I should be napping...

...but who can resist comparing cute baby pictures? :)

This is Zachary:

Now Kenna:
Now me:
And now Marc:

What do you think?

This week, more pictures

Nana (Marc's mom) also took Z on the kiddie rides in Pigeon Forge. I didn't even know they had these there--they were super fun & not too much, I think $2.99 a ride and the rides lasted a long time. Here's Z on the airplane...


...and train...
....and swings. The swings were his favorite, if you can't tell by the look on his face!

Well, I am still loving life with 2, although this week has been a bit harder for me. Marc's mom was here all week and was such a great help to us. She kept my house clean, laundry done, made meals, and took care of Zachary so I could take a nap everyday. But I had a harder time this week. I stopped taking the pain pills a week ago so I was a little more in pain than before; the pain made me more tired than last week. Now, a week later, I am mostly pain free, so I have lots to be thankful for!

Z has had a difficult week adjusting to having to share his mom with someone else. I think it finally sunk in and he has shown some definite signs of jealousy. Plus I think he was a little tired of company. He is sweet with Kenna but every time I have to nurse her or get her to sleep he suddenly has an "emergency" and "mommy hold you..." Let's just say I am learning to do a lot of things with one hand--not only eating and typing but things like helping him up on my lap (without lifting him since that's not allowed due to my c-section), helping him put his underwear back on after a trip to the potty, etc.

There's lots more I could tell about this week but my little one is crying to be fed. Story of my life right now. :)

This week in pictures

Her little face when she's hungry!


A sweet sibling moment....

...and he's done being sweet! He always pushes her away when he's finished!

We took Z to the Great Train Expo last weekend--he had so much fun!

Nana took him for a picnic in the Smoky Mountains while she was here.

Life with 2

I am loving life with 2 kids. Yes, I have had help from my mom who has been with me all week, and yes, I am still on some nice pain medication. But I feel confident I will still love this even after mom goes home & the percoset is all gone. :)

I have also enjoyed a forced break from the computer. Aside from checking my email & facebook every once in awhile, blog checking & posting has taken a backseat to my new little one.

Here are a few sweet pictures from this past week:

Our family of 4


My mom (Grandma Memere), Zachary & Kenna

A great picture of me & my kids--Z is obsessed with her chin.

In this picture, Z was holding Kenna, being so sweet, holding her hand, touching her fingers and saying her hands were "tiny, tiny, tiny." Z always says things in threes...Kenna was looking up at him with eyes wide open. I wonder what she was thinking...

I'm sure I'll have more to post when I feel more human. If I make it out the door anywhere, I can usually only last about 2 hours & then I'm good for nothing. (despite what all my moms-n-more friends think!) I am healing so well from my c-section, but still moving slow. It's hard for me to remember I've just had major abdominal surgery. I guess coming out from surgery with a baby makes it not seem like surgery, you know?

Don't think I've mentioned this before, & I almost hate to post it in writing for fear of regression, but Z seems to be very potty trained. We started about a month ago, & he took to it very quickly. I guess he was just really ready. I'm so thankful for that transition & the fact that it happened before K was born. Here is a link from Rocks in my Dryer with Potty Training Tips--I really loved some of the things she mentioned here.

I'm off to bed now, as I've made it my goal to sleep before midnight tonight. Little one is sleeping, and so must I!

Some pictures of Kenna!

Me & my baby girl!


Her hair is the same color as mine & Z's

Auntie Jacque came to visit from AL

Grandma Memere (my mom) came too!

She's here!

**Disclaimer: The following is a birth story. If you are squeamish, don't read!**

Well, our Kenna girl decided to arrive a bit early! Which was definitely okay with us. On Tues evening during our Women's meeting, I started to have a few contractions but they went away after about 45 minutes. On the way home from church, I rear-ended a car--nothing major, in fact neither car had a scratch on it & we didn't even need to file a police report. My belly was cushioned so well by the seat belt that I didn't even hit the steering wheel at all.

Early Wed morning (about 4:45 am) I woke up with some back pain & contractions about 10 min apart. After about 90 minutes, they were 7 minutes apart. I took a shower, packed my hospital bag, trying to get ready in case she decided today was the day. I called my drs office since I had an appt scheduled for Thurs anyway & they got me right in. Ultrasound showed everything looked great, non-stress test showed I was indeed having regular contractions, although my cervix didn't appear to recognize them. One bit. Not even a bit dilated--I was a little disappointed.

