Letter to Liam, age 3

My dear little man, William—

You have been 3 for four whole months now… every one of those months I have meant to sit down and write you—something to help you know your own three-year-old self later one; something for me to read and remember these precious days.  Daddy and I agree that this age is so much fun; YOU are so much fun.  You giggle and are amazed by everything.  You make us laugh so much.  You are sweet, thoughtful, empathetic and caring.  You love to kiss and hug your baby brother, having dubbed him “Chubby” and giving me a play-by-play of his well-being if I have to leave the room.  Once I came in to find you just watching him, saying “I’m your big brother (“brozzer”); that’s why I’m watching over you.”  You’ve never resented him or shown anything but affection towards him.  I can’t wait until the two of you are fast friends, just like you and Eowyn already are.

If you are unkind and I explain to you how the other person was affected, even if at first you shout that you want them to be sad or that you like being mean (and yes, you do say those kinds of things), without fail, when you’ve calmed down, you will come to me or your dad and very sincerely apologize, and show that you are very sad that you hurt someone else.  You love to hug us and your little arms around my neck is one of my favorite feelings.  After naps –you still take a good 1.5-2 hour afternoon nap every day—you are especially snuggly.  I love the smell of your curly head, slightly damp from sleep. Today you lay your head down on Daddy’s shoulder completely unprompted, and he just melted.  You have our hearts, big boy. 

You are a sensitive little soul, correction often bringing you to cross your arms, drop your head and the whispered words “I’m embarrassed” followed by tears.  Or just tears.  Lately you’ve been crying a lot.  The phrase “threenager” applies very aptly.  I might ask you to do something very routine—come to dinner, or clean toys up in preparation for bedtime—and the response will be incredibly dramatic.  Suddenly, you’re on the floor screaming, or you’ve thrown your hands up and are shrieking “I HATE DAT!!” or are wailing that you weren’t done playing… as if eating and sleeping were totally unexpected, unreasonable events.  Liam, you are a small person of very big passions.

Bedtime continues to be our most difficult time.  You (and your sister) tend to pop out of bed repeatedly.  You usually come out quietly, crawling into my lap saying “Mommy, I just need some love” or “I just want you.”  It’s very hard to resist those hugs.  I usually snuggle you for a while and send you back to bed.  Othertimes there is great weeping and gnashing of teeth... on all sides.  Often at bedtime you’ll ask me to “stay with me just one more minute?” and I usually do.  I have to take off my glasses and you put your arm around me. You tell me, after about a minute “ok, Mommy, you can go now.”  You want me to say the Aaronic blessing over you, and sometimes will try and say it in turn to Patrick.  So sweet.

You have a keen little mind, memorizing songs and spoken words very well.  You listened to The Big Picture Story Bible on CD as you went to sleep for several weeks, and often will quote passages of Scripture at the most hilarious of moments.  Once, while you were washing your hands alone, I heard you intone in a deep voice “Go! Wash in the Pool of Siloam!”  Yesterday you remarked that only Cesar Augustus was the king of the world—not your sister.  Another time you used “Do not make My Father’s house a house of trade!” in an argument with her… we aren’t sure how you thought it applied but it definitely had us laughing behind closed doors. 

Your imagination is amazing.  You often delve into a world all your own, complex and usually heroic.  You jump off our steps wearing goggles and begin flailing, waving a block and shouting.  In moments you are on your belly, groaning with faux exertion as you crawl along.  When I ask what you are doing, you explain very calmly that you dove into the water to fight a shark with your sword, because it was trying to eat your baby, and you will kill the shark even though it bit your leg off, and the doctor will put your leg back on.  Then you’ll be back in your play.  Your imagination always demands full-body involvement… It’s always detailed, extremely energetic, and often quite violent.  You love to be a superhero (usually Superman flying around with sound effects), Mike the Knight, a swimmer or occasionally a wild beast.  When you play with your sister, you like to be the “daddy” or “husband” (or her little boy).  Up until about a week ago you didn’t grasp the idea of play names, and referred to everyone by their title as you played.  We’d hear you shout out in your fake man-voice “Wife!” whenever you wanted her attention, and you responded only to “Husband.”  Lately you have assumed the name “Davis” whenever you play pretend.  Not sure where you came up with that one.

