Stella James

Birth was always something that scared the crap out of me, but having gone through it three times, it’s one of the only things in life that has made me feel strong and superhero-like, and has given me a newfound respect for the human body.  Just as each of my three pregnancies were unique to each child, each of my three children came into this world on their own terms and in completely different ways.  I have no doubt that I’ll grow old one day and my memory will fade, but ask me about any of my births, and I bet money that I will be able to recall each of them with such detail as if it were yesterday.  Some experiences are so riveting that they just stay with you.

As I sit across from my tiny sleeping 10-week old baby, I’m still marveling over the details of her birth over two months ago, still fresh in my mind like yesterday.  Stella James is such a beautiful, happy soul.  As my third daughter, she’s extremely content and very much loved by her sisters, her parents, and everyone that meets her.  She is showered with plenty of attention in our home, she’s got her dad’s heart in the palm of her tiny hand, and the big kids just love her so much.  She is our sweet, miracle baby, and we truly can’t imagine life without her.  This is her story.

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I woke up on February 23rd just as I had been waking up everyday that week: sore, achy, exhausted from my multiple late-night bathroom trips, and with no signs that labor was anywhere near happening.  I was 10 days past my “due date,”and I was starting to get nervous about being getting more pressure to schedule an induction.

Two days prior, I had visited Labor and Delivery for a routine non-stress test to ensure that it was safe for baby to stay in put for a while since I had passed on being induced at 41 weeks.  Just as I thought, the house doc and nurses were pleased with how good everything looked – amniotic fluid looked great, baby’s heart rate was normal, and she seemed to be thriving.

“You have a very happy baby and she’s definitely going to be a swimmer – you guys better invest in a pool,” the doctor told us.  (Hint hint, Marty).  We all had a laugh as I walked out of Labor and Delivery, at 41 weeks and 1 day pregnant – the longest I had ever gone with any of my three pregnancies.

At this point, I had been home from work for over a month, and instead of heading out to do some shopping that Monday morning, I decided to take it easy and relax before my acupuncture appointment later that day.  I also had an appointment to see my OB, and I was mentally preparing to have the dreaded induction talk again.  So I parked it on the couch and turned on some bad reality TV (Confession: It was Teen Mom.  Please don’t judge me.)

I’ll spare the details on the next part, but basically when I got up a little later to grab a bite to eat, I noticed some signs that my water had broken.  I called Marty, then called my doctor to let her know what was going on.  Apparently there was high-five-ing at my OB’s office when I let them know the news, and they advised me to pack up and head to Labor and Delivery.  It was finally happening!

It felt so strange packing a bag and thinking I was having a baby that day when I wasn’t in any sort of pain whatsoever.  When I had Everly and Milly, I had hours of intense contractions at home before we even thought about going to the hospital so I had a feeling that this was definitely going to be a different experience.

Marty sped home in frantic-mode -as if we hadn’t ever done this before – and I totally gave him the side-eye while he paced the house mumbling about “Stuff to bring..”  Duh, it’s packed and by the door, dummy.  Yes, I have a clean shirt for you and deodorant.  Hello.

We were checked into Labor and Delivery and admitted to our labor room immediately.  We relaxed and chatted with our labor nurse as she got everything set up and touched base with my OB over the phone. Since my contractions weren’t really progressing as fast as she was hoping for , we started a low-level pitocin drip to kickstart things.  After a few hours of not-so-fun, intense contractions, my OB showed up and checked me.  I was 3 cm and it was close to 6 o’clock in the evening.  She suggested I get my epidural and said she thought I’d probably deliver around 10 pm.

By the time my pain relief kicked in (Hallelujah!), my family arrived with the girls.  As soon as I heard their tiny voices as they entered the quiet room, my emotions got the best of me and things finally became very real.  I was going to give them their sister today. As much as I didn’t want them to see me upset, the tears flowed and I couldn’t stop them.

