Ladybug's Due Date

Four years ago I was big and pregnant and hot and tired.

And mad.

Why the heck do doctors tell women their baby has a "due date" and not inform the fetus?????

Eventually, Ladybug did join our family, and my life hasn't been the same since!

Postpartum Lesson

I had a baby three and a half months ago, so that puts me in the "postpartum" phase of life.  I've never struggled with postpartum depression, but boy oh boy am I struggling with postpartum hair loss these days.

I shed almost enough for another human every day.  Seriously, my bath tub drain looks like I lost a fight with a hair-pulling high school girl every morning.  I find hair on my pillow when I wake up, hair on the couch when I stand up, and I have to clean out my brush every day because... well, you get the picture.

Hubby and I have agreed it's amazing I still have hair on my head at all.

The other day as I was cleaning out the bathtub drain (again), and fuming about the hormonal imbalances that will certainly, eventually lead to total baldness, I remembered a funny little Scripture:

And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (Matthew 10:30)

I just had to smile.  You see, the Bible says there are a number to the hair atop my head, and the Lord holds that number in His infinite sea of wisdom.  He knows.  That may not even strike you as such a great thing for Him to know about you, but my friend, I'm losing hundreds, possibly thousands of hairs every week, and each time ONE HAIR falls out, it doesn't do so without the Lord knowing.

Sheila has 3,478,213,459,213 hairs. Now, she has 3,478,213,459,212 hairs. Oh, there goes another one--3,478,213,459,211 hairs. 3,478,213,459,210 hairs.

He knows every one of them.  That's how valuable I am to my Heavenly Father.  So as much as losing my hair chunks at a time stinks these days, I am so grateful for the God who knows me in such a deep, personal, detailed way.  A God who cares about my hair more than I even do.

Doodlebug's Debut

Doodlebug was born October 7, 2010 at 4:43pm.  He weighed 8 pounds 2 ounces and was almost 20 inches long.  He was earlier than expected (my C-section was scheduled for October 11), but we were so glad to meet him early!  We should get home tonight and hopefully I can fill you in on the details of birthday soon!

What they didn't tell me...

...when I got pregnant. (And then got pregnant again.  And again.)

• You can't just go buy maternity clothes when your belly pops, and expect it to be as easy as that.  There are actually "stages" of clothes that you will need to make it until birthday.  The first stage being I-can't-button-my-normal-pants.  Moving right along you have the Look-I-have-a-belly-isn't-it-cute? maternity stage.  Followed by the It-is-getting-tough-to-pull-any-pants-over-my-hips-and-thighs-why-did-I-drink-that-milkshake? stage.  And soonly you arrive at the I-will-wear-these-sweatpants-in-protest-until-this-baby-exits-my-body-or-I-die-because-this-sucks stage.  Don't spend all your budget on the first stage, you'll wish you had some clothes that fit later.


• Indigestion, insomnia, hemorrhoids, cankles, squished and shifted organs, not being able to shave your own legs or paint your own toenails...


• Remember when you thought you were fat back in high school and college?  You'll spend the rest of your post-baby life wishing you looked like that again.  And wondering why in the world you thought you were fat.


• You won't feel any smarter or better at mommy-ing the second (or third) time around.  There's always something new to throw you for a loop.  And not only are you doing the newborn thing again, your first (and second) child(ren) is still growing/changing/experiencing new stages.  It becomes this awesome, confusing, uncontrollable circus juggling act and you're the one who's supposed to keep all the balls... I mean... kids, up in the air doing their thing.


• A gracious, loving Heavenly Father is waiting to guide you through every twist and turn.  Your children are safe in His arms because He loves them even more than you do.  He is patient, kind, loving, forgiving, merciful, and tender.  He gives only good gifts.  And He's always there...