Another little quirk of late has been your obsession with what you call “up sleeves,” ie short sleeved shirts.  Despite the weather turning cooler, you insist that you do NOT want “downsleeves,” and especially that you do NOT want “downpants,” but only “upshorts.”  The past few days you have even further narrowed your tastes to Superhero-themed clothing, most especially the Superman shirt with a detachable cape you got for your birthday (from me), and a pair of navy blue knit shorts “with a tie (faux drawstring) on the front.”  You also want to wear your Batman pjs.  We finally have reached a compromise of you wearing various shirts to school or church (often “downsleeved”) or the Superman shirt with a sweater over it, and pants OVER your shorts (mainly one pair of grey fleece pants because they are “soft”).  As we leave, you assure us that “when I get home, I’m gonna change into pajamas!” and sure enough, there will be a trail of shed clothing as soon as you walk in the door.  This is quite a change from your prior attitude towards clothing; you loved making your own outfits and were always quite deliberate in how you (mis)matched them.  Well, I guess that’s the common theme:  you really do care about your clothes and shoes.  Even when you are freezing, you insist on your “upshorts”—though there have been a few times when you willingly put on something warmer with a sheepish grin!

You had your first haircut two weeks ago.  Your favorite Sunday School teacher ever, “Mrs Charla” from TCC, cut it at her studio and did an excellent job.  We kept your mop-top of crazy blond curls but tamed the back a bit so it gets less tangled and matted.  You look less like Einstein and your hair stays curly instead of becoming a blond frizzy halo.  You were so nervous about your haircut, even though you asked for one.  The day before, you asked if it would hurt, and were reassured as Eowyn and I explained to you that only the part of your hair still in your scalp could feel and your haircut wouldn’t hurt at all.  You were so stoic, self-conscious and then proud during your hair cut.  You wouldn’t hardly look up, much less talk to Mrs. Charla!! 

You love Legos and little figurines of all kinds.  I find play horses, Playmobil knights, dinosaurs, cars and dragons all over the house, often with weapons and in boxes of some kind.  You build very well and surprise me with your abilities.  However you still need your sister to assemble your Legos following the visual directions, or your Playmobil castle or train tracks which you regularly dismantle.  Yesterday you and she made a “hideout” behind our downstairs couch and you all have stocked it with all sorts of necessities.  I love to hear you play together and truly interact.  Your sister often has very specific ideas about how things should go, and you usually are content to go along with her.  You are a very sweet little brother, really you are!  Lately she has been learning (with encouragement) to let you have more input because your ideas are really good!  And… she does love you and doesn’t mind indulging you—she’ll come to me laughing behind her hand at how cute you can be.  She’s a good big sister… when she isn’t bossing you around or threatening to not let you play if you don’t do what she wants. :) When you are in trouble with Mommy or Daddy, 9 times out of 10 she will run in and hug you and comfort you.

Your typical day starts around 7:30.  Some mornings you start playing in your room, others you come crawl into our bed… often you beg to look at our phones, and we usually let you look at our pictures and home videos.  You usually are the one to let Alina (the cat) out of the laundry room.  We get up around 8 to make you breakfast, usually yogurt, sometimes eggs, or if we are running late, a banana and milk (two of your favorites!).  Mondays we go to CC, Tuesdays and Wednesdays you go to preschool in “Miss Kassie (Kathy)’s class.”  Usually there is at least one meltdown involving not wanting to eat or wear something.  After school we come home for lunch and usually Levi is with us.  You two really are best buds.  You usually play outside while I make lunch and then we eat together—I read sometimes while you eat, usually from the Bible, sometimes from picture books.  Then it’s a nap for everyone (Mommy too!) and afterwards you and Levi (and Sis sometimes) play until he’s picked up.  On Thursdays and Fridays you like to do some school with me and Eowyn.  In the late afternoons you might get to watch a show—your favorites now are Super Why, Jake & the Neverland Pirates or the WildKratts.  You also like Mike the Knight, Diego and Kipper the Dog. Daddy comes home & we eat dinner together—these are some of my favorite times as now you and Eowyn are old enough to really talk to us.  You tell Daddy about your day, and we laugh and laugh together.  Daddy reads a Bible story and a chapter or two in “Johnny Chuck”, we sing a song (your usual requests are "Jesus Draw Me Close," "Be Thou My Vision," and "Jesus, what a friend for sinners") and pray together, and then you are tucked in bed with your Bobo & Baby and a music CD on. You still have a bit of a hard time sleeping alone in your room since Eowyn moved out, but the penguin night-light pillow helps.

