My Faith and Joy… and Boys!

The girls have been on a picture-taking kick lately with both my regular camera and smartphone.  Most of the shots are way too close and look like this:

…or this (it cracks me up every time I look at it!):

…but some of them turned out surprisingly well!

Here’s Becky showing a picture of the doll they hope to get for their upcoming birthdays (although they’re having so much fun playing with the laminated picture of the doll that I’m half-tempted not to get them the actual toy!):

Here’s a pensive Becky:

And a subtle Susie:

And a deer-in-the-headlights Jimmy (see how blonde he’s gotten this summer in the sun?):

And even one of Susie and me:

I hope they keep improving so I can pass off the picture-taking privileges to them!

Just because I’m not supposed to walk a lot doesn’t mean I can’t go out with the family for ice cream, right?  I sat down the whole time, I promise! 

I’d like to say that my recent blog absence was due to an abundance of exciting activities this week, but unfortunately, I had an abundance of exciting contractions that landed me in the hospital for a little while!  I was pretty nervous, because the contractions were coming back-to-back and were increasingly painful, but a 24-hour course of subcutaneous Terbutaline calmed everything down.  We also were able to get in two doses of steroids to develop the baby’s lungs, just in case he decides to make an unexpected appearance in the near future (if he’s born now at 32 weeks, he’d have to be in the NICU for quite a while, but the steroids would give him a boost with his breathing).  The doctor discharged me with orders to to take it easy and avoid a lot of activity, but thankfully I am not restricted to my bed.  I can’t thank Jim, my in-laws, and Alli enough for taking care of the kids and the house during my absence. 

This pregnancy has been much more difficult than my last one, but I guess it’s nothing compared to my twin pregnancy!  When we headed into the hospital last Thursday night, I tearfully kissed my sleeping children goodbye, wondering how long it would be before I would be back at home with them.  It’s hard to forget the experience of entering a hospital and not leaving for ten weeks.  And obviously the concept of extended bedrest, whether in the hospital or at home, seems a lot more difficult when you factor in three young children.  But I am so, so thankful that so far, our baby’s still inside and I’m able to be home and still caring for everyone to some extent. 

So as I’m hanging out on the couch more often than not, I’m making sure to give my kiddos extra kisses and hugs to make up for the lack of on-the-go activity we’ve all gotten used to.  Now if only I could get Jimmy to sit still for more than two seconds at a time!  

Long-time blog readers may remember an ice cream parlor’s pink bench popping up in my summer pictures in years past.  Well, we finally got to visit the same parlor this summer and treated Jimmy to his first taste of their yummy creations.

I had ordered Jimmy his very own cup of vanilla ice cream, but he preferred his Pappy’s raspberry instead.  Fortunately Pappy was willing to share!  

Our family is getting too big to all fit on a bench! 

Susie and I agree…

…there’s nothing like sitting outside in the sunshine with a notebook and your own thoughts!