Let It Be!

When I was pregnant with Little {L} I used to clean the house and listen to the Beatles album, Let it Be. Seems normal enough, huh? Did I meantion once I got to Across the Universe, I would start weeping? Yes, not crying, but weeping, sometimes sobbing. They were both tears of happiness & sadness-sometimes in an extra-crazy pregnant moment, I would have no idea why I was crying at all.

I would cry for all the happy things the future held-watching the kids grow up, starting school, first steps, kisses & hugs. I would cry for the sad times-watching the kids GROW up [lol], starting school, missing them, missing relatives who've passed before meeting the kids, wondering if I had what it took to be a mom to three kids.

The CD eventually made it to the car and was lodged under a seat for awhile-like a year. I found it yesterday. I popped it into the radio while driving Miss {M} to school. Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with the same emotions I felt 2.5 years ago. The differences were so apparent though. Not only am I a mother of 3, I'm a mama to 4 now! With the addition of #4, I feel so much calmer & at peace. I worry less about things that may or may not happen and spend more time in the current moment. More time focused on what my babies are doing today, at THIS time. Yes, I still think about what the future may hold, but I worry about it less. I don't look ahead to what the next milestone may be, but enjoy what they are doing now.

What will be, will be... just let it be. Be. Enjoy the day!

Working

Kunklebaby will be at Craftin Outlaws for our 4th year this October! YAY! I know I have months to get ready, but... things have been going a little slower here since the baby joined us. I am actually trying to be prepared for something over time [-gasp-], rather than spending an entire week before an event without sleeping. The end result is the same, lots of kunklebaby goodness, but I'm hoping this is a little less stressful, path.

If your keeping tally, of the 4 years I have done Craftin Outlaws, I've been nursing for two[counting this year] and pregnant for the other two--yeah I'm that girl. Every time you see me, I'm either carrying a new baby or telling you about the new one I'm working on growing [and I love it!].

Looks like this is another year, hubby will have to shuttle the kids back & forth all day from the show so I can feed Baby Unicorn. If we get lucky, he may take a bottle or two, but O'm not holding my breathe on that one. Little {L} was a strict breastfeeder only, as in he would rather starve than have to even think of drink from a bottle [insert dramatic, baby -gasp- here].

This would be a handy time to have family or friends in town to babysit the bigger kids. Anyone in the family want to raise their hands and come to Columbus for a visit. Anyone... anyone...? Bueller? Anyone want to just come to the show and keep me company? Do I hear the kids Pet Cricket chirping?-lol.

Times they are a changing!

It's strange to image my independent two year old, currently racing through the house, climbing the walls and jumping on the cats, was this sweet, chubby footed toddler only last summer! [Although to be honest he was never very mellow]. It just seems like this one has grown so fast! Just yesterday HE was the baby of the house, and now he goes potty alone, dresses himself and needs his mama much less!

The past year had some up & downs for Little {L} and his mother! I got pregnant with Baby Unicorn last September and once October-ish hit, my sweet faced little mama's boy became a little, sweet faced monster! Lots of yelling, breaking things, napless l-o-n-g days and a sickly mama trying not to throw up on herself for a few months [quickly followed by a giant mama too tired & big to move].

I was worried about my little devil feeling replaced when Baby Unicorn arrived. I imaged even more tantrums, fights and rebellion. I was actually dreading the backlash that I was sure to arrive-at the worst moment possible, of course. The hospital visit passed without incident, a few days home-still good. My husband went back to work [oh, no here it comes!], and still nothing. It's been a little over a month since Little Julian joined the family and I feel like it's safe to say that we've made it through...in better condition than before.

In all honestly, Lucian has actually gotten closer to that sweet faced little doll I remember & really missed! I think he was missing his fun, patient mama, who had been replaced by the ever expanding, impatient, tired one that lived here the past 9 months. I had not realized how much I had changed, just focused on his behavior growing worse. The past weeks have been so wonderful! That said, he is still a two year old, with the "typical" two year old tantrums and such! So if you see me in Target with a screaming toddler, don't think..."Hmmm, I knew she was a liar!" haha!

