you were fairly warned.
Due to a growth spurt in the last few weeks, Mikayla is now into the next size of diaper prefolds, which will fit her until she hits 30 lbs. She is on the fence with regard to diaper covers; I feel sort of bad for the smalls as we streeeeetch them around her tush, but the mediums are still a little overkill. This is why I think she is a little more than 15 pounds - the mediums are supposed to start at 18 pounds, and are only the slightest bit big. In clothing, just today I started to put away her 3-6 month things. Some of them still fit (dresses, onesies that run big), but she is definitely into her 6-9 month pajamas. Somehow I only have one pair of 6 month jammies, so I pulled out the 6-9 as well and...they are not nearly as ridiculous on her as they should be. She is so long! Her thighs are just starting to chunk out, but for the most part she is an athletic, agile little peanut.
Mikayla at 3 months:
Mikayla at 4 months:
At four months, Mikayla rolls easily from front to back. She pulls her feet in, sticking her bottom in the air, and then topples over. Sometimes she stops halfway and hangs out on her side. The best part is that she only rolls when she should be falling asleep. We have caved at times to the pressure of her pitiful wails when she is in her crib like a turtle on its back. When, oh when, will she learn to flip back over? And she refuses to roll on command, so we may not have photographic evidence until she starts kindergarten. Mikayla also expresses her kinesthetic genius by holding - yes HOLDING - her toys. I can say with the humility of a first-time momma that your child has never grasped a rattle nor shaken a linky toy with the sheer brilliance that Mikayla demonstrates. You can just see in her eyes that she is thinking very deeply about her every move. (Hmm...I just realized this could also be interpreted as a sign of slowness...nah. Denial, it's not just a river in Egypt. [That one's way funnier out loud. Oh shoot, where was my train of thought?]) Oh right - Mikayla is just constantly learning about her little, rapidly-growing world!
I am also pleased to report that we have *drumroll* a SCHEDULE!! Well, if you don't count the past few weeks when Mikayla had that growth spurt and that nasty head cold. And if you sort of disregard the crying fits at bedtime. I guess this is like saying that except for the exceptions, we have a rule. But still - she gets up like clockwork around 7 a.m. (praise the Lord she has bumped it back a little from 6:30!), naps at 8:45 for at least an hour, often two. Afternoon naps are briefer and move around a little, but it's normal for those to develop a little later than the morning nap according to my hero, Dr. Weissbluth. (Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child = the sleep & schedule Bible of first-time parents.) We also discovered the beauty of leaving her in bed for a good ten minutes when she appears to be stirring...she has turned 45-minute naps into 2.5-hour naps by falling back asleep.
Mikayla's little personality is absolutely delightful. Joel has made a habit of peeking into her room each morning before he goes for his shower. This is usually a little before 7 a.m., and he tells me that she is usually flipped onto her back and awake at that point. And when she sees dadda peeking into her crib, she goes absolutely BANANAS with smiles and wiggles. It is their special moment before he heads off to work and before I get her up for the day. Then we spend our mornings together playing, cuddling, nursing, and napping before I get ready for work myself. It is so precious to me that Joel can be with her while I'm gone, and makes it so much easier for me to be back at work part-time.
I have been saving the most momentous update for last. Are you ready for this? Mikayla has been drooling for at least the past month, chewing on her hands and having mystifying crying spells at bedtime. We suspected teething, but saw nary an incisor on which to place the blame. Then, just last night, I arrived home to Joel changing her into her jammies and he pointed out what we've all been waiting for. Mikayla Grace, my sweet little baby who was only just born, has not one, but TWO bottom teeth poking through her gums!! I scooped her up and hugged her tight, and wondered who would be showing up on our doorstep next week asking for her hand in marriage. Joel thought that was a bit much, but doesn't it feel like they grow up right before our eyes?
Oh, and if you think I have photographic evidence of the teeth, you have obviously never attempted to photograph the inside of a baby's mouth. If you don't have a baby handy, try nailing jello to the wall with one hand and snapping a clear shot with the other. Email me the result and we will all have a good laugh at your expense.
