Thankful Thursdays

Today, as every day, there is so much for me to be thankful for...i'm thankful

...for Ft.Collins' awsome, awsome parks!
...for my little son sleeping until 7:30 on Adam's day off (I LOVE this!! Even though I still got up about the same time, it makes such a difference when you choose to get up yourself instead of because a little voice is calling, "MAMA! want MILK!")
...for 2 cars that work wonderfully; mostly because of the blood, sweat and tears that Adam and my dad have put into one of them.
...for ice water. Can't drink enough of it these days- no wonder I pee ALL THE TIME!
...for a sweet little boy who is oh-so-snuggly in the mornings and after naps.
...for my dedicated, hardworking husband who as we speak is studying like crazy for another Chemistry test tonight.
...for Thanksgiving break, which for us begins in less than 24 hours!
...for heating pads and pilates, which are making it possible for me to walk (ok, waddle) during these last few weeks of pregnancy :).
...that each kick, stretch, and jab means there is a healthy baby girl growing bigger and healthier each day inside me.
...that I am 31 weeks pregnant today. 9 weeks! single-digit countdown begins!!

A few more belly pictures...

Here's the belly between 30 & 31 weeks...that's 7 1/2 months, for those of you who haven't been pregnant...a little less than 10 weeks to go!! The crib is up, the clothes are getting washed and put away, the list of last minute things needed for nursing and diapering is coming together...Adam and I are pretty sure we're about to get our world rocked by 2 kids. I'm focusing more and more on the birth, which is actually my favorite part of the whole pregnancy (because then you get to see that little peanut!!) and on getting prepared for it, physically and mentally, so that I can do the best that I can...what that means is a work in progress I'm sure i'll share during the next couple of monthe! I would love to have a drug-free birth this time, but am open to epidurals if need be. As my mom has said in the past-you don't get a medal for doing it drug free. It's just something I'd like to experience. Soooo...it's getting closer! There is a possibility I'll have to be induced a bit early, if I have low fluids again as I did with Pax. Ultrasound the beginning of Dec. to see how my levels are.


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oooohhh, baby!

I've heard before that each pregnancy is very different from the next...ohhh, boy, is it true for me! It's crazy, really, how different this little girlie is than her brother. Pax was harder on me hormonally...this one is much harder on me physically. Not sure which is worse. Very thankful that I didn't have the double whammy of BOTH being hard at once! I don't remember Pax dropping until maybe a week or two before he came...she dropped about 2 weeks ago, which is nice for breathing and eating purposes, of course, but extremely uncomfortable...and since I'll only be at 30 weeks this Thursday....well, let's just stay I'm already starting to waddle a bit. Not the most attractive walking I've ever done. Sleeping has been...awful until the last 2 nights because, as we all know, when they drop, you pee. a lot. But lavender oil is one of my new best friends!! I've had crazy heartburn (didn't you all want to know that?? I know. you love it when I share!) which I had all of twice with P...tums are like candy right now. And lots of Braxton-Hicks contractions, starting about the time she dropped...as well as some real contractions, which have made me slow waaaay down. Which is very, very hard for me to do because, well, although I don't mind asking for help I HATE feeling like I can't do things I think I should be able too; or even keep the same level of activity I did with my first pregnancy. It's also made me a bit more focused on my weight than I like to be, although I haven't gained as much weight this time. I know that the baby comes first...I know that I'd do anything to make sure she's safe, healthy, and doesn't come too early. And I will. Gaining weight just isn't my favorite thing (like it's anybody's favorite thing?) and so when my activity level is restricted, I do tend to think about it more. My focus easily taken off what is truly important (gaining enough weight for a healthy baby) by my own selfishness. I don't look any more pregnant with this one than I did with Pax, although at 7 1/2 months I have had some people ask if my morning sickness is almost over (ha!). This makes me want to carry around a picture of me from before I was pregnant just so I can show people that yes, I really AM preggo and not just fat. A never-ending battle for almost every woman I know, this weight issue...I long for the day when my self-image is a reflection of God's image of me, and not of my own media-warped brain. sigh. sorry. This was supposed to be a blog about the funny and not-so-funny differences between my two pregnancies. But now my very tired preggo body just wants to go to sleep...and so I will go put lavender oil on my foot (a new, rather hippie-ish world of essential oils we're discovering...but they are AMAZING! called doTerra.) and sleep beautifully all night. Thank You, Lord, for the healthy little girl growing inside me...give me clarity, patience, and good rest as I face these last 10 weeks!

Thankful Thursday

It' s been a loooooong time since I've done one of these posts...mostly because Adam has no classes on Thursdays, and it's become our family day. So we're usually pretty busy doing something....but today, Pax is napping, Adam is cleaning leaves out of our elderly neighbor's gutters, and I have so much to do but, instead, am taking a few minutes to update some of my blog and thinking about what I'm thankful for.
I'm thankful for....

...the ultimate control God has over my life. I have dreams and plans, but God is the one who opens the doors and makes things happen. And I am so thankful I can give Him the control over it all.
...music. A beautiful gift.
...the worship ministry I've gotten involved in here. It's a big church, so the way things are run are VERY different, but the worship pastor has a great heart for worship AND pastoring, and God's thrown me back into the thick of it. Excited to see what's in store!
...for the tiny girlie growing beneath my heart. She was dancing during worship practice the other night, just like Pax did when I did the same thing while pregnant with him. It makes all the other not-so-fun parts of pregnancy worth it.
...for my husband. So incredibly supportive, so incredibly strong, so incredibly inspiring to me.
...my strong-willed 2 year old. I CHOOSE to be thankful for his strong will, even when he's using it to defy me. We're both learning.
...for hugs, snuggles, and kisses.
...for the stash of Reese's cups in my drawer, provided by my hubby on my birthday.
...for a roof over our heads, heat, light, and indoor plumbing.
Now you know what I'm thankful for today...how about you??

funny boy...

Little Dude to Adam, walking into the room after a bath:
"Hi Daddy, what's up? I Pax."

Me today, trying to figure out what Toby the Tram Engine (from Thomas) has on his sides..
"I think it's like wood, or side cars..."
"Cow catchers," (Pax, correcting me from his dad's arms....he's exactly right. Adam bursts out laughing.)

I love two-year-olds!