Dr decided to send me to L & D triage to be monitored for a few hours due to the really minor car accident, and we fully expected the contractions to go away & them to send us home since that's what happened SO many times with Z. But after 3 hours, contractions were stronger and between 3-4 minutes apart. We talked things over with my dr, and agreed that the risks of induction were too high, as well as the fact that even a minor car accident like that could have done small damage to the placenta that we wouldn't be able to see until I was in active labor--which could have severe consequences for Kenna & me.

So we decided to proceed with a repeat c-section. I think it was the right decision. I am so thankful, my recovery is going so much better than the 1st (which wasn't really too bad). Kenna is a great nurser already!

She was born on Wed, 9/10/08, at 5:53 pm. She weighed 7 lbs even and was 19 1/4 inches long. Thanks for all your thoughts & prayers for us during this pregnancy--we are so grateful to God for our miracle baby girl!

21 more days (+ a half hour)

But who's counting? :) Really, I'm doing & feeling very well for being 37 wks pregnant. I feel so well that sometimes I forget I am pregnant...which leads to all kinds of things, most of which are painful. Almost burning your belly on the stove. Bumping your belly into just about everything. Getting your belly soaked in the bathroom at church because the sink is all wet (but no other way to wash your hands but to lean over really far). Oh, the joys!

You know the other night when I couldn't sleep? I had the most awesome quiet time, just me & God. He reminded me how much He longs to talk with me, and just hang out with me. He's been bringing me back to the basics lately. Teaching me how to walk more simply, yet deeply.

Okay, more randomly...I witnessed a drive-through wedding on Saturday. No kidding. We were in Pigeon Forge driving from Z's favorite place (the Apple Barn) to our favorite mountain swimhole. Stopped at a stoplight, when suddenly we looked over & saw a wedding chapel with the sign "Drive-thru weddings." Marc made a comment & I thought he was joking. He was not.

This couple was in a convertible at a drive through window getting married. As we pulled away from the light, the guy inside the chapel handed the couple 2 of those car magnets (like a lot of businesses use) that say "just married." I thought to myself, what does that say about these people and how they are going to view their marriage? What does that say about anyone who can't take the time to get out of the car to get married? Shouldn't something as sacred and holy as two lives joining as one be worth getting out of the car for? Maybe there was a medical emergency or something & they wanted to be married before anything bad could happen?....I'm still pondering this.

On a funnier note...Z & I have had a rather interesting day. One of those days when he challenges everything. Earlier we spent some time outside--he was trying to ride his tricycle down our really steep hill and I asked him to stop & put it away. I clearly cannot be running down a hill after him & in this 90 degree weather really didn't want to push the trike down to the cul de sac & then push him around the whole time after. We went inside after a few minutes because he just didn't listen to me.

Later this evening, we were all outside for a few minutes while Marc was grilling, and Z decided to get on the trike again. I was trying to coach him through the "right choice" of getting off & putting the trike away and said something like "Mom told you we weren't riding your trike tonight. What do you think you should do to obey?" He responded with these words: "Ride my wagon instead." Needless to say I don't think that any discipline happened because I was laughing my head off!

The funny thing is that when we were reading his Bible before bed, the story was about Adam & Eve & the forbidden fruit. How God was sad that A & E disobeyed Him and they had to leave the garden. You've never seen a kid's face get so glum so quickly. You would have thought that I was personally yelling at him....it was neat to see him respond to Scripture this way, though, and it helped to reinforce that God wants us to obey Him and our parents. Maybe tomorrow will be better!

Drumroll, please...

She's still a girl! (Cuz I'm sure you all were just on pins & needles wondering...) :)

Have to make this quick since I have lots to do still today, but we had a great drs appt today. Kenna weighed in at 6 lb 4 oz (by ultrasound) and is looking so healthy! The dr looked at my chart today & said "This has just been the best pregnancy, hasn't it?" He was just so pleased/shocked that I haven't had any complications. To God be the glory...Great things He has done! And great babies He has created!

We discussed our labor options...I'm still going to try not to have a c-section if possible, but if she doesn't come by 9/30, I will schedule a c-section for that date. There are just too many risks involved for me with induction & waiting past 40 weeks. I am thankful we have gotten this far! It helps me to know that I only have to tough it out for 25 more days, at the very longest. I CAN DO THIS!

