Five On Friday

It's time to link up with Darci again for Five on Friday! With no further ado, here are my five on Friday photos!

{one}

I have really had the craving for some BBQ chicken on the grill, so Monday night, I made some. Daddy J had to work until about 7, so I took the liberty of preparing the chicken and getting it on the grill. It cooked wonderfully and I made sure not to burn it too bad. 

{two}

See that nasty blister on my thumb? Yeah... well, in addition to the absolutely delicious chicken wings and drummettes I made, I gained this little buddy on my thumb. Bummer. I was pulling the chicken off the grill and one of the wings with the BBQ sauce on it hit my thumb and the hot sauce coated my nuckle and sizzled it a little bit. Wow! That was a killer burn! The blister finally popped on Wednesday and it's looking much better now. I think I am on the mend.

{three}

 Who's washin' dishes? Yep, J-Man loves to help wash dishes these days. This was Tuesday after our taco dinner. We do have a dish washer, but my good pots and pans get hand washed and he loves to grab his stool and help scrub a dub dub.

{four}

Who's getting a daughter and a little sister?!?! This family!! We are ecstatic and couldn't feel more blessed. I have had an inkling the whole time that this one was a girl, but I surely didn't want to get my hopes up and when the ultrasound technician told us she was 95% sure it was a little girl and she saw nothing to resemble a little boy, I had a couple of little tears in my eyes (of joy of course). J-Man is still wanting a little boy, but we are working on him. I know he will grow to love this little girl as much as he would if she were a boy. We are definitely excited about getting ready for her arrival in April. Oh, and to start it off, I will be attending our VERY FIRST mother/daughter event this weekend with her, along with my mom.

{five}


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Who says its too early to watch Christmas movies? Well, J-Man has officially started watching today. To start, he watched The Polar Express. I have now learned that he is NO fun to watch a movie with (that he has already seen) - he talks all. the. way. through. It's a bit frustrating. He has to tell me exactly what is happening at the point it is happening. Does that ever end? We'll see...



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Today Is The Day!

Our Little One,

Today we will take a look into your temporary home. We will see your heart and your hands. We will make sure your skull is fully covering your brain. We will see those little legs and feet that continue to kick me throughout the day and remind me that you are okay.

J-Man is going to go with us and he is very excited. I am really not sure that he totally understands but I have tried my best to explain what is going to happen today.  It will be easier to answer his questions once he experiences the ultrasound, so there will probably be a lot of chatter on the way home.

Not only will we be able to ensure you are growing like you should, we would love to be able to see if you are a boy or a girl. I mentioned this in my letter the other day, so again, don’t be shy. Allow us to peek. Please. This is one of the most exciting things for us today. We are crossing fingers for a little girl, but a little boy would be just as great! You are already a treasured gem in our lives and knowing if you are a boy or girl will not change that.

We continue to wait for the big day we are all able to meet. There are many things we still have to do to prepare for your birth day. Daddy really wants to add some fresh paint to your room and furniture and of course we want to decorate. There are more diapers and wipes and clothes to buy as well as bedding and blankets and bottles. We will take lots of pictures as the days go by. I want you to be able to see one day all the preparing we are doing – just for you.

We are all filled with loads of love, joy and excitement for your special arrival. We can’t wait to hug you, kiss your nose, and “rock-rock” with you. Keep on growing and we’ll see you in just a few short months!

Love,

Mommy

Just Life

Life has a way of making my head spin so fast that I can’t even see straight. Amidst the everyday activities, I often find myself stretched way too thin.

** get up ** ready myself for work ** wake J-Man up and get him ready for daycare ** let the dog out ** prepare my breakfast and lunch ** take something out for dinner ** grab something for J-Man’s ** breakfast **fly out the door to stay on schedule ** drop J-Man off ** work all day ** pick J-Man up and pray that the evening goes smoothly ** get home ** take the dog out ** prepare dinner ** eat ** clean dishes ** bathe J-Man ** watch some cartoons with J-Man (which usually involves me falling asleep these days) ** put J-Man to bed ** feed the dog and let him out one more time ** think about washing a load of clothes and deciding I just want to sleep **go to bed only to awake to the monotonous do-over again the next day **

Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list. These are just the highlights. I also add in stuff at church (which always makes me busy this time of year), quiet times, hubby time, laundry and house chores, preparing each week for a Sunday school lesson, and the list goes on and on... There are times when I just want to run into a hole and stay for a while. 

And then… there are the moments when my precious four almost five year old looks at me and asks so sweetly, “Mommy, can we rock-rock?” As I sat this morning in my rocking recliner with his precious head on my chest and his legs folded around mine, I took in every second to my heart. THIS is what life is about. Forget about all the monotonous other things going on... The precious moments spent with my family are priceless and can never be relived.

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: ... What gain has the worker from his toil? I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has mad everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil - this is God's gift to man." Ecclesiastes 3:1, 9-13

A Little Note

To Our Baby,

We've reached the half-way point in this pregnancy. It is all still a little surreal. I am not sure why, but it has been harder for me to accept that I am really pregnant again. I have worried, before every doctor's appointment, that something was going to be wrong. However, each and every time that was proven not to be the case. I am so thankful for this little life God has granted to me and your Daddy. We are very excited and can't wait until your arrival. A friend of ours continues to tell your daddy that he has "baby fever" and we do!

Your big brothers are excited too. No, Bocephus doesn't really understand yet, but J-Man talks about you often. He says he isn't going to share his toys with you, but I think he might change his mind once you are here. J-Man already loves giving you kisses on my belly and he prays for you often. He wants to make sure that God is watching over your growing process. 

