The Goodness of God in Clayton's Pregnancy & Birth Story

I won't apologize for being really detailed!  The Lord has been so good to us, and I am liable to forget these little important details unless I get them down here.  I am so thankful to God for giving me a healthy pregnancy and delivery.  It was not without its curve balls, but I'm glad to say that God helped me to trust Him with each unexpected twist.   We're thrilled that God brought Clayton Bradley into the world without complications and that He providentially gave us even more than we expected during that delivery!  

The first "twist" came at the 20-week anatomy scan, when we learned that this baby had a 2-vessel umbilical cord (a normal cord has 3 vessels), and that there was some question about Clayton's heart and possibly kidneys.  A follow-up scan showed a healthy heart and kidneys, and we were told that the 2-vessel cord was most likely nothing to worry about.  The main concern would be stalled or stopped growth late in pregnancy, as well as a placenta that may deteriorate a bit earlier than normal.  We had one more growth check ultrasound before learning that we would be paying a good chunk of those costs.  We therefore declined the recommended once-a-month scans, in favor of the physical measurements in the office. All we could do was wait and trust the Lord's timing and plan for our baby.  He was good to give us peace about this.  

The second "twist" came when I popped positive for Group B Strep (GBS), taken from a urine sample very early on.  Normally they test for GBS around 37 weeks, so I was irritated that they tested me so early.  To make matters worse, my bacteria levels were so low that the lab was not even supposed to inform the clinic about it at all!  The midwives urged me to agree to IV antibiotics during labor.  I have great concerns about antibiotics, so I was very torn about this!  I did a lot of reading on GBS & the risks and decided to insist on the standard swab test at the appropriate time.  If that test came back positive, I would agree to antibiotics.  I began taking high doses of good probiotics, several times per day, to no avail.  I tested positive at the 37-week swab test.  I was sorely disappointed but had to leave it in God's hands and pray that the antibiotics simply wouldn't have a detrimental effect on me or the baby.  I was relieved to learn that 2 doses of IV penicillin, given during labor and before delivery, was all that was required.  At least it wasn't a long 2-week course of them.  Again, God allowed me to rest in His care and plan, and to trust the midwives about this as well.  

As my December 1st due date approached, I was able to rest and wait without too much anxiety or impatience.  God was so good to let me sleep fairly well, and He also kept my back pain mostly at bay.  My weight gain stayed pretty low (13-14 pounds total), and thanks to an iron supplement, my energy levels remained high for most of the 3rd trimester.  

One of the main worries that I did battle was the fact that we do not yet have a doctor for our family.  We moved here in June and have not had reason to seek one out.  This was my own fault, I realize... but somehow I was suddenly 10 days, then 8, then 4 days from my due date and STILL without a doctor for this baby!  I think I called about a dozen clinics and was turned away for one reason or another.  Finally, thank the Lord, a pediatrician did have room for Clayton in his practice.  Phew!  I cried tears of relief when I hung up the phone, after having made arrangements for Clayton's appointments.  Then I looked at my belly and said, "Okay, little one, you can come now!"

But he didn't come by December 1.  As excited as I was to meet this sweet baby, I was thankful for each day to get some extras done.  More Christmas preparations.  Extra cleaning.  A leisurely thrift-shopping day.  Sweet little notes to each daughter.  Some 3x5 cards with encouraging Scriptures on them for laboring at the hospital.  I even made a Spotify music playlist, to help strengthen me during labor with reminders of God's nearness and help.  I had epidurals with all three of the girls, but this time I really, REALLY wanted a natural birth.  I made Nate promise not to let me have any pain meds, no matter how much I begged.  I had prayed for strength and resolve, even at my greatest weakness, to go through with the natural labor I so wanted.  

On Wednesday, December 5, I had a non-stress test and ultrasound.  These were to check on Baby's condition and the condition of the womb and placenta.  The midwife suspected that my fluid level and placenta would probably indicate a less-than-ideal environment for Baby, thanks to the 2-vessel cord.  However, everything still looked optimal for our baby to remain in there for a bit longer.  Nevertheless, they still scheduled an induction for Monday, December 10.  I called the following day (Thursday) and asked why, when everything looked "remarkable" (their word!), why couldn't I put off an induction for a few more days?  Midwife said that would be fine, but I should discuss it with Nate and call the office on Friday if that's what we decided.  And then she asked me an interesting question:

"And oh, by the way... has anyone given you the smoothie recipe?"

