museum visits & hospitals & beloved visitors...oh my!

funny how crazy it felt bringing elizabeth home when she was a baby...how having a baby made life feel so much more hectic. it seems that with #4, baby luke is the calm amidst the storm...the peace in the chaos. honestly, it isn't just since we've brought him home...or even in just the end of pregnancy uncomfortable time frame...nope, life has been going non-stop since way before that. but the past five or so days have been particularly harried.

but here he is...sleeping away...hints of sleepy little grins lingering. don't you just want to kiss all over those chubby little cheeks! :)


we ended last week with some much needed sunshine and warmth...enough warmth to do some serious backyard playing...lots of swinging, sliding, running after balls, and giggling....watch out world, jilly figured out how to do the slide all by herself.


saturday we headed to the museum as a family...to celebrate sweet ellie's fifth birthday. we knew jillian wasn't feeling great...she had a bit of a runny nose and a tooth about to poke through, but we decided to keep her in the stroller and go for it. the museum was a zoo...a trifecta...saturday, grandparent's day, and a new exhibit opening...but we all still had some fun...and most of all, we got to celebrate with ellie.

elizabeth and birthday girl ellie


mommy, luke, and kate

jilly chowing down on a cupcake...even a bit under the weather she knows what to do with a chocolate cupcake :)


luke's first visit to the museum


daddy with kate and libs

midway through the museum visit you could see jilly taking a turn for the worse. we decided to pack up and head home...and honestly it didn't get much better from there. jilly's breathing was getting really labored...and despite back to back breathing treatments at home we weren't seeing any improvement, and she was now running a decent fever that we couldn't get to come down. once the big girls were in bed, we made the decision that based on her breathing rate, lack of response to meds and breathing treatments, etc. mike headed to the ER with our sweet girl. that was around 9...i got luke fed and down for the "night" (ie...3 or 4 hours...ha!)...mike was updating me via text message...and eventually i caught a bit of sleep myself, knowing i would need to be half awake for the girls in the morning since mike was likely going to have a long night at the ER...but when i woke up at 1:30 and checked my text messages i had one from him, and they were still struggling to get her breathing under control, so they were admitting her for oxygen and observation. ugh....

long story short, she had a viral infection and inner ear infection...nothing serious, but enough to throw her respiratory system...since this is her second ER visit for breathing problems in just 5 or so months, we are potentially looking at asthma or allergies of some kind...but they don't diagnose anything this early age-wise. anyway...mike spent 48 hours in the hospital with her...her O2 levels dropped significantly when she slept, so the first night she was on oxygen, but after that it was just antibiotics, breathing treatments and observation until her breathing was under control. she was a fairly happy camper...and my peditrician (and the nurses) kept telling us what a great patient she is...cooperative, happy, etc. i'm glad she is a good patient...but she now totals 6 days in the hospital since mid-november, and i'm praying we can keep her out of there! but we are so thankful for the great care she received...and for insurance, praise the Lord.

the happy patient...and her breakfast

...and, once again, amidst the chaos, here is our peaceful little guy...love the ability to just conk out anywhere, no matter the noise of his big sisters.


before we knew what the weekend would entail in the way of hospital stays, we were planning a family "reunion" of sorts on sunday. my sister was headed up from NC and my parents and grandma were planning to come down for the day sunday. uncle richard couldn't make it becuase of his teaching schedule and dad (poppy) ended up really sick and had to stay home, but aunt shell, grandmommy, and GG made it to our place. GG and aunt shell were able to meet our little man for the first time...i was able to have some much needed distraction and help while holding down the fort at home (while daddy held down the fort at the hospital with jilly). grandmommy brought YUMMY lasagna and salad...paired with bread and brownies, we feasted...and chatted...and laughed...and simply enjoyed being together...a fun "girls day"...well, except for luke. :)


i must say that both libs and kate were thoroughly enthralled with spending time with aunt shell, but kate had a particularly giggly, chatter-filled time. i think she is utterly and completely smitten.

FISH LIPS :)

on monday the big girls went to school and aunt shell and i hung with luke in the morning. we took turns visiting jilly in the hospital (since luke couldn't be in there with us...)...and while aunt shell was visiting jilly was discharged! while daddy and jilly went home to rest, aunt shell and i picked the girls up from school a bit early and headed to the children's museum for some fun.

goofing with aunt shell


luke's second museum visit



with diego



jilly and kate loving on waya


so thankful aunt shell got to spend a little "out of the hospital" time with jillian before hitting the road....actually, so thankful for all the time we got to spend with aunt shell...she is pretty darn terrific!