[caption id="attachment_1253" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Ladybug {3 years} & Stinkbug {22 months}"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1254" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Doodlebug {36 weeks}"][/caption]

Pre-Baby Zoo Trip

Family Zoo Trip November 2008 (pre-Stinkbug)

Family Zoo Trip September 2010 (pre-Doodlebug)

Momfess the Mess

[gallery columns="2"]

Mom, look away!

This is my house.  This is my house on pregnancy.  

It feels good to show you how my house looks right now.  Like, a load off my chest-- my house is kinda a wreck!  There, I said it!

Actually my life feels like a wreck, in only the way a life does when you're 35 weeks and 4 days pregnant.  And uncomfortable.  And unmotivated.  And grumpy.  And tired.  And sleepless.  And weepy.

I'm not sure if I was like this at the end of my other pregnancies.  I'd like to go ahead and assume I am feeling extra pregnant this time for a few reasons:

1. I have a preschooler and a toddler.


2. I live overseas and daily tasks take a lot more time, energy, and brainpower (my brain feels burnt out on my second language!)


3. This is the third time my body has swelled to epic proportions in just three and a half years.

I'm not complaining.  OK, maybe just a smidgen... I know there are women who would give an arm to feel every second of 35 weeks and 4 days pregnant.  As much as I am drained and ready to be un-pregnant because I'm miserable, I am totally stoked when I think about holding Dooodlebug, dressing him in baby blue, snuggling a sweet little newborn, introducing him to his siblings...  {sigh}  If only I could fast-forward a wee bit and get to the good stuff!

Since I am mom-fessing the state of my house today, I must also brag a little bit.  This morning I made cinnamon rolls for the family and cut up fresh fruit for a delicious breakfast, I let the Bugs paint for our preschool art time this morning, and I cooked a lunch for the kids and myself that did not include peanut butter or jelly.  So, I'm not a total mommy loser!

Surviving Summer

It's been a whirlwind of life happening around here since I let you know Doodlebug is a boy.  Right after we peeked at his gender, we finished packing our bags and flew to America for a twenty day visit.  There was much Chick-fil-A eating and Target shopping, as well as hugging, kissing, and playing with family and friends.

[caption id="attachment_1200" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="I think we ate CFA eight times in two weeks. Ah-mazing!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1201" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Ladybug and her BFF sporting fabulous kicks to church!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1204" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="We realized how big everything in America is! (This is a MEDIUM icee!)"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1203" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Ladybug was the perfect flower girl at her auntie's wedding on August 7!"][/caption]

It was nice to come back "home" to my own bed, but between jet-lag, a really hot summer, and the joys of the third trimester, I am pretty beat!  I can't complain because I truly am blessed... but it's my blog and I'll complain if I want to, right?

I'm feeling stuck even as I type.  I guess I forgot how to blog.

If I'm honest, and I usually like to be, I don't have much nice to say, so I haven't been saying anything at all.  Not that I'm angry or upset or anything, it's just that the summer oppressive heat and being uncomfortably great with child doesn't bode well for my attitude.  My keyboard is still doing the crazy ooooooooo thing, and it makes me cuss, so I have been avoiding any tasks that require a properly-functioning keyboard.  I haven't really spent the time I need in the Lord's presence lately either to let Him clean me out and set me straight... so the rest of my summer will be spent getting back on track.  And washing lots of teeny, tiny baby blue clothes.

It's getting hot in here!

Oh.my.sweltering.summer.heat.

I'm just too hot to blog... or do anything semi-productive for that matter.

We did peek between Bug#3's legs this week to discover that DoodleBug is a...

BOY!

Oh boy, can you believe that sweet, precious, thumb-sucking face? I can't wait to get my hands on him!  From the ultrasound this week, he looks just like Stinkbug.  I don't know what I'm gonna do with two adorable boy bugs!

Pregnancy Overseas

All of my pregnancy with Bug#3 has taken place overseas which means that some of the medical care has been a little different from my previous experiences.  If I'm completely honest, I miss Sonic, Cook Out, and Chick Fil A for my pregnancy cravings, and I am slightly anxious about delivering a baby in a place other than America.  I want to remain positive, so here are some of my favorite things about being pregnant overseas:

• Getting weighed in kilograms. Divide my weight in pounds in half and call it my weight?  Sign me up!


