My view

We are happier this way. Her and I. She feels safe. I feel content.
She is {probably, most likely} our last, so I will enjoy it while I can.

* taken on June 26th 2010. using my baby K'tan carrier

She's here!

Kaitlyn Joy
entered the world on
June 16th, 2010 at 6:25 p.m.
Weighing 8 pounds and 1 ounce
20 and a half inches long

We could not be more in love!
More pictures and details to come soon.

40 weeks!

So here is the last of them. I made it to 40 weeks ,not that I thought I wouldn't. :)

Bill took these the other night at the park.

Tomorrow is the BIG day. Baby girl will be making a scheduled appearance. My Dr. decided to induce me tomorrow (after the baby is born I will write out all the details as to what led up to the induction). Turns out baby girl is breach. So I have to go in tomorrow morning to have a version (external turning of the baby) done. After they monitor me for a bit they will start the induction. The hope is that she will stay head down until delivery...of course there is always a chance I could end up needing a c-section. Whatever form the day takes we are praying for God's will. I am a little nervous but I know that God is in control and will give us the strength to get through the day. And at the end of it all we will get to hold our sweet girl!

We can't wait to meet you and see your beautiful face little one!

39 week baby bump

Not the best picture and not how I had planned for this picture to turn out, but you get the idea. I still want to document this even if it's not perfect. :) Hopefully only one more belly picture until baby girl!

35 week baby bump

Rantings of a pregnant woman

*This is all in good fun. I really am not upset about the things people say mostly just amused. Sometimes I walk away a little surprised that especially woman forget what it is like to be pregnant and what you should and shouldn't say. I have been pregnant enough times that Hopefully someday I can remember what NOT to say. :)

I am starting to get to the point in this pregnancy where I feel self conscience going out in public. Actually I was there about a week ago. I know I am huge, but why does everyone and their brother/mother/sister/father feel the need to point that out? I'm just wondering. I had an older guy in line behind me at wal-mart the other week say something about me looking like I had dropped (how in the world would he even know that since I had never seen him in my life?). I pretended I didn't hear him, but then he preceded to tell the cashier that he better hurry up and get me through the line because he wouldn't want me to go into labor. I just smiled. What are you supposed to say, "Well, just so you know I have 2 months left, so FAT change of me going into labor right now." :) Maybe I should start faking labor, see what kind of results I get from that...I'm only kidding! Bill always says I should turn around and tell the person that I'm not pregnant. But I could never actually do that.

I had a lady the other day say to me that she didn't get that big when she was pregnant. That's nice. I'm really happy for her. Although I think she maybe realized she shouldn't have said that because then she said that maybe it would have been better to be big because she looked just fat and not pregnant...but then she added, "Of course since I wasn't that big I didn't have all that stretched skin to deal with." Well, the recovery was almost there. Nice try though. :) Thanks for the reminder of all the stretched skin I will have to deal with soon. lol

Seriously though I am not upset by the amount of comments I get from people everywhere (mostly that I DO know) pointing out how big I am. I just don't like all the attention it draws to myself. I remember going through this with all my pregnancies, so I shouldn't really be surprised this time around. I know it's a conversation piece. It's like the obvious thing that is just there that people feel compelled to talk about.

Oh, one more thing... yes just in case you were wondering...I didn't take the kid's ball. And there really is only one baby in there...so don't even ask! :)

I will be taking pictures next week and posting them so you all can see just what I am talking about. :)

Baby name suggestions

Speaking of baby names. We have asked our kids what they think we should name the baby. Here is a list of names that the boys came up with.

Yoshi
Mario
Peach
Bowser
baby Jesus
Tracy
Isabella

The other day James told me I was having "Bowser's baby." Don't know where he came up with that one, but he does say some of the funniest things. :) Our boys haven't played video games in quite awhile but apparently they still have all things Mario on the brain, as you can see from the list. :)

Bill and I haven't had a serious talk about the baby's name yet (although prayer has gone into it) so we don't really have any ideas (I have a few in mind that I really like but nothing concrete.). So we are open to suggestions. We are looking for a name that would fit well in our family. Of course the name we pick will have a meaning to us and a reason why we picked it (see post below)....but I would love to hear any of YOUR suggestions!

Naming rights

This is a re-post from 10/08/07. I was pregnant with Claire at the time (I did update the picture and use one from this pregnancy). My thoughts on this issue are still the same, and I thought it would be appropriate to post it again now as we are thinking and praying for a name for this little one. Although the meaning of the name of this sweet girl will be different the process is still the same.
*****************************************************
Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. Gen. 2:19

The man said,
"This is now bone of my bones,
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man." Gen 2:23

The kids and I have been reading through Genesis. The other day the details of the creation account just struck me in a different light. God gave naming rights to Adam, it says clearly in Gen, 2:19. God told Adam to name all the animals, and whatever name Adam gave them, that was what they were to be called. He was also given the right to name Eve. God very well could have done all that Himself, but instead He choose to let Adam be a part in this aspect of creation. Interesting...

