Baby Look-a-like

It is always funny to me how people have so many different opinions about who kids favor. Some say ella looks just like me and then some say she is all Kevin. Now we are hearing some say eliza looks a lot like ella and some people think she looks very different. From the first time I saw her I saw a lot of ella, yet her own unique look too. What do you think? Can you guess who is who???
1. 2.

3. 4.

5. 6.

7. 8.

9. 10.

11. 12.

13. 14.

1. ella 2. eliza

3. ella 4. eliza

5. eliza 6. ella

7. eliza 8. ella

9. ella 10. eliza

11. ella 12.eliza

13. eliza 14. ella

Pizza, Painting, Pumpkins and Doughnuts

I am always trying to think up fun family traditions for our little family. You know the kind of things you will do each year that you hope your kids will one day remember and cherish. For example, we go out to eat for breakfast on Christmas Eve, we have an Easter egg scavenger hunt inside, we cook a big thanksgiving kind of meal the week of Christmas, and a few more. I decided we'd add a new fall tradition of eating pizza, carving/painting pumpkins and making homemade doughnuts. We had such a wonderful family time that I almost want to do it again this week. Ella helped me with the doughnuts and she worked so hard on painting her pumpkin. Kev found a Minne mouse template on-line and worked very hard creating Ella and Eliza a Minnie pumpkin. He did awesome. He is such a great daddy to his girls.
















Just in case you want to try some homemade yummy doughnuts on your own they are so simple and surprisingly a little healthier than the store bought ones. I just got the small canned biscuits. I think you could have three for like 160 calories. We used the top of a water bottle to cut out the middles (save them because they are your doughnut holes). But 1/2 to 1 inch of veg. oil in a pot and heat on med. Add in your doughnuts a few at a time and they fry up in a few seconds. We coated some in cinnamon and sugar, some in powdered sugar, and some in choc. icing and sprinkles. So Yummy and so much FUN!

Tonight is Ella's first night to go to sleep without her paci. We have been putting this off as we didn't want to rock the boat with a new baby . So far she is not screaming. I still hear her talking and it has been a while, but so far it is going way easier than I expected. Thank you Lord!

Pumpkin Patch

I've looked forward to our pumpkin patch day all year! I love fall and what says fall better than a fun pumpkin patch. We had a fun family day...until it was time to leave. Let's just say ella wasn't ready! Kev had to carry her to the car kicking and screaming....all in a day's work of being parents! So thankful for my two little pumpkins!

Daddy and his girl!

Mommy and the lil pumpkin...poor

eliza..I didn't know her hat was covering

her eyes!

Loved the mini maze!

The tall slide was her favorite! She did

it over and over!

Let's find a pumpkin!

Maybe this one??

I got it!

My sweet eliza!

It was a great day! (First photographed smile..

might just be gas...but I'll take it!)

My 2 year old

What I love about my 2 year old...

1. I love how full of life and energy she is...although some days it wears me out...I wouldn't want her any different.

2. I love how she loves to snuggle in our bed early in the mornings.

3. I love how she is learning so much. Tonight she said for the first time, "Mommy what's wrong?"

4. I love how she loves people. She will talk to anyone and older people love her.

5. I love that she loves for me to fix her hair...she asks me to straighten it everyday...seriously!

6. I love her spunk...of course she would call her baby sis Titus!

7. I love how she says, "I sorry mommy!"

8. I love how she won't tell us that something is red but instead tells us that it is either elmo or mickey's car....both of which are red!

9. I love that she still wants me to hold her!

10. I love that she is a daddy and papa's girl! She thinks they are tops!

It is hard to believe how fast two years can go by. It seems like just yesterday we had just brought you home from the hospital. Our greatest prayer for you is that you will grow to know and love Jesus in a real and personal way. We pray daily that you will come to know him at a young age and live for him your entire life. We pray the Lord will give you a heart for people. We pray that you will love those who are different from you. We pray that you will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as He works in your life. We pray you will always respond to the Lord as He teaches and directs your path. We pray that you will grow to be a strong servant of Jesus. We pray the Lord will put his angels all around you and protect you from harm. We love you more than you know!

My Girls

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever!

It's Official..

I must really be a grown up because I now drive a mini-van. I have many friends who vow to never drive one, but if they only saw how roomy they are they might just change their minds. Can I just tell you how thankful I am to have a car again. We sold Kev's truck a few weeks ago so I have been car less. Thankfully, my mom has been gracious enough to cart us around with her some so that I wouldn't completely lose my mind. Have said before that I don't do well staying at home? After weeks of bed rest and then no vehicle I think we may go for a very long ride today! I am so thankful that the Lord led us to a great deal after weeks and weeks of looking at cars. I am even more thankful that we only had to pay a little extra after the sale of Kevin's truck. My wonderful hubby sold his second truck within our 6 years of marriage...for the sake of our family! He's a keeper. I think it only took about one time of me having to crawl over the middle console into the little space in the back of the explorer to convince him that we could use a little more space.

