5 months

Avett Murphy!  I just don't know where to start with you. I never knew I could be so in love.  I am sitting here in the bedroom in the old blue rocker holding you while you sleep.  I don't get to do this very often because I am so busy during the day with your sister that when you do take your naps I have to lay you down in your crib.  You are SO heavy.  You are just a really solid mass of a baby.  You are so strong and you always like to do things early and fast and much too ahead of your age.  

You smile all of the time.  You are just about the flirtiest baby I've ever seen.  I love it.  You and your sister started laughing at each other about a month ago.  You watch her every move.  When she notices you looking at her she will start dancing or making noises and then you guys just start giggling together.  She wanted to hold you today and so I let her.  You are so big that she wanted you back off about a minute later.  But she said, "I love brother.  Teeny ears. Cute baby." I hope you will always be close.

You love to play with the baby wipes.  I can never keep you on your back.  You must be on your tummy at all times.  You started sitting up last month.  You put yourself to sleep for almost every single nap.  You love to pull the blanket up over your face when you are falling asleep.  It makes me so nervous so I always come back in after you fall asleep and take it off.  You are so good and easy going.

Everytime I pick you up from a nap you nuzzle in my neck and make an 'mmmm' sound.  I swear it sounds like you are saying mama sometimes.

I'm sorry I'm 3 months behind on your videos.  You and your sister keep me so busy that when nightime comes and you two are finally asleep all I want to do is hang out with your dad and relax.  I'll try and get to them soon.  

I am finally getting used to your bald head.  It strangely makes you look more like a baby as well as more grown up.  

You are such an amazing addition to our family. I can't believe we ever lived without you.  We are all so crazy about you and we love you.

the most wonderful torture

I sort of love this waiting game.  It's the most wonderful torture! We are absolutely clueless as to when Avett is coming and I love the anticipation.  We never got to go through this with Evaleigh because they took her almost a week early.  There were no surprises, which on one hand was nice, but this waiting game is so much fun! So I can officially say I've never been THIS pregnant before.  However, I am at the point where if one more person asks me if it's twins in there, I'm afraid of what my reaction might be.  Punching could be involved.   

I am so excited for the moment when it's really go time.  I wonder where we will be and what time it will be.  I really feel like we have just about everything ready. I am in a constant state of wanting to keep the house clean so when it does happen we are bringing Avett home to an organized and clean home...my sweet John is obliging my crazy hormonal pregnant woman behaviors and is right in there with me keeping things up.  

I had an appointment today and it was the first cervical check I've had since switching doctors, which I love.  Not that the numbers really matter at this point but suffice it to say things are really moving along and getting ready to go up in there.  He was pretty impressed with how low Avetts head was.  It's a sensation that is all new to me. Since Evie was breech I never got to experience a dropped and engaged baby head in my pelvis.  It feels like I've been riding a horse non stop for weeks.  Honestly, I'm so happy and relieved to know he is in just the right position, after having a breech baby it's easy to be gun shy and paranoid about baby positions. 

I really attribute a lot my progress so far to Red Raspberry Leaf Tea and Evening Primrose Oil pills.  Ever since one of my doctors midwives suggested them to me more than two weeks ago I have felt such a renewed source of energy.  Around 37 weeks I was ready to throw in the towel. Although I still have rough days when I am diligent with the RRL and EPO I feel so much better and it gives me the extra push to make it through the day with an active little toddler.  We are so excited to meet this little boy, he is going to rock our world.

39 weeks and 2 days.

Dear Avett...

We are down to mere days before your arrival.  I'm not really sure if it's even hit me yet.  Your sister has loved me carrying you around in my belly.  She hugs and kisses you all of the time and says, "baby!".  Every morning when your dad and I bring her in to bed with us I get a kiss, daddy gets a kiss, and you get at least two and a hug. 

I can't believe that you are almost here. I have prepared for your arrival more than anything else in my life.  I'm so excited for how you will come in to this world and I pray every day that my body will be able to bring you here safely and naturally.  We have our hospital go bag full and ready to go.  Anytime I make a face or stop in my tracks over a twinge of pain or Braxton Hicks your dad jumps right up and flips out just a little.  Keep it cool dad...

Despite the discomfort I have loved being pregnant with you.  It's been a little harder this time around because I've had your sister to chase around, but knowing what is on the other side of all of this makes it so incredibly worth it.  I can't wait to see you with your sister.  I've been feeling a little emotional about adding you to our little family of three but I know that there are so many sweet moments waiting for us when you get here.  I am excited to soak in all of your newbornness.  I probably won't want to put you down because I know how quickly all of that passes.  I am beyond thrilled to see you with your dad, you already have him wrapped around your finger.  He gets so giddy thinking about you getting here and calls you his little sidekick.

