Raising a Southern Belle

 
It's only been 48 hours since I've become consciously aware of the fact that I'm no longer going to be just a Boy Mom, but also a Girl Mom.  I've always heard people say that boys are so much easier, and I think I already know why.

For the last 48 hours, I've in-store and online shopped trying to find the perfect little girl outfits, bedding, and nursery decor.  Don't get me wrong, I certainly did my homework when trying to prepare for little boys, but the process wasn't stressful--and not nearly as expensive. 

I still can't believe that little girls need so much STUFF!  I mean, I'm sure you could provide for a little girl with the bare minimum, but to raise a true Southern belle is lots more work.  She can't just have a onesie and pants.  Oh no!  She needs the dress, the bloomers, the tights, the shoes, the matching hair bow, and a matching sweater or jacket.  And did you know that most stores don't sell all of these items?  (If you know the secret to finding good tights and shoes for a reasonable price, please share!!!) 

Anyway, being a Girl Mom is already hard work--and my little girl won't even be officially joining us for another 5 months!  I can't even imagine how crazy our future is going to be.  But I have to confess that Dear Husband and I are thrilled to be transforming our nursery from a blue nautical haven to a pink and lime green heaven.  And I'm really excited about Baby G's expanding designer wardrobe full of pinks and reds.  (Thanks Grandma, for helping get our Juicy collection started!)

There's just something about raising a girl that's different from raising boys.  There seems to be this extra pressure to make sure that the little girl is raised to be girly and proper.  Or maybe it's the Boy Mom in me hoping that I don't mess up the little girl by raising her with two messy and rough older brothers.  It's possible that most girl moms don't have a clue what I'm talking about.  But somehow, I think that there are some Southern Mamas who understand precisely how hard it is to raise a true Southern Belle!

Her Baby Shoes

I should know better than to argue with a 3 year old, but I've been arguing with my son for the past 3 months.  He has insisted that he is going to have a little sister.  He's also been telling people that he has picked out a name for her.  Of course, every time he tells people this, I have to explain that we don't know if we're having a girl and if we are, we're actually naming her something a little different from what he's calling her.  It has been quite the ordeal.

But now the verdict is in.  The doctor has confirmed our suspicions and we now know the truth.  The doctor was so confident in his findings that he said I could share the news with everyone. Drum roll please... We are officially having a GIRL!

I think my husband and I stared at each other in shock for most of our lunch today.  We had absolutely prepared ourselves for the possibility having scored a hat trick with 3 boys.  We were also prepared to go to war over the naming rights of our little guy.  And now it seems like everything has changed.  For better or worse, we're getting ready to enter the world of little girls. 

We've decided to stick with G names, so if you notice me blogging about Baby G, that's because her name will start with a G.  My 3 year old informed me this afternoon that he would be calling his sister by a certain G name that he likes.  When I told him that her actual name would be different, he replied that I could call her by the name that I like and he would call her by his favorite name.  Go figure.  Now that he knows that he's been right about his sister for the past 3 months, I'm never going to be able to convince him that he's wrong about her again.  He's still gloating.  I'm still in shock.  And we're all looking forward to adding some pink into our lives.

To find more shoes like the ones in the picture above, go to http://lemonadecouture.com/.

Learning to Help

There are definitely some perks to having children.  One of the perks is having little people who can share the work around the house.  My guys love to help, and recently have been assigned the tasks of mopping the floor (thank goodness I bought the mop with the water spray can attached), taking the recycle products to the bin in the garage, and feeding the dog.  My quality of life has improved immensely now that I've discovered that I'm not alone doing housework.

On occasion, I try to teach my boys new household skills that will be useful in the future.  But sometimes these tasks are just too hard.  For example, I taught my oldest how to sort laundry last week.  He was doing great sorting the colored from the whites and the lights until he realized that I hadn't done laundry in about 2 weeks.  There were just too many clothes and too many distractions.  We'll have to keep working on that skill. 

My mom recently discovered that my boys are great helpers and decided to cash in on the free child labor.  Ok, not really.  She actually asked my little one to help her water the flowers with his watering can (which happens to look like a Cars gas can).  He definitely got a lot more out of his task than she did.  As you can see below, this is another skill we're working on...

For now, I'm just thankful that my guys have good attitudes and a desire to help. Somehow watching them help makes housework seem like a lot more fun.

