27 weeks

{Actually taken at 26 weeks}

Pregnancy Update

How Far Along: 27 Weeks 

Size of baby:  Baby is about the size of a 2 lb rutabaga!!

Total Weight Gain/Loss:  Gained 10 lbs total

Maternity Clothes: Yes, pants mostly. I've been getting by with my regular shirts but I'm starting to have a hard time finding shirts that cover my tummy.

Gender: We are having a boy! We announced it here, in case you missed it.

Movement: He's a mover and a shaker!

Sleep: Frequent awakenings to go pee and sometimes heartburn.

Symptoms: Lots of round ligament pain from all the stretching, heartburn and still have random nausea/vomiting at least once a week.

What I miss: Being able to do more with the Littles and in general. 

Cravings: Mexican food. I wouldn't be surprised if this kid's first word is 'Hola!'

Best Moment this week: Hearing the birds outside chirping and realizing spring is so close.... and so is getting to meet this baby!!

What I am looking forward to: Honestly, not being pregnant and I just can't wait to hold this baby boy in my arms. :)

Our life with the Littles

I've been inspired by one of my favorite bloggers, Ashley Ann Campbell of Under the Sycamore. She is such a delightful blogger, I always leave her blog feeling encouraged and inspired to see life through different eyes. Instead of seeing how I wish things were I start seeing the beauty in the way things are!

Ashley has a gift of capturing beautiful photos of real life. She also loves teaching others her techniques and tips. I've been gleaning advice from her and just through trial and error I've been retraining my eye to see beauty in our everyday life.

I love the shots I captured using just my phone and my new favorite editing app: Pic-Tap-Go!

They are watching Lion King. 

If they aren't watching it they are acting it out, every detail. 

My brothers and I did the same thing when we were little.

Bowl #4.

This kid loves his cereal.

It was my first time cutting his hair. 

He was enjoying his M&M prize after being so patient. 

I tried styling it after his bath but when he got dressed it was sticking up.

He does this all day. 

All over the house. 

If only you could be as big as you think you are...

Dads and good for a lot of things.

Giving rides around the living room is just one of them.

You are 2.

Today my 'baby' turned 2 years old.

Happy Birthday, sweet boy! 

You are such a joy!

Crazy Little Baby Man

Last week Evalyn and I were out and Brandon was home with the boys. He had to, ahem, use the bathroom and left the boys down stairs to play. A few minutes later Caleb announced, as he usually does, that he needed to go poo-poo, so Brandon sent him to the downstairs bathroom. After he's taken care of his business he still needs help with the clean up part (hang in there, it gets better, how can it not...) and he yells to Brandon asking him "Can you wipe my bottom?"

Brandon assures him he will be there in just a minute....

Shortly after he hears Caleb crying from the bathroom. He heads down to find out what the issue is and finds Eli at the kitchen island with his hand in the box of Wheat Thins and he doesn't even hesitate as Brandon approaches him and asks him what he thinks he is doing... He's very confident that way.

Moving on, he heads down to the bathroom to rescue Caleb and walks in to find the entire roll of toilet paper unravelled on to the floor! Brandon asks Caleb what happened to which he replies, "Eli came in and told me he would wipe my bottom ("ME do it.") and I told him no. So he took all the toilet paper off (que Caleb crying)."

M is for Moon

Last week we studied the letter M, the moon and the number 2. We have made it through our 2nd week of school! I really like the flexibility, but we both definitely do better right after breakfast. A couple days we have had to move school to after lunch {usually rest/nap time} and I can tell a significant difference in how receptive she is. Rest time is still very necessary for this busy little girl.

Here she's working on the picture cards and tracing the letter while practicing the sound that 'M' makes. 

We read the book The Moon Might Be Milk by Lisa Shulman and in it is a recipe for Sugar Moon cookies. Of course, we had to give them a try!

They were easy, tasty and fun. 

I wanted to supplement a little more math into her school so we are using Singapore math activity book to have more practice with different concepts. She LOVES this part and I have to cut her off or she would do the whole workbook in one sitting!

I asked her what her favorite part of school is and she told me the worksheets is her favorite. Works for me! 