No cute little baby face pictures. She definitely wants to keep her looks a surprise. Her head is so smashed down they almost didn't get a measurement of her head on ultrasound. Little stinker already! But we glimpsed a little bit of hair on the small part of her head that she did show us. (no, I don't know if it's curly! but we hope so).

Gotta go, this is turning into a book & I've got to figure out something for supper. Let the countdown begin...

Insomnia

I'm awake. And I have a few thoughts going through my head I thought I'd journal to help me figure them out. Bear with me, don't know if they're going to make sense, even to me.

Basically, problem #1 is I haven't spent a ton of time with the Lord lately. Blame it on busyness, trying to get that last little bit of sleep before the baby comes, whatever. It's still a problem. I sense it rising up in every area of my life....can tell that my heart needs some softening, some good time in the Bible.

Problem #2 is that I seem to be doing everything right now BUT what I know I need to do. What's up with that? I mean, here I am, at almost midnight, awake with nothing to do, no one to take care of. I went to bed at 9:15 thinking I was going to sleep the whole night but woke up at 10:45. Here I've wasted a whole hour on the computer without even blinking.

I am identifying with the apostle Paul tonight: "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do...I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing....For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched (wo)man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:15, 18-20, 22-25)

And again the Spirit brings this passage to my remembrance: "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." (Hebrews 4:12-13)

I just love how even when we don't really know what's going on in our own hearts, the Holy Spirit does. He "guides us into all truth" (John 16:13). All those Scriptures and books of the Bible I memorized as a teenager were not in vain, but are bearing fruit in my life, even now.

Gotta go now, time for some good, old-fashioned, Bible reading. Nothing like looking into the Book of all books to answer some heart questions.

Labor day

Too bad, it was not a "real" labor day for me! Although, as I "enjoyed" 90 minutes of contractions 10 min apart on Sunday night, I realized that I'm not that ready for this little girl to make her appearance yet--I have a few more things to accomplish!

We've hit the 36 week mark, which seems incredible to me. Just 32 weeks ago, I was shocked out of my mind by a positive pregnancy test...30 weeks ago, praying that the bleeding did not mean this pregnancy was over...26 weeks ago, learning how to give myself injections to keep this little one growing strong....19 weeks ago, discovering this baby was, indeed, the "Kenna" girl I prayed for back in November.

And now, here I sit (uncomfortably, mind you), awaiting her birth & pondering how miraculous life is. (yes, and trying not to think about what comes next--the birthing part).

Anyway, we had a fabulous Labor Day weekend, spent together as a family. Hubby had off all 3 days from both jobs and it was so relaxing! We spent Saturday at the Zoo, trying not to get heat exhaustion but enjoying Z playing & looking at all the animals. Sunday we had a great church service, followed by a great nap and some family time at home. Monday we went to Fort Kid so Z could play on the playground downtown (but really, so we could get shaded parking for the Teamsters picnic), then walked down to World's Fair Park and enjoyed the water fountain. Marc decided, swim trunks or no, it was too hot not to enjoy the water & kept trying to get me to join them.

The Teamsters picnic was held at the Park & they had free food, soft drinks, popcorn, cotton candy, giveaways...you name it. Pretty impressive company picnic if you ask me. There were so many people there--I had no idea that the Local Teamsters Union was so large. They also had inflatables for the kids & water games, too, plus live entertainment. Definitely an enjoyable day, especially since it didn't cost us a penny.

We decided it was time to leave when I could no longer feel my feet (did I mention it was hot? hot + pregnant woman = swollen extremeties)...then we went home & had a great nap. Dinner was so stressful :) --we had a PCA night (thanks to my friend Adrienne for the idea). PCA stands for popcorn, cheese, and apples. Adrienne's hubby's family started this tradition where they eat PCA and watch a family movie together every so often...Adrienne & Jason continue the tradition with their fam & every once in awhile, we have one of these nights, too. It's great for when you don't feel like cooking and just want to hang out and enjoy each other.

So, PCA night was great--we got The Bee Movie for free courtesy of Redbox and even Z sat down & watched most of the movie with us. We are really enjoying our last few weeks as a family of 3.