Although it is not a new van or perhaps the color I'd have chosen if I'd had my top pick, it is nice and will be great for us. We decided a long time ago after buying a new vehicle shortly after we married that we'd never ever go into car debt again. I am thankful that so far we have been able to stick to that!

The man we bought it from told us that he was born a Muslim and is now an atheist. My dad and Kev were able to witness to him some and left him with a gospel track and DVD. We are praying that the Lord will soften his heart and that he'll find the Lord one day.

Intentional

I'll get back to my title in a minute...but I want to start by just saying a nice slow ahhh! Ella is tucked in her bed and eliza is nuzzled beside me in her bouncy chair and they are both asleep! One more time....ahhh!

I figured I'd take this minute to catch up on my blog reading and posting...which I do find somewhat relaxing and therapeutic. I have a lot to catch up on. Ella celebrated her 2nd birthday last Thursday and I am sad that I didn't get her a b-day post up yet. We had a really fun family day and I have some cute pics to post soon...hopefully later this week. She is two and acting every bit of it. I think the newness of her little sister is wearing off and she is realizing she is staying. She is still wanting to love on her little sis but I sense a little aggression in her love pats. Whew...we are having to watch her like a hawk. She loves to pinch eliza's little nose! I do agree that it is so cute that it would make you just want to give it a little pinch..but big sis doesn't know a lot about personal space yet. Especially when she says, "Oh, Titus I snuggle you!" and throws her whole head of luscious red hair covering eliza's face! If you're confused about why she is calling her Titus you can read the previous posts...and no it is still not getting better! We may just have two little Titus' in our family!

Eliza is the sweetest little thing. I love her more and more each day! She is really sleeping well. Last night she slept from 11:30 until 3:00 and then from 3:45-6:30. That was probably our best stretch so far. Thankfully she is going back to sleep easily after eating. She def. has a fussy time from around 8pm until bedtime...lots of crying! We are still trying to figure out her hair color. I am thinking she is going to be a Blondie like her daddy! At times I see hints of some red and there is def. some brown in the back too. It does appear to be getting lighter on the top! Oh and at her 2 week check-up she was up to 6lbs 10 oz. which was almost gaining 1lb in about a week. Woo Hoo!

Okay, now to my title. I told Kevin yesterday that Intentional is my word for the week. I am really trying hard to be intentional in the things I do.

I really need to be Intentional in what I eat this week. When you are tired and sleep deprived it is so easy to make unhealthy food choices that leave you feeling worse and not better. (ex. my peanut butter shake I got from sonic on Friday night because I felt stressed and tired...oh and I finished ella's too! Yeah..that is the way to lose those pregnancy pounds!) I really need to lose some more poundage before it cools off so I will have some jeans to fit. I also want to be intentional in working out. This is not something that comes easy for me and not generally a normal part of my day. I bought the workout video called The Shred. It is so easy to just not do it. I have to be focused and make the effort in my day so that I will get it done.

I also have neglected spending a personal quiet time with the Lord for many weeks now. Nothing will show you your need for the Lord faster than dealing with a 2 year old and a newborn while feeling like a hormonal mess! I cannot be the mommy and wife I need to be without being intentional in spending time with the Lord. I need time with Jesus to balance me, slow me down, help me to see what is really important in my life. I bought a new quiet time book for busy moms and so far it is really good. It is not an in depth study but just what I need at this season of my life.

A few other areas of where I have found I need to be intentionally focused is in getting mine and ella's showers at night. I know you are saying, Huh?? But I have found that if I will do this it helps me so much the next day. It makes getting out of the house seem like it might happen before two and I might actually get a chance to straighten my hair. I never feel like doing this but it makes my next day so much easier! I am also trying to get our clothes out the night before! It takes me only a minute or two but really helps to not be chasing ella from room to room as she is pulling out everything while I gather our clothes. These are just little things that I need to do in order to be the best me.

So that is where I am at and what I trying to do this week. I'll let you know how it goes.

Two weeks and adjusting!

Today was my first solo outing with both girls. We had to go to the a lab and have a little more blood work done on miss Eliza. Her thyroid levels in her newborn screening came back slightly elevated and so they are re-checking it again. We are praying that everything will be perfectly normal this time and we won't have to ever think about it again!

