3 Weeks

Romey is three weeks old today. Hard to believe, and yet totally believable—does that make sense? So, what have we learned about Romey? Here’s a couple tidbits:

*Romey’s thriving. The doctor prefers to have newborns back to their birth weight by two weeks of life. By day 10 Romey was 8 pounds, 8 ounces—4 ounces more than her birth weight!

*Like Avery, Romey’s expressive. Intentional or not, it is terribly cute.

*Romey’s fairly content and likes to cuddle. She’ll cry if she’s got an issue, but otherwise enjoys looking around.

Avery is seemingly enjoying her new role as Romey’s big sister. On the flip side, Avery has been acting out more, which Dan and I find very, very trying.

In other news, my sister Lea got married on December 22 (which deserves it’s own blog entry—coming soon), and we celebrated a quiet Christmas with our two girls.

How’s our “new normal?” It’s feeling more normal, but I don’t think I’m to the point yet where I’d recommend it ;) Seriously, zone defense isn’t for the faint of heart. Kudos to all of those who have come before me and have made zone defense look easy!

Sisters














Avery: "Seriously! Can we go outside now?"


















Avery: "I'm cold, but I love it!"

Kisses and Family of 4

Bounce

We’ve “bounced” a little today—just a small, tiny bounce. By bounce Dan and I are referring to the “response to change,” the transition, adjustment, etcetera. We figure we’ll be down for the count for a while, but will relish the moments when our new normal feels normal; when a little rebounding has occurred, and we like how it feels.

As expected, Baby Romey has sent a few shockwaves through our home. Her first few nights were memorable, and long. She granted us a more normal newborn evening last night by just waking for feedings, and then going back to sleep.

Romey’s first doctor’s appointment went great. She’s gaining weight, and the doctor was pleased with her progress. We’ll go back in a week to check in again.

Avery is taking this all in stride. She’s been super, and has shown a great deal of interest in Romey. Avery hates it when Romey cries, and will tell Romey, “Mommy help you. Daddy help you,” in her best 2 ½ year old soothing voice.

We’re crazy about these girls—although right now, just a little crazy. Status for today: treading.

Sisters (and grandma too!)

Romey Jean

She's here! Romey took us by surprise, and made a grand and fast entrance early Thursday morning, December 6. We checked into the hospital around 12:30 a.m., and she appeared at 5:05 a.m. Our room was quickly dubbed as the "room with all the action."

Romey is a "sturdy" gal (as tagged by the doctor). She weighs 8 pounds and 4 ounces, and stretches out to 20 inches. Romey is pronounced like the city, adding a long "E." Jean is a family name (Dan's mom's middle name, my sister's middle name, and my grandmother's middle name) and means "God is gracious." We are feeling completely blessed and completely tired, but couldn't be more thrilled to have made Romey's acquaintance. Avery's a little unsure about Romey, but is muddling through. For now, we're just trying to get her to call her "Baby Romey" instead of "Baby Jesus" as the baby in her nativity set is "Baby Jesus." Terribly funny! More pictures soon, but for now....some rest.

Update

Induction is set for Monday, December 10. Perhaps I won’t need it, but in the event that I do, the appointment is set. We’ll stay in touch.

December 3

Dan and I are in disbelief that it is December 3. Isn’t it all about expectations? We expected that we’d have a November baby, so naturally are a bit surprised that it is December and we’re still waiting. Shame on us, right?

The news is this: there’s been some encouraging developments that my body is getting closer. I’m dilated, and effaced, and will check in with the doctor tomorrow afternoon. At my last appointment the doctor said we’d begin discussing induction if I made it into December. Let’s discuss!

In the meantime, Avery is floating through her days as if she doesn’t really get what’s about to happen. We’ve been calling her “Miss Centerstage” lately. It will be interesting to see if we get another “Miss Centerstage.” Perhaps this baby will be “Miss Behind-the-Scenes.” Let’s hope!

Nope, she's not here yet!

In case you're wondering, we're still waiting. No baby yet--hopefully soon!