Aaaaand you're up to date with Mikayla Grace! Thanks for stopping by!
SDG!
June Cleaver Without the Heels
Readers, there is a blog on the interweb that is even more fantastic than mine. It is called Heavenly Homemakers, and I think it is the blog equivalent of my soulmate. This lady posts recipes for things that seem complicated or difficult or at least impressive to make from scratch, and they are almost always healthy. She emphasizes whole food ingredients like honey and whole wheat, and teaches how to make staples like homemade peanut butter and homemade yogurt. (Bonus: she is even funnier than I am!) And guess what. Although these sound like the sorts of things that make you think, "That is for women who wear long dresses and aprons and spend all day up to their elbows in flour," (because that was totally my first reaction, too), it is EASY to make this stuff!
Example: Homemade peanut butter.
Recipe: Place peanuts in food processor. Push the button until it looks like peanut butter. No seriously, that's it. Unless you want to stir in some honey. (Full disclosure: I ordered a food processor on Amazon about fifteen seconds after reading this "recipe". Not only because I could make homemade peanut butter with it, but also because I loathe chopping things and figured it was about time to make the investment.)
Example 2: Homemade yogurt.
Recipe: Place 3/4 cup plain yogurt into a glass jar with 1 quart milk. Shake. Place in a cooler full of hot water and leave for seven hours. Try not to forget that it's there. (I added that last part.) Add vanilla, honey, fruit, etc. if you want flavor.
So guess what I undertook today? I was perusing her dessert recipes (where did you think I would start, seriously?) I saw the Flourless Peanut Butter Cookie recipe and thought, oh, too bad I don't have any chocolate chips! Turns out, the Heavenly Homemaker has a fix for that, too. Homemade chocolate chips! Which I made immediately, and while they were chilling, I decided to make Mudballs instead of the peanut butter cookies. This is my new (healthy!!) alternative to whipping up no-bakes when we are craving dessert. Mudballs contain peanut butter, honey, wheat germ, oats, and (homemade) chocolate chips. And sesame seeds or any type of seeds, but I am not really a seed kind of girl and didn't have any on hand.
Here's how things turned out: (If you compare photos, mine turned out runnier than hers. I am not sure why but they hardened nicely in the fridge and are dang tasty.)
So please, continue with your day and be sure to feel terribly impressed with me. Because I took all of eight minutes to make chocolate chips (plus the two hours they spent in the refrigerator not requiring my attention) and a full ten minutes to make Mudballs.
As soon as I obtain some glass quart jars, I fully intend to make yogurt. It is one of our weekly splurges because it is delish and we only eat the all-natural stuff. So if I can make it at home out of our cheap, farm fresh raw milk, I consider that a homemaking WIN. And then the other ladies at church will be totally justified in their envious murmurings because I am such a kitchen prodigy.
Hopefully there is a blog out there that can help me with humility, too...
Example: Homemade peanut butter.
Recipe: Place peanuts in food processor. Push the button until it looks like peanut butter. No seriously, that's it. Unless you want to stir in some honey. (Full disclosure: I ordered a food processor on Amazon about fifteen seconds after reading this "recipe". Not only because I could make homemade peanut butter with it, but also because I loathe chopping things and figured it was about time to make the investment.)
Example 2: Homemade yogurt.
Recipe: Place 3/4 cup plain yogurt into a glass jar with 1 quart milk. Shake. Place in a cooler full of hot water and leave for seven hours. Try not to forget that it's there. (I added that last part.) Add vanilla, honey, fruit, etc. if you want flavor.
So guess what I undertook today? I was perusing her dessert recipes (where did you think I would start, seriously?) I saw the Flourless Peanut Butter Cookie recipe and thought, oh, too bad I don't have any chocolate chips! Turns out, the Heavenly Homemaker has a fix for that, too. Homemade chocolate chips! Which I made immediately, and while they were chilling, I decided to make Mudballs instead of the peanut butter cookies. This is my new (healthy!!) alternative to whipping up no-bakes when we are craving dessert. Mudballs contain peanut butter, honey, wheat germ, oats, and (homemade) chocolate chips. And sesame seeds or any type of seeds, but I am not really a seed kind of girl and didn't have any on hand.