We are adjusting to having a newborn. I have felt so much more tired this time around...or maybe I just forgot how tired I was last time. Everyone keeps reminding me that it is because I have a toddler too. Eliza is such a great baby so far. She is sleeping great for being a 2 week old and is very content..unless she is getting her diaper changed. Ella seems to really love her and did not like the lab tech poking her baby today. She has surprised us in how well she has done! She usually asks to hold her once or twice a day. She loves to hold her hands and sing, "Ashes ashes, we fall down!" She likes to know where she is at all times, esp. when she wakes up from a nap and she likes her to be where we are. Oh, and she is still calling her Titus. I know one day we will laugh with her about it but really it is a little frustrating at times. Today at the lab she kept calling her her Titus and the sweet foreign lab tech who spoke little English was somewhat confused. She asked me several times what her name was. I tried to explain that Ella was calling her sister by her cousin's name...but I don't think she understood. Oh well!

I think some of the more challenging things about having two little ones is getting them safely up and down stairs, in and out of cars, and inside the house. I feel like I don't have enough arms! I am always worried about ella taking off or having to leave Eliza waiting! Another challenging thing has been the amount of time consumed with feeding Eliza while Ella is playing. She is doing great playing independently and I am so proud of her ,but my oh my we are making some big ole messes! We are also going through lots of diapers. I have no clue how many but it is a ton! I wanted to get Ella potty trained before Eliza was born, but she wasn't all that interested... so we just waited. I also figured it might be easier changing diapers than running her to the potty a million times a day! We'll work on that this winter!

So far I have loved having two little girls to dress in cute clothes! I love watching Ella love her little sis and look forward to watching their relationship develop! I also love riding in the car and looking back and seeing them both. I think I have said before that after we lost Samuel I'd often be driving in my car thinking, crying, pleading to the Lord for more children. It was often when I was alone in the car that I dealt with the reality we were living. Itseemed like then that it would be an eternity until we'd have one child and the thought of having two seemed like an endless dream. I knew the Lord would one day bless us but the waiting was painfully hard. Now, I love to I look back into the back seat and see them both. I feel so blessed, so fulfilled and so content with my family!

Eliza's First Week

Ready to go home!!

Sister time!

My first car ride...made me sleepy!

Ahhhh...she's home!

We went for a walk the other night and kev and

I looked down and ella was holding eliza's hand!

So sweet!

Sponge bath

My sweet big girl!


Ella wanted Eliza to wear her necklace!

Eliza's first doc. appt.

Feeling better!

I am feeling so much better and I am so glad. I feel like we are settling in to our new life with another child and to be honest it is going better than I anticipated. I am not sure what next week will be like when Kevin is back to work...more challenging I am sure. I have so enjoyed him being at home with me. Eliza has been a wonderful baby so far. She is so so sweet and tiny! We love her so much and feels like she has always been a part of our family! She eats, sleeps a lot right now, and is going with the flow of our family. So far at night I have been waking her to feed her every 2 1/2 to 3 hours and she eats and is going right back to sleep! Amen, praise the Lord. I will be glad when I can stop waking her to eat in the night, but until she grows a little bigger I will continue to. I know we have some rough nights ahead, but so far I am so thankful.

Eliza had her first check-up on Monday and she was only 2 oz. from being back to her birth weight. Woo Hoo! Her cord also fell off on Sunday night which I thought was really fast! She got her first bath that night and screamed through the whole thing!

Ella is being such a sweet big sis. She is so funny talking to Eliza. Today she was saying, "Come on, Titus...hi five!" Yes she is still calling her Titus. I find myself getting all mixed up with her name now too. Isn't that terrible. My sister Jess who is Titus' mom suggested we call her Elizas...that is what my brain keeps getting stuck on. Yesterday in the car ella said, "Hi Titus, how are you? Yous sheepin? Waked up! Share!" All in one sentence! As you can tell sharing is talked about a lot in our house right now.

I think the thing that has been the hardest for her so far has been the change in our morning routine. She used to get in our bed and "snuggle" with me while daddy got ready for work. This usually meant her watching Mickey while mommy drifted in and out of sleep. Now when she comes into the room I am normally up nursing and she keeps saying, "Mommy my turn, snuggle!" Today she waited patiently and when I put Eliza back in her bassinet she said so excitedly, "Mommy, my snuggle!" I think we are beginning to get into a routine.

I have tons of pics of Eliza's first week and I plan to upload them today. Have a great day! I am loving this cooler weather and as much as I loathe being pregnant in the summer, I sure love having a fall baby!

