Most of March

Another full month, as we anticipate spring in the air and cozy up on the days where it is still freezing.  This is the month we have prepared both physically and emotionally for our new bundle to arrive, all the while enjoying our family of four.

We still love our morning breakfast complete with "coffee" for the littles.

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The girls are so funny.  They like to "adjust" each other all the time and were even doing so on a bench outside!

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We were able to host for dinner a special guest, Alex, who is from Africa and is a missionary there. So interesting hearing and thinking about what is happening on the other side of the world.

The girls enjoyed showing and telling him about their Bibles.  They were sweet and he seemed to enjoy it as well.

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The girls will often do something silly, instruct me to take a picture and send it to daddy. 

This is his response one day.

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The girls (and I) enjoy having visitors and bubbles of course. 

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It is always fun when aunt Lauren is in town....and I can usually convince her into taking a walk.

The girls enjoyed showing her the stream down the street.

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We celebrated "Aunt D's" birthday and Shiloh's birthday with the family.

Complete with black bean brownies (these are really good - even my dad likes them now) and presents.

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"I'm a present!!!!!"  Monkey see, monkey do - always around here.

I don't care for this pic of me....but this is life.  My big old belly, reading the Bible before bedtime and crazy Shiloh.

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Yahhhh for pretty days.  The girls and I went to the zoo with Danielle and her daughters.

It went surprisingly well and a good time for all.

Zoe talked the whole time about going to the "pink house" (on the whole other side of the zoo - across the river and having to involve a tram ride).

Lydia accommodated her request and put off her feeding. 

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Dinners outside!!!

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Fun playing on the golf course on night!

 
It was worth this big preggo getting on the ground to capture their joy, even if I did look rather silly!
 

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I was in the kitchen one day when Zoe told me to "look at Shiloh" (she often does this when she thinks Shiloh is doing something wrong).  I walk in and find her like this.  Somehow she had gotten the laptop, sat down and was looking at FB!

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 Time for a little walk around the lake and playing on the playground.

At 40 weeks my body feels huge and has contractions all the time (especially when walking).

 Let's be real, though, Beach pushed the stroller.  Zoe was not happy that she could not stay on the playground.

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I love that my sister is able to watch our girls.  She recently got an iPhone...which means lots of fun pictures and collages.  This is great for this momma to get a glimpse of the fun times they are having while I'm at work. 

I also love that the cousins get to spend so much time together.

Being silly and having tummy time.

Early morning wake up pictures

and library time with Poppy.

Here is to an exciting month with many more changes to come...

On having a MIDWIFE, HOME BIRTH and other PREGGO news

I know I have mentioned it before but this whole process with our medical care has been so different and wonderful.  Having a home birth is not something I thought I would ever do.  It seemed to scary and I just didn't get it.  But having a couple great natural births behind me, I have learned that I can really trust my body.  

I have also done a lot of research that has really changed the way I view how we practice medicine in our country and how ineffective it is compared to most industrialized nations in the world.

Even after my first child, I had no idea what a midwife even was or what was the point in having one.  Now I understand how wonderful it is first hand!  Our midwife, Jamie, comes to our home to do all our appointments.  No waiting in waiting rooms for what can be forever at times just to see the OB very briefly before they are on to the next one.  Jamie stays at least an hour every visit and I really feel that we have gotten to know each other well.  She has such a sweet spirit that is filled with the Lord and His grace, giving such a different perspective on things.  She calms me and this process. 

I, also, love (well most of the time) that the girls are involved in this process.  They are there and want to know what is going on and often get out their doctor kits to do the same.  Jamie is great with them, very patient, and allows them to have little tasks as well. 

So, for now, all our supplies our ready to go and packed up in the corner of our room.  This was very different than packing a hospital bag.  It took me a long time to get everything, as I didn't know what some things were and where to get them.  Also, I want to always keep our bedroom clean, since I do not know when Ezra will come and knowing it is in the best shape it can be calms some of my anxiety. 

I'm wanting to have a water birth....so the blowup pool is there along with the rest of the supplies!

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In other baby news, my work had a surprise shower for me.  (For some reason all the showers that they do are surprises.)  I have been blessed to have borrowed many boy clothes and need little else, so I hadn't worried about having a shower.  However, it was really nice to be thought of and get some goodies.  I've been there for almost 10 years but since I'm not there everyday, as I was before children...sometimes I feel like I miss out on a lot of things.

I didn't really take any other pictures but did capture this one shot of a game we played.  Drawing a picture of what you think baby Loveland will look like on a plate on your head and then giving an alternative name.  It was pretty funny.  There was, also, the guess of how large I have gotten based on pulling a string.....this turned pretty competitive.  

They blessed me with a couple of little things and some green!  This will come in handy as there are some random odds and end things that I really do need (and with things being really tight by not having any paid maternity leave) it is a huge blessing. I am humbled!

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Well, it happened.  The big switch.  We had to get a vehicle that would fit all three of our children, and so minivan world here we are, all practical.  I've never really been attached to cars but the car I currently have is the only one that I've really liked.  I don't do well driving bigger vehicles, but hopefully, as  I keep being told.....I will grown to love this as well.

Of course the first thing Beach did was make sure it was properly represented!  I wasn't sure the whole timing of when we would be able to get the van, so having it before Ezra is another thing to not have to stress about!

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So here we go....39 weeks.  I really wasn't sure I would make it to this point as my body has been showing signs of labor for months now.  I'm just hoping this means that when the real deal comes it will be a bit shorter, as it has been going on for so long!  I've seemed to fall for the same thing with Shiloh's birth, thinking I would have an earlier babe, and my OB at the time telling me that I wasn't going to make it to my due date.  Yet my girl was 8 days late, just like her sister.  So it will be no surprise if brother follows this same path!

The size sure is uncomfortable, as I am way bigger this round.  Almost 20 lbs bigger, gasp!  However, that is not the difficult piece.  It's the contractions.  All.the.time.  Some pretty intense that they will lead me wondering, surly today is the day.  But nope...hanging in there.  I've decided that I must have a very comfortable uterus.  And with this cold now....I'm good to let him bake a bit more for me to recover.

Resting in God's timing,  catching up with all the details I can, enjoying the days we have good weather, soaking up the family time of four as we wait for our newest little miracle.