They climbed up on my hospital bed and hugged me, touched my face, wiped my tears away, rubbed my hair.  Everly looked around and inspected all of the IVs, the wires, the medical equipment.  She was very curious about what was going to happen but we assured her I was in good hands and going to be OK.

I’ll never forget Milly putting her arm around me and telling me, “It’s OK Mommy, don’t worry, you’re gonna be OK.”  Her sweet little face in that moment was everything and something forever engrained in mind.  Their being by my side was everything to me; they were my angels that day, my light.

As it got closer to the kids’ bedtime, we decided it would be best for them to go get rest and come back first thing in the morning.  It was sad to see them and my parents go, but I knew it was for the best, and I didn’t want to keep them out and awake when they were sleepy and starting to get worried about their mom.

Around 9, I called my nurse to check me since I was starting to feel a lot of pressure.  When she realized I was 10 cm dilated and fully effaced, she left in a hurry to call my Dr.  When she returned shortly afterward, she immediately turned off my Pitocin.

“Dr. K is down the street at St. John’s and just started a C-section, so she told me to have you sit tight and she’ll try to be here in 30 minutes, OK?”  Um, OK.  Not what I was expecting.  I could tell that I was ready to go, but did my best to just try and relax.  I was ready to push and my doctor was with another patient, at another hospital?

After about 25 minutes, I was sure my Dr. was not going to make it, but before I could call for the house doc, in she walked with two nurses behind her who immediately started prepping the room for delivery.

“Well alright,” she said with a smirk.  “Let’s get this baby out, ok?  10 minutes, how does that sound?”  Sounded like a sweet deal to me. (Note: Last time a nurse challenged me to pushing a baby out in 6 minutes, I did in 4 minutes.  Refer to Milly’s birth story if you don’t believe it).

Before I could answer her, the nurses and Marty grabbed my legs and that’s when things started to happen very quickly.  I gave it everything with that first push.  The next part was such a furious, electric blur.  I remember being coached to push, then to breathe, breathe, breathe, then “Look at that!  She’s got her eyes wide open, Erin!  Those eyelashes!”  I swear, the room was buzzing, pulsating; all my senses in the moment were so in tune with the fact that there was suddenly new life in the room, one that hadn’t been there a moment before.

I heard Marty’s voice calling me from afar, even though he was right next to me.  “Evee, look down!  Look down! Look what you just did!”  I listened and leaned up and there was the tiniest little head with a full head of hair right within my reach.  We all started laughing, and one more push and she was with with us, Earthside at last, at 9:33 pm – just five short minutes since the Dr. arrived.

Before I could ask, she was placed on my chest and once again that familiar weight, the perfect heaviness of one of my own, was imprinted on my soul.  It’s one of those unexplainable, magical moments that no words can really describe.  She looked right into my eyes and I was so thankful to have her and just so proud. Stella James, I told her, was her name.  She was perfect in every way.

We held her there, skin-to-skin, for the longest time.  Her eyes were glued to mine as I snuggled her and told her all about her two big sisters that were so excited to meet her.  It was so peaceful and calm in the room, just Marty and I, soaking in her sweetness in the dim light.

I’m so grateful that I was able to keep her so close during those first moments, and I’m so grateful that the nurse grabbed Marty’s phone and captured the images in the whirlwind of her being born.  Despite it being so late, and our Labor and Delivery nurse working overtime that night, she was in no rush to take her from us and let us enjoy her and soak in her newness.  We had no idea what she weighed, how tall she was – we just knew she was healthy and she was ours, here at last.

Hours later, we finally gave her to our labor nurse to be weighed and for her first bath.  She was 7 lbs, 15 oz, and 21 inches long.  She came into the world with a full head of thick dark hair and piercing blue eyes.  At first, we thought she looked just like Milly, but now we see a lot of resemblance to Everly too.