We are going to get a glimpse of you in your home (for now) this week. Do you think you will let us know if you are a boy or girl? Please don't be shy and cover yourself up! J-Man really wants a brother, but if you are a sister, I am sure he will love you the same. He is going to go with us for the first glimpse and your Daddy and I are very excited to have him experience that with us.

Please know that you are already so dearly loved and we all can't wait to meet you. Enjoy your time of growing and developing... It won't be long now before the big day will arrive! 

With all my love forever,

Mommy

Advice

I was supposed to post this last week to link-up with Kelly at Kelly's Corner, but I never got around to getting it uploaded. Since the posting has good insight, I will go ahead and post and just ditch the link-up feature.

The link-up for last week was to offer advice to new mothers. Since I am getting ready to enter the realm of “New Mom” again in the spring of next year, I thought I would reflect on my own experiences as a new mom with J-Man to not only remind myself when the new baby arrives, but to also offer some thoughts for my readers.

via HLAY Photography aka Suzanne Rollman Photography

1)  Nursing is t.o.u.g.h.! My point here is not to sway you to formula feeding or nursing your baby. The path you take is 100% your choice. However, I made the decision to try and nurse J-Man. They really should have more classes on this to help you learn all the tricks of the trade. I, thankfully, had wonderful lactation nurses in the hospital and a family friend who helped me with nursing J-Man - but not everyone is this lucky.

Nursing is a learning process for both you and your baby. I, unfortunately, had a little one that was not very receptive to nursing. He just wanted to either pacify me or sleep. The fact that I didn’t really produce a lot of milk may have been part of the reason as well but I finally realized it just wasn’t going to work when he lost nearly 2 pounds the first 2 weeks of his life. Even though I desperately tried, I had to make myself understand that I was not a horrible mom for having to switch to formula.

2)  Relax. Not only is nursing tough but a lot of aspects of learning your baby, your baby learning you and being a mom are tough too. You will find yourself in high levels of stress probably often. Another thing to add here is that your baby knows when you are stressed. It can make your situation worse if you don’t get yourself together - I say this from experience. Breathe in. Breathe out. Step away. Take a moment to gather yourself together. These little people obviously don’t come with instruction manuals. (My, don’t we wish they did sometimes!) Trying to stay calm and relaxed will help you and your baby in that moment and in the long run.

3)  Ask for help. Whether it be a family member, a close friend, or even a close church member – when you need help, ask for it. Someone will always be there to lend a hand. Especially if you just need 30 minutes of shut eye. That can make the world of difference, I promise.

One last thing… I know it sounds cliché, but don’t blink. This time will fly by and before you know it, the baby you are rocking to sleep in your arms (who isn’t much longer than your arm) will be on their way to kindergarten.

Diana Bradley Photography

Five on Friday

{one}

Optimus Prime, Heat Wave, and Boulder were having a meeting of the minds this morning on my kitchen table.

{two}

While working at home on Fridays , I truly enjoy the company of my "co-workers" and their shenanigans! Usually, J-Man is in his own dress up attire, involving cowboy boots, a life jacket and a plastic fireman's helmet... but not today.

{three}

I really wish the hubby wasn't working tonight so we could enjoy the likes of this setup. Oh, and invite some friends over and cook something on the grill too. :)

{four}

Instead of enjoying my evening with my hubby and friends (while J-Man is at Nana and Papa's, helping put up their Christmas tree), I will be working on laundry... Yes, you can start feeling sorry for me now... 1. 2. 3. Go!

{five}

I hope my Food Saver machine works and kept this chili fresh over the year it has been in my freezer. I have been craving chili for a few weeks now and it would be a wonderful addition to my evening alone.

Have a wonderful weekend, ya'll!



Leave It To The OJ

Back in October, I mentioned that I felt our little one kicking around. They were swift kicks but they were very high in my diaphragm. Yes, this was very high, since the baby was still quite small, but I honestly thought that the baby was moving around in its home but it triggered feelings much higher in my torso. Later that week, I had another doctor’s appointment. After he checked the heart beat (waaaaaaay down in my lower belly), I told him the feelings I was having. I told him that I was surprised to feel them so high. His response?

“Oh, that would be your intestines. The baby is pushing all of your organs up, so you were feeling your intestines working.”

Lovely. So it really was gas. Bummer.

I have been waiting patiently since then to feel the real “flutters”. Please understand that in my mind, I need to feel them for confirmation. I know that I should not live in worry, but I am often scared that something horrible is going to happen. (I do this to myself WAY too often.) I am a plus size girl so I have a feeling it may take me a little longer to feel those special kicks but I am really ready to feel them.

This morning, I stopped to grab a biscuit and instead of a caffeinated drink, I opted for some lovely orange juice. Might I add that this was the first biscuit I have had in almost 2 weeks? All of our money is being drained in doctor bills – but J-Man was brilliant in swaying Daddy J in allowing us to stop for one.

Back to the orange juice… I guess this baby is in love with orange juice – just as J-Man was when he was in utero. Just about an hour after having my orange juice, the baby did a back flip. I haven’t felt it since, but I needed that this morning. I needed the re-assurance that everything was still okay.

Today I am thankful for life. Every. single. breath.  As I took an extra few moments with J-Man this morning to have a tickle fest with bunches of giggles, I was reminded of the most precious things of this life. And after feeling our baby today, I was reminded of the miracle of life and the Life Giver.

Take just a moment today to soak it all in. Whether it is a moment with a child or a breath of fresh fall air, enjoy your life. Enjoy a moment you have to live and breathe.