Come on baby Owen!!

Summer nights with our awesome neighbors!

We have been making the most of this summer, making fun memories with Graham and friends, but let's be honest- Owen's upcoming arrival is all-consuming. It's what I think about, pray about, talk about... Owen, we are so ready to meet you!! We really hope we're counting down the hours at this point! My official due date is this Sunday, July 13, but since I went into labor with Graham 5 days early and I've been having a ton of contractions this time around, I have been completely convinced Owen would come pretty early. As always, our kiddos seem to keep us on our toes and remind us that we are not in control. I have been listening to these lyrics over and over and meditating on God's goodness in everything, specifically His timing for Owen's birth. As anxious as I've been, I have to remind myself that ultimately, I want Him to pick O's birthday, not me. He is smarter than me and beyond good to me, which does bring peace.

My God is a Giver, an overflowing river
Pouring His lavish love on us
Season after season we give Him every reason
To stop but He never does

Ohhhh the goodness of God is flooding my heart with peace
Ohhhh the goodness of God is bringing me to my knees

4th of July festivities!
Neighborhood block party & the zoo.

Love these girls!

Remodel progress- painting the new downstairs bathroom!!!

I will say being 9 months preggo in the middle of summer is not a piece of cake. Overall, this pregnancy has just been overwhelmingly exhausting, but so worth it to bring little Owen into this world. Sweet boy, we want to snuggle you in our arms so bad! Come on out!!

In the spirit of counting down, here's what's been going on the past week or so...

7- The number of people I know who are/ were preggo and due within a week of me! I feel like that's a little crazy! And two of them are in Indy and delivering at the same hospital as me! The rest I have been stalking on Facebook to see if they've had their baby yet... Two have so far. There's something so bonding about being pregnant at the same time as someone else.

6- I got nothing. Running out of creativity and energy.

5- Days ago, Andrew and I had our last date night for a long while. Thanks to sweet neighbors for watching Graham! We went to the Cheesecake Factory on our first date in Indy, the night I told Andrew I was preggo with Graham, and so it seemed fitting to celebrate little Owen's coming arrival there. Plus, we had a gift card. ;) Winning.

Beach ball belly!

4- The batches of Rice Krispie treats I've made in the last week. Yep. Granted several of these were to share with friends, but I definitely helped devour each batch.

Didn't even bother putting these in a pan and cutting them into bars. :/

3- How many cm I'm dilated right now. Actually 3.5... Pretty sure this was about when I arrived at the hospital with Graham, in the most pain of my life, begging for an epidural- stat!!! And here I am, walking around like everything's normal. So weird.
Mostly for my memories, I wanted the following written down somewhere... Sorry if it's TMI.
With Graham, at
37 weeks I was a 0.
38 weeks I was a 1.
And then I had him before my 39 week appointment.

With Owen, at
37 weeks I was a 2-2.5
38 weeks I was a 2.5
39 weeks I am a 3.5
Still waiting...

Finally re-did Graham's life verse
(Joshua 1:9 in the spirit of his name meaning, war-like)
and pretty happy with the result!

2- Number of times I've been in false labor in the last few days. Seriously so disappointing. I didn't have this at all with Graham, so I have been so confused about how my contractions can be so consistent and close together for hours and not turn into anything. Ugh. They were 5 minutes apart for about 6 hours on Sunday, but never intensified in pain or sped up, so my doctor said to wait... So we did, and they eventually faded out. Oh, and all those natural ways they say help encourage the baby to come out? All lies. We've tried it all... several times. Nothing.

1- How many times I've cried over ice cream. People, I am losing my mind! Or maybe pregnancy hormones are real after all. ;) Andrew and I got ice cream one night, and I'd eaten all of mine... So of course I started in on his. After a few bites, he protested, and I burst into tears. Yep. Not my finest moment.

We finally picked a life verse for Owen!
Joshua 23:10-11
His name means "young fighter"
and ultimately we want him to trust God fights for him,
and for him to fight to love God.

Owen, we promise it's way more fun out of the womb! ;) Come join our family!!!

Your big bro can't wait to show you all the fun splash pads in Indy!