Can't say no

A few little sister gifts have been showing up here and there, and I've just lost the drive to fight off the big sister. So, here's Avery trying out her little sister's new Bumbo chair (sorry Jake and Angie--I promise she's not ruining it!). The box does say it is appropriate for a child who can hold their own head up, and yes, I know about the recall. The recall is for dofuses who put their kids in Bumbo seats on elevated surfaces; not for dofuses who let their 2 1/2 year olds play in it ;)

Don’t call us; we’ll call you!

Yep, you guessed it: no turkey baby. Sure would have been great though, right?

So, don’t be offended by my blog title. Call to ask if Avery and I want to play or have lunch, but don’t call to ask if I’ve had the baby. The answer will likely be a big re-sounding NO, and I’ll charge you two post-baby meals for asking. ;)

As of my last appointment the doctor declared my status as “no change.” We’re starting to feel a little saucy about this, hoping that she would of been here by now. But alas, we’ll wait patiently.

In the meantime, we had a terrific “Thanks-mas” with my family, although the next day Avery came down with a really nice cold. The cold, however, did not keep her from loving her favorite gift—a hot pink guitar. (Oh, God help us.) Sing me the blues, Ave!

To lighten things up a bit, check out our family "elf" dance--it is hysterical! http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9576261755

Anticipation

The anticipation is torturous. We’re entering Week 38, and are becoming more and more aware that Miss RJN is near. Yet, how near? Will labor begin in an hour, a day, a few weeks? So, we wait, and wait, and keep cleaning, and waiting, and sorting, and waiting.

Picture caption: Ave: "Me and my sis are torturing mommy, and loving it!"

For those of you that are wondering, my last doctor’s appointment went great. Everything is checking out, and although I’m not dilated yet, my cervix has began to efface (I know….too much information, right?) I go back on Wednesday, so it will be interesting to hear if there’s been any progress.

By the way, we’ll be trying out all the old-wives tales for labor induction, so if you have any you’d like to share, please do so. My whole family will be in town this week, so it would be an ultra convenient week to have a baby.

Til baby!

Week 37

Today marks the first day of week 37. Avery was a 38-weeker, so we’re hoping for the same luck with this baby. If the baby were to come this week, we’re at least feeling ready (as much as we can be). The house is not a construction zone anymore, we’ve managed to do quite a bit of cleaning, and the nursery is set (Avery calls the mobile "planets"). I’m even considering breaking a cardinal rule by setting up our Christmas decorations this week (tacky, right?). So, we wait, and we hate to wait, and are anxious about how this is all going to go down. This is a bit of a different experience since we have Avery to consider. We have some preliminary plans set for her, but how’s it all going to shake out?

In the meantime, we took Avery for her first dental appointment on Saturday (Dan got a cleaning too). Avery took a ride in the chair, got a new toothbrush, and allowed the hygienist to count her teeth (through a partially clenched jaw). Surprisingly, Avery already has her lower two-year molars. We thought we were still waiting for that glorious event. So instead of waiting on four teeth, we’re only waiting on two teeth. Avery hasn’t had a great teething run, so we describe the next round popping through as something to “look forward to.” The hygienist also remarked that Avery’s teeth looked great, so we’re relieved to hear that perhaps we’re doing an alright job taking care of her teeth.

Dan, on the other hand, didn’t get such great news. He’s got some cavities, and needs a crown. He’s not very happy about it—if you ask him, he’ll probably tell you all about it.

Hopefully we’ll have a baby post for you soon. Can’t believe that we’re this close—very, very surreal.

Avery taking a ride in the dental chair.














Scoping out the toothbrushes.














Avery admiring herself in the tooth-shaped mirror.

Update

The floor is done. The floor is really, really done. We can’t believe it—the floor is done.

How’d it go? Pretty well. Naturally there were a few bumps in the road, numerous Home Depot runs, and many late nights. All in all, the installers finished the floor in 2 ½ days. It is beautiful, and we love it. We’re still trying to “right the ship”—putting everything back in its place, and doing a deep clean—but we’re thrilled with our progress, and are entering November feeling a little more confident about our “readiness”—HA! (There’s still so much to do….)