Here's how things turned out: (If you compare photos, mine turned out runnier than hers. I am not sure why but they hardened nicely in the fridge and are dang tasty.)
So please, continue with your day and be sure to feel terribly impressed with me. Because I took all of eight minutes to make chocolate chips (plus the two hours they spent in the refrigerator not requiring my attention) and a full ten minutes to make Mudballs.
As soon as I obtain some glass quart jars, I fully intend to make yogurt. It is one of our weekly splurges because it is delish and we only eat the all-natural stuff. So if I can make it at home out of our cheap, farm fresh raw milk, I consider that a homemaking WIN. And then the other ladies at church will be totally justified in their envious murmurings because I am such a kitchen prodigy.
Hopefully there is a blog out there that can help me with humility, too...
A Tale of Two Easters
The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
It's hard for us to believe that just last Easter we were dealing with the heart-wrenching reality of death and miscarriage. I woke up last Easter morning to a grieving wife, who had started to miscarry overnight. And this after years of struggling with infertility, doubt, and fear. Looking back, we are thankful that it happened on Resurrection Sunday, which helped temper the grief and helped force our tear-stained eyes to our risen Lord, the Firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Easter will never be the same, as we experienced for the first time this year. We were reminded afresh of the searing pain we experienced, mixed with longing for the future resurrection. Our dross is being consumed, and our gold is being refined. As if God's faithfulness and covenant promises to us weren't enough, we also had another profound reason to be joyful this Easter. Her name is Mikayla Grace. We gave her that name for a reason, for truly, who is like God, lavishing blessings on his undeserving children? From death he brings life; from mourning he brings dancing; from grief he brings gladness.
It has taken us a year to "go public" about this, mainly because it has been so difficult for us. I don't write this with the purpose of gaining sympathy or comfort, though prayers are appreciated. I write so that you will rejoice with us in our only comfort in life and in death: that we are not our own, but belong, body and soul, to our faithful Savior Jesus Christ.
Who is like the Lord our God,
who is seated on high,
who looks far down
on the heavens and the earth?
He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes,
with the princes of his people.
He gives the barren woman a home,
making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord!
-From Psalm 113
who is seated on high,
who looks far down
on the heavens and the earth?
He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes,
with the princes of his people.
He gives the barren woman a home,
making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord!
-From Psalm 113
Happy Birthday to Me!
Some women treat themselves to a little something special on their birthdays. A mani/pedi, a massage, perhaps something as simple as enjoying a little extra chocolate. The world tells us, you deserve it! Indulge! Pamper!
Apparently such ideas are too tame for this momma. Would you like to know what I treated myself to for my birthday?
It all started with my first attempt at making wings on Monday. I went with Frank's Red Hot medium buffalo wing sauce. Baked, not fried, and garnished with bleu cheese dressing. Mmmm!! Joel and I thoroughly enjoyed our dinner, and I patted myself on the back for branching out into the world of delicious finger foods.
Little did I know that I was setting myself up for the birthday of birthdays.
Oh, I know what you're thinking. I was totally fine. No digestive issues here, I can handle the Frank's. Little Mikayla? Not so much.
I knew something was up when she wouldn't go back to sleep after her 7 a.m. feeding. I wasn't sure whether my big three month old girl was just changing her sleep schedule a little, or just having an off day, but she certainly cleared that question up for me in short order. Not only did she not go back to sleep, but she screamed like I was asking her to sleep on somebody else's sheets. (Serious business. I gave birth to a little Princess and the Pea. I think she can smell the difference between fragrance-free detergents.)
