Sisters

Now Entering the Baby Zone

It's hard to believe in some ways, but baby #4 is considered "term" today (i.e. 37 weeks, or 3 weeks before my arbitrary "due date"), which means we are cleared for take-off whenever he/she decides to make his/her appearance over the next, oh, 5 or so weeks.

You know what that means! It's time to submit your guesses. When do you think baby will be born? Do you have a hunch about the gender? Think you know how much the baby will weigh? If you already have your answer ready, go ahead and leave it in the comments.

For those of you analytical thinkers (who like to make guesses based upon what is often inconsistent and irrelevant data) here are some answers to the most common questions I get from those trying to make an "educated" guess:

1.) Do you feel any differently this time compared to your previous 3 pregnancies? Umm...yes and no. And for that matter, I would pretty much say the same thing when comparing those 3 pregnancies to each other. Some similarities. Some differences. I've had varying degrees of nausea in the first trimester with each pregnancy, though I will say that I've had occasional stages of tummy sensitivities and heartburn throughout my pregnancy only this time. And so what if I have felt a little more tired and hormonal this time--I have 3 kids! I think that gets more and more true with each passing pregnancy. :)

2.) Are you carrying any differently this time compared to your previous 3 pregnancies? Yes and no. Sorry, I know I'm not being very helpful. I am "all baby" again, but I am carrying lower this time than ever before. Then again, that could have something to do with that business about this being my 4th baby and my abdominal muscle being split down the middle...

3.) When (gestationally speaking) were your other babies born? Our firstborn came 15 days before her Estimated Due Date (EDD). The second and third were both born 2 days before their respective EDDs.

4.) How much did your other babies weigh? 7 pounds. No, that's not an average. They have each been exactly 7 lbs. or 7 lbs. 1 oz., which is really just a difference of who peed on me more before having their measurements taken. And keep in mind, that's even with a significant difference in gestation.

5.) Do you have a "feeling" as to what the baby's gender is? No, and I'm really not kept up at night wondering about it, as some seem to think. I truly enjoy the open possibilities of the unknown and the anticipation of our big surprise. We'll be finding out pretty soon now!

As an added bonus, for those of you "visual" guessers, the pictures in this post were taken about 2 weeks ago. Okay, it's time to comment if you'd like to guess!

Protecting Midwifery Care in TN

My friend Toni has made me aware of a new grassroots organization in Tennessee working to fight back against some recently drafted regulations that could limit Tennessee families' access to evidenced-based maternity care (i.e. midwifery care). Check out the Tennessee Birth Coalition's website to read more about the goals of this organization and to find out how you can get involved.

Anastasia Ushers in the Terrific Twos

Birth Unbound

Here's a shout out to Toni Payne, a dear friend and fellow childbirth educator and doula. Toni lives in the Chattanooga, TN/North Georgia area and recently started a new blog about childbirth called Birth Unbound. Check it out at: http://birthunbound.blogspot.com/

I'm still working on updating my own blog. Thanks to those of you who have let me know you're still out there and have encouraged me to keep it up! I have managed to back-post about my business, so feel free to scroll down and take a look. More is coming, so hang in there with me!

Been waiting for an update?

Hello, dear readers! Should any of you be out there still holding out hope for my blog I want to let you know that I am still here and I apologize for the lack of posts in, well...a really long time.

This has been such an incredibly busy season of life for us--busier than I think it's ever been before! I've had a lot to post about, but somehow I kept getting behind on actually posting it. So, here you go. Spring is here, I have lots of pics and updates I want to share with you, and the blog is back on my radar. I'm going to try to catch up and back-post a little over the next few weeks, so keep your eyes open for new updates. In the meantime, you can enjoy the above picture taken of our Evangeline while waiting for this year's Easter egg hunt to begin. More pics to come soon!

Oasis Birth Services, LLC

As of January 1, 2010, my business, Oasis Birth Services, LLC, is registered in the state of Ohio! I am really enjoying the work I do as a birth doula and a childbirth educator, and business is really picking up! If you haven't seen it yet, check out my website at: http://www.oasisbirth.com

Good Things Come in Small Packages

Yesterday marked 12 weeks completed in a new pregnancy. Our new baby is now about the size of a lime and quickly working on outgrowing even that magnificent achievement.

We thank God for this new life He has created and hope that you will rejoice and pray with us as we anticipate with great eagerness the arrival of the newest member of our family (probably around the end of June).