In other news, Avery had a fun Halloween as a pink octopus; I’m entering the 35/36th week of my pregnancy; Avery took a Little Buddies tour at Central DuPage Hospital; and Avery’s professional photo shoot pictures are online—take a look: http://www.pictage.com/384057

Ave-topus












Ave-topus with four tentacles, and a killer smile.


















Entering the home-stretch.


















Have a great week!

October

As the month of October comes to a close, we’re feeling a little scared—seasonally appropriate, yes? (at which point we turn to candy—a tried and true coping mechanism). Our pre-baby days are seriously numbered. The last couple of weeks have been crazy so I’ll try to do a quick summary:

*Some of you may know that Avery doesn’t do well at the traditional photography studios. Sitting still is not her forte’, and we haven’t yet found a photographer that we’ve been pleased with. Enter Connie Tameling—WOW. Now she’s talented, and ENJOYS a challenge. I’ll be posting a link to these pictures soon. Like us, I’ll think you’ll love what you see. Speaking of pictures, here's a new family shot that my mom took of us:















*Dan and his boss traveled to Colorado Springs to visit Focus on the Family. I don’t quite get what they were there to do, but I do know it was Avery-free time for Dan, including decadent meals, and cool sightseeing. I’m really quite delighted for him.

Dan at Pike's Peak

















*Dan and I took a Great Expectations Refresher course at Central DuPage Hospital—a sort of labor and delivery course. It was a good class with a lot of helpful information. What was kind of cool was that from where we were sitting we could see couples leaving the hospital with their newborns. It seems like yesterday that we were bringing Avery home from the hospital. And it feels as though it will be tomorrow when we'll bringing this next little girl home.

*Speaking of this next little girl, we followed up our class with a 3D/4D ultrasound. Dan and I are feeling that we’re a two-kid family, so thought an ultrasound would be a fun way to cap off our “child-bearing” years. It was a neat experience, and it was cool to “catch a glimpse" (use your imagination with the picture).



















*We celebrated Octoberfest with some friends at Schnitzel Platz. This is Octoberfest-style fun like I’ve never seen before. For me, I think it was a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience (I’m not interested in going back), and for Dan it is a “once-a-year" type of experience (meaning he’ll need reliable transportation). Schnitzel Platz serves a two-liter (yep, you read right) boot of beer. That’s a lot of beer, yes? And yes, Dan drank his all by himself.

Dan, his two-liter beer, and his designated driver


































*Many of you know that we treat having another child like a storm is coming. We load the freezer, buy tons of food and supplies, finish projects, etc. One of our big pre-baby projects that we’ve been contemplating for months has been replacing our sixteen-year-old, peel n’ stick vinyl tile that is in our entryway, hall, kitchen, and bathrooms. And so, we finally chose a tile, made the purchase, and are awaiting our installation appointment (Monday, 10/29). The pre-installation work has been rough. We’re required to pull up the old tile, stain base shoe, move appliances, toilets, etc. Early in the project Dan had said, “Pulling up this tile will be cake; I might actually enjoy it!” Ha! Enter “The Stripper”—a piece of equipment that’s specialty is removing tile. What a godsend this tool proved to be (thanks, mom!). With luck, we’ll have finished floors by the end of next week. It’s like a domino affect; the floors get finished, which will bring on a massive cleaning effort, followed by carpet cleaners, etc. Then I suppose it will be time to put sheets on the crib ;)

Dan and "The Stripper"



















All in all, we’re doing great. A little stressed, but we’ll figure it out (this is self-induced stress). Hopefully we’ll enjoy a little calm before RJN appears on the scene.

Happy “early” Halloween!

Congratulations Eric and Danielle!

Our friends, Eric and Danielle, tied the knot this weekend, and our little Avery was part of the wedding party. When Danielle indicated to Dan that she’d like for Avery to participate, Dan and I did everything we could to gently encourage her to re-consider. Avery’s a bit of a wildcard, so naturally we were a little uncomfortable with the idea (mainly for Eric and Danielle's sake since Dan and I know what Avery’s capable of). But, Avery’s crazy about Eric and Danielle, so maybe she’d cooperate?

