The terrible Twos, the silly boy, and the thump thump thump!

So, lets get the negative out of the way. My poor sweet well behaved two year old is... well... how do I put this... TWO! I mean, she's been two for over 8 months now, but now you can really tell she's two. I thought maybe perhaps this curse of the twos would pass her up, but no, she's caught the bug, that horrible, nasty, terrible two bug! But I have to admit, I spend more time laughing at her than I did when we went through this the first time with the boy. She is nothing in comparison to what I went through the first time. Zech was so "fun". So fun that I found my self sitting on the front porch crying almost on a weekly basis. Trying to calm down before I flew off the handle. This time I am "seasoned", I am calm, I am humored. She wails and screeches, and even tries to hit me... where did this little girl come from? She's such a sweet precious spirit, I don't know this "ugly twin". But I laugh right through it reminding her that she has a long ways to go to push me out on that porch. So as I held her down in time-out, I remember holding Zech's door shut as I tried to feed poor lily about 2 years ago. And how the time was so stressful. I wasn't getting much sleep due to having a 3 mo old, and then when I was awake I was dealing with a strong willed 2 year old. And how now, as I readjust myself so I can hold her down without hurting her, or letting her hurt me I realize how different it is. I have a 4 year old who is laughing hysterically at his rage induced sister (which is probably why its hard for me not to laugh) and a baby growing within... I then realize I get to do this all over again in about 2-2.5 years! YAY! But as it seems its getting easier and easier, maybe next time the plague of the twos will pass right by us! MAYBE??

Zech is so funny these days. His personality always gets stronger when he's around all his cousins. We just got home from a visit with my sister and her kids along with my brother's little girl and at times various other children. My mom's living room at one point had 7 little ones under the age of 5. And there's Zech being the police patrol. Making sure no one takes toys from anyone else, and if they did he was right there to snatch it back and give it to its proper owner. He kept babies off the stairs, and dealt with behavior issues from his cousins. So funny, but a bit tiring. More and more of my personality coming out. I remember the days of feeling like no one followed the rules and how frustrated it made me! I could see the frustration in his face. And today as he guarded the trash can so Lily didn't throw a bowl away, he began the two year old fit... then laughed at it... He's so so so funny! or should I put quotes around it "funny!" Believe me, it is more funny than it sounds. And didn't I always say I liked chaos! maybe not THIS kind of chaos, but the good kind. Right?

Oh, and on to child #3... What a delight he is! I know I know I don't know (read that again, it sounds funny) that its really a BOY, but I am really really sure... as sure as I can be... watch, I'll be wrong (and if I am, I will say "I knew I was wrong all along!" hehe). I've felt the little flutters for a couple of weeks now, but recently I've felt that thump thump thump of kicks and jabs and overall movement and it brightens my day. I love it! Its my very favorite part of pregnancy. It does seem that this one is VERY VERY active. I mean, i am 16 weeks and already noticing a lot of activity. I'd assume you'd need to be active with those other two as siblings.
My belly grew even more. I got a new shirt from my mom and wore it last wednesday for the first time, then wore it again on Sunday (hey, don't judge me, I am limited on clothing!) and I called out to Dave that I thought I'd grown since wearing the shirt the first time. He came in and gasped "I'd say so! Man, your going to outgrow everything!" I am glad I love my husband, or I would have drop kicked him! hehe So, when I get my battery charger for my camera I will take a 4 month pic and post it... My former youth pastor said to me on Sunday "So, your due pretty soon, October, right?" I laughed and said "nope, not until January! I just look like I am 7 m preggers!" hehe! I don't mind. It doesn't offend me! I have big babies, and big bellies with them all! I love it! LOVE IT!

The power of encouragement!
Yesterday we went to a friend's pool to chill out (and I mean CHILL! it was 73degrees out!!). It was just me and Dave and the kids. I put arm floaties on Zech and tried to see if he'd get in the water and try swimming. He was terrified and stayed on the stairs. I eventually just pulled him out to the water to show him how the arm floaties would hold him up. It kinda scared him, but we tried to make sure he felt secure in the water floating him back and forth between me and daddy. Then we gave him a noodle and completely let go. He was VERY scared until we started shouting "you are so brave, you are such a great swimmer, Look how great your doing!" His demanor completely changed, his sholders stiffened with new confidence and he began to swim, and swim and swim. He went from one side of the pool to the other with ease, asking Daddy to back up, and not touch him. He got faster and faster. He gained more and more confidence as we shouted more and more encouragement. We were telling him that he was a new ninja warrior champion (from a show he watches) and he would swim even faster. i couldn't believe how fast he learned! But it goes to show how easily things can be accomplished if we were to just encourage one another.
Lily, too, found an innertube and clung to it and set off to floating. She didn't need our hands holding her up, she was reminded how proud we were of her, how brave we thought she was, and what a big girl she was, and that gave her the confidence to have that freedom in the water.
Just imagine who else we can set free with our encouraging words?

