sister snuggle time

My Grandparents sent a balloon with flowers and a certain two year old was entertained for hours. Thank you! Thank you! We're all glad reinforcements (aka - Abigail entertainment) will be here soon. Hannah Kate has been a sweet, chill baby. Abigail, on the other hand, is adjusting. But she does love her little sister :)

Hannah Kate (up close)

sisters

Welcome Hannah Katherine Harms!!! Born at 12:48 AM (6/23). 8 lbs and 20 inches long. The labor and delivery was very quick and went smoothly. We arrived at the hospital at 10:45 PM and two hours later had our baby. Mommy and baby are doing well. We will be at the hospital until Saturday.

And of course a couple pictures...

a new chapter

Abigail, you have been the star of my blog for the last two and a half years. Your grandparents and friends have enjoyed watching you grow from an itty bitty baby into a beautiful little girl. We've let them in on your victories and they have faithfully prayed you through your colds and ouchies.

Soon, you'll get to share the spotlight with a little brother or sister, and I can't wait to see how God is going to use your little sibling to help sanctify you - teaching you about grace, patience, sharing and ultimately about the Lord. I pray that your sibling will love the Bible and people as much as you do! You have so much love to share, and I am delighted that God has blessed us with another person to help us learn about love, life and Him!

We'll all have a lot to learn in the next couple of months (years!), but I pray that the Lord will ultimately help your mommy and daddy become more like Christ. And one day, we pray that you will know Jesus as your Savior too.

*** 38 week update

*still 4cm dilated, feeling more contractions...

*I had my membranes stripped today (not very pleasant) and am currently enjoying the use of my exercise ball to help with the cramping and contractions.

*Hopefully, we'll be able to introduce you to Baby Harms in the next 24-48 hours :)

37 week update

I received good news today at my doctor appointment.

My lab results came back negative for preeclampsia, so I just have gestational hypertension. The doctor says I still need to take it easy and keep to the modified bed-rest plan.

I am 4 cm dilated, 70% effaced and the baby has dropped some.

My awesome girlfriend, Jaclyn, watched Abigail this morning and stuck around for take-out Chinese food and catching up after her trip to Greece with her hubby. I'm so glad you're home!

Even better news: Rodney is home from his work travels:) So I won't have to have this baby by myself!

36 weeks

At my doctor appointment yesterday, I was surprised to hear that I am 3.5cm dilated. I am thrilled, but the huge part of me that likes to plan my life is a little overwhelmed. I have to admit, I was hoping to have at least two or three weeks more to prepare for our little one. Rodney has one more short trip next week. Our good friends who are planning to help us with Abigail are in Greece. And yesterday, I came down with Abigail's cold - sneezing, runny nose, congestion, cough...fun times:)

And on another note, my blood pressure was high the second week in a row. My second BP readings have always been normal, but as a consequence, I'm also now on modified bed rest. This proves to be challenging with an almost 2.5 year old. My instructions are to lie down for 20 minutes every two hours. I at first thought this would be "no big deal", but yesterday I realized just how much I am on my feet. Whew! And I also get to do a 24 hour urine collection to rule out preeclampsia.

So that's that. A VBAC is looking very promising, especially since I've been relatively comfortable. But I am praying that the Lord will help Abigail and I fight these colds and that the baby will hang on a little while longer:) Thanks for praying. It's comforting to know that the Lord is good ALL the time and the one who is REALLY in control.

2 cm

Yes, I am 35 weeks and 2 cm dilated. My pregnancy has been easy up until Sunday evening, so the little person is getting ready to enter a much larger world! Thankfully, we made it through Rodney's two weeks of world travels without any exciting trips to the doctor. We have two more nights to stay out of labor and delivery this week (since he is gone again) and a night in a couple weeks. But all in all, we're ready to meet you, little baby!

Will you pray that our little one will come with little fanfare? My doctor is in agreement that a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) is possible, but he won't let me go after my due date. He even mentioned today that if at 39 weeks, nothing has changed, he may even give me a small dose of pitocin to see if it jump starts a natural labor. This is a departure from his medical practice's position on no induced VBACs. All that said: the doctor needs wisdom and I need patience on the Lord's perfect timing and will, even if that means another c-section.

And would you also pray that I have energy and strength. I have been exhausted and chasing my independent two year old is rather wearisome, especially since she has been fighting naptime and bedtime. (Big Sigh...). Any advice? I do enjoy taking her to the pool. The cool water helps me forget my swelling feet, wakes me up, and makes me feel rather weightless, which is GREAT at this stage in my pregnancy:)

I have been challenged of late by a book I finished last week One Thousand Gifts. I am often weary of the mundane, and ingratitude swiftly creeps in to steal my joy. It's been a huge challenge to look for beauty and gifts in the everyday mundane. I am currently fighting for joy! One huge gift right now - my "read through the Bible in a year" has landed me in the middle of Psalms, a place where I have and will find great encouragement in the final weeks before our baby arrives. Thank you, Lord, for your daily strength and encouragent. Your mercies are truly new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.