This, I would learn, would be a game-changer.  This smoothie has 2 tablespoons of castor oil in it.  Oh my.  I wasn't in a rush to bring Clayton into the world just to meet him, as much as just wanting to avoid that risky induction.  Ellia and Brienna had their Christmas program Thursday night, so I begged Nate to swing by the grocery store afterward so I could get 2 ingredients for the smoothie that I didn't have at home.  I mixed it up--a disgusting concoction of castor oil, fruit juice, vanilla ice cream, and peanut butter--and chugged it around 9 p.m..  GROSS.    And I went to bed, hopeful but skeptical.

3:00 a.m. (6 hours later)…... I woke up to some cramps.  I thought, "Oh no, that castor oil is going to tear me up!  Right here in the middle of the night!"  But no, that didn't happen.  Instead, I just continued to have some mild contractions.  I began timing them on my phone, and they were 3-6 minutes apart for an hour.  Around 4 a.m. they increased to 3 minutes apart, but they were still fairly mild.  So I got up and showered, just in case this was the real thing.  At 5:00 I woke Nate and let him know.  He called into work, and we agreed that we should call his mom, who would make her way to us in order to help with the girls.  

6:30...….  The girls got up and got ready for school.  I did all the usual "school morning" stuff and kept timing the contractions on my phone.  Nate's mom got the girls off to school, and I puttered around and timed contractions.  They got maybe a little stronger, but by 10:00 they still were not intense by any means, so we were really hesitant to go to the hospital.  I just knew I couldn't have progressed very far, and I didn't want to labor ALLLL DAY in the hospital.  However, since they remained 3-4 minutes apart, we called the midwife and asked her advice.  She told us to come into the clinic so she could check me.  

11:00...…. I am 3 cm. dilated and 50% effaced.  Just as I suspected!  Boy, were we glad we hadn't checked into the hospital yet!  Midwife stripped my membranes and sent us on a date and to walk around a bit.  Since we were 30 minutes from home and only 10 minutes from the hospital, we decided we'd labor while out-and-about until Go Time.  We had lunch at Taco Bell and walked around a mall.  FOR 2 AND A HALF HOURS.  And in that time, my contractions spaced waaaay out.  Like, 7-9 minutes apart.  Talk about disappointed!  Looking back, I really believe that I was putting pressure on myself to make labor happen.  I was out of my comfort zone and not at all relaxed, as I was at home.  

2:30 p.m......I told Nate, "Let's just go home.  I'm discouraged and tired, and maybe this baby isn't coming today after all.  I just want to go to bed."  I couldn't believe I'd had this tiring false labor all day, at 40+ weeks, with nothing to show for it.  I felt terrible that we had made Nate's mom come down and waste her day for nothing.  And Nate had taken the day off of work for nothing.  We picked up the girls from school and told the midwife we were heading home.  She said to get some rest and drink another smoothie if I wanted to.  Why not?  

4:15 p.m......Nate's mom took the girls up to her house to keep them overnight, in case things ramped up again.  I made another nasty smoothie, and we both went to bed.

4:45 p.m...… I was awakened suddenly by a contraction that was decidedly different.  Much stronger.  I began timing them immediately because I knew this was the real thing.  Even though they were 5-6 minutes apart, these contractions lasted more than a minute and required all my concentration.  About 30 minutes in, I called to a sleeping Nate that I needed his help.  He alternated between getting dressed to leave, making sure everything was in the van, encouraging me, & updating his mom.

5:30 p.m...…… I texted an update to the midwife.  No response.  Contractions were coming closer now.  I was leaned over the countertop, clutching a rolled-up blanket, head down, eyes closed.  I had read so much about not fighting the contractions with a tensed-up body, but instead visualizing oneself opening up so baby can descend.  I forced myself to think of the contractions as huge tidal waves, slowly swelling over me until they peaked, and then subsiding again.  I confess that I did not remain ultra-calm and serene!  In that hour at home, the strength of the contractions took me by surprise and began to frighten me, and I was whimpering.  Even still, I was praying for God's strength to remain calm and let my body do its thing.