She was born on February 23rd, 10 days past her due date, 2 days after my Mom’s birthday and just 2 1/2 hours shy of being born on my Dad and sister’s birthday.  I truly do not believe I was “overdue” and am so happy that she was able to choose her own birthday, just as my other two daughters did.

As we drove home from the hospital two days later to start our life as a family of five, Marty decided to turn on some music.  I immediately recognized the song that was playing; it was the same song that was playing in our house when I found out I was pregnant with Stella.  Ever since that day, I’ve always known that was Stella’s song, and trust me, I can’t listen to it without tears flowing (thanks postpartum hormones).

I never really knew what my purpose was supposed to be in life until I had children.  Although there were plenty of tough times during my three pregnancies, I believe that being able to carry life is a privilege, and I am so incredibly grateful for my three babies and for every moment that I was able to feel them kick and roll in my pregnant belly, as well as every ounce of pain it took to push their perfect little bodies into this world .  I feel so lucky that these three special girls chose me to be their Mom and as crazy as things can get sometimes, I love it and wouldn’t trade it for the world.  I’m certainly not the best mom in the world and most definitely far from perfect, but I’m their mom and that’s the most important job I’ll ever have.

We love you so much, Stella.  You are the perfect addition to our colorful, happy, and sometimes (who am I kidding, most of the time)  crazy family.  Our three girls’ smiles and shining light make Marty and I better versions of ourselves, and we can’t wait to experience the world and “do life” with them.  We hit the jackpot in the awesome kid department, why yes we did.  God is pretty amazing. 🙂

Love,
E

Read Everly’s birth story here and Milly’s birth story here.

Stella’s Song – ALO: I Wanna Feel It

Story of a Little Girl

As my three-week old daughter naps next to me, I can’t stop staring at her sweet little face and thinking back on those last few days of pregnancy, when it seemed like I’d never get the chance to meet her.  Little did I know, that chance would come 7 full days after my due date passed.  This is the story of her birth.

It was Election Day.  I forced myself out of bed and into the shower, upset at waking again with no signs of labor, but thankful that I’d be able to vote.  This was a particularly meaningful day because it was six days past my due date.  Since Everly was six days late, I never thought this baby would go past that.  Everyone said that second babies usually came earlier.  I was so over the calls and texts from friends and family that all said the same thing.  “Where’s that baby?”  “Are you STILL pregnant?” and “Anything happening yet?”  I knew they all meant well, but it hurt to not have the answer they wanted to hear.  After a good cry and a lunch date with my sister, I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself, and  spent the rest of the day running errands and tying up loose ends.

40 weeks and 5 days pregnant. 2 days before I went into labor.

When I went to bed that night, I noticed feeling a little off, but chalked it up to stress.  I woke up around 3:30 with jolts of pain that shot through my lower abdomen.  Although it wasn’t comfortable, I smiled and quietly told Marty that I was pretty sure I was in labor.  I spent the rest of the early morning hours awake in bed, trying to get through each contraction as best as I could.  An ultrasound the day prior had shown that baby was back in a posterior presentation (not an ideal position for birth), so I was content with trying some different yoga positions to encourage her to rotate.  Around 6 am, I heard the familiar pitter patter of little feet padding down the hallway and heard her call my name in her sleepy voice: “Mommy?”  It was just who I was expecting and exactly who I wanted to see.

A tear slid down my eye as I pulled her up into bed with me.  I was so grateful for this peaceful morning moment with her, possibly one of the last moments of just having her all to myself, my one and only child.   I was in pain but that was the only person, aside from Marty, that I wanted next to me during this.  She snuggled in between us and fell back to sleep running her fingers through my hair, as she always did, while I did my best to get through the contractions.

By 10 am, I noticed my contractions were really starting to pick back up.  I had been able to get up with Ev and make her her morning chocolate milk and cinnamon toast, but things were starting to get a little past the point of comfort, and I did not want Ev to see me in any sort of pain.  I would sneak into another room when I felt a contraction coming on so she wouldn’t see me doubled over and trying to make it through the waves of excruciating pain that slammed into me with force every few minutes.

