thirty-one

Thirty-one pictures today...

 

...for my studly hubby's thirty-first birthday.

He is truly the best.

A fantastic husband.

A fantastic daddy.

And my best friend.

I love him more than words could describe.

Happy Birthday Joel!

high & low

 The worst part about today...

having to face Cora's hospital again

the nervousness

the waiting and waiting

The best part about today...

still a boy!

baby brother is healthy {so relieved}

showing Levi pictures of his baby brother

I had my last sonogram and appointment with the specialist today. I am approaching 32 weeks already! The nerves always start to kick in a little as we face these appointments with the specialist. I think it is not because we really having anything to worry about. But more because we are reminded of why we are having to see a specialist in the first place...our baby girl died of cancer. 

Thankfully, everything looked great today. They checked Baby Brother's adrenal glands, just like they did with Levi. They looked good. And my placenta previa corrected itself. Yay for no c-section! They said our little guy is about 4 pounds 9 ounces right now and still on schedule. He has at least a little bit of hair and I'm in love with him already.

I miss the days of blissfully going through a pregnancy without any cares. I never thought about specialists, or cancer, or the "what ifs" when I was pregnant with Cora. My biggest worries were getting the nursery ready on time and making sure I had all the right baby gear. But I also took a lot for granted back then. I now have a different perspective. Today I am thankful for each healthy doctor visit. I am thankful for each time the doctor gives us good news. I am thankful for every kick I feel from this precious life inside of me. And I am thankful for each day the Lord gives me with my children...even these days before I get to meet my little guy.

Being a parent is such a privilege. I can't wait to be a mama again.

goodbye sweet baby curls

What do you think of our new hairdo's?

Yesterday Levi and I had a little mama/son date to get our hair cut.

Don't worry if you can't really see the difference on me.

No Locks of Love this time...I just got a trim.

But I reluctantly decided it was time for Levi to have a haircut too.

It was time to say goodbye to those sweet baby curls...

or at least his daddy thought it was time.

Levi was very unsure about the whole thing.

He didn't like the cape.

He had to have one arm out at all times.

My friend Aimee was so sweet with him.

{She is the best!}

And her little girl stayed close and fed him fruit snacks.

It did the trick for a while.

He sat perfectly still.

He was completely quiet.

And there was no sign of the smile that usually covers his face.

Very unlike him.

And just before it was time to cut the back and say goodbye to his sweet baby curls...

his big pouty lip came out and he cried and cried and cried.

I had to hold him for the rest of the haircut.

And then he sat on my lap for almost my entire haircut.

He sat so still and barely made a noise.

The haircut must have been as traumatic for him as it was for me to say goodbye to those curls!

He recovered quickly though once we left.

Here he is last night playing with his new big boy haircut.

He is seeming more and more like a BIG brother everyday.

{I had to keep those little sweet baby curls for his baby book...I just couldn't part with them!}

from the weekend

It was a long weekend. Mr. Levi kept me on my toes while his daddy put in lots of hours on the farm. Usually corn harvest isn't until the beginning of September, but it is so dry this year that they are having to salvage the corn crop by bailing and cutting it for silage (which they use for cattle feed). Bummer. I guess this year we can be really thankful for crop insurance.  

And it is still hot. Really, really hot. We are really thankful for air conditioning too. :)

Friday morning when Levi woke up I decided that maybe since his sheets were turning brown from dirt it was time to wash them (boys are so dirty). I had him throw his favorite blanket into the washing machine too. He thought that was a great idea until he saw that it was getting covered in water. He cried and cried for his "baa-baa". See his poor tear stained eyes?

 It took him quite a while and a little distraction before he recovered. I had no idea it would be so traumatic. I guess I will secretly wash his blanket next time.

We tried to keep ourselves busy inside that afternoon because it was too hot to play outside. Levi decided he was going to entertain his mom by trying to pick up and eat his bread without any hands. Silly boy.

We got tired of being cooped up inside, so we took a trip to the farm to ride with daddy. Unfortunately when we got there they had a truck breakdown, so we couldn't ride along. Levi made sure to check out all the tractors anyway. He loves to be on the farm and climb in the tractors even if they are not moving.

He even thinks he is getting big enough to climb on everything himself. He was trying so hard to climb up that ladder, but his little chubby legs couldn't quite make it.

And he still loves to ride the four wheeler with his dad and check on all the cows.

 Levi stays right by his daddy's side and wants to do everything that he does.

 He will only stop for important things...like emptying the rocks out of his shoes.

The truck got fixed and the guys headed back to the field. Levi fed the cows before we left. He was trying to be so brave and put grass in the bunk, but when he got too close he threw it instead and ran away.

 At home the next morning Levi was still taking care of his cows (he likes to give them kisses)...

 and driving his tractors. Already such a little farmer.

Saturday we went back to the farm and this time Levi got his tractor ride.

In fact he got to stay and ride by himself for two whole hours. He was in heaven and I got to go to the grocery store all by myself. A treat for both of us.

These busy times on the farm can be wearing, but I am so thankful for the time that Levi gets to spend with his daddy. I know that he will learn so much from Joel during these times spent riding together...even while they are working.