Clara

Our daughter is here! Clara was born March 20 at 2:10 a.m. She weighed 7 pounds 13 oz. and was 20 3/4 in. long. We love her so much! She is such an easy baby and a great sleeper as well. Here are a few photos. Birth story to come once I can find the time. Life with 5 is crazy and overwhelming, to say the least!

You Never Change

I'm absolutely loving the Sons and Daughters album from Sovereign Grace Music. One song in particular is really ministering to my heart right now. It's "You Never Change" and I wanted to share the lyrics, as well as a place to sample it.

36 weeks

I am 36 weeks plus 1 day. Wow!

I saw my midwife on Monday. All is well. I am 4 centimenters dilated, 80% effaced, and the baby is at a 0 station. Many women might see those stats and think: "Wow! Those are some great stats." They are. They are nothing unusual for me, however. I can sit there for a month and never go into labor. I am thankful, however, that I start at those numbers (or even higher) and I think that makes labor more manageable. I do intend to start my regimen of fresh bromelain-packed pineapple starting at 37 weeks (when I am considered term), which I believe helps me to efface the rest of the way prior to the start of labor.

I got my birthing pool this week. It's amazing. I have attached some photos. My midwife told me that the nurses at the hospital are pretty pumped about it. It's been years since a waterbirth in this particular hospital from what I have been told.

Physically, I am spent. We moved this past weekend into a bigger home and every muscle in my body is sore. I am finding bending over to be impossible, which makes picking up my house or playing with the kids pretty rough.

I also celebrated my 29th birthday on Saturday. A couple families from church helping us with moving, cleaning, and childcare, and we celebrated with pizza, cookie cake, and ice cream. Yum!