So, how’d she do? She did okay (maybe an 8.5 out of 10). Avery had a great morning and lined up nicely with the kids (she’ll do anything for fruit snacks). Then, it was Avery’s turn to walk down the aisle, and she became distracted by the fountain/pond (she LOVES water). So, she had a little tantrum, and I coaxed her off the ground, and down the aisle. She got about halfway down the aisle [TRIP 1], stopped, and yelled “WATER!” and then ran back to the fountain. I sent her back down the aisle [TRIP 2], at which point she saw Dan, and ran toward him, and tripped and fell. And then she went back to the fountain, where she threw her stick in the water, tried to retrieve it (nearly falling in; Dan got her just in time), followed by Avery and Dan walking down the aisle together [TRIP 3]. I scooped her up, and double-timed it back to the hotel room where the sitter was hanging out. Of course Avery had a few things to say/do before she’d go quietly, all of which was very loud, and Avery-oriented. Naturally, everyone finds her antics amusing while Dan and I were melting.

Avery was stellar at the reception. Then the music started, and Avery (“the dancing queen’’) was full-speed again, lapping the reception room. She honed in on the bride and groom’s first dance (so embarrassing, and we feel terrible that we didn’t see that one coming). So, again, I scooped her up, headed for the nearest exit until it was time for everyone to begin dancing. When that began, Avery ran for the dance floor and started spinning, and having a gay ‘ole time in her own little world. She kept saying, “I dance, I dance!” Dan and I are in awe of Avery, and nervously anticipate meeting her sister.

As far as meeting Avery’s sister goes, I am now starting my 33rd week. I check in with the doctor on Tuesday, and then every other week until week 36. At that point I’ll start checking in every week until the baby is born.

In other news, today is my Mom and Dad’s 31st wedding anniversary—Congratulations! And, this week Ranger Ray returned from his deployment, and we’re so grateful for his safe return.

In the meantime, we’re delighted for Eric and Danielle, and couldn’t be happier for them. They are a terribly fun couple, and I know Dan’s grateful to have them as co-workers. Happy honeymooning Eric and Danielle!


Danielle and Eric


















Avery and Danielle (and another fairy!)

















Danielle and Eric had a harvest-themed wedding. Avery was a fairy.

Milestones

What does it mean when your daughter comes to you, hands you the diaper wipes and a diaper, and proceeds to lay down on the floor in front of you? Or how about when your daughter says, “Mommy, diaper icky!” You’ve got it—Avery’s growing up, and the milestone I’ve been dreading now seems to be before me. So, we’re doing a little reading—Potty Training for Dummies, Once Upon a Potty, etc. The experts recommend choosing a weekend, and designating that time for concentrated potty training. I guess the next step is looking at the calendar…….Yep, we’re too busy! Sorry Aves! Let’s talk in six months or so……Just kidding! We’ll keep you posted on our messy progress! In the meantime, enjoy this recent picture (just for fun, of course!).

This blogs for you Mom!

It's been a little bit of a family joke of who's getting their blog time. So, rightfully so, it is time to shower a little blog praise my mom's way for all her help with Avery over the last few days. Not only did my mom get to steer the Avery train, but she also got to put up with Dan and me (stressed and feeling little direction about our remaining housing projects). And, to top it off, Avery came down with a cold this weekend, so I'm guessing that my mom took home a little souvenior. Thanks, mom! We're so grateful for your help!

Avery, Grandma, and Papa--Hmmmm....somebody in this picture is 50 years old! Ouch!














"Eat my dust, Tommy!"














Avery showing Papa her basketball skills. We're hoping that Avery will be an athlete and a math-lete--like Papa, of course!

Lucky

How to describe luck? Are we lucky? Or, do we have moments where we see God’s hand of protection, or see His providence more clearly? For us, we’ve had an ‘eye-opening’ week, and are feeling very lucky, very protected, and very cared for.