At that point, my contractions weren’t following any sort of specific pattern yet, so we weren’t quite sure what was going on.  They would be 15 minutes apart, then 10 minutes apart, then 2 minutes apart, then 15 minutes apart, and so on.  Deep down, I knew this was typical for a posterior labor, which was what I was desperately afraid of.  If baby was still posterior, I knew I was in for a long, painful labor.  We decided it was best for Marty’s mom to pick Everly up and take her for the day, in case things got serious.  After she left, there were tears.  Watching her from the window, it was a like she grew up a little in that moment.

I spent the next few hours drinking raspberry leaf tea, bouncing on a birth ball, and trying some different positions to encourage baby to rotate.  Finally, after l had done everything I could to encourage baby to turn anterior, and when I was pretty sure that things were really picking up speed and intensity, we decided to head to the hospital.

Despite being an overcast, misty afternoon, Marty and I were both filled with butterflies at the anticipation that we might have a baby today.  As we drove to the hospital, he reached over and squeezed my hand.  I swallowed and tried to breathe through the contractions, knowing what was ahead of me.  Stand By Me played softly on the radio and I said a prayer that God would keep us all safe and help me bring our little girl into the world, whichever way she was meant to be born.

We were admitted around 3 pm.  About a half hour later, my sister showed up and sat with me through the contractions as we waited.  About an hour and a half later, my nurse still couldn’t tell if the baby was posterior, but I decided it was finally time for some pain medication.  My epidural was administered (and then re-administered when the doctor was too close to a vessel) around 5 o’clock; afterward a cervical check broke my water and revealed that I was about 4 cm dilated.

Finally at the hospital, contracting, and waiting.

Around then, things really picked up and that’s when I don’t exactly remember the specifics.  I just know that I went from about 4 cm to 7 cm within minutes.  Despite getting my epidural about a half hour prior, I was still feeling intense pain and so anesthesiology was called back to take another look.

I remember crying out from the pain and seeing my parents arrive.  Before long, my doctor arrived.  “What are you doing here already?” I asked.  “What do you mean, ‘what am I doing here already?’” she laughed.  “You’re about to have this baby in a few minutes.”

She checked me and it was confirmed.  I was complete: 10 cm dilated and 100% effaced.  Right after I was checked, I started to feel a ton of pressure on my bottom and knew it was time.  There wasn’t going to be an opportunity to fix my epidural, it was time to push.  My doctor paged that we needed a baby nurse immediately, and the room blurred as things were set up and instruments were prepped around me.

When my doctor mentioned that it only took 12 minutes of pushing the last time, the nurse joked, “Well now you have to beat that and push this baby out in 6 minutes.”  I wasn’t joking when I told her I would.  One practice push later, I could feel how low my baby was, and my nurse told me that we were going to have a baby any minute.  I remember pushing through the pain, and then hearing “OK stop pushing now!”  The baby was crowning with her hand on her face.  After she was adjusted, I didn’t have to wait for instructions for that last final push.

Amelia June came into the world at 6:40 pm, on Wednesday, November 7^th,  after a long labor and just four minutes of pushing.  I felt a flood of relief and forgot every second of pain I endured as her tiny body was placed on my chest.  Just as when Everly was born, it was the craziest and most magical moment of our lives.  Marty and I were both at a total loss for words as we met our second daughter for the first time.  It was unbelievable and unforgettable, and just as our family expanded in that very moment, our hearts also grew tremendously.

7 lbs, 12 oz, 21 inches long, and 100% perfection.

After some bonding time with the three of us, we opened our room up to our close friends and family who were waiting outside.  I looked into the group until I saw her familiar face.  Marty picked Everly up and brought her to my side to introduce her to the baby sister that we had been talking about for so many months.

I gave Everly the biggest hug and buried my face in her curls, breathing in her familiar scent and trying my best to hold back tears.  It was the greatest feeling having her right there by my side and all of us finally being together as a family.