6:00 p.m...……. I was anxious about being 35 minutes away from the hospital with things escalating as they were.  I texted our midwife, "We are going in.  Getting scary."  She did reply this time, and we left for the hospital.  Oh, how I HATE laboring in the car!  Sitting while in labor is so awful!  At one point, I cried out to God, "Please oh please don't let this baby come in the car!"  We checked in and were ushered up to triage, where I had two more contractions while waiting for a triage room.  I could not sit any longer, but instead labored on my knees with elbows on the bench.  The chattering nurses grated on my every nerve, but at the same time I was in such a zone that I barely knew what was going on.

6:45 p.m...……Triage got us checked in.  It felt like an insurmountable task when a nurse told me to change into a gown and give a urine sample.  When she checked me and I was at 7 cm, Nate cheered, and I was so relieved... "Thank you God that we made it, and this baby really IS coming today."  The nurses said I was wonder woman because I insisted on walking down to L&D instead of being pushed in a wheelchair, but in reality I just knew I could not sit down anymore.  I couldn't stay on top of the pain anymore, and I could feel the panic rising.

When we got down to the L&D room, 2 nurses were casually prepping the room for the birth.  I assumed my leaning-over-on-my-arms position over the bedside table.  Contractions just kept coming and coming, with little relief in between.  Someone asked, "Do you want to get into the bed?"  I gave an emphatic NO.  A nurse was asking me questions... "birthdate? how many weeks? GBS positive, right?"  I did not notice when a nurse placed my IV, but I do remember feeling annoyed that the midwife could not seem to get the monitor affixed to my belly, even between contractions.  Poor woman was on her knees on the floor, fiddling with my stupid hospital gown, trying to work with me as I rocked back and forth all hunched over.  I had 2 contractions that forced my legs to bend some, putting me in a semi-squat position.  I heard someone say, "Look at her; she's positioned just as though she's on a birthing ball!"  During that 2nd one, right at the end, I suddenly felt myself pushing down with all my might.  During that push, I called out, "OH NO I'M PUSHING AND I KNOW I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO BUT I CAN'T HELP IT!"  I was just at 7 cm only 10 minutes ago!  I knew it was not good to push before 10 cm and 100%.  I didn't want to hurt myself or cause problems by pushing too soon.  But WOW, I now know what women mean when they say your body just takes over.  I truly had no control over what my body was doing.  I looked down and announced, "Um, I just made a mess.  Oh, gross, I'm sorry!"  I heard someone say, "Her water has broken."

By now, the room was quite abuzz with activity.  The nurses realized that it was Go Time, so they were scurrying around like crazy.  One hooked me up to the antibiotics.  Midwife told me to get into bed so she could check me, which I was happy to do.  I didn't want to drop that baby out onto the floor!  I was at 10 cm, ready to go!  [[Let me pause to say this:  I had always heard that an epidural is effective for labor but not for pushing...that epidurals do not really help with the pain of pushing and delivery.  Um... that is a lie!  I never felt so keenly the agony of crowning and delivery!!!  WOWZERS.]]

Suddenly I had not one but four midwives in the room!  The whole team was in the hospital attending a workshop, and when they heard I was delivering, 3 of them came up to help.  It was a good thing... I needed their support!  I think I asked Nate, "Why did you let me decide to do this without meds!???"  I remember crying over and over, "I can't do this!  I can't!"  And those sweet midwives rallied around me and said all the things I needed to hear.  It didn't matter if I thought I could do it anyway.  My body was doing it, whether I liked it or not!  After Clayton's head was out, they asked if I wanted to touch him.  Oddly enough, I said no.  I knew it would've been encouraging, but I was working too hard and couldn't break my concentration.

7:22 p.m...….. Wow, so intense, some yelling... and then it was over.  Clayton Bradley was born.

7lbs., 6oz. and 19 inches long. Our smallest baby yet!

Clay meets Daddy.

The girls are smitten!

Clayton is 2 weeks old now, and we are loving getting to know him.  As it turned out, the antibiotics did not have time to have much, if any, effect.  As a result, we had to stay in the hospital an extra day so they could monitor Clay for any sign of the illness.  God is in the details, my friend!  Those things into which I had put so much heart and thought--the playlist, the soft robe for laboring, the verse cards, the SNACKS!-- nothing even came out of the bag.  Well, except my chapstick.  

