"Go Park, Go Park"

That's all Ty is saying these days...especially after visiting this one.
He didn't stay in one place very long but adding the snack helped me keep him still enough to get proof that he was there.
This one was happy in the tunnel the whole time...trying to stand up, bumping her head on the top and then falling down laughing. She's loving her new freedom. And I'm loving her hair.
I pulled my rubber band out of my hair to give it to her so if you could have seen my hair hers would pale in comparison. Her Daddy forgot to put her clip in when he got her up from her nap so she looked like a hard-core rocker until I intervened. I know it's not very cute but it served the purpose of keeping it out of her eyes. Actually I thought it looked pretty darn cute. It shot a good three inches off her head.

Bring the Rain

Today there is much more happiness in the air. Yesterday afternoon, (after I posted,) my Dr. office called with a delivery date that is a week earlier than what he told me yesterday. Sean and I talked for a long time last night about how we're "really" doing emotionally as we get closer to her birth. Over time it gets easier to read each other, which is true for any couple, but we're still trying to do better at asking for help/support when we need it instead of acting stronger than we are. We both do it--bad combination! Thankfully there were some moments between putting the kids to bed and putting myself to bed that gave us both sweet comfort. Thank You, Lord.

Today when I clicked on Angie Smith's blog (Bring the Rain) it hit me that today is the anniversary of her daughter's birth. It is also the anniversary of her daughter's death. Angie's blog is always very honest--she has ups and downs and shares them all. I had been following her blog for about 5 months when I had my sonogram to find out about our baby. The story of Audrey Caroline, Angie's daughter, was in many ways completely different from ours. In a few ways, though, it was similar. The night after finding out Joy's diagnosis I e-mailed Angie to tell her what her blog and testimony had done to encourage me even in those 24 hours and that I felt like she needed encouragement that very day. She is a mom. She is a believer. And she went in for her gender-check sonogram with her intuition telling her something wasn't right--all very familiar for me. I told her we weren't sure if the baby would survive, (because for that entire weekend we didn't know and were told we would have to 'wait and see,') and she replied that she was praying for us and asking God to perform a miracle. If you've read Joy's story here you know that He, in fact, did. We have faith that our daughter will survive.

Read her story if you haven't. Today of all days please say a prayer for her and her family.

Joy Update

It's been a weird day. Not a bad day just one of those days where you feel like you're watching your life and not really 100 % participating in it. I had two appointments this morning and the overall update is good news. Joy is estimated to weigh right at 6 lbs. now. The pleural effusion (fluid around her lung,) looks smaller than two weeks ago and the tumor is still stable. At my OB appointment I found out that I will start twice weekly appointments next week, which I anticipated. I'll have a sonogram one of the visits and the other one will be for a non-stress test. I did this routine with both other kids because of gestational diabetes. It makes for a long couple of weeks leading up to delivery but it's part of the treatment so obviously you can't really say, "Um, that doesn't work for me." Babysitters get your calendars ready-I'm gonna need you soon.

My Dr. suggested that we schedule my c-section and when he said 39 weeks I about fell off the table. Hear me on this--Joy is stable and that is what is most important! I think I was shocked when he said I might go that long so I didn't really hear what else he was saying. I've never made it 39 weeks. Even with Ty I was induced at 38 so I'm not sure what my Dr. was thinking. I've heard women say that they experience a mental defeat when they pass their due date so maybe I'm feeling a fraction of that??I reminded him of the past deliveries and he responded with, "Well let's watch the baby and see..." I know he does this every day and that he knows best but I've thought for so long that it would be earlier that it put me in kind of a rut. Maybe fog is a better word. Yeah it's a fog. By tomorrow I should be used to the idea of five more weeks of pregnancy. (gasp!)

Carley's Shower

**More pictures coming soon of yesterday's diaper/wipes shower. It was GREAT! Fun games, good food, catching up with the students, and me winning the "Who can diaper the baby the fastest blindfolded" contest. Did I say that out loud? Two Dr. appointments this morning--I'm anxious to hear how Joy's doing. I'll update as soon as I can!**

Following tradition, we held Carley's baby shower at the "Hostess with the Mostess" Ellaine's house yesterday and it was a great shower. Ellaine was the biggest supporter of Sean making a move many years ago...I remember sitting in the back of the youth room and her asking, "Why don't you and Sean date?" Each of us would give our reasons and she'd say, "Well that's stupid, that's not a good enough reason..." Now, after knowing her for 5 + years I can honestly say she's said those exact words to me many times about many different things! She's good as gold and can do things like this with flowers.

