This year as I sit down and reflect on life I realize I have a ton to be thankful for. I am thankful for my daughter and her joyous spirit. I am thankful for the kicks and movement from my son. I am thankful for a husband who is working with incredible purpose to salvage himself and his relationship with God. I am thankful for the best Mom, Dad and brother a girl could ask for, who swooped in with literally, a moments notice and have made sure we are safe, feed and well loved. I am thankful for our new place. I love it here, in just 4 weeks it feels like such a wonderful home, perfect for an active toddler and a mama whose belly continues to grow - making it very obvious we are getting ready for a tiny newborn to join our family. I am thankful for friends. The friends who have heard it all, and still love and support me on this journey. I am thankful for a God who is so big he can take even such a devastating event like this, and allows me to see the rainbow already, that is waiting for me on the other end. I am thankful for life, my life, for breathing in the sweet air and feeling winters cold breathe on my cheeks. I am thankful.
20 weeks with Isaac.
Tuesday was my big ultra sound appointment for Isaac. I am happy to report that he is growing away. I may still have only gained 2 lbs this entire pregnancy (Yes thats right - with Grace I'm pretty sure by this point I was up 20 lbs, but with Isaac I am up exactly 2 lbs from my starting weight) However the dr says not to worry - he is growing healthy and strong. It is always breathtaking to hear a little heartbeat that resides inside but doesn't belong to you. I could listen to it forever.
Isaac continues to show he is going to have his own incredibly unique and exciting personality, much like his big sister. He refused to ever show his face during the ultra sound and in fact most of the time covered up with his little arm.
I have been experiencing a bit of spotting, which I had been attributing to all the stress, lack of sleep and eating. I was not at all concerned as Isaac spends most of the day giving me kicks to let me know he is still there, and I experienced what early labor signs feel like with Grace and there are none of those signs. However, upon my visit to the doctor I learned my placenta is actually much closer to the cervix then it should be at this point. It is actually a condition called placenta previa. My doctor feels confident that my body will correct it on its own, it is a pretty mild case at this point, however it means for the next four weeks no exercise, not even long walks, to give my body a chance to pop this baby up and out. It also means I will get another big ultra sound some time down the road - which is always kind of exciting. Maybe next time he will actually look at us. :)
I loved seeing all the measurements they were taking and all his little body parts. The picture above is actually his arms. They also confirmed what we already knew. He is a boy! This time they told me they were 100% certain and there was no way he was not. lol.
This daughter of mine still brings joy to even the wettest and coldest of days. I am not sure at what age its not appropriate to put pictures of your child loving her bubble bath... so I decided to censor this one. She is just loving life at the new place and taking bubble baths in her giant garden tub.
This week we have played in leaves, met friends at the mall for dinner and ice cream, enjoyed each moment and just tried to slow down. My really funny moment of the week, maybe not to Grace, but to me for sure, was the day she woke up from nap screaming. I literally ran in there expecting to see blood or some kind of terrible monster or animal. What my tiny peanut held up for me was the body of her just bought that day Cinderella barbie doll.... with its head missing. Apparently during nap she rolled over and totally snapped the head off with no chance of repair! I told her it was no problem we would take her to the doctor and get her fixed up. Lucky Mimi and Boppy had just arrived and helped me with switching the clothes and accessories of Cinderella with her only other barbie doll and what do you know.... Cinderella 2 made her return and was accepted and life was all ok again. (Cinderella 1 went home in Boppy's jacket and the evidence was disposed of) Life with a toddler is the best :)
Thanksgiving itself was lovely. Grace got to see her first movie at the theater FROZEN. It was amazing. We all made thankful hats and were pleasantly surprised by how many feathers we could fill. And Daddy was able to join the whole family for our thanksgiving dinner (and hat making as well). Grace was one happy girl to have everyone she loved surrounding her.
Grace and Isaac-
You are loved. Period. No matter what you do or where life takes you. You. are. loved.
Mommy
