Caroline Ashleigh Counts

Well everyone, here she is. Thanks for your patience. I (Bryan) just got home and put the boys to bed and am going to try and finish this post before I fall asleep myself. Caroline Ashleigh made her arrival at 12:49pm after five hours of labor for her mom. She weighs 6lbs, 10oz; and measures 20 inches. Everybody is healthy so far and we're praising God for his good gifts and mercy towards us.

Still Pregnant...

Here she is! Hard to believe she's almost here...

The plan is to call the hospital early tomorrow morning, and if they have "room" they'll take me. If all the beds are full, then we'll have to wait until later on Thursday or possibly even Friday. I'm really ok with that--I'm not feeling super anxious or anything. Don't get me wrong, I'm ready to meet this little one, but at this point, what's one more day?

My friend Shelia told me that June 1 would be a great birthday because it's 06/01/07 and 6+1=7. Then she said that the 31st would work too, because 5+3-1=7 also. She's a former math teacher and her mind just works like that. I'm game for whatever. :) I'm just glad to know she'll have a "cool" birthday.

It's amazing to me when you get this far along in your pregnancy how everyone wants to know what your body is doing. I know that is just part of it all, and it's really normally just women who want to know how much you are dialeted (2-3 cm) and effaced (50%), but it's kind of funny, isn't it? I'm mean, seriously, you would NEVER dream about discussing things like this with aquaintances unless you are about to give birth. People are asking Hubby about it also, which makes him a little uncomfortable. I believe his words were, "My wife's cervix is really none of their business." I laughed pretty hard at that...people are sweet and just want to know. I appreciate the sentiment.

At least I'm not getting comments daily from strangers on the street like Nancy is...you need to write some of those down, girl. (Didn't one guy point at you and nudge his wife as if to say, "Hey! Look at that!"

Ok, so I'm going to go pack my bags and run some last minute errands before tomorrow. I can't believe it's almost time...

Maybe we can post pictures from the hospital. I hear this new swanky one where I'm delivering has a wireless connection.

Baby Update

Just wanted to let all of you know that I'm still pregnant. I'll be 39 weeks on Saturday...whew. Sometimes I feel like this pregnancy has gone by so fast, and other times I feel like I've been pregnant FOREVER...(only 30 out of the last 48 months, but who's counting?)

I'm feeling good for the most part and, despite what the scale says, I'm not "huge." I mean, I'm big, but not like I was with pregnancy #1. My doctor is GREAT and is keeping an eye on this baby girl. I've had a biophysical profile every week since week 36, plus ultrasounds. She is measuring a little "small." Three weeks ago she was 5 lb, 12 oz according to the ultrasound measurements. I know for most people that is normal size, but with my history, that's little. ;) I don't mind, really. She can be a pipsqueak.

People keep saying, "Do you have a name yet?" They know I'm not going to tell, because we always keep it a secret, but they are just curious if we've decided or not yet. G Money has decided that her name will be Clarabel after the car Thomas the train pulls. I can tell you her name is NOT Clarabel. I hate to disappoint the little guy...so we've been working on it with him. We haven't decided for sure what her name is, so we've just decided to take the 4 or so names that we love to the hospital and decide then. We'll see what mood strikes. :)

Unless she comes before, we are scheduled for induction on Thursday the 31st!! HOORAY!! I happen to like being induced...I know it is different every time, but it has worked GREAT for my body the last 2 babies, so I'm happy to do it again. It's so nice to know my mom will already be here and the boys will be settled with her. Of course, I can only plan so much. I know God's plans are much, much bigger than my own. This baby might come on her own tomorrow. I don't know what I'd do...but we'd get through.

So, there's the update for all of you who want it. I'll get those nursery pictures up soon. It's still a work in progress...

Another burden lifted...

So, a friend showed up at the door today with two HUGE bags of baby girl clothes, size 0-6 months. They are ALL darling and in great condition. What a surprise and such a blessing for us. Thanks, KIM!!! (That is Kim from the am show on Q102, by the way.)

Bear one another's burdens...