See why she's the hostess? Yeah I don't know where you even buy things like this much less put it together.
All of the hostesses: Mom (Nattie,) April, Priscilla, Carley (guest of honor), Ellaine, woman in need of bigger shirt, Jamie, and Jennie. Mom helped host this shower because Carley has hosted two of my showers in the last three years and done so many other things to help me since I've known her. Mom and Dad came Friday afternoon and Sean and I had a date then they stayed through yesterday afternoon--We distracted Ty while they were leaving to avoid a genuine heartbreak on his part and after about 20 minutes he walked circles around the house and came to me and said, "Nattie, Popeye?" We told him they had gone bye bye and he started crying. If it were up to him, (or all of us for that matter,) they'd live next door.
This is what a pile of gifts at a Texas little boy baby shower looks like. Those of you who don't live in Texas might find the deer a little strange but I think it fits right in.
The guest of honor opening one of her gifts--The bib in her lap says, "Cute but messy, just like Daddy!" So cute. Wouldn't be true in my family...we'd need one that says, "Cute but messy, just like MOMMY." Daddy is always clean in my family!
Did I mention before that I live for dessert? When they asked who would cut/serve the cake--always made by Ellaine's friend and always delicious--I quickly volunteered. And I might have cut my own rather large piece in the process and asked someone to hide it for me.
See why? It was a lemon sponge cake for this party, with fresh berries for topping. Oh my. To add danger and excitement to my life I didn't even check my blood sugar after the shower--don't tell my doctor(s).
This is what the same table looked like a few hours later...with more gifts on the floor around it. Carley got some great gifts! Mom and I studied it for a little while to see if there's new stuff on the market I'm gonna need. Carley is my friend--she wouldn't care that it looked like we were looting.
The pregnancy brigade--When Carley found out she was pregnant she told me that she had always prayed for a friend to be pregnant with. I'm not sure why God chose me for the answer to that prayer (Ha!) but He also chose Jennie and April to join the fun and I am so excited for all three of these friends who are going to be, (Jennie and April already are,) fantastic mommas! Jennie is Momma to David and April is Momma to Grace, Caleb, and Jonathan. Yes, that means 4 children for her soon. Good Lord April. She can handle it :)

I'm off to get ready for church--did I tell you that we got clearance to take Charlie back? She had a check up at the pulminologist last week and he said we do need to keep giving her two breathing treatments a day through mid-May but that since she hasn't gotten sick again we can take her more places...so last week we all loaded up and got to go to church together. Charlie had a semi-rough morning but we're going for it again today. The more she goes the less upset she gets, and watching Ty just waltz into his room now without a tear motivates us to keep at it for Charlie. One day maybe there will be NO tears at church! Except mine of course.

That's My King!

Baby Happenings

Here is baby Charlie just a few hours after birth--those of you who thought this was Joy I apologize. That was a mean trick. Babies are on the brain for a number of reasons: My unborn one is moving so much it's literally making me seasick at night. I'll live. The other reasons are because tomorrow we're having a shower for Carley, who you've heard all about. The next day (Sunday,) our church youth department is throwing us a joint diaper/wipes shower. Can I get an Amen. I hope I'll have tons of pictures to share of both showers. Bonus: Nattie and Popeye are spending part of the weekend with us. Another Amen. Enjoy your weekend!

Look What the Easter Bunny Brought Me

Two baskets full of children and lots of "Eygs," as Ty calls them. This was at Nattie's house last weekend.
Yay Easter! We are excited to see who gets the whole egg hunting process...should be interesting.

A few of you have e-mailed me asking what the latest is on Joy and the answer is I don't know! I didn't have to go to the doctor this week (a welcomed break,) and I will not go until next Monday. I felt really good about getting a two week break between appointments.

I set up a permanent update spot on the top right corner over there so any news will be there from now on. It's hard to believe we've made it this far and now there's a lull in activity. Again, a welcomed one! Sean built some extra shelves in the girls' closet yesterday and we've pulled out the little gowns and blankets. Wow was that a rush. I didn't do a whole lot early on because we didn't know if she would be okay. Pulling things out reminded me of Charlie's first few weeks and it felt surreal to look at the clothes thinking about another baby wearing them. There was some time thanking God for what He has already done and a little asking Him to answer our prayers to bring her safely here. From the beginning she really has been in His hands.

Switching topics, we went to Denton today and this was my first attempt at joining BSF--the intro class for this Fall was today. My hang-up has been that I've heard there is a ton of homework and let's be honest is this the time to start doing something hard? :) Just about the time I asked how much the time commitment was I found out the woman sitting beside me was 88 years old. After hearing about her daily struggle to live and function I decided to buck up and go for it. If she can do it I figure I can too. The main reason I came to this conclusion just might be that it's still months away.

Thanks for the advice about my hair! Still deciding...