One Year

It's easy to "forget" how much everything in our lives changes. It's often only when I look back at pictures that I am struck with the realization of how quickly! This month, we will add our fourth baby to the family. Last year at this time, we were a family of 5, one year later we are on the brink of 6!

Looking back at these pictures from last May, just reminds me how much the kids have grown while it didn't "seem" like they changed so much! Little brains grew & learned so much, tiny fingers lost their baby fat, a new streak of independence hit the older kids, we went through potty training, losing a pet, being pregnant for the 4th time in 6 years!

The newest little one should be here any day now! I am so anxious & excited to meet him/her. Everyday I wake up and think, maybe today is the day?? Everyday the kids wake up and say, "Will the baby be born today?" Mr. {D} is trying to talk me into a last minute, water tub, home birth, so he can be present and I don't have to be away from them while I'm in the hospital. He's so sweet and such a thoughtful kid for someone his age!!

Hiding?

I'm not hiding out from my blog, just trying to get lots of stuff done in a short amount of time! 9 months seems like so very long until you get into the home stretch and realize you have 101 things to get done still. Add to that the crazy amount of sewing projects I decided HAD to be done, and it's quite a list-silly mama.

I'm hoping to get a pair of slippers sewn before going to the hospital and a set of 3 baby dolls for the older kids-that way each child can have their very own baby on the day we come home with the newest addition. I got the new Anna Marie Horner book, Handmade Beginnings yesterday. So many more projects I want to add to my sew for baby list.....hmmm, I think I am going in the wrong direction here?

Tomorrow I have an ultrasound to check out the size of this wee, or rather not-so-wee one. Here's to hoping she or he isn't gigantic!

Waiting

Lots of waiting going on at our house. Waiting for the veggies to sprout, waiting for school to end for the season, waiting for lots of warm days, waiting for playing in the pool and dancing in sprinklers, and most of all waiting for baby!

I can't wait to meet this little one. This pregnancy at time has seemed to last so long. I never experienced that with the others. Typically at this point I am starting to get sad because soon I will no longer be pregnant. This time, I am counting down the days. Partly due to the surprising, painful aspects of this pregnancy [baby please more OFF my pelvic bone!], and partly I want to know if we have a new little girl or boy to love. The waiting is driving me crazy! I've tried to fill my time with sewing, gardening and the bigger kids homeschooling, but my mind always lingers on thoughts of the baby.

Spring!

We are so excited about the arrival of Spring!! The kids helped me make this fun spring wreath out of scraps today. It's quick, easy and fun to do with little helpers. They can be customized to any season or event by changing colors and adding little trinkets. Mr. {D} is already planning his approach to the Summer wreath.

I really like how the colors turned out! It's cheerful and bright, which will help us get through the rest of the rainy, yucky weather that is still waiting to come.

On a side note, we're 30 weeks into the pregnancy!! Yay! Crazy that it's passed so fast. Even crazier is the thought that in a few short weeks, we'll be a family of 6!!!!I hope the rest of my pregnancy passes as smoothly as the past weeks. My last two babies came at 38 weeks, so we are in preparation mode, making sure everything is set up and ready for the arrival. I'm getting so impatient to know if we will be adding a boy or girl to the family--we'll know pretty soon!

Working on

All the sudden I feel like this baby will be here before I know it. Rationally I know I have a few months, but emotionally I feel like I am in a huge hurry to be ready!

I have so many projects I want to complete before his or her arrival! I spent last night making new burp clothes. I had a large box of flannel remnants that have been sitting around for about a year. I hate getting rid of anything, so they sat, and sat. Sitting in bed at 9pm last night I decided they had to be made into something-immediately!

They were quick and easy to do! The sizes vary as they were scrap pieces, but are mostly uniform burper size. I like mine a little on the thin side so they can be used for drips under a nursing babe's mouth--and -ahem- the extra sprays you get while breastfeeding!

