springtime

 

 

Our third child will be joining us soon.  We are due the end of this month, about May 28th... though I'm secretly hoping he makes his debut sooner.  This pregnancy has been a little more trying than my other two, which makes me all the more ready to hold my little one in my arms and share him with the rest of my family.  He's very active.  He responds to music and the sounds of Peter and Joanna playing, especially it seems when they're wrestling with their dad.  I think he's ready to get right in there.  Joanna has been especially mommy-hungry which I'm taking as a sign that baby really is on His way.  Her days as the youngest are numbered. 

I'm excited to see the dynamic shift to accommodate this new soul.  I have felt the need for it, recognizing a missing element to our family and I think this boy will fulfill it.  I'm ready.  And tenderly grateful to be a mom to my kids. 

florida

 

 

  We took a little trip to Destin, Florida a couple weeks ago.  Just thinking about those few days is sending a wave of relaxation through me all this time later.  We fell into an easy routine:

Eat breakfast.
Get dressed for the beach.

Spend the afternoon under our umbrella with "beach chairs" dug out of sand (convenient for my big pregnant belly.. allowing me to lay on my stomach!  So nice)

Finish late afternoon at the hotel pool

Showers and naps while winding down

Dinner.  Sometimes ice cream.

Bedtime.  

Our consistent and relaxing routine filled me with gratitude and sent me to reflection.  

Thank you continental breakfast.    Thank you fine white sand that was a dream to walk in barefoot.  Thank you beach sand that was the perfect texture to shape custom recliners out of.  Thank you turquoise water and the calm waves you provided our last day.  Thank you various fellow beach goers that embraced my sons' outgoing friendliness-- allowing him to play with their toys, digging holes with him and even allowing him to sit in their enormous unicorn float.  Thank you Joanna for "burying" mom-- your little hands dropping cool sand on my hot back was as good as a massage.  Thank you swim diapers and puddle jumpers!  Thank you to all the ancient animals that built the myriad of shells we came across, inspiring excitement and awe.  Thank you kind hotel staff that upgraded us to a room with a bunk-bed for free.  The view from that new balcony was rejuvenating.  Thank you heated hotel pool that kept us warm in the not-quite summer weather we were expecting as the evening approached.  Thank you road trip that always provides the right amount of time for Ian and I to properly catch up and enjoy each other.  Thank you Melissa & Doug for your water wow books, also Apple for the iPad.  You made our drive manageable for our kids as well. 

And thank you baby number three for inspiring this much needed trip. 

peter says

 Photo by his aunt Holly on iPhone

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"These beans are bothering me."

"What do you mean?"

"They smell like stinky socks."

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"I can't find my toothbrush!  I think a bandint just tooken it!"

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Ian:  "Quiet back there!"
Peter:  "I'm not a backpack!"

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While getting himself some ham, Peter realized that Joanna was crying in her room and ran off with ham in hand.  When he came back in he explained "I just gave Joanna ham 'cause she was sad."

I commended him for being such a thoughtful big brother and how much I appreciate it.  He responded with

"It's just what I do."

He has said this phrase in response to my compliments a lot since

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"Dad?  You're the best dad in Lexington."

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"Look!  Humans by the river!"  An observation while driving when he saw a group of people fishing

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Ian likes to tell these fantastical victory stories from time to time when we're in the car.  After one such story Peter responded with "What now didja DA-FEAT??" 

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During breakfast, Peter smiled suddenly, came over to me and whispered "Villager Zombies."

(he is super into Mine Craft right now...)

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Observing me laying in the sand at the beach-- "Why is mom dead?"

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Peter has started to tell fantastical stories too.  I need to record him one of these days because they are pretty epic and involved.  I mention it here because he always transitions a plot point with a loud and intense "And DEN..." (then)  It's so cute.  

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Occasionally he'll sound just like a teenager.  Joanna and I were having a very repetitive and frustrating argument.  She wanted chocolate milk, but I told her not until she'd eaten more of her dinner.  Back and forth, back and forth.  Peter finally sighs and goes "Ugh, mom you've said that a million times."

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Honestly, I need to keep up with this kid.  I should just follow him around with a tape recorder.  I'm lucky I caught the above sayings, but they're just a fraction of the things I am enjoying him say lately.  I am loving this age as Peter conceptualizes and makes sense of his own world.  He's fascinated by how things are spelled and the makes and models of cars right now for example.  

We love our Peter

daily details

source

Patches of moonlight on your floor from the Super Moon lighting up the night

Worn in sweatshirts and thick socks on a cold day

Ripe strawberries and raspberries-- both sweet & tangy

Being unable to put a book down, even when it sacrifices sleep

Seeing the transition of my kids actually playing and laughing together, their ages finally bridging the baby gap

 Getting a house project underway

Anticipating packages in the mail 

Reading old journals and recognizing growth

A stack of promising books from the library 

Pausing to color with my demanding and snugly two-year-old

Belly laughs between old friends over a silly idea

Daydreaming about future dwellings and plans

The difference in sound and feel of the keys of a grand piano

Knowing spring will be here before we know it

 

birthday girl

We had a little party for our girl!  Nothing huge, just with our local family clan.  But it still felt special and fun.  I tried my hand at decorating a cake with better tools and I think it turned out okay!  It makes me excited for the next cake.  We danced, we snacked, we sang to Joanna before she blew out the candles.  Surprising to us, she seem to cower in the spotlight-- and was so sheepish that she almost didn't blow out her candles.  The girl asks to blow out candles almost every day!  I think the attention was too much for her.  I could totally relate.  After rounds of cake and ice cream, Joanna opened thoughtful gifts from Ian's family that she's really attached to.  The final gift was blush and a brush from her aunt Holly--pictured above.  We had a pinãta filled with the gender-revealing color candy of our baby that we tried to open safely without swinging any heavy articles.  We felt defeated by the task until we asked James to take over-- who smashed it open on the ground with renown success-- (revelation here to come later).  It was a comfortable and happy celebration.

We are so grateful for our Joanna girl.  And we can't believe she's two!