Backyard play with neighbors is a staple summer activity.

You have the best dad EVER who can't wait to play with you!!

Graham can't wait to meet you, little one.
Neither can Mommy and Daddy!!!

38 weeks with Owen & Nursery Progress!

Carseat installed! Can't believe this is my backseat!!

How far along?  38 weeks!! So close to meeting this sweet baby!! My friend Ashley had her baby boy a couple weeks ago, and holding him totally melted me. I cannot WAIT to snuggle my own little Owen in my arms!! At my 37 week appointment, I was dilated 2- 2.5, which was way more than I expected. (I was a 0 with Graham at that point.)

Total weight gain? Gained 28 pounds. I want dessert after dinner every night... and I haven't been very good at resisting. :/

Maternity clothes? Yep. Definitely on top... And normal yoga capris or athletic shorts almost every day.

Sleep? I've just accepted the fact that sleep will not be enjoyable for another few months. At least I'll have a baby to snuggle soon in the middle of the night!!

Best moment this week? The crib coming early!!! Making progress on the nursery! Having energy to "nest." Our sweet friends the Brandts coming in town. Lazy summer nights in the backyard with our neighbors, sharing dinner, good convo, and kiddos playing.

G loves playing with "big kids"...
We love sweet Kuyper and Eva!

Pretty proud of these matching onesies for Graham & Owen.
Learning to sew has been well worth it, but these are tough to learn to master!

Graham at the splash pad. He was drenched a few minutes after I took this. :)

Miss anything? Counting down the days til I can have a turkey sandwich! :) It will be the first thing I order in the hospital. Also just feeling comfortable in my own body and clothes... and being able to hug Andrew tight. 

Movement? Yep. He is strong and active and shoves my belly around everywhere now!

Food cravings? Cereal. Any fruit. Any dessert. 

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope.

Have you started to show yet? I took Graham on a walk today, and a neighbor that I don't know very well was sitting on her porch. Her comment when she saw my belly? "When was your due date? Yesterday?" I know, I know. I'm huge and so ready for this baby to make his appearance!! 

Labor signs? Nope. I thought by this point, I'd be walking 5 miles a day, running up and down the stairs, eating spicy foods, etc, etc... whatever it would take to help this baby decide to come on out. But since I've had energy lately and actually been able to get some stuff done, I've been taking it easy and just trying to accomplish a few more things before he's born! I think I'll start doing all that stuff around 39 weeks now. ;)

Symptoms: Contractions. Some have been uncomfortable/ crampy lately, but nothing bad. Lately Owen has been stomping on some sensitive nerve in my upper right leg. It's shockingly painful but only lasts for a second each time. I had some back pain and acid reflux/ heartburn with Graham, but I've barely had any of that this time around, which has been awesome!

Belly button in or out? Out. Ew.

Wedding ring on or off? On. 

Happy or moody most of the time? Feeling much happier now that the remodel is contained and close to being completed, and I am able to get some stuff done with normal-ish energy.

Name possibilities? Owen!!!

Looking forward to? I can't believe I'm about to meet this sweet thing!!!! Will he look like Graham? What kind of baby will he be? How will Graham react? How will he nurse? How will I juggle two? I can't wait to start our new normal as a family of 4!

And now, some nursery progress updates... We still have several things I want to do/ finish, but here's what we got so far...

We moved the changing table out of G's room and
into the hallway so the boys can share.

The crib came in today!!
The hubs set it up and we are ready to go!
Pretty proud of the banner I sewed too. :)

We are leaving the double bed in the nursery
 so family and friends can still come stay with us.

Graham never even really liked being rocked that much,
but I was so sad to take the glider out of G's room and move it into Owen's!
Graham's room is becoming more boyish instead of babyish, even though he's still 19 months and in a crib. ;)
Can't wait to rock sweet Owen in this!

Dresser we recently bought from sweet friends.
Debating on if I should paint it white or navy?
Still decorating the shelves on top, but they so far include framed Pinterest printables,
"LOVE you" and "Be brave, little one", plus an ultrasound pic,
 and a "special book" from one of our sweet neighbor friends
who we love to learn about parenting from!

