May 2008: Endings, Middles, and BeginningsMonthly News time again! How quickly this month has gone by, I guess it feels that way because May was completely packed for us. When it rains it pours, and this month showered us with one exciting event after another. From the big reveal of our baby's gender (a girl - Anabelle!) to Neal and Molly's wedding, May 2008 was a really special month to say the least, and one I doubt we will ever forget. Among all the crazy fun, we even managed to squeeze in an Orlando vacation (during which we met baby Owen). This month was met with much anticipation as we waited a year and a half for the wedding, 4 months for the ultrasound, 8 months for the vacation, and 1 month to meet the sweet nephew/cousin. So it is with a little sadness that we bid farewell to May.
Ben: It's Almost OverYes, Paramedic school is in it's final month, and I speak for all 3 and a half of us when I say "WHOOPIE". With the end in sight, Ben is showing his first major signs of total exasperation and fatigue, what a long...loooong road this has been for him. With only three classes left, I think Ben would be the first to admit that this experience has been anything but fun. I just want to say... "Yay for you Ben!" I've watched him toy with the idea of quiting several times, but he just kept going, and I think that is great! I'll be so happy to see my best friend relaxed and happy again once school is over.
Our vacation was a much needed break for Ben, he let his guard down for a whole week. It was refreshing to watch him play hard and enjoy himself. We spent three nights in St. Augustine beach and two nights in Orlando, during which Ben says he slept better than he has in a whole year. He seemed so reluctant to come home from the trip. I think if I had suggested that we build a thatch hut and become permanent beach bums, he'd have gone for it. Too bad he's married to a girl who gets home sick and was ready to sleep in her own bed.
In "Baby Daddy" news, Ben has felt Anabelle kick twice in the last week. Tonight I asked him if he ever gets jealous that he can't have a baby in his tummy (the way Evie thinks he does), he made a face, blew a raspberry, shook his head, and said, "That's your thing" - I guess that means no :) In addition to making me laugh regularly, Ben has been totally indispensable in many other ways during this pregnancy (it's like Ben's mom says - "there's a reason it takes two people to have a baby" - and I totally agree). From being there for Evie, to rubbing my back, to nagging me to drink water, to giving me my weekly injections, to just plain being a best friend - I know I'd be lost without my Ben. Evie and Anabelle, in case you ever forget, God gave you a sweet daddy! And to myself, in case I ever forget, God gave me a sweet husband!
Megan: It's halfway over (or maybe more?)I just celebrated the halfway point of my pregnancy, that is halfway if I make it all the way to my due date. The second trimester has been smooth sailing compared to the first, and I am so thankful! In regards to the turmoil of emotions that I shared in my post last month (pregnancy anxiety, etc.) , God has blessed me with an overwhelming wave of peace. Lately I'm feeling content and calm. Many of the same questions and uncertainties linger, even a couple of new ones, but God is enabling me to tune myself out and to just be quiet. That feels so much better. I'm praying that where ever I am in a few months, on bed rest, the OR, the NICU, or home with a healthy full term baby, that I would be content to sit in the center of God's will and praise Him. (Later when I am grumbling, crying , and complaining - will someone please remind me of this post?)
In addition to feeling at peace with the future, excitement is starting to bloom. Since the wedding and vacation have ended, I've had the time to day dream and plan for my new baby girl. I've done a little shopping and I've started to design a nursery "update for two"! My second trimester burst of energy is helping a great deal when it comes to planning, and I'm trying to accomplish as much as I can while I feel good. I've really enjoyed being able to get back to designing and monogramming, I even recently completed my first project for Anabelle (with my mom's help).