Ooooh the inhumanity of it all! We found a few minutes of peace when I laid her on her back instead of her tummy, but soon she was wailing and thrashing again. My usually sunny morning-person daughter had a disposition to match the stormy weather outside.
We spent the next six hours alternating between tenuous contentment and heartwrenching misery. She typically naps like a champ, but yesterday she would not fall asleep except in my arms, and that only for about ten minutes at a stretch. Joel came home to both of us asleep on the couch, since I didn't get my usual booster shot of beauty sleep from 7-9 a.m.
I must have started five different projects. I folded half the laundry, leaving it strewn on the coffee table when she became particularly upset. I had a couple of loads sitting in the washer and dryer. I showered quickly, leaving her to her own devices for ten minutes. My makeup was out on the bathroom counter, but I had to dash off without applying any. My hair....well. Anyway. I started to take her temperature...er...down there, but she promptly peed ALL OVER the thermometer, my hand, the changing pad. The morning was a total wash in the traditional sense, as I devoted myself to constantly soothing my daughter.
So, Joel arrived home, waking me from my gentle slumber on the couch. I realized that I needed to get ready for work, like, pronto, so I tried again to place Mikayla in her crib. No deal. Leaving Joel to help her, I raced around to make myself presentable and finish what little I could. Meanwhile barking the details of Mikayla's morning to Joel so he would know just what he was in for. He helpfully suggested feeding her before I left. Allow me to note that when I attempted to feed her in the morning, she only screamed harder until she was SO starved that she finally ate. Fantastic. Let's try that again!
She did eat. That is the good news. The so-so news is that her eating stimulated a rather....significant digestive event. With a little training that girl could have sharted the alphabet. (Shart = poo + gas at the same time, for those who are older than twelve.) I thought, maybe that will take care of things! But upon checking it out, there appeared to be some...issues with the poo. *reminds self this is a public blog, and censors details*
Then, because I wasn't frazzled enough, we decided to rush her to the pediatrician's office to make sure everything was ok. Between worrying about Mikayla and juggling phone calls to cancel and reschedule my appointments, it was not quite the birthday I had pictured.
Thankfully, Mikayla got the all-clear from the pediatrician (diagnosis: the buffalo wings. The doctor had to call it "colic" for billing purposes, but let's be honest.). Yes, fair reader, with a single shake of a Frank's bottle I personally ensured gastric fireworks for my daughter and one heck of a birthday for myself. Oh, and did I mention that our pediatrician doesn't accept our new insurance? Cheers to Eden Park Pediatrics, please treat yourself to a lovely spa weekend, courtesy of our out-of-pocket fee.
But you know what? God is good. Mikayla is fine. Joel stopped for a Sheetz sub and Sonic shake for me on the way home. And I beat Joel at Backgammon last night after work (except for the times when he beat me).
Who ever said my birthday should be flawless and stress-free? Why shouldn't it be a reminder of all the ways God provides in the midst of my frazzled humanness? If this day was a sample of what's to come in my next year of life, I'd say we are in good shape indeed. A God who is faithful and a husband who serves me and our daughter. Who needs birthday presents? (Well...I'll be honest, the milkshake didn't hurt...)
[In other news, they weighed Mikayla at the doc's office and she is 13 lb 11 oz at three months old. Just thought you should know.]
SDG!
Apparently such ideas are too tame for this momma. Would you like to know what I treated myself to for my birthday?
It all started with my first attempt at making wings on Monday. I went with Frank's Red Hot medium buffalo wing sauce. Baked, not fried, and garnished with bleu cheese dressing. Mmmm!! Joel and I thoroughly enjoyed our dinner, and I patted myself on the back for branching out into the world of delicious finger foods.
Little did I know that I was setting myself up for the birthday of birthdays.
Oh, I know what you're thinking. I was totally fine. No digestive issues here, I can handle the Frank's. Little Mikayla? Not so much.