• Not gaining much weight. Between the fact that I don't have many "craving fulfill-ers" here, and the fact that I walk almost anywhere I need to go, I haven't put on very much weight at all.  That makes for a happy momma!


• An ultrasound at every appointment. We have seen Bug#3 every time we've been to the doctor.  They don't use a doppler to check the heartbeat, they just look at the baby each time to check everything out.  It's kinda fun!


• Being treated as a special patient. Today I had my one hour glucose test.  My doctor called when I was back home to let me know the results were normal.  Are you serious? In America, I was told "If you don't hear from us, that means your results are fine." We also rarely have to wait before the appointments.  It's the little things that make you feel like a special patient!  Maybe it's because I'm a foreigner and I pay cash, but for whatever reason, it's nice!


• I have never seen a cleaner bathroom than the one at my doctor's office. Seriously, I would consider eating off the floor in there.  It looks like the place is scrubbed down after each person visits the restroom!  (Again-- the little things!)


• Keeping the gender a mystery. This has nothing to do with being pregnant overseas (we could find out if we wished to), but I'm having a great time with the gender mystery.  I almost felt like caving today, but I really look forward to finding out BOY or GIRL on Bug#3's birthday!

I read a birth-abroad-story this weekend that made me feel even more nervous than I already was!  (Especially since I will be having a scheduled C-section, since both my other babies were born by section!)  I am praying that the Lord would comfort my heart and prepare me for Bug#3's arrival-- however He appoints that to happen!  Hence, the "positive thoughts"!  If you have a great birth-abroad-story, I'd love to read it!

Missing (But Still Here)

I have so much to blog about on a daily basis: mommy blunders, funny Ladybug-isms, pictures as I try out my new "pocket camera"... just not the time to sit and process it into blog form!  Oh the joys of being a busy wife/mom/expat/friend!

On top of it all, we've received a great gift from the Lord...

A third Bug is on the way!

So I'll have time to blog about all this stuff when my three Bugs are in college... Or maybe life will settle down a little before then? We'll see.

39 weeks...

Here are my two favorite people in the world giving the baby belly some love at 39 weeks.

Tomorrow's the big day. You know, the day when I'll be responsible for two little human beings... kinda frightening. (I keep reminding myself that plenty of people seemingly less competent than I have multiple kids and they are OK.)

I don't really know what else we could have done to prepare for November 14, 2008. We've spiffed up the house (OK, mostly my mom has!), we have all sorts of baby clothes and a menagerie of other things that makes having a baby easy (swing, stroller, diapers, bouncer, Bumbo, wipes, swaddlers, pacifiers, toys...) We've talked to Bug about a baby brother coming to live with us, she's picked him out a present and made him a card. We have a present ready for Bug from baby brother when she comes to the hospital. The fam is ready to take of the Bug here all weekend. The hospital bags are packed. Bug's officially sleeping in her toddler bed and the crib is newbornified again.

Yet I still feel this turmoil. Like there's something left undone. Like there's something I can't control. I hate that feeling!

I've tried to soak up my moments with Bug this week. We enjoyed the zoo, we've eaten out, and played and read. The stuff we do all the time, I guess I was just ticking off the last this and the last that. It kinda doesn't seem fair that she has no idea what's coming.

But then I remember the wonderful memories I have with my siblings-- made-up games, silly times, goofy things we did, our traditions, our fights, our secrets, our love-- and I feel so happy that God is blessing Bug with a buggy brother.

I dread putting her to bed tonight just because I feel like our relationship is changing. This girl is so precious to me. She's never shared me before... She is so special in my heart because I've learned so much from her. I had never been thrown up on before her. I never woke up so many times during the night until she was born. I have wondered as she's grown and changed and learned. I have even learned so much about my Heavenly Father and my precious Savior from her. She made me a mommy the day she took her first breath. I'll always be a mommy because of her.

