37 weeks with #6

I am so grateful for every week that this sweet baby has to grow and develop. It's been a good week. I've gotten several more projects marked off my list, quite a lot of food put in the freezer - mainly breakfast foods and snacks. I need to work on main dishes now. My mom came over and helped me and the girls assemble breakfast burritos, breakfast sandwiches, and hot meat and cheese sandwiches (Pioneer Woman recipe) for Jacob, who will be starting back teaching right around the time Baby Girl is born. I made the burritos before Ezra was born, and Jacob really liked grabbing them before leaving early each morning to teach. It's going to be a little trickier this time though, because we don't have a microwave anymore (zero space in our tiny kitchen). We'll have to be thinking ahead to get them out of the freezer and pop them in the toaster oven.

37 weeks

Jacob grilled this yummy food for supper one night. He has made so many of our meals this pregnancy since I've dealt with lots of nausea. 

I love looking back at my pregnancy pictures for all my babies. Here I am at 37 weeks with each one - top left to right: Lily, Levi, Asher - bottom left to right: Ava, Ezra, Baby Girl. 

Baby #6 update

We are on the homestretch of this pregnancy! Only 5ish more weeks to go! I will be honest and say that this has been a really hard pregnancy. Maybe not necessarily the pregnancy, but this has been a hard season of life, which in turn has made it a tougher pregnancy. 

With each pregnancy, I have realized more and more how important healing after birth is for me (and all mamas). It is hard for me to rest and let others do for me. I have always felt SO good after giving birth, the thought of being in bed (or on the couch) has been a pretty foreign concept for me. I have rested longer after each baby, but this time I plan to even more. The First Forty Days book was a gift from my sister-in-law and it's really good in showing how postpartum care is SO important for mamas - not just short term, but also long term. **Please note, I don't endorse everything in this book, but it's been a very helpful resource to me. It's one of those that you take the meat and spit out the bones.

I have been needing to eat a little snack in the evenings or I wake up in the middle of the night ravenously hungry. In the picture I'm having avocado pudding with 85% dark chocolate sprinkled on top. It might sound gross to you, like it did to Jacob (ha!), but I thought it was good. I have embraced my weirdness at this point in my life. LOL

35 weeks with Baby girl.

We don't have a name picked out. Honestly, we haven't even talked about names lately. We do know it will be a two syllable "E" name. haha!

There are a few things on our list of things we need to buy, but not too much. Jacob needs to go to our storage building and find the carseat, co-sleeper, and baby girl clothes. I still have some organizing/purging projects on my list, along with getting food in the freezer. 

I am feeling pretty well, although I usually start dragging by later afternoon if we've been outside much. The heat and humidity is no joke  when you are this far along pregnant. Baby girl is very wiggly. I had an ultrasound last week and she is finally in correct position for birth and the placenta previa I had at 20 weeks has resolved itself. Very thankful about that!

Hopefully I'll be able to do another update before Baby makes her appearance, but no promises. :)

10 on 10

Here are a few pictures from our July.

July has been a hard month for various reasons, but I'm thankful for God's promises and faithfulness that has sustained us. 

For about 2 weeks Lily was dealing with a weird health issue that resulted in doctors appointments, losing 4lbs, an ER visit, x-rays, and other tests. We praise the Lord for guiding us through this rough time and giving much grace and strength. Thankfully all is well and it turned out to be a food sensitivity causing the problem. She's been so much better after removing eggs from her diet and getting her tummy back in working order.

The three big kids had a 4 day art camp, so I got to spend extra time with these sweeties. It's SO hot and humid, most of the time we spent walking around stores to stay cool. 

We managed to spend about 20 minutes at a park before we were all melting.

Funny kids!

Reading together.

At an outdoor concert.

Ezra loves the splash pad!

New art supplies = non-stop creativity.

Yummy popsicles on a hot, hot day!

I love beautiful sunsets.

10 on 10 {weekend edition}

We had a busy weekend, so I didn't get 10 pictures on one day, so we'll just call this the weekend edition :)

Beautiful weather and I love this tree!

Picnic at the park.

Not the greatest picture, but my sweet daddy telling my kids stories about me when I was little.

28 weeks! How am I already in the 3rd trimester?!

I love these kiddos!

It took all my courage, but I managed to take our new van through the car wash! We barely fit, but thankfully we made it ok!

My youngest brother graduated from homeschool high school!

Lunch at 5 Guys with family.

We had a great time visiting with Uncle Joseph and Aunt Audrey!

We've been married 9 years!!

10 on 10

10 pictures from our day May 10, 2017.

Happy 1/2 birthday, Ava!

24 weeks.

Levi's last speech therapy lesson with Ms. Amber. She is moving away and we are going to miss her so much!

Using the Instant Pot for the first time - making yogurt.

This girly loves painting!

The boys in their "club"

Tea time.

Sweet Ava.

Supper - grilled chicken, mashed cauliflower, and steamed broccoli. 

Journaling before bed.

Baby #6 update

I thought it was about time to do an update on this precious little one because I know I'll one day want to remember these details and won't be able to keep them straight in my mind.

I am currently 21 weeks along! How can we be past the halfway mark already?! Baby is moving all the time and I love the little kicks and movements. I feel huge this time. Maybe because this is #6 in a short amount of years? Maybe it's because I started out smaller than I'd ever been? I don't know. It's NOT really a big deal, I really think it's just how I feel when I look in the mirror. haha (just being honest and recording my thoughts, no need to tell me I don't look big! LOL)

Overall I'm feeling well and my energy has mostly returned! There are still days where I'm extra tired and still some nausea on some days, but for the most part I feel great! I am working out and walking most everyday and that really helps my emotional/mental health and my physical body! 

We found out a few weeks ago that Baby is a GIRL!!! We are all thrilled! I especially hoped for a girl because Ava (age 3) was very insistent that she NEEDED a little sister because she already has a little brother. haha! We had a little gender reveal party with family and some church family and it was fun to see the kids' reactions when they bit into their cupcakes!

We bought a new-to-us 12 passenger van this week because we've outgrown our mini-van! It's definitely BIG and I'm having to learn how to drive/park it, but we love it! haha! I'm so grateful for how the Lord provided it and worked out all the details for us to get it!

10 on 10

10 (or 12) pictures from our day, April 10, 2017. 

Good Word to start the day.

Sailing in their basket boats while they wait for breakfast. 

Homeschool morning time.

Waiting for an appointment.

Levi and Ava at the park - it was such a beautiful day!

My Lily is growing up so fast!

Jacob was able to come to the park for a little while between teaching. 

The kids wanted to bake cookies to take to Grammie and Aunt Elizabeth after a sad farm (animal) accident happened. 

Workout time for me! I love this pregnancy bootcamp I get to try out as a beta tester! I have been doing Olivia Cagle's workout programs for over a year and just love them!

We spent the evening at the ball field - Levi and Asher are playing this year!

This is Asher's first year and he is doing great!

Bottle days are coming to a close with this little guy I'm afraid, but I love this quiet time alone with him at the end of each day.

Have a great day!