Reflections on my first postpartum days

Good thing a women "glows" so they say when pregnant because there aint no glowing in the first few postpartum days. This has been my roughest go of it yet. This being my 3rd delivery, I felt as though I was well prepared for what the first few days after having a baby is like. I am not someone who like to lay around, knocked up on pain meds. I like to get up and try to get ready for the day! It always makes me feel better.

Well, if you saw me today you'd see my in pjs, no make-up, hair pulled back, and just hoping tom. I will feel better. I nursed ella and had to let my milk dry up with Samuel which was pure torture. I am familiar with nursing and engorgement and how rough the process can be. However, I was not prepared for this. Mastitis on postpartum days 4&5. My milk came in with a vengeance and sweet little eliza is trying her best and cannot keep up. I have tried everything! Last night I began running a fever, chills, aching all over and couldn't function. I called the doc. on call and they called me in a prescription at 12am. My sweet hubby ventured out with all the crazies in the middle of the night to pick it up for me. I am still feeling pretty rough today. There is really no way to prepare for cracked and bleeding nipples, swollen breasts, pain and nursing every 2-3 hours. I really am committed to nursing for many reasons and I am praying I will make it through this stretch! Nursing is hard in the beginning and I know the rewards both financially and practically speaking of continuing! Don't ever let any tell you it is a piece of cake. Maybe this is why so many women are so passionate about it!

ella and eliza are doing great! They are sleeping well and adjusting great! Thank goodness. Ella seems to really love eliza now, although she is still being called Titus. We are still working on it. I am so thankful to be a new mommy, but I really cannot wait to feel like myself again. I this frump stage will pass...and the mastitis will hopefully clear up soon. Can't wait to get on with life!

Things I'd forgotten about having a newborn!

1. How teeny tiny they are...esp. when compared with an older sibling. Ella looks huge now!
2. How hard it is to function in the middle of the night when you are exhausted.
3. How sweet they smell....even sweet little newborn poop!
4. How nursing is so not fun in the beginning...not sure it is ever fun but so worth it....let's just say the milk factory has arrived!
5. How careful and protective my husband is over our babies. He is a complete germaphobe and uses tons and tons of purell everyday. I love him for that!
6. How frumpy the frump stage is!
7. How you can feel skinny after having a baby until you try on an normal piece of clothing!
8. How newborns make all kinds of funny sounds and faces. Ella used to scare me with her eye rolls and whimpers.
9. How great it is to leave the hospital with a baby it tow. There is so much pride in being wheeled out holding your baby!
10. How newborns poop so much! Oh my goodness....we have used almost 24 diapers in two days!
11. How much you can love something so small!

She's Here!

Most of my friends know by now that little Eliza Anne is here. We had a great delivery and she was bigger than we expected! She weighed 5lbs 15 oz. and is 18 inches long. She is a peanut and is so cute. We are still not totally sure what color her hair will be, but right now it is actually looking a little more brown than Samuel and Ella's looked at birth. She is doing great and is eating well. This is such an answer to prayer because Ella had such a difficult time nursing in the beginning. We are just so thankful to the Lord for another child to love and take home!

I had another fast delivery. Actually it was going slower than we expected and eliza was having some dips in her heart rate. My doctor was trying to keep me from getting worried but I could tell that she was worrying. I think after being my doctor through my pregnancy with Samuel, she always feels an added burden of getting my babies here safely. At 2:00 she checked me and I was at 6cm and still about 80%. Not bad but just not as fast as I went with ella. Around 2:25 my doc. and nurse came in to move me to my other side and I told her that on my last cont. I felt a little pressure. She said that would be the best news of the day! She checked me again and I was complete and eliza was coming. It became another mad panic to get the nursery people there and all the delivery stuff ready and I was trying not to push or scream. Yeah this was my most painful delivery for sure. My doc. said it was because she was coming so fast that my epi. wasn't able to block the pain. I don't know but it was not a fun few minutes. I was so thankful it was fast. She was born at 2:32...and was pink and crying. I cannot tell you what a blessing it is to have another healthy child.

Ella came to visit us last night and meet her sis. She thinks she is her cousin Titus. (Titus, please don't be offended...you def. don't look girly!) Maybe she is in denial that eliza is really here. She was very scared of mommy. My IV line was still in and I had some bandages on my arm. I think she was also scared of the hospital bed. She wouldn't even let me hold her. It did make me sad but I know she is so confused over all that has happened these past few days. She came by this morning and was better. She let me love on her some and still thinks that eliza is Titus. We have lots of adjusting to do in the next few weeks.