I eagerly look forward to tomorrow. I love my little Bug so much, and my heart for her runs so deep. I can't wait to feel love multiply as I hold my two precious babies at once.

You're only a day away...

November 8th

Hallelujah, my mom is here!

Little Baby Boy has only six days (or less) left in his cozy womb paradise. I feel much better about his impending arrival since Bug's on the mend (she's had Roseola this week), and my house is getting cleaner than its ever been. (No for real, y'all, my mom's a maniac!)

My updates have been sparse because events in my life lately can be summed up pretty easily:
1. Bug's been sick.
2. We're waiting on our Little Man.

I better get my Momfessions tail upstairs-- it's time for a major cleaning party in our "attic"!

P.S. Bug has been in the big girl bed for three consecutive nights. I am so proud of her!

6am?!

My daughter decided to be a morning person this morning much to the chagrin of her sleepy mommy (who got up four times to pee last night!)

Luckily, the stay at home mommy handbook states that I can nap when she does. I'm praying for a three hour stretch, so I can nap and get some things done! (I'm napping first though just in case!)

{I also have to state for the record that my worst "pregnancy brain" moment to date has happened. I realized just this morning that my car's inspection expired IN JULY. Hello, mama?!}

34 weeks!

How did this happen?!

I'm telling ya... I just peed on a plastic stick yesterday and now I'm within six weeks of meeting this little guy! Chasing a toddler sure keeps time flying!

I had a panic moment last Wednesday when I realized that we're having a baby next month, but I think I'm getting uncomfortable enough that I'm almost ready for him to be here! (He does need at least three more weeks to bake, but I'm willing to meet him at 37 weeks, if he's willing to come then!)

All I know is that he'd better arrive with hair for all the fiery indigestion mommy is fighting. Maalox and TUMS have been my good friends the last week or so.

I have a hard time imagining life with a boy-- I wonder what he'll be like. Will his personality be the total opposite of Bug? Will he burn with boyish energy and constantly be in motion? What will he like to do? Will he be a good eater/sleeper/pooper? Will he love to rough and tumble with his daddy, or snuggle his mommy, or play with his sister? Will he be relaxed and just go with the flow? How will it feel to be a family of four?

It's so neat to think that the God who created our son, already has a plan for his life. His days are numbered and his footsteps are ordered. {Kinda takes the pressure of of me!}

As we creep bulldoze at a frightful speed, closer and closer to November, I find myself thinking so many thoughts and praying so many prayers for my little boy. I'm getting really excited about meeting him! {Hopefully my "nesting" instinct will kick in soon, so he comes home to a clean house though!}

Tip for the Day:

When you pull into Sonic's drive-thru and the license plate of the car brontosaurus-sized SUV in front of you says IS6ENUF, forget your lemon berry slush craving, and leave immediately. You will save yourself at least 20 minutes.

3/4 of the way there!

almost 30...

Happy 29 weeks, Little Man!

Thinking of the Stork

I've spent a good chunk of time lately washing and folding tiny blue onesies and sleepers. And anticipating the arrival of our Little Man in three-ish months.

Seeing how quickly time has slipped by me lately, I know it'll be here before I know it.

I'm soaking up every minute with the Bug in all her 14month old glory-- seriously, could toddlerhood be any more fun?!

And I find myself smiling when I think about snuggling up with a brand new, little package of boy wrapped in blue...

MMMmmmm... I can't wait!

The picture is me and Bug at some point during our hospital stay. Wasn't she snuggly?

Public Service Announcement

Do not, for any reason, ever mention the words "weigh" or "weight" in the presence of a pregnant woman. Especially do not use these words in any form or fashion in direct communication with said pregnant woman. Just don't.

Thanks.

100!

Only 100-ish more days until we meet our Little Man! Woooohoooooo!