In news outside our home, I'm very heavily involved in our upcoming Vacation Bible School as the PreK Co-Director. I'm really looking forward to it, but I'm beginning to think that the work load was a bit much for me to take on this year. God keeps reminding me of a favorite VBS verse, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Philippians 4:13. I should probably try applying that verse to more aspects of my life other than just VBS preparation :)
Evie: It's Only Just Begun"Fresh" and "new" continue to be the best adjectives to describe Evie's world. Daily discovery and growth are astounding when it comes to observing the life of a two year old. When it comes to the things shes says, Ben and I routinely ask each other, "Where does she get this stuff?" She scribbled a picture today and told Ben that it was a "giant mermaid". In Target earlier she shouted "Arrr, I a pirate". This morning she told us that her "puppy" wanted to "watch Little Einsteins". And not five minutes ago, she told me she was a "chicken princess!" Sometimes even funnier than what she says, is her pronunciation. Trust me, don't ask her to say "Fox and the Hound". On that topic, we realized earlier this month that she had learned her first four letter word, we were both forced to evaluate and change our own language. Classy - right? I can't believe I'm admitting this, I just know she'll let it slip in nursery some time and then I'll really be busted ("she learned it from her dad!"). She is such a little sponge who repeats nearly everything she hears.
In news that is sad for Mommy, Evie moves to the 2 year old room at church this weekend which is located in the PreK wing. "She ain't no tiny baby no more"... sniff, sniff. I anticipate Sunday morning going a bit like this; she will squeal, run into her new room, and she won't even look back. Then I will sit through the service and sob. The truth is, it physically hurts my heart to watch her get older. Just the thought of her one day leaving home and separating from me, stings like no sting I've ever physically felt. Here I am being so, so silly about this exciting event in Evie's life, because all I can do is mourn for my own feelings. As I'm typing with a huge (HUGE) lump in my throat, I can't even begin to imagine the pain that God (THE perfect father) must have felt to be separated from Jesus. Separated so that Jesus could die for a silly, selfish, four letter word spouting, mommy like me. It's just one more truth that God has allowed me to understand more fully through Evie and motherhood. I wonder what He plans to teach me through Anabelle.
Anabelle: Where it all BeginsAnabelle's biggest news this month is that... she's a girl! And that's good news because "Anabelle" happens to be a terrible name for a boy. She currently weighs about 12 ounces and is the size of "a large banana" (the web site I've been reading has been taking us through the entire produce section). Anabelle seems to be a very calm baby in comparison to her sister. She makes gentle movements as though she is just making herself comfortable, it's a far cry from the "in-utero gymnastics" I remember with Baby Ev.
It's so strange that I already completely love her without knowing her at all. I was thinking the other day about her being "fearfully and wonderfully made"; God knows and loves her a million, bagillion, infinity times more than I could ever dream. That's precious. I pray that she will never know a day in her life when she does not know Him. With God's promises and perfect plans in mind, our family looks forward to meeting Baby Anabelle later this year!
...And that was May Folks!
oh, cleaning and scrubbing
It's late now and this momma is ready for bed, but I just couldn't say goodnight without leaving you with a picture of my new "swagger wagon".
I can't stop thinking about Christmas time!
Because we will have a brand new baby in our house!
And from the looks of "things" we will be having a third sweet girl!
Mary Claire 
I hit 12 weeks this past Tuesday - yay! Evie has happily agreed to be the official "belly shot" photographer for my pregnancy. She was just way too cute when she took this picture - standing on a stool wearing panties and a pony tail :) Baby preparations are already in progress, we are busy cleaning out the office (the baby's room), planning to decorate, working on a little master bath redo, having doors painted down the hallway, and shopping for the right "mommy" car. Anyway, I've been busy making baby room plans and I think I've figured out which direction I want to go. My plans are fairly similar for either a boy or a girl, I want to make the space calm and neutral, and then add soft punches of either blue or pink along with art and fun accessories. 
Jenny over at Little Green Notebook always talks about decorating in layers. That's pretty much the way I've always decorated, I just didn't have a name for it ;) So here is my first layer of soft sophisticated neutrals to anchor the room. If this doesn't look very "baby" to you, just wait, it will when I'm finished.
And here is a bit of the second layer (which is hard to plan at this point - not knowing who Baby will be) but I know I want to incorporate some fun printed fabrics, funky toys, and some beachy art. Here is some more fun art from an Etsy artist...