The Buehler girls meet.

The four of us, together at last.

There only a few things in life that I am greatly proud of.  Topping that list is most certainly creating and growing these two beautiful children, using my body as a vessel to carry and nourish them throughout pregnancy, and every second of agony endured in birthing them and bringing them into this world.  It is such a great pleasure and privilege to be their mother.

There are many significant moments in life that will forever be sealed into my memory – that feeling when I ripped an envelope open to reveal my college diploma, the day Marty nervously slipped a ring on to my shaky finger at the top of Art Hill, how I desperately clutched my father’s arm as I peeked into the crowded church on that beautiful day in May, and how my whole life changed as I sat on the edge of my bathtub and read that first positive pregnancy test.  But through all my years, I will never forget feeling of the wonderful weight of both my babies being placed on my chest on the days that they were born.

Everly and Amelia are my greatest joys, and being their mother is such an honor that I have been blessed with.  Sometimes, I just can’t believe that this is my life.  Amelia so perfectly fits into our family in a way that we never even imagined.  We are fiercely, madly in love and incredibly thankful.  This is our story, this is her story, yet this is only the beginning.

“You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”
-Dr. Seuss

Love,
E

Read Everly Grace’s birth story here.

She’s Finally Here

Amelia June. 7 lbs., 12 oz., 21 inches long, 100% perfection.

We’re so happy to announce and welcome our beautiful daughter, Amelia June, into the world.  She was born last Wednesday night, November 7th, at 6:40 pm.

She is everything we imagined and so much more.  Everly, Marty and I are delighted and overjoyed by how much our hearts have grown in the past six days.

I can’t wait to share the details of her very fast and furious birth, but for now, we’re laying low and taking in every moment with this sweet little tinkerbell.  Thanks for all of your love and support.  Talk to you soon!

Love,
E

Trick or Treat

Wanted to share these pics from Halloween night.  This was the first year that I think Everly’s eyes were truly opened to what Halloween and Trick-or-Treating is really all about.  After an early dinner and lots of anticipation all day, we bundled Ev up in layers and changed her into her pink princess/fairy/ballerina costume and ventured out into our neighborhood.

There were tricks, treats, and a few spooks along the way.  Everly loved seeing the other kids and parents in their costumes, and seeing all the houses that were decked out along St. Clair avenue (THE Halloween place in our neck of the woods).  She wasn’t even scared of the scary spook house and insisted we go back for one more spook before we headed in for the night.

After we got back, we let Ev choose one piece of candy to snack on.  The winner:  a grape Tootsie pop.  She had a blast and has been talking about it ever since.  We can’t wait to Trick-or-Treat next year with our TWO little girls!  Until then, we’re holding down the fort and waiting for Baby A to make an appearance.

Everly is two years and three months old, and I am 40 weeks and 5 days pregnant.

Love,
E

Letter to a Little Girl

“No one else will ever know the strength of my love for you. After all, you’re the only one who knows what my heart sounds like from the inside.” – Unknown

Dear Little Dreamer,

In case I ever forget to tell you, I wanted you to know that:

Every night when I put Everly to bed, we lie in the stillness of her bedroom, with her tiny hands on my belly, while you squirm around this way and that.

Your Daddy and I finally decided on your name, and ever since I’ve been scribbling it in my notebook and stamping your tiny initials (A.J) on the back of random pieces of paper lying around the house.

You are getting stronger and stronger each and every day.  Sometimes, your kicks and rolls literally take my breath away.  Carrying you has been amazing and perfect.

Your Daddy and I have big plans for this little family of ours and promise to give you the best life that we possibly can.  We’re preparing pretty little things, creating a little space for you in our home, and teaching your older sister what we can about being a big sister.  She’s just as excited as we are to finally meet you.

