another new nephew!!

Baby number two for our family is here! Sylas Samuel was born this morning!! I hear he's a blondie. About 10 weeks ago, Gabriel joined us, and in another five weeks MY baby will join this brood!

At a little after midnight, Paul's mom sent the first text...they're at the hospital. So of course I could hardly sleep! We were up late, and so Paul was texting his brother. At about 2 am, my SIL just had the epidural and contractions were two minutes apart. The next text came at about 7.30 am from Paul's mom that they just broke M's water. FINALLY, shortly before noon, we learned Sylas had arrived an hour before! I dreamt of M in labor all night, and every time I woke up (which is a lot now at 34 weeks), I made Paul text for updates. We're spoiled in this instant gratification world.

Which is why we're planning not to share any hospital/labor/baby information until baby is here. Paul's mom will send updates to everyone in her phone with any info that is shared. We've been on the receiving end of a cousin's dilation progress, and I just don't care to share that much detail. It may be difficult to keep the induction date to ourselves, but regardless, we've made (and will continue to emphasize) that we do not want anyone waiting at the hospital ready to storm the doors.

We need new family time with just Paul, me and baby. After the journey we've been on, we're even more protective of our space and emotions. Our family is anticipating this little one, too, and we are so excited to share. But we need our time.

And as excited as I've been ALL DAY about little Sylas, we've stayed away from the hospital. In part because the roads are iffy for the 70 mile drive, but mostly because we want to give them space. The grandparents are there today; we'll see baby soon. I'm just as eager to talk with M to hear how things went, but that can wait.

With Paul's parents there today, at least I can count on some pictures by email a later tonight.

just hanging in there

This week has had lots of good things! These are the moments when my heart and mind are content, and the worry stays at bay. These are the moments I hold onto during the other times.

• A great date night at Garrison Keillor's (of the Prairie Home Companion radio show) Summer Love tour. Lawn seats were not only cheaper, they had the best views! He sang, told stories, and ambled around the audience for well over two hours. Even though it was a bit cool (we were in an outdoor ampitheater), windy and rainy, we left with smiling and singing.
• A relatively uneventful weekend. We passed the 14 week mark with no reasons to worry. I didn't do much other than hang out and grow a baby. :)
• Fun friends scrappin' and stamping' the night away. I love my monthly scrapbooking group at church! I was working on cards this month, but it still felt good to get my hands in that paper.
• An indulgent evening watching the Emmys. I like awards shows and the red carpet interviews. Paul doesn't. At all. That's why it's good that we have TVs in separate rooms some days.
• Days that are finally cooling off. I am much more comfortable in the crisp fall air than the sticky, heavy, hot air of summer. My favorite - wearing sweaters and my Birkenstocks at the same time.

Sunday night brought a bump in the week. My parents had spent the weekend here helping my brother move into his college house, and learned on their drive home that one of their cats was killed on the highway by there house. Paul and I had just gone to bed and were talking about how this day we were anticipating turned out to be just fine. Until my mom sent that text message.

I just don't know how to process sad news now. I can't separate it from my own feelings of loss. Mom's cats are the same age as mine, and they definitely aren't my pets, but I still know them well. And more than that, I know how mom loved her little Lita. Pets are members of our family, and they make their way into our hearts forever.

My heart just hurts a lot. For little Lita's brother and playmate who keeps looking for her. For my mom. For my babies. I can't even write that without the tears coming. Monday was a mental health day. I slept, recovered from the massive headache (stress headaches + pregnancy = wish I could take more than Tylenol), and snuggled my kitties. I also thought about how I need to protect my emotions, including asking that difficult news be shared with me in a certain way. I just have to be gentle with myself.

wedding good things and 13 weeks

Whew! The long wedding weekend was great - but exhausting. Conversations with family were relatively easy, and everyone was just so happy about all of the exciting things happening right now. The list of good things from this weekend is long:

• seeing my brother- and new sister-in-law so happy!
• lots of Shirley Temples with extra cherries
• getting to know cousins better
• an incredible pizza buffet for the rehearsal dinner
• hearing people laugh at Paul's speech at the reception
• a beautiful hotel room with a walk out patio to the lake
• celebrating the 80th birthday of a great uncle and meeting more relatives
• dressing an adorable nephew in his pint-sized tux
• talking baby stuff with M, one of my pregnant sisters-in-law
• a super comfortable dress on a very hot wedding day and being told I was just adorable
• lots of congratulations on baby
• dancing with my husband
• listening to my brother-in-law sing the Ghostbusters theme at karaoke
• quality time with M, my sister-in-law, while our husbands were busy being brothers of the groom
• a two-hour nap this afternoon after we got home

Today I'm 13 weeks! The days of progesterone suppositories are numbered. :) We have an OB appointment tomorrow, and I will be very happy if we just get to hear the heart beat, but Paul really wants another peek at baby. I'm just one week away from the point at which we learned our second baby had no heartbeat. I can't wait to start checking off those markers as we pass them. I am feeling so good - both physically and emotionally - and I just know I'm going to be holding this little one in about six months.

preparing for a weekend with LOTS of family

My brother-in-law's wedding is tomorrow....so I'm gearing up to see LOTS of family in the next several hours. We're going to have a lot of fun, and I'll get to know some of Paul's cousins better. And I love my sisters-in-law! Two of the three (not the bride) are also pregnant, and I haven't seen them in awhile.

Those are the things I'm looking forward to. I'm nervous about conversations or comments about my pregnancy. At least they all know, so there won't be any surprises like last weekend. So I'm planning to just soak in their excitement and well wishes and allow myself to be excited with them. And who's going to be paying attention to me with beautiful people in beautiful dresses (and tuxes) around us! :)

The words I need to remind myself of more often:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Phillippians 4:6-7