Thank you to all my friends and family who have been praying for us and for eliza. The Lord has once again been faithful and answered our prayers! Thank you for your sweet comments on facebook and my blog. It has meant so much to kevin and I. :)

Letters to my Girls

Dear Ella,
Tonight mommy's heart feels a mix of emotions! I didn't want to put you in bed tonight and can't imagine not being with you for a few days. We have never spent a night apart! You are my girl...my pickles, my lovey dovey, my sweet pea. I love you so much! Tomorrow you will become a big sister! You are gonna be an awesome big sister! Eliza is going to love watching you and learning from you. I know you will be a great helper and will take good care of her. I know you might feel sad sometimes when mommy is busy taking care of her. We will figure it out. I know you might wish you were a baby again sometimes and that is okay too. I will miss you tomorrow and I can't wait to see you at the hospital.
Love,
Mommy

Dear Eliza,
Tomorrow is a big day for the both of us! We both have lots of work to do. I feel nervous and yet so excited about tomorrow. I cannot imagine you yet...what you will look like...act like...who you will be. I know one thing is for sure, from the moment my eyes see you, my heart will love you forever. You will be my little girl. You get to be our baby. I cannot wait to watch you steal your daddy's heart just as your sister ella has done. Mommy is praying that you will come out healthy and strong tomorrow! I am praying that you are hungry and are a great eater! So nestle close inside for one more long night little one. Tomorrow is your Birthday!
Love,
Mommy

Count down to Baby!

I think Kev and I have to keep pinching ourselves that we are really almost at delivery day! I seriously feel like I have been pregnant for forever! I am not exaggerating when I say it has almost been an entire year! I know you are confused. We got pregnant early last October and then miscarried at 10 weeks! By the grace of God we pregnant again two weeks later with eliza so all in all it has been almost a full year. Can I just tell you how ready I am to not be wearing these maternity clothes. I may not fit in a single thing next week but I can assure you that I will not be wearing these same clothes. I will settle for anything else. I am just at that point that I think God created where you are so ready to not be pregnant that you don't care what has to happen to your body in order to get the baby out. Let's just say that I am no longer glowing!

Friday was another intersting appointment and eliza wasn't moving and reactive enough on the NST. So I got another ultrasound. With ella I had like 11 ultrasounds and I thought that I was back to being normal,but due to these past two and a half weeks I think I may have had more with eliza. I am thankful that she decided to wake up from her nap in time for the ultrasound and get back to moving! The bp through the cord has continued to improve and she was practicing her breathing like a little champ. So everything is set for early Tuesday morning.

We (I mean kev) has some big house cleaning to do tonight and tom. and I am gonna try to reach my toes one last time. We got ella a big sister present today...a new baby, her own baby wipes and baby doll diapers. Poor thing! This is gonna be a big week for her! I cannot wait to see her reaction to eliza and to finally see them together.

Thanks for your prayers and concern over my pregnancy and bed rest time. It was the longest 2 1/2 weeks of my life but I am thankful that we have almost made it. Please pray that eliza will be larger than expected and will be healthy and ready to come home with us. Thanks!

Worry!

Worry is such a terrible thing. It can put you in a crummy mood, steal your joy, make you feel sick, and make for a very long day! I woke up this morning around 4am full of worry! I normally don't feel that I am an overly worried person, but there are always certain big worries that bother me. Let me just tell you that being wide awake at 4am when you are on bed rest can make for a very long day! I felt that anxious feeling over my induction on Tues. I am no longer worried over being at the hospital, pain, needles like I was in my first pregnancy...but I was worried about the timing of it all. I had a super fast delivery with ella...like 4 hours from the beginning of the induction... and she was coming faster than my doctor could get back from lunch. I have that GB strep this time (I didn't have it with samuel or ella) and have to have the antibiotics prior to delivery. You have to have 4 hours between doses. My doctor said she was worried about this delivery going even faster and will be trying to slow things down. I was worried about getting the antibiotics and epidural in time! These are both things that I have absolutely NO control over but the worry over them was not fun.

I have a dermatology appointment in November that I have been putting off until after I have eliza. I have a few moles and sunspots that are very concerning to me. I read something in a magazine yesterday that really caused me to really worry. In my mind I already have skin cancer, facing major surgery on my face, and am dying leaving Kev alone with two little girls. Isn't this terrible. I do regularly go to the dermatologist because skin cancer runs in my family and hello...I am a prime candidate! This fear is one that seems to always get me.

As a mom I always worry over my kids. The worst thought in the world is something happening to them. I worry about big things like cancer or car wrecks! Fears like these can stop you in your tracks.

So at 4 am in the morning what is one to do. I wasn't gonna wake Kevin up and tell him that I was sitting in the pit of worry! He'd be half awake and not ready to give sound advice...trust me. I wasn't gonna call my mom...although she was most likely awake (she's a super early bird)...and let her help calm my worries. My only option was the only option that really can do anything about these worries at all. I laid in my bed and cried out to the Lord...confessing my fears and lack of faith. Trying to release these things to him and begging Him for protection over myself and my family. Thankfully I was able to go back to sleep after a few hours and woke up feeling so much better.

