he's HERE!!!

LEVI "unified" EMERY "brave, full of strength" made his debut on August 26th at 3:44 pm...we could not be happier!

Something we have been waiting for for 2 years had finally happened and the joy that filled our hearts was and still is INDESCRIBABLE!

We thought we knew what was best for us...

We thought it was best to have our children close together...

We thought having it take a year and a half of trying was too long...

"Man plans his path...God directs his steps"

This is perfect...

God's plan for our family is perfect...

This age-gap is perfect...

And we are blessed!

It all started that morning...around 5:45am...three days later than I had planned! :P

My contractions were 2-4 mins apart from the on-set. I timed them for an hour, not wanting them to stop, but also feeling unsure as to whether I was ready for them to be "real." I also didn't want to wake Jim, for fear that they would all stop!

So, after the hour I timed them for another 15 minutes before calling my midwife. She asked how I felt, and I knew things were not going to be as hasty as with Avery. She lives 45 minutes away and said she'd come right away just to check things.

She got to our home (which was perfectly silent because the girls had actually been at my Mum's for a sleepover! What a blessing!) and I was only 2-3 cm dilated...but at least it was something!!

While she was here she received a phone call from the hospital letting her know of their shortage of OB nurses...meaning that if she had anyone in labour (ME) that day, and they didn't have the baby before 7pm, (!!) that person (ME) would have to be FLOWN OUT!!! She hung up the phone and said "We have to have this baby before 7 tonight!!"

I had never wanted to induce painful contraction more than then! But, things went slowly along for the next chunk of the day...until 2pm rolled along and my midwife suggested that we move to the hospital and break my water, in hopes to speed things up.

To the hospital we went...and it took 45 minutes for her to get all her ducks in a row and at 2:45 she broke me water...

Remember the beginning of the post, where I said Levi was born at 3:44pm!! yup...59 minutes after my water broke I went from 5 cm to 10 cm and pushed him out! Needless to say, that was an hour of my life that I will never forget, but never want to re-live!!

One push and my life was forever changed!

And...by 7pm we went HOME!!

life...these days

well...i'm still standin'!

we are busy around here enjoying life...

i feel as though growing this bebe is taking up more than my torso section! my mental capacity is greatly diminishing and i honestly feel as though i've got nothing to share with you.

let's see....

so far this summer we've enjoyed the sunshine every minute it's showed it's face...

we've gone to VBS - first time for Avery, and a greatly anticipated second time for Karys...and as much as they say they enjoyed themselves, sometimes it's hard for me to "see" it because they are VERY reserved in large crowds...

we enjoyed taking part in the Canada Day Parade

me...the girls...and their spiffy decorated bikes

karys bravely cruising along on her newest set of wheels!!

me trying hard to keep up with Bean on her run-bike - we {heart} run-bikes!!

we've been blessed with some work for Jim - and, in turn, have been able to bless my Mum...as he "job" was to work for her landscaping her front yard and painting her entire house

and most recently, the girls and i were able to get away for a MUCH NEEDED visit with one of my nearest and dearest kindred friends - Karleigh Jane...our ties extend way back to a time in life when we were both young and naive and has continued through all the valleys and mountains our lives journeys have contained...we are no longer younger, or naive, but our bond has grown closer in spite of the physical distance that has always separated us...but has been greatly diminished in this past year!! yipppeeee!!

so far...sooo good!!

i've also gotten to the point in this pregnancy that i am down to a prenatal visit every 2 weeks!! instead of every month! so...that has really brought it home to us - how close the arrival of our long awaited miracle actually is!!

and - MUCH to my excitement - my midwife upped my due date by 6 days!

so i am officially 31 weeks and 3 days

NOW - by my calculations this could mean ONE of THREE different things:

compared to my due date, 31+ wks would mean i have 8+ left
compared to my first pregnancy, it would mean i have 5+ weeks left
and compared to my second pregnancy, it would mean i have 3+ weeks left

looking forward to seeing the story unfold!!

so...that's us...in a nutshell...these days!

hope you too are out there savouring these "summer" days!!

baby names

...admittedly, I am at a loss!

not TOTALLY (as i DO have a name list started) but there are NO names that I am 100% S.O.L.D. on yet, and certainly NO names that Jim and I agree on!

So...that being said, i thought i'd take this chance to query you, my audience of...?!

can you please make us some name suggestions - Boy OR Girl as we are not 100% sure of the baby's gender YET!

our girls' names are:

KARYS NICOLLE and AVERY DANAE...and we would obviously want a name that "matched" those...so something like George or Henry would really suite the more "unique" trend we've got going.

