Friday, November 30, 2012
My 4-week wonder woman
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Christmastime is here....
Sunday, November 18, 2012
The whirlwind of THREE!
Sorry for the delay in posting! Three kids under 5 has proven to be quite the adjustment! Every moment (except for this very moment) is consumed with nursing, changing, whining, conflict resolution, cooking, cleaning, or if we're lucky, sleeping. We've not been very lucky these days. :)
Despite exhaustion and loneliness, Tim and I are so thankful Hosanna is here....like Piper wrote (you can click on the link from last post), "its the bubbling over of a heart that sees hope and joy and salvation on the way and can't keep it in."
She's our precious gift and we feel so very privileged to be given another chance to glorify the
Lord with her....that's our prayer anyway.
Thank you for your continued prayers as we are still adjusting to some kind of routine....
We're enjoying our precious family so much....we are very blessed.
Although, I must be honest, the smells, sounds and sights coming from her are not particularly
glorified. :)
I will keep this post short, as I have to go rescue the children.
We also need prayer for health, too, as Promise has been fighting a cough, belly ache,
and other issues that she doesn't want the doctor to know about. :)
Toby and Promise have been dealing with the "sharing mommy" issue pretty
well, although behaviors are beginning to come out...and they are not pretty....but normal,
I suppose. It does make parenting a lot tougher, though!
We are so enjoying our precious family...we are very privileged and blessed....certainly beyond
what we could ever deserve.
Two weeks old and just perfect. :)
Be blessed.
Despite exhaustion and loneliness, Tim and I are so thankful Hosanna is here....like Piper wrote (you can click on the link from last post), "its the bubbling over of a heart that sees hope and joy and salvation on the way and can't keep it in."
She's our precious gift and we feel so very privileged to be given another chance to glorify the
Lord with her....that's our prayer anyway.
Thank you for your continued prayers as we are still adjusting to some kind of routine....
We're enjoying our precious family so much....we are very blessed.
Although, I must be honest, the smells, sounds and sights coming from her are not particularly
glorified. :)
I will keep this post short, as I have to go rescue the children.
We also need prayer for health, too, as Promise has been fighting a cough, belly ache,
and other issues that she doesn't want the doctor to know about. :)
Toby and Promise have been dealing with the "sharing mommy" issue pretty
well, although behaviors are beginning to come out...and they are not pretty....but normal,
I suppose. It does make parenting a lot tougher, though!
We are so enjoying our precious family...we are very privileged and blessed....certainly beyond
what we could ever deserve.
Two weeks old and just perfect. :)
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Happy Birthday, Hosanna Joy!
Hosanna Joy Stewart came perfectly into our arms Friday, November 2 at 9:12 am weighing 8 lbs. and sporting 51 cm long. She's got a full head of dark brown hair and has already showed signs of a strong personality....opinionated about everything! :)
The longer birth story will be in a later post, but here is the brief synopsis. I started labour on Wednesday night but it was very sporadic. We knew impending doom was coming though. On Thursday I laboured with some dear friends who go to Promise's preschool. They were a little nervous to ride in the car with me; I was driving. But things really didn't get active until about 5pm when I could no longer give undivided attention to the kids, so Toby threw trucks at me during contractions in his rage. So I asked Tim to come home and we called the midwife.
Left the kids with grandma Christina and headed off to the hospital to get the first bout of antibiotics. At 8pm they admitted me; I was 4cm. After a loooong and sloooowww labour, at 8:45am I felt it was time to push this sucker out but my midwife told me not to. So I waited very begrudgingly and tried not to push. At 9am I'd had enough and it was time to push. Three contractions and Hosanna came out without a tear!
There were cries of joy and excitement as our healthy baby girl breathed her first. We are so grateful she is strong and healthy. Grandma brought Toby and Promise by to meet there new sister. They were very sweet and gentle and Toby declared "She's cute!" and then asked if he could pet her. Promise started to tell us the agenda for when we took Hosanna home, which included babysitting her and teaching her to crawl and walk.
They discharged us from the hospital with a clean bill of health on Saturday around noon. We'd love your prayers as we adjust to the chaos of home life with three kids under five. Specifically, it would be nice if Hosanna would sleep at night, not just during the day. We're so grateful for all the well-wishes, prayers and support of you all. We are amazed at God's faithfulness.
Be blessed.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Happy Halloween....40 weeks.
Greetings. Because I am not in labor and I am pretty sure this little one is going to hold out a bit longer, I will say "Happy Halloween" and to our unborn lady, "Happy Eviction Day". Wednesday is her due date. Mom had to leave yesterday without getting to say hello or good bye to baby #3. Sigh. Her time here was precious and such an amazing help...I cannot begin to write how blessed I was to have her here....and now I am lonely for her.
Though all the feelings of disappointment, exhaustion, and hormonal overload are making life a bit more challenging this week, I know God has appointed this baby's birthday long before the creation of the world and I trust that He knows best.
But I still cried a lot today. Missing my mom....wanting to hold the baby.....wanting the kids, Tim and my mom to hold the baby, wanting Tim to get a day or two off work and wanting to be empty in the abdomen.
And so I tried to make today like any other "no mother" day....I took the kids to the bread store, the chiropractor and then the Library. Promise, not knowing how to read, picked a book with a bunch of bunnies on it called "When the World Waited for You"....it was all about a bunny family waiting for their baby sister to be born. How appropriate. A little encouragement from Jesus, perhaps. The book was too short, though....instead of 10 months, it was just 12 pages....and the baby came already cooing. Sigh. :)
I have discovered that crying during a sinus infection can be quite healing.
Toby and I have cried a lot today.
