Little Liz Says "Amen"

Last night after our prayer Elizabeth said, "Amen," and her daddy and I melted! She is a heart breaker lately. Her vocabulary is picking up tenfold (we were starting to worry), and she is saying, "thank you,""Love you,""Gabriel,""Here she is,""Stitch,""Amen,""1,2,3," and of course the mom, dad, and a few others. She is also understanding a lot more. You say bath time and she hauls butt to the bath tearing off her clothes on the way. Daddy comes home and she jumps up and down at the door and says, "daddy, daddy!" She also will say, "cheese" when the camera comes out. Total opposite of my Gabriel who turned his head away from the camera. I love it! She is a ham. A handful, but a ham. We are working on her temper. She definitely has a temper when she doesn't get what she wants, or when you tell her "no." I think her mom and dad are in for a wild ride. Praying for guidance in raising a strong willed babe. Here she is, our little cutie:

36 week pic

Annd here is the pic at 36 weeks. I went to the OB today and everything is good. Group B test complete, so I'll know next week. Gabriel and Liz Beth are coming to my next appointment. I want them to go to at least one before Josiah gets here. Other than that weekly appointments from here on out. I am getting excited...really excited to meet my little guy!

36 weeks!

The uncomfortableness of the last month has hit already. I feel like my skin is stretching, I can't easily put on the kids shoes, sleep is becoming more difficult, and I have contractions when I move! I "think" I've shot my last wedding because I'm contracting while I work, sore when I finish, and slightly swollen. I can't believe the end is so near. I have 4 weeks to go and I feel it snuck up on me. I am also having mixed emotions about birth. I think I'm remembering the pain of Elizabeth's birth and it's scaring me slightly. I need to probably read some of the "Birth Book" by Dr. Sears again and prepare myself mentally. I know I have to get my mind straight, and not be fearful, if I'm going to have another natural birth. So, I'll try to make this my focus in the coming weeks. I say "try" because life is so busy with the two young ones and work. Wedding season is in full swing. We are working every weekend, delivering weddings, and designing many books. Work is a great thing though. I am thankful God continues to provide for dad's family and my own. He has provided so much for us and continues to bless us. Josh got a bonus and a raise this year. We also were able to refinance the house for a lower house payment. Josiah was planned from the beginning of the world, and God had orchestrated every last detail for his arrival. It is amazing to me how God reveals his plans to us. Amazing to me how He created such a beautiful treasure in my womb. I am getting so anxious to meet Josiah Samuel. I joked he will get a ride all by himself in the car on the way home from the hospital. It will be his only chance to feel like an only child =0). haha. He will love his siblings though. They are pretty great!

My 36 week appointment is tomorrow morning. I'll have the Group B Strep test done and find out the results at the next visit. For the past few days I've been following a regimen of echinacea, vitamin c, and garlic as well as taking my prenatal vitamins. I can take a break after tomorrow for about 10 days and then it is back to the regimen until birth. That is as long as I get a negative test result. If it is positive then I'll have to be put on antibiotics during the birth anyway, so might as well not torture myself (and Josh...garlic is stinky!). So, praying for a negative test result and no antibiotics.

I'll take a 36 week picture tomorrow hopefully. Here I am at 35 weeks:

Baby Book Purchased!

I bought Josiah's baby book today and filled out his family tree! I also filled out the meaning of his name. Josiah means "Jehovah Healed" and Samuel, "God heard/listens." Josiah was a young king, only 8 years old, and 2 Kings describes there was no other king like him. Samuel was a prophet of God. It's a strong name and I pray God always hears him. I can't wait to meet this little guy in 6.5 weeks. I met with the doula today and everything is set to go. My birth plan is the same, so now we just wait!

Week 33!

I'm 33 weeks today and having braxton hicks contractions! Mostly when I move a lot or, as Mylena witnessed, when I "wobble with it" at a wedding (was a joke)haha! Baby Josiah seems to be doing great. He likes to put a foot or hand (maybe a knee..who knows) on the front of my tummy and leave it there all day. It's a constant pressure pin pointed in one spot almost all day. If I could see the inside of my stomach it would probably be bruised right there. Silly guy! He also feels a bit bigger than my other two. His movements are already more like big guy movements and less little kicks and jabs. I guess we will find out in 7 short weeks. Rebecca is in labor NOW, so our little ones will be 7 weeks apart instead of the 8 we originally thought. I hope so anyway. If I go overdue like her I might go insane. She seemed strangely o.k. with it! Well, here I am at 33 weeks:

Here I am at 33 weeks with the other two:

I have not bought a lot for little Josiah yet, but I plan to pick up a few things at the consignment sale coming up next week. We are getting close. I can't wait to hold another little one I'll forever call mine!