Spiritually you are sensitive.  You love to memorize Scripture and remind me to read our devotional every morning and to drill you on your catechism.  At night when you’re scared you ask me to “pray for Jesus!” and draw comfort from knowing that while you can’t see God, “He always sees me!” and that He is stronger than any bad guy.  You are quite aware of sin and your own part in it, yelling angrily that you KNOW you are disobeying and you WANT to run away from God.  This makes me so sad, but also I have to smile because your words are exactly what my own heart screams when I tantrum, too.  Daddy and I pray that you learn to see the Enemy’s lies in those words!  I’ve been surprised at just how much you grasp—last night I asked you a question after our Bible story, not expecting you to know the answer, but you did!  You really are listening and absorbing everything you hear.  Oh, I pray that these seeds bear good fruit!!

I love you so much, my wild-haired compassionate, passionate little hero!  You always have my heart.  I’m so glad right now you still need hugs and kisses and snuggles from me.  I love that you still want me to hold you, and that my arms are still strong enough to do it.  I love that you are spirited and funny but also tender-hearted and teachable.  You forgive easily and are a loyal friend.  

I can’t wait to watch you keep growing up into a heroic man… but it also breaks my heart to imagine you being any older than you are right now.  I love you dearly, William Christopher, and thank God every day for the blessing of being your mommy.

Love, hugs, kisses, and every good story I can tell,

                                    Mommy.

Cleaning What Will Be Dirty Again Tomorrow

I just posted a simple status to Facebook that has sparked some very encouraging conversation... so here it is:

At 9:05 pm, contemplating the food still out, the dishes piled unwashed, the baby crying to be fed, the baby toys scattered, the laundry in the dryer/on the line/in the washer/needing folding (we have a lot of laundry right now)... I quipped: "and now to try and summon the energy to clean what will only get redirty tomorrow..."

This struck a chord, probably with all my fellow home-makers pondering similar tasks at this late hour, with similar energy levels... postponing the inevitable with "one last Facebook peek."  My friend (and former Sunday School teacher!!) Holli replied: "My mom used to say we spend our lives rearranging generations of recycled dirt. She was sure she was sweeping out the same dirt Martha Washington had swept."  Another laughed: "Welcome to the life of a mother :)"  Another, "I've heard it said that cleaning house when there are toddlers around is like trying to brush your teeth while eating Oreos." Yet another posted a quote from Brooke Foss Wescott (1875): "Great thoughts go best with common duties. Whatever, therefore, may be your office, regard it as a fragment of an immeasurable ministry of love", and commented "At least in doing the rote thing over and over, since you do it automatically, you can think greater thoughts than how to do it. I still like hot dishwater and sweeping the floor last thing at night. It's a lot easier without the toddlers, but I miss having those rascals too."

I once heard housekeeping/motherhood described as a "sisyphean task" (Sisyphus being the Greek dude condemned to push the same rock up a hill every day only to have it roll down during the night, until the end of time)... so true.

Isn't pretty much any job like this at some level?  We do the same things over and over, because no matter what we do, it's never enough, or the last word, or the final answer... whether we are counselors, farmers, fishermen, social workers, policemen, teachers, engineers, or bankers.  As Sara Groves puts it:

"Everyone, everywhere, somewhere, somehow, is setting up the pins for knocking 'em down!  

you can find joy in the fertile ground, setting up the pins and knocking em down, [or] 

you can try to fight it till you're anger-drowned, setting up the pins." --"Setting Up the Pins"

My friend Mary mentioned her husband Matt's sermon series through Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes is one of my all-time favorite books. Such a great antidote to our overly pie-in-the-sky-leave-the-temporal-behind-and-dwell-only-on-the-spiritual-Reformed tendencies.  I guess I'd call it Redeemed Hopeful Cynicism.  (Yes, I know that's an oxymoron.)  It's hard to think God only cares about your "quiet time" with verses like "Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life..."  He cares about everything because it's ALL prayer-- or at least, proof that we aren't praying to the Right God!  I think I will be listening to Matt's sermons as I clean.  :)