...and finally, because i just can't resist...here is our roly poly little man...he isn't in cloth full time yet...needs to put on a wee bit more "leg fat" (we're almost there!), but i just can't get over the adorableness. this is an XS bumgenius AIO our friend erin gave us...love it! he is wearing it today...in the spirit of saint patrick's day! :)...sadly he is just about too big for it though...(can you imagine that?!--HA!)


and now...here is to hoping i can keep on posting. i have newborn pics of luke my second cousin's talented husband took (bless his heart he spent over 4 hours with us on a saturday when luke was just a week old...and delivered CDs with over 150 images--mostly luke but some of jilly as well--the others were gone for the day when he was here...plus he printed several images in various sizes). what a gift...and for those of you who are local...he was amazing! let me know if you need a photographer, i'd love to pass on his name...i'll post a luke post and jilly post with pictures soon...i promise! plus i have lots of thoughts swirling in my brain...thoughts about joy, thoughts about being real, thoughts about being weary, thoughts about grace, thoughts about daily life...and on and on...just need to find a few minutes to post them!

this or that...

as you can imagine...

when i have to choose between
THIS little guy

or
THAT mountain o' clean laundry...
(thank you husband for washing every last little bit!)

...the mountain just keeps pilin' on up!
but really, i do need to get a wee bit folded sometime this afternoon or evening...

he is keeping his sisters busy too. :)


this one doesn't stay still near him long enough for a pic...but she is quite interested as well (although the transition has definitely been hardest on her...although last week was hard to gauge...she also had a cold, teeth coming in, and shots at her 18 month well-child visit....so perhaps it wasn't luke that had her out of sorts!)

{luke daniel}

introducing our newest family member...luke daniel.
he made his grand appearance late friday night (2/25) at 11:51.

i labored much of the afternoon friday with short contractions every 5-6 minutes, but they were not that intense...and after weeks of false labor pains i wasn't ready to trust that it was real labor. we decided to go ahead and attend the MOPS couples banquet we had signed up for that evening--after all, it only brought us closer to the hospital if need be. we did, however, go ahead and throw all the bags in the car when we left the house. :)

after finishing my dinner i decided the contractions were getting more frequent and painful, so we called the my OB and headed in to the hospital to get checked. i was just hoping i was far enough along that they would allow me to stay...so imagine my surprise when i was already nearly 8 cm.

we settled in a labor and delivery room, and being so far along, i decided to forego the epidural, etc. (which had been my hope all along and my hesitation about being induced!) and after about an hour and a half the nurse checked me again and i was 9, but my water still hadn't broken. my OB came in and broke my water...at which point labor definitely became much more intense (to say the least!)...but after about a half and hour i couldn't breathe through contractions without the intense need to push...three pushes later and our luke came bursting onto the scene.


he is not small...to say the least. nope, our big guy weighed in at 10 lbs 14 oz. and 22 1/4 inches long (and a 15 cm. head). he is perfect...absolutely perfect...and i couldn't have asked for a better labor and delivery...no complications for me...and in spite of the meconium in my water when it was broken i was still able to hold him immediately.

isn't he precious?

we didn't get settled into our post-partum room until nearly 2 am...after a few excited phone calls, lots of snuggling, his first meal, etc. needless to say, i didn't settle in and sleep much at all...but fortunately daddy was able to catch a few winks.

in the morning luke had several excited visitors. his big sisters are quite smitten. kate was the first to jump onto the bed and check him out, kiss him, ask questions, etc. elizabeth was a bit slower to warm up but did quickly decide she wanted to hold him and love him. both of his biggest sisters have continued to dote on him...kisses, snuggles, bringing him cars, toys, his paci, blankies, and on and on. hilariously enough kate was utterly convinced his name was jonathon at first...regardless of how many times we told her differently (not sure where that came from!)....and elizabeth insists on calling him "luke daniel"...not just luke...perhaps because she is the one who came up with his middle name. it was her front-runner "real" name choice (you know, other than scooby-doo, etc.). jilly did sit in my lap and look at him that first day, but it took her a bit longer to warm up. she was most interested at first in his paci...and since then is gradually growing more interested in luke.