Now that we know what we are having, the search for a name begins. I have been praying for this little one since we found out that she would be joining our family. We knew that this baby was a gift, a promise of the Lord's provision. I have been praying that the Lord would impress upon us what this baby's name should be. Something full of meaning, something that will show the goodness of God and His love for us during a trying time. I want, when people hear and know what the name means, that they will not be able to help thinking about the faithfulness of God. I feel like the name is like an offering. He is giving us this child, and I want to give her a name that will reflect Him and bring glory to Him.

Naming our children has always been special. Each of our children's names have meaning to us. They each fit their names perfectly. I think it hit me more as we were going though Genesis, what a gift the Lord has given us in allowing us to choose. Just as Adam was given naming rights, the same is true of our children. A name is something that is so important and special, and we have been blessed with the privilege. Maybe it sounds silly, but I was just so struck by what a beautiful thing that is that God allows us to participate in. Not only do I get to participate in the miracle of a growing baby inside me, but we have the honor of naming something that rightfully belongs to God. Wow! Thinking of it that way, just makes it seem so sacred.

I don't feel stressed or pressured to find the perfect name because I know that God already knows what it is. This baby's days have been recorded even before she came to be. I know that in His timing He will make it clear to us. While we are given the right and the privilege to call our baby what we want, we are looking to Him for wisdom. I am so excited about it! Isn't it so amazing to just sit back and watch God reveal His plan? He just amazes me!

28 week baby bump

Can hardly believe it, but I am in my last trimester now. Wow! The time is going by so fast.

Goodbye coffee?

Two weeks ago I came down with this nasty stomach bug. Bill had to stay home from school that morning because I was so sick and could barley take care of myself let alone the kids. The nastyness (I'll spare the details) lasted about 12 hours. I have never been sick like that while pregnant and let me tell you, it's something I never want to experience again! The baby was doing constant somersaults inside me while I was felling sicker then a do, and that did NOT help. Ugh! Anyway, it took about a week before my stomach was actually feeling normal again. During that time I had to give up drinking coffee. My stomach was just too weak to handle it. I was surprised that my body did well going of it (Although it's not as though I drink that much anymore). I didn't get any headaches of caffeine withdraw.

Once I was feeling well again I decided to make myself a nice hot mug! Ahhh, it smelled so good! However within an hour I had a horrible headache. And the headache lasted most of the day. I attributed the headache to something other then coffee...it had to be. But then when the same thing happened after I drank a cup the very next day, I was forced to admit the truth. My coffee drinking days have come to an end. :( My long time love affair was over. Sigh!

I have the feeling though, once this baby is born I can return to having my one cup a day! I'm sure it's better this way. I just wasn't prepared to say goodbye. :)

The baby door

Tonight as Bill and I were putting the boys to bed we had a little conversation about the baby. I asked the boys what they thought we should name their sister. Of course they came up with tons of crazy names (I'll share some of them in a later post). As we were talking I told the boys that they could talk to their sister because she could hear them. Both Ryan and James put their mouths to my stomach. They said a few silly things and then James said, "come out baby." I explained that the baby can't come out yet because she still needs to grow a bit bigger, but she will come out sometime early summer. James then looks at me and says, "She'll come out the door." I asked him where the door was. He pointed to my belly button and said, "There. There is the baby door."

So there you have it. The secret is out. Just in case you were ever wondering what or where the baby door was. :)

24 week baby bump

Okay, so several friends and family have asked to see. So here it is in all it's glory. Baby girl has grown a lot since the last time I posted pictures. I took the first few pictures and wasn't happy with the lighting in the bathroom, so I recruited Bill to take the rest because our bedroom has the best light. :)

I am only putting this one in (not because I look great) because it's a great tribute to the fact that even after almost 10 years of marriage Bill can still make me laugh! :)

It's a...

baby!

No really, just watch the video and see for yourself what this tie breaker baby probably is. :)

After I turned the camera off he finished looking at everything he needed to see, then he went back to try and get a better view of what the gender is. On the second time looking he felt more sure that it was a girl.

I will be going back in soon for another ultrasound, so we will take another peek. But I feel pretty sure at this point that PINK is in the near future. :)

For this we prayed

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above...

