I imagine that seeing a 40+ weeks pregnant woman chasing escaped chickens around her yard has to be one of the funnier things in life. You’re welcome, neighbors! Hope you enjoyed that! Those little stinkers got out of the coop while Daniel was at work and I felt both ridiculous and slightly awesome that I managed to get everybody back inside.
Pregnancy Update:
41 weeks tomorrow! Baby Gwen is now officially past her due date and I am officially losing my mind. This is my date night attire from Friday and it’s about as fancy as it gets these days. But this little girl seems to be doing great despite her lack of cooperation. Non-stress test on Thursday at the hospital showed that she’s moving around just beautifully. And at least I am 2 cm so we’re making some progress toward being labor ready! We’ll have to do a biophysical profile tomorrow if she’s still in utero to make sure there’s enough amniotic fluid and that she’s still thriving in there. Of course, now I’m glad that she’s late because Benjamin had a stomach flu Sunday/Monday and I was relieved that Gwen was still safely in the womb away from the germs and that Daniel and I were home to tend to our little pukey boy instead of away at the hospital. Speaking of pregnancy, my friend Stephanie relaunched her ebook From Maiden to Mother: Your Guide to a Conscious Child-Bearing Year and it’s on sale for $6.99 until June 1st so if you’re an expectant mama or thinking about pregnancy, definitely check it out! (Warning, there is some colorful language in the book.)
On the Homestead:
Oh, how I love squash blossoms!
Oh my, yes! I’m so excited about all the tomatoes!
“There’s always room in Grandaddy’s lap.”
The Quotable Benjamin:
“Maybe Gwen will come out tonight when you’re sleeping and then in the morning you’ll be so surprised a little baby is snugglin’ next to you!” (I certainly wish that’s how it worked)
“How come dwarves never get pink eye?”
“See, mama?! All you needed to feel better was a nap, playing outside with your kiddos, then getting your toes cleaned off!” (Wise words about saving an afternoon after a grumpy super pregnant morning)
The Quotable Lucy:
“Daddy! I WOVE WOU!” (Yelling at the window with her face pressed against the glass as Daddy bikes off to work each morning.)
Me: “What should Lucy be for Halloween this year?“
Benjamin: “A sign.“
Me: “A sign? What would it say?“
Lucy: “Dis e’ Habogene!” (This is Halloween!)
Links:
What to Expect When You Totally Weren’t Expecting Spina Bifida: Wifeytini
Stocking the Kitchen for Post-Delivery Days: Simple Bites (I have a few freezer meals stocked up but I wish I had more for postpartum!)
A Good Kind of Crazy: Time Flies When You’re Having Babies (Loved this post!)
“The point is that these kids bring the the worst parts in me and then they have to deal with them. But I try to think of it like they are like little florescent flashlights that God has given me to shine on all the sick, sinful parts of who I am. I feel like each kid has been a brighter light and shown me more and more how much work I need. So why would I stop now?”
Did Pope Francis Really Say All Atheists Are Redeemed?: Strange Notions
You can also find me…:
I’m really thrilled that my post for Mama and Baby Love that ran last week got such great feedback. I really hope it encouraged some mamas out there!
How I Almost Became the Smug Mom: Mama and Baby Love
I hope you’re enjoying summery weather wherever you are! I’ll keep you posted on this little stubborn baby girl 🙂
Love,
Haley
P.S. You can also follow me on Twitter (@haleycarrots), Pinterest (haleyofcarrots), FB, and Instagram (carrotsformichaelmas). I love connecting with my wonderful readers!
I love what your kids say! Especially about a baby “snugglin’ next to you!” My kids were an average of ten days late, so I deeply sympathize with your wanting to get Gwen’s show on the road. :-/ Praying for you and Gwen!
Thank you, Melissa! Lucy was 10 days late and it was tough! Gwen’s a week late tomorrow and I really hope she doesn’t keep up waiting much longer (also praying to avoid an induction!)
You look beautiful! I’m praying that you meet your baby girl soon!
Oh, thank you, Ginny!
My squash and tomatoes look just like that 🙂 Lots of cherry tomatoes but my roma are holding out on me.
Also that is truly amazing you can gather chickens so preggo. Hope they behave and stay penned in for the time being and Baby Gwen hurries up!
Thanks, Jeni! If I’m still pregnant and show up at playgroup on Friday, I will cry, haha.
I’m just so excited for Baby Gwen to get here already!! (I’m sure you are, too. Haha!) Praying for you and for her, and I hope everything goes well. <3
Thank you for the prayers and for sharing our excitement about meeting this little lady!
Haley, thank you for the kind mention! I wanted to respond to your sweet comment the other day but my computer met its demise that day. Prayers for you in these final days of pregnancy!
It was such a good post, Ana. And one I really needed to hear! I had the worst mothering day on Friday morning and the reminder that seeing all the ugliness in myself was part of the point of this vocation and a call to ask for grace and transformation not to just sit down and cry and give up as a mothering failure. So good. But so sorry about your computer! Kaitlin (More Like Mary) had hers die, too! Our laptop is almost 4.5 years old and I don’t want it to ever die. Thanks for the prayers! I would end with a whiney explanation of all the late pregnancy miseries that make prayer so necessary right now but even I’m tired of hearing myself complain, haha.
I’m relatively new here, but I just wanted to say that you’re not alone! We have 3-under-5, and they were 7, 6, and 13 (!!!) days late, in that order. I didn’t mind the first one being late, but the last two have been harder to wait for. I just keep reminding myself that no one is pregnant forever, right? Right??? Blessings on these last days!
Thanks, Alicia! Nobody’s pregnant forever! I just have to keep telling myself that 🙂 They probably won’t let me go past 42 weeks without being induced so at least I know it’s 7 more days max. Just praying that I won’t have to do the pitocin and can just go into labor naturally!