I miss my mom. I am lonely....and we're all waiting...patiently.
Be blessed.
Though all the feelings of disappointment, exhaustion, and hormonal overload are making life a bit more challenging this week, I know God has appointed this baby's birthday long before the creation of the world and I trust that He knows best.
But I still cried a lot today. Missing my mom....wanting to hold the baby.....wanting the kids, Tim and my mom to hold the baby, wanting Tim to get a day or two off work and wanting to be empty in the abdomen.
And so I tried to make today like any other "no mother" day....I took the kids to the bread store, the chiropractor and then the Library. Promise, not knowing how to read, picked a book with a bunch of bunnies on it called "When the World Waited for You"....it was all about a bunny family waiting for their baby sister to be born. How appropriate. A little encouragement from Jesus, perhaps. The book was too short, though....instead of 10 months, it was just 12 pages....and the baby came already cooing. Sigh. :)
I have discovered that crying during a sinus infection can be quite healing.
Toby and I have cried a lot today.
I miss my mom. I am lonely....and we're all waiting...patiently.
Be blessed.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
39 weeks...still counting
MY MOM IS HERE!!!
She drove up Sunday and arrived bearing gifts from Oregon including trucks and animals for the kids (not live ones) and blankets and clothes for the baby.
She also came bearing a servant's heart....she has assisted me in the daily run-a-round in an incredible way....setting up the baby's bed, vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms, mopping and of course, entertaining Promise and Toby to the point of exhaustion and giggles....resulting in hiccups. The chase begins at 7 am and doesn't stop until around 8 pm, so Grandma is getting some serious exercise! We are loving her be here....
BUT the baby is still nestled inside my belly...which is growing astronomically large and causing quite a bit of discomfort....
Yes, we've tried (almost) all the tricks of getting little baby #3 out and she is just stubborn or perhaps she knows the weather has turned blustery and prefers the warmth of my chubby belly. I dunno, but an eviction noticed is now WAY overdue in my world. We'll be 40 weeks on Halloween. Mom leaves on Sunday.....
BABY....COME OUT NOW!
Meanwhile, we are fighting sinus infections and sleeplessness....praying for grace for these last few days....I am so glad my mom is here....and so is Tim!
Be blessed.
She drove up Sunday and arrived bearing gifts from Oregon including trucks and animals for the kids (not live ones) and blankets and clothes for the baby.
She also came bearing a servant's heart....she has assisted me in the daily run-a-round in an incredible way....setting up the baby's bed, vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms, mopping and of course, entertaining Promise and Toby to the point of exhaustion and giggles....resulting in hiccups. The chase begins at 7 am and doesn't stop until around 8 pm, so Grandma is getting some serious exercise! We are loving her be here....
BUT the baby is still nestled inside my belly...which is growing astronomically large and causing quite a bit of discomfort....
Yes, we've tried (almost) all the tricks of getting little baby #3 out and she is just stubborn or perhaps she knows the weather has turned blustery and prefers the warmth of my chubby belly. I dunno, but an eviction noticed is now WAY overdue in my world. We'll be 40 weeks on Halloween. Mom leaves on Sunday.....
BABY....COME OUT NOW!
Meanwhile, we are fighting sinus infections and sleeplessness....praying for grace for these last few days....I am so glad my mom is here....and so is Tim!
Be blessed.
Friday, October 19, 2012
38 weeks and counting
Greetings! No baby, yet.
However, I thought baby was coming Friday! Lots of contractions and flu-like symptoms for 4 days prior....then I headed over the border to see a friend and we tried a midwifery concoction we'd always wanted to try to induce stronger labor....and....well, between the puking and explosive diarrhea, whatever flu-bug I had came out....with a vengeance.
I called Tim to come home early "just in case", called the midwife and set up a time to arrive in hospital....then I asked my midwife if I could just take a brief nap....
Waking from my nap there was nothing....no puking, no diarrhea and no contractions....false alarm....but at least I got a nap and an early arrival of Tim on a Friday! Alas....no baby.
Kids are getting a bit anxious, but our prenatal last night served to be a positive reminder that "it's all in God's hands". So, we wait.....With great expectation for wonderful outcomes and a healthy baby girl (or boy if we get surprised!). With the in-laws gone and the kids needing extra support (as I can't really bend over very well!!) my mom is coming up from Oregon on Sunday to hang and be a blessing....and BOY! She WILL be! We are so looking forward to her company.
We're also praying baby comes while she is here as she has not been a part of Toby or Promise's births.
So exciting.
Be blessed.
However, I thought baby was coming Friday! Lots of contractions and flu-like symptoms for 4 days prior....then I headed over the border to see a friend and we tried a midwifery concoction we'd always wanted to try to induce stronger labor....and....well, between the puking and explosive diarrhea, whatever flu-bug I had came out....with a vengeance.
I called Tim to come home early "just in case", called the midwife and set up a time to arrive in hospital....then I asked my midwife if I could just take a brief nap....
Waking from my nap there was nothing....no puking, no diarrhea and no contractions....false alarm....but at least I got a nap and an early arrival of Tim on a Friday! Alas....no baby.
Kids are getting a bit anxious, but our prenatal last night served to be a positive reminder that "it's all in God's hands". So, we wait.....With great expectation for wonderful outcomes and a healthy baby girl (or boy if we get surprised!). With the in-laws gone and the kids needing extra support (as I can't really bend over very well!!) my mom is coming up from Oregon on Sunday to hang and be a blessing....and BOY! She WILL be! We are so looking forward to her company.
We're also praying baby comes while she is here as she has not been a part of Toby or Promise's births.
So exciting.
Be blessed.
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