Closer up.

Owen's hospital bag and Boppy are packed and ready to go!

This will be completed hopefully soon and hung in Owen's room!
I'm waiting on a big navy "O" to dry as I type,
and then I'll paint his life verse at the bottom, I think... 

Crowded closet, but getting organized, so I'm happy!
Little boy will have plenty of clothes!

36 weeks with Owen

How far along?  36 weeks. 9 months pregnant. Cannot believe I'm this close to the end!!! It has gone SO fast; way faster than the first time around. I feel like overall this has been SUCH an exhausting pregnancy that I've wished it would just hurry up even more. But, as our 3 month house remodel comes to a close and Graham becomes more independent, I have had more energy. Finally. I've been savoring these last sweet moments where it's just me and Graham, but also cannot WAIT for little Owen to get here and start a whole new family dynamic. 

Total weight gain? Gained 26 pounds. More than with Graham, but still in the recommended healthy range, so I'm happy with it.

Maternity clothes? Really tired of wearing the same few outfits that fit. Can't wait to get back into normal clothes.

Sleep? Pretty much every night is just miserable at this point. I toss and turn all night, unable to get comfortable, not to mention how often I have to get up to pee. :( At least soon when I'm getting up all the time at night I'll get some sweet baby snuggles!

Best moment this week? House remodel coming to a close. Allison's shower. Time with family. Father's Day. Splash pad with Graham. Hearing everything looks good with little O! Also, just so many of my good friends are pregnant!

Miss anything? Same as before...

Movement? Owen sure is an active little guy. My belly jumps around all the time from his kicks and wiggles. So funny to watch!

Food cravings? Andrew bought me some Pop-Tarts the other day and I devoured them... But he was out buying gluten free stuff for his camping trip, so he got me the healthy kind. Now I want a box of the sugary-bad-for-you-stuff really bad. :/ Also, pineapples, strawberries, and kiwi. 

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope.

Have you started to show yet? Oh yeah. Everyone I see has a comment or question about my baby coming! The best lately came from a little 5 ish year old girl at the ice cream place, "How is your baby going to get out of there??" Hahahahaha. I didn't want to traumatize the poor kid, so I told her to ask her mom.

Labor signs? I haven't had any more scary times of intense contractions like last month. But I do have contractions a LOT. And just in the last few days have they started to get uncomfortable. Not painful like I'm going into labor, but not just the normal tightening of Braxton-Hicks either. I remember I had a couple weeks of this with Graham. Hoping that means we're a couple weeks out from Owen! Once I hit 37 weeks and it's safe for Owen to come on out, I will be doing everything possible to naturally encourage him to come on!

Symptoms: Contractions. All the time.

Belly button in or out? Out. Ew.

Wedding ring on or off? On. 

Happy or moody most of the time? Moody about the remodel. Happy about the baby!

Name possibilities? Owen.

Looking forward to? Getting Owen's room set up. Getting this show on the road!

Can't wait to be snuggling both my boys!!

Baby Daddy Thoughts on Baby #2!!

Thoughts from the Baby Daddy!

I did this with Andrew when I was preggo with Graham and loved hearing Andrew's perspective on my pregnancy, fatherhood, etc. So I had to do it again. Here's his take this time around with Owen...

Right after we found out Owen was in my belly!!!!!

(Jaye) What's been the best part of this pregnancy?
(Andrew) The anticipation of having another little boy! I like envisioning what it will look like having two boys so close in age... Thinking about years future with them--camping, hiking, wrestling, playing with trucks and dirt. Watching the boys together... It's fun to think about.

What's been the worst part of this pregnancy?
Trying to remodel the house while my wife is pregnant. Watching Jaye being exhausted.

What are some of your favorite memories over the last 9 months?
My favorite mental picture is seeing Jaye holding Graham with her baby bump, thinking, "That's my family!" It makes me excited. Watching Graham come over and pat Jaye's belly when we say "baby."  Thinking about Owen's name and what we want to pray into his life.