the girls were accompanied by grandmommy and poppy (who made the late night trip friday night to stay with them for the first 24 hours while i labored, etc.) there "aunt jill" was also there to visit and love on luke quickly...just didn't get any pictures :(

love this one of poppy, grandmommy and the whole brood!

grandmommy and luke

i was able to get some sleep saturday afternoon before luke and i had more visitors...and then got a delightful night of sleep saturday night...before waking up and being horribly sick sunday morning...throwing up, etc....ugh! so thankful for the nurses that took great care of me...and of luke! and i felt much better by the late afternoon/evening after getting some sleep. :)

mike's parents and his brother and brother's girlfriend came in for a brief visit sunday....unfortunately not when i was at my best. mike and the girls were there too...so it made for a full rooom. :) but we did get a few pics.

grandpa and grandma f and luke


yep...every bit of him is huge...love the perspective of his foot size compared with my iPod. i think our favorite is the roll at the back of his neck. but really he is proportionally big...just big and snuggly all over...with huge hands, long fingers, long toes...and the sweetest, squishable, kissable cheeks. he totally captured the hearts of the nurses...even one of the gals from house-keeping stopped in before we were discharged; she had seen him in the nursery and just couldn't get enough...so, yes, we are biased...but a lot of people agreed with us about his preciousness!

the hospital released us early sunday night so we didn't have to stick around until the official 48 hours at almost midnight.

all dressed up and ready to go

doesn't

he

take

your

breath away?

our first night home was pretty sleepless...partly because we had severe storms and torrential rain...that combined with luke made for about an hour of sleep for mommy! and night two he was still not sure what "night" was for...but night three at home went MUCH, MUCH better. we have already learned that luke loves being on his tummy...he loves eating...he loves snuggling...and he is very much loved! we've been napping and hanging out, taking life slowly (unless you are daddy...who is working his tail off taking care of all of us...so, so, so incredibly thankful for my incredible husband.)

life is good.

the wait continues...i'm officially much more pregnant than i've ever been. i must admit, some days i am waiting gracefully...other days, not so much.

saturday was a melt-down of emotions kind of day. i woke up at 5 am with continuous contractions for almost 2 hours...when i finally got out of bed and showered they promptly stopped. after a similar bout thursday evening and friday mid-day i was quite done with the "false-ness"...and i was just plain weary. while Elizabeth and Kate had allowed us to sleep in a bit, they had instead been playing in the playroom which was an absolute disaster...that coupled with an exhausted, emotionally frazzled, lacking Jesus-time momma wasn't the best combo. the day improved...and then tanked...and then improved...and then tanked...oh how thankful i am for His Word, encouraging music, sweet and encouraging friends who reminded me that it is okay to simply "be" where i am with the Lord...not to put on a pretty and patient face but to bring Him my true emotions...and most of all, how thankful i am for my husband who loves me in spite of my sometimes 5 year old-ish emotional tantrums.

sunday dawned a NEW day...and i was thankful for the chance to get out of the house for church, enjoy some fellowship, hear His Word, etc. and i finally got around to having mike take a couple of profile shots...because i am reminded that i won't be looking like this much longer. i'm not big on prego pictures of myself...but, oh well, here i am...all babe in the front...this "little" man is low and out there...

i am thankful that i was able to make it to my MOPS meeting last week. one of my dear sweet friends spoke...she spoke on "glorifying God by just being YOU"...reminding us that God made us who we are, and we most glorify and please Him by living that out...not by pretending we are someone else....not by longing for someone else's circumstances, gifts, etc. one of the quotes from her talk..."When we withhold ourselves from others, when we spend our time and energy trying to be like someone else, we deny the Lord the glory He is due and deprive the Church and those around us of the unique image of God that He has placed in us and us alone." -Nancy Just

oh how true that statement is...how i needed to hear and be reminded. the words the Lord spoke through her last Thursday are still challenging my thoughts, especially when she talked about the Lord planning the unique circumstances we are each in at this very moment. she has been the one on the other end of the phone several times in the past few days...reminding me that i don't have to push myself to be "social" in the midst of the wait...that i don't have to feel upbeat and happy all the time...that i simply need to cling to Him and trust in His plan, even if that means admitting that i don't always like it.