I'm just glad that no matter how "unproductive" it seems (because I'm doing it all tomorrow again), I KNOW that it actually doing at least three things:  It is producing greater Christ-likeness in me,  It is fighting the Curse and bringing a little bit more chaos into Beauty (for a few minutes, anyway). And it serves people who will one day (I pray!) be so glorious that I would be tempted to worship them if I met them in my current state (as CS Lewis put it-- there are no ordinary people).  The Sisyphean task of motherhood would surely crush me, were it not for the even greater weight of glory pulling me onward.


But still... it is so tiring. I think that's why I like to do crafts-- at least at the end of my labor there I can hold up a cute dress or quilt or fairy slippers and say "TA DA!"

"my grandmother had a working song
hummed it low all day long
sing for the beauty that's to be found
in setting up the pins for knocking em down"

Hopefully I can remember to sing for the beauty of comforting a congested little soul wanting his mama in about 3 hours... :)
 So Blessed,
-- Christina

(Almost) 40 Weeks!... and 2 1/2 Years Old

40 cm belly in all its glory!

Technically I'll be 40 weeks by the midwife's little wheel tomorrow, with an "estimated due date" (EDD) on Saturday.  But my visit was today, so I figured I'd go ahead and post the stats... for all those wondering. :)  Feel free to skip!

The feeding frenzy that has been my nights was clearly evident, both in measurement and on the scale.  I gained a good 5 1/2 lbs since last week (164.5), and expanded 2 cm (40 cm).  My heart rate was a bit high for me (90), but Liam's was steady and sleepy at 127.  My b/p is great, but my blood sugar was all wonky... I was clearly sleepy when making my oatmeal and forgot to add the butter.  Those 2 T of fat make all the difference between having wildly high and crashing blood sugar and a steady, satisfied full tummy.  Oops.  William's in a great position to come, though I have NOT appreciated feeling his head very very very clearly.  Those who've experienced the "ring of fire" while pushing will know what I mean.  Enough about that.  As far as "signs of impending labor" go, I've had pretty much all of them on and off for the past week, including LOTS of regular contractions, nausea, etc.  So... I have no idea when the little man will make his appearance.  I guess he likes surprises. :)

Update: 40 weeks today!

The hardest thing the past week has been sleep.  Usually I have to stretch, do inversions, soak in a bath, etc., for 1-2 hours each night, usually eating intermittently, before I can finally go to sleep (due to restless legs), usually around midnight.  Then I've often jolted awake around 4 am with the jittery feeling of low blood sugar, sometimes occasionally with a deep gnawing hunger.  I then eat whatever I can think of and usually finally go back to sleep around 6... thankfully Ryan's new work out schedule has him up at 5:30 4 mornings a week, so by the time Eowyn wakes up around 7:15, he's home and able to take care of her until I am rested enough to stumble downstairs.  She's a pretty low-maintenance kid in the mornings:  give her a cup of milk, a saucer full of soaked nuts & raisins, and she'll play quietly and happily by herself until at least 9.  I just have to supervise clean up when I wake up. :)

Since not much is going on in the pregnancy department, well, not that we can SEE anyway, I will give a little Eowyn-at-two-and-a-half update:

Playing at the chiro's office in one of my
FAVORITE of her outfits (thanks, Grams!)

Some things I've noticed about her this week have been her adorable tendency to substitute a compound word ending in one word with another beginning with the same word.  Two examples:  lollypop & popsicles, or rubber band and band-aids.  It's pretty cute.  She's sitting beside me in a fairy costume right now- occasionally giving me instructions on my lines ("Say "bye" to the fairy, Mom-- I'm leaving for a while.  But don't cry very much, ok?").  She has mastered Daddy's Nook, loving the few children's books we have on there-- either read aloud by a narrator or recorded by Mommy-- or the puzzle games.  When she gets stuck in a game, she calls me over with an "I'm in trouble, Mommy!  Help, please!"  Story Time at our local library (followed by lunch at Nina's!) is a weekly highlight, with the hand stamps at the end possibly being the best part.  Getting to go "work" on the computers (like Daddy) afterwards is a close second.  Of course the books and puzzles and movies we check out are great, too.  :)  (check out our guest performer for our story-time today: Sarah Dippety!)