"Taking the Birthing World by Calm"

Want to learn more about calm, gentle birthing with HypnoBirthing (the childbirth education method I teach and personally use)? This video gives a good overview:

The Sweetest Kiss

Eliana: Mom, if I hold my lips out in the air, what am I kissing?
Me: Umm...the air?
Eliana: But, Mom! How can I kiss God? I want to hug Him and kiss Him!

Childhood Imponderables: Astronomy

Astronomy fascinates me. I even used to dream of becoming an astronaut one day. My girls have started showing some interest lately in the celestial bodies, probably because we've had a few too many late nights recently.

It started last week as we were coming out of Target. When we had entered the store, there was still daylight. When we left, it was night. Eliana and Evangeline had a great time marveling together that they were in space!

Eliana and I have been having a lot of conversations lately about different time zones around the world, and I've been attempting to explain to her that it is not the sun which moves around us, but it is we that keep spinning around while we circle the sun. I can't quite seem to fully convince her that I'm not kidding, but the wheels are definitely turning.

On the way home from church tonight Eliana, who was evidently star-gazing in the back seat, asked me, "Do you know why the stars don't fall to the ground?" I just thought that was so precious.

A short while later, as I was getting Evangeline into her pajamas at home, I was asked, "Is the sun asleep? Is it tired? Is it with its mommy and daddy sun?" Precious!

And then there's Anastasia. As we got out the car tonight I tried to turn her attention upwards. This was actually more difficult than it sounds because she was busy pointing to all of the neighborhood lights. When she did finally notice the glitter-plastered night sky, however, she was happy to point out all of those wonders to me, too. Precious!

Every time I think on the greatness and majesty of the universe I cannot help but be awestruck over and over again at God's greatness and majesty! After all, if this is the creation, who can even begin to imagine the full glory of the Creator! What a precious hope we have in Jesus Christ, that one day we, God's children, will meet this Creator face to face and be welcomed as sons and daughters and heirs with Christ!

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.

Psalm 19:1-4

A Message for Daddy

By Request

The girls put on another dance show--this time with baby sister.

Here they are taking a bow.

Captain Daddy

Congratulations on your promotion yesterday, love! Thank you for all the hard work you do for our family and our country.

Glory Dwelleth in Emmanuel's Land

The bride eyes not her garment,
But her dear Bridegroom's face.
I will not gaze at glory,
But on my King of grace;
Not at the crown He giveth,
But on His pierced hand;
The Lamb is all the glory
Of Emmanuel's land.

From "The Sands of Time are Sinking"
Words: Anne Cousin (based on Samuel Rutherford's letters)

The Girls Cut a Rug

One Big Photo Shoot

While we were in Tennessee last month I took the kids to have their pictures made with my brother's children, Lucas and Kayla. I thought I'd share some of the pictures here.

Eliana and Kayla were easy enough to capture with a smile on their faces. I wish I could say the same for the younger two girls...

I had given four little girls a pedicure the day prior. We thought this shot would be easier to get than all of them sitting still and smiling, since all we needed was their feet. This did not prove to be true, but I'm happy that we finally managed to get it.

It was a miracle, but we did manage to get this one shot of all three sisters by themselves.

While I was trying to nurse Anastasia and convince her that photo shoots are, in fact, really fun the older two sisters had a few shots taken together.

Don't they just look adorable? It's amazing the things you can get kids to do when you bribe them with ice cream.

I just have to say that I love Evangeline's face in this picture. It so captures her personality!

This is attempt #2 at getting all of the girls in a picture together. Though I (obviously) hadn't planned on being in any of the pictures, I thought if I held Anastasia she'd do better. Thankfully, the picture turned out better than I could have hoped for given how things seemed in the moment.

Once that ordeal was over, the photographer asked if there was anything else we'd like her to get. In a rare, sudden moment of brilliance I asked her to go ahead and take a few shots of Evangeline by herself to save me the trouble of having to repeat this nightmare in a couple of weeks. Here she is scratching some bug bites.

Her she is with her mischievous grin. We've been seeing more and more of that lately...

I love this picture! Is this Evangeline or what?

The photographer and I kept trying to get Evangeline to be still, look at the camera, and smile all at the same time. She'd manage one or two of our requests, but couldn't seem to coordinate her efforts for all three. Frustrated, she finally sobbed, "I can't! I not big! I just too little!" It was hard work, but she finally pulled it off for the above picture. Way to go, Evangeline!

Make a Stand with Me

A Month in Tennessee