Clay is a sweet baby, and he loves to snuggle.  He HATES having his diaper or clothing changed, and he loves his pacifier and his sisters.  

You are so loved, Clayton!  We praise God that you are here!

"Every good and perfect gift is from above."  James 1:17

Brienna's Birth Story

(Note: Subject matter may be too graphic, detailed, and/or gross for younger or male readers.)

I still can't believe our sweet Brienna is really here! The story of her birth is a testament to God's goodness, and to answered prayer. My parents arrived last Monday, and they're staying til this Thursday. Ten days--what a treat! But I was a little nervous, since their departure date (24th) was so soon after my due date (21st). I knew I'd be just hearbroken if Brienna hadn't arrived by the time they had to leave!

I prayed--albeit somewhat sheepishly--that Brienna would be born toward the middle of the week. I felt a little silly, to be honest... "Lord, I know it's such a small thing, but it'd be so great if you'd allow this baby to arrive on Wednesday or Thursday!' If that happened, we'd be able to be in church Sunday, and we could have her and Ellia dedicated while my folks were still here. I was hopeful on Tuesday, when I began having mild but regular contractions (10 minutes apart)and they continued all day. We went out to dinner that night, and I said, "I'm guessing Brienna will arrive by the weekend!" My parents took the girls overnight so Nate & I could have a fun day to ourselves--the last one for awhile.

You can imagine my disappointment when I woke Wednesday morning (AT 9!) and had nary a contraction all morning long. Nate & I went to breakfast and ran a couple errands. Then we came home and relaxed a bit, took a nap, etc. Still nothing regular. Bummer.

Around 5:00 my parents arrived for dinner, and we planned to attend our church's prayer meeting at 7. Just as my mom walked through the door, I had a contraction, but this one was different--deeper and a little stronger, and a moment later, I felt a little something. A little something wet. Yuck! Some women have incontinence issues, but I am not one of them! I checked it out--slightly pink-tinged. Hmm! My water had not broken spontaneously with Olivia or Ellia, so I wasn't too worried. I went about my business, and felt another moderate contraction, and... EWW! This scenario repeated itself several more times, until Nate made me call the hospital.

I did so around 6:15, and the nurse there told me to come on in. Unfortunately, we had nothing prepared! Didn't have a bag packed or anything. Not only that, but I hadn't really seen my girls since the previous night, and I was starting to get pretty sentimental about it. Well, we finally got ready to leave, and scurried off around 7:15. I was quite uncomfortable by this time, and there was no doubt about it being true labor. At triage, they found I was dilated to 4. FOUR. Ugh, that was disappointing.

An hour later, I was dilated to 7 and miserable. I just about kissed the anesthesiologist when she walked through my door! I didn't stay happy with her for very long though. Her first attempt at the epidural placement went awry, and she had to place it again, although she did give me a different medication for the pain. I had to lie on my side, all curled up & perfectly still, for about 45 minutes while she poked and prodded and threaded the thing. Doesn't sound too long, I know, but that's roughly 10-12 big contractions! I admit that at one point, I glared at Nate and mouthed, "I'm going to kill her!"

By the time she finished, it was about 9, and I was really scared. My pain had never gotten to the point where I really felt I was going to "lose it," but I was starting to at this point. As it turned out, the epidural never really kicked in in time, but the other meds finally did. I guess it relieved the pain of about 6-8 contractions.


About 10:00, the nurse told me to page her when I felt the urge to push, and she left the room. 3 minutes later, I told Nate, "Get her back in here!" I started pushing at 10:10, and Brienna Elyse was born at 10:20.










Livvie is in her element, always wanting to hold and kiss Brienna. "She's my new baby. She's my best friend!" Ellia... she's slowly warming up to our new addition.





We had our girls & ourselves dedicated on Sunday, just as I prayed for.








And my parents witnessed all of it.








The recovery period has been difficult this time around, but we're making it! We are so grateful and blessed!

Brienna Elyse, born 09-16-09

Brienna has arrived! I'll post the story later (it isn't very long!), but I knew you all would want to see our precious new bundle.

