Please pray for a quick recovery for Stephanie and the beautiful Sadie Jane to eat well!
and since i dont blog here's my chance!!!
we have been so blessed since the harper's have come into our lives. we love them unconditionally and look up to them for their faith. They are a beautiful family with beautiful beliefs and now with two beautiful children! we love you guys!!!
-taron for stephanie
So we are days away from the birth of our sweet Sadie Jane. I am both anxious and excited about meeting her and rocking our families world. We know that God has planned her to be here "for such a time as this..." and we are so thankful for a long healthy pregnancy. Those things don't go unnoticed. Still no internet at home but I just wanted to let you know that the csection is planned for Monday at 8:00am and we would greatly appreciate your prayers that morning and the days following. I have mentioned previously my battle with PPD and the csection and recovery is something that will be totally different with a two year old around too. So if you can pray that would be wonderful and I know that God will see us through whatever Monday holds...
So I mentioned that Micah was great the first day Mick was home...but then Sunday I think he couldn't figure out what he was still doing there. He was a total grump and Mick got to experience numerous battles of the wills. And while I was sad to see it happening I felt a tiny bit better about myself seeing that it was just as frustrating for Mick and his "super daddy powers" were shortlived once Mick was home a good bit. These pictures are on Sunday when we had to get out of the house and jump in puddles. I had the idea and didn't know if Micah would go for it or not...he LOVED it... and we all had so much fun. Little did we know that there was a flood coming the next day and that Mick would be spending ALL week with us due to schools closing and disasters everywhere. Which has prepared us for life after SJ. Lots of togetherness:) I put the one picture of me on because it is the only one that we have taken and I want you to imagine how big I am now almost a week later than this picture! I know I look ridiculous...I obviously put on clothes quickly and didn't realize we were making a family memory for the records. I obviously didn't look in the mirror or ask Mick how I looked. I will say he knew I looked ridiculous because he took a picture and zoomed in with the video camera...but never said anything to me...nice subtlety right? But I do find it humorous. Even my dad said he was embarrassed with the way that I looked. But when you are this big you just have to laugh...
So I think that is all for now. Still the plan is Monday and if anything changes maybe I can teach technonana how to update my blog to let you all know! Pray Sadie Jane stays in because I am really anxious about the prospect of an emergency csection and getting to the hospital with roads closed could prove challenging.
So I just posted about our lovely day today but now I am working backwards. I was more upset because I forgot the plug in to download pictures onto Nana's computer...but technonana reminded me that I could just use the xd card...silly me! So here are two pictures from our weekend with Mick. We hadn't seen him in so long and Micah was so excited to have him around (at first...more on that in a minute) He was such a Daddy's boy on Sat. and just clung to him like crazy. Which made me feel good because he'll be getting alot of that soon:) Here are some pictures of the boys snuggling and Micah playing us some tunes. Good family time.
