Fifteen Weeks

How far along?: 15 weeks

Baby is the size of a:  I don't even know. I would guess maybe 4 inches? 

The Bump: big bumpin!

Symptoms: throwing up about every other day. nasty headaches.

Food Cravings: just give me ALL THE FOOD

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick: nothing in particular these days

Sleep: What's that??

What I miss: that foreign "s" word mentioned in the previous bullet

Weddings Rings On or Off: on

Any Names Picked Out Yet: I have names picked out....getting Brett to agree is always the challenge

Movement: i'm pretty sure i'm growing a kickboxer in there!!

Maternity Clothes: you know it!

Labor Signs: Nope. Please stay that way until the last week of July :)

Best Moment of the Week: finding out we get to go on a special trip with Brett's family!

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: seeing this sweet babe on the ultrasound in a few weeks!! I've seen him/her once before, but Brett had the flu so this will be his first time!!

Thirteen Weeks

Cutest Photobomb Ever

How far along?: 13 weeks

Baby is the size of a:  A little bigger than last week....I think by now he/she is like a little more than 2 inches long? bizarre.

The Bump: popping out more and more!

Symptoms: throwing up every morning all of a sudden, ready for that to end. but less nauseous and more energy. it's a pregnant miracle!

Food Cravings: salsa, chocolate milk, gummy lifesavers

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick: mostly Sophie's dog food and the smell of our pantry/fridge.

Sleep: Weird dreams and lots of pee breaks. hopefully those take a backseat here, soon.

What I miss: I'm not even much of a drinker, but I'd love a cold Strongbow

Weddings Rings On or Off: on

Any Names Picked Out Yet: I have names picked out....getting Brett to agree is always the challenge

Movement: I had been feeling little pops and bubbles occasionally these last couple of weeks, but a couple days ago I started feeling real movement. I like to be to the point where it's actually consistent, but it's fun being in the middle of something then suddenly being reminded that baby's alive and well!

Maternity Clothes: There's a severe lack of motivation to dress cute this time around. I'm sure once the weather warms up and we actually go more places, I'll try to dress a little nicer, but day to day, it's sweat pants and oversized t shirts.

Labor Signs: Nope. Please stay that way until the last week of July :)

Best Moment of the Week: feeling kicks and having Levi hold my hand and rub my back when I puke. he's just the sweetest little boy.

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: the magical 2nd trimester, where there's no place for vomiting and queasiness (right? ha!)

Eleven Weeks

Another baby. I am so elated. Levi is growing up so fast these days, there are times I just miss snuggling him and holding him close. He has been so kind to me these last few weeks when I've been sick and exhausted, by the way. He gets scared when I throw up, but then whenever I lie down on the couch, he brings me a blanket. It's the cutest. I will forever miss sharing those moments with him, but am ecstatic to share those moments with another little one. Don't get me wrong, it scares me to death to think about what it will be like juggling two kids, especially right at the start of football season! How will I ever go to the store? Will I ever eat inside a restaurant again? I will be outnumbered most of my day, and Levi will probably hate me and said baby for an ungodly amount of time. Speaking of which, have you seen Levi around babies? He yells at them and sometimes even swats his hand at them, especially if I'm anywhere near them. Oh Lord, PROTECT ALL THE BABIES.

I don't think I'm alone in my thoughts as I'm sure every mom having additional children has had these doubts pop up in her mind. I remind myself continually that I'm not the first person to juggle more than 1 child, and if they can do it, so can I (I think!?) :) If nothing else, I will have a valid excuse when I'm found in public looking disheveled since I haven't showered in days. So I'll have that going for me.

I will say, being pregnant for the second time is soooo much easier than before. I'm not talking physically, although lucky for me, this one has been much more kind to me. But just mentally, not being surprised by as many things and not worrying as much. Don't get me wrong, I still worry about this little one. I hope and pray daily that he/she is safe and healthy and growing big and strong. But I also know that this is all out of my control. This baby is in the Lord's great care, and no matter how many vegetables I do or do not eat or how much water I drink, this sweet life is in the Author of Life's care. So yes, I take care of myself. But no, I don't deny the occasional pop (or soda, for you southern folk) or google every symptom (other than my blotchy skin patches...HAVE YOU SEEN MY BLOTCHY SKIN PATCHES?!) Instead, I wake up in the morning and say in my head, "Today I am pregnant, and I praise God for this gift." And if He chooses to take this baby Home with Him tomorrow, I will have delighted in all my days with this child and will weep and rest with the One whose grace is sufficient.