First, our last photo as a family of 4.

Brand-spankin' new! Just a couple minutes after her birth.

"No cameras, please!"

Middle sister is unimpressed. She's still mostly disinterested and pouty!

Biggest sister is totally in love! She is the ultimate mother hen, continually asking, "Where's my new baby? Can I hold her?"

Our Pastor came by to meet Brienna. We're hoping to have her and Ellia dedicated this Sunday.

Sweet li'l thang!

Family of Five!

We are so overwhelmed with God's goodness and care! I had been praying very specifically regarding the timing of Brienna's birth, and He saw fit to answer those prayers, beyond what I expected! I'll share those details later--for now, I'm off to snuggle my pretty new girl!

Pregnancy Update: 37 weeks, 2 days

I didn't get my ultrasound today after all. Bummer. Had the Group B strep culture instead. What an exchange, eh?

Doc says baby is definitely head down and probably won't move from that position from here on out. As the Women's Hospital wing is under construction, we also got instructions today of where to enter when "Go Time" arrives. Can't believe it's down to the last couple weeks!

I've been feeling surprisingly well the last week or so; my back trouble even seems to have let up a bit! I've also been sleeping a little better. This is very uncharacteristic for my 9th month, but I'm not complaining!

I'm feeling lots (and lots!) of Braxton-Hicks contractions, and some real ones as well. Baby must be feeling cramped in there, too--she surely does fidget and squirm an awful lot!

It is unreal to know that Baby could come at any time! We look forward to meeting her in the next 3-5 weeks!

[Note: Don't forget to enter my Blog Re-naming contest! Less than a week remains, and I've gotten LOADS of suggestions!]

Pregnancy Update: 35 weeks

I just saw my OB-GYN this morning, who was pleased to hear that I haven't experienced any episodes in a whole week. She commented on my small belly (!) and said everything looked and sounded great!


I feel as though Baby has had a major growth spurt in the 3 weeks since my last photo! You'll have to excuse the big nerd who forced his way into my first photo attempt. Isn't he a-DOR-able! *rolling eyes*

I know I'm not huge, but I certainly feel it sometimes!

My next appointment is in 2 weeks, at which I'll have an ultrasound. Doc wants to make sure the head is down and take one final look-see. I've never had a late-pregnancy ultrasound, so I'm excited!

Pregnancy Update: (nearly) 34 weeks

Yesterday I had a checkup with my OB-GYN, at which time I detailed the strange symptoms I've been experiencing this week. I was so relieved when she took me seriously, asking lots of pointed questions and taking notes as I spoke. I was so afraid I'd get waved off with a simple, "Oh, just take it easy, honey, you're pregnant after all!"

Based on my symptoms, she was able to rule out the scary, serious things (heart arhythmia, neurological stuff, blood clots--!!!). But she wasted no time in sending me off to the lab for a full round of blood work. She was specifically interested in my electrolyte levels, iron levels, and something about an underlying systemic infection. (I'm still trying to kick this stubborn cold!) Later on, she called me to let me know that my labs all came back normal. I'm still quite anemic--my hematocrit levels were 32; apparently 37 is normal. But that's up 2 points from my last blood test, so it doesn't appear that iron deficiency is to blame.

While I'm glad to know that my blood work is okay, I must admit I'm just a little disappointed that the problem hasn't been found. And, I've been drinking so much water these last couple days... to the point where I actually feel sick from it!

The doctor advised more rest, a prescription I'm glad to fill! She also said that if the spells continue or worsen, I should have someone take me in to triage while one is happening. I guess it makes sense to have tests done during an episode, to get an accurate picture. Hopefully it won't come to that.

Can you believe this baby will be full-term in just 3 weeks?
That's THREE. Uno, dos, tres.

Exhaustion to the Extreme?

Aside from the normal pregnancy complaints (back pain, nausea, etc.), I've had absolutely no out-of-the-ordinary symptoms, until now. Can anyone relate?