Love,
Your Mama, Daddy, and Big Sister

P.S.  Your Daddy says you’re going to be spicy… We can’t imagine what could possibly be spicier than Ev, but we’re excited to find out!

This Pregnancy…31 Weeks In

30 weeks and rushing out the door to work

What a whirlwind this pregnancy has been.  I’ve been spoiled this time around as things have been pretty easy and I’ve purely been enjoying every second.  I’m now in my third trimester and can honestly say that I still don’t have too much to complain about.   Here’s a little recap of what’s different:

• I’m carrying a tad bit lower and tighter this time.
• I’ve had literally no heartburn or leg cramps (yay!)
• I feel like I’m eating a lot better this time around, though I’m right on track with the about the same amount of weight gain as last time.
• Still no sign of the linea nigra – the brown line that a lot of women get on their bellies during pregnancy.  (This showed up with my last pregnancy and didn’t truly fade until about 10 months after Everly was born.)

I’m starting to feel my pelvic bones shifting, and each day that I get out of bed, the dull achiness reminds me that I’m getting closer and closer.  The way that the body prepares for birth is completely fascinating to me.

Last week I found out that this baby is currently in a breech position.  Since my doctor isn’t too worried about it and feels confident that she has plenty of time and room to flip before showtime, I’m not letting it stress me out either.  I’m just letting this baby girl do her thing and just making sure that I’m spending some time upside down here and there with a few yoga poses (downward facing dog, plank, and supported shoulder stand, when I can) and plan on doing lots of swimming this weekend too (said to help promote a baby to flip the other way around).

Having had a very positive experience with Everly’s birth, I’m feeling pretty confident as my due date approaches.  I know that each birth can be totally different, but I have a lot of faith in what my body can do and I’m hoping everything is smooth sailing just like before.  At any rate, I’m staying active as much as possible, drinking my red raspberry leaf tea (suggested by herbalists to tone the uterus and prepare for birth), and just generally trying to focus on having another good experience.

As for the little lady’s room and everything else, I’m practicing the fine art of procrastination and somehow finding every other thing that I need to do besides that.  Not to worry though, I have a few things on my radar that I’m making a priority these last few weeks.

Until then, Marty, Ev and I are all ready to enjoy this holiday weekend and the last few days of summer before the season starts to change.  Hope you have a great week!

Love,
E

Lately

Lately these 100-degree-plus days have been spent trying to find interesting things to do indoors, while twiddling our thumbs and waiting patiently until our vacation begins.  (2 more days of work, 6 more days until we get back to this place, but who’s counting?)

If it’s not a workday, we usually fill up Ev’s pool in the early morning and splash around in the bamboo shade of our driveway.  Despite the blistering sun and heat, we stay pretty cool in this part of our property, drinking our lemonade and enjoying the little kiddie pool that’s so quickly become a regular part of our summer days.

Lately, Ev’s been talking up a storm and counting like crazy.  Sometimes she’ll get to around 14 or so, skipping a number here and there, but nonetheless impressive for a 22-month old.  She loves her markers and coloring books, stickers, and turning any surface she can into a balance beam.   Everyday, we talk about the little sister she’s going to have and how much we are all going to have together.

I’ve neglected this little blog since lately I’ve been consumed with a new-to-me toy, my Nikon D3000 DSLR camera, a gift from my Dad (Thanks a MILLION, Dad!).  This thing is amazing, even to a newbie like me, and while I don’t know a thing about photography, I’m sure having some fun playing around and reading about things like aperture, shutter speed, exposure, etc. (thank you Pinterest).  Maybe one of these days I’ll actually try to apply some of these things in manual mode.  For now though, I mostly shoot in auto and let the camera do all the thinking.  I’m very excited to put this thing to work on the beach and hopefully get some great family shots.

It’s going to be a busy week for us – Marty is traveling a little for work, then we have our annual Fourth of July party at the lake, and after that we’re BEACH BOUND.  Can’t wait!  Hope you’re having a beautiful summer.  Stay cool!