that said, we went for my appointment Monday morning and found that despite lots of contractions, etc. i was still just 75% effaced and 1 cm dialated...the same as last week. we have scheduled an induction for next monday morning...if he hasn't arrived on his own (and, honestly, i'm not holding my breath...he seems to be pretty comfy inside the womb--and honestly, since he can hear the constant chaos of his three sisters i can't say i'm all that surprised :) ). at my ultrasound 3 1/2 weeks ago a conservative estimate was that he was measuring 9 lbs.+...so four weeks later at an average gain of 5-7 oz. a week, we could be talking ginormo-baby....but God is sovereign over that as well. while i would love to go into labor on my own...naturally...i am also totally onboard with induction if we make it to monday morning. i must admit, it is amazing how much having a "date" has helped the waiting...that combined with actually having a plan for the week (something we didn't have last week when we thought we were being induced back then...and that about made me crazy--who knew, i am far more of a routine and schedule girl than i would have ever admitted before!).

sunday i got a few books at the library...so it is has been nice to do a bit of reading while waiting...and keep on knitting...i finished earflap hats for jilly and kate...need to start elizabeth's tonight...baby boy already has about 5. :) i've been snuggling my girlies...kate especially loves using her baby brother as a pillow. we've been going through our normal routine (and daddy has done some fab hair-styling while washing!). laundry. diapering. baths. breakfast. lunch. dinner...the norms.


...and because i simply think they are adorable...i HAVE to share pics of the cutie XS and S bumgenius AIOs a sweet friend gave me Sunday morning...they are cute and tiny...and just up the anticipation a wee bit more!

{while we wait}

last week we were fairly certain we would be holding "the baby brother" in our arms right now...but instead we are still waiting. the plan was induction due to his size, but we went in monday morning and found that the hospital's induction policy on induction for larger than gestational age babies had recently changed. we were disappointed at first...for obvious reasons...my discomfort, thinking we were in the "home stretch", and having an insurance company dictate what was best rather than the doctor who sees me regularly. but, honestly my outlook is much better right now. ultimately i didn't want to be induced...i'd much rather go "on my own"...and seriously, God is in control, no matter how big (or small...) this baby boy ends up being...and no matter when he decides to arrive...or how he arrives.

we thought we were "done" because we needed to get this baby out, but in reality i think what mike and i needed more than anything was the chance to take a break...to step back and simply enjoy being together. this has been a long and cooped up winter...more so than i remember a winter being in quite sometime. we've had date nights, but our date night schedule has been interrupted quite a bit...and honestly, dates have sort of seemed "crammed" into a short time frame...a quick dinner, picking up tired kiddos from our swap and then having to get them and ourselves home and in bed...etc. (don't get me wrong...those kind of dates are much, much better than nothing at all). but monday (which also just so happened to be valentine's day) was probably the best gift we've been given in quite some time.

mike went to my appt with me in the morning...the big girls had school and my sweet friend jill offered to watch jillian for us indefinitely (since we weren't sure whether we might end up at the hospital immediately after the appt). after the appt mike decided to take the rest of the day off so we could simply enjoy some time together (perhaps also because neither of us had slept well at all the night before). after i caught a brief nap we headed to one of our favorite restaurants for a leisurely (and tasty) lunch...and we actually did a fabulous job of avoiding talk of baby, parenting, planning, schedules, etc. (not that they are bad things...i think we just needed something different)...and then we enjoyed several non-necessity errands together on a gorgeously sunny monday afternoon....holding hands, laughing, chatting, popping by sonic for dessert milkshakes. it was fabulous, just what we needed...the chance to reconnect and simply enjoy each other...without our beautiful and delightful but noisy and high-maintenance kiddos in the background. then he headed up to get the girls from school and jilly from jills...and i headed over to the gym to take a nice slow stroll on the treadmill...we may not be talking induction, but i am still eagerly anticipating this little man's appearance...and moving surely can't hurt. :)

and, really, if we are going to be in the midst of the "waiting" game...we couldn't ask for better weather...seriously. last week it was below zero...today it is 60 and delightfully sunny...kind of an oddity to be able to walk outside in a t-shirt but still see big piles of snow along the edge of the street and a smooth layer of snow still on much of my backyard. the girls and i went out this morning for a few errands...and we might have walked up and down EVERY aisle of target, aldi and kroger...then we came home and took a nice walk around the neighborhood....a nice slow walk...because, seriously, i am not moving very fast these days...it is a slow waddle. after all, this baby is big, and he is LOW...i probably look a bit comical quite honestly. :)