Bible Time

"This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success." Joshua 1:8

A few months ago, our 3 year old informed us that he really needed to start carrying a Bible to church.  While I agree that we should teach our children to carry and care for a Bible, it never occurred to me that a 3 year old was ready for this responsibility.  Apparently he was.  My son is very protective of his Bible and insists that Daddy read it to him at night.

When we bought our son's Bible, I thought it was important to get the same version that they use at church so that he can study his own Bible when he's memorizing verses.  As a result, we bought a kid's ESV Bible.  (Our church has chosen to use the English Standard Version.)  Buying our son's Bible got the ball rolling for the rest of the family.  It occurred to me that since my son had an ESV, it might be wise to buy myself an ESV so that I could be reading the same text as my child.  So, I bought a slim ESV Bible to carry to church in place of my rather large NASB study Bible that I use at home.  For Father's Day, I decided to buy my Dear Husband his own ESV Bible so that the entire family can be on the same page.  And I thought we were in good shape on the Bible front.  Until this morning...

My 2 year old was hanging out in my office while I was reading my Bible.  He was pointing at Daddy's Bible and his brother's Bible and was taking them off the shelf to flip through.  That's when it occurred to me that my youngest wanted his own Bible!  So today, I found a "First Bible" on a shelf in the closet and gave it to my 2 year old.  Not only was he thrilled, but he started flipping through it right away.  And then my 3 year old came and pointed out the picture of Jesus dying on the cross.  He then proceeded to tell us about Jesus dying and raising from the dead 3 days later!  I must say, both boys blew my socks off this morning.

Needless to say, I'm thrilled about the passion that my children have for their Bibles.  They've been singing the B-I-B-L-E for the past month, and they are careful to make sure that we don't leave for church without our Bibles.  I just hope that they see me exhibit a similar passion for my Bible.  I want them to see me reading my Bible.  I want them to hear me talking about what is written in my Bible.  And I hope that they see that God's Word is the authority for my life. 

I'm learning to never underestimate a toddler.  They may seem like they're not retaining anything, but they see and copy everything we do.  What an incredible task we've been given--to be living examples of godly men and women for our children!

Coming Soon...The Gender Reveal

 
Just so you know, we ARE going to find out the gender of our third child prior to delivery.  Our scheduled ultrasound is next week, and I promise to share the results with you all.  We have been amused by the shock and awe of our friends who seem to think that we're nuts for finding out our baby's gender.

So let me explain...

1) We're planners.  We want to be prepared for whatever this little one needs.

2) We want to form a bond with our little one prior to their day of birth by referring to them by their name (rather than Baby #3).

3) We want to be able to pray for our little one by name.

4) We want to be able to provide a gender specific and appropriate environment for our baby.  (Our current nursery is blue with boats and is not girl friendly should we have a girl.)

5) Of course I want to go shopping prior to baby's arrival!  

6) And although some think that finding out a baby's gender ruins the surprise you get during delivery, I promise that there's nothing more surprising than giving birth to your 2nd child only to find out that he looks identical to your first!!!  (I was so shocked at my 2nd delivery, because I had sworn that I had given birth to the same child twice.)

While I know that gender reveal parties are now becoming en vogue, we don't have plans to go to that extreme.  Instead, our little family of 4 has plans to meet with the OB next week for an appointment where he's promised to let us know if we can start buying pink or stick with the blues and plaids already hanging in our closets.  Once we know, we'll share the news.

And no, I haven't done any preliminary tests or tried any superstitious methods to determine if we're having a boy or girl.  We've had a few people tell us their thoughts and prayers on the subject, and I have my own opinion on the matter, but we're still waiting until next week for our confirmation.

Do I have a preference?  Not really.  Of course I would love to buy girl things.  But on the other hand, I'm crazy about my little boys who love me and cuddle with me and want to take care of their Mommy.  I can't imagine how awesome it might be to have another one?!  Honestly though, I just want a happy and healthy baby.  And in a week, maybe I'll even be able to tell you his or her name.  Or maybe I'll keep that a secret...

May Daze

Based upon my last few blog posts, I've probably given you the impression that the month of May was a complete bust at our house.  While I will admit that it was not our finest month, it was not a complete loss.  We did still try to have fun.  I mean, how can you not when you have 2 little boys?  Although the month is kind of a blur in my head (after all, I spent most of the month in bed), as I looked through my pictures this week, I realized that it was still a month of memories.