Love,
E

And we’re having….

A little GIRL!  Can you believe it?  Just as I suspected all along, there’s a little, bouncing baby girl in there and we’re over the moon excited.  While we would have been just as excited in finding out that there was a little gent in there too, we feel so lucky and blessed to soon welcome another happy and healthy little angel into our family.

Walking into our ultrasound appointment yesterday afternoon, Marty turned and said to me, “Something about the thought of two little girls running around makes me so happy.”  Fifteen minutes later, we saw our baby on the monitor and watched as the ultrasound tech pointed out all of the her organ systems.  And just as I had with Everly’s ultrasound, I blurted out, “It’s a girl!” before the tech could even identify the sex herself.

It was an exciting and emotional day, and one that I’ll never forget.  I’m still pinching myself and reeling over the news.  I’m going to be the Mama of two little girls. Marty is going to have two little ladies wrapped around his fingers.  Our house will be filled with the girly laughter of sisters.  SISTERS! 🙂

Love,
E

Baby Bump Update

Now that I am comfortably well into my second trimester at just about 19 weeks, I figured it was probably time for a little preggie update.  This time around started off a little rougher than my pregnancy with Everly- I feel like I was more tired, nauseous, and generally more rundown at the end of the day this time in comparison to last.  But right around 12-ish weeks, things really took a turn for the positive and I was able to get up off the couch and finally get moving again.

Exercise
Lately, Everly, the dogs & I walk nearly every night or so (unless it’s ridiculously hot & humid) and just about every morning on the weekends (we’re up and out early, way before the heat hits).  I just started a prenatal yoga class on during the week too, which so far has been great.  Yoga this pregnancy feels phenomenal and Wednesday nights have become my little Mama’s night out.  For 90 minutes I get an incredible workout and end up leaving feeling completely refreshed.

The Bump
I started showing pretty early this time around, and I’m definitely bigger this pregnancy than last time, which is fine with me.  My weight gain seems pretty much on track with where I was when I was pregnant with Ev; my body seems to know exactly what it’s doing this time around.  The baby bump definitely makes me look a bit farther along that I actually am, which is no big deal – this is just the way my body grows babies and I’m completely cool with that.

Eats
As far as food goes, I’m definitely trying to be more conscious this time around.  I generally have pretty healthy eating habits, but I’ll definitely indulge when I have a craving.  Every day I usually have an omelet with hot sauce and salsa, and I’ve been seriously into some fresh pineapple lately.  Have I mentioned the snow cone obsession yet?

Boy or Girl?
That’s the big question these days, which soon we’ll have an answer to!  We find out what we’re having next week and we are so excited!  I have a pretty good feeling I think I know what we’re having, but sometimes I wonder if I might be wrong.  It sounds totally cliché, but both Marty and I would be totally nuts over either.  What do you think, pink or blue?

16 weeks

18 weeks

See my baby bump when I was 19 weeks pregnant with Everly here.

Love,
E

The Beans Have Officially Been Spilled

Everly’s going to be a big sister!

The rumors are true!  We’ve been keeping a big secret to ourselves over here for a while lately, and it feels great to finally announce that we have another little one on the way!  It’s been so nice keeping it just to ourselves and close family and friends, but now that I finally have a little bump to show for it, we figured it’s time to spread the news.

To say the least, we are completely overjoyed and can’t wait to give Everly a sister or brother later this Fall.  We are due on Halloween and Everly and Baby #2 will be two years apart- exactly what I’ve always wished for!

Finding out that we are pregnant for a second time is just as surprising and exhilarating as the first time.  The fact that I’m going into my fifteenth week is crazy, so I’m just enjoying every moment as a mama of one and trying to wrap my head around what it’s going to be like with two little rugrats!

Below is my first bump pic with Baby #2 at 14 weeks.  See my baby bump pic with Everly at 15 weeks here.

Cheesy first baby bump pic at 14 weeks

Love,
E