I knew something was up when she wouldn't go back to sleep after her 7 a.m. feeding. I wasn't sure whether my big three month old girl was just changing her sleep schedule a little, or just having an off day, but she certainly cleared that question up for me in short order. Not only did she not go back to sleep, but she screamed like I was asking her to sleep on somebody else's sheets. (Serious business. I gave birth to a little Princess and the Pea. I think she can smell the difference between fragrance-free detergents.)
Ooooh the inhumanity of it all! We found a few minutes of peace when I laid her on her back instead of her tummy, but soon she was wailing and thrashing again. My usually sunny morning-person daughter had a disposition to match the stormy weather outside.
We spent the next six hours alternating between tenuous contentment and heartwrenching misery. She typically naps like a champ, but yesterday she would not fall asleep except in my arms, and that only for about ten minutes at a stretch. Joel came home to both of us asleep on the couch, since I didn't get my usual booster shot of beauty sleep from 7-9 a.m.
I must have started five different projects. I folded half the laundry, leaving it strewn on the coffee table when she became particularly upset. I had a couple of loads sitting in the washer and dryer. I showered quickly, leaving her to her own devices for ten minutes. My makeup was out on the bathroom counter, but I had to dash off without applying any. My hair....well. Anyway. I started to take her temperature...er...down there, but she promptly peed ALL OVER the thermometer, my hand, the changing pad. The morning was a total wash in the traditional sense, as I devoted myself to constantly soothing my daughter.
So, Joel arrived home, waking me from my gentle slumber on the couch. I realized that I needed to get ready for work, like, pronto, so I tried again to place Mikayla in her crib. No deal. Leaving Joel to help her, I raced around to make myself presentable and finish what little I could. Meanwhile barking the details of Mikayla's morning to Joel so he would know just what he was in for. He helpfully suggested feeding her before I left. Allow me to note that when I attempted to feed her in the morning, she only screamed harder until she was SO starved that she finally ate. Fantastic. Let's try that again!
She did eat. That is the good news. The so-so news is that her eating stimulated a rather....significant digestive event. With a little training that girl could have sharted the alphabet. (Shart = poo + gas at the same time, for those who are older than twelve.) I thought, maybe that will take care of things! But upon checking it out, there appeared to be some...issues with the poo. *reminds self this is a public blog, and censors details*
Then, because I wasn't frazzled enough, we decided to rush her to the pediatrician's office to make sure everything was ok. Between worrying about Mikayla and juggling phone calls to cancel and reschedule my appointments, it was not quite the birthday I had pictured.
Thankfully, Mikayla got the all-clear from the pediatrician (diagnosis: the buffalo wings. The doctor had to call it "colic" for billing purposes, but let's be honest.). Yes, fair reader, with a single shake of a Frank's bottle I personally ensured gastric fireworks for my daughter and one heck of a birthday for myself. Oh, and did I mention that our pediatrician doesn't accept our new insurance? Cheers to Eden Park Pediatrics, please treat yourself to a lovely spa weekend, courtesy of our out-of-pocket fee.
But you know what? God is good. Mikayla is fine. Joel stopped for a Sheetz sub and Sonic shake for me on the way home. And I beat Joel at Backgammon last night after work (except for the times when he beat me).
Who ever said my birthday should be flawless and stress-free? Why shouldn't it be a reminder of all the ways God provides in the midst of my frazzled humanness? If this day was a sample of what's to come in my next year of life, I'd say we are in good shape indeed. A God who is faithful and a husband who serves me and our daughter. Who needs birthday presents? (Well...I'll be honest, the milkshake didn't hurt...)
[In other news, they weighed Mikayla at the doc's office and she is 13 lb 11 oz at three months old. Just thought you should know.]
SDG!
Maybe She'll Let Me Make Her Prom Dress
Hold onto your hot dogs, folks - momma learned to sew!
This is noteworthy. As some of you may know, I am good at lots of things. Walking while chewing gum, eating cupcakes, etc. But the things I am not good at, I really really just tank. Such things include, but are not limited to, statistics and sewing. I have had some far misses involving fabric and scissors (you read that correctly; I did not even get to the part where a needle was required.)
