Any day now....

6 more days till my due date. We're waiting....! Last Thursday I was 3-4 cm dilated and 75% effaced at my OB appointment. My midwife predicted a weekend delivery. But...no such luck. At least not yet. I guess we have 45 minutes till the holiday weekend is over.... The baby stayed put on Saturday, which was Jas & Rob's wedding. I couldn't bear to interrupt the wedding plans, especially for my dad who was the best man. The baby behaved and listened to my pleas to wait till after the wedding. Now the wedding is over....and still waiting....

I am ready to meet this new little one. Will it be a boy or a girl? I just cannot wait to see who this baby is and who we get to learn and love.

I blogged the day before Anna was born. Not knowing then that she would be born the next day, I thanked everyone for being so kind and supportive during her pregnancy. Again, I thank you. I have the best family and friends, no question. I feel so loved and supported and it is such a blessing. My heart is filled by all of you.

Stayed tuned....!

Mother's Day & 37 Weeks!

I am a little late posting about Mother's Day. I'll share a few thoughts and a few pictures to remember the day.

Anna makes me a mother. So does this little one still inside of me. The absolute greatest blessing of my life is to be their mom. I am in love with my children. Anna is an amazing and beautiful child. And she is part of me. She calls me Mommy and I know how very lucky I am. I love her and she loves me. Our second little baby reminded me with little kicks on Mother's Day that he or she will be here soon. Only to fill my heart with more love, which seems impossible, but is so welcomed. My two children are such gifts.


I also spent Mother's Day with my mom. My mom....who raised me, loves me, and is my best friend. I love my mom. Now that I am a mother myself, I now understand a mother's love for her children. And I know how much my mom loves me. Which is an awesome gift. I can't ever thank my mom for all she has given me. Her love, faith, laundry and cooking tips, advice, and support have helped me become me. I am ever grateful for her.

Our hearts ached this Mother's Day for Scott. My mom missed her son. I missed my brother. My wish for my mom on Mother's Day was that my mom would feel the love from all of us, including Scott who is in heaven but is also with us.

Sharing motherhood with my mom is special. We understand each other as moms and appreciate the all the joy and hardship being a mom can bring. I adore the relationship Anna and her Grandma share. They love each other and it is beautiful to see the joy they bring one another.


This weekend Brent's mom and dad are coming to visit. We will celebrate a belated Mother's Day with Brent's mom and Anna's Grammy. Equally beautiful and wonderful relationships between Brent and his mom and Anna and her Grammy. We are so blessed as a family to share such love and to be able to celebrate each other, with each other.

Well, I am 37 1/2 weeks pregnant now with Baby #2. Only 18 days till my due date. I was 8 days early with Anna, so I wonder if I will be early this time too. It seems unreal that soon we will have a brand new, tiny baby in our arms to welcome into our home. Sometimes during this pregnancy it seemed like this day would never really come...and here we are counting down, washing baby clothes, and packing a hospital bag. The baby's nursery is all ready with crib waiting, new rocking chair, and newborn diapers. We unpacked the baby swing and baby toys, which Anna has thoroughly enjoyed playing with and exploring. It makes my heart skip to remember Anna as a tiny baby in the swing and as a growing little girl playing with the rattles and baby books. And now she will be a big sister. So, we wait and wonder when this new little one will arrive. I have been feeling pretty good. Off and on I don't feel very well - kind of yucky and just not myself. I remember feeling this way with Anna a couple of weeks before she was born. I certainly do feel 9 months pregnant and will look forward to the end of the heartburn, sore feet, trouble sleeping, and tiredness. I see my OB midwife tomorrow for a check-up. I'll keep you posted if any exciting changes. Otherwise, we just wait!!

Easter Fun

Happy Easter 2011! We had a fun one. We started the week of Easter with Brent's well-deserved vacation from work. Our community Easter egg hunt started our holiday with a windy, cold egg hunt and a visit with the Easter Bunny. With hood up and winter boots, Anna collected her eggs and enjoyed the fun.

Next, it was off to Chicago for a one-night stay in the big city. We took one last adventure as just the three of us before the baby is born. As Anna calls it, we did some fun "big city livin". We stayed in a hotel downtown, walked the busy city streets, and visited Shedd Aquarium. Anna loves the big city and I am afraid someday she's going to announce as a young adult that she's headed for NYC and leaving her ol' Maw behind in Michigan. :) She loves the big buildings and all the sights to see. We had a fun afternoon visiting Navy Pier. She was wowed by our dinner out at Rainforest Cafe. And she delighted in all things at Shedd Aquarium, as did Brent and I. What a place....fish, sea creatures, dolphins, whales. It was so much fun and Anna is at a very special age for enjoying new experiences.


I will admit that the Chicago trip wore this mama out. We did a lot of walking and being 34 weeks pregnant does not make it easy. I didn't anticipate I would be so tired - or have such swelling and sore feet. But, it was still fun and it was the adventure we were looking for - and we made some really great memories with Anna.