and so we wait...ready and eager but also doing a much better job of trusting the One who is really in control as opposed to our own plans or agendas. (and reminding ourselves of that over and over and over again as we forget or get impatient.) for those who are curious...yes i am having contractions quite frequently...i am progressing (something that has never before happened until i was hours from meeting a baby)...and i am already starting to think that boys truly are trouble. (just kidding...kind of....he he). i am learning just how much one can "wing it" for dinner...and end up with a decently healthy meal that everyone eats without complaining...something that often doesn't happen when i plan and spend lots of prep time in the kitchen. i am enjoying extra snuggles with jilly...relishing them...as i consider the bittersweet realization that in just a few more days i won't have nearly as much time to rock and snuggle and hold her. i am laundering and cleaning up and constantly trying to keep myself and the house "ready"...just in case. i am knitting...seriously in a 48 hour period i knit two more earflap hats (one a gift for a new baby girl) and another boy one...mike laughs that this baby boy is going to have the most stylishly covered head ever...and that it better stay cold awhile longer (not really!). i am enjoying playing a new game with the girls...one we picked up while we were out monday at the recommendation of a friend (s'match).

as evidenced by this post, i have not been taking pictures. the camera is tucked away in the hospital bag, and i fear that if i take it out i'll inevitably forget to put it back in.

...and that, friends, is just a snatch of what we have been up to while we wait....

...and for the record, i am fairly close to the longest i've ever "lasted" in pregnancy...i can't remember exactly how early elizabeth was, but i have already surpassed kate and jillian.

...all my bags are packed, i'm ready to go....

...to the hospital, that is....to meet this baby boy. might i mention that he is a big baby boy, just like his sister jillian was. we had an ultrasound on Monday morning and he currently looks to be between 9-10 lbs...i'm huge...and ready. seriously ready...but trying to remember to enjoy these last few days of time with just my girlies...but honestly, i must admit that my patience is thin, especially in the midst of feeling quite "shut in" by the ice, then the snow, and now the frigid temps. i was, however, able to actually fall asleep and take a nice hour long nap this afternoon...which was extremely encouraging, as i am very lacking in the sleep department.

anyway...i am stunned as i think about the reality that very soon my sweet baby will no longer be the "official" baby of the family (she'll always be MY baby). speaking of that sweet little girlie...don't you love her first little piggies...they kind of make me want to give her whatever she wants. she is big into that lately...trying to get her way, to get whatever it is she wants. she has definitely perfected the art of throwing herself on the floor in a tantrum...one night last week she went so far as to end up in bed before dinner was even over. i think a tiny little bit of it is the teeth working to poke their way through on the bottom...however, i suspect MOST of it is simply part of being 17 months old...and testing the limits. ;-) i'm quite curious how she will react to the whole idea of a new baby in the house...i suspect she might be a wee bit bent out of shape for a bit, but i'm equally confident she will love her baby brother.


elizabeth and kate are very eager to meet their baby brother...although, elizabeth has had a few episodes involving tears as she realizes that i will soon be heading to the hospital. i suspect she is also "experienced" enough to realize and remember that while baby's are cute, they are also quite attention-sucking. :) but both girls like to pray for "the baby brother"...so cute that the other day elizabeth asked me, "umm...mommy, do you and daddy have a name for the baby brother yet?"...yes, sweet girl, we do...we just aren't telling you, lest you spill the beans. :) i am pretty sure kate is perhaps the MOST excited about the impending arrival of baby...and i'm guessing she is going to be my biggest helper of all...i also suspect that in true kate form she will have her fair share of melt-downs, etc. ;-)....but then again, i'm fairly certain i will too!

so what have we been up to...other than not finding time to blog.

