41 weeks and counting...

So we all thought the baby would be here by now, but SURPRISE this little one has a different plan. Dale & I are rolling with it with now. No other choice but to let this babe decide his or her birthday.

I did have an anxiety & stressful week during week 40...just knowing that every night I would wake up & have to labor. I lost a lot of sleep over it & looking back--it wasn't worth it. I now go to bed with the intention of being pregnant in the morning & getting some decent shuteye. Much better plan.

So anyways, the baby will be here at one point. You'll just have to wait along with us!

Celebrating MY Pregnancy

One of the best ways to celebrate a special occasion in your life is through photographs. I had the privilege of having one of the best photographers in the DFW area take my maternity pictures--Elizabeth Boyce at http://www.earthmamaphotography.com/

Elizabeth is truly a wonderful photographer and a delightful person to know.Here is the link to my maternity pictures
http://earthmamaphotography.blogspot.com/2010/01/so-patient-denton-lewisville-flower.html
This was the best way I could have celebrated this upcoming birth! I am so happy that I wasn't afraid of how big my belly was to have these taken.

THANK YOU Elizabeth!! You made my night!

Brian's cast!

Yesterday the boys were being a bit crazy & playing in the living room. Well, a few loud yells turned into a huge scream & some crying. Grayson accidentally pushed the sofa against Brian's wrist & hand, resulting in a 2 hour crying experience. We called the pedi. and he recommended us to come in in the morning to get an X-ray. We did & we were told that there were no fractures or breaks in the hand & finger areas. YEAH!!! Off to nursery school we went since Brian was askign for it since Grayson was dropped off at his school. A few hours later, we received a message from the pedi. saying there was a small fracture in the wrist. Off to the orthopedic specialist within 30 minutes and Brian was picking out his color for the cast. We opted for the super duper fancy waterproof version & it can be completely submerged in water without any problems...we'll see how he does for the next weeks.

13 days and counting...

we are going to be meeting our newest baby very soon. We don't know if the baby will be a boy or a girl, neither do we truly care, but we do care about our baby being healthy and strong. This is one of the reasons we are homebirthing again. I am praying for a waterbirth also.

We planned a waterbirth with both Grayson & Brian, but for one reason or another, we weren't able to do it with their births. I have told my midwife, doula & husband that for THIS baby I am to push in the water. If I feel like getting out, that is my call.

A friend typed up a beautiful labor prayer and I am going to post that for all to read. If you ever get a minute, please pray it for our family...

My Labor Prayer

Lord, thank you for giving this new life to Dale and I
As I work to bring this child into our arms I ask the following:
Let my labor be uncomplicated, and help to me to put my trust in your design of my body to deliver this baby.
Give discernment to those who are attending me.
Give me energy and peace.
Give me comfort when it hurts.
Help me to allow your presence at the birth by reminding me that this process of labor is a form of prayer and worship and designed by you, it is not just pain with no purpose.
And since I am asking for things Lord, here are a few more bonus requests:
I ask for a labor that I can be an active part of and be able to tolerate with with joy.
I ask everyone will get here in time.
I pray that Dale will be at peace.
I ask that I won’t have any need to transfer and can have the home birth I desire.
I ask that my older children will adjust and love their new sibling.
Most of all I ask that our baby will be healthy and that we are prepared to raise another child to grow to love You, no matter what happens at this child’s birth.
Amen.

Where does the time go?

I have been thinking a bit and decided that I need to slow down. I am slowly releasing my volunteer positions, giving responsibility to others and trying to separate myself from "always being busy" to being more of a mom to my children.

With the upcoming birth of our third, my priorities are changing rapidly. I am due in approximately 45 days.

While I feel a strong need to get things in order, to sort & purge and to have my home emotionally centered--it also feels out of my comfort zone. I have always been a follow the rules, but still can fly by the seat of my pants type of girl & I find this centering a bit challenging.

There are certain aspects of being busy that I will miss, but I know I will enjoy the time spent getting to know my children and husband even better.

Happy Thanksgiving 2009~

I'm officially 31 weeks & counting down the days till we meet this little one. Very exciting & scary at the same time. We had an ultrasound at week 27 and everything looks great-3 vessel cord, 4 chamber heart, no cleft palate and organs are functioning healthy. We are very blessed.

I've been super busy with work, doula'ing, and finishing up my breastfeeding counselor training. All my clients for birth had their babies on a perfect schedule and I am now finishing up my postpartum doula certification clients. They will be completed by mid December & I can get all my paperwork done over the Christmas holiday break to mail in January 2nd, 2010~

Crunchy Clean & New Baby Wipes

I am so excited to try this new all natural laundry soap with all of our clothing & the cloth diapers. It is hard to find a laundry soap that doesn't leave residue or "weird" stuff on the diapers. Repellancy is a huge issue at stake!

Crunchy Clean is made by a work at home mom & sold on ETSY--
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5760585
She has a list of scents that is a mile long & many of them use essential oils.

Another new product I am trying is from Laine's Cradle & All shop on ETSY--
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6744453
I am buying new baby wipes for our upcoming arrival in January...we're doing a fleece & flannel combination, but she also has organic bamboo velour! She also is a stay at home mom and makes play sheets for pack 'n plays. She does some custom work also.


I can't wait to get them in & give a review!

17 weeks and counting!

So, if you haven't already heard...Dale & I are expecting our third little one in late January 2010. We are enjoying the pregnancy so far. Not too much yuck for the first trimester & the second is looking good. We had an early sono at to rule some issues out and were able to hear the heartbeat & see the baby.

We are planning our second home birth & really preparing for a water birth this time and we aren't finding out the sex of the baby beforehand.

Holiday!!

We are taking the family for a mini holiday in Oklahoma. Dale came home the other day & said he needed to get out of town, so I immediately got online to see where we could go. I looked locally & honestly, everything was out of our price range. So off to Ok we go. I guess I need to pack:) I'll post pictures later.

Really...it is hot!

Today was definitely another scorcher. Right now it is 102 degrees according to The Weather Channel. It is 7:10pm. While I don't normally complain about the summers in Texas--I can't help but think we have 2 more months of heat before it begins to cool off.

Thank goodness for air conditioning in vehicles & homes. Seriously!