"Cast your cares upon Him, for He cares for you!"

Tuesday's appointment

I had a good appointment today other than the fact that it took 3 hours. I had an ultrasound, NST and then a regular check-up. Eliza appears to be growing and is now a little over 5 lbs. She is still small but my doc. said there is a margin of error and it could be up to a lb. I am praying she is larger than the ultrasound showed. We know she will be small but I am praying she may reach 6lbs before next Tuesday. Our induction date is set for next Tuesday morning. I feel excited just to have a for sure date. I was also excited to find out that I am still progressing even though I am on bed rest. I'll spare you the details. We also got good news that the blood pressure through the cord is continuing to improve...so on bed rest I'll continue! I can almost see the end in sight...and that makes me feel better. I have some new 3D pics of eliza that I will post later once we upload them.

Trying to find the silver lining!

Today I am sitting at home for the third week in a row while Kevin and ella are at church. I miss being there feel somewhat disconnected from the world. I know now that it will be several weeks until I will be able to go back to church...unless I can beg my doc. to let me off bed rest a little next weekend! I am so eager to get out and get moving! I miss going about my daily life, running errands, picking up ella, cooking, and yes even cleaning my house. I know these are all things that I normally loathe....and they all wear me out and can be daily frustrations, but not being able to do them has given me a new appreciation for my Independence. I may have this baby and hit the ground running...literally!

So while I am sitting trying to not feel sorry for myself (which is a terrible place to be) I figured I should try to focus on all the things I have to be thankful for today. This always makes me feel better!
1. I am normally healthy and under normal circumstances lead a very busy and full life.
2. I normally can drive a car and take care of ella and my family.
3. I have a healthy almost 2 year old...who is growing and active!
4. I have a husband who loves me and is working hard to take care of us.
5. I have a house..and many in the world do not!
6. I have a baby that is alive inside of me.
7. I have a doctor who is very cautious and cares for the health of my unborn child.
8. I have clean carpets...kev cleaned them yesterday.
9. I have got a lot done in the weeks prior to my bed rest which was a good thing!
10. I am almost done with this pregnancy...8 more days!
11. Eliza's condition of growth restriction...although it can be serious so far she seems to be growing and tolerating being inside for a while longer.
12. I have people who love me and can help me when needed.
13. I can get up and take a shower everyday...I am sure some women on bed rest can't do that!
As always there are so many things to be thankful for...even when life isn't going as you'd like!
Praying that I can stay focused on the goal of getting this baby girl here healthy and safe this next week...because I'd sure love to sneak off to Target while everyone I know is at church! Don't worry mom...I won't!

Fri. appointment

Today's appointment went well. Eliza slept through the first part of my non-stress (very stressful test)! Her heart was beating so I knew she was alive but her heartbeat was very non-reactive and I kept waiting on her kicks. I began to stress and decided in my mind that they'd be sending me straight to the hospital. I knew the strip didn't look quite as it should. The nurse got me some juice and about 10 minutes later she finally woke up and began to do some kicks. About 45 minutes later, they said it looked good...and I didn't need an ultrasound today so that was good. My stomach showed some growth from last week...still about 2 weeks smaller than it should measure...but at least it appears that she may have grown! If not, I surely did...I'll spare you on my weeks weight gain..but let's just say I did my part! So 10 days or less and (wiser) as her sister has been calling her, will finally be here!

23 Months

Ella is now 23 months. I cannot believe she is almost two. We had planned on having her a family birthday party this weekend! I had worked really hard on the details and sent out invitations for a fun "Mickey and Minnie" 2nd Birthday...but it is now been put on hold. Looks like ella's little sis will get to join us for her 2nd b-day party after all. I was hoping to do it before so that we wouldn't have a house full of company with a new baby (I'm a little bit of a germ-a-phobe with a new baby)! Oh well!