This month we celebrated our baby's 2nd birthday!  (Sorry, no homemade party decorations and snacks this year since Mommy was severely under-the-weather!)

We had a family "Rolling Ball" outing (although it is generally referred to as Bowling, our oldest insists that on Curious George, the sport is called Rolling Ball). 

 

Grandpa and Grandma taught the guys to fly kites.

The whole family got to attend the ceremony where Mommy was officially sworn-in as a member of the Texas Bar by one of our local federal judges.  (Or as my oldest son says, "I got to watch Mommy become a lawyer.")

And we officially joined our local church, The Mount.  (Sorry, but Grandma wasn't there to take pics!) 

Looking back on last month, I still feel like I'm in a daze.  But it was an eventful and fruitful month for our family.  It may have included some viral and bacterial infections and multiple sick days, but such is life.  Now I can't wait until next May when we get to experience life as a family of 5!

Oh What a Beautiful Morning

Today is a great day so far.  For the last week, my mornings have been rough.  Yesterday was even rougher when I ran out of my anti-emetic drugs. And as pregnant woman who has battled morning sickness with every prior pregnancy, I know better than to allow my prescriptions to run out.  Shame on me.  I sure got what was coming to me yesterday. 

Thankfully, yesterday afternoon Dear Husband swooped in on his white horse and brought me my beloved package from the pharmacy.  And so far, today has been a good day.  So good, in fact, that I've already read my Bible, checked and responded to emails, and have eaten breakfast.  Plus, for the first morning in about 6 months, I'm actually blogging before noon!

Lately I've had a really bad attitude.  I look bad.  I feel bad.  I'm tired.  I only have enough energy to perform basic household functions and to change my 2 year old's diapers.  I would prefer to disengage from society for the next 5 months rather than be publicly pregnant.  And for some reason, people think that if they ask how I feel every time I see them, I'm going to miraculously start feeling better.  Listen, my physical pain is a day-to-day issue that will likely last for the rest of pregnancy.  And no, the 2nd trimester has rarely brought me any relief.  Odds are that I'm not going to feel better until I'm holding this child, so please don't feel that you have to ask me how I'm feeling because my new answer to this question is always "pregnant." As you can see, my attitude has been pretty bad.

But then I came across a Bible verse this morning that made me stop and think.  I Timothy 2:15 says, "But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint."  I know that there's much speculation about what Paul actually means by this verse, but to me in my current state, he's reminding me that my divinely ordained role is to be a mother.  Child birth is going to stink.  Yet, God, in His grace, allows us moms to fulfill our divinely ordained role by tolerating and surviving pregnancy and childbirth.  It's not supposed to be a fun experience.  But it's the experience that God has designed for women.  Thus, I must embrace my role and stop complaining. My life needs to be characterized by faith, love, and sanctity with self-restraint.  What a high calling, right?  Unlike men, we may not be called to lead in the church or in the home, but our calling isn't easy either.  It's unique and special.

I'm so thankful for how God sends us His Word when the time is right.  It's time for me to stop wallowing and to start focusing on God's divinely ordained role for me--a role that no man could ever fill!  When I'm reminded that God has a role for me and a plan for my life (that includes being sick during pregnancy), it's awfully hard to see the morning as anything but beautiful!

Hand, Foot, & Mouth Disease

My little family doesn't get sick very often.  So when they do get sick, our lives are literally turned upside down.  Even though I'm a nurse, I just can't get used to illnesses in my home--especially when I am the one with the illness.  What good does it do anyone when the nurse is sick?

Well, for the last 2 weeks, my little family has been fighting off the Hand, Foot, & Mouth virus (not the same thing as foot and mouth disease).  Hand, foot & mouth is a nasty little virus that starts out as a 24 hour high fever and evolves into a rash that can manifest itself on the extremities, the mouth, the face, the nose, the diaper area, etc.  It's painful.  It's nasty.  It makes you look like you have some form of the plague.  And best of all, the virus can last anywhere from 7-10 days!  Yuck.

Supposedly it's very rare for adults to contract hand, foot & mouth disease, because most of us have been exposed to the virus in childhood.  I never dreamed that a week after both boys came down with the virus that I would get sick.  Unfortunately, I was the exception to the rule that few adults contract the virus, because I had the full-blown experience.  And I thought morning sickness couldn't get any worse...