I LOVE this crib set from Rikshaw Designs, it comes in both blue and pink. Hand block printed monkeys, elephants, and paisleys - yummy!
Next and somewhat less exciting - the "mommy car". We have decided on the Mazda CX9. It's a crossover between a van and an SUV with 3 rows. I went to look at one the other day and I think I am going to really like it.
I am going to be having ultrasounds every 2 weeks since I am high risk. The ultrasound tech tried really hard to figure out what gender Baby was this past Monday, but the little guy/gal was not quite ready to give up the secret (I think I know what I saw though :). I have another scan on the 27th and we should be able to tell by then! We have been very busy playing the baby name game over here too, I love Elisabeth Wilborn's baby name blog You Can't Call It "It", it has been a fun read and very insightful. I think we have our names nearly chosen, our boy name is picked for sure and we almost have the girl name :)
...Little Girl, that I love you?
Exactly one week from tomorrow, we'll find out who's hiding in there - yay! Happy Cinco De Mayo everyone - drink a Margarita for me (or two)!
On May 13th the "Boy or Girl?" mystery will finally be over for us. As most of you know, surprises make me go insane as I have a psychotic need to obsessively plan. I was originally scheduled for this ultrasound on May 5th, but my doctor suggested that I push it back one week to assure accuracy - very important when the results influence shopping (wink). We've already been told that we're most likely having a baby girl, but we'll soon know for sure. So my pain (ok, my anticipation) will be prolonged for one more week. I hope I don't go crazy! 
During my pregnancy with Evie, I was the queen of cravings. This time around, I'm the queen of food aversions (could it be a boy?) One of the few foods that continually sounds appetizing is soup, I just really don't care for textures right now, but soup generally goes down easy. In the last couple of weeks I have exhausted the soup recipes in my repertoire (I only have about three:) So I'm asking, do any of you have favorite soup recipes that you'd be willing to share? So far I've made chili, taco soup, and my mom's broccoli potato (with sausage cheese bread...ummm). All "yum!" but I need something new. Please help - soup please!
Ever since Evie was born prematurely, I've been pretty sure that I would be a little phobic throughout my second pregnancy. I made it 9 weeks and 3 days before I had my first major bout of worry. A couple of days ago, I started to experience a change very similar to what my body went through about a week before Evie was born, after doing some reading I started to wonder if perhaps I have an incompetent cervix. I was not diagnosed with this when Ev was born (because it was too late to tell) but I've always known it was a possibility. I finally called my OB's office this afternoon and expressed my concern, after which they insisted that I come in right away for a sonogram. I did not want to overreact and be crazy, but I just knew in my head that something was not right. It turns out that I do not have an incompetent cervix (at least I don't show the signs yet) but I do have a large cyst in my right ovary that is causing discomfort and pressure. Apparently this is not extremely uncommon in early pregnancy (although I've never heard of it) it occurs in about 1 in every 1,000 pregnancies and should dissipate on it's own around week 12. There is not much danger, it's just a little unpleasant. My doctor even explained that the cyst is actually able to serve some purpose by supplying extra progesterone, the hormone that prevents early miscarriage. I found a good web article explaining this type of cyst (which actually was not listed in What to Expect When You're Expecting - that's a first!) click on http://www.drspock.com/article/0,1510,5335,00.html. I'm reassured knowing that it is not the problem that I had originally anticipated, but please keep the baby and me in your prayers. On the bright side, we got to have a bonus ultrasound in which the baby actually looks like a baby - yay! Enjoy the pictures!
We're expecting our second baby! Within 5 years of marriage Ben and I will have doubled our family in size - we are very excited! I am about 9 weeks pregnant and the baby's due date is October 12. In the ultrasound pictures, the baby just looks like a dust bunny (or "dust baby"). Evie was confused when we showed her the pictures and said that it was "a baby". Even though she doesn't understand, she loves the pictures and carries her own copy around the house. It's so sweet to watch her love the pictures of her tiny sibling. We are so thankful for God's precious gift of new life in our family, and we're all looking forward to meeting this little person! 