How far along?: 11 weeks

Baby is the size of a:  Lime, I think?

The Bump: Starting to look a little less like a food baby and more like a real baby

Symptoms: Nausea, occasionally throwing up, super sensitive to smells, blotchy dark patches of skin (wtf!?), heartburn, exhausted (although starting to have more energy these days!)

Food Cravings: No real cravings, just comfort food

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick: dog food, smell of our pantry, even the smell of my makeup, garage, Sophie's breath...oh, also the scene in Elf when Buddy eats gum off the subway rail in NYC...that one sent me running!

Sleep: Waking up to pee at least once a night, which then it's hard to fall back asleep. If I don't wake up to pee, I wake up around 5:30 unable to go back to sleep. It's the pits.

What I miss: Nothing really

Weddings Rings On or Off: on

Any Names Picked Out Yet: I have names picked out....getting Brett to agree is always the challenge

Movement: I've felt little bubbles, wondering if it's the baby or just gas. I like to pretend it's the baby and that I'm a proper English lady who doesn't experience this said gas.

Maternity Clothes: I brought out my maternity jeans a few weeks ago, only to realize they were no good because they were, are you ready for it? RIPPED AT THE SEAMS. My poor prior pregnant belly really did them in. So I bought some new jeans and leggings to get me through...I'm hopeful warm weather will be here sooner than later (a girl can dream?) and I can just stick to maxi dresses and skirts

Labor Signs: Nope. Please stay that way until the last week of July :)

Best Moment of the Week: Hearing the baby's heartbeat with the doppler yesterday at my first appointment

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: Getting to the 2nd trimester :)

Fox, Party of Four!

That's right folks! We are delighted to be expecting Baby Fox #2 this summer! You guys, it's been so fun not really telling people much about this baby up to this point. I have thoroughly enjoyed every awkward glance and double take at my rapidly growing belly. Thanks for the laughs. ANYWAY, the journey here was different than expected, but it's been amazing watching the Lord unfold this little one's story right before our eyes. I'll be writing more about that soon here, hopefully, somewhere among the midst of changing diapers and throwing up. (If you'd like to go back and read the First Edition, Click here!) Until then, here's a little recap on the last few weeks, and our little Fox's first portrait...

8 weeks along! I know, I know, WHAT IS THAT right? 
The little leg buds are on the left, if that helps?!

First Belly Shot...10 weeks along!

Overall, I have felt pretty good. Of course, compared to the last time, getting eaten alive by a pack of wolves would have been classified as pretty good (dramatic, much?). But for realsies, there's certainly been nausea and vomiting, but not nearly to the extreme I had with Levi. So no complaints here! This pregnancy has been different from Levi in other ways, too. The nausea dies down when I eat. With Levi, eating just caused the cycle to start all over again. Because of that, I've gained 3lbs so far; with Levi, I lost 8. This one, constipation. Levi, diarrhea. This one, yucky complexion. Levi, glowing skin (and I would have never used the word yucky pre-Levi. Oh, motherhood.)

The big question everyone asks then is, "So do you think you're having a girl this time?" It's a fair question, but I really don't know. Mostly because I don't have much time to think about it. When I do, logically it seems I could be having a girl. But I always pictured myself being a mama of boys. So next summer, we will see!

That's right, it's "Surprise us at Delivery" mode over here! Well, I'm still struggling to get Brett on board, so feel free to encourage him and tell him how awesome it is to wait! I've always wanted to do it this way. With Levi, I caved, but I am standing strong! :) Because it really makes no difference to me. I know how much I'd love a daughter, but I also know how much I love having a son! So be it trucks or tutu's (did I even spell that right?), sign me up!

I hope to keep up the blog with updates as this little Fox continues hibernating in the den, but right now I'm clocking in. Yes at 9:03 on a Monday night. It's been quite the day over here, but I wouldn't want it any other way!

