Five on Friday!

Happy Friday!  Our week has been more of the same - packing, visiting, packing, playing, etc. with a trip to Burgaw thrown in the middle!

{one}
We had a terrific weekend with Aaron's family!  We had a good-bye party with family and friends, enjoyed time with lots of people, and Aaron preached on Sunday morning for his home church!!

Sweet MK!


The cousins made a choo-choo


Aaron with his dad and sister



{two}
Hello Starbucks!  I am obsessed with coffee.  Not just my regular cup-o-joe at home, but the good stuff -  ie: fancy, girly, sweet specialy drinks from coffee shops.  I try and be careful when it comes to spending, but especially this time of year, when they bring out the holiday red cups and the weather gets a little chilly...I just can't resist :)


{three}

Christmas Music!  I used to be a "wait until after Thanksgiving" girl, but it just can't get here soon enough!  I love Christmas music, movies, and decorating, and I want to start now!!  Of course, we are moving, so our decorating will have to wait for Oklahoma, but the movies and music have commenced, and the celebrating of our Savior coming to the earth as a baby so that he could live the sinless life that we couldn't and die the death that we deserved to die, so that we can trust in him and receive the free gift of salvation by grace through faith....well... that is something I just want to be reminded of daily.

This album is on my list to get soon:


And, this one looks really good:
 

Oh, and I am embarrassed to say that this album has been a favorite for years haha:


This one is probably an all-time favorite:




{four}

Friends!  We have had playdates, dinner dates, babysitting help, and packing help.  We have been so blessed by our dear friends here in Wake Forest and I can't even think about not living life along side of them.  It hurts my heart.  But, then I think about how gracious God has been to even have given us any time at all with these people, let alone over 7 years. Even though we are sad to leave, our good God is sovereign and provided for us like we couldn't imagine.  We have already began friendships in Oklahoma  - people have been so generous - and these friendships here in North Carolina will continue as well (just not in the same way), and we are so thankful.  It is a great thing to be able to leave a place sad, because some of your closest friends and family are there, but to also move somewhere where people are eager to love, serve, and live life along side of you.  We are truly blessed by both!

{five}
Aaron's last night of working third shift in seminary is over!! We are officially done being on opposite schedules and I am thrilled!  I am so proud of him and humbled at the way he serves and loves our family.  He has worked a third shift job since before Emma was born, and also been part-time staff at our church for over 7 years.  He works hard, and I am fortunate enough to stay home with our sweet girls because of his efforts.  I am truly blessed and looking forward to enjoying many more nights where he is not leaving after the girls are in bed!  :)

10 days left in Wake Forest, followed by 4 nights in Hickory, a 3 day drive, and we will be in Oklahoma!  I cannot get over it!

5 on Friday

1.  As of October 27th, we are officially moving to Oklahoma!!!

Aaron was unanimously voted in as the Associate Pastor of students and families for Capitol Hill Baptist Church.  We are thrilled!  God has provided for us yet again and we will give Him all the glory.  Of course, with this comes the reality of leaving our families, friends, and GBC church family.  If you know me, you know I am overly emotional, so I have been doing an ugly cry every time I  talk about saying bye to people we love.  I could go on and on, so I will make this another post :).

2.  This is what our house is full of right now:

3.  I am working on ordering Christmas cards this week!  I am determined to get them out, along with our new address, the day after Thanksgiving!!  There are so many choices, though.  Which company has the best deal???

4.  Emma is now wearing her Strawberry Shortcake bike helmet as much as possible.  Did I mention we don't have a bike for her yet??  Haha!  We have a "big-wheel" type thing, but when my mom visited the other week, she went ahead and got Em a helmet in anticipation of her "bike."  Ha - She LOVES it though and wants to wear it everywhere - except to use the potty!  This is the worst!  She cannot undo it, so several times a day I am being called into the bathroom to find my child ON the toilet, but refusing to go until I get her helmet off - ridiculous much??  Such is the three-year old life.  It is cute though :)  Until potty time :( ha

5.  Because of #2 - (the number 2 mentioned above, not anything to do with the potty - have you ever noticed that once you become a parent you end up using the same terminology you use with your kids in adult conversations :))- we have boxes everywhere which has allowed Molly to perfect the art of climbing.  Of course, she is only 10 months, so this is wobbly baby climbing and nothing can make this mommy's heart stop beating fast than walking into the room after being out for, I don't know, maybe 10 seconds and seeing my 10 month old trying to stand on a box on top of a box.  Molly is a gifted climber for a typical 10 month old, but not enough that I can leave her alone for a moment without first making sure no small "step-stool" boxes are around.