Anyway, if you are ever lucky enough to experience hand, foot & mouth, here are some tips from the nurse:

1) Have some Tylenol on hand to fight the high fever.
2) Get some Hydrocortisone cream for the rash.
3) Don't put your child in the bathtub with the rash, because heat makes the rash flare up and hurts really badly!
4) Stay out of the sun with the rash.
5) Don't apply lotions and creams liberally to the rash, because they sting.
6) Stay home!!!--The disease is very contagious (as many parents at our church have discovered.)

Hopefully you will all have a disease free spring.  But if you do experience your own little epidemic, just remember that this too shall pass!!!

Pregnancy Dreamin'

So I had this dream that I could finally have a "classy" and "enjoyable" pregnancy now that I'm not in school and am not working full-time.  I figured that being pregnant in the spring/summer/fall would give me the opportunity to wear cute maternity ensembles.  I thought that during this pregnancy I would have the time to follow all the rules and eat all the right snacks.  And I dreamed that I could do all this while sitting on my back porch watching my toddlers run around the back yard.

Unfortunately, I'm discovering that this pipe dream is never going to be my reality.  Instead of being fashionably "with child," I'm well on my way to looking like a pregnant Jessica Simpson's twin sister.   Instead of enjoying healthy foods, I'm eating whatever doesn't make me sick.  And instead of enjoying my afternoons with my kiddos on the porch, I'm actually spending most afternoons curled up in my bed praying that my children don't do anything crazy while I nap and fight through my nausea.

And of course, I don't even look remotely cute in my maternity clothes.  There's nothing fashionable or cute about being short and pregnant.  Even the cutest dresses make me look like I'm either wearing a tent or am wearing something made to fit a girl 2x smaller than me.  It's very frustrating, and also expensive.

I've always heard people say that "every pregnancy is different" and that you never know what to expect.  But the truth is that every subsequent pregnancy is partly predictable--if you were sick with the first one, don't expect to feel great with the next one; if you gained lots of weight with the first 2, you can bet you'll gain that much again; and if you couldn't eat something with the previous pregnancies, don't kid yourself into thinking that you're over whatever made you sick the first few times around.  The bottom line is that pregnancy is this amazing miraculous time where this little life is growing inside of you.  But it's also a 10 month period where you can expect to feel lousy and fat. 

Thank goodness there is a light at the end of my day-to-day survival period.  In only a matter of months, I'll get to hold my newest bundle of fun and joy.  And as is always the case, when that day comes, I'm sure I'll forget about all my shattered pregnancy dreams. 

Big News

I am fully aware of the fact that my blogging this spring has declined.  Initially it was because I was studying for the Bar exam, but then we had some other life-altering things going on in our lives.  So today, I'm finally going to share my big news with everyone.

For starters, the Texas Board of Law Examiners posted their pass list yesterday.  By the grace of God, my name was on the list.  It turned out that this must have been one of the more difficult exams, because the pass rate was only 65% as compared to other recent exams with pass rates in the high 70's or 80's.  But at least it's over.  I plan on attending the Dallas swearing-in ceremony on May 30, and then I can officially adopt the credentials of Esquire (although I prefer the sound of Nurse Attorney).  So officially, as of today, my 6 year trek of trying to become a licensed attorney is essentially over.  And my law license will forever hold today's date.  Talk about a weight off of my shoulders.

Now I can focus on my other life-altering news--the future birth of my 3rd child!  That's right, we're expecting baby #3 to join us in November.  And based on the way I feel right now, November can't come soon enough. 

My blogging, housekeeping, work, and every other thing in my life has pretty much been on hold as a result of my morning sickness and constant nausea.  I've spent the better part of the last few weeks in my bed praying that time would fly.  But as much as a I want to complain, I really can't.  I'm actually looking forward to a new baby, and I'm thoroughly enjoying letting my little toddlers take care of their mommy.  (My 3 year old actually mopped the floor for me today!) 

I will warn you that I'm not really into pregnancy photos, so don't expect a photo diary of my weekly progress.  Just know that I'm gaining weight, will probably start swelling as a result of the Texas heat in a few months, and am already looking forward to the day in December when I'll be able to slip into my pre-baby jeans!  And yes, later this summer we will be finding out the gender of our little one.  So stay tuned...  It looks like our little family is on a new adventure this year!  I look forward to sharing it with you.