She's showing more empathy than ever.  When I bemoaned the fact that I no longer had a favorite food in stock, she rubbed my arm and looked right into my face, the picture of compassion, saying "You can get more at the store, Mommy!  Don' worry!"  Other new favorites are "kipping" (skipping), walking on tiptoe, and saying the "sad questions" in the children's catechism (#20-25 that deal with sin).  She continues to be very excited about having a baby brother, and just the other morning discovered that I have a heart-beat too, just like William.  She was cuddled on my chest and sat up, asking me "What's dat?  It's like a hammer!"

Showing new independence on
the swings (wearing her "work-out shorts")

Speaking of heart-beats, Eowyn was SO excited to have her very own check-up at our family doctor's earlier this week.  She comes with me to all my midwife appointments and my one check-up, so she knew EXACTLY what our doctor needed to do, and told him so. :)  He checked her nose, and found a cow in there, just like he used to do in mine when I was little!  He let her listen to her own heart beat, which was priceless.  (My favorite moment was when the nurse asked if she was speaking in two-word sentences, to which I said "definitely."  Right on cue, Eowyn burst in "When Doctor Taylor comes in, he's gonna listen to my heart-beat!" The nurse laughed and said "I think that was about a ten-word phrase!")  She has everyone in our doctor's office swooning over her, from the nurse to the lab tech who did her finger prick.  E just held out her finger bravely and barely whimpered.  She's a healthy, strong little girl with everything looking great.  She's jumped percentiles weight, at 28 lbs she's now in the 40th % ile (as opposed to the 20th), and at 37" tall, she's in the 95th % ile for height!  The reason we even did a check-up in the first place is that we are looking to enroll her in a little 2-morning a week preK program at a local church.  Eowyn is such a social little creature that we know she will LOVE the interaction with other folks, especially while Mommy is taking a lot of time with her new brother.  Mom & Dad welcome the chance for E to learn to obey someone besides us, and to learn to function in a classroom setting.  We got her first classroom supply list and everything... Eowyn cannot wait to start buying things for 'cool, and asks regularly if she can go yet.

Today's Library Story Time featured an EXCELLENT magician!

She generally still takes a 2 hour nap from 2-4ish, and we put her to bed at 8, and usually hear her chipper little voice around 7:30 each morning.  While eating is NOT a struggle with her, sleeping is more challenging. She wakes up in the night fairly frequently, hungry, scared or needing to go to the bath room.  We have to be militant about our "no-fussing-at-bedtime" rule, or else she'd be keeping herself awake 'til all hours asking for this or that or the other thing (like a two-handed hand squeeze, or a kiss precisely in the center of her right cheek...).  We seem to have settled on a good routine now, though:  a book or two, a Bible story read by Daddy, potty, teeth-brushing & hand washing, 1 or 2 songs, family prayers, kisses, hugs, squeezed hands, and then blown kisses, with the door left open a crack, the "frogbert" night-light turned on, and a few songs playing off one of her lullaby CDs.  We're working a lot on politeness/respect (manners!), ASKING v. demanding or commanding, and obeying right away without asking "why" first.  Also trying to train her to be less picky and more flexible... or at least to request help if something isn't "just right" without dissolving into tears!  She's growing up so much and we love our little Eowyn Grace!!

39 weeks!