After Chicago, it was on to South Bend for Easter with our families. Anna had so much fun with her grandparents this year. Easter egg coloring and egg hunting with Brent's parents. Easter mass and dinner with my parents. This was her first year coloring eggs and she loved it. She most liked using a paint brush to paint different colors on the eggs. She is quite the little artist! My in-laws hid the eggs outside for her and she hunted them happily and found every last one. She enjoyed her basket from the Easter Bunny and she took probably close to 30 minutes checking out each little toy and gift. She took her time and such care with her basket. It was so sweet and she was so happy. My heart swelled just watching her. Her favorite sweet treats this year were M&Ms and Peeps. And she looked beautiful in her pale pink dress. It was a happy Easter this year for our Anna.

Along with all the Easter happiness, my family was saddened by the loss of my brother and another holiday without Scott. I personally have deep memories of Scott the past two Easters and this year without him felt raw and empty. At Easter morning mass, Father Mark reminded us that the fullness of life is in heaven. I have to believe this for Scott. I have to believe that he is well and happy and comforted. While these thoughts are comforting to me, I still struggle with this - maybe mostly because I still can't accept that he is gone. It will take some time, I know. Lately I have been repeating Father Mark's words....the fullness of life is in heaven. The fullness of life is in heaven. And that Scott has found a new, full life with Jesus and with peace.

As I write this blog, I am 30 days away from my due date with Baby Hartsell #2. My feet hurt and I have heartburn and I think my abdomen has completely stretched to its limit! The baby's nursery is 90% ready. My hospital bag is not yet packed. So, while I welcome the end of this pregnancy with the birth of this little one....I still have a few things to do, so we'll hang on a bit more. But I am so anxious to meet this baby and see our new little boy or girl and to start a new chapter in the Hartsell home. How exciting it will be....!

31 Weeks

31 weeks .... 9 weeks to go. Or less. Or more? Probably not more. Any way you look at it, it won't be long now.

We are making progress on the baby's new nursery and Anna's big girl room. We bought a new furniture set for Anna and will move the crib and dresser that my dad made into the baby's room. Anna will stay in her room and the baby will be across the hall in our former guest room. Anna will still have a crib, but we bought her a transition crib that can turn into a toddler bed and then a headboard. She is not ready for a toddler bed and she is completely content in a crib. We'll milk that as long as possible. Especially now since she is becoming a pro at nap time and bedtime stalling. Having her safe and in a crib is wonderful. We also picked out new bed linens with a cute girlie pattern, which I love. She will have new wall hangings to match. We plan to move her into her new furniture this weekend. Wish us luck. I hope it is special for her and that she loves her new big girl room style!

The baby's room will be neutral design to please either our new little boy or girl. We have the crib bedding and I can't wait to see how it looks in the crib my dad made. This crib is very special, made by my dad with love. It has been wonderful and heartwarming every night to tuck Anna into the crib that he made for her. And now it's our new little baby's turn. It's almost like laying our babies down to sleep every night with a little of Grandpa's love and blessing.

We picked out an adorable wall hanging for the nursery, which I am in love with. Once Anna is settled into her new furniture, we will start decorating the baby's room. It's something to have a new room, all decorated and fresh, waiting for baby. I am anxious to put together this little baby's room with my dad's crib all made up and the dresser stocked with newborn size sleepers and diapers. I used to fuss over Anna's room before she arrived. Folding and refolding clothes and making sure everything was just so. I remember sitting in the rocking chair in the room, or just standing at the doorway looking at her brand new crib, dreaming of our baby and what was to come. This time I know what to expect a bit from a newborn. But still, I dream of this new little baby. Of who you will be and how you will complete our family. And already how lucky we are to have you.

Anna Sings Her ABC's

Think Spring

We are thinking spring! An afternoon with sunshine and 50 degrees sure does a heart good.

I had my 28 week OB appointment on Monday. 28 weeks! I had the pleasure of the glucose tolerance test, which includes drinking 8 oz of super sugary orange drink that reminds me of flat orange pop and then getting labs drawn one hour later. I am being sarcastic since the flat orange pop drink, though I know it sounds tempting, is not one of my most favorite things in the world. The test checks blood sugar to monitor for gestational diabetes. Hopefully my results will be normal and we won't have to worry (or ingest any more orange glucose drink in the near future). Otherwise, the appointment went great. Baby's heart rate was around 148 and the heart beat was easy to find and sounded very strong. My belly measures right on track for 28 weeks. My midwife was able to feel the position of the baby and the head is down with his/her back to my left side and feet to my right. Anna did great and was very patient. She was happy with her little bowl of raisins, cherrios, and M&M's. And the sticker they gave her at the end of the appointment sealed the deal that she likes coming to "mommy's doctor".

I ordered the new bedding for the baby's nursery and a picture for the wall. Getting excited to decorate the room and hoping my online choices look great when they arrive.

Spring weather plus a healthy appointment for baby make for happy Hartsells :)

Pictures at 26 Weeks

Compare....

26 week belly with Baby #2

26 week belly with Anna

Not too much different. Just feels like it
(see my previous post)!

And here I am happy with my girl
and my baby on the way...