7 months

This week our sweet MK turns 7 months old!  How did over half of a year go by so quickly?  It really has been a big adjustment going from 1 to 2.  We are just now getting the hang of taking both of them out easily - I am still deciding the best way to have them both at the grocery store, haha!  Molly is about as sweet a baby as I have ever known!  Of course, she has plenty of fussy moments as all babies do, but she is generally happy, content, and very flexible.  I am much more flexible this time around too!  With Emma I had read every book, and did most things exactly the way the books/schedules/etc. said that I should; and, with Molly I am less worried about having the perfect schedule, and more concerned with just surviving each day!
By now I feel like we have a pretty good schedule.  Most mornings Molly and I have some quiet time and take care of her first feeding around 7:30 and wait for Emma to wake up (best sleeper award!) and Aaron to get off work.  After that we basically have a great eat/wake/sleep schedule every 3-3.5 hours until bedtime.  She is a pretty good night sleeper, but we will be doing sleep training this week and moving her into the girls' shared room, haha.  Hopefully she will transition easily since we are going to the beach on vacation shortly after.

At 7 months (tomorrow):
-She eats about 5 times a day, and we have started solids (sweet potatoes are a fav).
-She is in size 3 diapers
-She is in size 6-9 month clothes (Emma was in these around 11 months (wow))
- She can sit up, but not steady enough for me to leave her without a little cushion for the occasional fall
-She still has a paci (we took Emma's away at 6 months, but for some reason this one gets away with a little more, haha ;))
-She is still in the pack and play, but will hopefully transition to the crib ASAP
-Her feet seem to be in great shape (they were curved in at birth, but should adjust to normal as she puts more and more pressure on them and learns to walk)
-She is just the most happy baby, and such a joy to be around.

I am so grateful that the Lord has entrusted our two little ones to us to parent and grow in the admonition of the Lord and look forward to the day that He might allow us to adopt more children into our family.  God has been so gracious to us in giving us these sweet blessings and we pray daily that we would teach them well so that they may come to know and love Jesus!

In other news, our big girl is potty trained!  Some of you may know that I started potty training several times, but I was either very sick while pregnant, too large to clean up accidents at the end of my pregnancy, or had a newborn.  So, we waited.  Two weeks ago I took the plunge and this time it was easier than any of the times we had tried before.  I basically provided the potty, undies, and some incentives, and she decided to play along :).  The first day we had one accident and after that none.  If you want to know specifically what we did, let me know.  I think the fact that she has been going #1 in our potty off and on for the last year and I waited longer than planned worked in our favor.

Emma is also taking summer dance classes, and seeing all of these 2 and 3 year old girls in pink leos and tights is about the sweetest thing (almost as sweet as a freshly bathed baby in pjs.  Anyway - pics will be coming soon!

Welcome Molly Kate!

So, we are 3 weeks late on the new arrival post, but I think with a hospital stay, Christmas, New Years, and lack of sleep all taken into account I am doing pretty well!  With that said, on December 19th, 2012 at 1:19pm our sweet Molly Kate made her arrival.  Weighing in at 7 pounds, 9 ounces, and 20.5 inches long, she was much bigger than our petite Emma Grace.  We were thrilled that she was healthy and thriving and we were able to keep her with us the whole time we were in the hospital, from birth to going home!  This was a totally different experience from when I had Emma, and although that was such a sweet time, I can't explain how wonderful it is to not have to have your child in the NICU and be able to go home together and not have to leave without her!  I could cry just remembering how hard it was having Emma in the NICU - plus, thanks to all of the hormonal changes I am a little more weepy than usual, hah. 

These past three weeks have been an adjustment, but a wonderful one!  Molly is just such a sweet and easygoing baby (pray that this would continue), and has already gotten herself into a pretty good 3 hour schedule.  Although we have had a little more awake time at night than I would prefer, we are working on it!  She is nursing very well and gaining weight.  At her 2 week check she was 7 pounds 11 ounces! 

She looks like Emma in many ways, but it is hard to tell because she is about double Emma's birth-weight, haha.  She looks more like Emma at 2 months.  Speaking of the big sister, she has been so sweet with Molly.  She loves to show off her little sister and give her lots of hugs and kisses. 