So, what’s up? A couple of things: we’ve had some major medical bills looming from what we now dub as our ‘Key West experience.’ To say that the insurance company has been confused would have been a massive understatement. In case you didn’t know, the company that Dan works for is based in California; we live in Illinois; and I received medical treatment in Florida. Yep, we formed our own little Bermuda triangle, and that’s where the big-dog medical bills have been hanging out. Throw a big clerical error in there---a clerk putting that my service dates were 1/28/06 through 1/28/07---catch the error there? Yep, A WHOLE YEAR! Hey, we’re graceful people though. I mean it is hard to get into the mode of writing the new calendar year, right?

The long and the short of it: I’ve been on the phone with the insurance company for months attempting to do my due diligence (as the hospital has been calling, and wondering about the insurance company’s determination, which was stuck in pending mode). The insurance company made their declaration, and of course, the bill was covered; that is, except for our 20% portion, up to our maximum out-of-pocket calendar year allotment, subject to our deductible, not including, but does include, if in-network, but only if…….if……if….Got it? You’ve got to be grateful for insurance but ever feel like you’re playing that one game show…..”no whammies, no whammies, big money?”

Here’s the good news. We have insurance, and by no means are we dogging out on that fact. But, perspective can be a little challenging when you’ve been under better insurance plans, and you’re residing in single-income land. Even better news: my medical expenditures, coming down the pike in late November, early December, are covered at 100%. Naturally, we’re still expecting that a few will slide in there. You know, the “the only covered if,” “excluding tests,” etcetera, etcetera. You know the drill. But the crux of it: because we’ve ‘book-ended’ this year with all our baby glory, we’ve bi-passed a major financial ding. We’ve got to stand back and see God’s hand in this—there’s just no better way to describe it.

This little experience aside, we’re trudging through this week, and notice that the house smells as if it is burning on Wednesday morning. We’ve gone about our normal weekday routine, and Avery and I we’re getting ready to leave the house. As we come down the stairs the putrid, hot, burning smell just knocks me out. I come to realize that the smell is coming from the dryer (which has been running). I turn the dryer off, and unplug it (the plug is very, very hot). My thoughts are, “Great. It’s a busy week, and now the dryer needs to be repaired. Super. Call an appliance guy, he’ll collect at least $200, and then off we go.”

So, the appliance guy comes Thursday, and declares that the dryer is running perfectly. He looks at me cross-eyed, and asks if I was sure I smelled something. Yep, sure did!! So, I press him, and he grudgingly pulls the outlet cover off the outlet where the dryer had been plugged in (sort of with the attitude of like he was doing me a big favor). What did he find? A melted outlet, melted wires, an outlet that was seriously hot, and seriously dangerous, and in his words “at one time, sparking.” And, to make matters worse, the outlet wasn’t grounded, therefore, if the worst had happened, there weren’t any safety mechanisms in place to prevent the whole thing from sparking up, and burning unabated. The repair guy kept saying, “You guys are very, very lucky. This could of gone terribly wrong.”

I’ve wondered a bit about this. This could of played out so differently. Just simply not being here to catch the smell, could have brought about such a different outcome. Again, we’re feeling very, very protected. Is God watching out for us? I’ve got to believe it is so.

Amongst all this, it has been a full and crazy week. I’ve had my first pregnancy-related migraine (and who wouldn’t!); we’ve determined that Avery’s not a structured-activity kind of kid—not saying she couldn’t stand to grow in this area; Avery had her first haircut; the Entrusted study kicked off at GEBC this week, and I’m really enthused about the curriculum; and my Dad turned 50 this week, and we’ll be celebrating this weekend, which will include a Cub outing for Dan, my Dad, and my brother.

Enjoy your day, and here’s to feeling “lucky” --- a word that I’m not sure I place much stock in.

Pizzazz

Avery’s pizzazz has done it to me again—a real down-for-the-count knock out punch. Lately, I’ve been feeling as though my time with Avery is running out. Soon she’ll have a sister and will have to share my attention. So, to make the best use of our time left, I’ve signed Avery up for various park district and library programs (yes, I’m her cruise director and she’s spoiled). This week was kick-off week—and so far, so good. Avery’s enjoying herself, mommy’s tolerating it well, high-fives all around. Then comes Wednesday’s story time at the library. The story is best told like this:

Scene: Avery and Mommy walk into the room, and take a felt apple from the teacher. The teacher tells us to put the apple on the story time tree, and take an apple nametag from the hook.

