Pregnancy To-Do List... 22 Weeks!

With every pregnancy, the moment that line appears on the stick, my brain is BUZZING with the million and 1 things I need to do before baby arrives...

Then morning sickness hits and I just get thru the days, the list collects dust and I swear I will never survive to even read the list, let alone accomplish it!!!

But *ALAS* the 2nd trimester comes, followed quickly by the 3rd and my home becomes alive with activity to make room for our new arrival.

Once again, the time has come to dust that list off and get started on the gazillion things I need to do before my new baby girl comes home!

So, I thought I would share my list with you as a way of helping to make sure I GET IT DONE!!!

1) Get into our storage space and see if I have ANYTHING left for a newborn baby girl. Probably not but its worth checking out...

2) Craft store to pick up cute girly fleece fabric for a taggie blanket to make for baby, and initial letters for all the girls... Pink and black craft paint as well...

3) Get port-a-crib back from friend and set up in our room. (baby stays with us for a while)

4) move changing table from upstairs girls closet to our bedroom. Clean it and pretty it up. Will not only be used for changing station, but also to store all of her clothes, towels, burp cloths and such since she will be with us.

5) buy matching baskets for changing table ( and fabric to line them) to hold all small items and keep it neat.

6) Move around computer desk in our room to make room for baby things...

7) re-organize living room

8) Buy everything you need for a baby girl because I gave away all of my clothes, onsies, bibs... and some of the burp cloths I have are just too old to use on a sweet new little one... Not a concern though, God always provides all we need!!!! ( Did I mention monogramming them all?)

9) Switch little girls and older girls rooms around as the little girls now need the bigger bedroom since they outnumber the big girls. This can be done at our own pace since baby will stay with us but it will require ALOT of work, cleaning, gutting and time...

10) Buy paint for both rooms and make them nice for them...

11) Get our new HS'ing year all figured out. 1 month will be taken off after baby and I don't want to have to worry about lesson planning while recovering...

12) start doubling meals and freezing so I don't have to worry about cooking for a loooong time! =)

13) FINALLY FINISH Esther study so I can start BREAKING FREE!!! Need to get into that book big time. I can't wait!! But I have been slow with Esther. I need to get crackin!

The above picture is where my very ice age old Homeschool computer is... in our bedroom. Not the most convenient place to be but it works for now. I also throw some kid overflow over this way when they want to play games on the ol' pc and have fun. I sometimes sneak in there at night when hubby is hogging our beloved MAC in the living room and use the internet. Prayerfully, this next tax season another MAC will be bought and there will be more computers for personal and school use. With 8 people in the house, 3 computers really are NOT that many!! Oh, did I mention that this has to find a new space because our new baby girl will be residing in this spot??? But at least my dovet is beautiful and matches my walls. Thats a start!!

Have a blessed day today. Thank God for another day, Thank God for your hubby, Thank God for your children and thank God that we have HIM to go to when life gets too rough.

Xoxo

Its A.........

GIRL!!!

A beautiful, healthy precious little girl. My heart melted when I saw her moving around and playing with her feet on screen. I can't wait to meet her and wrap her in PINK and BOWS!

And YES, we do have a name, but you don't think I would tell you everything in one post did you???

Thank you to all of you wonderful commenters who shared in my joy yesterday. I thought of you all when we found out.

xoxo

This Is The Day....

That the Lord has made... I will rejoice and be glad in it....

For this is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made!!!!

We are off to find out what are new addition will be. Wh at do you think? Pink or blue? Stay tuned. =))))))

P.s. IN A SHOE is FINALLY in labor!!! Check out her blog for baby updates. Can't wait to hear the news!!

Straight To The Heart...

As we were decorating for Hannahs birthday party, our conversation turned...

Hannah..." Mommy, if the baby would have lived, what month would he have been born in again?"

Mommy..." March. His birthday would have been in March."

Hannah..." So, He would have turned 1 this coming March?"

Mommy..."Yes, He would be about 10 months old right now..."

Hannah... with a smile..." Awww, that would have been so cool. We would have had birthdays in January, February, MARCH, April, May, June AND July."

Mommy..."Yup, your right..."

Hannah..." Oh, I want you to have another baby mom..."

Mommy..." Me too banana... me too...."

and then we finished decorating the kitchen....

It was a GREAT party!

I Remember...

Abby, Me and Baby B.

Apple Picking 2008

Today I remember. It has been one year since we lost Baby B. He wasn't the first baby I lost and he wasn't the last but he was special. He was loved by his family. He was sang to and kissed and rubbed. We loved him for the 14 weeks I carried him.

It was unexpected and shocking. It was sad for everyone. Not a day goes by that I don't think about how old he would have been. 6 months to be exact. He would be smiling, clapping, laughing at his silly siblings and rolling over. We would be buying 8 pumpkins this year instead of 7. We would be hanging one more stocking by the fireplace and I would be changing one more tiny tooshie.

When he left this earth, he took a piece of my heart with him. All my babies did but his piece was a bit bigger.

Thru it all God is good! He got us thru that hard time and continues to carry me thru sad times. I happily know that their will be a huge reunion in heaven. I can't imagine that day. God says there will be no more tears... the happiness must be immeasurable.

I have only one picture of me pregnant with Baby B. I don't like pictures of me pregnant... and have very few of all my pregnancies. That will change. I carry Baby B's ultrasound picture with me. Its in a special place and take it out on occasion but not often.

This picture was taken while Apple Picking in the mountains. It was a happy day. One week before the bad news came.

On the sonogram picture, they said baby B. passed away on this same day.

The staff at the doctors office were wonderful. Remarkable. Sweet. Kind. I was alone. I thought it was just another appointment. They let me stay past closing. I could tell they didn't know what to do.

The nurse from the hospital was great. Her name was Cindy, just like my Sissy. She was funny and great. She was from NY!! We exchanged stories and I thanked God for being so good, even in the little things.

I woke up crying. In a matter of 24 hours I wasn't pregnant anymore. Just the other night we were eating dinner around the table laughing and joking and voting on baby names. It didn't register. How quickly life can change for you.

A few days later I named him. He deserved that. He was a little soul that did live for a brief time. I keep the name to myself and hubby.

For a long while I could not hear a baby cry. I would have to physically stop myself from going up to another woman's crying baby and want to pick her up and rock her. The sound would hurt my soul so deep. Sometimes I would just have to get up and leave.

One year has past but my heart still hurts from the loss. Life goes on and we are again stepping out in faith, praying that God will gracefully bless us with another healthy baby. I smile at people who never know the pain of losing a baby, I pray they never will. I congratulate them. For me, a heartbeat will never be looked at the same. A sonogram means nothing. God alone knows our future. He alone can give us peace.

How silly I was all those years before. Taking for granted the 5 healthy non-complicated pregnancies I had. How fast everything can change. How quickly things can be gone. It was a hard lesson learned!!

I now fall into a category no one understands. I have children, I want more but I can't. I should be happy for what I have. My pain isn't as great as someone who never had a child. I have no reasons for this. How silly those people are.

I read about Hannah in the book of Samuel. I study it, I have books on it. I know the pain she felt as she cried at the temple. I know if Hannah were living today, we would be friends. If she only knew how her life and hurt encourages me centuries later.

So, I will go on and I will be strong. I study the bible, pray for answers and a miracle. I know God has a reason for everything and as much as I would love to know the reasons for these, I just have to trust. This earth is not the end. One day, in heaven, we will all be together again. One B-I-G happy family. My heart will be whole and I will get to know all my children that left me way too soon.

Baby B announcement

One Year Ago

Thank You