From Three to Four: A Reflection

The last entry I made on my blog was a love letter to our second child who will be arriving within the next 24 hours. The child will turn our family of three into one of four.

I've gotten pretty used to this family of three. We are in a state that is familiar. Sleep patterns, for example are familiar. I actually get sleep right now and I'm rather spoiled by how much. When we put Isaac to bed, Mike and I get some quality time together that consists of 2-3 hours depending on how late we stay up. When Mike gets up to go to work, Isaac will usually keep sleeping and I get another hour to myself to do with whatever I'd like (confession: usually this means I go back to sleep!).

Isaac had a night just last week that reminded me of the early days of his life. He'd wake, cry for me (and no, he wanted nothing to do with Mike who tried to help, but was rejected by a mommy-clinging, 19-month old boy), sleep for 10 minutes and wake again. The pattern repeated for hours and my weariness began overtake me. I couldn't help but wonder if it was God's way of reminding me what was in store in just a short time.

But besides sleep, I've grown comfortable in this role of a mom to a precious boy who (at this point in life) has eyes only for me when it comes to many moments in life. I'm enjoying this season of having time with my husband when we want it. We've both grown comfortable in our roles as parents to the point that they are natural. We've been able to shift our focus again to us.

So, as I look ahead to tomorrow, I have to tell myself to breathe deep. This is what we planned (RIGHT!?). We wanted this and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a mama to another precious life that God has deemed me worthy of pouring myself into.

Before I was pregnant, I heard moms confess a fear of their hearts not being big enough to properly welcome another child. How could they love it as much as their first? How could they split their attention among more than one and be fair to both? How could they still give their husbands the attention he deserves? Until I was pregnant I didn't get their fears. Now I do. I've had the same fears and questions. The answer I've heard from those who have crossed over from a family of three to four is: "your fears are valid, but your heart just gets bigger."

So, here I am. I feel as big as a house and wonder how anything in my body will expand. Physically, I feel like my heart is already crammed halfway up my neck. Yet I know something magical will happen with the birth of our second child: my heart will get bigger.

It will probably be the moment the nurses lay that little person on my chest, but who knows? Maybe it will be when I see Mike hold our second child for the first time. Or maybe, just maybe, it won't happen until Isaac, Mike and I are all snuggled around the baby as a family. Either way, this mama is looking forward to expanding more tomorrow. As I trade baby weight for the weight of being a family of four I will embrace it. This is part of how we women are made. Our hearts keep expanding and giving and our Creator keeps applauding and singing over us as He watches us grow.

Your First Love Letter

My Precious Child,

What joy I have had this Christmas season as I have had the honor of carrying you within me. Your dad and I are looking forward to your birth and I wonder how much you will change the dynamics of our family of three. Your brother is too young to understand the complexities of your existence, but I am sure you feel him jumping all over you and hear his giggles which will soon be over you. 

I catch myself marveling even more about the love of our God as I feel you moving and twirling within me. And maybe it's the season and knowing the gift that God gave of sending His son to earth, but my pregnancy with you has been such a treasure. One of my favorite songs this time of year is called "A Strange Way to Save the World" and it speaks of how God used ordinary people to bring extraordinary into the world.

So with this in mind, I pray that you are ordinary beyond measure, but bring about the extraordinary. I pray you are brave and stand for those who can't be brave themselves. I hope you find Jesus at an early age and spend your life chasing Him. I hope your dreams and plans are always evolving as you learn more about the world around you. I pray that you have an amazing friendship with your brother and he is your best friend that compares to no other. I am even praying for your future spouse, that he or she will love Jesus too and that you will sharpen each other spiritually and grow as a couple as your relationship grows in Christ. 

On a more selfish level, I also pray you sleep as well (and as much) as your brother, enjoy car rides, travel well and "get" breast-feeding easily. These things will make my job as your mommy a little easier. 

You have so much to discover and I look forward to helping you learn. May 30th seems far away, but it is already approaching quickly. Your dad and I are looking forward to peeking into your world on Friday as we go to your 19-week ultrasound. I pray for you daily and am so blessed already to be your mama.

God has so much planned for you, sweet child, and I look forward to watching it all unfold.

I love you.

Mom

Time Traveling!

I can hardly believe it's been since late May since I last posted. Since then, we've been on several trips, Isaac has learned to wave and clap, and I am short four (wisdom) teeth.