Avery: “Cool apple!”
Mommy: “Yes, cool.” And Mommy puts the apple nametag necklace around Avery’s neck, wondering how long Avery will actually keep the nametag on.

Scene: The room fills with 9 other toddlers, and their mothers. All of the toddlers are subdued, well-behaved, and are quietly sitting in their mother’s laps. Avery’s Mommy thinks: We’re screwed.

Sure enough, Avery starts dancing around the room, loudly performing for the room. Unfortunately, the room is not amused, and neither is Mommy, so Mommy snatches Avery. Avery is not pleased, and wants to dance. Luckily the teacher starts, and grabs her guitar.

Avery: “GUITAR! GUITAR! GUITAR!” And throws her body on the floor for a full-body tantrum, continuing to scream “GUITAR! GUITAR! GUITAR!” and bewildered as for why the teacher will not give her the guitar.
Mommy: “Ave. It’s the teacher’s guitar, so hang here with me.”
Avery: “NO! GUITAR!” and then proceeds to run up to the guitar and tries to take the guitar from the teacher. Teacher is not amused, and neither is the rest of the class. Mommy grabs her bag, and the screaming child and exits the room as if it were on fire. And……….scene.

So, story time is no more (I’ve forfeited our spot, and our apple name tag), and if we weren’t blacklisted from the library before, we certainly must be now. Such is life with a two-year old, right? Tomorrow is Kid Rock, and I have high hopes. Avery loved Tot Rock last year, and the instructor was fantastic. However, if she sucker punches me tomorrow, then she’s done.

On another note, we’ve had a super week. The weather here is beautiful, and we’ve gotten some great news from people in our lives—a new baby girl, a new baby boy, and a miraculous healing. God is good, and our hearts feel very full. With any luck I’ll be able to sneak by the hospital and meet the baby boy, born yesterday to a couple that is very special to us. They’ve waited a long time for this little boy, and it’s a thrill to see how God has answered their prayers.

Other news: Avery has fully transitioned to her big girl bed; communication with Avery continues to expand; Avery’s re-living her glory days (see picture); Avery LOVES to swing, and swinging for less than 30 minutes is totally unacceptable, unless she is bribed with a sugar-free popsicle; the nursery is coming together nicely (as is the “before-the-baby” project list); Dan’s in heaven watching all of the baseball and football he can stand; Entrusted with a Child’s Heart study starts at GEBC in a week; I tested negative for gestational diabetes; and my dad turns 50 in a week.

Well, I hope this finds you well. And if you are arm-wrestling a toddler, I hope you’re winning. Have a great day!

Showers Abound

Labor Day Weekend was dubbed “Shower Weekend.” My sister Lea flew in for the weekend, and was “showered” in preparation for her December 22 wedding. We had a terribly fun time, and laughed a lot (mostly at other peoples’ expense)!

Susan and Lea

















Susan, Lea, and Mom















Avery and Lea


















Tommy "the owner," piranha, and Lea
















Tommy tries to teach Avery how to peddle.

“I did it!”

Some of you may know that we tried to move Avery to her “big girl bed” shortly after the room was finished. To our dismay, it didn’t take, mainly because we thought it was so funny to see Avery hop out of the bed, come to the door, expecting to see us there laughing (which we were—not smart; wouldn’t recommend it). And so, we decided to wait until after Labor Day Weekend (knowing that we’d be out of town) to try again.