We are crazy about our ella. She has brought so much joy to our hearts and lives in these past 23 months. She is a sweet little firecracker who makes each day more enjoyable.
At 23 months ella:
-is still a super picky eater! She only weights 25 pounds. We had made it to 27 but she lost a few when she was sick a few weeks ago and we are still working to gain them back. She likes sweets, pasta, chicken nuggets, pizza, oranges, apples, yogurt, and a few other things. I continue to "try" to get her to eat new things but so far we are still picky!
-still loves to nap. She is still napping from 10-11 or so and them from 3-5. She goes to bed at 8 and sleeps until 6am. She is our alarm clock. She lays in bed with me until we get up for the day. She sleeps good because she goes strong when she is awake!!
-she is totally into shoes and clothes. I am sure it is my fault! She loves for me to fix and straighten her hair and asks me to everyday when I fix mine. Seriously what 2 year old even knows what a straightener is for? Oh well, she has my crazy waves and will need it one day! She now likes her toes painted too.
-She loves playing with her cousins and thinks she is just as big as they are. They have taught her how to play hide-n-seek. The other day we were at my parents house and I kept hearing her saying, "papa, come mere!" After a while I went to see what she was doing and I found her hiding behind mimi's dresses is her closet. I guess she forgot to tell papa that he was supposed to come looking for her.
-she can count to about 13 or 14 and sometimes higher. I am beginning to think she is colored blind...and I am not kidding. The only colors she can distinguish are brown, gray and black. It is very weird. She knows the names of the other colors but cannot distinguish them. It is too funny!
-she is not so sure about eliza. At times she will kiss my tummy and other times try to hit it. She refuses to acknowledge that the car seat in our car now is for eliza and continues to tell is that it is for Titus (her cousin). We continue to tell her that eliza will ride in it very soon.

These are some of my favorite things that she says:
come mere- come here
how are you
I's fine
bye-bye, see you later
love you
mommy I hold you -meaning mommy you hold me
ella do it
I got it
mines
my share -meaning you share with me
ella's turn
dank you
wunch-lunch
ahkay-okay
hair straight
mommy's bed
ella's place (guess where that is)
watch t.d. (t.v)
she calls our neighborhood pool the beach!
go home, rest
play doys house -play at joy's house
and the funniest was when she patted my dad and said " aw, sweet ole papa"

-last but not least...when have been practicing for a long time now talking about Jesus making the world, us, healing us, etc. I asked her the other day who painted her toes and she told me DE-jus (Jesus). Well, not quite...it was her mimi. At least she has learned that Jesus is a good answer for most any question!

Bed Rest Day 6

Today has been a long day. Can I just tell you how much I'd love a trip to Target or even Wal-mart right now! I even despise going to Wal-mart normally but the thought sounds pretty exciting right now. I have no idea how women last on bed rest for months on end. I know you have to keep the goal in sight of having a healthy baby, but I cannot imagine. I am counting down it's only about 12 more days until my scheduled induction and maybe not even that long.

I keep wondering "why" eliza is growth restricted. I know my doc. said that my placenta isn't functioning as good as it needs too...but "why?" I am the girl who is seriously careful throughout my pregnancies! I will admit to having one caffeinated drink a day (this pregnancy) from around week 26 or so...which is totally ok! I am the girl who has taken a prenatal vitamin (the really expensive kind) everyday since March of 2005. I am scared to not take them....I guess I subconsciously feel like I better or else! Samuel's condition was like a 1 in 10,000 chance and growth restriction occurs in only 2-3% of all pregnancies. I always feel like we are good at getting in that narrow percentage!

I am praying, eating lots of extra calories, and doing lots of resting! I am so hoping that eliza will have fattened up a little this week. I am doing all I can!

I better run, Ella is jumping in her bed and counting! I am so proud of her counting skills...colors are still another subject! I just remembered that I forgot that she was 23 months yesterday. Can't believe she is almost two! I'll leave you with a few beach pics from last week!

Bed Rest Day 5

Today I got to get out and go to the doctor...so exciting! I had pretty much worked myself into a panic before going over eliza's movement. I had a NST first and it looked okay but maybe not as reactive as it should be and so I then had a biophysical profile ultrasound where they check for fluid levels, diff. blood pressure ratios, movements, breathing, swallowing. It was reassuring to us and to the doctor. My levels looked a little better than on Friday and she didn't feel the need to induce me today. We did learn from our ultrasound that miss eliza has some hair on the top of her head...didn't look like tons but some. I will continue on bed rest and go back and do it all again on Friday. I have an induction date set for Sept. 22 which is still 13 days away but she said we'll see if we make it there.

As we were leaving our sweet doctor made the comment that we must be trying to run the gamit (spelling) on Ob problems. We both agreed. Feeling more optimistic and better today...it is amazing what a ride in the car will do! Thanks for your prayers!

Bed Rest Day 4

Today has been another slow day. I am so thankful that Kevin has today and tom. off, he is such a big help! I just wish we were able to spend a fun family day tog. I am feeling anxious. I am preparing myself mentally for the reality that eliza could be very small, may not breathe well on her own and may have to stay longer in the hospital. Can I just tell you how much I do not want to leave the hospital without my baby in my arms. That is the worst experience and I just feel like a cloud of doom is hanging over my head today. I just want another healthy baby. Why is that so hard for me to get! I don't feel like I was prepared for things not going just right this time. Maybe it is because I had a wonderful pregnancy with ella and a super fast and easy delivery! I just wanted that again...I don't want things to get complicated!

