Finding myself through the darkness

 



I have to admit that I've been hiding from you. 

Yep--you, with the face and the eyes and whatnot.

A week ago, I came home from a dreamy, long-anticipated week-long beach vacation with my family.  In the midst of my pre-vacay cleaning/prepping/packing frenzy, I {intended} to schedule three blog posts to release during the week I would be gone.  My vacation to-do lists are usually endless, and of course I did not get to do any blogging before our trip.  Heck--I didn't even bother to shave my legs.

It's okay--I thought.  I can always take a week off and get right back to it. No harm, no foul.

We had such a great time on vacation that we extended it by a day, and then we went to a birthday party the day after we returned.  I was exhausted, and a week away from the blog quickly became two.

{Insert neurotic inner dialogue about why I was suddenly quitting the blog.}

Confession: When pregnancy is embarrrassing

The other day, I ran into someone that, though I have seen her a few times in the last year, mentioned that she didn't realize I was pregnant with #4. She noticed a bump, but may have chalked it up to leftover baby weight from Baby #3. She congratulated me sincerely, and I smiled.

On the inside, my stomach turned, and I suddenly felt like I wanted to unzip my face and crawl out of my skin.

Why, you ask?

The results are in!!! Baby #4 is...





 

We had a small gathering of family and a few friends over this weekend to unveil Mystery Baby's gender.  It was kind of bootleg and totally thrown together at the last minute (hence the very few pictures), but everyone in attendance had a good time. 

 

No shame anywhere in my game. 

 

Even I was able to chill out (even with 5 kids running around my house) without so much as a sip of wine.  Yes indeed, thank You, Jesus.

 

{Side note:  I'm totally, I said totally done throwing my own soirees.  I love to celebrate, but I'm not a party planner and definitely need one in my arsenal for future shindigs.  #knowyourself}

 

Ahem--so, without further ado--

 

The Big Reveal.... BOY or GIRL???

B and the kids came to my 20 week sonogram on Thursday.  This was the moment my Princess has been waiting and praying for. 

So... now let's have a little fun!  

Here's some info on the cravings, aversions, and symptoms I experienced with my first 3 pregnancies.  See if you can guess whether Mystery Baby is a boy or girl. :)

Caution: Parenting While Introverted

When I asked about permanent birth control options, my doctor looked at me like I had two heads.

"But you still have four or five months left!!"

Don't play with me, chief-- is what I wanted to say.

"It's like I told you before: I was content with one, and then two, and three... now I think I'll finally be content with four!"

Even the nurse looked hurt.  "But you make such pretty babies..."



Mom Cuts and Coconuts

I got that mom cut yo.

I swore I wouldn't do it. I grew out my fro for nearly five years. I became an expert at styling and managing wildly thick, kinky hair that stretched down my back, to just below my armpits.  Then I got bored with it and dyed it. As soon as my postpartum shedding started to grow back, I got pregnant and it started to fall out again.  Say what?  My hair grew a million miles long when I was pregnant with Kaden. Hmmm.... maybe this one is a girl.

Now that I spend my days caring for house and home, carting around two elementary schoolers, and running speed walking after a toddler--I decided that I no longer have time for my hair. I needed a quick pick-me-up, so I could do life and still be fly, honey.

I told my husband that I wanted a hair cut for Mother's Day. So I went up the street and got the bottom half of my hair buzzed right off.  I watched in delight as my hair fell to the floor, and felt nothing but relief.  Byyyyyyyyyyyye.

It's so much easier to take care of myself when I don't have to spend all day on my hair.  It's so much easier to do anything.  I am now a believer in the mom cut, as long as you can still spice it up. 
*wink*

One Last Hurrah

It may seem strange to begin telling a story with the ending, but I'm not the first ever to do it.  Basically, my husband and I are expecting our fourth child this November.  While four children may not seem like a whole lot to some (my husband is numero quatro of a dozen children), four is definitely enough for me.  Don't get me wrong--I'm not counting my chickens, just my blessings.  I have been blessed so far with three beautiful children:  Olivia, age 8; Owen, who is almost 7; and Kaden, who is just over 1 year old.  All three are the absolute apples of both my eyes.  I have thoroughly enjoyed each pregnancy, and am enjoying watching each of our children grow.

It's just...