UN-official Belly Gallery for 28 weeks

I have been trying to make a point of having Bryan take some belly shots with our nice camera. it just slips my mind. So here are a few (that I had to take myself) and hopefully there will be some good ones to follow. Maybe these stink enough that Bryan will want to take better ones tonight :) I can't let this pregnancy go completely undocumented.

How to get on with it:

"Therefore we do not loose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all, so we fix our eyes on not what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

II Corinthians 4:16-18


When I went to bed last night I didn't want to think about waking up in the morning. I was dreading 5 am. But every night while I am sleeping, the Holy Spirit hits my re-start button. I wake up, and I get on with it. Cheerfully :)

TGIF Top 10

I'm so glad it's Friday! Here's my top 10 things I did this week:

1. Bryan and I spent Wednesday evening playing Monopoly after the kids went to bed.

2. Ladies Bible Study at Bethany kicked off on Tuesday morning.

3. My mom came home safely from a week long visit to Indiana.

4. Today I bought the movie Labyrinth at WalMart for only $9 (I'm going to watch it tonight!)

5. Aiden made it all week with out getting sent to the Principal's office or getting recess taken away.

6. MOPS finally started back up after what felt like a very long summer.

7. The first day of October!

8. I started my 3rd trimester!

9. Jack and I had lunch at Olive Garden with my mom yesterday.

10. I got my new glasses.


Next week, is going to be RIDICULOUSLY crazy. I have a doctor's appointment, Aiden has his Autism evaluation at Children's Hospital in Seattle, we have a meeting with several people from Aiden's school to discuss his IEP, Bryan has to spend Monday in Astoria for work, and the regular events are mixed in like bible study and school, and probably several other things I am forgetting about. Oh my.

"Lord, thank you for Fall. Thank you for my busy schedule the next couple weeks, it means that some things are getting done. Help me to have lots of energy, and PLEASE keep my whole family healthy. Amen."

October 2

So today is the first day back to MOPS at Bethany for this school year. Aiden won't be going, he will be at school today. I am looking forward to doing an activity with just Jack (and eventually Lucy too). My mom is joining MOPS as a mentor mom this year.
Today also marks the first day of my 3rd trimester. Yay, I guess. January 2 still feels so far away. My energy level has already taken a dive, which didn't happen until closer to 30-35 weeks with Jack.
I am really planning on having a fun day today. Since Aiden will be at school Jack and I will both be able to come home and take a nap, which is a bonus.
I got a new pair of glasses yesterday. I have been having a hard time adjusting to the new prescription, it's MUCH stronger than before. I knew I wasn't seeing very well, but I didn't expect this big of a change. I was really dizzy yesterday, but today it is starting to feel right. So I am going to wear them today... yes in public. I know some people wear their glasses all the time. I am trying to wear my contacts less, maybe only on the weekends or when I'm going out somewhere nice. We'll see how that goes.

On E

I am so happy that Ladies Bible Study is starting today. (9:30am at Bethany Baptist Church, Puyallup) I have been feeling a little depressed and dried up for a couple weeks. I won't go into details as to why, but it's all just life stuff.
I am, on the other hand, very nervous about being home with Aiden today. The days he was home from school last week were horrible. I am tired and, as I said, empty to start. He leeches every bit of energy I have. Then I start feeling resentful that nobody helps me (as in my family).
So I am really hoping that going to bible study this morning will help me with my attitude and energy level.
MOPS also starts this week, and I am really looking forward to that.
Life is just so daily.

My pregnancy experience update

(Left:cloth diapers my friend Amy found me on
Craigs list. They are super cute, supposedly
very easy to use)
In a couple of days I will be starting the 3rd trimester of this, last ever, pregnancy. On one hand I am so ready for the end. I love the last 4 weeks when the anticipation builds. I also love having holiday babies, it makes it extra exciting.


On the other hand, I feel so unprepared. I'm afraid of having another fussy baby like Jack. I want to know what is going to happen with our housing situation and if Bryan is going to get a good raise. I want Aiden to finally get settled and get the extra help he needs at school. I am also a little sad to give up even more of my freedom and "me"time.

I have fears about how much weight I will have gained when this is over (selfish, I know). I have fears about not getting enough sleep, not having enough money, having too much stress, not having time with Bryan, how the kids are going to react, if she will be healthy, etc, on and on.


I know much of this is pregnancy related. It's that nesting feeling women get when they want EVERYTHING to be perfect and squared away BEFORE the baby is born (as if it is going to add some extra joy to the experience). Things that usually aren't that important suddenly seem critical.


I hit the 18lb mark today. I hate watching the scale go up after working so hard to make it go down. It must be necessary I guess. I have about 13 weeks to go and I only have 12 lbs before my goal weight (that I'm trying not to pass) to total a healthy 30lb weight gain. But I have a sneaking suspicion that all that lovely water weight that appears in the last few weeks is going to blow 10 lbs away.



So this blog obviously turned out to be mostly about where I am in this pregnancy (preparation H, poise pads, stool softeners, iron pills, and extra strength deodorant). I don't really talk/think about it all that often.



"Lord, help me to start to really bond with Lucy. I know I have been really ungrateful at times. Help me to enjoy this time with the boys, and make good use of the extra time I have on my own. Help me to trust that everything we need for our family will be provided in your perfect time."

Thank you Paul Newman for the amazing theater and salad dressing.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/obit_newman