What's been the most surprising thing about this pregnancy?
How fast it's gone! It seems like we just talked about getting pregnant and here we are 9 months later. Also how my anxiety has changed. I used to be nervous about having/ caring for a child at all when Jaye was pregnant with Graham. Now I'm nervous about managing a home. Not so much, "How will I keep an infant alive?" but now, "How will I keep sanity/ peace in my house, especially on days that are rough for my wife and kids?"

Are you nervous about labor this time?
Not as much this time, since I know more what to expect. I think on the day Jaye goes into labor, I'll get anxious about things that could go wrong. But now I just expect them to go right since they did with Graham.

What are you nervous about being a dad of 2 kids?
Graham being loved enough when all the attention goes to  Owen at first. Thinking how to love Graham and minister to him, while making special memories with Owen....How to balance my fathering time.

What are you most excited about being a dad of 2 kids?
Just thinking about what the years ahead will hold with 2 boys. Just picturing all the things I'll get to do with my 2 boys.

What kind of dad will you be to 2 boys?
The need for a wrestling ring increases with 2 sons. I'll probably go to referee school. Probably pick up mixed martial arts training. Breakfast, time with God, and wrestling matches will be a daily routine.

How will you get through the sleepless nights the first few months?

Ambien. Or Jack Daniels. (Ha.)

What has Jaye missed the most during this pregnancy?

Sleep. Being a normal size. Being able to be close to me or Graham, without the big belly in the way. Energy. Turkey.

What has Jaye most needed to hear in this pregnancy?

That she's beautiful and not fat, but pregnant. Those are different. She's valued, that this is a special and unique time to cherish, and it'll be over soon.

Is Jaye the stereotypical preggo woman this time around?
No. I've yet to see her crave pickles and ice cream. Not that many emotional breakdowns... Hard to tell if the ones she did have were from pregnancy or the house remodel.

Has Jaye had any crazy preggo hormone moments this time?

We have been remodeling our house for the last 3 months. Our fridge was in the dining room instead of the kitchen most of that time, so you had to walk through the living room to get back and forth. As I moved the fridge back into the kitchen, she cried tears of happiness. But I don't think that was a pregnancy moment. I think it was a house remodel moment... So, no.

How did you feel when Jaye told you she was preggo?

Excited. Thankful.

How did you feel when you first felt Owen kick?

Excited! I felt more part of the pregnancy at that point... Prior to this, it's like Jaye's experiencing the pregnancy alone, with me just being a spectator. Once I could feel him kicking, I felt like I was right there with him too.

What baby chores will you help with? 
Basic provision. Shelter, financial stability for food, a free education at Ivy Tech.

What baby chores will you dread?
Changing poopy diapers. Soothing screaming babies... And I do mean babies, because we will have two. Supervising without Jaye at any point.

What's your favorite baby item you've received/ bought?
Double stroller. Bike trailer to pull both boys behind me on my bike. Excited about going on bike rides with them both.

How do you think life will change once we have another baby?
I'll be more tired. I'll have to die to some of my introverted tendancies. There will be a lot more farting jokes. There will be a lot more laughter... Some crying, mostly laughter. My sword fighting skills will increase, because every little boy should know how to sword fight.

What do you think Owen will look like?
Tom Sellek's mustache.

What do you hope little Owen is like in general?
Strong. Humble. Compassionate. Loving. Fun.

What are you most looking forward to once Owen is born?

Wrestling matches.

32 Weeks with Owen!

How far along?  32 weeks. Cannot BELIEVE I'm 8 months preggo! I feel super overwhelmed when I think about how much I have left to do before this baby comes.  I measured 2 weeks behind with Graham almost the whole time, but this time I have been measuring two weeks ahead! Ha. My doctor told me at my last appointment that she thought this baby was going to be bigger than Graham at birth. He was only 6 lbs, 15 oz, so that wouldn't be hard... But I'm really hoping that Owen doesn't follow in his Daddy's birth weight footsteps, who weighed almost 9 lbs. Eek.

Total weight gain? Gained 22 pounds. Too many desserts. :/

Maternity clothes? Running out of normal clothes that fit comfortably. Living in yoga capris and maternity tanks.

