Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Let's Go Fly a Kite....

Look what I'm doing!
Is this right, Mom?
Ellie out enjoying her new backyard. The grass is in and is finally taking, thanks to some much needed rain! And we got her swingset up as well. She is very happy to have that back. We are just hanging out today, not doing too much. We had a busy weekend, with another busy one ahead of us, so we are just taking it as easy as possible today, since it really is our only free day this week.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Not much new...

Cheap entertainment- old stethoscope and free mask from work...
Not much going on here. Ellie and I still visit the doctor 2x per week for testing to check on our baby. We go back to the perinatologist next week. AND we see the doctor for OB visits once a week. So, we have no life. That's OK though, we are almost done. Soon we'll finally get to see our baby....and still have no life.
Some people have asked me about a comment my friend posted about Ellie giving away a baby boy. I thought I'd share the story with you all....
Way back before we even were pregnant, Ellie was dying for a baby sister. She'd tell everyone she'd meet she was getting a baby (see previous posts in 2007). Anyways, Matt and I started to talk to her then about how we had to accept whatever baby God gave us. We didn't just get to pick what we wanted. So I kept saying to her " well, we'd love a baby brother too, if that's what we get." Anyways, one night when she was talking about her baby sister, I said to her, "But, what are we going to do if God gives us a baby brother?" thinking she'd say we'd love him too. She looked at me, annoyed as all get out and said "Then I'm gonna take him back to God and I'm gonna go get a baby sister." I see.
So I kept at it, and kept discussing brothers vs sisters. And finally one day, just before Christmas, we were getting ready for the Salvation Army angel tree project I was coordinating. She came to me and said, "Mommy, I guess it would be OK if God gives us a baby brother." Oh, I said, why was that? " 'Cause then we could just give him to the poor children, who NEED him, and then we could go get a baby sister." Lovely.
Let's just thank God we are getting a baby sister. No boy would have stood a chance here.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Happy Mother's Day!!

Happy Mother's Day to all my friends who have been there, and to all who are waiting to be.....
To my own mommy, who has made me the mama that I am to my own sweet girl. And my mother-in-law, who raised a beautiful boy to be my wonderful husband.
Someone sent me this... enjoy!


This for the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up puke laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying, "It's okay honey, Mommy's here". Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies who can't be comforted. This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse.For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on their refrigerator doors. And for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at football , hockey or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth of their cars, so that when their kids asked, "Did you see me, Mom?" they could say, "Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world," and mean it. This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream before dinner. And for all the mothers who count to ten instead, but realize how child abuse happens.This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies. And for all the (grand) mothers who wanted to, but just couldn't find the words.This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat.For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year. And then read it again."Just one more time."This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot. This is for all the "mothers-in-law" who open their hearts and make room in their family for the person their son or daughter fell in love with. This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at home -- or even away at college.This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach aches, assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick them up. Right away.This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the words to reach them. For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their 14 year olds dye their hair green.For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the mothers of those who did the shooting. For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school, safely. This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful, and now pray they come home safely from a war.What makes a good Mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time? Or is it in her heart? Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time? The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby? The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when you just want to hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in your home? Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying? The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation...And mature mothers learning to let go.For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.Single mothers and married mothers.Mothers with money, mothers without.This is for you all. For all of us.Hang in there. In the end we can only do the best we can. Tell them every day that we love them. And pray.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Pictures

OK, probably should have been more adult supervision during this....
I think the balloon says it all....
Not much new going on here. We did FINALLY GET GRASS!!!. I wanted to take a picture, but it's raining today, so maybe another day. Now we just need to get the swingset back up. I am REALLY wanting that done before the baby is born, but we'll see. May is shaping up to be almost as busy as April. We are still visiting the doctor frequently. I see the doctor once a week, nonstress tests twice a week and the perinatologist every 4 weeks. But just 6 weeks left, so the end is in sight. Ellie and I tackled the baby room while Matt was out of town, so that should be pretty much done. Just a few more projects that I need to complete, and then maybe we will be ready!

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Birthday Party Pictures

Our theme was pink poodles
The birthday girl

Ellie and Aunt Holly and Uncle Reggie