Evan is 9 months

My sweet baby boy is 9 months.

He's all over the place, crawling and cruising his way into mischief. He eats anything in sight and is seemingly hungry all the time. We're going to grow broke by the time our boys are teenagers. I can only imagine the food we'll be going through...

He's my buddy. He's a little booger. And I love 'im.

Me and my littlest

I've been hangin' out with my little man this weekend as my older two are with Patrick visiting his parents in Charlotte. It's been quiet around here and I've had lots of time to work on projects around the house. I didn't get nearly as much as I wanted to get done, mainly because I was distracted by 23 pounds of cuteness.

It's the little things that melt me

Wrankles.



Wrinkled Ankles. Aren't they just the cutest?

I think I'd keel over if I had 'em.

But on him, I melt.

Don'tcha just wanna...

Kiss this:



And pinch this:



And while you're at it, sweep my floors?

Evan is 7 months

It's been a trite long while since I've picked up my beloved SLR. I miss it. I miss it a lot. Along with my 22.5 lbs, 30" long 7-month-old I have to carry, the gear I have to schlep around is another 50 lbs and counting. My bags (and my back!) just can't handle my Canon. There have been so many moments, so many pictures I've ached to take and my trusty old point-and-shoot just doesn't do the trick. Well, it's been taking pictures OK, but the pictures are just OK.

So, I dusted Canon off this week. She and I have re-connected just a bit. I did take Evan's 6-month pictures, but all I did was load them on my computer and I don't think I've even looked through them *choke* *gasp* *sniff*.

My older two cause my head to spin and I locked them up in their rooms yesterday and demanded they take a nap. Well, not really. But I was a hair shy of doing a nappy dance (no pun intended...) before Ethan drifted off to dreamland and Mallory just stayed quiet. Me, Evan and Canon had some time together. And I've been learning some new PSP tricks (that's Paint Shop Pro; I'm boycotting Photoshop...for no particular reason). I've had lots of fun in my spare time. Wait, did I just say spare time????



Evan is a sugary, sweet little boy.


Coy, too.

Which rhymes with boy.


And he likes to play with toys.


He's pure joy.

Okay, enough of that.


He sucks on his bottom lip quite often as if he's wishing he had his pacifier in his mouth.


He looks at me like this when he wants to be picked up. Or, at least that's what I think he's asking me with those big brown cow eyes of his. Because whenever he does look at me like this, I pick him up. And kiss his squishy cheeks.



And then I melt.

Evan Jerome

Here's our little guy...born today about 3:15pm, weighing 7lbs 10oz. More details to come...

God is so gracious.

I feel very strange today, knowing that my baby will definitely be born yet I have not had one of those death-defying contractions or crazy water-breakage moments. I'm a planner and this whole “planning an induction” thing has had its up sides yet it's still very strange for me to have the birth of my child scheduled, since I'm a very “natural all the way” type of laborist. After talking to my doctor, he explained that the risks of babies passing meconium in utero increases after 41 weeks, which for me would be on Sunday. Mallory passed her meconium before delivery and she was 40w5d (I'm currently 40w4d). We've been there, done that...having a baby aspirate meconium and stay in the NICU for 4 days. More than anything, I want to avoid that for this baby. So, I'm succumbing to having what is usually natural for me be something a little more “medical”. Not that it's a bad thing, thanks to the advancement in medicine for L&D, it's just unusual for me.

So, like my other 2 labors, this one will be very different for us. The outcome, we pray, will be the same: the arrival of strapping Moss-child whom we'll love and cherish. The process of getting him out will just be different.

Both Patrick and I have woken up pretty early this morning in preparation for this day. He's spending time with God, praying for us and reading the Word to gather strength for this day. Me, I've been doing a lot of praying and reflecting, thanking God for bringing me to this point of great, intense joy in the arrival of this little guy. When I found out I was pregnant (I was only 4 weeks along), I was greatly depressed at knowing I was going to have another. We were at a very low point in our marriage, faith and family and I didn't know how we were going to do this. I was, shamefully confessing, hoping that somehow God would take this child from me to relieve us from wondering how we were going to piece together what was broken while raising yet another baby. I was not happy at all. Oh, but by God's great mercy, he did not grant my request. Instead, he took what was broken in our lives and made something very beautiful. God used this pregnancy to show us how much grace He had for us and out of his love, our hearts were changed from despair to hope. This baby, though still unborn for only a short while more, is a symbol of God's sacred blessing in our lives and we're thankful for this 3rd child. We love him so much and I can't wait to hold him, kiss him, nurse him...sacrificing of myself for his life and well being.

Pray for us today. Pray that this labor will go well. My fear that was once about this labor is gone now. The fear has been replace with peace and excitement. Yes, it will be different with lots of unknowns, but that's OK. I have a God who is gracious.

Can't wait to meet you, little one!

40 weeks

Today, I'm officially "due". October 25, 2009.

I was 40w5d pregnant with Mallory when she was born. She liked where she was in my womb and took her blessed time to arrive. Today, Mallory is easily distracted and continually dawdles and daydreams, taking her time to do everything from going to the potty to eating her food to cleaning up her toys to falling asleep.

I was 39w3d pregnant with Ethan when he was born. He was ready and willing to come out in good time. Today, he wants his way quickly and immediately or he'll pitch a fit. He started running early, talking early, eating solids early, comprehending early...and so many more things...EARLY.

It makes me wonder what this little guy will be like. I guess that will depend on when I go into labor???? Time can only tell...