Bedrest Day3

There may have been points in my life where the thought of bed rest seemed like a lovely option. I can now assure you it is not...esp. for someone like me. I am as some of my family have recently noted a "control freak" and very "type A!" I agree with them and wish I weren't so much this way but it is the way the Lord made me. I like my ducks in order, my house in place, my child on her usual schedule, and you know...but it's times like these when you just have to let it all go.

Kev is doing such a super job being mr. mom. Poor guy he was so tired last night he left his shoes at my parents house and came home bare footed! To his defense he had run errands, chased ella at a birthday party, cleaned, fixed all my meals, and etc. I just hope he doesn't get burned out too soon.

The worst part of this is doing kick counts. I have to count 10 kicks many times a day...and I stress over if she is still ok. I keep wondering why her growth has slowed...was it all my crazy nesting and not enough resting, was the 34 (yes I said it) lbs I have gained so far not enough! I have gained more with her than my other 2 pregnancy's. I haven't allowed myself to google or research the possibilities. I am trying to count her kicks and trust the Lord that we will continue to grow. I do know I probably just make small babies...ella was only 6lbs 7oz. at 39 weeks...so hopefully eliza can grow so more and catch up some.

I seriously feel like I have spent the last 2 years trying to plump ella up and here we go again! Maybe eliza will come out starving and be a super eater! I hope!

Thanks so much for all of your prayers and offers of help. We may be taking you up on it as the weeks progresses. I just don't know what this week will hold for us! I have never been so ready to get back to the doctor before...the outing sounds so exciting and I am praying for some encouraging news. Now to eat some more ice cream....:)

Bed Rest!

My day started out busy and is ending very slow! I headed to my routine ob appt. this morning and excited to find out if I am progressing. When my doc. measured me my stomach..I think it is called the fundal height...it really hadn't changed sincemy last visit 2 weeks ago. I have always measured right on track and so I guess this sent off a red flag. She wanted to do an ultrasound to check the fluid levels and eliza's growth. Those of you who know me know that have some serious ultrasound anxiety and normally Kev. accompanies me to any appt. where I get an ultrasound. I guess I just always fear that they will find something wrong with my baby! This is a fear that I have had to give to the Lord over and over...but the unexpected ultrasound today really paniced me.

Little eliza is def. measuring smaller by about 2 weeks. Her estimated weight was only 4lbs 9oz..so she is a peanut for sure! Her belly measured the smallest. I then had a Non-Stress Test..which I really think should be called a Stress Test. I hate sitting in a freezing cold room listening to her heartbeat on the monitors waiting for her to move so I can push the little button. I find them stressful. Thankfully she did great on the NST and I felt good about that. After that I waited again to see my doc. and she ordered me on strict bed rest. I can shower and use the bathroom but my life is taking a Major slow-down!!!

She feels that my placenta is not functioning as well and is not giving eliza as much nourishment as she needs. Bed Rest will optimize the blood flood from me to her. I will have NST twice a week and a weekly ultrasound. She said if at anytime these don't look good I will go straight from the doc. to the hospital...and to put my bags in the car! She is planning to induce me in 2 weeks if I haven't had her yet...wanting to give her some more time to grow and gain some weight but not wanting to wait too long with a not so good placenta.

I guess I should just expect some excitement in every pregnancy. They are the beginnings of raising a child which is always full of twist, turns and surprises.

As I sat in the ultrasound room today and watched her practicing breathing on the screen it made me want her so much! Not that we haven't wanted her from before she was conceived but for the first time I really felt like she needed her mommy! I felt a strong bond to her and pray that these 2 weeks go by so fast.

With each of my pregnancies I have felt that the Lord has given me a verse for that child. With eliza from early on my mind always went back to Ephesians 3:20 "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. " Eliza was a true gift from the start... the kind of gift that comes totally unexpected...a blessing given just 2 weeks after having a D &C ...when two people who had struggled in the past to conceive got pregnant without even trying...when the doc. couldn't even believe it herself...when I gushed blood at 5 weeks and was sure that we had lost her too...God did more and I know He has a big plan for her life.

If you think of us please pray that she will hang on and do some good growing! Please pray for my doc. to have wisdom and know when to induce me or when to wait. Please pray for ella who is having a hard time today understanding why mommy cannot hold her standing up...she keeps crying and saying, "mommy hold you stan up!" Please pray that I can lay and rest...something I am not good at!