I had great plans for today...but you know how that goes. I got my shopping trip in to the grocery store to buy everything I could think we would need for the next few weeks. So that we aren't out buying toilet paper the day Sadie Jane comes home, etc. Then we finally got through to the doctor and headed to lunch then to the doctor. Mick has a game tonight so I had planned on coming to Nana's and blogging up a storm to catch up for time lost. But things didn't go quite as planned. I got most done at the grocery store but then started having some contractions and stomach issues so had to head out. I will say Mick offered to go for me but I really wanted to get the things I wanted and couldn't make a sufficient list for him. Mick said he was sure the people at the store were thinking my husband was worthless for sending me to the store 9 months pregnant. We then went to lunch and headed to the dr. But the dr was late...and I was still having contractions and just feeling bad. Mick was there to help but then because the dr. was late he had to head to the ballfield. Priorities people. So then they decided I had to be hooked up to the monitor...which is the reason this pregnancy I never told them about my contractions...but today they were sufficiently stronger. Micah and I camped out in the room and Micah kept saying funny things like "why did they just leave you here?" and "what is that other lady doing over there?" Then he had to go tee tee and a nurse just came in and took him...I couldn't believe he went with her but she is one of those tougher nurses and I guess he was afraid to go against her suggestions. He got skittles for being so good and they take a long time to chew...so he slept for five minutes on the way home then refused to go back to sleep. The dr. said I needed to go home and drink water and lay down...that they would probably subside. It looked like I might be dehydrated and causing irritability...this is what they said. So that wasn't possible with Micah's lack of naptime. So I cried for a minute and then headed over here to Nana's to let someone else take care of Micah...foreshadowing of the next few weeks when I will be unable to do so. I have drank a gallon of water but so far no subsiding...we'll see how long Sadie Jane holds on. Hopefully til Monday I really wanted to see Fame this weekend:)
So we have had a monsoon in Dville over the last weekend and due to that we lost water, power, and most importantly internet! We got power back quickly, water back yesterday and internet seems to be totally shot. I am completely lost without the ability to blog about all events. It is painful to have pictures on my camera and no way to share them! So we are at my inlaws to quickly check email and see what the outside world is doing and then back to the house with no outside communication. We keep watching the tv and seeing others devastation and realizing how blessed we are to have been spared. Pray for our community and so many that have been affected by this flooding disaster. Seriously we are hoping that everything is still good for Sadie Jane. She is still scheduled to come Monday, the 28th...but my Dr. office is closed and I can't get in contact with them. Hope to share life with you all again soon! I miss reading ya'lls blogs too.
I forgot I am wearing the same silly shirt from the baby shower...but I have on a tank top people so just deal with it.
The girl in the flowery shirt is 4 weeks behind me and so cute....I thought we were close to the same size til I saw this picture:) notsomuch. 
hence the chopsticks and dinner at our feet.Mick had planned a date night for us last night to get out and also to get some last minute things done. Then we also found out the Supper Club that we are in (but never get to go...because we don't usually have a sitter) was the same night. So we decided to do dinner by ourselves, get a few things done then head to the get together with friends. I will say it was a welcome change for me. I didn't feel great for the first part of it but we got the things done we needed to. We made Micah a Build-a-Bear from Sadie Jane to have at the hospital so that way he gets a present from her right away and hopefully thinks of her like we do- a gift from God - not a threat to his position:) After that we did dinner and babiesrus. Still need to finish up there but got a better picture of what we need. And then off to supper club with 6 other couples. I will say I have forgotten how fun good fellowship with a big group can be. With Micah I just never want to leave him, but in doing that I don't get alot of adult time and I will say it made it all the sweeter. I am looking forward to making it more of a priority this year. Thanks to Nana for staying late and taking care of Micah Reed. He got to go to Pops football game with Aunt Wendy and the girls and had a great time!
So my time with the bird is dwindling and he and I both seem to be a little bit tense about it. We are both prone to more fits and crying spells and both seem to be irritatingly clingy. But such is this season. I am writing about a silly topic today because I know in the days to come the frivilous things will not be documented...maybe they shouldn't be anyways:) But Micah created a new word a couple of weeks ago and I have no idea where it came from...he says "donda" all the time. He isn't referring to anything else because when I question him about it he repeats that I am saying it correctly. Not like when I misunderstand and he shouts louder and louder what he is trying to tell me in frustration...like glass which sounds like a variety of other things when he says it. But donda comes in front of things "donda mommy" or he requested two nights ago that Mick sing "the donda song" and when Mick said he didn't know it...Micah sang it for him "donda, donda, donda!" Most of the time this word is also very funny to Micah and he likes to say it at strange times and people look at us like we're strange...which we are... Anyways, just wondered if anyone elses child picked up a word like this? I know Bay had an imaginary friend named Anga that was a word we had never heard but I think Micah is referring to a verb?
Micah playing with SJ's tutu skirt that a friend made.
The chair! We are so excited because we didn't get a big rocker with Micah so this was our splurge. I hope it is worth it...if she's anything like Micah we'll spend lots of time here.
