Instead

If you are wondering where I've been for the last couple of weeks, I'll tell you: I've been taking naps in the afternoon instead of the myraid things I used to do with the kids' nap time, including blogging. Too bad, too! I have some cute pix to post. :) I'll get around to it one of these days.

Many have been asking how I am feeling with the pregnancy. (Thank you, by the way.) Overall I am doing well, thanks to an anti-nausea drug (Reglan). For the couple of weeks after we found out our "news" I became increasingly sick. My mom was here for some of the "bad days" and can attest to the fact that I was feeling pretty badly. There were a couple of times when I even broke down and cried I felt so sick and helpless, even though crying made me even more nauseous! Thankfully, toward the end of that second week I went in for an appointment and they were able and willing to give me something to help with the nausea that wouldn't make me sleepy (as did the drug they tried to give me last time--knocked me out!!) It took several days for the medicine to build up enough in my system to start working, but overall it has reduced my symptoms to the level of "mildly annoying," rather than "taking over my life and making it impossible for me to care properly for my children." I still have some bad days, such as those when I don't get the extra rest my body seems to need right now, but I am thankful to be functioning for the most part.

Dr. Nick

"Dr. Nick" is our pediatrician.

Benjamin has formed a special bond with Dr. Nick which began when he was around 2 months old due to our frequent visits to his office for the purpose of treating Benjamin's oft-infected eczema. When Talia came along she sort of inherited the family's affection for Dr. Nick. And so it has always been that when I announce an impending visit, our children exclaim, "Dr. Nick! Dr. Nick! Go see Dr. Nick!"

This week they proved their devotion to the beloved doc by paying him 2 visits in 3 days.

Tuesday we went in for Benjamin's 3 year check-up: routine weigh-in, height check, physical, and bloodwork... (plus a flu shot--ouch!) All was well. We bid the good doctor a cheery fairwell.

This morning sweet Talia decided she wanted to go back. We were all sitting in the living room when Talia "tripped" (apparently over nothing) and dove face-first into the carpet where her face happened to make contact with the only object in the vacinity, her sippy cup. She immediately started screaming at an unusually intense pitch. I picked her up and turned her over, and as I rocked her I began to see blood appear along what turned out to be an inch-long gash under her eye, along her cheekbone. Fearing injury to her eye, or a deep cut needing stitches I called the pediatrician's office which always keeps multiple appointments open throughout the day for illness and emergencies. Somehow I had the presence of mind to tell Benjamin to get his shoes and locate my own, all while cradling my screaming little girl. Amazingly enough we were on our way within 10 minutes.

Seth, who works about 1/4 mile away from the pediatrician's office, met us there. As I pulled in the parking lot, just behind him, just seeing his car brought my stress level down about 20%! By this time Talia had ceased crying and was actually quite cheerful. As we stood at the check-in counter she called through the open receptionist's window, "Dr. Nick! Dr. Nick!"

Seth had to help hold Talia down while Dr. Nick cleaned the laceration. After this heart wrenching procedure he told us the good news: either the cut was either fairly shallow or in the time it took to get to the doctor's office it fused back together quite nicely. He did not feel it required stitches. Instead he glued it (requiring more bodily force on both his and Seth's part). Happily, she will be on the mend in 4 or 5 days.

For her pains (literally), Talia was treated to a "My Little Pony" sticker from Dr. Nick's sticker basket and lunch at McDonald's. :)

Here's the shiner:

Our newest news

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9

Despite our decision to wait until Seth's dissertation was finished before thinking about enlarging our family again, God had other plans … We're expecting #3! :)

This is a complete surprise to us, but not an unwelcome one. We were trying to responsibly avoid the inconveniences of "morning" sickness (all day sickness for me) while we are still in the trenches of getting the dissertation finished, but evidently God didn't agree with our little plan.

So, I'm 8 weeks (yesterday) but we just found out a week ago, Sunday. I had been feeling slightly nauseated for a little over a week and I was feeling like I had just some slight stomach bug. I thought it was weird that it wasn't going away but it wasn't getting worse. I guess I do have a "stomach bug," just a little different kind :)

Needless to say we are very excited to see what the Lord has planned for our lives and for this precious new addition to our family. Onward with the adventure!