16 Days...

...until we find out whether this new little one is a pink one or a blue one! Oh, and we pick up our new dishwasher the same day! :D After 3 years without one, I'll be more than happy to finally have one (a dishwasher, that is)! It was a sweet Christmas gift from my hubby (talking about the dishwasher again here). And I just read today that it saves the average wife at least 4 hours a week (yes, definitely talking about the dishwasher here). I'm guessing it'll save me at least an hour a day, since we tend to eat at home every meal, make everything from scratch, and use glass instead of plastic. The other thing I'm excited about definitely won't save me an hour a day (at least, not for the next 8-10 years or so), but it will bring lots of joy, excitement, and blessing to our family (talking about the baby here, obviously).

Yes, it will be an exciting day all around! : )

At 17 weeks along, I just have about another month before I need to start taking it easy. Just 4 more weeks to finish all of the projects I need to tackle - cleaning out and organizing the storage area downstairs, filing all of the papers (and with real estate, that's a lot of papers!), organizing the kitchen (which was never really done effectively since we moved in 6 months ago), hosting a few dinner guests in our home, tackling the huge ironing and stain treatment piles (Tait needs "real estate" clothes ironed almost every day, so the ironing piles up quickly!), organizing and storing all of the baby clothes (they're pretty much completely organized, but I need to get the last batch of outgrown clothes squared away), working on a few business projects for Tait (I just love it that I'm able to help him with his business!), moving the last few boxes of our belongings from Tait's family's garage, and lots of other little tasks.

After those 4 weeks, I'm putting myself on some proactive semi-semi-bedrest. I was put on semi-bedrest with Miles at 25 weeks (no cooking, cleaning, errands, laundry, lifting over 10-15 pounds, or unnecessary walking). Yeah right! With a 24-pound+ 8-month-old, that wasn't quite feasible, but with Tait's mom's and sisters' help, we did hold Miles off until 35 weeks! Of course, our first came with no warning at 27 weeks.

This time around, I'm hoping to avoid doctor mandated bedrest or semi-bedrest completely by putting myself on a sort of proactive relaxed bedrest - not doing much beyond keeping everyone fed and our house in order, and taking an afternoon nap when the boys nap. Taking it easy is definitely not one of my strong points (I'm notorious for trying to pack too much into every day ... week ... month...), but I'll certainly try! Another NICU stay - after a total of 14 weeks in the NICU, between our two little guys - will not be welcome this time! Whatever the Lord has in store, though! We know that He's in control, as He was with our first two!

Please join us in praying for a smooth, full-term pregnancy this time around!

Little Tait - 11/6/08 - 27 weeks - 2lbs, 9oz

Miles - 10/1/09 - 35 weeks - 6lbs, 9oz


Little Tait (2 years) & Miles (14 months) - December, 2010

They've been through a lot, these little guys! And they've come a long way, by God's grace! We're so thankful for His hand in their lives!

Our goal is ... no IV's or feeding tubes in the next newborn pictures! : )