It's a girl!!!

Ada Caroline Burch has made her debut.  She weighed in at 7.7 lbs and measured 21inches long.  Ada is the picture of health and we are truly overwhelmed with thanksgiving!

Market Square

This might be our last weekend as a family of 4--and it might not:).  But, we are taking full advantage of the freedom of not having a newborn and trying to soak in the other two.  Saturday morning, we headed to the Market Square Farmer's Market and tried to pretend it didn't feel like the middle of August--this pregnant momma was the worst pretender.:)  I always get emotional right before a new baby comes...totally normal, I know.  I start thinking about how much I love my life now and worry that it will never be the same--which it won't, but in totally great ways.  I worry that everyone will feel neglected and that I won't be able to handle it all.  Thankfully, the excitement over meeting the newest member of our family outweighs the trepidation! 

There was some great music, but it's hard to compete with an Abby Cadabby book

Lilah looks so big here....like too big for that paci:(  i'll deal with that later!

Boys enjoying some homemade ice cream:)

Aunt Liz and sweet Anna Kate

Prego Products

I'm not really a 'product junkie', because I don't like to throw out un-empty bottles and I dislike lots of stuff sitting around even more.  So, I usually just stick to the same stuff I've always used unless someone makes a recommendation about something specific that will change my life.  That's what I have for you here, folks:  life changing products....if you have a human growing inside your belly that is stretching your abdominal skin past the limits of comprehension.  Or if you just have dry, itchy skin.
Try these, you will thank me:

I can't get this unfuzzy...it's the lotion counterpart to the body wash

We've got big news around here....Lilah will start a new school in the fall.  We are hoping she can still go 2 days a week to her beloved preschool, but she will also be going to a developmental (aka special ed) preschool with the county starting in August.  Obviously her need for this is no surprise, but I've been a little anxious about it since we started the process in early March.  There was a ton of 'testing' involved and several meetings before the final decision.  I had very specific 'plans' for what I thought would be best for Lilah and I'm really thankful that it was what God had planned for her also, which was clear because I was prepared for the worst, but it all fell into place perfectly.

  It is a huge burden lifted for me to know exactly where she will be in the fall and I know it will be really good for her.   She will be going MWF to a great program, in a great school, and will be less than 2 miles from our house. I know it will be really challenging for her (and us, in many ways), but I'm so glad to have met her teacher (who is great) ....and also, I'm really thankful that I can take her (cannot imagine putting her on the bus!).  Here are some pictures from today, when we went to look around:

This momma is busy crossing things off of a never-ending 'to do' list in preparation for the little one's arrival.  In addition the the usual (clean out closets, etc) stuff, for us that means being caught up on doctor appointments for Lilah--which I can report that we are.  yeah.

The last was an eye doctor appointment,  that we had been putting off for 2 years.  In the midst of heart, spine, and seizure issues, poor vision just didn't top the list of priorities.  But, we had started to notice some things that made us suspect that Lilah was having trouble seeing...so we bit the bullet and made the appointment.

I had totally convinced myself that we would leave with these nasty coke-bottle glasses on my precious girl's face....and the promise of months of fighting with her to wear them.  Honestly, at this point, we do not take for granted anything will be typical about her--we just kind of expect there to be some issue, big or small, with everything.

And, woohoo!!!!....the vision is a small issue for now.  She is fairly far-sighted (-2.75), but does not have to have glasses--yet.  So we add this to our "wait and watch" list, which is absolutely fine by me.  I have to say, I am amazed at my ability to roll things over....living in the now and thinking about tomorrow tomorrow.  I know this is a gift, purely by God's grace, because it's definitely not my nature and we sure have enough 'what-ifs' to keep us up at night.

38 weeks

Baby Burch is 38 weeks today and could come any time.  If I was a bettin' woman, I'd say he/she will arrive closer to 3 weeks from now, but who knows?? That's one of the amazing things about new babies...they are totally expected, and yet entirely unexpected.  Speaking of amazing, here are my top 5 favorite things about being pregnant:

1.  everyone smiles at you--I have no idea if it's motivated by joy or pity, but I'll take it. the world is a friendlier place when everyone is smiling at you everywhere you go:)

2.  food tastes so darn good.  not that it doesn't always, but seriously--most everything is even better pregnant.  there just aren't enough hours in the day (or room in the stomach) for all of it.

3.  it's a great excuse for all sorts of things...don't want to host an event? attend a dinner? clean the house? visit your grandparents in the nursing home? cook?  "I'm not feeling up to it" does the trick every time.