38 weeks

How Far Along: 38 Weeks
Size of baby: 19 1/2 inches long and weighs about 6.8 lbs. Molly Kate is the length of a leek!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained another 2 pounds - sheesh!
Maternity Clothes: Yes-all maternity clothes
Gender: Girl!
Movement: She is still moving around pretty well - getting those kick counts in everyday.
Sleep: I am sleeping ok. Just the typical end of pregnancy sleep that gets you ready for a newborn. :)
Symptoms: I am having really bad back pain, occasional nausea, uncomfortableness, and I am constantly going to the bathroom!
What I miss: Just sleeping on my stomach, bending over, and giving Emma baths easily. 
Cravings: Thankfully Aaron gave in and took me to Five Guys for my craving this past week!  He is so good to me!  Tonight we are going for what will be our 3rd annual dinner to the Angus Barn!  Woohoo!  There is a sweet man in our church that takes the staff and some other people for dinner every year and it is amazing!  So glad I can go before Molly arrives!
Best Moment this week: Being able to say that she will be here THIS WEEK!
What I am looking forward to: Meeting our daughter this week!  It looks like she will be scheduled to arrive on Wednesday (as long as she doesn't come before then)!  I had my last OB appointment yesterday and everything looks good.

I am super nervous about the upcoming week.  Worrying about whether she will be healthy and get to come home with us, wondering how Emma will do with the transition, and stressing over having the girls by myself as soon as Christmas....
But, I am choosing focus on thanking God for his incredible blessings to us in these girls, and trusting that He is faithful and will sustain us no matter what happens in the next week.  We have an incredible support of family and friends that we know will be here for us too!  God has blessed us so richly through our pregnancy with Molly Kate, and we are so thankful that He has allowed her to continue to grow in my womb for this long!  Please continue to pray for all of us this week!

37 Weeks

Full term!  I can't believe little Molly Kate has made it to 37 weeks!  I had delivered Emma by the time I reached 37 weeks with her, so this just feels like such a blessing.  And on top of that, everything is still looking good at my ob appointments.  I am going once a week now, but really I will only go one more time next Wednesday, then the following week we should be meeting our little girl!  Wow! 

With a second child, we have been much more laid back in the planning and preparation department.  It is starting to seem more and more real though the closer it gets, and I realized this week that I have completely forgotten what it is like to have a newborn - HA!  Seriously though, I think it is one of those times in your life that you are so sleep-deprived and everything happens and changes so fast that it is hard to remember.  So - I am busting back out all of the baby books that I loved with Emma, looking through all of her newborn pictures, and preparing myself for lack of sleep and lots of time with our boppy again!  Although I am nervous for baby girl #2 and going through the newborn stage again, I am eagerly anticipating her arrival and excited for how our family is about to grow and change.

How Far Along: 37 Weeks
Size of baby: 19 inches long and weighs about 6 1/3lbs. Molly is the size of a swiss chard!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained again :)
Maternity Clothes: Yes-all maternity clothes
Gender: Girl!
Movement: Yes, she is moving a lot, but I think it is getting pretty snug in there~
Sleep: I am sleeping ok. Just the typical end of pregnancy sleep that gets you ready for a newborn. :)

Symptoms: Braxton Hicks, back pain, some nausea, tiredness - usual preggo stuff
What I miss: Bending over easily, sleeping on my stomach
Cravings: Last night I got a strong hankering for a Five Guys cheeseburger.  Maybe the hubs will make that happen soon ;)
Best Moment this week: Making it Full Term!  Spending some fun time with Emma!  And going on a movie date with Aaron!

What I am looking forward to: Meeting Molly soon, and doing some special things with Emma and Aaron before she arrives, oh and Christmas parties!

36 weeks

Since I am almost 37 weeks and have missed the last two, i thought I would go ahead and do a quick update from week 36.
Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 36 Weeks
Size of baby: 18.5 inches long and weighs about 6lbs. Molly is the size of a crenshaw melon!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained again!  But still so thankful to be on the gaining side :)
Maternity Clothes: Yes-all maternity clothes
Gender: Girl!
Movement: Yes, a lot of movement!  She especially loves to move in the evenings when I'm laying down.
Sleep: I am sleeping okay most nights.  Sometimes I have a hard time getting comfortable and I still get up several times for bathroom breaks.
Symptoms: Braxton Hicks contractions several times a day, back pain, nausea, I've also had trouble with my vision and headaches, but my blood pressure, etc. looks good so far, so hopefully preeclampsia will stay away this time.
What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach, being able to bend over, not getting tired so easily - all totally worth it though!
Cravings: I had Aaron get some Reese's cereal this week, haha - definitely a craving, but still yummy.
Best Moment this week: Hearing Molly's strong heartbeat and finding out that everything still looks good at my appointment this week after the scare with my vision.  I'm now going to weekly appointments!
What I am looking forward to: Getting the house in order and doing some special Christmas things with Emma before baby sister arrives!

Just over 2 weeks until Molly's arrival (if not before)!!