Announcing the arrival of our baby girl

Claire Eliana

born at 3:37 p.m.

Weight, 8 pounds 7 oz.

Length 21 inches

More details and pictures to come...

Coming soon...

Just a quick update. I am sitting in the hospital right now, hooked up to an IV. I saw my Dr. this AM, and we decided to go ahead with induction. So...hopefully next post will be with baby news.

Please keep us in your prayers today!

Last Minute stuff

Today I decided that I should make some last minute preparations for baby. So, as part of school Anna and I spent all morning cooking. Normally I make our breakfast the night before we will eat it. Well, after the baby comes I won't be able to do that for awhile. Anna and I made a bunch of breakfast food to freeze. We made a big batch of granola cereal, 2 loaves of cinnamon bread, and 2 apple coffee cakes.

Ok, now we are ready for baby! :)

Actually, I have been having contractions consistently all afternoon and evening, so we will see. I am going to my Dr. appointment in the morning. So, if nothing has progressed we will schedule to induce...hopefully tomorrow or Friday.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers. I really appreciate them.

I will update tomorrow!

Nursery pictures

Go here if you want to see pictures of our finished nursery!

Waiting...

Saturday was a rough day for some reason. I was SOOO emotional. I spent most of the day in tears for no reason. I know my time is drawing near, and I think that is why I have felt so emotional. It's so frustrating, I really don't like to cry for no reason. I totally felt as though I had lost control of myself. Anything anyone said to me, or any thought I had pretty much made me cry.

Bill stayed home with the kids Sat. night so I could just go out for a little bit and be by myself. As much as our family time has been needed lately...I think I also just needed a little time to myself. I spent 2 hours just walking around different stores (My Dr. said walking could help put me in labor...and since we have SOOOO much snow...and it's been so cold, walking around stores was the only thing I could think to do.) Even though it wasn't a "productive" shopping trip, I think I really needed it mentally.

I came home in time to bathe and put the kiddos to bed. I started feeling really icky...and then the contractions started coming. They were coming pretty consistently, and they were getting more painful. Bill and I sat down to watch LOST together (we didn't get a chance to the other day). I really thought for sure I was going to go into labor that night. After we finished watching LOST I picked up around the house (between contractions) and made sure everything was ready to go just in case this turned out to be it. But alas, the contractions subsided in the middle of the night. :( Sigh! It will happen soon...it's just starting like I am going to be pregnant forever. I totally trust God's timing though. We ended up getting so much freezing rain last night that the roads would have been dangerous to drive on had we need to go to the hospital.

And so, we continue to wait...and rest in God's perfect timing. I am trying to enjoy these last days I have with my baby growing inside me.

*Pictures taken today.

What's going on with baby

Ok, I know some of you have been wondering if there is a baby yet. I have been absent from the blogging world for a week or so. Well, there is no baby yet. :( She is still safe inside of me for the time being. My Dr. checked me on Thursday and I am still not dilated at all (no surprise to me). So, it looks like we are going to wait until next week and then decide to induce if this little girl doesn't make her appearance by Thursday.

I have not been blogging or commenting as much as I usually do simply because I have been SOOOOO tired. I am not really sleeping anymore, which makes it hard to take care of my family and homeschool. Most of my free time is spent in trying to rest. Our lives are about to change in a good way and we we are all getting ready for that. :)

Thank you for all the e-mails and comments wondering how I am doing. I feel so very loved. Bill and I are planning on taking the lap top to the hospital (which has wi-fi) when I do into labor, so that we can announce baby girls arrival and post pictures asap! :)

If you think of it, please pray that God would help me to be patient. It is getting hard to wait. I am also feeling nervous about having to give birth again! :) But, hopefully this time I will get the epidural in time and everything will be fine!

Question

Ok, so I'm going to mention something here that maybe I shouldn't....I don't know. Hopefully it doesn't come out as sounding ungracious. I don't mean it that way. Maybe it's because I AM hugely pregnant, or maybe a tad emotional. Whatever the reason is, I am wondering why people feel the need to point out the fact that I am so big...or to put it in the words of most, "That baby is getting really big"? Now, if you are reading this and you have said something like that too me, please understand I am NOT offended. I find if somewhat amusing. Although I have to say I am starting to feel a little self conscious, and not wanting to leave the house until the baby is born because of the attention I tend to draw to myself! :) I don't mind talking about the baby or my pregnancy, but please don't bring up how BIG I am! :)

It's mostly older woman who say something to me. I am wondering if maybe you forget over the years that that is not really what you want to hear just days or weeks before you are supposed to give birth. :)

Note to self...choose your words wisely around pregnant woman. :)