My favorite part is the one on one time we get to spend together. Another week down!

S is for Sun

We finished up our Creation week review a couple weeks ago and last week we went through the first 5 days of the first unit: S-s-sun!

The words to remember for the week are "Jesus is the light of the world." Evalyn and I spent a little bit of time each day talking about how Jesus is our light, He helps us see with our mind and our hearts. Just like a light, He shows where to go and how to live.

Our letter was S, our number was 1 and our theme was the sun. Evalyn learned a lot about the sun! We did some hands on activities and read quite a few library books about the sun. We both enjoyed the first unit.

Coloring her Picture Cards which she later cut out and put inside the letter envelope. We did several activities using these cards during the week.

She practiced writing her uppercase and lowercase "S" in salt.

We put these grapes in the window and have been checking them everyday while we wait for the sun to make them into raisins.

This activity I found here on Pinterest. It's a Sun in a bottle! It's just oil and water with red food coloring. When you swish it around it resembles the look of hot gases like the sun is made up of.

It was hard to get a good picture of how it worked.

We had sun themed snacks, this day was an orange.

And little brothers joined in for that part!

Another tactile letter activity was using yarn and glue to form the letter "S" on her paper.

We made a sundial to observe how the sun moving through the sky can help us know what time of day it is.

**We are using My Father's World Kindergarten curriculum.

Baby #4

Now that I'm over half way through it, I figured it's probably time I blog about this pregnancy.

Ahem. Sorry baby #4.

We found out mid-September that we are expecting our 4th baby! We were planning a fourth so it wasn't too much of a surprise when I peed on the stick and it showed 2 lines. But, as any mama would know, the certain confirmation of life growing inside of her is a thrill.

I'm trying to patiently wait until May, when this baby is expected to arrive in our arms, and doing my best to savor each day of my last pregnancy. As easy as it is to complain about all the discomforts, I know that I will look back down the road {years.... down the road} and miss the feeling of having my babies so close.

Right now I mostly feel like this pregnancy is a means to the joy I'm anticipating with all the excitement I can bear, to the day we are in the hospital meeting, holding and snuggling a soft, sweet newborn. For the last time. I want to rush to that moment and at the same time hold it off as long as possible, because I know once it's over it will stay only in my memories.

So far this pregnancy has been a mixed bag of all the past pregnancies rolled into one. On top of the over-the-top emotional response to every.little.thing. I have been remembering the past three pregnancies on a daily basis. Flashbacks flood at the slightest hint of a scent, emotion, or quiver of nausea. The fact that this is the last pregnancy I will ever experience creates unique feelings I have to process.

So far the symptoms I've had most resemble my pregnancy with Evalyn. I was convinced it was a girl. I was so sick the first 14 weeks, I laid on the couch from getting up until Brandon would get up {he worked graveyard shift last year} and then I would go straight back to my bed. The only thing I could keep down was juice and nutrition shakes with the occasional cracker here and there. I was miserable and dreading how long it would last. I hated being away from my family so much of the time, but I had to do what I could to take care of my body and the life growing inside of me. It was a growing time of letting go of control. God used those weeks to refocus my trust in Him, and Him alone.

During that time I was so blessed and loved by my servant husband and my mama who stepped in and took on a lot of the caring for the kiddos and household tasks. I couldn't have made it with out them.

Finally, the fog started to lift around the second trimester and I seriously felt like a whole new person. I had moments were I forgot that I was pregnant. I could not say that about the first 14 weeks. Since then I've had mostly good days and I can eat again. There is still the occasional wave of nausea and of course all the other lovely pregnancy symptoms that come along for the ride. But I've been able to enjoy the pregnancy much more lately.

I'll tell you one thing though, second trimester "energy increase" every one talks about is SO much different taking care of three littles as opposed to none or even one. I.am.exhausted. all the time. I am actually looking forward {for now} to the newborn exhaustion, instead of pregnancy exhaustion!

I'll wrap it up and share my belly pictures so far...

I'm 22 weeks now.

I have my next appointment at end of the month. We had a gender reveal party with a confetti cannon to find out boy or girl...