"My future hangs on this, You made preciousness from dust, 

Please don't stop creating me..." -Rend Collective

Eighteen Months

I feel like 18 months is that golden age that so many parents refer to. I've always heard that it's when they start to understand more of what you say and they learn to communicate themselves, so life becomes a bit easier. I can't believe we're already at that stage of the game. How is this little man the same kid I kissed goodnight tonight? --> 

They weren't kidding about communication, by the way. Levi still has a lot to learn, but his popular words and phrases are currently "car," "ready to go," "go, go, go," "go to the car,"  and the occasional "up!" :) Cars are just his thing right now. I'll catch him flipping through books now and then, and with each page, he says, "Car. Go car. Go go go!" A boy through and through. Our recent funny story was when he found a book about fire trucks at my parents house. He came running over to me with the book yelling, "Car! Car!" So I said, "Yea, buddy. Fire trucks!" And he said, "Hmm. Fire car." How could you argue with that?

Our once good eater has suddenly proven he is his father's son. He is as picky as I'll get out. I always said it's important to just keep offering him whatever I prepare and eventually he'll get hungry enough. But I'm starting to doubt my methods. There are days he only drinks a few cups of milk, eats half a granola bar, a few bites of chicken, and cheese. I don't worry about it too much though, considering he's 30 lbs and in the 95 percentile for weight. (35% for height, so he's short and stout!)


Levi has become pretty fascinated with talking on the phone. He has a few play phones he plays around with, but most of the time, he just puts his shoulder to his ear and says, "Heeeeey. dakj oeij sdkfioe  ok?" He'll do it every time I answer the phone, and apparently every time the buzzer sounds at basketball games! When he is done, he has this fake laugh where one side of his mouth goes higher than the other, and he squints one eye and cackles. It kills us!

His hugs and kisses are just the most precious thing. He still loves his morning cuddles and reading books on our laps. He has learned how the books are supposed to go, so if we "read" on the wrong page, he'll point to it and pound on the book until we read the right part. Smartie pants. He is also starting to (finally) hold my hand and walk with me. The moments he reaches up for my hand melts my heart, but not as much as his dance moves do. They pretty much just consist of stomping his feet really fast, then cheering for himself, but it's hilarious.

Levi was a great sport during his first football season! It was there he learned to say "Go!" and I swear that kid thought everyone was always cheering for him. Levi spent the majority of the games marching around and exploring. Thankfully I had sweet friends and grandparents help me with him so I could actually watch Brett coach. Some of my favorite moments during season with Levi were during team dinners, when Brett would be giving announcements, Levi would march right up to him and stand tall, looking up at Brett and looking around at everyone like, "You tell 'em, Dad!"

The past three months have been the most fun and difficult all at the same time. Most of month 16 consisted of fits and hitting and screaming. I felt like I was failing as a parent, but stuck to my guns and stayed consistent. I had a complete meltdown one night, I had just had enough. And literally the very next morning, Levi woke up so sweet and cuddly and he has been awesome ever since! Other than the occasional jealousy when I'm around other babies, he's really snapped out of that awful stage!

We love watching Levi become a sweet, determined, outgoing, funny little boy! Being a mom is one of the greatest joys of my life, but being his mom is even more incredible. I am so undeserving, so grateful, so blessed. We thank the Lord for Levi Jack, and beg Him to lead and guide Levi every day. We pray that God would pierce his heart so he might know Him and follow Him. I now know the meaning of "praying without ceasing," because every fiber of my being whispers these prayers all day long.

Fifteen Months

Our baby is all grown up! At fifteen months, I've got my hands full with this boy. He is a total ball of energy. If he's not running, climbing, or eating, he's not happy! He now has 8 teeth and constant banged up knees from playing outside. His favorite toys are still Scout, his lawn mower, and his books! Here's a little list of all the things Levi has been up to lately!

• Walking/Running. The day after Levi turned a year old, he took off and he hasn't slowed down since. It's actually funny because now and then I'll catch him crawling (usually when he's playing with his trucks) and I just laugh because I haven't seen him crawl in so long!
• Laughing at his own jokes. Levi babbles pretty much non stop when he's playing around here. Every now and then we'll hear him talk and talk, and then he'll throw his head back laughing like, "Wow, that was a good one, Self!" Kills me.
• Wrestles. I'm learning his love language is touch. The more we wrestle around by throwing blankets at each other or we're tackling him to tickle him, the more lovey and happy he gets. If we're not available to wrestle with him, he then recruits Sophie or Scout and jumps around on our bed or the couch until he finds something else to entertain him (or until Sophie's had enough!)
• Kisses. My personal favorite. The other day he actually stopped, grabbed my face, then pulled me in to kiss me. Heart melted.
• Waving "hi" and "bye" and giving high fives. He did all these things at 1, but now they're much more intense. What once was a calm little wave of the fingers is now a full out arm flopping around, and his high fives actually "clap" a little. Then when he's done, he claps for himself!
• Levi knows what a lion says, what a monkey says, how airplanes fly, and where his belly is. We're working on
  
  his nose and what a train says. I think he understands more than he lets on, and sometimes that concerns me ;)
• He has NO interest being in the stroller. Trips to the zoo have come to a halt after an all out war by the penguins a few weeks ago. He just wants to run in every direction other than where we'd like him to go. Fun times.

