Ready

... and waiting!

Blessings

Last night the girls from Mom's Group showered me with pre-delivery blessings at a Pedi/Mani Party! It was a beautiful evening of laughter, food, and encouragement for the days/months ahead. I feel so loved by this group of amazing women and thank God for the blessings they are.

What beauties (sorry you missed the pic, Lauren)! Guess I should have worn black, or something other than BRIGHT PINK. Then again, not sure there's any way to minimize the size of that belly!

I only include this one to document how the belly sticks out when sitting down. Oh, and the DELISH, homemade g-free cupcakes! (Way to go, Amy!)

Isn't it funny (and awesome:) that the preggo woman came home with the left over wine?!

A Secret She Cannot Keep

Pssst... Note to Rye: Elynor cannot keep a secret!

We saw a little of this at Christmas when she announced to Heather what was in her gift while handing it to her. I think it went something like, "Open the earrings...". Whoops. At least we have a year to work on this, I noted at the time.

So this morning immediately after Rye leaves for work Elynor starts asking me where the TV is. Puzzled, I kept saying, "Downstairs.", only to have her ask again, each time growing in frustration. After several back and forths she started looking around the house and getting more specific in her questions (smart girl...), saying things like:

"No Mama, the little TV." (We only have one TV and it's old and big and downstairs, I thought.)

"No Mama, the little TV to go on the kitchen table." (Um, the kitchen table is clean, darling, and who on earth would put a TV there anyway?! I thought.)

"No Mama, the little one Daddy got."

Hmmm?! We've talked about getting a small TV for the main floor of our house for some time... And Elynor & Rye did enjoy a Costco date last night while I was out... But the official decision had never been made. And we don't typically "surprise" each other with stuff like this.

I still wasn't sure if she was serious. But was also a little hesitant to pursue further, so as not to spoil any pending surprises. So I tried what any toddler's Mama would do, changing the subject. To no avail. This approach not only failed, it got her more frustrated that I couldn't find this TV.

Finally, after looking in several spots around the house and with her in near meltdown mode, I decided a call to Rye was necessary. I dialed, said hello, and told him Elynor had a desperate question for him. I handed over the phone and listened to this exchange:

"Daddy, where's the little TV?"

...quiet moment

"Elynor, remember, that's supposed to be a surprise? You're supposed to keep it a secret?"

Wide eyed, she handed the phone back over. I say, "Sorry. I'll act surprised?!".

And Rye faces the new reality, "I guess it's official, she can't keep a secret.".

Savoring These Moments...

At 38 (or 39 weeks... pending which due date calculator you believe) weeks pregnant, I'm mentally & physically finished. My back hurts (but still nowhere near the pain I had with Elynor). I'm exhausted. I'm "sleeping" on the couch (Elynor now calls it my bed). You get my drift... I'm doing my very best to not whine. But considering the ease with which Elynor asks, "Your back hurt Mama!?", "Why you say 'ahhh...' or 'grrr...' or 'golly, golly...' Mama?", followed by, "You'll be okay, Mama?!", I'm not sure how well I'm doing.

The house seems ready. We're 99% set on a name. My hair is freshly highlighted and cut. You know, all the important prep. ;)

And I think we're about as mentally ready as possible. I'm terrified about having a newborn again, but trust it will all come back to us... and I'm hopeful the beauty of perspective will help us to be more laid back about all the inevitable bumps. I'm possibly more terrified about the idea of being at home with an active toddler and newborn. Since going back to work, I really only spend one day a week solo and I'm usually wiped by the end. I already predict I'll be very ready to return in May, if not before.

The reality that this little girl *may* not be exactly like Elynor has also recently hit. First off in looks. It's challenging to picture this child and not see Elynor's early dark (latina-esque) curls and chubbiness. But I guess she could be bald, though probably not skinny. :) And after a rocky start with nursing, sleeping, and no clothes fitting her at the hospital, we've been blessed with amazing health and fantastic eating/sleeping. But a few weeks ago the light bulb went on to at least be prepared for differences here too. I haven't gone down the path of exploring all the specific scenarios we could face - not sure that's healthy - but I think my heart and mind are at least softened to the reality.

So all of this is to say we're somewhere in a strange middle place - longing to replace the challenges of today with the moments anticipated tomorrow - savoring the sweet times as a family of 3, knowing tomorrow will no doubt present new challenges of its own.

The following passage has provided me great encouragement in the past few weeks - calling me to not just live in the present, but to take comfort and find joy in God's intentional purpose and plan for it.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant & a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, an a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
- Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

More Winter Fun

Who says Chicago winters stop the outdoor adventures!?

...Okay, in complete honesty, I do. But thankfully Heather (a WI native) & Rye (MN boy) don't! I do my part by providing the warm (and cute;) winter gear and whipping up the hot cocoa. They create (and brave) the frigid fun.

Faces

More support for the fact that 99% of our communication is nonverbal... even with toddlers:

Evidently I have a "face" and "eyes" that accompany words of direction, discipline, and dissatisfaction. And apparently Elynor doesn't like them. In the past month or so she has demanded or communicated, often while holding up her own hand to signal 'stop!':

"Don't make that face, Mama!"
"Me no like that face, Mama!"
"Why you making those eyes, Mama?" (at least once while I made them at Rye...)

Once, she even asked me to turn around in the car so she could "See my eyes", thereby matching my visual expression to the tone of my voice.

Since she is close to mastering use of my iphone camera, I will no doubt have pictures of said face and eyes in the not-so-distant future. But she'll have to learn how to do a blog/Facebook post before these go public.