I Yike it A Yot!

Written by Shannon Leigh


Most of Ruby's L's sound like Y's and maybe sometimes W's.
It's great to listen to her tell stories in her sweet wittle voice.   She's really starting to get an imagination.

She's been cracking us up lately with what she says and I want to write all of them down before she moves on to another stage and we forget.

She was playing with a red mitten she found in a basket in her room and asked where the other one was.  I told her it that it was lost and that we would have to buy her new mittens when it got cold outside.

She then said. “oh no, my mitten is yost!  Oh no, it’s yost in the country with my yittle brother!”

Ruby and I drove past a cemetery a few days ago and she said “ Ohhhhh  Mommy!  Wook!  It’s castles!”

We often call Ruby nicknames.  Lately when we call her a name like "dude" or "peanut" she promptly responds with "I not dude, I RUBY!"

She brought me Sophie the giraffe a few days ago and she said "Share Sophie with baby brother!"

Th

Halfway-ish

Written by Shannon Leigh



We are officially "halfway!"
Well, kinda halfway.  Halfway for most people, but probably not for me.
I am looking at 42 weeks as my ending point (mentally I have to or else I'd go insane- after all I do gestate longer than the average woman).
Anyway, all the books say halfway so here we are (can you sense my eye roll?).
I feel really great and I am LOVING the second trimester- now if it could all be this good. :)
I am definitely larger than the last time around but how could I not be?  This little mister is a monster, remember?

Our vacation out West/North was really great.  Crazy but great (I'll post about it at some point).
The day we got back we moved into our new duplex (I am still yawning from all of the excitement).  It's a cute little place with lots of great walking paths nearby.  We are utilizing these frequently especially since Matt and I decided to GET RID OF TV!
It's true, I feel all pioneer woman.
Truthfully it's been really great so far.  I am getting a lot more done around the house and Ruby and I are spending lots of good, quality time together before baby brother makes his appearance.

We also moved Ru into a big girl bed which has truly been a seamless transition (I'm not surprised, that's just Ruby).  We didn't even put up the crib in our current house- I figured out of sight out of mind, right?  Mister will hopefully be in the cradle in our room until we move again and then we can set it up in HIS room once we're settled.
It's a bit of a crazy time around these parts but I I don't think I would change it.

I hope to update again soon but we are super busy, you know, NOT watching t.v.:)

Westward Ho!

Written by Shannon Leigh

{Westward Ho!  Grandma & 5 kids in the station wagon.  August, 1968}

We are off on a bit of a family vacation/road trip  out west (and then north) for the next 12 days!

I will be answering emails occasionally but responses may be delayed!

We'll be back on Sunday, June 17th!

Thanks so much for your patience!

x0- Shannon

{Grandma, Grandad, & the 5 kids at Great Sand Dune National Monument August, 1968}

Mister: Week 18

Written by Shannon Leigh



I keep forgetting to share my 14 week sono of Mister.
I love his little profile and his crossed feet at the top.  We have been lucky to get really great profile shots of both of our babies so far.  I could just stare at him all day.
Ruby is obsessed with the picture and carries it around kissing it (she is such a little mommy).

My sister has nicknamed baby boy Haus, because well, he is huge.

When they put the wand on my tummy at my first sono I couldn't believe how meaty he was.  All I kept thinking was "Lord, please let that be a boy"- he was just so big.  Ruby was so dainty (still is) so it's a mighty contrast.

Things are moving along well and we have made it to week 18!  Today Ruby and I got to listen to Mister's heart beat at the doctor's office.  He likes to hang out on the right side of my body and kick me on the left so she had to move the doppler all the way to my right side to hear his heart beat. Silly Mister.



Oh sweet Mister,
I have enjoyed praying these verses over you so very much!
Man, what a blessing these scriptures have been to this mommy.

See you at week 19!

Week 17

Written by Shannon Leigh


Poor 2nd baby.  He's already getting the shaft when it comes to pictures.
Oh well, he's a boy.  He won't care anyway :).

So I FINALLY started a maternity series at 17 weeks.

This maternity series is going to be all about focusing on the Word.

I have committed to praying these next 23 (or so) verses over my sweet little Mister as the weeks go by.

