April Showers, May Snowstorms

Montana has the most random weather.  Mother Nature decided May was the perfect time for snowstorms this year.  Weird. 

 

 

The past few months have seemed to rush past me and drag on at a turtle's pace all at once. 

I am not at all ready to have this kid, and yet I have days when I think he'll never get here. 

 

 In April I worked.  And then I worked some more.  And then came more work and more responsibility.  Ok, I'm exaggerating. But, that's how it seemed sometimes when I was sitting in the security shack (it's actually a trailer that's not at all shabby) at the mine, or when I was rushing around to a Relief Society presidency meeting, or when I was doing volunteer work with a group here in Colstrip, or when I was trying desperately to give my husband CPA study time, or when I was chasing my little kiddos (or someone else's) around.  I thought the exhaustion would never end. 

 

At some point, however, I realized that it was of my own making. 

LIGHTBULB!

I had chosen to say yes when my boss asked me to fill in at work. 

 I had chosen to say yes when people asked me to volunteer.

 I chose to tell people at church that I could be there, or meet with them, or help out with something or other. 

 And, of course, I made the choice to have my 2 little babies and add yet another cute bean in to the mix.  I CHOSE IT!  So I had to decide which was most important.

Prioritizing is not a skill I have, but I'm working on it.  My first priority was my husband and my beans.  And the bean I was growing in my belly.

I finally realized I had to choose them over all the other stuff.

 

So, I finally said no to my boss, and no to volunteering, and no to friends who asked me to watch their kid, and no to a few of my church things. (All you Mormons out there know that while you can back off church stuff, you'll never really "be done" with it.... ). 

Life has been less hectic since then, and I've been able to mostly get everything ready for this new dude.  Hooray! 

 

 

SOOOOOOOOO..............

Let's get gushy for a minute, shall we?

I'm overly emotional and mushy while humans grow in my uterus.  Deal.

 

 

I am grateful for my family.  Mike works really hard for us and has dealt with my off the charts emotions like a champ.  Love him. 

 

My two kiddos are so amazing and sometimes I sit back and am in awe of the sheer awesomeness that is this stage of life. 

Exhausting?  Heck-to-the-yes.  Occasionally frustrating?  More than I'd like to admit.

But also full of wonder and learning and discovery and snuggles and kisses and hide-and-go-seeks and zerbers at bedtime. 

I'm excited for them to get older, but OH, how I love their littleness right now.  I know I'll miss it when they're school age, and tweens, and teens and grown up and gone.   A year ago I wouldn't have said this or felt this way.  Maybe I'm growing too, huh? 

 

And, last but not least, I am grateful to be carrying my third baby. 

I spoke to a good friend the other day who has one child, and always thought she'd have more, but wasn't able to.  She listens to me whine and complain about pregnancy, and never makes me feel like my complaints are not valid or that I'm being unfeeling.  She was not chastising me in any way, but during the course of our conversation she unknowingly helped me (again) realize and appreciate what an incredible blessing this baby is.  That I get to carry him in my body is miraculous. 

Really, they're all miraculous, even when it's 4:00 am and they just puked all over their bed, or when they throw tantrums in the grocery store, or when they run screaming around the chapel in the middle of a church service.  I don't love every minute of it, but I'm trying to appreciate the joy of it all. 

 

So gloriously gushy, I know.  But it's true.  And it's how I feel tonight.

 

 

I've been super resistant to post (or even take) pregnancy pictures this time around.  I'm vain and I feel fat.  I've gained more poundage with number 3 for sure, but he'll be worth it, I know. 

Since it's for posterity, I'm swallowing my pride and posting belly pictures. 

 

35 weeks



37 weeks.  Love the wrist brace?  Fashion statement, I know!  Swelling is
awesome this pregnancy and carpel tunnel has reared it's ugly head.