39 Weeks Along

There it is:  pictures of The Belly, especially for all my far-away family that was sure 4 weeks ago that I was already impossibly large...  I have indeed done the impossible and grown more. :)

Yesterday's midwife appointment was fun as ever.  Daddy kept Eowyn so I could have more concentrated time with the midwife, and I was actually glad I had to wait (a HUGE rarity in her office!) about a half hour to be seen-- I happened to have a new book with me, and it was a very pleasant wait alone in her sunshiny waiting room.  The stats:  my belly stayed at 38 cm-- I personally think this is because it's almost permanently contracted.  Definitely feels like a bowling ball most of the time now.  I'm at 160 lbs, meaning I lost a pound since last week, which is kind of encouraging because that's a hint that labor is near (of course, I know it's coming in the next 3 weeks anyway so no huge light bulb there, lol).  So far I've gained 30 lbs with Mr. William, which is right at what I gained with Eowyn.  What's interesting to me is that I gained it earlier and steadier with him and much of it at the end with her... and this trimester I've hardly gained any at all.  My pulse and b/p are good-- his heart beat was a bit lower than usual (124), as he was actually sleeping for once.  Usually at my appointments he's kicking the doppler and making my midwife laugh at his poking-out-body-parts.  But everything looked and sounded good.  She tried to check for dilation but William's head is so low that it was pretty impossible.  Oh well, not like it matters anyway.  I don't think I'll ask to be checked again until labor.

It's not working out with Daddy, but 'tretching with Tia Anna is pretty cool, too

I have tons of "toning contractions"-- more than I remember having with Eowyn-- usually accompanied by back twinges and crampy feelings.  I really thought he might be coming around the full moon (Sunday or Monday), but many of the labor-symptoms passed as the moon waned.  Now I'm settling in for the long haul.  :)  I can't believe my baby niece is 3 weeks old already-- time is flying by so fast that I know I can hold out another 3 weeks if I need to just fine. 

My round ligaments are super-stretched, and Liam seems to know JUST where to kick to make me feel like I have a terrible side stitch.  He's got long little legs (wonder where he gets those...)!  But the weather is gorgeous-- highs in the low 70s-- so I honestly have no complaints.  If there was perfect pregnancy weather, this is it!  Eowyn and I go on walks to our neighborhood playground or with Ryan downtown, and it's completely pleasant.  Our little garden is growing and so far I can keep up with it no problem.  Our house is mostly unpacked-- I still have the task of putting pictures up in all the rooms, but I'm putting that off until William's here and I can bend & lift more easily! 

Eowyn has been testing a lot of limits lately-- trying to obey on her terms ("I just doin' this first, Mommy...") or ask repeatedly for permission to do something she's already been told she can't do, or outright ignore instructions. I do praise the Lord that her heart is teachable right now, despite all her little sin. Talks about "listening to the Snake" who lies and tells her disobeying is more fun than obeying actually often stop a fit in its tracks, and the other day she melted my heart by uttering a heart-broken little "I'm sorry, Mommy!" on her own after a fit. I daily pray that the Lord gives her a new heart very soon! Every night she asks me "Mommy, why do I not need to be 'cared? Who is with me?" And I answer "Jesus." And she asks "and who else?" And I finish "The angels." So precious that that actually comforts her in the dark! Her little mind continues to grow at an astounding rate! She puts things together and talks so much more every day... it's a little bit intimidating at times! I'll try to upload some cute videos soon. (EDIT: they're up!)  We have a great one of her trying valiantly to show 2 fingers at once (she can do it now, with MUCH pride), another of her dancing at our local Highland festival, and another of her proclaiming that she does NOT want to taste beer because only "mans" drink that, and "I a GIRL, Daddy.... Maybe when I a man, I will like it." She cracks us up so much and we are really enjoying her. I'm so glad we have a two year old... Ryan & I joke we're going to keep having kids just so we can always have a toddler in the house-- they are so much fun!

How tall is Eowyn? Almost 3'!

Our other family news is that Ryan's been getting into Cross-Fit training with some guys at the church we've been attending.  Mr Not-a-morning-person has been getting up 3 mornings a week at 5:30 am, working out muscles he'd forgotten he had... and coming home sore but learning so much!  (We sound like senior citizens getting into and out of bed at night, hah.)  I am rather proud of him. :) Eowyn went with him to buy his new work-out shorts, and proceeded to insist that she needed work-out shorts, too... so she can "be 'twong... in the Lord."  My mom obliged and our newest entertainment is her donning them and trying to "work out like Daddy."  Her push-ups and squats are very... creative.

It just keeps going, and going...

Ok that's all, folks... my back can't take sitting much longer!  Too many contractions!!