I am trying to focus on what the Lord wants to teach me throughout the rest of my pregnancy and I get the bonus of memorizing scripture. I want to focus on what a blessing Mister truly is and not how much I want this pregnancy to be over:)

Man oh man, I am way bigger than last time and things have been VERY different.  Things are definitely sorer as I get stretched out.  I don't remember being this crampy last time either, bleh.  Truth be told it's getting kind of old.  I am actually kind of glad my job is so physical, I don't notice it when I'm working.

The good news is that I have been feeling Mister move for weeks and weeks now and last week (week 16) Matt even got to feel him kick!

Far, Far Away

Written by Shannon Leigh

Ruby's squeaky little girl voice absolutely melts me. She has always been quite articulate and easy to understand but her voice is just so girly.

A few weeks ago she stayed with my parents while I shot a wedding.  It happened to be the night of the infamous super moon and my mom and dad took her out to see it.  Apparently Ruby loved it and thought it was great.

We talk about the moon and stars a lot.  She has always been intrigued by them and we discuss them with her often.  We ask "who made the moon?" And she promptly answers "God made the moon."  Then we ask "who made the stars."  She answers "God made the stars."  It's a bit of a game we play.

One night we were on our way home from youth group and the moon was shining bright.  Ruby caught sight of it and shouted,
"Wook Mommy, wook! It's the super moon!  (pause pause pause, and in a sigh she said) It's far, far away...I can't weach it."

Melt my heart my precious one.  Please stay this innocent forever.

Catching Up

Written by Shannon Leigh

Life is absolutely crazy.
I mean crazy, crazy.
So many things are going on around these parts that my poor wittle blog has been completely neglected.  No offense blog, but you are THE LEAST of my concerns at this point.

The most SIGNIFICANT news is that sweet, beautiful, precious Ruby is going to be a...

I am currently 15 weeks and according to a 14 week sonogram, it appears to be a MISTER (a very obvious mister)!
To be perfectly honest we were a little shocked that we would be having a boy, but after a few weeks we are getting used the idea and getting pretty pumped.
Ruby is going to be a GREAT big sister and we can't wait to meet sweet little mister.

I felt pretty icky for the first 12 weeks and I kept falling and knocking things over (I am clumsy ordinarily but this was intense).  Now that I am in the 2nd trimester I feel MUCH better and have much more energy.  Praise the good Lord.

I plan on doing a maternity series at some point… but we'll see.  Like I said, we've got a LOT going on these days.

In other significant news, we sold our house!  Our sweet little cottage, sigh.
We bought it after only being married for a few months and we have spent the last 4 years there.  We brought home a puppy there, and (more importantly) it's the place where we brought home our first baby.  It's going to be strange to call any other place home.
What's even stranger?  We are going to be renting for the next 6 months while the other house is finished. We are on quite the adventure but I am ready for the challenge (I think).

We signed a lease starting June 15th and we close on our current house on July 1st.  I am really going to miss our little town (mostly walks to the library and post office) but we're ready to move on too.  We have already packed all the stuff we don't need for the next 6 months and we are going to work on packing the kitchen this week.  It's no fun to live amongst boxes but it's a means to an end.  The duplex we are renting is on a pond with a great little walking path around it so I think we will enjoy that a lot.  It's also on a golf course so I KNOW Matt will be happy.

I am really looking forward to this whole process being over but if that were the case, that means that Ruby's time as an only child would be over forever and THAT makes me want to die and cry and fall to emotional pieces.  I guess all mothers feel this way but man oh man it's pretty intense (blame it on the pregnancy hormones).
Will I love our next child the same way that I love Ruby?  Will I be able to give Ruby enough attention?  What's it going to be like to raise a BOY?  I know the Lord will provide answers to all of these things in time but the fears still keep creeping in.

On top of being pregnant and hormonal, having a (now fit throwing) toddler, and moving (TWICE), work is NUTS.  I am shooting lots of weddings this year (most of which happen to be in the FALL).  I am going to be large and in charge by that point but I am certainly going to give them my utmost attention.  We'll take all the prayers we can get:)

I think that about sums it up.  Life is CRAZY but GOOD.
I'll leave you with some cute pictures of Ruby because who doesn't love cute Ruby pictures.