(keep in mind that we may actually use a name you suggest, so DON'T suggest anything you're not will to part with!)

looking forward to hearing your suggestions!!!!!

who do you think s/he looks like?!?

Baby B

not too sure if there are any inquiring minds out there, but I know I took a picture of me with the girls at this stage...and just remembered this evening that I was almost past the mark!!

so...i took two...on self timer...just for my own personal library...but then thought i'd share
this is what I got!

this pregnancy has gone by so fast...in a slow kinda way!

and...so far, everything has been exactly as with the girls!
i'm bulking out more on the sides than in the front, showing considerably more width than "baby belly"...and that's seriously about it!

my lungs feel a tad less capable of breathing deep, and fast walking immediately induces Braxton Hicks! But those are old hat...and I had them with both girls from about 15 weeks on!!

so...as much as I was somewhat dreading the heat of this summer...I was honestly expecting to be carrying #3 a lot more obviously, considering it is my third time 'round!

now, obviously, i know i still have my biggest months to come, but here's hoping this baby follows the suit of it's sisters and remains s.m.a.l.l.!! (6lbs7oz and 5lbs7oz!)

and...if all goes according to plan, we will be able to meet this little miracle at the end of August! In the case that doesn't happen, then I would LOVE to have it on September 14th...in honour of my Dad!!

we shall see!

on life

i am here
i have been wanting to blog
nothing profound
life is happening

mother's day is around the corner
six years ago
the flutters of life began in me
and
on mothers day
we took "the test"

on mothers day
six years ago
i found out
i would soon join the ranks
of blessed women
who were called
to raise
the next generation

and today
six years later
as number three explores
kicking and squirming
i sit in silence
reflecting on His faithfulness

this IS my calling
He DOES want me
we HOPED to expand
and
after sixteen months
many tears
and much hope
we ARE expanding
my family...figuratively
me...literally!

my brain can still not comprehend
but the scans prove true
the miraculous gift
of growth
inside me
of strength and health
Thank you Jesus!

tiny flexing hands
perfect pouty lips
delicate feet
with 10 tiny toes
oh...the view

six years ago
on mother's day
the joy began inside
the naive joy of "motherhood"
unaware of what's to come
but expecting the best

and now
six years later
the joy continues
no longer naive
very much aware of the rollercoaster
that is "motherhood"
but i AM called
this IS His plan for me
and number three
is proof
of His faithfulness
of His love for His children
and added blessing

what deep joy
what persistent hope
what a blessing
motherhood is my calling
i am not perfect at it
many days i am certain
my children deserve better
but we press on
seeking His face
leaning on His grace
we unite as a family
to become better in spite of our failure

six years ago the flicker of joy ignited
and now...as this little one grows
bigger and stronger daily
so does my joy
in the blessing of three lives
that have been given to me
who are my calling
that make me "mummy"

make a guess!!!

okay...i think i figured it out...

check out the poll i added to the side bar

and...make your guess!!!

as it mentions there, i feel the exact same as with the girls

i am craving everything (not swayed one way sweet/savoury)

i am not yet showing (@ 16.5 weeks)

my chinese calendar thing (that has been wrong every time) says "boy"

....what else?!

let me know if you'd like more specifics before making your guess!

YAY! i (heart) polls

flutters and beats

...two things that have caused me to smile as of late!!

i have been waiting to hear baby B's heart beat for WEEKS now!!! I thought i would be able to at my last last midwife's appt. but i was only 10.5 wks and she wasn't as intent as i was on finding it...stating it's too unlikely, but she'd give it a "try"

so then i had to wait until my next appt...4 weeks away!!!! so wait i did! and wait...and wait...and then the day came...and then, 2 hours before my appt, my midwife called and canceled!!!!

Jim was soo funny! He said "Can she even DO that?!"

So...then I had to wait...again...for another 5 days....

i'm not too sure why this was SO important to me...but i really felt like it was that ONE THING that would make it all real!! i doubt that makes sense to anyone seeing as how i had already had an ultrasound....

but the entire first trimester goes by so "silently" - aside from morning sickness - that it's hard to "know" if anything is really "happening"!

anyhow...that appt came and went and i finally heard the heart beat...and cried! i was so completely relieved!

it was the most incredible, miraculous, encouraging, beautiful, cute sound i have heard in a long time!!

and i have smiled every time i have thought about that moment!

the flutters have also started to be detectable....and had been PRIOR to me hearing the heart beat, but i didn't want to admit it until i KNEW that everything was "okay"...just a weird way for me to guard my heart a little longer, i suppose!?

but now i KNOW...and now i can admit...this baby's movin'!!!

so...that's all for now...just wanted to share my latest excitement with you!

rambling procrastination

hey....

yet again i am placating myself with a blog post because i am currently off facebook and can't procrastinate there!!

so...as i mentioned in my last post, i have an upcoming craft fair that i bought a table at.....and am hoping to sell some beanies and other things i've made....

my only problem.....i don't have many things made!!

note my slight dilemma!?

so...instead of hooking away like a crazy woman, i am here.....rambling

dinner is in the crock-pot.....

