Many Blessings!

We have so much to be thankful for!  We have 3 healthy children and a God who loves us and died for our salvation.  We don't have much to complain about!!

I've been so caught up in trying to get on a schedule with 3 kids that I've put my daily time with God by the wayside.  It's been wearing on me and I needed to make some changes.  I realized that I need to get myself on track before I can even begin to get the rest of us on track.  Memorizing and reading scripture has been so uplifting and encouraging.  I so often try to do things on my own.  I wish I would remember that it never works out!!  :)  God is full of mercy and grace ~ How awesome is that!  I am so thankful that He sent his son and that I heard about Jesus and chose to have him live in my heart and be my Savior!!  Enjoy your blessings today and everyday!

BG's new bike for his birthday...he's NOT quite big enough to reach the pedals on the down stroke!

Favorite Auntie!!

Lulu pictures!

Our sweet baby girl!  She's now 6 weeks old, so here are a few pictures to keep you caught up.  Isn't she beautiful?  We are so blessed!!

Baby Lulu

Here are some pictures to enjoy!  We just love her and she's beautiful!  We are a little biased, but can you blame us?

The Big Day!

Baby Lulu was born June 8 at 5:19 pm.  She was only 12 days late!  She weighed 8 lbs 4 oz and was 21 inches long.  Everything went really well and fast.  When my kids decide to come, they do it with speed.  These are all pictures from the hospital. 

Meeting the big brothers for the first time.

Our beautiful baby girl!

It has been a little bit of an adjustment, but we are getting back in the groove of things.  Jman absolutely adores Lulu.  It's easier for him to get used to the idea since he's already had to do it once before.  BG has had a harder time, but is finally warming up to her.  He now likes to give her kisses and keep her warm in blankets.  It is so sweet to see the love growing between them all.  God has blessed us greatly and we are so very thankful for all He has done for us!

Waiting Patiently

We are still waiting patiently for baby #3 at the Davis house!  I am 2 days past due now and Jman predicts it will be 4 more days.  I was not impressed...but he's probably close!  I'm going to be trying jumping jacks, jogging, stairs, walking, and our friends are bringing over Chipotle for dinner tonight.  It's become a tradition for us.  Jess and Angie brought it over when I had just started having contractions with Jman, and he was born the next day.  We tried it with BG, but it didn't work.  I'm praying it works this time!  I am starting to get very uncomfortable by the end of the day;  it's time.  We're all ready for baby and will keep you updated!!

Baby Prep

It is officially one week until baby is due!  We are anxiously awaiting the arrival, or as Nate likes to tell people, I am "impatiently" waiting...which is close to the truth!  We have finally finished the last 5 cabinets in the kitchen and hung them tonight.  (I'll put up pictures tomorrow!!)  Now we've moved on to the bunk beds.  As you can see in the first picture...they are a little too tall.  The boys love it!  Nate is going to lower the top bunk this weekend, get the sides on and the ladder built.  We'll soon put the crib up in the baby nursery.  You can see the pack and play is up for now, which will work just fine!  I feel that we are as prepared as we can be.  I'm sure we'll find something that still needs to get done once we actually get baby home!  We now play the waiting game and pray that all goes well!     

Over 6 feet high!  DEFINITELY coming down a bit!

The boys enjoying the view.

Baby room: Closet on the left and door to the hallway on right.

At least the baby closet is completely ready! 

Pack and play ready to go.

New Changes

This week we started our new school theme of "Spring".  The season of new life.  I think every season is one of change, but this spring is bringing a few of it's own.  My sister has been living with us since October.  That's why we had the big push to get our basement done.  The boys have loved having her here.  She is moving back to Fargo in 2 weeks to start a new job there.  It will certainly be different without her here! 

Another change coming (no big surprise) is the arrival of baby.  It hit me yesterday while at a girlfriend's baby shower (who is due 4 days after me) that we aren't really ready for baby yet!  She was saying how she had her nursery all put together and was finally going to be able to organize with all the gifts she was getting.  I started to get a little nervous!  I know it's baby #3, but still...  We have the crib in the office/nursery, but it's not put together.  We don't have an unoccupied mattress yet; BG is using the crib mattress in his toddler bed.  We need to get a BIG big boy mattress for him and Nate needs to build bunk beds for the boys.  (Add it to his list, huh?)  I do have all the clothes I've received washed, organized and put away in rubbermaids.  The dresser will come once Ash moves out...we're inheriting her old one, which was actually my old one!  I do have the going home outfit picked out and lying out in a pile of stuff to take to the hospital, it's just not in a bag yet.  I think the only other big thing we have to get before baby comes is the diapers! 