• Full out fits. These will strike at any time, so we must be on guard. ;) He will
  scream and clench his fists and grit his teeth while shaking his head "no." When we're at home, we just ignore it and after about 10 minutes the kid comes to grips. When we're in public, we....well, we're still trying to figure out how to handle that. These fits have me questioning my parenting ability at times, but I've been reassured fits are just something toddlers do to test boundaries, so I'm hoping  he'll just learn super fast that Mama always wins. :)

Seeing more and more of who Levi is and his heart just blesses my life. I'm so thankful for his sweet, adventurous demeanor. He plays hard, sleeps hard, and loves hard, and he keeps us on our toes! My prayer for him grows all the time. Every night we pray that Levi would "get a good nights sleep so that he could grow to know and follow You. Make him a man among men, that he would spread Your Word to the nations and be a leader in his family, his work, and in his community." It's been so fun to watch Levi discover more and more of the world around him, and I pray for the grace and discernment I need to be the best mom I could be to him.

We love you, Levi Jack, and we enjoy watching you grow more every day!

Happy Thirdiversary!!

Three whole years. It may not sound that long to most, but it really does feel like I just met Brett on my doorstep for the first time! Now we're three years in and elbow deep in diapers and grown up decisions! The day I married Brett, I knew I married a keeper. I knew he was the one God had for me and I was completely confident in our relationship. Looking back, it's like I barely knew him. Living with someone for almost 1,100 days will make you think that. But growing to know this man more and more has become such a blessing. It's an honor to wake up beside him, watch God work in him, and cheer him on every step of the way. A few years ago I blogged about what I learned after a year of marriage. Those things still hold true, but now I have an even bigger list of lessons.

• When you spend a little time each day doing something to make the life of your spouse a little easier, life at home becomes sweeter. Examples include having dinner ready when Brett gets home (something I'm NOT good at but have tried harder at,) making sure the folded socks and underwear make it to his drawer and not left in the laundry basket so he doesn't have to search all morning (sounds pretty elementary, but again, something I'm trying to improve on), transferring money at the ATM for him so he doesn't need to stop on his way home, having Levi bathed and in his jammies before Brett gets home so they get to spend quality time together before bedtime, etc...
• Say "yes" a lot. Really. If he asks for a drink or for me to run and errand for him, I just say yes. Brett doesn't take advantage of me with this, or that would be another story. But he appreciates what I do for him, and in turn, he says "yes" to me a lot too. It draws us closer, builds our dependence on each other, and gives us easy opportunities to serve one another.
• Pray for your spouse. I can't stress this enough. Pray. Pray. Pray.
  
• Don't fight God's work in the heart of your spouse. Brett and I desire to grow closer to the Lord as a couple, but also as individuals. There have been times Brett has been convicted about something or I've been convicted about something that, at first, we don't see eye to eye on. However, when we hear each other out and pray for each other like I mentioned before, it's amazing to see what God can do in us as individuals and as a family. Example: I felt strongly from day one the need to stay home with our babies. Brett was never opposed to it, but he didn't share the same conviction. However, he heard me out and we prayed about it, and we found a solution that fit our positions. Now we are enjoying the benefits of following God's call.
• I've said it before and I'll say it again: HAVE FUN TOGETHER. There are times we are stressed.
  
  We are tired and our hands are full. Be it a sick kid or bills stacking up or stress at work, it's easy to put your relationship on hold. But we really try not to do that. Whether it's renting a movie, going on a walk, or planning a date night, we really make the effort to stop and laugh and enjoy each other. Which really takes very little effort, really. Like I said, I married a keeper. Brett is so much fun and so easy to live with. I pray I'm as much as a delight to him as he is to me. And I am looking forward to the next 3 years and counting as we grow closer to one another and the Lord.