Thoughts at 26 Weeks

26 weeks along. Over half way there. So close...but still so far away. I have decided that being pregnant is not as glamorous the second time around. To my body, I mean. The first time, each change was welcomed and interesting. This time, it is just sort of uncomfortable and...big. I feel much bigger with this baby, which many moms of more than one child say is normal. They say that you're a little bigger with the second one and by the time there is a positive pregnancy test you already want to wear maternity pants. True for me! I already sort of waddle if I'm not careful. I have heartburn. I have lost some of my lung capacity and huff and puff sometimes after a flight of stairs or after carrying Anna. And switching sides while lying in bed is quite a task. So, my body often has the pregnancy blues this time. But this busy little kick boxer of a baby reminds me often with strong pokes and prods that the reward will be great come June (May!).

Fast February

It's been a fast February! This month is almost over and it has gone by so quickly.

We took Anna to Sesame Street Live. She calls it "The Elmo Show". She loved it! Brent took the day off work and we had a fun day just the three of us. We went to the show at the beautiful Fox Theater in downtown Detroit and then treated Anna to a grilled cheese lunch at The Hard Rock Cafe. It was a great day and Anna had a ball.

We had a Happy Valentine's Day. It was a simple day at home with my two loves = perfect.

Morning Valentine's gifts from Mommy & Daddy.

Valentine craft time.

My parents came to visit last weekend and we had a great time. We shopped, cooked, and went to mass on Sunday morning. While they were here Anna received a fun package in the mail from my Aunt Carol in Wisconsin. She sent fun goodies, including these two adorable chef hats and aprons. Grandpa and Anna had some fun....

We had some spring-like weather for a couple of days. The sun melted almost all of the snow and it was mild and lovely with temperatures in the 40's and 50's. One day we took a walk down the block and Anna collected treasures peaking out of the snow. She found little leaves, seed pods, and even a popped balloon. Another day I took Anna to the outdoor mall and we had a great afternoon, just me and my girl. I will always remember that afternoon, as while it was happening I kept thinking that I won't have many more of simple "just Anna and me" days. And then the snow came back....inches of snow cover the ground again and the weather man has given us a snow advisory for tonight. I cannot wait for spring! This snow and cold has really worn out its welcome.

Somehow I am already 25 weeks pregnant. I am feeling well other than maybe a bit worn out the past couple of days. The baby moves all day long and really gives good, strong kicks. Brent and I are still playing the name-game for this little one. We just can't seem to decide on a name this time! We have a list going, but nothing has struck us just right for the perfect name for this little boy or little girl. And for the record, I think this baby is another little girl. But if you recall, I thought 100% that Anna was a boy, so I clearly am not the best guess in this department!

Anna has a low grade fever today. She is napping and when she wakes I hope she is feeling a little better. She had a popsicle for lunch without an appetite for much else. She doesn't feel well and keeps saying out of the blue, "I don't know, Mommy". Like she means, I don't know what's going on here but I don't feel quite right. I hope she just has a little virus that runs its course quickly without giving her too much trouble. I just hate it when my little love feels bad. Please send get well wishes to Anna in hopes that she feels better soon!

Fun at the museum

Brent and I took Anna to the Hands On Kids Museum in Ann Arbor on Saturday. She loved it!! The drive took about 40 minutes to get there. It was really worth the trip. The museum is fun and full of hands-on science and learning activities for kids. The best part was the preschool room, which had all kinds of fun areas for Anna to explore. Some of Anna's favorites were the big foam blocks, the real ambulance, the water table, the play kitchen, and the "scientist" guy who was putting on a display with dry ice. She cannot stop talking about the "moo-seum". She says to us, "Talk about the moo-seum?" We'll talk about something we saw and she will say, "What else, Mommy?" She has such a good memory, so we will be talking about Hands On for weeks to come!

Building with blocks. She told Brent that she wanted to build a snowman.

Anna the ambulance driver.

Checking out the exhibits with Mommy.

At the water table with Daddy. She looked so cute in that little jacket to keep her clothes dry.

She loved the water table!

"Should I crawl through there?" (Nope! She decided just to look.)

Taking time out to read a book.

Working hard in the pretend kitchen.

The snow continued here this weekend. At least the last few days haven't been as cold as it was last week. We stayed in most of last week and enjoyed being home. We played, did a couple of fun craft projects, and baked a cake. Anna has helped me a few times in the kitchen lately. She loves to sit on the counter and help with the ingredients. Here she is helping decorate our cake and doing a little taste testing. :)


Tonight we ordered pizza and watched the Super Bowl. Anna cheered along and said "Go Bears!" and "Go Notre Dame!". At least the girl knows her teams!

Tomorrow I have a check-up with my OB for the baby. 23 weeks along already!

Hope everyone has a happy week!

Snow, Snow, Snow

The weather man is calling for blizzard conditions and up to 15 inches of snow over the next day or so. We have plenty of groceries and no where to go = perfect situation for a few snow days! Brent is working from home all week, which is so lucky and he doesn't have to venture out to brave the weather or the traffic. So, we'll stay warm and watch the snow fall.

Yesterday we all took a winter wagon ride and played in the backyard snow. Anna looks so cute in her snow pants all bundled up. She enjoys walking in the snow and trying to make snow balls to throw at Jo-Jo.