All these changes mean a new season of life.  This past fall, I planted tulip bulbs in my front yard landscaping.  I wondered if they would survive the winter and sprout this spring.  This weekend, I saw the tips of the bulbs popping up through the ground.  It's exciting to see all the plants growing; not only because I love gardening and landscaping, but because I am reminded that God is faithful and creates new, beautiful life time and time again.  This new season of our life will definitely be different from the one we're in now, but each season brings it's own surprises and journeys.  We will take each turn as it comes, walking with God!

Baby Bump at 31 1/2 weeks

Here is my baby bump!  You can enjoy my popped belly button in this photo!  :)

Baby D #3 - Countdown??

We have finally arrived at month 8!  That should mean 8 weeks left...but I'm thinking more along the lines of 9 or 10.  My "oven" tends to overcook babies!  My last appointment with the midwives was last week and I was measuring 29.5 cm at 30 1/2 weeks.  That means that I'm measuring at the size of a 29 1/2 weeks baby rather than 30 1/2 weeks.  I'll take it if it means that I'll have a smaller baby than my previous two.  Jman was born 9 days late and weighed in at 9 lbs 2 oz.  BG was 12 days late and weighed 8 lbs 9 oz.  Maybe this little girl will decide to come on time or only a few days late!  Though, somedays I think with all the mayhem that goes on around here, she may decide to stay in for as long as she can!

Baby Bump

Here I am at 22 weeks! My belly is getting a little bit bigger all the time. I feel like I'm not quite as big as I was with the boys, and that is just fine with me!

I just had another midwife appointment on Wednesday and baby is doing great. Her heartrate was in the 150s the entire time. My belly is measuring 22 cm, which is exactly the size baby needs to be at 22 weeks. We are really thankful that everything is going normally.

I can feel baby kicking a lot now. She's pretty active! I am thinking this means that she'll be able to keep up with the boys. At the rate she's kicking tonight, BG and Jman might have trouble keeping up with her!

In the past, I have sewed quilts for both Jman and BG, with the aid of Nate's ironing and cutting expertise. I have now started the makings of quilt #3. I really enjoy making them. I hope I can get it done in time! I was hand sewing the binding on a week before BG was born. I did get it done, but not with much time to spare. Maybe this time I won't procrastinate so much. We'll see!

A girl??

I asked Jman the other day what he thought about having a little sister. "Are you excited?" I asked him. "I don't want a girl. I want another one of these" and put his foot on BG.  To try and change his attitude, I asked him what we should name baby. "Jman?" His reply was, "NO. Only I am Jman." So I went on with, "What about Lulu? Ashy? BG? Tam Tam? Pinky?" He perked right up, "Pinky! Yes!" So we are now calling baby Pinky, but only temporarily...or so we hope!

Baby D #3

Baby #3 is a girl! We just had the ultrasound at the end of December. The ultrasound technician said she was 99.9% positive it is a girl and she hasn't been wrong in 14 years. She has been right with our other 2, so I'm not going to doubt her.

We were a little nervous going into the ultrasound, because at our 16 week appointment, the baby's hearbeat was at 111 beats per minute. The average is usually between 110 and 160 (according to my midwife). So it was relatively low. It had been in the 140s and 160s before. My midwife wasn't alarmed, but did want me to come in a week earlier than scheduled for the ultrasound just to put our minds at ease. I'm grateful she wasn't overly anxious or worried. It would have made waiting much worse. When the ultrasound started, I was waiting to see the heartbeat, and it was one of the first things we saw, so I was very relieved. The heartbeat was up to 146 and the technician double checked all the valves and chambers, etc. in the heart to make sure everything looked normal. And it did. She said it was just one of those flukes, that it all depends on whether I'm hydrated, how active I've been, what I've eaten, etc. I was relieved and very thankful that everything looked great.

I was reminded that I just need to give my worries to God. I keep trying to be patient and kept telling myself that God is bigger than everything. He never gives me more than I can handle; and when I think I can't handle it, that's when I need to look to Him for the help I need. God always amazes me and I love to see his greatness in my weakness. What a blessing that we have 2 healthy boys and a healthy girl on the way. Praise God!

Exciting News!

We have exciting news in the Davis family. We are expecting Baby #3! The due date is May 27, but with the way the past 2 pregnancies went, it is more likely a June 5 due date! Only time will tell. Today was my 12 week appointment and I had an ultrasound. Baby was alive and bouncing around the entire time. It's amazing to see new life and God's miracles right before your own eyes. We feel so blessed to have another bundle of joy to look forward to. I'll keep you updated with new news as it arrives!