Since Sunday I've had a handful of strange "episodes" which render me almost completely incapacitated. It's as though a wave washes over me, making my limbs feel like they're a hundred pounds apiece. I can barely keep my head from flopping over, and I can do nothing but sit or lie down until it passes. We're not talking about late-pregnancy fatigue, here. I have that, no doubt about it! But these are definite come-and-go incidents which show no predictability whatsoever. Late morning on Sunday... early afternoon Monday... early morning Tuesday...late evening Tuesday... I don't feel as though I'll faint, and except for the early morning incident, I didn't necessarily feel sleepy. Nate was home that morning, thankfully, and I stayed in bed & slept past 10. I couldn't believe it.

The best way to describe it: it's eerily similar to the feelings I had when I took Vicodin several years ago after my ACL surgery. Just before it knocked me out completely, every part of my body was heavy and just plain spent. My first guess was that perhaps my iron was extremely low, so I increased it. We'll see.

I called my OB-GYN's office yesterday. They told me to sit or lie down as much as possible, drink plenty of water, etc... Mmm hmm. My regularly scheduled checkup is tomorrow morning. Hopefully I'll have no more incidents to report.

So! Have any of you mommies experienced this sudden feeling of being drugged?

Pregnancy Photo: 32 weeks

Just out of curiosity, I scrolled through the archives and found a photo of myself at 32 weeks pregnant with Ellia. Then I cried, because I clearly saw that I was much leaner and cuter back then. Oh, whatever. I've gained only 10 or 12 pounds this time around; I guess I should be grateful.

Please ignore the chipping nail polish. And the I-haven't-slept-well-in-5-days attempt at a smile. Also the dirt under my fingernails.

Pregnancy Update: 30 weeks, 3 days

30 weeks always feels like such a huge milestone to me, like I'm on the home stretch. It's so strange to think that we could be meeting Baby #3 in only 8 weeks! C-RAZY.
(That's pronounced "cuh-RAZY" As in crazy.)

I had a checkup Tuesday, at which everything sounded fine, measured fine, and looked fine. That's how I like it. Nice and boring, with nothing to report upon my return home.

I'm pleased to report that the dizzying, anemia-induced fatigue has improved since last month's update. I'm sure it's a direct result of faithfully taking my vitamins. And also the fact that the girls FINALLY take their afternoon naps simultaneously, which allows me to get extra rest when I need it. Which is every day.

I've found a great new chiropractor who is doing his best to keep my back pain to a minimum. At the same time, however, I have also accepted the fact that pregnancy simply wreaks havoc on my back, and that's just how it's gonna be. Some pregnant mamas are sick for 9 months; some have to use the bathroom 4000 times per day. Others swell up like a hot air balloon. I just happen to have lots of back pain. It's a small price to pay!

I'm so thankful for yet another relatively easy, complication-free pregnancy thus far. I do not take my good health for granted, and I look forward to meeting #3!

Pregnancy Update: 26 weeks

At 26 weeks & 4 days, I'm definitely starting to feel the old familiar mid-pregnancy pains and fatigue. Our move is doing nothing to help, either! Much as I tell myself to go easy with the bending and lifting, I never do. By dinnertime each day, I'm really feeling it. It's gratifying to see our house empty out, but not worth doing damage to my already-frail back, so I need to back off on that.

Almost as big a concern has been the extreme fatigue I've been battling. I attributed it to a combination of pregnancy, moving, being quite hit-or-miss with my vitamins, and girls who get up with the sun! But then I saw the doctor this week & had some lab work done--the glucose test, as well as an antibody screen to check on my Rh status. Both were fine. What weren't fine were my iron levels; as it turns out, I'm anemic. Nice to have a physiological reason for feeling like such a zombie! I intend to up my water intake significantly, be religious about my vitamin habits, and purposefully eat hearty, iron-filled breakfasts.

Other than those things, everything is pretty much as it should be. I'm almost entirely into my maternity wardrobe, and Baby Girl is moving and kicking very regularly. I can't believe we'll be meeting her in just 12-16 weeks!

The Boy/Girl Debate is Over!

Well, the polls are closed; the numbers have been tallied.

29 of you thought that Baby #3 would be a bustling boy--perhaps a lightning-fast point guard for Nate.
14 of you tought Baby #3 was another girl--a sweet soprano for a harmonious vocal trio, maybe.

5 seconds into the ultrasound, a beautiful underneath shot of buttocks & legs made us stare.

(By the way, if you've never seen it, an ultrasound photo of baby buttocks is the cutest thing ever.)