I have waited and waited to post pictures of Sadie Jane's room because I wanted it to all be finished...but like so many things with this pregnancy I am just not on top of things. Maybe before she arrives we'll hang the rest of the pictures...etc...in her room. But I don't think she'll notice if we don't. Her room is my dream room of pink. My mom calls it pepto bismol which is about accurate. The top part is pink and the bottom part is black that is actually chalkboard paint. So Micah and Sadie Jane will surely have fun with that (once we get brave enough to actually tell them). I have bought a few more things since I took these pictures but you get this gist of it. The zebra striped curtains wouldn't show up in a picture because my camera wont flash and the light from outside makes it really dark inside...I don't know. Anyways, I hope you she likes her room half as much as I do.
The boy might be strong-willed, obstinate and occasionally downright bad...but the boy is funny...I'll give him that. Today Micah went to school so I am sure I have missed out on half of the funny things that he is said, but here's just a few from today:
~Mommy, Can I tee tee in your hand?
~Are you mad at me? (I have never said I was mad at him, etc...? where does he get this stuff)
~While he's playing with a newborn diaper...he says "and I'll put baby sisters ding ding right here." uh oh I sure hope not with the hot pink room.
~Anytime I suggest let's pick up, let's go potty, etc. He says "let's not"
Silly silly boy that Micah bird.
Today my sister-in-law, Wendy and mother-in-law threw me a predominantly family(or like family) baby shower. We had a great time just catching up with family and getting really cute pink things! Wendy and Rita did a great job on the food and it was so nice to get useful things and cute things. One of my favorites was from my Grandmama who got me a piggy bank that was wearing a tutu and a princess crown. So cute! I love having a girl so far...not that I have had any experience yet. I am growing everyday and am still excited and nervous about Sadie Jane's arrival. I had Micah at 37 weeks and I will be 37 weeks on Wed. I never experienced labor or anything so I have had to call friends to ask if I am in labor a couple of times this weekend. Wise words from my friend Alison were "If you have to ask me Stephanie then you probably aren't in labor." She said I would definitely know so no trips to the hospital for me unless I am doubling over...we'll see, we all know what a sissy I am. We are down to two weeks til the day SJ will be here, if she doesn't come sooner. Lots to do, lots to finish and lots to post about...I wonder if I'll make time after she comes...either way...they'll be pictures...lots of pictures.
* I forgot to break my camera out til the end. Shame. But then we attempted to get a picture of all the girls...Me, Wendy, Bay, Charlee Ray and Sadie Jane...but Bay could not keep her eyes open. My mom convinced her to open them real wide and the first picture is our best product. Bug eye Bay is better than closed eyes...and my mom actually got us all in the picture. Which for her is an accomplishment.
Micah cheezin it in his crocs...I need to write a post on those dear things...
Trying to get a picture of Paxton and Micah...Pax was so funny!
Micah with the Birthday Girl!
Suz and I, black was way more slimming on her than me:)The last week or so has been mainly just the bird and me. Mick has had something like 14 games in 8 days so to say that he has been a bit busy elsewhere would be an understatement. Everyone keeps telling us how bad a job we did planning Sadie Jane in the middle of softball season. Most do not know that we are not picky on the planning and are just very thankful that we are going to have her. Although softball season is proving to be the worst time for me to be pregnant. Micah and I headed out last night and I thought that my parents were at the lake...and I realized that were I to go into labor I would need to drop Micah at a friend's house because neither of our parents or Mick were within 45 minutes of me. Anyways...Micah and I have had a lot of time together...which is what I wanted before Sadie Jane arrives so I am thankful...I wish so much of it wasn't spent disciplining but you've read those posts already.
Last night Micah was my date to our friend Suzie's Birthday Party. He was in a funk about not getting to see his Daddy but we at least got to drop by and visit for a bit and see Paxton who we rarely get to see these days. Micah was really good with him which was a welcome surprise. We definitely need to get them together more. We didn't want to crash a fun adult party for too long and Suz was quite the trooper to have no children herself and yet still invite Micahbird...especially since she's seen some of his true colors:) So Happy Day Suz!