35 Weeks & Counting...

Eowyn, Dad (i.e. GB), me, and Anna at Clemon's graduation

As you can see, William is growing along.  I am not gaining any weight, but am continuing to pop right out (35.5 cm on Monday) and to be in great health.  My belly itches like crazy as my stretch marks stretch, and I'm down to a very few trusty shirts, and even those aren't quite long enough.  I joked that it was a good thing Dad & Anna graduated when then did, or else I'd have had to show up in Ryan's old t-shirt! Several unpleasant episodes of nausea, vomiting, and general digestive unrest, and my favorite old symptom from Eowyn's pregnancy:  restless legs, but otherwise I've got good energy and am breathing easier as he is dropping lower and lower (get outta my diaphragm, boy!).  **Tips for restless legs:  hot bath just before bed, cat-cow stretches, and peppermint essential oil rubbed on the soles of my feet.  The three of those combined USUALLY mean I can fall asleep!  If they fail me (usually when I'm super-over-tired, then a nice head rub and back massage from Ryan finishes it off).

It's been a super-busy past week, with Ryan out of town, making the slide shows for my dad & sis, organizing and cleaning the house for two sets of guests, lots of family outings related to the graduation, and trying to get all our Mothers' Day cards & gifts finished & mailed.  I've been staying up past midnight for the past week and it's catching up to me!  We took a double-date trip with some Louisville friends (Kane & Lyssa H.) to the Biltmore Estate yesterday, while my dear mamita kept Eowyn all day.  It was a blast-- the audio-guide tour (ultra-spiffy headsets... which we all synchronized because we're cool like that) through the house, mansion, palace, let's be honest-- the vineyard & wine-tasting, and dinner at the Bistro.  We haven't been back since our honeymoon almost 5 years ago and it was lots of good memories, both recalled and made.  I did have to duck out mid-day and go nap for 2 hours in the car, while they went through the gardens & conservatory, but it was a small price to pay.  Ryan and I are hoping to return in the next few weeks for a little baby-moon! 

I've started Dr. Christopher's Birth Prep Formula; herbal capsules taken in increasing doses the last 6 weeks of pregnancy.  I can tell they are helping tone my uterus (more contractions!) and will hopefully live up to their hype of shortening labor!  I've seen them help friends of mine, and my midwife recommended them.  It made it seem a bit more real to be taking them!  I also had my physician-overseen visit, as SC requires in the final 6 weeks of pregnancy.  I was declared fit for an out-of-hospital birth and got 4 prescriptions to get filled for the birth (3 in case of emergency, and the Vitamin K for the baby)... also making this very real.  I just dropped them off today! 

My baby projects are mostly done; his crib quilt (matches Eowyn's!), the shelves all hung in the kids' room, a new flannel sailboat bassinet sheet, his "L'il Bro'" onesie and a faux-tie onesie...and something new I'm trying this time around- cloth postpartum pads.  (Some I ordered from Talulah Bean, others I made. ) All I need to do once he's here is get his quilt & towel monogrammed!  His bag is packed for the birthing center, and mine is almost there.  First, though, we are waiting on Baby "Lily" as my sister Nicole is due, well... in the next week-ish.  Barring any calls, we'll be heading up to be with her at the end of this week-- please pray with me that I'll get to be there to help ease her entry into the world!  We're hoping she bucks the late-first-baby trend so I can be there. :)

In the meantime, I've been researching Group B strep testing, and probiotics!  Posts forthcoming! :)

Eowyn is very excited about her brother coming, and is so sweet about kissing, hugging, blowing zerberts on, and itching/rubbing my belly.  She's gotten really "into" puzzles lately-- her great-grandparents brought her a horse puzzle she found a bit challenging at first, and now does about a dozen times daily.  I love how independently she's playing these days!  Last week she melted my heart twice:  once, with an out-of-the-blue "You a good mommy, Mommy.", and again with her unprompted effort to load the dishwasher after her breakfast.  Her explanation:  "I want be your helper, Mommy."  Yes, yes!! Please!

First Forays into Greenville

Visiting Reedy Falls Park with visiting Aunt Courtney!