Right away, we both had a feeling that we knew what the verdict would be.
And we were both right.









Guess I'd better start my kids on singing lessons.

14 weeks, 3 days

Feeling like a whole new woman lately...this 2nd trimester has made a world of difference.

I've had several different cravings:

Egg-in-a-hole

Reuben sandwiches

Chicken & mushroom (found at any decent Chinese buffet)

And here (drum roll, please) is my teeny tiny baby bump:

I know, boring, right? :) I was quite a bit bigger with Ellia by this time. Not complaining!

We look forward with eager anticipation to April 21, when we will find out the gender of Baby3!

Anyone care to wager a guess? Do so on my new poll! (right-hand sidebar)

A little of everything

Boy, it seems I've either run out of things to say, or my thoughts are simply too disjointed to get anything on here consistently. We'll blame it on the pregnancy. Nevertheless, here's what's been going on at our house:

Ellia has cut her first tooth. Er, make that teeth. The bottom 2 popped through last week.

I am finished with that difficult first trimester. Hallelujah! I saw the doctor yesterday (absolutely adorable and I love her and no you can't have her name), who stunned me by NOT giving me a hard time about our decision to forego RhoGAM during pregnancy. Given our past experiences with this topic, it was so refreshing not to be given the 3rd degree. Our ultrasound is in 6 weeks.

Olivia is potty trained. Again, hallelujah! Even though she stays dry all night, I've not been brave enough to leave underwear at bedtime. Right now we are doing battle with her about her sassy mouth. That's fun.

Nate hurt his back last week at work. He just walked in the door from the chiropractor's office, so hopefully it'll be better soon.

Ellia had her 9-month checkup today and was declared beautiful, healthy, and well-fed. She's just over 20 lbs (76%).

Last, it is a gorgeous 66 degrees outside, and I'm outta here! One stinky load of little girls' laundry to throw in, and I'm going outside! Have a great afternoon!

Big Sisters

Olivia is an adoring big sister.

But when I told her that I have a baby in my tummy, she glanced at my nonexistent belly and announced,

"I have a baby in my tummy, too!"

Gotta love the upswing

After a month or so of my stomach trying to turn itself inside out, I say with great rejoicing that those days seem to be fading slowly into the sunset (Pleeeeease, God, let it be so!). I still have little daily bouts with the blahs, but I haven't vomited in a couple weeks. And today I enjoyed the meltiest, tangiest, yummiest Reuben sandwich ever. Funny how ordinary food morphs into heaven-on-earth after stomach issues subside.

Anyway, speaking of reubens, I have some sauerkraut needing to be used up, and I don't feel like pairing it with polish sausage, as I usually do. I wonder if y'all might have a recipe or 2 for using it up? And I checked this site, which nearly sent my poor tummy into a tailspin, what with recipes like Savory Reuben Cheesecake and Kraut Juice Delight. Blech!

How are you this Friday?

Explanations & Clarifications

The girls & I are relaxing at Nate's folks' home this evening. We were supposed to finish our trip home this evening; we've missed Nate! But due to a late start this morning and an impending storm, Nate thought it best that we wait until tomorrow to go home. Instead of sitting around being disappointed & pining away for Nate, though, I'll catch y'all up on what's been going on in our lives the past few weeks. Have you noticed I haven't been blogging quite so much? Well, here's why:

In late December & January I battled almost constant moodiness, impatience, and exhaustion. I've never been in a "funk" like that, for so long, and no matter how purposefully I prayed and tried to rest in the Lord, I could not make the fog go away. I began to wonder, quite literally, if I were losing it. The things that brought me joy did not, and all I wanted to do was crawl into bed and cry & sleep. Finally I talked to Nate honestly about it (imagine that!), and I confessed that I thought I may be depressed. He was wonderful about it, of course, and we resolved together to take steps to remedy the problem.

In late January I was flattened for a couple of days with terrible nausea. Thankfully, it happened to fall on Nate's days off. Toward the end of day 2, I admitted to Nate rather reluctantly, "This is how I feel when I'm pregnant." I took a test, fully expecting to quickly toss the negative results into the trash and return to the couch. To my shock, the test immediately registered as positive.