Galatians 6:2
"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

We had a great discussion last night at Bible Study about this verse. I've been so thankful for the women who have come every week for the last 4 months or so...I've learned so much from them. It's just been good to have a group of women together who are in all different walks of life, and who desire to grow in their walk with God. It's been a sweet time. Next week is our last week, and I'm gonna miss it!

Tim Keller talked about bearing burdens like this: "To help with a burden, one must come very close to the burdened person, standing virtually in their shoes, and putting one's own strength under the burden so its weight is distributed on both of you, lightening the load of the other. So in the same way, a Christian must listen and understand, and physically, emotionally, spiritually, take up some of the burden with the other person."

So, I've been thinking about people in my life who help me bear my burdens. It's fun to think about it--and inspiring at the same time. For example, yesterday afternoon I'd missed my nap (I think I'm missing it again today...) and I was laying on the couch thinking, "I'm not going to make it two more weeks." Both of the boys were running circles around me, and I had just hit a wall. The phone rang and it was my neighbor (a SAINT) asking if I wanted some of their "extra dinner" from the crock pot. She didn't even know how badly I needed someone to take care of me. She was just thinking FOR me. I have a lot of friends in my life who are good at that--they think for others and anticipate needs. Another dear friend called me a few weeks ago before a huge garage sale. She told me to bring the boys over in their pjs so she could feed them breakfast while I shopped. She just anticipated what I needed--I don't even think I knew I needed that.

More burdens lifted...
The countless hours dear, dear women give to my family in free babysitting so my husband and I can connect on a weekly basis. We've come to realize how desperately we need our date night--and our kids LOVE when these ladies come to play. (I think they like it, too.)

Friends coming over to help paint the boys' new room, and then taking over when I could do no more...another burden lifted.

Someone coming over weekly to help get coffee ready for Bible study so I can put the boys to bed uninterrupted.

Someone asking me how I'm doing--and really wanting to know the answer.

A friend calling me and telling me I'm missed.

Someone praying for me.

I want to be more intentional in my relationships. I want to actively think FOR people--how can I help lift their burdens? How can I better love others? How can I teach my children to think for others as well? I know a lot of it is responding to the Holy Spirit prompting your heart, but as we said last night, there is action required. I can't just sit around and wait and hope that I'll "feel the urge" to serve. I need to be proactive and seek out opportunities.

So...those are my thoughts today. Just thought I'd share.

These are my sweet friends, Sam and Christina, who came to paint the boys' new room...they are awesome.

Daniel's old nursery...baby blue, anyone? I'll post the boys' new room soon...(and the new nursery!)

Galatians 6:2
"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Family Picture

Do you know how hard it is to get a picture where 2 squirrelly boys are relatively still? Somehow, we managed. This is our most recent family picture and probably the last one for a while--at least for a month or so. I'm not letting a camera anywhere near me from now until this baby arrives. Cameras really do add 10 extra pounds, right? :) To quote Evelyn, I am "GLORIOUSLY PREGNANT."

Watch out world.

I realized yesterday as I was driving home from the airport that I'm a little more on edge these days. I actually honked at a driver on Powers who wouldn't move over so my minivan could merge. VERY unlike me...the best (worst?) part was my reaction when I passed him later and he honked back. I was ready to pull over and show him my prego self and fight the old man. MAN...I'm on edge. I think I need to have a baby.

We've got about 4 weeks left, friends. Maybe I'll have time to blog a couple more times before she arrives. :)

Nana and Caudy's visit

Well, I don't want all of you out there to worry about me too much. That last post was written in a moment of desperation, and reinforcements ARE coming. We actually had some just this past week. Nana and her sister "Caudy" came to visit and we has such a great time with them! We had great plans of getting TONS accomplished, and we did get some of it done, so that's good. I'm crossing things off the list little by little. Here are some shots of our time together...

Heavy D hamming it up

G Money at the park

The boys in the new double stroller (baby gift from Nana and Claudia).

We went to Boulder for the day...

Hubby and Heavy D on the Pearl St. Mall in Boulder.

My mom is coming for 2 weeks right after Baby Girl arrives. After she leaves, Nana will return for 2 weeks. Then, we have MORE family coming throughout the summer...right guys?? Anyone else? I'm taking applications...we have time shares in the tri-level available.