Week 30 is coming to a close and I’m definitely starting to count down the days till this little baby comes. Did I mention we have his name almost all the way picked out??? Drumroll please…and his name is:

Parker Colyar

I’ve always loved the name Parker…it just feels so boyish and All-American-perfect for our family! We are still a bit undecided on the middle name. We’ve come up with all kinds of cool options, but when it comes down to it, it feels a little odd to just randomly pick a name you like when our other two kids have our middle names (Emma Nicole and Ashton James)…so I suppose that leaves us with…

Parker “Steven” Colyar

…after Daddy. Hmmmm, we shall see.

I’m really looking forward to meeting this little guy—and my body is looking forward to flying solo again!! I tell ya, I’ve been trying to get back into gym going, but whenever I try the elliptical or even the treadmill, I get some pretty strong achy pain in my belly, which has me going slower and slower on the machine, which eventually makes me ask myself…”WHY am I here if I’m walking at a 2.3 on the treadmill and in pain?!!” *Sigh* This too shall pass. I’m in that trying to savor the end of what will probably be my last pregnancy, yet soooo looking forward to being active again—body jam, zumba, body pump—my oh my have I missed you!!! It’s the endorphins that are lacking these days I do believe.

I even miss getting up early—I can’t sleep till around 1 a.m. most nights regardless of caffeine intake, nap or no nap, activity level, etc…so getting up early hasn’t really been a viable option. I miss eating deli meat cold on a sandwich, not watching my mercury levels with salmon pattys and tuna, not feeling super guilty when I drink the occasional diet soda or forget my prenatal or drink more caffeine than I should. Funny what we moms beat ourselves up over to give our babies the best chance they can have at being healthy and happy.

On the flip side, I love to feel his tiny arms and legs exploring the world inside me; little somersaults at night; the knowledge that something miraculous is happening inside of me that only God has control over. My belly growing bigger by the week—little boy packing on the ounces until his grand arrival.

Lately I’ve been shorter on patience with my other two. I’ve always believed that so much of being a good mother is sacrifice. Closing your laptop, iPhone, scrapbook pages; putting down the mop, soup spoon, or laundry and being present—even when you don’t feel like it. That’s been a challenge for me lately. I find myself just wanting to park on the couch or bed after a busy morning and keep to myself, not do the things my kids would love to do with me because I feel like my energy is too low to make the effort—don’t they know I’m growing a human??!! There is grace in that, but sometimes grace can be an excuse too…Emma is at that adoring, wants-to-be-with-you-at-all-times stage and sometimes I just need a little away time, but she hates that right now, so it’s hard.

Ashton is a bit oblivious, though he does know a “baby Parky” will be joining us after Christmas …like FedEx is gonna drop him off in a big brown box or something . 

 

He was the gosh darn cutest little tigger, yes not tiger but tigger as in Winnie the Pooh , you ever did see for Halloween. He had a complete ball running around like a mad man getting candy at every house we passed. 2 is such a special age!! I’ll try to post Halloween pics soon.

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A little personal note to those who live overseas!! Teranne and Becca, I miss you girls and I hope you both had a wonderful Halloween in Israel and China!! T, thanks for your lovely long email, such a treat. Glad your pregnancy is progressing so beautifully!! Becca, I wish we could get pics of the girls together right now because they have matching haircuts! Yep, we chopped Emma’s into a cute little A-line bob also…soooo much easier to take care of! Love you girls and think of you both often!!!