Random Thoughts and a Baby Update

Okay...
No crafty post today...
Well, unless you want to count this...

Love it!
No cute pictures of Lydia Grace today either...
No kitchen creations...
Just me...
Typing some things that are on my mind...

I'm so excited to see how this little blog keeps growing.  Thank you, friends, for following along.  It is a bit surprising that people are actually interested in anything I have to say or interested in the things that I create.  Right before Lydia Grace was born, I started blogging just to try it out and see what all the hype was about.  I quickly became hooked and grew to love posting pictures, crafts, recipes, and musings on this blog--my own little corner of the world.  Family and close friends, of course, checked it occasionally, but since then it has continued to grow a nice little following.  By no means do I have some elaborate blog with all the bells and whistles, a huge following, sponsors, ads, or money coming in because of my blogging.  Do I want those things?  I don't know.  A lot of bloggers do, and there is nothing wrong with those things.  They are wonderful pursuits in the blogging world.  They mean you really have turned your little corner of the world into a big thing.  What do I want then?  I think I want the same thing from this blog that I always have...

I want a place where I can post pictures, memories, and moments to look back on and remember.
I want to share my crafts and creations while in turn being inspired by the amazing creativity of my fellow bloggers.
I want a place where I can express my thoughts, musings, and heart even if I'm the only one there to listen.
I want to meet new friends and stay connected to old ones.  I have met some amazing women through this blogging endeavor.

I have been inspired...
I have been prayed for...
I have been motivated...
I have been uplifted...
I have been challenged...
I have been shown love and kindness...

I just hope that I have been able to do those things for others in return through this blog.

So much has happened since I started blogging.  I have given birth to a beautiful girl, experienced the nightmare of almost losing her, continued through that first year with many ups and downs, worked on slowly turning our little house into a home, had some amazing family vacations, witnessed Lydia Grace's exciting early milestones, faced the emotional turmoil and guilt associated with being a working mommy, dealt with the miscarriage of two pregnancies, watched my daughter grow from a baby to a sweet little girl, taken the plunge and opened an ETSY shop, created magical moments and beautiful memories with my daughter, gotten pregnant again, found out we were adding a boy to our family, and eventually brought to this moment...

A moment where I am sitting here typing out random thoughts that will be cast out into blogland if for no other reason than I am feeling emotional and nostalgic right now.  (Let's just blame the hormones.)  Sometimes it is good to look back.  Sometimes remembering where we have come from helps us move forward--move forward from loss and move forward from past joys so we can continue to experience new joys each and every day.  Sometimes it is good to look back because when we do, we realize how truly blessed we are.  As I prepare my heart for this new little one to enter our lives, I feel just that--blessed.

Blessed to be able to tell you that baby and I are doing well.  A lot of people have been asking so here is a quick baby update...

*I will be 30 weeks on Sunday.
*Due Date: Oct. 2
*No blood clots have formed around the baby.  Praise the Lord!
*I did have one clot develop in my arm that passed through only giving me a strange burning sensation.  We chose to not do blood thinners.  We just stuck with a daily dose of aspirin for the clotting conditions.
*Weight Gain: 21 pounds (This is a bit lower than the weight I gained with L. G., but I am chasing a toddler around this time.  I gained 42 pounds when I was pregnant with her.)
*I was measuring a few weeks small, so they measured baby Eli and my fluid levels--both of which are fine.
*We have continued to have very frequent Dr. visits and ultrasounds--more than normal since it is a high risk pregnancy.
*Eli is around 3 pounds right now and looks just like his daddy from the 4-D ultrasound that the tech popped up on the screen as an added bonus.
*My gallbladder has started hurting again, but it isn't near as bad as it was with L. G.   I had a lot of problems with my gallbladder during that pregnancy.  The full abdominal ultrasound indicated that it is just slight inflammation of the lining this time.
*The normal 3rd trimester discomfort and fatigue has hit, but any pain I am having will all be worth it when I finally get to hold my baby boy.

I have to remind myself sometimes that it is really going to happen this time.  I am going to get to hold my baby boy in my arms in only a matter of weeks.
Feeling very blessed...