Sleep? No.good.

Best moment this week? This is a reoccurring thing, not necessarily this week specific, but I REALLY love it when Andrew puts his face to my belly and talks to Owen. Melt.my.heart. I also have been scoring big at yard sales/ Goodwill's 1/2 off for little Owen's wardrobe. Since he'll be born in the opposite season as Graham was, we're having to start from scratch for most of his clothes. All of Graham's newborn sized clothes were fleece footed pj type, but I'm pretty sure Owen will be living in short sleeved onesies for a while. Anyway it's so fun to build his little itsy bitsy wardrobe, especially for cheap!! Also, Mother's Day was pretty sweet. Andrew was helping with the new church building almost all day long, but then he cooked dinner for us and started a Mother's Day journal for our kiddos to write notes/ draw pic's/ etc for me over the years. I saw on Pinterest as a way to keep all Mother's Day cards together over the years, and I loved the idea! Andrew translated for Graham and Owen, for what they should say to me this year. :) Oh, and I had a sweet "Mother's Retreat" time, just a couple hours at a coffee shop to reflect on the beauty and blessing of motherhood and pray for this baby on the way. So refreshing to my heart and so thankful for Andrew having some boy time with Graham so I could do it!

Graham's handprints and "note" to me for Mother's Day :)

Owen's pic and "note" to me in my Mother's Day journal. Thanks hubba!

Miss anything? Same... Being able to hug Andrew really close. Fitting into clothes well. Sleep. And Andrew's turkey sandwiches always look so yummy.

Movement? This kid is strong. I feel like he's wrestling my insides sometimes.

Food cravings? Sweets and fruit.... especially ice cream, strawberries, pineapples... and Pop Tarts (I haven't given in yet to those but I'm losing willpower).

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope.

Have you started to show yet? Ummmmm.... that would be a yes. The Trader Joe's sample lady who is so sweet and LOVES seeing Graham every week commented today that I'd grown since last Monday. I don't understand how my belly is just going to keep stretching even more. In the last few days, I've noticed strangers don't ask me anymore, "When is your due date?", but instead, "Is your baby coming soon?" HA!

Labor signs? This was probably my scariest moment this pregnancy. At 31 weeks, Andrew and I went on a rare date. I was fine through the movie, but as soon as we left and started walking to the car, I had about 5 contractions pretty quickly. They were more uncomfortable than usual and came so close together, it freaked me out. They continued in the car and at the Cheesecake Factory. Andrew and I scarfed down our cheesecake and French fries (yep) and headed home as soon as we could, vowing to call the doctor if they didn't stop as soon as I laid down. She had said to call if I had more than 2 in an hour, which I was WAY past. Andrew headed to our sweet neighbors' to pick Graham up, and I went straight to bed, begging God for Owen to stay put! I felt better immediately when I laid down, and my contractions stopped quickly. Whew. I have been trying REALLY hard to take it easier since then (which is nearly impossible with a toddler of course) and avoid certain activities that I know cause contractions. I've just had normal, sporadic, non-painful contractions since then, so I'm praying that episode was just a fluke, and I will go full term. Can't wait to see what the doctor says at this week's appointment about it.

Little Owen requested French fries instead of the planned cheesecake on our date night. :)

Symptoms: Another night of Tums. Dang acid reflux. Contractions.

Belly button in or out? It's still practically all the way out. Ugh.

Wedding ring on or off? On. 

Happy or moody most of the time? Moody. First I blamed it on the insane winter... now I blame it on our house remodel. I stepped on a rusty nail the other day, Graham can't play downstairs because it is a complete danger zone, etc, etc. But Andrew is on break now and working his tail off trying to finish this thing!! I know it will be worth it in the end, but it's pretty tough now.

Tearing down the wall between our kitchen and dining room.

Name possibilities? Sweet Owen. We cannot wait to meet you!!!!!!

Looking forward to? The Bachelorette starting tonight. :) Getting Owen's room in order. Snuggling this sweet baby in my arms!!! Seeing if he looks like his big bro or has a look all of his own!

G begs for his swing every time we go outside. :)