Sweet Spring Weekend

This past weekend was spent enjoying the beautiful weather, enjoying being a family and getting a few things done before Crumpet arrives.  Our due date has come and we are still awaiting baby but are loving these last sweet days as a family of 4.  The hospital is so booked that they can't get me in for an induction until the 24th which is over a week past my due date so I'm praying baby comes on his/her own this week.  Tomorrow would be good, my 31st birthday.  What a special gift that would be.

 Saturday morning I woke up to the two of them reading in bed together.  Such sweetness.

 Showing off tooth #6 she lost on Thursday.

 I had Jacob bring this rocking chair outside for me to spray paint but the pollen is still so bad that I decided I'll have to wait a few weeks.  So I sat and read while the kids played and Jacob built things.

 Jacob worked on our chicken mansion coop while the kids used it as a dance stage/jumping platform.

Picking dandelions.

T and Crumpet

So, I'm pregnant.  Yep, old news I know.  38 weeks pregnant to be exact and I've not even blogged much about it other than my large belly photo from Easter.  Since time is running out and our little "Crumpet" could pop out any day now, I figured I'd at least give him/her a pre-arrival shout out.  Here are a few thoughts on this pregnancy before d-day arrives since it could be today, tomorrow or 2 weeks from now:

• This baby was given the nickname "Crumpet" to stick with the alliteration we had going on with the first 2 (Critterbug and Cricket) and who doesn't love a warm, buttery treat freshly baked in the oven?  Sounded good to me...but anything food related does.

• I haven't made too big of a deal about this pregnancy compared to my others.  It's not that it isn't as exciting or that I'm not looking forward to this baby but I have friends who can't have kids or are struggling through pregnancies and I feel humbled and honored that God would allow me a 3rd child.  I know this baby is a gift that I don't deserve and I certainly don't want to rub it in to those who haven't experienced parenthood yet.

• People told me I would love being pregnant during the winter compared to my last 2 summer pregnancies.  It was a lie.  I loved being pregnant in the summer.  Winter is dreary and dark and when you are already exhausted, it doesn't help.  Summer is sun-shiny most of the time and helps with my overall mood and energy, even if it is 100 degrees.  Plus, when you are short like me, it's hard to find petite maternity pants.  In the summer I wore dresses, capris and my beloved Chacos which are way more comfy than trouser socks and tights.

• I've had a wide range of cravings this time.  Everything from root beer floats to Abuelo's avocado enchiladas to cheap cheeseburgers from McD's to OJ to french fries to chocolate to ice cream to candy of any kind and then some.  My last 2 pregnancies I had two staple cravings:  Chik-fil-a and sushi.  I haven't really craved them this time.

• The kids are so ridiculously excited about Crumpet.  Dakota wants a girl and Corban wants a boy but they both assure me that they will love it regardless.  Just like with them, we decided not to find out what we are having.  It's just too much fun in that moment of birth to hear the big announcement.  I guess if I had to pick one, my hunch would be that it's a girl but I'm not going to bet the family savings on that.

• I'm pretty sure the kids think Crumpet is never coming.  They don't really have a concept of time and since we told them around 9 or 10 weeks then they've know for quite a while.  They keep asking me things like: "Is the baby going to be here in time to go to the beach this summer??"

• Crumpet moves less than Dakota but more than Corban.  I've seen a correlation to their in-utero energy and their out-utero(??) energy.  If it follows true this time, then we should have a baby that is a little bit of brother and sister.

• I love how Jacob still gets so excited to feel the baby move.  He's such a sweet daddy and husband and I'm thankful for his support and hand to hold through this journey of parenting and life.

• If Crumpet is a girl her name will be Sage Nicole and if he's a boy his name will be Logan David.

• I've had a lot more contractions early on this time and keep thinking maybe this baby will come a little earlier but I don't want to fool myself.  D was a day late, C was 4 days late.  Getting them out of the womb was about the same as it is every morning when I try to get them out of bed for school.  They hide and declare, "I don't want to go."  Seriously, is there a relationship between sleep behavior and when they arrive on the scene?  If so, I guess I'll stick it out for another 2 weeks in hopes of another baby that doesn't like mornings (cause this momma doesn't like mornings either!).

• I only have 3 more days of work before becoming a SAHM again.  It's been a rough year balancing work, architecture registration exams, being a mom/wife and I'm not going to lie - I'm pooped.  I need time to focus on just the family.  Ok, I actually plan on finishing up my last 3 exams but other than those, I want to be able to enjoy these days without the constraint of a set maternity leave.  I took almost 2.5 years off after having Corban and that was a special time, but going back to work was good for me too.  I guess I like to switch things up every few years so I don't get caught in a rut.  I've been able to see the pros and cons of both working and staying home and I think it's given me a well-rounded perspective.

I guess that's all I have for you because my lunch break is nearing an end and there's a piece of Gus's fried chicken that still needs consumed but consider yourself caught up on baby Cartner 3.0 and his/her momma too.

Easter 2013

Happy Easter! 

I think it's safe to say we have all changed a bit since last Easter.  Corban and Jacob have less hair (but boy do they keep getting more and more handsome), Dakota has less teeth and well, it appears I am the only one gaining anything - more hair and more in the middle.  Can't wait to introduce our newest baby in just a few what seems like never ending short weeks.  Our God is too good to us.