What in the world is this you ask??
A picture of Micah hugging Sadie Jane...from my perspective. :)Just now, while I was trying to stand up (which is no small task for me these days); Micah was all up in my space. I asked him to move back so I could actually stand without knocking him down with my massive belly. He wraps his little arms around (as far as they'll go) my belly and says "I love you baby sister!" Unbelievable. Micah will repeat saying "I love you" to people but he rarely ever says it even in return when Mick or I tell him. Just out of no where he says this...I just couldn't believe it. Thank you, Jesus!
Yes, he is in the manly ladybug's class. Mick is estatic.
We have a picture just like this of me going to the same school and if I can find it I will put it up.
So excited about school!!I think adjustment would be a good word for today. Micah did great for school today. He walked right in and was extremely happy when I picked him up. I of course was a bit emotional but never went into full on sob mode...which is good for me. I did see quite a few mom's in their cars wiping some tears so I didn't feel so bad. Although their kiddo's were probably starting prek 5 days a week and mine was just going for 6 hours:) I was very proud of how Micah did and we had a great talk about school in the car. Then he wanted to go to CFA and I should have just headed home. Things went downhill from there and as I write he is still not down for his nap...I am beyond frustrated and my two hours of semi peacefulness seem an ugly trade for what we've endured after the fact. Hopefully after a few days of getting used to things he wont be quite so wired when he gets home. I guess I will chalk it up to transition and adjustment and pray for a better day for both of us on Thursday.
Edited later: Ok, so I just reread my post and I sure do seem like negative Nancy...so here's my second go at being positive Peggy instead:) I am so thankful that Micah walked right in with no tears to school at all. He didn't even look back, literally. I of course loomed outside the window for 5 min. making sure he never looked back. I also drove back to "drop off" his shot records so that I could send in a spy to check on him again. As I drove away from the school and felt the huge lump in my throat and the feeling that I might vomit I thought of Micah's poor wife one day. What in the world will I do on his wedding day if I feel like this when dropping him off for a few stinkin' hours. God help us, seriously. Anyways, I also recalled how my mom used to park at the playground for half the day waiting for me to go to recess so she could check and see if I was ok. I thought that was ridiculous until I considered doing the same thing today...I didn't only because I had commited to work...on purpose so I could discipline myself from being well, what I am, ridiculous. When I picked Micah up he was so excited to see me and wanted me to hold him. Nothing better than that. He was tired and I should have taken him home. I think our whole fight and naptime nonsense was a product of overstimulation and I refuse to let it ruin a special day for us. So, that is that. What's done is done and I will choose to be glad that I have teacher's willing to invest in my child's life and a child who while challenging still makes me want to vomit knowing I have to leave him. That is some strong lovin' I tell ya...and if I love him (and now Sadie Jane) like that...how much more does our Heavenly Father love me and you! I am loving and needing His love everyday, but especially on a day like today and He is faithful to give it. Thank you, Jesus.
Kisses for his favorite person.
My boys!
Snack time at the field.
Watching and waiting for the game to be over...so he can go hug Daddy!Mick and his team had a tournament Labor Day weekend. I know, thanks Coach is what I say to that. Micah and I had a good weekend though and today went to some of the games in Cartersville. Micah was having serious Daddy withdrawals and cried "I want my Daddy" at the end of the first game. Then he got busy playing with the girls on the team and he forgot about his drama. Mick is in his 11th year coaching at Chapel Hill and he might have the best team yet...and he has had some really good teams. After this weekend they are still undefeated 15-0. Which to me doesn't mean as much but to Mick it is really exciting. So I am so proud for Mick and the girls. We had to drive along way to get there and we couldn't stay long but Micah was so great and he is getting his bath now to get ready for his first day of school. Please pray for me at 9 in the morning! Here are some pictures of Micah in his momma-made shirt and of he and his Daddy since he is such a Daddy's boy right now.