In early June, we took the LONGEST (it felt so long!) road-trip to date with Isaac when we traveled to Orlando to visit our family down there. We spent a week and enjoyed catching up with everyone. We even had extended family in from Texas that we hadn't seen in years (or even met!). So, it was fun to have a mini reunion of sorts.

Pit stop for BBQ at Sonny's in GA!

The first morning of vacation in FL

We celebrated some birthdays while we were in Florida: Gary's, Barbara's and Grandma's. The celebration was a seafood feast with lobster, crab, several different dips and shrimp! It was delicious and ended with light, fluffy cake. Mmm!

Grandma and Barbara

Diane and Bill

Isaac and Mallory

The birthday kids: Gary, Barbara and Gma

Dad and Isaac

Celebrating baby

Dad and Isaac

Isaac went on his first visit to Disney World's Magic Kingdom. We ladies (and Isaac) first enjoyed a lunch at the Grand Floridian Cafe. After lunch, Becky, aunt Di, Isaac and I made our way to the Magic Kingdom via the monorail.

Lunch at the Grand Floridian Cafe

The only guy allowed to come to the ladies' luncheon

At first, Isaac wasn't too thrilled to be waiting in line to go into Disney, but as soon as he entered the gates, he was magically happy! Becky and I took him to meet Mickey Mouse and then snapped a few pictures of the three of us in front of the Disney Castle before Isaac was done playing. Thankfully, aunt Di was kind enough to take him home while Becky and I stayed and played in the Kingdom.

"I'm tired of waiting in line to go into Disney!"

"This makes the wait more tolerable."

"Whoa! Does anyone else see this giant mouse besides me?"

Room to grow!

"I am over this."

"We're still here?"

"Mommm!!! I'm tired and ready to go!"

Disney World is exhausting.

There was also pool fun!!

Mike and Isaac

Snoozing on mommy

In addition to our Florida vacation, Isaac and I have gone on a couple road trips with his Grandma! We took two separate day trips: one to Cary, NC, to visit his great-great aunt Bunny who will be 95 next month and the second to Johnson City, TN, to see his great-aunt Kathy and great-uncle Dave.

Isaac and aunt Bunny

Aunt Bunny and Lois

Happy boy!

He really liked the teddy bear she gave him!

Lois and Isaac in TN

Aunt Kathy, uncle Dave, ? , Lois and Isaac

Grandma and Isaac bliss.

Blow Your Block Off: An Isaac Video

When my sister and I were little, our dad would play a game dubbed "Knock Your Block Off" with us. It involved us as babies sitting up and dad taking the palm of his hand and gently pushing on our foreheads just enough to push us over until we fell backwards. As babies, my sister and I liked the game so much that we even started to anticipate when dad would put his palm on our heads. We'd beat him to it as we'd fall backwards on our own accord when he was an inch or two from our heads. This was a fun game for us as babies that was captured on video and played later for us as adults.

Mike has done something very similar to "Knock Your Block Off" and I present it below. It's called "Blow Your Block Off."

Adventures in Miami

Isaac had tackled road trips in previous months, going to DC and SC a few times. But this month, we leveled up (literally) and Isaac went on his first plane ride(s)! He took a total of four flights as he traveled from Raleigh, NC, to Miami, FL. For the most part, he did really well, especially considering he had a cold and his ears were likely giving him trouble. He was a trooper, however, and didn't seem too bothered by them and, therefore, neither did the passengers around us.
On three of the four of his flights, he had googly-eyed men surrounding him that would turn in their seats to make faces and silly noises at Isaac in order to make him laugh. I don't know who was more entertained by their antics: Isaac or me. Isaac responded with his usual pleasantness and in full giggles at one point for a guy making farting noises at him (insert joke about men never being too old or young to enjoy farting noises).

Isaac with all of the luggage

At the airport and waiting to check-in

With the Captain and getting his set of wings

We traveled with Mike's parents and my mom and the six of us stayed at a condo owned by Mike's bosses. It is a beautiful place with one amenity that Isaac and I took full advantage of: a pool! Isaac swam in a pool for the first time and really seemed to enjoy it.

Here are some pictures of the family enjoying the view from inside the 35th-floor condo.

We also went to the beach one day. We took in the views of the waves and also the lighthouse that was on the shore.

It was an incredible trip full of "firsts" for Isaac and others of us on the adventure. It was nice to get away, but also wonderful to come home.