A New Favorite

Candy Land!!! You are our new best friend. We play with you everyday. Sometimes we play 5 or 6 times in a row. Thanks for being easy and fun and something we can do sitting down.

Disappointed

Yesterday was supposed to be my baby shower. I was really excited. I haven't had much social interaction lately(because of the order to rest as much as I can)so I was really excited to celebrate with friends and family. I had to go to the hospital instead.
I had a head ache for a few days and some swelling that had my midwife worried enough to tell me to get my blood pressure checked. The blood pressure was really high-158/90-so she said I had to go to the hospital to get checked for pre-eclampsia. So I went to the hospital instead of my baby shower. I was more than disappointed.
Everything turned out to be OK. I do not have pre-eclampsia(thank the Lord)but the spike in blood pressure and the head aches are still slightly concerning...also I have a higher than normal-for pregnancy-white blood cell count now too. The advice is more rest and more vitamins and more blood pressure checks. Believe me I am great full!I know that I came too close to having my pregnancy ended for me yesterday and I am really glad I don't have any major complications. I feel guilty even complaining a little because God did a great thing in keeping me from having any major problems or a major surgery yesterday. Again I am reminded of how good He is.
At the same time I just feel weighed down by the small complications I do have.I am emotionally tapped out and physically worn down. I feel like I am at my limit for "resting" and "taking it easy" I'm not sure how to do less than I have been doing. I miss being me and being able to have fun with my little in any way we want. I feel really done being pregnant and really ready to meet this new baby.
Please pray this baby will come as soon as possible. I am 38 weeks and considered full term so it would be great if he could come now.
Thanks for your prayers and thoughts.

Bottoms up

Dear Owen,
You really like putting unders on your head(a thing that was started by your papa during a hide and seek game to keep you from peeking...now you just like to wear them there) and last night you decided that your head needed unders and jammy pants. I really have been enjoying you this week. You have said some pretty funny things like yesterday when you asked for chocolate milk and I said we didn't have much milk left but I would do my best. Then you saw me still sitting on the couch-30 seconds later-and said "Momma do your best...go on...go on" and waved me toward the kitchen.
later I was trying to get you to hurry up and said "Owen hop to it" (something my mom used to say to me) and you hoped and counted "one,two" and said "I hopped two" yes you did buddy... you sure did.
I love you kid.
Momma

37 weeks

The midwives I see do this awesome thing when your this pregnant... they paint the baby onto your belly so you can see the position and just for fun.
Owen LOVED it. he was in awe watching them paint it on and also just really loved seeing his brother on the belly. I think he really could visualize him this way. He kept caressing the painting and wanting to kiss my tummy. So sweet. I really enjoyed this experience.

Books

Books I Read in 2010

• A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
• Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh De Moss
• Lord of the Rings-Fellowship of the Ring by Tolkien
• Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon
• Practical Theology for Women by Wendy Horger Alsup
• Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
• Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Trip
• The Harry Potter Series(7books) by J.K Rowling
• The Twilight Saga (4 books) by Stephani Myer
• This Body of Death by Elizabeth George (latest in the Inspector Lynley crime series #17 I think)
• This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti
• Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
• What to Expect when your Expecting

This is a list of books that read in 2010. I read many other books as well...childrens books...so I didn't count those...but there you have it I was 13 shy of completeing 3 per mont but hey 23 books is a good number for one year and I drastically cut down my tv time and got into some good new habits while trying to reach the goal. I have decided to keep a list of the books I read this year as well(on the side of the blog where this list used to be). I don't-however-want to try to put any specific number out there this year as I am sure I will be a lot more busy and tired with two children and my time will be spent in new ways this year that I have never even imagined.

36 weeks!!!

me at 36 weeks

I am officially more pregnant than I have ever been before in my life! Owen came at the very end of my 35th week and this baby is still camped out in the belly. It is really weird to be emotionally ready for the baby to be here and to know I will likely have another 4 weeks left before I meet him.
I am also being advised to rest as much as possible. The midwives and my Dr. want me to do "as little as possible" until baby gets here. My thyroid is not doing what it is supposed to-which is nothing new-but this time it is affecting my adrenal glands which have apparently decided to go on strike as well...and the best way to remedy this is apparently lots and lots of rest. It is the hardest thing in the world to have strong nesting instincts and to be told to just do nothing and(even worse) to ask other people to do it for you...ahrg... I hate letting people help me with things I feel capable of and even more I despise asking for help-but I have been-and its been a good lesson in humility for me. So please be praying that things will get back on track quickly after baby is born and that he will remain healthy despite his mamas broken down body.

My 2011 list...

My resolution for this year is to read the Bible everyday and to read it it all the way through.
That's it. That is all that I am going to put on the list...I want to do a lot of other things this year but this is the one thing I want to take really seriously. I don't want to overwhelm myself too much with lots of things to do so I am going to read the Bible and I know that while doing this I will learn, grow and be comforted. I have already started a program to read the Bible in a year and am really enjoying my time spent in the word. I have even been getting up before Owen in the morning to do it and it has been soul quenching. What a wonderful way to start each day.

Last years list update

Last year around this time I made this list.
I did pretty well at checking things off of it too...I kept a running list on the side of the blog all year and hear it is

2010 List update

• ~Live with intention
• ~Print and frame new photos of Owen and family
• ~Make a Photo book
• ~Keep a food journal
• ~Make my basement work for me!!
• ~Make my own kefir...not the same as store bought...not a fan
• ~Do an educational activity with Owen everyday
• ~Make breakfast for my family
• ~Freeze things (six whole meals, jam and salsa made up and frozen)
• ~Found a good babysitter
• ~Live without refined sugar (ok so most of the time)
• ~Run for 3 miles with out stopping to walk!
• ~Take more pictures
• ~Read three books a month(didn't quite make this one but really close)
  
• ~Frame some of Owens art
• ~Make hospitality a priority
• ~Go on at least 2 dates per month With M.G
• ~Try and report new recipes
• ~Ask God to do the impossible
• ~Post at least 2 blogs per week
• ~Buy an upright freezer
• ~Learn to make bread in the bread machine
• ~Look to the word of God and my Husband first for counsel...Hardest but most rewarding.
  

This year I am not going to make a big list...I may or may not try and finish the things I didn't do last year.. I think the biggest thing I learned from compiling and trying to complete last years list was-that most of the things that truly mattered-were centered around serving others freely and loving my family with a passion that does not yield. I do want to continue to do those things all of my life.
I will make a short list later this week...because I do love a good list and even if its just for me I feel accountable when I write it down somewhere.