Take these last few days to do the rest of the growing that you need but please come out soon, we want to meet you. We love you!

to ej

To our only child.  

To the one who can sit endlessly on our laps.  The one who can color with a pen tirelessly. The one who says, "pleeeease" with the most perfect inflection. The one who must gather all of her blankets and animals before exiting her bed in the morning. The one who gives the longest and sweetest hugs after a cup of milk while laying in bed with mom and dad before the sun comes up. The one who loves to put little puppies down her momma's shirt.  The one who loves to lip sync to any song possible, even if there aren't words, with a furrowed brow and her head shaking side to side. The one who loves to be chased around in the nude while giggling.  The one who is a stubborn nap taker. The one who has dance parties with dad every morning and momma every afternoon.  The one who waits by the door for her daddy to come home and then expects a full on wrestling match when he walks through the door.

We love you.

Soon we will become a family of four and you will share our laps with someone new. You will learn to love him and I know we will wonder how we ever lived with out him.  But for now we will soak in every minute of you being the only one.

room enough

With the imminent arrival of this new little person coming to our family my thoughts have been filled with the anticipation of change.

I have felt so nervous about how I will ever make room in my heart to love another baby as much as I love Evaleigh.  Since I have become her mother I have experienced this intense love like nothing I could have ever imagined.  It has taken a space in my heart so large that I just can't fathom there being room enough for another.  I was talking to my sister-in-law the other day about these exact feelings and she knew just what I meant.  She has four children and she said with each new pregnancy she felt the same way and wondered how she could love someone new just as much.  I loved the way she explained it and its exactly how I feel right now.  

She said preparing for the next baby is like going on a blind date.

Amen sister.  

I wonder every day what it will be like.  Will he like me?  Will we bond right away? What will we have to talk about?  There are just so many unknowns.  I just don't even know.  This pregnancy has been so different because I have been swept up in my Evaleigh's every move.  I am so busy soaking in the last bits of her only childness.  I haven't had the belly rubbing daydreaming time that I had with EJ which has somehow caused a bit of a disconnect with this pregnancy.  There are days I don't even remember I'm pregnant til I lay down for the night and he starts kicking away.  

The reality that we will have a newborn here in about 7 or 8 weeks is really starting to set in.  I had a moment in church on Sunday where I was watching a family who have 4 and 2 year old girls and a 5 month old little boy.  Those girls were all over that baby and I couldn't help but tear up.  They were being little mommies to their baby brother trying to give him a bottle and hold him and my heart felt warm.  I am grateful that Avett will have Evaleigh as a big sister and the thought of seeing her grow up with him makes that space in my heart seem a little more capable of stretching.  Perhaps there will be plenty of room.

amm's name

Some of you may have caught the name of our baby boy in my last post from my baby shower.  But officially here it is!

His first name comes from the Avett Brothers Band.  We wanted him to have something musical in his name and we have loved the Avett Brothers ever since we can remember. We have already taken him to their concert and he went crazy the whole time. 

His middle name honors our sweet Uncle Grover Mills Mundell who passed away in March.  We miss him so much and we hope to pass on Grover's amazing qualities to Avett.  Mills is also John's brothers middle name, we love you Marsh. 

Can't wait to meet this kid!

woodland themed shower for AMM

Last night my friend Chablis threw me and AMM the most adorable Woodland Themed Baby Shower.  She spared absolutely no detail and made it so special for me.  I felt like a woodland fairy princess and when I went home I wanted to sleep in my flower crown.

Thank you to everyone who came and thank you to Chablis for making it an evening I won't forget.

Now there is only one problem, I don't know how I'm going to fend EJ off from that over sized puppy.  She will probably hyperventilate with excitement when she sees it. "PUPP-PEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!"  She is already going to be stealing things from her brother.

magical and glowy

Wow, it has been a really long time.  

I've been busy keeping up with my toddler and growing another little human.

This baby boy is kicking my butt.  I don't feel nearly as glowy and magical as I did with my first pregnancy.  I think the fact that I had to take my wedding ring off more than a month ago can speak for itself.  My belly button has lost all hope.  It has already stretched to capacity and I fear that my Harry Potter lightening bolt stretch mark will resurface soon.

I've been looking at pictures from when I was full term with Evaleigh and I am not too far off from that now.  I still have 2.5 more months of baby growing to do.