So, last night we put Avery into her big girl bed, and determined that Dan would be overseeing the chain of events. Avery responds to Dan a little differently than me. Mainly, she obeys him, and sometimes obeys me. We started “talking up” the big girl bed around 6:00 p.m., and then at 7:00 p.m., put Avery into the bed, explaining that it was time to go to sleep, and that she needed to stay in her bed. For the first few minutes she stayed in her bed, and then got up 3-4 times, at which point Dan went back into the room, prompting Avery to race back to her bed, and jump in. I heard a few cute “Hi, Daddy!”—her attempt to soften him up. Needless to say, after a few shenanigans, Avery went to sleep, and stayed there until 7:00 a.m. this morning. I went in there, and congratulated her, and she said, “I did it!” and was as proud as I’ve ever seen her. We’ll see if this is a fluke, or the new normal. Hopefully, we’re embracing the new norm.

PS. Check out Avery's video clip (next post down!)

Big Debut---Avery sings Praisebaby!

I have caved in. This is my (Dan's) first official post on "Susan's Blog." Susan shot this video, but since I am the techy geek, I am the one who had to edit and post it. I hope that you enjoy this adorable footage of our shy little introvert (wink wink) putting on a show.

Pepto --- Part 2

Alas, we're done. Take a quick tour of Avery's new room. Now the hard part---getting Avery to sleep in her new room!

Swimming in a bottle of Pepto

Avery’s “big girl” room is now pink; a sort of orchid-Pepto pink. Our goal was to get Avery’s new room completed by the end of August, and we’re nearly done (just need a few more accessories). After the paint went up we were a little nervous—the change was dramatic, and very, very pink (hence, Dan saying: “I feel like I’m swimming in a bottle of Pepto!”). Add 8 boxes of IKEA stuff to the scene, and it has evened out nicely and we’re thrilled with how it looks. The last piece is moving Avery into the room (her stuff is already in there, but she’s still sleeping in the nursery).

Dan has just left for work, and he nearly skipped out the door. That is, he would of skipped if he hadn’t been so sore. Thanks for all your work, Dan!

A Glimpse In

This is a tough topic to write about, but, alas, I’m still going to do, because I feel it is important to do so. So, take a pass on this one if you’re looking for a cute Avery story, or more pictures of Avery swinging or modeling her pink sunglasses. This one’s a heavy topic, so as Avery say’s “here we go!”

Today is my would-have-been due date of our second child. It is hard to write about; sort of like picking a scab, but, like I said, important to do so. Funny how this topic still rattles me. Some of you have been asking where we’re at with all of this, which has prompted me to comment on the miscarriage, and try to do so more eloquently than I can on the phone or in person.

To be honest, the loss still hurts, and I suspect it will for some time. But, it has gotten easier, and we’ve come to accept the loss as part of our story. We’re in a bittersweet spot right now: if we hadn’t lost our second, would we have anticipated this child that we’re currently expecting?

I’ve been reading “A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss” by Jerry Sittser. It is a powerful, thought-provoking read, and his writings relate to all persons who have experienced loss in any shape or form.

He writes, “The experience of loss does not have to be the defining moments of our lives. Instead, the defining moment can be our response to the loss. It is not what happens to us that matters so much as what happens in us.”

Sittser’s statement has been a terrific challenge for us. To not wallow in our loss, but to try our best to accept it, move beyond it, and be different because of it. By different I mean to better appreciate what we do have—especially as it relates to Avery and this next little girl. We feel challenged to be more “in the moment” and appreciate the ordinary and simple blessings of our day-to-day lives.

Still, we’re saddened. We do feel a void in our family. We do feel like someone is missing. I guess this is normal: to grieve and miss the child we’ve never met. So, on this would-be-date, it’s hard not to wonder about what might have been, while still anxiously anticipating what is still yet to come.

Dan's Family Chicago-bound

Here's some fun pictures of our weekend with Dan's family!

Avery feeling pretty proud. She mastered the ladder used to climb to the slide platform.

















Avery with her sunglasses.
















Avery with Grandpa Nelson, and cousin Tressan.
















Avery with aunt Katie, and cousin Tressan.

















Avery with Grandpa and Grandma Nelson.
















Avery and me -- Gosh, after all the pictures with the Nelson's, would you even guess that she's my daughter?



















Avery's done with pictures, and has a major meltdown. Nice going, Aves---way to put your best foot forward! We predict that this picture will come back to haunt her!