well, i mentioned it above, but yes, the weather this winter hasn't been overly kind. we are way above average for snow...which truly doesn't bother me...except that it keeps coming at just the perfect moment to cancel the few "outings" we regularly have...MOPS, etc. but last week we were closed in by a crazy ice storm...bonus that mike was off work tuesday and wednesday because pretty much everything shut down (and that we didn't lose power). we pretty much hunkered down inside...other than my champion of a husband chipping away at the 4 inches of ice and snow encrusted over our driveway. the picture below doesn't give a great reference, but that ice layer was as thick as my iPod is tall...so about 4 inches....and quite SOLID...lots of parking lots and side streets are still ice skating rinks (well...most of the driveways in our neighborhood still are as well!). then saturday when we were FINALLY going to leave our house for the first time since monday to head to a birthday party for a super special 1 year old, we awoke to find snow falling like crazy....and ended up with a fresh 5 inches on top of our already icy and white winter wonderland...and now, well, now the air outside is arctic! saturday we put a kabosh on the birthday party plans that were a half an hour away, but we did decide that for our own sanity a quick trip a mile down the road to the china buffet was in order...and the grocery store. let me tell you, it did a family good! :)


oh, and we've baked and decorated cut-out valentine cookies already...since, after all, it is likely we will be a little busy right around valentines day. the girls actually made valentines today for their classmates at the school they attend on mondays. they had fun. i love that the teachers are emphasizing God's love on monday...not so much just a celebration of love in general. jilly did help spread the frosting on her cookie for about .5 seconds, but then she realized she could lick the spoon, and, well, the jig was up then!



and this one...well, it is from way back at the beginning of january, but elizabeth was quite sure i should add a picture of them sliding down the yule slide at the children's museum. so there!


and finally...one last "pictoral" from the past week or so...daddy roars, jilly giggles...and you can hear the big girls splashing and laughing in the tub in the background. this was a particularly sweet evening recently.

bits and pieces...

oh my goodness...has it really been almost a month since i blogged.

i've had the best of intentions...really...i have. but rather than blogging i've spent my time trying to keep up with a certain (oh so rapidly growing) 17 months-today old....and her sisters. and, oh my, jilly is a handful to keep up with these days...she can climb on ANYTHING...and she likes to stand...also on ANYTHING. among her favorite things would be shoes...especially shoes that don't belong to her...i think elizabeth's brown boots are her favorite, but mommy and daddy's tennis shoes come in as a close second. in the past two months she has gained four molars, two "eye" teeth, and is working on two more. her hair has officially grown long enough for a "fountain" ponytail atop her head...and i might be biased, but i think its pretty darned cute.

sorry for the blur of all the photos, they all were taken on my iPod...i seriously don't think i've pulled the camera out in the last 2 or 3 weeks...hence the complete lack of photos as well.

anyway...like i said above, jilly's sisters are keeping me on my toes too...lots of game playing, lots of conflict resolution training--they sure do love each other, and honestly, some moments they play together in the most amazing and creative and loving ways...but, oh my, watch out when the arguments come...they are fierce and intense (i suppose i shouldn't be surprised). and yet, as much as each new age and stage brings new trials and struggles, i absolutely love their current ages. they are super into telling jokes right now...especially knock-knock ones...nonsensical...of course. and kate's personality continues to bloom...hilarious voices and comments...and questions...she has been the one to ask the most about how baby's are made, how the baby will get out of my tummy (her thought...it will just "crack" my belly in half). both girls are already absolutely smitten and in love with "the baby brother" (nope...they aren't privy to his name either)...although mike and i have officially decided on a name. they love to pray for him at night, talk about how they will help when he comes, and on and on. a couple weekends ago my cousin and his girlfriend came over for lunch while my mom and grandma were in town, and, well, to put it mildly the girls were obsessed! they clung to "uncle" mike and miss heather...who happily obliged their requests for games and lap-sitting and swinging upside down.

i was blessed that same weekend with a cloth diaper/baby boy shower...which was oh so fun! my friend carrie not only opened her home, cooked yummy food, planned a few fun games, etc. but also made the cutest lion cupcakes EVER (sorry they are sideways!)...all while caring for her 3 month old and 19 month old. what a blessing to spend the afternoon with amazing friends and family...and a complete bonus to be blessed with lots of cloth diaps, TONS of blue--hand-knitted blankies and booties, super soft snuggly blankies, clothes, clothes, clothes and more clothes, incredibly crafty and sweet presents...including shirts for each kiddo depicting her/his "animal"--i promise a picture soon, a sweet sweet onesie with the words "elizabeth, kate, and jillian's little brother", a handmade fabric "highchair" and carseat canopy...and and and...you get the idea. i mean, seriously, i was overwhelmed by the generosity of the beautiful friends in my life.