We are in to the 3rd trimester now and it seems so fast!  I still love being pregnant despite the summer heat and swollen feet.  AMM beats me up.  He is already so different than EJ.  She was a little roller and stretcher when I was pregnant with her.  This boy will shove his feet in to my ribs and push.  Or he will kick and punch for 20 minutes with no break.  I love thinking about how strong he is getting in there.  Since John was over 10 lbs when he was born I'm afraid I'm going to birth the equivalent of a 3 month old with a mustache.  

I don't have one single thing for this baby except for a preemie outfit I bought at Target on sale.  Because lets be honest newborns dont fit in newborn clothes so I thought I would go ahead and get something to take him home in.  But at his current growth rate I'll need to bring a few 3 month onesies to the hospital.  

The second time around is so low key.  Since we will be moving 2 months after he is born I haven't done anything for a nursery.  He will just sleep in the bassinet by our bed until we move.  So as much as I would love to be nesting right now and making him a little space I am just content with leaving Evie's room as is and doing something for him at our new place of residence.

Evie is already obsessed with 'babeeeee' brother.  She will hug and squeeze and kiss my belly all day long.  She tries to give the baby toys and milk through my ever stretching belly button.  She also likes to try to get him to smell things like vanilla candles.  I've been showing her cartoon pictures of babies in bellies and pictures of newborns in the hospital.  She is making little connections and I can't wait to see her with our little boy!

30 weeks down...10 (most likely 9) to go!

half way

Ok, this pregnancy is going waaaayyyy too fast.

I remember counting every second of every day with EJ and wondering what she was doing in there all of the time.  This poor little guy is lucky if I remember not to squish him bending over to pick up Evie at least 15 times a day.

For the first little while I didn't even think about being pregnant but now with his tiny kicks there to remind me he is in there, I think about it much more.  

Almost every morning Evaleigh wants to get out our heart doppler and listen to the 'babeee' in my belly.  She will bend down and kiss my tummy and I think my heart will explode from joy.

I'm NOT ready for two babies.  I suppose we will settle in and find our own rhythm but for now I am soaking up my days with Evie.  Last night I was talking to my mother and she said, "Sadly some of these days will fade in to the background and you will forget what it was like to only have one."  I hear other moms say that and it kind of makes me sad because what EJ and I have going on is pretty special.  I love our little life together and that she has all of me every day.  I know we will love having A.M.M. around too, but I just can't imagine it yet.  

I've finally popped and I love it.  I just love pregnant bellies. Keep growing little guy, I know you'll steal my heart soon.

boy

Thanks for all of the love and excitement about baby #2!  We are so excited to bring a Murphy BOY in to this world.  Saturday was probably one of the happiest days in John Murphy's life.  I don't know that I've ever seen a smile on his face that big, not even on our wedding day...honestly.

  

Our appointment was at Stork Vision, which I highly recommend   They do gender ultrasounds as early as 16 weeks for a super affordable price, which is awesome for impatient people like me and Mr. Murphy.  We used them for finding out what Evaleigh was and I will keep using them for every baby after!

Our appointment was at 1pm that day, which was torture!!  Especially when your one year old wakes you up at 7:30 and you are counting down the hours and minutes until you can jump in the shower and go! When we got there they took us back almost immediately.  Evaleigh has an intense fear of doctors so she started crying horribly loud and dramatic.  I'm pretty sure she thought the ultrasound tech was going to hurt me.  John handed her to me and she laid her body across my chest, started patting my shoulder, and didn't move the entire time.

The tech started the ultrasound and John had his face 2 inches from the big screen tv where we could see it all.  The anticipation on his face was priceless.  When the goods popped up on the screen for just a minute he jumped back with a huge smile.  They came on again as clear as could be and before the tech could even get anything out of her mouth he said, "ITS A BOY!" and put his hands over his head as if he had just made the winning basket!  The ultrasound tech confirmed it and said, "That certainly is a boy.  I will literally quit my job if that isn't a boy, there is no mistaking it."  John was fist pumping and smiling and all sorts of crazy body movements that I don't think I've ever seen.

Every once in a while now he will pat my tummy and say, "My boy."  I can't wait to see him with our little guy.

If you missed it, our little video reveal is here.

murphy baby #2 is...

Watch our little film to find out what baby #2 is!

******

We are SO grateful to our friends at Rusticus Wedding Films for hearing our vision for this video and helping it come to life.  

We can't thank Clark and Monique enough for their expert work, unique talent, and wonderful friendship.

