Getting Ready for Baby #2

Less than three months from now, we will be welcoming out little guy into our arms and I will be gladly ejecting him from my stomach:). This pregnancy has moved along so much faster than my first and I am incredibly grateful for that.   This time around, I am so much busier with Daisy and our schedule that I simply don't have the down time to plan or think as much about things as I did when I was pregnant with Daisy...which is nice.  Also, in comparison to my first pregnancy, I feel so much more relaxed and not at all anxious this time around. 

We have gotten a few things accomplished in the past month! I am happy to report that my hubs put up crown molding, painted our little guy's room not once but, twice and set our crib up. Yay! Why did he paint the room twice you ask?  Well...after much thought on my part, the room was initially painted a light beige.   My reason for choosing that color was that I thought a neutral color would be easy to work with and that it would be a color that our son could grow with.   I figured that I could really do any theme I wanted with a neutral color.   Even as the beige was being painted on the wall I knew it was not going to jive with me.  All my brain could say when I saw it was, "yuck."  I spent a few days walking in and out of the room in hopes that I might get used to the color or change my mind but, it continued to remind me of a sterile hospital.  I decided that all the room was missing was padded walls.  Truth.  I felt awful telling my husband that I hated the color after he had spent an afternoon painting it but, I knew that I couldn't live with it.  For the record, color can either have a really positive impact on me or a horrible impact on me in my home.  I guess I am one of those people whose moods are affected by tone and color more than I realized!  So, now you know one of my many oddities...don't judge me.  I know you have some too:). lol

My hubs was an absolute trooper and even though I said that I would do the painting this time around he wouldn't let me (yay me!).  I chose to go a different direction and picked a soft blue that we both already knew we love because we have used it before.  We bought two gallons of it from Home Depot and my hubby got about 75% of the way through painting the room for the second time when I walked into the room and immediately noticed that the color was not at all like the color swatch we took in to Lowes.  I nervously mentioned it to my husband and he suggested that maybe it was just the lighting because it was dark in the room with only one small light.  I wanted to believe that but, in my gut I knew something was again off.  We chose a soft baby blue and this color was a darker blue, green.  Sure enough, when the room was finished and after my husband had strained his eyes again and again to try and see the color as a soft blue, he also concluded that it was in fact no where near the color we purchased.  Turns out we were accidentally given a gallon of paint that a customer behind us had ordered and they must have gotten ours.  We didn't bother to confirm the name of the paint before painting because when we opened the lid the color looked blueish and it's really hard to tell a color until it dries.  It was a store error and a really unfortunate one considering our circumstances... after painting the room twice my hubby was ready to fall apart...I couldn't blame him.   Being the guy that he is, after he calmed down, he offered to paint it again if I wasn't happy with the new unique color  that we now had on the walls that didn't match the bedding that I had already purchased.  hehe.  I did in fact like the color well enough to leave it alone and so the color remains as does my husband's sanity..barely:)  Anyways, all that to say that some day when you see pictures of our son's nursery, please don't tell me that the bedding doesn't match or that the color isn't your favorite.  Could you do us a favor and just lie and tell us how much you love it?  Thanks, we would both really appreciate it. LOL

I pinned boy nursery pictures on Pinterest for several months and I like a lot of different styles but, a boy nursery was definitely not coming as easily to me as a little girl's room.  Plus, I simply cannot bear the thought of spending an arm and a leg to decorate another nursery again...a room that our little guy will likely out grow in a year or two at most.  I want to keep things simple this time around, budget friendly and yet hopefully somewhat cute still.... so, wish me luck because this process has not been an easy challenge!  I love vintage themed nurseries that people so often create now for boys.  I love the modern prints, grays, yellows, arrows, foxes and simple decor but, when I was in wal-mart and saw a cheerful, elephant bumper for only $12 on clearance I said to myself, "Screw it, elephants it is."    So, that my friends, is how it all started.  hahaha.

I'm hoping to get a rocking/glider chair of some sort, a dresser and a few simple decorations and I hope to tackle all that between now and October.  We shall see about that:).  I will of course share pictures when it is finished so stay tuned.

In other news, I am happy to report that since the day that we found out we are having a boy, Daisy has completely warmed up to the idea and she hasn't complained about having a "brudder," again.

The day of the ultrasound was tough.  I knew that Daisy was really hoping for a sister and I think that deep down a part of me was kind of hoping we were having another girl too...for various reasons.  On the other hand, this pregnancy was nothing like my first so I also knew in my gut that this kiddo was probably a boy because things were just too different.  When the technician showed us that we were in fact having a boy I think we were all in shock, but Daisy most of all.  She started crying almost immediately and kept saying quietly over and over, "a brudder?  I don't want a brudder.  I want a sister.  No, no, no."  It was one part funny to witness her reaction but, another part sad and emotional for me because I was also processing the news and her tears kinda swallowed up the tiny bit of excitement that I was trying to feel...though for the record I wasn't at all surprised by her tears, nor was I upset by her reaction.  I could relate:). 