So imagine my delight when, today, for the first time in years, I operated a sewing machine with the result of a wearable, sewn-together item!
Now, granted, all I did was cut apart a pair of socks and re-sew to create a pair of very sock-like things. This is not exactly Home Ec. rocket science. But seriously. I have spent literally minutes envying people who can just throw together a little something to line a basket or cover a pillow, frustrated at my inability to make connections between the parts of my brain responsible for spatial reasoning and motor functioning. I sew about as well with my hands as I do with my feet. When you have a textile-related disability of this severity, coming up with two pieces of fabric that are joined with thread is really something.
But, thanks to our friends Chandra and Camille (who helped tremendously by repeatedly spitting out her pacifier and modeling her own Baby Legs), Mikayla and I magically transformed two pairs of adult knee socks into some adorable homemade Baby Legs! Behold:
Please note that I changed her into this outfit before heading to Chandra's place for our sewing tutorial, knowing that this onesie would match the to-be-created Baby Legs and that I would want her to look matchy and adorable as soon as they were finished. Please also note that I had not even snapped the onesie before she spit up all over herself. Finally, please note that I allowed my baby to wear her dirty onesie because I am nothing if not committed to matchy-and-adorableness. Even slightly soiled, matchy-and-adorableness. Please don't take away my momma membership card over this.
(I also happen to LOVE that she matches her crib sheet in this photo. WIN!!!) (What does it say about me that possibly my favorite photo of my daughter involves her rump rather than her face, because of a well coordinated color scheme?)
In summary, the magnitude of my neuroses is dwarfed only by my delight and gratitude to Chandra for helping me learn a new trick today. I told you this would become a blog post!
Now, off to pull my sewing machine out of the attic to see how many ways I can mess up what I learned not two hours ago...if I'm not on Facebook in thirty minutes, send someone with scissors to extract me...
This is noteworthy. As some of you may know, I am good at lots of things. Walking while chewing gum, eating cupcakes, etc. But the things I am not good at, I really really just tank. Such things include, but are not limited to, statistics and sewing. I have had some far misses involving fabric and scissors (you read that correctly; I did not even get to the part where a needle was required.)
So imagine my delight when, today, for the first time in years, I operated a sewing machine with the result of a wearable, sewn-together item!
Now, granted, all I did was cut apart a pair of socks and re-sew to create a pair of very sock-like things. This is not exactly Home Ec. rocket science. But seriously. I have spent literally minutes envying people who can just throw together a little something to line a basket or cover a pillow, frustrated at my inability to make connections between the parts of my brain responsible for spatial reasoning and motor functioning. I sew about as well with my hands as I do with my feet. When you have a textile-related disability of this severity, coming up with two pieces of fabric that are joined with thread is really something.
But, thanks to our friends Chandra and Camille (who helped tremendously by repeatedly spitting out her pacifier and modeling her own Baby Legs), Mikayla and I magically transformed two pairs of adult knee socks into some adorable homemade Baby Legs! Behold:
Please note that I changed her into this outfit before heading to Chandra's place for our sewing tutorial, knowing that this onesie would match the to-be-created Baby Legs and that I would want her to look matchy and adorable as soon as they were finished. Please also note that I had not even snapped the onesie before she spit up all over herself. Finally, please note that I allowed my baby to wear her dirty onesie because I am nothing if not committed to matchy-and-adorableness. Even slightly soiled, matchy-and-adorableness. Please don't take away my momma membership card over this.
(I also happen to LOVE that she matches her crib sheet in this photo. WIN!!!) (What does it say about me that possibly my favorite photo of my daughter involves her rump rather than her face, because of a well coordinated color scheme?)
In summary, the magnitude of my neuroses is dwarfed only by my delight and gratitude to Chandra for helping me learn a new trick today. I told you this would become a blog post!
Now, off to pull my sewing machine out of the attic to see how many ways I can mess up what I learned not two hours ago...if I'm not on Facebook in thirty minutes, send someone with scissors to extract me...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)