4.  it mellows me.  I'm not sure my housemates would agree, or if it's been the case with my other pregnancies, but I feel super relaxed this time--about all sorts of things...and it's just the right amount, too.  Not that I'm a total apathetic slob, I just don't care enough to get upset.  Things are not only not getting done on the 'to do' list, they aren't even making it to the list in the first place, which is great because most of that stuff doesn't matter a hill of beans anyway (*Paul, if you are reading this....this does not apply to your list).:)

5.  it's just the most miraculous thing ever! it really is, start to finish...the whole process is incredible.  this is my 3rd time and I think I appreciate it even more....conceiving, growing, delivering, and raising a child.  obviously, there are a lot of really hard things about it--but what a gift it is.

I've had a great Mother's Day...I got 2 of the 3 things on my list and some beautiful flowers and the sweetest handmade card.  I was also hoping for a day free from complaints and a frame-able photo of me and my babies.  The first was a pipe-dream:), but I was bound and determined to get the picture....come hell or high water.  What we got was a little of the first....fussing, whining, threats, and tears....

and this-->

Maybe next year!:)

Happy Mothers Day

 Everyone A lot of people says that they have the best mom.  But, I have news for you.  Only one person can be right, and it's me. :)  I have the best mom.  It's a commonly known fact.  And if you don't agree, it's probably because you don't know her.

My mom is kind, and loving, and a great comforter, and an excellent cook....all the things in the handbook of motherhood.  But, she is also a million other things that make her stand out--she is infinitely encouraging and supportive, puts her family first (while still respecting herself), and has somehow always juggled all of her 'plates' with grace.

My mom is never critical or judgmental of me, or my family, or my choices.  She is honest, real, and trustworthy, and loves my children with a fervor only matched by Paul and myself.  I have lived my life knowing she (and my dad) would do anything I needed and always be in my corner.
My mom has taught me (and still is) what it means to be an excellent wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend and her love is one of the greatest blessings of my life.

On my first Mother's Day, I was pretty excited.  Like most mommas, I was (and am) both proud and reverent and the teeniest bit insecure about the most important job of motherhood.  The morning past without a mention of the holiday....I got up with baby Garrett, we went to church (where they honored mothers), and I came home to cook lunch for Paul's mom....all without a single "happy mothers day" from my husband.  No card.  No gift.  No mention.

I sulked for the afternoon and then got mad as a hornet, because I'm mature like that.  And you know what Paul said when I stated my case?  "Well, I didn't even think about it.  You are not my mom. "  I can't remember the rest of the story, but I'm sure it does not paint me in a favorable light:), so it's probably for the best.

I wouldn't tell this if my husband was a baboon, but he's not.  Actually, it's totally out of character for him--as he's normally fairly sensitive and infinitely generous--and we both laugh about it today.  Well, maybe I laugh more than him...I think he just wishes I would forget it.  Anyway, we've both learned some valuable lessons:  me--don't expect your husband to read your mind, and him--don't say stupid stuff that your wife will bring up until she's too senile to remember.

In the spirit of that, here is what I want for Mothers Day:
1) someone to clean out the stuff in the other half of my closet that has been moved from 3 different        
houses and not worn in the last 5 years.
2) a walk, alone
3) something like this

It might have something to do with being 9 months pregnant, or this might really be the funniest thing I've ever seen, because I think I just wet my pants.  Either way-->check this out.

I have wedding fever...delayed.  Like the rest of the south, we had terrible storms last week.  I was so busy being thankful for a new, strong, relatively undamaged house, I forgot to freak out over our cable and internet being 'out'--until the morning of the big ceremony.  So....I missed the wedding I've been waiting for months to see.  Cry me a river, right??:)

Anyway, I am catching up now people...and I love every last detail.  They are such a cute couple.

Happy Birthday Paul

Today is my sweet husband's birthday....not quite 40, but very, very close:).  Not to speak for him, but these days birthdays seem to be a celebration of endurance as much as anything else.  I've heard it said that "children keep you young", and, while that may be true, they also age the heck out of you at the same time.
Paul and I have been married nearly 8 years, and those flecks of gray hair I spotted in the early days are overtaking his head--which I happen to love.  But, I can run my fingers through those strands and practically name the cause for each of them....many, many of them were earned standing over a sick daughter's hospital bed, but the grays were also acquired along the way with family challenges, work demands, the unbending will of a 4 year old, and, perhaps the growing pains of early marriage, maybe.

The struggles we've faced with Lilah alone would have finished a lesser man, many times over.  But Paul is an extraordinary man--kind, loving, patient, humble, and strong--and grows more so (well, the patience is questionable at times:) with each year.  Happy 39th birthday to him....he might live to see 40 if he'll quit using my toothbrush.