What should I eat, NOW?

I think I am beginning to transition from feeling nauseous all the time to feeling hungry all the time! I still feel sick about 2-3 hours total all day, so thats not as bad as before, but I feel famished all the time. I have nothing really to snack on, and I don't want to start gaining a bunch of weight just yet (I tend to do that a lot at the end... and this time the end means Thanksgiving and Christmas) so I want to watch it this early on. I eat, I just keep it to healthier things (minus that snickers bar calling my name for snack today!!!)
The baby has fingerprints now! Its forming into its very own person. I am DIEING To know what this little one's name will be. Dave decided against Ruby Anna. I told him I loved Ruby too much that he could change her middle name. He chose Ruby Grace, and I like it even better! So I try to picture this little Ruby (I do so with really red hair though) and I imagine my little Nate too, and he's just as cute. So I guess I don't care, not that any of my kids have come out looking like what I expected!
This little one is about 3inches so far, the size of a medium shrimp! I however am as big as 600 medium shrimp... you may not believe me that I look 5 mo pregnant at 13 weeks, so I took a picture...

See, isn't that big! I am a bit concerned. More so than with the other two when I was bigger. I was NEVER this big... I am pretty sure there are multiples in there, but I have to trust the 4 Ultrasounds we've had so far and assume they didn't miss the extra baby. Its just the strangest thing!

I am feeling the baby moving. He must wake up when the older ones to go bed... or thats when I settle down, but its mainly in one spot and it tickles and makes me VERY happy! I felt it at 14 weeks with both the others, so I am pretty sure thats what it is.

So, here's the latests week preggo post!

Blasts from the Past!

Yesterday we drove more than normal, so I listen to K-Love for more time than normal. However I am convinced God was orchestrating the music! All the songs were worship songs from my teen years.

• Shout to the Lord
• Heaven to Earth
• Know you More
• Holy Love
• & more

It took me back to a spot in my spiritual life that I enjoyed immensely! I could enter into worship with such ease. I heard God's voice on a regular basis, I woke up praying, went to bed praying, and read the Bible many times throughout the day. (finished the entire thing in a year 2 years in a row). My witness was strong, and my verbal testimony occurred easily and often. I could speak to my friends in high school about God on a regular and real way. I had friends (unsaved friends) that would come to me for prayer, or counsel on a weekly basis. I was not seen as a hypocrite, I was not made fun of, i was respected for my beliefs and felt like it was the highlight of my spiritual walk.

I am not saying that my relationship is wavering, or that I don't wake up and go to bed in prayer. But it doesn't seem the same. I feel like my relationship with God is much more mature, and very solid. Its not as much "work" (used that word because I couldn't think of another one). But I miss the passion! I miss the worship experience, I miss the evangelism, the carefree bliss of that time of my life (spiritually speaking). I've grown cynical, frustrated, worrisome. I can't blame the ministry. I want to sometimes. When we know so much about things from a pastoral view things tend to get bogged down... but I CAN NOT blame the Ministry. I can't blame the world we live in. When sin prevails throughout our world, and within our leaders, its sad that spirituality no longer means a relationship with Christ... but I CAN NOT blame the culture. I can't blame my friends. When I was young I was surrounded my like minded Christian friends. My youth group ROCKED, my youth pastor had passion and vision. I had friends to hold me up, to support my walk, now I do not have those friends surrounding me anymore... but I CAN NOT blame my friends. So... WHO can I blame? My age, my experiences, my life? Nope... just plain ole me! I love my relationship with God. I love to listen to my music and sing to him daily, I love outreach (even though I tend to get upset more than I need to), I love the instant connect I have with God right now in my life... but I need to keep my focus on HIM! My passion focused on HIS passion. And serve Him for Him! I still miss those times in my life, but realize I have THIS time in my life to serve Him and be passionate about Him. And all that depends on me. I have nothing else to blame, or pin it on... its between me and God. I look forward to see what He's going to do in me in the coming months!