#2 is down for a nap (shocking that she's over 3 and gotten back into a habit of napping lately - i think she's still recovering from a flu...a month ago!! is that even possible??!)....

#1 is doing her journal.....

Dado is out cutting wood again today, as the permit is only valid until April 1st!!

i wish this was more inspiring....or encouraging.....

but i have come to realize that growing a baby takes up more than just space in my body......it has currently occupied all forms of rationel and reason, along with any creative thoughts in my brain!!

speaking of the baby....

so far things are going great!

february was a rough, rough month......

i was sick every single day......but that was an expected and very welcomed feeling

we had been trying for #3 for 16 months by then and to know that "things were working" because of the morning sickness, was reassuring

then we flipped the calendar to march

and all of everything stopped!

i still had/have some food aversions...but NOTHING like february!

honestly, although one would imagine a sense of relief from the ending of morning sickness, i actually am battling a sense of anxiety....

i know that satan wants nothing more than for me to suffer in any way possible...and if it's not going to be through morning sickness, then he'll try stressing me out with negative, defeating thoughts about the baby and what is/may be happening to cause the morning sickness to stop....

all the while, God is faithful

He's kept close to me and reassured me that this is all His plan.....and there is nothing to worry about

so the anxiety has certainly died down....a LOT in the past week or so....for that i am thankful

as far as feeling go about what we may be having....i think it's too early to tell....

all i know is how i felt for my last 2 pregnancies....and this one is identical to those two...?!

i think i am going to start a little poll on the side...

but before then i am going to go and do some web-search and look at what the preggo-sites guess that my "signs" are telling me...you know, those chinese calendar thingys, and the old wives tales....

once i've done those, i'll post the results and then add a poll and you can make your guesses...

we WILL be finding out what we are having in about 3-4 weeks.....i am undecided yet as to whether we will be sharing that information.....

so....that's me and #3 so far.....

and now....my rambling is all done

hope you have a fabulous day!

lazy day

i got nuthin' for ya...but seeing as how i'm not on facebook for another few weeks, i have no where to mention the fact that we are heading out for a dinner date (or sorts, brother in law is coming too) tonight, while my incredible Mum takes the girls...

the dinner is "courtesy" of our neighbours who just recently returned from their snow-bird trip down south....jim has been keep an eye on their place while they've been gone since dec. 26th (!!) and when they returned they blessed us with a gorgeous gift basket and a card - we were so thankful! but then...inside the card was a generous gift certificate to a great local restaurant!

so...we will use some of it tonight....my only wish is that i hadn't eaten so much at the little get-together we had this afternoon...for a childhood friend...who's packing up and leaving province - heading east...as far as she can but still remain in this country!

but it was sooo yummy! and dinner will be sooo yummy!

the only thing that would make it yummy-ER is if i could indulge in a couple glasses of wine along with it...

i'll take what i can though...being thankful for the fact that i cannot partake in some wine because of the miracle taking place within...

more on that, and how i'm feeling, in a different post...

i gotta stretch my thoughts out here...after all, they are few and far between these days!!

so...off i go...to stuff myself again...mmmm!

Crafy creations...as of late!

PLEASE NOTE: this IS a very long post,
but if you stick it out to the end....
you won't by disappointed, I promise!

ok...so i've gotten slightly addicted to crocheting...or "hooking" as it's more popularly referred to these days!? I think I'll stick with the "old fashioned" term...thankyouverymuch!!

take a peek at these little gems..and let me know if you'd be interested in purchasing any of them! Most of these are sold, as they were made for a friend as photography props...but reproducing any of them would be simple enough:)

::colourful beanies::

::aviator::

::little bear::

::pompom square::

::ear flap cap::

::ear flap cap and diaper cover::

::daisy top::

::flower beanie::

::popcorn top::

::molly monkey::

::max monkey::

::fuzzy bear::

and NOW, onto my newest favourite thing - RE-PURPOSED T-shirts!!!! And the magic of WUNDER-UNDER!!

::knot top "tough guy" beanie::

and my personal favourites.....

and.....

::Whatdoya think?!?!?::