I made a mix of girl and boy prints, although I am sure we will use all of them regardless of the gender the baby comes out with. They are for spit up and milk, does it really matter? It feels good to complete something! I feel like so many things get 1/2 done lately that it's driving me insane. Maybe I just need to "plan" less projects? Although everyone here knows that will never happen.

I'll be finishing up the kids Valentine's Day dolls tonight. They are turning out so awesome! It's been hard for me not to show the kids already. I can't wait to see their faces on Sunday morning!

It's a......

Baby! Yeah, we decided to be suprised with the gender at birth, again this time. It was such a great moment when {L} was born and we finally got to find out. I'm so looking forward to that moment again-meeting my child and finding out it it's a boy or a girl, all at the same time.

I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for another little girl! We'll see in a few months!

So...

So....I just needed to post a picture proving I am not about to have this baby any day now-lol. This picture was taken a week and a 1/2, AFTER the last "giant belly" pic!

Things are going well with the pregnancy and I am enjoying feeling this little one move around. Hopefully he or she won't grow to be quite as strong as {L} was in utero. I thought he might break a rib with all his kicking and shoving in there!

This shot also proves that I need to clean the mirrors in our house more often. Every mirror that {L} can reach has his mouth prints all over it.

Behind the Camera

I often look through photo's from different events and special times in our lives. I smile at the remembered joke, or how sweet, little or innocent the kids look. Reminisce about silly times, and miss some of the days that have passed.

Recently I've noticed that I am missing from many of the scrapbook pages and entire events all together, due to being "behind" the camera. I started wondering what the kids would say when they grew up. Would they ask "Where were you?", "What did you look like then?"

In an effort to avoid these questions and record that, yes, I truly was present at every one of the important moments in the photo books, I took some pictures the other day. There will be a new scrapbook page featuring the top photo. It will read, this is what I looked like when you were growing up! I've been so involved in catching every change as they grow, smile, and pout that they see me behind the camera quite often.
I also decided to try and make sure I am in at least a few of the photo's-especially some while I am pregnant this time around. This may vary well, be the past time, so I am trying to enjoy every moment! It seems to be passing so quickly and if I blink I will be holding a new baby. I remember thinking I was pregnant FOREVER with my first. It's so different when you have a brood of kids to chase around and no time to ponder the future.

We're growing again!

Our family is growing again!

We will be welcoming our fourth child to the family this upcoming Spring. Everyone is beyond thrilled and excited. The older kids are really hoping for a baby sister [and so is mama!]. This baby will most likely be our last addition, so it would be awesome to have another little girl in the house. The boys are starting to take over!

It was a rough start this time. I could literally fall asleep anywhere at anytime the first 3 months, but things are coming around. I'm not feeling nauseous anymore and while I am a bit more tired, nothing extreme like it was! My belly is growing [I swear it gets bigger earlier, each time!], and the kids are loving watching it grow. {D} & {M} talk to my belly and tell their new baby sister or brother all about our family and the life they will join. They have little {L} kissing my belly and saying. " hi baby!". Boy, he has no idea what he's in for! He doesn't understand, but it sure is sweet anyways.

My lovely friend Colleen send me the card pictured above after I told her. It really meant a lot to me! With this being baby being #4, we've found even family, not as excited this time. I think each and every child & pregnancy is special and unique. It warmed my heart to open this special card that celebrated our newest miracle. You can read more about Colleen on her blog, Craft Lovely.

Baby Kicks

There is no greater feeling than baby kicks. It's one the true joys of pregnancy.
You get to bond with this little creature growing inside of you. Once the kicks and tumbles start, a feeling of knowing your child begins to set in. You start noticing habits-baby doesn't like when you lay to a certain side or push on your belly a specific way.
It's so cool to experience a relationship with your baby before they arrive. I'm now getting to the almost violent kicks and prods, but I still love it. I love being able to tickle his or her toes before I've ever seen them.
My stomach now looks like an alien is hatching when the baby shifts around. My son thinks it's awesome, while it scares the crap out of my daughter. Her eyes get really large and she says " I don't want the baby to rip outta you belly, mama" It's so sweet!