Please like them on Facebook to keep up with the unending creativity that they produce!  PLUS, whoever their 100th 'like' is will get a FREE Rusticus Wedding Films t-shirt!  (and they are cute, I love mine!)

******

We are so excited for baby A.M.M to join our family in October!  We already love you so much and your big sister can't wait to meet you.  Keep growing!

finding out

Saturday we find out what our new baby is!  We can hardly wait.

I was pretty set on wanting another girl until about two weeks ago.  All of the sudden my heart longed for a little boy.  Its a good thing you can't pick the gender of your baby, I would never be able to decide.  I would love to EJ to have a little sister because I feel like I've got this girl thing down but lately I have seen a lot of big sisters and little brothers and its pretty adorable.

I'm feeling great now that we are in full second trimester mode. I am trying to prep Evie any way I can.  We are playing with baby dolls a lot, looking at pictures of babies, and trying to streamline nap routines and facilitate more independence.  I can't believe how much things are going to change for us in the next few months.  I'm not really nervous yet because it still seems pretty far away but I know it will be here faster than I think.

Can't wait to know what you are little baby, keep those teeny kicks coming!

(from our beach trip last weekend)

that magical moment...

...when you finally don't feel like hurling all of the time.

Good riddance first trimester. I am glad to see you go. 

With Evaleigh I didn't have morning sickness too bad at all.  This baby...is a completely different story.  

I had to sleep with Saltines by my bed.  I don't want to eat another Saltine for the rest of my life thank you very much.  This morning sickness was more like all day sickness.  

I don't know why I was stubborn and didn't take my husband's advice.  I should've just gotten the darn Zofran.  While I've heard that it works wonders for your nausea I've also heard it can stop up the other end for a month or so. No thanks.

I've been feeling pretty sleepy this time around too.  I'm sure missing those naps I could take just about anytime when I was pregnant with Evaleigh.  

A couple weeks ago I was feeling particularly exhausted so I closed my bedroom door as to barricade EJ and myself inside.  I laid down on the bed to hopefully get a little shut eye while I let Evie destroy our night stands and book shelf in the room.  

I was awakened by the noises of swishing and splashing water.

Crap.  

My pregnant brain forgot to remind me to close the bathroom door and EJ was having a blast in our toilet.  One of my proudest mom moments...

There are only a few more weeks til we find out what we are having, can't wait!

how baby #2 came to be

I remember being in the hospital with Evaleigh right after she was born and thinking, "I can't wait to do this all over again. Like right now."  

I loved being pregnant, I loved my birthing process,  and there is nothing in the world like a baby fresh from heaven.

We always wanted to have our babies close in age.  So, the months passed by and we didn't not try for a little sibling for EJ.  At one point it started to be all I could think about.  It was consuming and frustrating every month that those taunting pregnancy tests would tell me "Not Pregnant".  We had it pretty easy with Evaleigh, it took one month and there she was...on her way.  This baby was a little harder.  I know that there are couples out there who try for years and years and I can't imagine that struggle.  For me 8 months felt like forever.  

It wasn't until I quit worrying about it so much that it finally happened.  I remember praying and telling Heavenly Father that I wouldn't worry anymore.  I asked him to bless us with another baby when the time was right.  That was 3 months before we found out we were pregnant again.

It was the day after my mother's wedding.  My sister was staying over and she and I went to Target to grab a few things.  I told her I would stay in the car with the sleeping babies and she could just run in.  Jokingly I said, "You could grab some pregnancy tests while you are in there!"  I should have known I was pregnant when not 2 minutes after she went in I was asleep at the wheel in a parking spot.  Not to mention I was over 11 days late, which completely slipped my mind in the midst of all of the wedding planning and preparation.

When we got back home I swiped the box from the bag completely undetected.  Sweet.  I snuck upstairs past my husband who was working from home that day.  I went to our bathroom and did the deed.  Not 10 seconds after that glorious, "Pregnant" popped up on to the screen.  I gasped and fell to my knees in tears and immediately said a prayer of gratitude to my Father in Heaven.  I prayed for the safety of our baby and thanked him for trusting us with another precious life.  I couldn't believe that the moment I had been waiting for was finally here again.

I crept downstairs and called John to come up for a minute.  I whipped out that test from behind my back and his face was priceless and he scooped me up in a hug and said, "Really???".  I will never forget the smile on his face in that moment.

I can't wait to become a little family of 4.

a *little* announcement...

...about the size of a grape right now to be exact!

Murphy baby #2 due October 6th!

And we are thrilled!