After the ultrasound I took Daisy to a consignment shop and let her pick out a toy and an outfit for her baby brother to help ease her in to the news.  She found two cute baby princess dolls and that immediately cheered her up.  She talked to my belly and said, "I'm sorry for what I said baby brudder.  I won't say that again.  I wuv you," while kissing my belly in the store.  That melted me.  To make sure to seal her change of heart I took her to one of her favorite places, Chick-Fil-A and we had a nice date lunch and ice cream together.  She was doing much better after all that and so was I.  I also picked out a few little boy things at the consignment shop (shown in the picture above).  It felt strange to be buying boy clothes and my brain was completely incapable of processing the news that I was going to have a son.  It was a weird feeling and I know that some of you can relate to that feeling of shock.   The good news of course is that the feeling of shock wears off over time.  

Now, nearly 30 weeks along in this pregnancy (holy cow the time has flown by!), I still can't comprehend what it will be like to be a mother to a son...simply because this is a first time experience but, I feel so much peace and gratitude for this little boy.  I spend lots of little moments praying for my sweet son with my hand on my giant belly.  He often kicks when I pray just to let me know that he is listening and thriving inside his cozy nest.  I pray for his health and for his future.  I pray that he would be brave and courageous and love Jesus with all his heart.  I pray that God would teach me and my husband to guide him and instruct him with patience and love.  I pray that he would be an awesome brother to his sister, Daisy.  I pray that they would have a special bond.  Every time that I pray for my son, my concerns and fears wash away.  My heart is filled with peace and I know that God has great things in store, not only for our son, but for our family when he joins us.  

Thank you Jesus for the son that you have entrusted to us! 

A generous friend of mine offered to throw a baby shower for us in November.  Thank you so much Annie! I wasn't planning on accepting a shower offer but, when I thought about it, I realized that after five years, a lot of little things are needing to be replaced, borrowed things have been returned and I would rather this little boy not have to wear pink and purple every day:) I did in fact accept.  I am grateful for this little celebration for our son and I am so thankful to all the friends who have celebrated this new life with our family in some way or another.  

To answer a few questions that I am asked almost daily...

What is his name going to be?  

A secret:).  Sorry all.  We kept Daisy's name a secret and though it wasn't easy for us, it was a fun surprise to announce on the day of her birth and it prevented us from being subjected to disapproving comments about her name while I was pregnant.  This little guy's name is somewhat unique but, not at all strange in my opinion.  You only have to way 2.5 more months! Hang tight:)

How is this pregnancy going lately?

It's going okay in many ways.  I haven't had any braxton hicks contractions yet which has surprised me.  I had so many with Daisy!  My back doesn't hurt as bad this time around which is a tremendous blessing.  It does get sore at night and when I am sleeping but, it is nothing like the first time around.  I had hardly zero nausea with this little guy.  I think maybe six weeks tops.  I don't have any food aversions anymore and I can even drink coffee again.  I will say that my fatigue is worse this time around and I am sure it is partially due to the fact that I have a very lively 4 year old who does not nap...wearing me out all day long but, it is also because I only sleep about 4 hours a night on average.  I try to take a nap a couple of times during the week to keep my brain functioning and that helps.  On the other hand, as I have told several people...the fatigue and exhaustion in pregnancy always helps me to transition more smoothly into the exhaustion phase with a newborn and I a grateful for that...seriously, so grateful.  I am quite uncomfortable already.  My stomach feels much tighter this time around and I think that is because I am carrying differently.  I can no longer reach my toes or easily pull on pants.  I get winded easily on our nightly walks and find myself leaning on trees and stop signs to catch my breath. HAHA.  My maternity clothes are even becoming too tight and I get rather bummed that I have to wear the same three shirts over and over and over again...I just keep telling myself, "just keep chugging, just keep chugging." :)  So, now you now how things are going! hehe

I hope you are all having a blessed week!  I've been filling my spirit with some awesome Jake Hamilton worship tunes this week.  His music is so anointed and powerful.  Good stuff.  Take a listen. I pray that whatever your circumstances are today, that you feel the powerful love of Jesus, meeting you exactly where you are at.  I pray that He tugs on your heart and speaks His powerful truth into your life.  You are chosen, redeemed, forgiven, dearly loved and a conquerer in Him.  How great is our God!   

I remember listening to this song (below) in one of the darkest and loneliest seasons of my life.  With tears streaming down my face while driving around town, God used these words to fill me with hope, to hold my broken heart and love on my weary soul.  Whatever you are facing or might face in the future....In Him, hold on, it's all gonna be okay.