26 Weeks

Beautiful Baby,

Well, my littlest one, we made it to the third trimester!  As I write, you are up to your favorite late-evening activity:  kicking my bladder.  You move all the time and in all sorts of ways now.  Like the time you decided to stand up in my womb in the middle of a tutoring session.

Oh, that awkward moment when I'm trying to teach and shove your head back into my womb at the same time.  Yikes!

Your Papa and I think we just might have a name for you my love.  Of course, we'll keep it a secret until you make your debut.  But it's an exciting thing to have mostly almost decided.

We are still at Grammy's house, where we've been for the last 5 weeks.  It's been a challenging month and a half since we left Colorado.  The flu and a head cold along with heartburn, horribly sore hips, headaches, and Braxton Hicks contractions are just some of fun gifts of pregnancy you and I have endured.  Oh, and the weirdest burning skin sensation right at the top of my baby-bump, about where my sternum is.  I expect it to be all red and irritated, it burns so much, but there is not a single mark or indiction of irritation there.  I CANNOT figure it out.

Oh, and there is one particularly extraordinary talent you've blessed me with:  I can pee 5 times in an hour.  No joke. It's pretty amazing.

Danny often refers to you as, "my brother," these days and he has become fascinated with acting out the story of "Mary and Jophes," after baths.  With one large towel wrapped around his body, and another draped over his head, he cradles a third towel in his arms and "feeds the baby" with my saline solution bottle.  It's precious.  He's practicing for you, sweet boy.

You and I still exercise 2 or 3 times per week.  I'm pretty proud of myself for that!  You are sitting higher than Danny did.  Of course, Danny felt like he was between my knees by 7 months, whereas you seem to be content right underneath my rib cage.  It makes breathing more interesting, but at least I can still cross my legs comfortably.

Only about 90 more days until we get to meet you, sweet one!  I sure can't wait!

Love,
Mama

Danny the Fireman

I love the little impromptu adventures we get to have as parents of preschoolers.  Today just before lunch, a large truck (at least that's what I thought it was) came rolling down the cul-de-sac of the quiet street that my Mom lives on.  Danny suddenly yelled, "Mom, we have to get out! It's Fireman Sam!"

That managed to instantly break the trance-like visual lock I had on the spreadsheet full of numbers and tax forms I had in front of me.

"What!?" I said, getting up and almost tripping over the computer cord.

"It's FIREMAN SAM!!" Danny repeated. "COME ON!!"

We walked outside and sure enough, a huge red fire engine had pulled into the cul-de-sac to aid a neighbor in need of help.  Seeing the red fire engine quietly parked and turned off in front of his preschool as the class files out to sit in front of it for a presentation is one thing.  Watching it roll in front of your front door and park with lights flashing and radio chattering and firemen piling out and lumbering into the house with a gurney is QUITE ANOTHER. Shortly after that, an ambulance rolled up and parked right next to it.

Any more excitement and I think his head would've exploded.

We stood on the curb while Danny asked me 27 questions and we listened to the radio chatter in the middle of the then quiet street, while the firefighters were inside.  Finally a potty-break was in order, so we headed inside.  It was perfect timing, really, because the men were able to get the neighbor in need loaded into the back of the ambulance, without the prying eyes of a certain three and a half year old and his secretly nosey curious mother. We got back outside just in time to see the EMT close the back door of the ambulance and aid the driver in making his way back down the street.

At that point, the firefighters, relieved of their duties, noticed the admiring eyes of my sweet son and said hello.  "Wanna come check out the firetruck, buddy?"  Danny uncharacteristically and bravely said, "Yes," and turned to me so I could pick him up.  We headed over to the truck and peered inside, while four firemen asked Danny questions.

My sweet boy was courageous and talkative, and answered all of their questions, even if he did have his hands wrapped in a suffocating grip around my neck and his cheek pressed firmly to mine through the ENTIRE conversation.  That sort of made it difficult for me to have an easy chat, but whatever.  The guys were more entralled with their new little fan anyway.

After a few short minutes, one fireman - whose name was Daniel - stuck a "junior firefighter" gold badge on my kiddo's shirt and said, "Thanks for visiting, Fireman Danny!"  The men piled into the firetruck, backed up to turn around, and as they drove away, all four of them waved to Danny, parade-like style.  My little firefighter, eyes wide and feeling like the most important kid on the block, waved back with wild abandon and total admiration.

It made this Mama's heart soar.  :) Firefighters... those guys are good guys.

A Little Project I Did

My step-dad, Shaun, and I share a love for falling apart buildings.  So this year for Christmas, I grabbed my camera and we pulled over a bunch of times on our drive south to New Mexico.  This is what I came up with:

Click here to view this photo book larger

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That was the most fun I've ever had making a Christmas present!

Kites

One of my favorite days here in California was the day we spent with my sister Lisa and her husband Ray, flying kites. 

Merry Christmas!

I'm thankful for a great friend who will set up a photo shoot 

in her living room and take our family Christmas pictures!

I'm thankful for my lovely girlfriends who encourage me...

...and make me laugh so hard I pee. 

I'm thankful for a husband who seeks God with his whole heart and 

who loves me just perfectly...

 

...and makes me laugh until I snort.

I'm thankful for my little boy with his audacious imagination, 

his love for Jesus and his friends, and his precious desire to hang out with his Mama and Papa.

I'm thankful for his love for trucks, his superman doll, songs,

 and for how he sings, "Bob the Builder, Yes we can!!" 

...and reminds me we really can when we do it in Christ's strength. 

I'm thankful for a baby boy who does somersaults and karate in my womb 

and whose personality I have yet to know. 

And for how his personality will surely shape and form me...

...more in His image.

I'm thankful, and hopeful, for brotherly love.

And a house full up of boys.

I'm thankful for full days and tired nights.

I'm thankful for trials that produce perseverance, character and hope. 

I'm thankful for little daily gifts that God showers us with for no other reason 

than just because He adores his children. 

Like stubby arms wrapped around my neck. 

Like sitting together to read a book.

Like kisses on baby soft cheeks.

Like mischievous moments when you least expect them.

And awkward family photos that couldn't have possibly 

been staged on purpose, they are just THAT BAD. 

And then when you see them you laugh until you cry because it's so funny. 

I'm thankful.  Blessed.  Working hard at not taking a single iota of it for granted. 

More than aware that MANY of you are hurting because there are parts 

of your family that are incomplete.

And I'm hopefully praying for the day we will ALL celebrate in heaven with our 

ENTIRE family wrapped up in a big family bear hug with Jesus at the center.

Happy Birthday, Jesus! 

May we bless You today.