Baby Burrito

I figured out how to swaddle again - it really is an art I had forgotten. My new technique involves two blankets and one sweet sleeping baby. When not in her swaddle Lydia likes to sleep on her side with her hands near her face but doesn't sleep near as long as in the swaddle - sweet cozy baby.

A Royal Morning Tea

Lucy and I had a royal tea this morning in honor of Catherine and William's wedding. Lucy put on her tea party dress and we had cheese toast and cinnamon toast cut up, yogurt dip for our strawberries and some tea. We missed the wedding (I couldn't bring myself to wake a sleeping child) but got to see the kiss on the balcony. Lucy was super excited and hopefully we can catch part of the wedding on the internet later and let Samuel watch some of the soldiers with guns. We chose to watch the BBC coverage this morning (three older men commentating on the events rather than the NBC version with anchor women giving input - we needed the British accents to make the occasion authentic). Lucy wanted to wake Lydia up to watch with us but she settled for holding her sister after tea.

PS - we watched about 10 minutes of video of the wedding and Lucy looked at me and said "But Mama, what do her shoes look like - I want to see her shoes?" Ha,ha - she must get that from her Mema!

I remember when Charles and Dianna got married - my Mama and I watched in the early morning hours the wedding from around the world - something I remember even though I was about Lucy's age.

Keeping it real

Along with the umbilical cord - Samuel thinks this is great. Another example of how brothers and sisters experience and enjoy their siblings in different ways. Just so you know, the back looked just as bad as the front!

Siblings

One of the best things about Lydia's birth has been Samuel and Lucy's excitement over their little sister. They have both been eager to help, hold and be attentive to her. Samuel has especially been attentive and sweet to Lydia's cries and he has wanted to hold her any chance he gets - I love his sweet smile when he looks at her. There is definitely a difference in what fascinates a brother and sister - Lucy wants to dress Lydia and put shoes on her and Samuel thinks the umbilical cord is cool because it is so gross (he wanted to save it in a jar in his room so he could gross people out with it).
His writing topic for Kindergarten this week was "baby sisters" - He wrote this all by himself.

Mmmmmmm Milk!

Yummy Milk!
Post milk bliss

Butterflies fly away

This past week we released our butterflies on Monday and Butterfly Kitty decided to come on Friday - a week of butterflies getting their wings. Here are some pictures of our release of the butterflies. Lucy and Samuel enjoyed the process and I'm glad we were able to observe this amazing transformation - a beautiful picture of the new life the LORD has given us in HIS creation.

Butterfly Kitty is Here!

Lydia Joy Noonan (AKA. Butterfly Kitty) arrived April 22, at 5:39pm on Good Friday. She weighed 7lbs and 13 oz and was 20 inches long. Lydia all ready has more hair than Samuel and Lucy combined at age 1 and it definitely has a golden reddish tint. Mama and baby are doing well and hoping to be home by this evening. I'll give the whole birth story later - but for now - thank you to everyone for your prayers, love, help with Samuel and Lucy and for sharing in our joy!

We are so grateful to the LORD for this little blessing to add to our family. What a wonderful Easter weekend gift! (and a good reminder to Mama on this Good Friday of the redemption of pain and the blessing of HIS joy!)


Lucy and Samuel were super excited to finally meet their little sister (and fortunately we finished their "big brother" and "big sister" shirts on Wednesday!) and came to visit with Grandpa Noonan and got to spend the night with Grandma.

Deadline

I went to see the midwives today and BK seems to be moving, shaking and doing great. "You're 38 weeks and 6/7th" - the nurse reminds me as she gives me the instructions for the 18th time about how to pee in the cup and then checks my weight (still under my goal!). The midwife measures me and listens to the heartbeat and tells me to call if I need anything.

"She could come any day" - and I'm hoping any day is soon. I did ask when they would look at induction - they don't even look at it until 41 weeks and then they'll schedule it anytime. SO, by May 7, BK should emerge - by the natural course of events or by eviction. Both Samuel and Lucy required pitocin to urge their arrival - even past their due dates - I'm thinking BK really likes it my womb too (so glad God has made my womb a cozy place to be!). Any day now BK could arrive but if not by May 7 - then a Mother's Day weekend baby she will be (though an Easter baby would be great too)!

Grateful

I'm so grateful today for friends, neighbors, family and church family. So grateful the Lord puts us here in this big wide world and doesn't leave us alone. I'm grateful for friends who lend me their high power vacuum to make my nesting urges more productive on the dust in my house, for my friend who spent her morning helping clean out my garage and get it ready to stack more boxes in, for the yummy meal in my fridge from a dear friend, for my friend who trusts me to leave her girls with me for the morning, for a friend/neighbor who gladly shares her coffee creamer because I'm out, for friends who know what's going on in my life and ask and pray, for friends who give me their hand-me downs (oh, how I love hand-me downs and loaners), for neighbors and friends who come into my messy life/house and still consider me a friend, for family who send cards and emails and remember the little things in life, for church family and the commitment to live lives together in the ups and downs of life and who call just to check in, for a husband who doesn't complain when dinner is hot dogs 2 days in a row and who laughs and plays with our precious kiddos even when I have nothing left to give. The LORD gives just what I need when I need it by the hands and hearts He has blessed me with. There is no need to worry, no need to fret, no need to be anxious - HE knows and HE cares even when HE seems silent. HE acts and HE moves even when HE seems still. Thank you, LORD!

