Burger Thursday

Well my friends, the time has come to announce that Gerrit and I are expecting Baby #2. Yippee!

I am about 11 weeks along now (due December 10) and already starting to show. My jeans don't button now, but I'm not big enough for maternity pants. It's interesting to see how the body remembers pregnancy so soon. I'm in that awkward phase where people glance down at my stomach and I can see the wheels turning as they determine whether or not to say something. That's always fun.

We found out several weeks ago, only a week after I had accepted a new job. That made me panic a bit and I was totally overwhelmed. I was on emotional overload. But my new employers and co-workers have been wonderful and supportive. It was such a relief when I shared the news with them. I was scared out of my mind. And apparently, I was worrying for nothing!

I am feeling sick frequently throughout the day, but I usually feel better after eating something. Although, it's really only junk food that sounds good. Vegetables are just appalling, unless they come in french fry form. I'm off to a healthy start.

Oh, the reason the title of this post is "Burger Thursday" is when we asked Adeline what we should name the baby, her answer was Burger Thursday. It seems like a natural choice, right? Definitely on the list. 

Adeline will say "hello" to the baby when prompted. She knows to aim for my tummy. But she also thinks there might be a baby in her tummy and in Gerrit's. Sometimes I wish it were in Gerrit's! 

At 8 weeks, I was able to hear the baby's heartbeat at my appointment. It was so early on, I didn't have that expectation. But it was a wonderful surprise! Hearing that little rhythm was a great reminder of why I am willing to go through the sickness and uncomfortable changing of my body. 

Gerrit and I are excited and nervous, in similar and different ways than the first time. God is good and we're trusting Him to guide us through this pregnancy and child's life!

A Little Bit of Easter

We were up North for Easter. It was a glorious time. Adeline and I were there for 5 days before my sisters came. She was delighted when they finally came! She so badly wants to be a big kid. For now, she is their little mascot that is sometimes welcome and sometimes a snitch during hide-and-seek.

 On Saturday, our family friends invited us over for an Easter party. 

Here is our attempt at a cousin picture. Owen is the designated guard to keep Addie in place.

Take 1

 Take 2 

Owen's face makes this picture.

 Take 3

We gave up.

 Gerrit was the only one of our hubbies that could be there, so we got a sisters and kids-only picture. I don't think we have another like it!

 And here are our attempts at a family portrait. If you've ever met a toddler, you can guess that it might be a challenge to get a good picture.

Well, the good news is: Easter is not about successful family photo. It's about our Risen Savior. And He was celebrated indeed.

Sick Days

 Fever

Vomit

Yucky Diapers

Sleepy

Cranky

Needy

Extra Hugs

Rocking

Snuggling

ELMO

Singing

Naps

Recovery

A Hair-Don't

Adeline's hair is so awesome these days, it deserves a post of it's own. 

Her mullet is especially pronounced after taking out her pigtails. 

Just look at that party-in-the-back!

Don't call Child Services. We don't let her go out in public looking like this. 

A Yes-Woman

Adeline's new favorite word is "yeah" and she loves to nod her head. She is so agreeable! On the way home from picking her up, I interviewed her.

Me: Were you a good girl today?
A: Yeah.

Me: Did you eat your vegetables?
A: Yeaaaaaah.

Me: Should we go home and see Grandma?
A: (quickly) Yeah!

Me: Mommy misses Daddy. Do you miss Daddy?
A: Yeaaaaah.

Me: Should we give him hugs and kisses when he gets home?
A: (quickly) Yeah!
Me: Good. Let's do that.
A: Yeah.

Prayers for Gerrit and Haiti

In the wee hours tomorrow morning, my Gerrit will be leaving for a week-long missions trip to Haiti. 

The organization World Wide Village sponsors a children's home in Haiti. The children are either orphaned or have been left at the home by their parents out of necessity. There are 50 children and only 2 adult caregivers. They have had to cook meals for these kids over an open fire, but the group Gerrit is going down with will be helping to install a stove for them that our church raised money for. 

The kids also have very few toys and very little adult interaction. (Last year, the team built a playground for them). The team will be bringing down a few toys and will be showering the kids with attention. 

The children's home also has a damaged security wall. This is a major safety concern because the children there are provided with food everyday, whereas others in the community are not. 

Pray for those dear kids.

Pray for safety and health for the team.

Pray that the kids and staff at the home would know the love Christ has for them. 

Adeline and I are going to miss Gerrit this week. But I'm so proud of him for being open to what God wants him to do. 

The Latest and Greatest of Adeline Rose

Bleh, I've been a terrible blogger. But here I am to give you the updates on our sassy little lady. Though she is not yet 2, she has hit something terrible in the behavior department of her brain. She's quite generous with her tantrums. She's like a hormonal teenager. I am open to lending her out to those who need to provide practical birth control to teenage relatives. 

In brighter news, she is learning how to clean up her messes. She can wipe her hands and face. She even got down on the floor to wipe up the crayon art she left for us in the kitchen.
 She has also enjoyed supervised art. She LOVES to be messy, whether with paint or food. She's not picky about the medium, as long as the end result is a disaster.

 We don't put on too many TV programs for her. Usually she ignores them after 5 minutes anyway. But there are times when she completely zones in and we know we may need to turn the TV off. 

 Adeline is a woman of flare. She knows what she likes. 

 Right now, she likes her toddler bed. It all happened very suddenly. One night she woke up crying with what sounded like fear. Gerrit put her in her toddler bed and she stayed there all night. Amazing. But there have been times since then that she has walked out to the living room after an hour of sleep and scared the daylights out of me. 

Addie has a boyish energy. Everything (including us) is a jungle gym. She loves to wrestle and climb. She literally runs laps around us. 

But she also has a tender side. One of her first words was "baby" and now she likes to "feed" them and hug them. And tonight when I was putting lotion on her, she started rubbing my arms too. 

She has always been a chatterbox, but now she is amazing us with new words each day. Her favorite phrase is still "Wassat?" She's a curious little bug and loves to learn.

And she repeats much of what we say now! Which is endearing and a good reminder to think before I speak! 

Adeline encompasses our daily lesson in patience and selflessness. But she is also a source of much joy in each day as well. And she's pretty darn cute, to boot!