and those three girls aren't the only ones keeping me on my toes. this baby boy is already giving me a run for my money...i still have 3-5 weeks to go, but seriously, some moments i think he is just going to come NOW...he is a mover and a squirmer, and right now i am "all baby"....i've hit the "nesting" phase, however, finding the energy to accomplish those "nesty" desires is a bit of a challenge. :) today i made massive progress...the big girls were at school and jilly took a nice long morning nap, so i was able to vacuum and mop, clean up the kitchen, and oh so many "little" odds and ends around the house...but best of all, i did some cleaning up in the van and managed to get three carseats across the backseat of the van. we've been on a quest for just the right booster/carseat combo to make this possible (we could do it before but getting to the buckles was quite challenging)...look at my victory! since only one of the girls can proficiently buckle herself and tighten the belt well at this point, having room to get to the backseat for buckling will be oh-so-fabulously helpful! (if they are all three in the back i can leave one seat in the middle row folded down for easier backseat access). here they are after school pick-up this afternoon...yes, kate is "finishing" her lunch...complete with a sandwich crust smile. elizabeth and kate don't like eating crusts...however, on the way home they "shared" their leftover crusts with jillian...who prefers to eat just the crusts...its a nice arrangement. :)

i seriously could just keep on blogging...there is so much to say...i could tell you about the new washer and dryer we were blessed with...brand new...for a super, incredible, can't really believe it bargain. we have sweet and amazing friends. even better i could tell you that i have yet to do a load of laundry in the washing machine (cloth diapers included!) even though we've had it for over a week. no, that does not mean i am behind on laundry, rather it means that my husband is beyond incredible. a few weeks ago he decided to take over laundry for the time being...his desire being simply to bless me. wow! i'm still folding (with his help) and putting it away, but seriously...how amazing is he! pretty stinkin' amazing!

i could tell you about the crazy insane snow we've had...seriously, it just keeps coming...and typically right around morning rush hour. we've had cancelled MOPS meetings, cancelled school days, and lots of stir crazies...mostly because it has even been too frigidly cold to go outside. but it is pretty...

i could tell you about my volunteer time in libs and katers classroom...entertaining, exhausting...preschool teachers amaze me...really!

i could tell you about how our son is going to have the warmest head ever because i just can't stop knitting hats...especially this super cute earflap pattern i found...but if i told you about them i should probably post a photo, and i don't have one. so i won't...but i just did. :) photo to come later...i promise!

i could tell you about the nice evening we had hanging with friends last night...our many children occupied...she and i sharing and chatting about our pregnancies and soon to come fourth babes...the hubbies simply enjoying some guy time...eating pizza and too many sweets. it was a delightful change of pace...love when you can get together and do "nothing" but have it seem so refreshing.

but i will just leave you with one last "funny"....(and my apologies for how overly long this post is...but, after all, it has been almost a month...and who knows when i will blog again!). yesterday after church we hit costco...which isn't all that unusual. as we arrived we bumped into my dear friend jill and her boys e and b walking in. her hubby was still at church, so it was just her and the boys (e is almost 1 and b is almost 3). ironically our lists were almost identical...milk, clementines, cottage cheese, and a pineapple....and, of course, a hotdog for lunch afterward. b decided he wanted to walk with mike (who he kept calling "daddy")...and then ultimately he decided my cart was way cooler than jill's cart...so i had jilly in the seat, kate in the cart, elizabeth walking next to me, and b hanging on my cart, and my oh-so-obviously-pregnant belly. can i tell you about the looks i was getting....looks of amusement, looks of terror, looks of "don't you know what birth control is", looks of annoyance. it was really, really funny. and it only got funnier while we waited in line (carts full of "matching" items!)...b sticking with my cart...mike helping both jill and me...and all the kiddos...all of them who are of talking age calling him "daddy". we must have looked like the strangest family ever...polygamy anyone? and then we proceeded to sit down and take up two tables in the food court...our one big happy family. :)

and now i need to run...get jilly up from her really late nap, make some pancakes and puree some strawberries to top them with (with some whipped cream, of course!) for a pre-small group dinner...and then off we go to small group.

maybe just maybe i will make it back before another month passes by!