"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!" Luke 12:27-28

Waiting on Butterflies

While we wait for Butterfly Kitty to arrive we are also waiting on some Painted Lady Butterfly larvae to transform into butterflies. It's been interesting to watch the little larvae grow into the big caterpillars and then form their chrysalids. We have drawn each phase in the children's nature journals and made a picture of the process. Jeremy even did some role playing one night and wrapped the children up in their blankets and let them hang upside down and pretend to be caterpillars in their cacoons (it's so easy to entertain children isn't it?). Can't wait to see the butterflies emerge...and for Butterfly Kitty to emerge...sooner rather than later...

We ordered the larvae and they came in this cup with food for their fattening process.

The caterpillar hanging upside down preparing to make his chrysalid

Transferring the chrysalids from the jar into the butterfly net
Our little cacoons

As I was writing this one of the butterflies emerged and is beginning it's journey - so exciting - maybe Butterfly Kitty will catch on to the emerging concept soon!

Pregnancy games: Non-Spectator Sport

For those of you who have ever been pregnant - I know you've played this game. One of those games you're glad there are no spectators for, one that is familiar in those last few weeks of pregnancy and one that you won't miss. This might be too much info for some but I just have to remember this game...last night I almost laughed out loud as I played.

To begin - gain 25-40 pounds in 5 months, have an extra dose of relaxing hormones work on your hip joints, put a little extra pressure on your sciatic nerve and throw in a little extra guilt about how much water you should be drinking even though your stomach feels like it might hold not hold more than a fairy tea cup size of anything. Then we'll begin the game.

First, it's bedtime and you make one last run to the bathroom before getting comfortable (a relative term) in bed. Then, sometime in the night, well before dawn (sometimes before midnight) the urge to go to the bathroom hits. You know this isn't a feeling you should ignore so you start the process of finding the edge of the bed. This might require slowly turning over, or moving those carefully laid pillows. Slowly, you push up to a sitting position on the side of the bed and the 30 pound weight that is now your belly smooshes the water balloon that is your bladder.

The situation is now a full blown emergency. What was an unpleasant urge is now screaming "RUN!" Well, that is all fine and dandy but you remember those hip joints that haven't caught up with the transition from a sleeping to sitting position and running might just lead to a prone position on the floor...not to mention that sciatic nerve that seems to immobilize your leg at just the most inopportune times.

Just as you think you'll be able to stand up you start to have a contraction because your sweet uterus is irritated by all this moving and decides to squeeze tightly - compounding your bladder's screaming "RUN!!!" You get up and hobble to the bathroom, glad the lights are off and no spectators are invited to watch this nightly game. By the time you head back to the bed you're ok, the screaming is gone, the hips are cooperating and contractions are gone. You might be a little thirsty and take the smallest of sips to ward of thirst but not increase these scenes over the course of the next few hours. You settle into a sleeping position on the other side and try to fall asleep. Hopefully, the next time your eyes are awakened the clock is further along than you think (you're dissappointed in this game if your time is less than and hour and elated if you haven't seen the clock in three hours). I'm getting good at this game and it only makes me want to meet this sweet girl even sooner!

Just like in all good sports here are my stats from last night

the night begins around - 10:30pm
11:58pm - round one
1:22am - round two
3:50am - round three
5:22am - round four
5:40am - round four, part two
6:22am - day begins

Waiting for Butterfly Kitty

We are excited for B.K.'s arrival and I think I'm finally ready -registered at the hospital, got the infant car seat, have some newborn diapers, made plans for Samuel and Lucy's care, printed out birth plan, etc. I'm 38 weeks and she could come at anytime now...in the next 2-4 weeks. I'm on track to gain the exact same weight as I did with Samuel and Lucy - 42 pounds (I guess that's just what my body needs - three times in a row!) and she is still kicking and moving and enjoying her life inside my womb. What an amazing process to get to be a part of - I'm so grateful I get to have this baby grow inside me and feel her moving - I will definitely miss it.

Role play is a big part of children making sense of their world. Around here the children have been playing with all of Butterfly Kitty's stuff and pretending they are a big sister and brother as they prepare to meet their little sister. I think one night Lucy even gave birth to her doll Birdie (the special one cousin Thomas gave her). Samuel has been so helpful getting the pack and play ready and trying to name one of Lucy's babies "Cheetah" - because it's a good boy name for a boy who can run really fast. In reality he would like for BK to be named Olivia or Mariel and Lucy has obviously voiced her naming preference for B.K.

Here are the dolls checking out all of the baby stuff.
Lucy nursing her baby
Samuel getting the pack n play just right

Cultural experiences

Since I found out I was pregnant last fall, I've been wanting some yummy Chinese Szechuan eggplant from our favorite restaurant in Atlanta. I was saving the trip for the end of my pregnancy and last weekend we ventured out with a family hosting an international exchange student from China. We had a great time - I LOVED the food and company and the children, especially Lucy, gobbled it up. Here are some pics.

Noah's Ark

Jeremy took the children to a nearby nature rescue center, Noah's Ark, while I ventured to the midwife's office today. There have been changes to the reserve in the last year and the children told me all about it. They were most excited to tell me about the tigers, ducks and peacock.
As you can tell - Jeremy inspires colorful dress and creativity when the children dress in the morning!

Spring Nature Walk

This week is Samuel's spring break and a great time to get out and do a little nature walking and spending time outside. We went to a nearby nature trail and enjoyed the dogwoods, spring leaves, flowers and a little picnic.



We found an inch worm while we were eating our picnic

Spring joy!

Entertainment for an hour

Do you need to entertain some children for an hour or more? Well, I suggest building a fort and letting them play - it may get messy but you'll be able to finish that laundry or sort through those clothes for that baby that is on the way and there will be little distraction from those inhabiting the fort for the morning. Tell them their strollers should stay outside but all the stuffed friends can join them for fun.