oh where to begin :)

first of all, thank you SO much for all your kind comments and sentiments concerning our latest news.  i have to be honest here and say this pregnancy hasnt been the easiest, by any means.  part of it due to the fact that there are two other little monkeys demanding my time
and sometimes not taking naps
and getting up early.
i definitely am getting hours less sleep than i did with my other two pregnancies :/
but despite all this yuckiness and sleepiness and lightheadedness {due my insanely low blood pressure while pregnant...like barely alive low}, i do still love being pregnant.
L.O.V.E.
its really hard to have the time to just relish over the belly like i did with emory, and even more with bennett. but thats just the nature of the beast.  i think i have felt the nugget wiggle around a couple times...in fact im pretty sure thats what it was.
and with those wiggles a flood of excitement came rushing in.
and a little twinge of sadness.
excitement that i get to experience that fabulous part of pregnancy again {i cannot, and will not ever get enough of feeling a baby move in my tummy.  its magic}...
but sadness that this is very likely, in fact nearly 100% likely, to be the last time i experience it.
its actually an amazing thing that i didnt know if i would ever feel...feeling wonderfully excited and content that this is my last pregnancy.
of course ultimately God will be the judge of that {as He as made clear!}, but in our little world this is our last baby and i am so excited about this upcoming chapter of our lives.
and selfishly excited for a little bit of "operation own myself again" starting approximately six months after baby number three makes his or her debut.
:)

so while our news is still met with laughter and gawking looks, i can also say we have been so embraced during this pregnancy by friends and family and even strangers/blog readers that it makes it so much more special than it already is.
so THANK YOU for continuing on this journey with us, and for reading, and for caring.
its flattering but even more humbling.

 

{i dont get many pictures of this rascal these days...and when i do i have to say repeatedly "bennett look at the lens of the camera please." and this is what i get :) }

and now moving on to that little check-list i made for myself, for scrapbooking purposes.

• emory completely skipped baby food and now eats everything in sight.  even fish and green beans and peas and whatever we are eating chopped up.

 

the only things we have run across that she does NOT like are turnip greens and raspberries. this will explain her current....weight status.  the girl loves to eat and all of a sudden my teenie little bitty has turned into one chunky little monkey.

im in love with her THIGHS {pictures to come, dont worry}

• bennett took four days of swimming lessons and by the last day he was diving to the bottom of the pool {shallow end, with a push} to get diving toys and swimming by himself {for a few seconds...he has a tendency to start looking up while his face is under water and therefore his legs start moving down and therefore....he sinks.}  

i am so proud of him. hes taking more lessons next week and will be working on keeping his legs up and then jumping off the diving board and swimming to the ladder :) watching bennett learn to swim has been one of the most amazing milestones as a parent.  its like you {the parent} have to teach yourself over and over again to let go...hes growing up and its freakin' beautiful ;)

• to make our mornings even more interesting i signed bennett up for tennis lessons this week.  i was pleasantly surprised at his ability to hit the ball. he loved it. 

 

{hes a little hot natured}

this lady happily sat by and watched {and fought off the hoards of mosquitos}

thats about all i have for tonight!

baby steps