I was relieved to know that I was not crazy or depressed, although 4 weeks of debilitating, incessant nausea ensued [The real reason we spent a week here with Grammy & Grampy]. Thankfully, the worst of it seems to have passed. I'm 12 weeks along, and my due date is September 21. I'm so thankful for God's grace, and for helpful friends and family. The past 6 weeks have been a time of such intense growth and stretching--some of the most difficult and revealing that I've experienced. How sweet to know firsthand that I can trust Him to provide for all of my needs... one day, one hour, one moment at a time.

Gory details, as promised.

Okay, here's how it went down.

Thursday evening & all day Friday: regular contractions, though very mild, every 10-12 minutes or so. Nothing that hampered my activity at all, just made me think that something was happening!

Saturday: I wake up determined to move this baby on out! Nate & I walk about 1.5 miles in the morning, and my mom & I walk roughly 3 miles in the afternoon. By 3, the contractions are coming roughly 6-8 minutes apart and are more noticeable. We decide to attend a family get-together that evening and leave at 6 p.m.

8 p.m.: Contractions are coming every 5 minutes or so and are making me uncomfortable enough that I'm no longer enjoying myself. We decide to leave.

9:15 p.m.: Called Dr. Johnston, who instructs us to head to the hospital. I am 3-4 cm. We're admitted.

midnight: Dilated to 5 cm. Resident (whom we did NOT like!) advises starting pitocin. I tell her to get lost! :) Not really, but I did firmly refuse.

3 a.m.: Still 5 cm. Resident breaks my water, without an epidural. Didn't care for that. Shortly thereafter, I get the epidural--BLESS YOU, DOCTOR!

7:30 a.m.: STILL 5 cm, and the contractions have spaced out some. Not happy. Dr. Johnston urges me to allow pitocin. I tearfully agree.

9:30 a.m.: I fear I shall die for the pressure "down there." I tell Nate to call someone; I threaten to push, whether they consent or not!

10 a.m.: I am 10 cm. Dr. Johnston arrives.

10:05: I start pushing.

10:27 a.m.: Happy Birth Day, Ellia Joy!

Okay, so it wasn't all that gory after all. :) But that's Ellia's story!

New Arrival!

We're so proud to announce the arrival of our second daughter,
Ellia Joy Adams!
(pronounced "EL-lee-uh")














































She is beautiful, obviously.

Ellia was born June 15th at 10:27 a.m.
She weighed 8 lbs, 4 oz, and was 21 inches long.

Everyone is doing great!
Gory details to follow. :)

No baby yet.

(This photo was taken Friday, I think.)

Lately life hasn't been pleasant for this weary body; I find myself longing for the contractions to begin. But I know that God's timing is perfect; if the baby hasn't arrived, it's because she's not yet ready!

But instead of lying around and moaning (tempting though it is!), I've been making myself busy! I've been able to knock out a few more items on my to-do list. I also finished up an assignment for my writing course and got that mailed off--no small victory, as it's taken me over a year to complete. Goodness, how embarrassing!

We spent some time outside on Saturday. Nate mowed the lawn & sprayed for ants. Livvie played happily, and I trimmed some of the really overgrown parts of our hedge and just puttered around. We also attended the graduation party of one of my former students. It was a great time!

Pray for Nate. On Sunday night he threw his back out playing basketball. He felt okay that night but couldn't get out of bed yesterday morning. We've been to the chiropractor twice, and this afternoon/ evening he's feeling somewhat better. Again, our instincts question the timing, but God does know what he's doing.

My parents are arriving tomorrow around lunchtime, for which we're SO grateful. They're coming 2 days earlier than they had originally planned, since our circumstances have become a bit more difficult. I also have a checkup tomorrow morning.

Well, our internet is HORRIBLE. Tonight's the first time in 4 days or so that it's worked. BOOHISS!!!

We can't wait to meet our second-born! We'll keep you posted as best we can!

Preparing for Sisterhood

Yesterday I caught Livvie cradling her dolly & reading to her.

Saw the doctor yesterday for my 39-week appt. I'm dilated 1-2 cm. and 75% effaced. Too bad that doesn't mean much! :) Baby has dropped waaaaay down and seems to want out!

Our internet has been VERY fickle, so I have lots to do before it bleeps out again. Have a great day!