We've gone to the Zoo twice-- once with Ryan on a beautiful Saturday, once with my Tia Olga, capped off in a picnic in the neighboring Cleveland Park with Ryan, Poppy & Aunt Courtney!  We've also enjoyed several parks-- our neighborhood playground, Pittman Park (usually with Goose, my sister's dog), and our favorite- Reedy Falls Park downtown.  We LOVE going downtown.  Eowyn's already recognizes the ice cream store on sight and starts requesting "eye-keem" about a block away.  I've got my own favorite, a bubble tea shop called O-Cha.  My aunt gave us a huge coupon book as a Housewarming gift and it's full of fun coupons to help us explore our new town!

We've also visited 3 churches in the area, and have loved them all.  God's people are sweet wherever they gather!

At the zoo with Daddy, meeting Ladybird & Joy (the elephants)

Her Favorite Zoo Attraction:  running through the mister 

Enjoying our Weekly Story Time (every Wed, followed by lunch at Nina's!)

With Mommy & the Brother-bump at the Zoo

Moving In

The Cutie taking a bath at Nina & GB's (I was sick in bed at the time)

Getting our new fridge (it has an ice-maker and built-in filter, wow!)

View of our back deck (and the blinds guy =D)

Ryan's office... it isn't a true "before" shot, as the primer is already on the walls, but at least you get the idea. 

Our living room

Ryan's newest gnome, now gracing our front porch =D

She is SO in love with back yard!  The first day we were here she was literally running around in circles, laughing fit to burst

Also loves her new "gi-girl bed" (big girl bed).  It was once Daddy's.

Our guest room/my craft room (my mom's already broken it in!)

My craft closet (off the guest room)

View of the craft-room half of the guest room (see the craft closet off to the right)

Main upstairs bathroom

The nursery

Our bedroom

Our master bathroom

I just love this of her stretched out on the fireplace.  She loves her new home; we all three do.  So thankful.

I've gotten requests for "Before" pictures of our not-quite-moved-in new home.  Since I am still battling the tail-end of a sinus infection (which followed the double-ear infection, following the stomach virus, following the upper respiratory infection, which followed the move), those are all I have the energy to upload. :)  Suffice it to say that my mom & aunt have been life-savers, coming over every day to unpack my kitchen, make me food and let me sleep... so thankful for them!  So far I'm recovering from everything, haven't needed any drugs and am feeling much much better.  Now if these Braxton-Hicks would just let up...

Saying Goodbye

Swinging one last time at the Bs'.

Playing in the church balcony with Hannah (2 1/2), a frequent fellow-balcony Sunday-school dropout. :)

Playing at Chick-Fil-A with library buddy, Lina (3)

Enjoying Pottery Barn Kids Story Time with Grace (Valentine's Day)- the girls are 2 weeks apart

This is pretty typical of their friendship:  Eowyn very affectionate (giving a back massage here), Grace a bit reticent.  But they talk about each other all the time.  We sure will miss Grace & her family!

At the Comfy Cow (best ice cream EVER) with Daddy

Last trip to the Lousiville Zoo on a glorious day included a ride in the Jeep

Dinner at the North End Cafe (a favorite eatery) with our friends the Schreiners-- Lydia is 1 year old.

E's favorite part of our Tuesday Mall Morning:  washing her hands at the "yittle sink" in the Von Maur family bathroom

Cheesing it up with Olivia (2)- we liked to go over to their house on Tuesday evenings when our Daddies were out

With Olivia's sis Kerith (3 1/2)

Saying 'bye to Mrs. Beth, Mommy's midwife-- she always let Eowyn hear the "heart-beep" a few extra times (and delivered Eowyn!)

With 2 of our favorite librarian friends (we went every Wed for story time at the Main Campus)- these folks always did a great job reading, singing & playing with Eowyn, and would pull our request books when they saw us coming!  Sometimes we didn't even need our cards, they knew us so well! :)

With our nurse friends at Kids R Great Pediatrics (the one on the left pierced Eowyn's ears for us at 4 weeks- E is extremely grateful, seeing as how she adores her earrings)

With our other nurse friend at the Doc's.  She was too traumatized to watch Eowyn's ear piercing, hah! 

Waiting in the Well Room one last time (we love the decorations at Dr Corba's!)

Picking up all E's medical records

Saying goodbye to Dr. Corba, Eowyn's first doctor-- he was a great one!