a baby girl update.

This week wasn't one you can really plan for. Anticipation of Valentine's and a low key night at home we what we hoped for in terms of celebrating that holiday and the daily routines of our week were expected to roll along. On Monday night (while Seth was out) I started having some strong and consistent contractions that continued into the evening. Thinking I had overdone it, I woke up on Tuesday morning, with more of the same. After a few calls to the midwives office and finally getting an answer, they sent me to L&D to make sure everything was ok and to try and get the contractions under control. Drinking water and staying off my feet didn't seem to be enough.

Becca was seriously the hero of Tuesday. Picking me up, taking care of A and Behr that morning (I feel like I made her an overnight mother of two), and waiting in the waiting room for the results. The good news is everything is good with baby sister, there are no signs of infection,  and it seems my body just doesn't like the end of the third trimester.

Two bags of fluids, one shot of terbeutaline, and 8 hours later we were finally home. And it felt so good. Just to be in my own bed, to not have to stay in a hospital, and to have our family together. Albeit, our life has been significantly modified. I was optimistic when they got the contractions to stop I would be free as a bird to go on my way, but I've spent the last week on total bed rest and will be into the next few weeks.

It's been a change to our somewhat "busy" life. I feel like someone literally just hit the brakes, but I'm sitting in the car wanting it to move. Quiet, simple, and slow are not words I would use to describe our life, but for the good of this little one, I'll take it. A has been so well cared for and we have received help from many sides. She has spent many mornings with Becca, "Dre Dre", Behr and "Titi." And I am so glad she has come to love their house as a home away from home and Mommy. Seth's Aunt Cindy and cousins came Friday and she saved the day changing the sheets on my bed, getting us caught up on laundry, running errands and watching A. We have been very blessed.

Seth and A have been my heroes. Doing laundry, changing diapers, dishes, trash, vacuuming, feeding, and the list could go on. I don't know what I would do without him. A has had to adjust to a lot in a short amount of time and all things considered, she has been a gem. She survived hospital day with no nap, being shuffled from house to house, and has embraced this time with amazing grace for a 2 year old. She keeps telling me "doctor make Mommy alllllll better." She has been a very bright spot in this time.

Target trip with Titi. She has been asking me to ride in the infant seat every time she sees it, but I kept telling her it was for baby sister. She knew that this trip was special and how can a Titi say no to that?

Waiting room fun with her favorite little buddy, Behr. These two are really the sweetest together and they are both def my favorites. Things like this cheer me up so much. 

Finally getting to come visit Mommy with Daddy. She was very interested in all the wires and wanted to drink all my juice.  

Waiting for Dre Dre in the morning. On this particular morning it was very important to her that she have her backpack loaded with everything a little 2 year old could possibly want.

Here we are at 33w 4 d and we wait, knowing the God who made this sweet girl knows her birthdate and planned it before he laid the foundations of the earth. Truly, we can't wait to meet her and we pray she wants to hang out for a little while longer before she makes her appearance.

Many thanks to all who have prayed for us, texted, emailed, called, brought us meals, and cared for our girl. We cannot thank you enough.

baby behr.

There are so many things in life that start with a dream, hope, lots of prayers, and in many cases, waiting. Waiting for something so very good, but trusting in God's perfect time. The birth of this boy represents all of that. This baby was a baby that we had prayed, hoped, and waited for, for a long time. Waiting, even in the midst of heartache, sadness, and grief makes the joy of his arrival that much sweeter. 

Becca and I have done just about everything together for our almost past 15 years of friendship, high school yearbook, college, graduation, boys, maids of honor, marriage, and then we both knew we wanted to be Mommies together. On November 19th, 2009, we welcomed this wonderful girl Audrey into our lives and just like with so many things Becca was there. And for the past two years, she has been one of my biggest supports, encouragements, and friendship in motherhood. There are so many moments that I don't know what I would have done without her help. Audrey has been loved like her own girl in so many ways. 

And on that day, December 6th, it was her turn, and I was so grateful to be a part of that moment and huge joy in her life. I will never forget those 12 hours, from her text at 5:30pm saying her water broke at Giant, to midnight texts from Dre with her contraction tracker log, leaving for the hospital at 1:30am, and Behr finally being born at 7:45am. She was a champ, a rockstar, my hero (And Becca is one of the only people I would stay up all night for).

This boy is such a wonderful gift to so many. You are loved little Behr. So so much. More than you could ever know. 

a shower. pt 1.

There are so many things I could say about this special day. But after months of planning and years of dreams, it came together so much better than I could have ever asked or hoped for.

 our thrift store desk find (sanded and repainted to match)

 a beautiful day to celebrate.

our streamer canopy dreams came to life. 

one of the very best friends who I am so glad we could celebrate.

handmade airplanes.

gf/df rice crispie cupcakes.

homemade sodas and paper straws.

lots and lots of cute babies.

& babies to be.

(Photo credit goes to ellie b & kristen leigh)

jimmie cone.

we had our first jimmie cone visit of the season with some of our favorites, miss kristen + caleb, and lydia. it was preceded by the damascus parade and followed by gf pizza from pasquale's and fireworks. thankfully, audrey was a bigger fan of the fireworks this time around.  

leave it to A to make some awesome faces. 

happy fourth.

these days, it is a given that it takes about 10 attempts to get one decent family photo. and with daylight fading fast, these were the best of the bunch that I got all night. 

our 4th tradition has continued: spending time with jenne in capitol hill, dinner with friends (new and old), and fireworks by the capitol. 

hope your fourth was fabulous. days off to be together as a family never disappoint.

there and back.

life has been full. wonderfully full. the other day as we were leaving the house, rushing out to the car for the 10th time that day I had the thought...I should be grateful for these moments in life when there aren't enough minutes in the day and I forgot a sippy cup and I have to rush to a dinner to celebrate a birthday because these moments are life happening. of life being lived, not wasted. I can shun the busy and crave the quiet, the solitary and although those are moments I cherish, I am so grateful to God for the people (and child) he put in our lives to celebrate, to spend time with, to talk to, to teach, to love, to learn from, to embrace. I want to be grateful for these times, to love them and be content where God has me, whatever he brings my way.

in the past week we have celebrated two birthdays, visited the farm to bring a pig home (dead that is), got a nasty cold, dined with friends on the deck for dinner, packed our bags and unpacked from our beach trip to cape may with friends, and welcomed a plastic duck into our family. its been truly a blessed month and the beach was heaven. with that busyness, the camera has been left at home and the camera phone has taken over.

and in other news, bon iver has their new album streaming on NPR this week for free. score. go check it out. its awesome.