Loraly

I just want to remember all about Loraly right now...

She has just become so smart lately. It has "just clicked" with her. It started last week when they were studying the letter F in MDO. I guess one of the words that they discussed was family. She has been sounding it out and spelling it tons of times a day! Mostly she spells it "Femlyi" but hey she is getting the sounds, maybe they are not in the right order but she is trying. She won't start kindergarten until this coming fall. She spells Mommy, Daddy, Sophie, Madalyn, Loraly, Ma, G-Daddy, Gracie, and more! I am so excited for her to start kindergarten to see how much more she will grow! She can recognize almost every letter...most of their sounds...and is trying to put them together to spell different words!

She LOVES, LOVES, LOVES to color, draw, write, send letters, create art projects, etc. I love to see the mess on the table after Madalyn and her have one of their creating times. They are really into making paper dolls! They have made everyone in the family and close friends into paper dolls, and now they are making an animal for every letter in the alphabet. So cute watching them!

I love that my children are so creative! I have fussed at them for not playing with all their new Christmas toys, but I would much rather them be creative and make their own toys!

...ironic?

My friend, Lacy found this shirt. PERFECT!

UPDATED: It's official!

I got to see my baby today and it's heart beating! Well, I mean the 4th one! And for the first time! The baby is measuring right on track for the middle of September. I also got some TERRIFIC medicine for my everlasting nausea! If it doesn't do the trick by next month, we will try one more med, and then it is in the hospital for some fluid because I am already on the verge of being dehydrated! Not good. I was put in the hospital when I was only 8 weeks along with Sophie for being dehydrated. So we want to avoid that at all cost!

Loraly really liked seeing the picture and was asking lots of interesting questions...

It is surreal now, not that it wasn't before, but seeing the picture is so amazing!

Loraly has to show everyone the picture. I am not allowed to! So she showed her daddy tonight and for him it was all over--he said-it's official, you really ARE pregnant.

Madalyn, on the other hand, was explaining to Mark what the blob (or balloon as the doctor called it) that is in the picture above the baby was. She told him it was like a "sack lunch" for the baby! (It is actually the 'yolk sack'.)

My sweet daughter...

I am so excited for my eldest daughter, Madalyn.

I got a letter today in the mail from her school. I was a little apprehensive to open it because last time I received a letter like this from her school it was for her to start speech.

The letter today was to say that she tested positive for their Gifted and Talented program!

So I am a very proud Mommy today (even more so than every other day)!

6 weeks along

I am going to start by remembering something a sweet friend told me at MDO Tuesday. She came to my room and said I heard your news. So we started talking about everything, my feelings, and life. I told her that this was not a planned thing--she very quickly responded with YES it is planned, maybe not by you, but definitely by a much higher power. She is so right and I am glad that God has this planned in his book for me!

Thank you Melissa for reminding me that God is in control!

So I am only 6 weeks into this pregnancy thing for the 4th time and I already have a pooch, a small one, but yes a pooch and I DON'T LIKE IT! Why so soon?! I started showing early with Sophie also. I know the doctors tell you that the more pregnancies you have the earlier you will show BUT COME ON! SERIOUSLY!?

I still have not made my doctors appt. I will probably call tomorrow and set that up. I haven't really been in a hurry to do that because Mark has been offered another job that we will probably accept and I am not sure if I should go ahead and go to the doctor now with our current insurance and then just change over the insurance when the time comes, or just wait until our new insurance takes effect (it will only be like 3 more weeks and my doctor doesn't like to see you until around 8 weeks anyway).

So all in all we have settled into this idea of having 4 children. It took a good day or two but now we have known for 2 weeks and we feel good--looking into getting a suburban and MUCH bigger house good, but good.

I told you I was a planner!

I have been planning Madalyn's 8th birthday since before Christmas. This is still pushing time for me because usually I start planning like 4 months in advance. So I am pretty pleased with how the invitations turned out:

"Come as a Princess

And help me celebrate

It's my birthday, and I'm turning 8"

mMa

Come have tea and cake with Madalyn and her American Girl

At the American Girl Bistro!

date

time

Don't forget to bring your American Girl"

Then the little tag says "To Emma and Grace and you American Girls"

We are very excited to make the trip to the American Girl Bistro for lunch and a little fun! We went last year, and if you have not been you definitely should go! It is magical!

We are taking 3 of Madalyn's close friends, my niece, Loraly, and my mom, and I--so all in all 6 girls and 2 adults!

Should be fun, it isn't for another 5-6 weeks away but we are looking forward to it!

Relax: God is in control!

That is what a church sign read after I told Mark that I was pregnant! Yes, I said it...I can't believe it either. In fact I took 3 pregnancy tests. I am in such disbelief. I am shocked. I am excited. I am nervous. I am overwhelmed. And I thank God for this little miracle growing inside of me.

I also am sad for Sophie, I feel that I am taking away from her being my baby. She won't even be 2 when this one arrives. But that will make them close friends, and more for the older 2 to play with and love on. She already LOVES baby dolls :)

My 3 girls were planned to a tee. We tried for 5 months before getting pregnant with Madalyn. 2 months before Loraly, and 15 months before Sophie. So when I found out last week what was going on, I was surprised beyond surprises! I am such a planner! I can't even describe how I want to know what is going on before it even happens and even more, way before it happens. This baby is God's little miracle to us, and I thank him for it!

It looks as if the baby is going to be due around September 15. But I hope for 9-09-09! That would be awesome!

We are in dire need to get moved now, not only to a much bigger house, but also to where we are going to stay because I don't want to be moving in late summer when I am huge and can't help. Because if you know me, you know I can't sit back and watch! I want to be in the action...So please say some prayers for me, my family, and especially for this sweet little baby to be healthy.

RELAX:

GOD IS IN CONTROL

(and don't worry Mark will be making a visit to the urologist soon---snip, snip!)(that was the agreement if we ever had 4 children)