Weeds

Since I was pregnant for all of spring and half of summer and then had a newborn the rest of summer, our back yard was sorely neglected. I thought I would just ignore the weeds and they wouldn't bother me (or maybe just go away on their own). But they just grew and grew...taller than Abigail! So I took advantage of my mom's visit and took one day to pull those suckers. Here is the before and after.




What got me motivated (or just made feel embarrassed) was my neighbor's yard:

2 months along

Septembers are always busy. Abigail's birthday, then Mike's. This year Grandma came out for a visit and we started Kindergarten at home 2-3 days a week. In the midst of all of this and the daily work of taking care of the home, I find little bits of time to enjoy Grace. She started smiling and then baby-talking. I love those little coos and smiles...just lights up my life.

4 years old

This past week Abigail turned 4. She had talked about her birthday almost every day since last year! She looked forward to the cupcakes and presents and friends. We had a small friend party for her at the park on Labor Day and just spent the day together as a family on her real b.day. She got her presents and cupcakes and even a new pink scooter! Yet, she seemed somewhat subdued on her actual b.day. Almost sad even. She kept asking...is it still my birthday?? The next day she was back to her normal self and excited about the crepe paper streamers we hung in the doorway and her balloons...and started talking about turning 5 ( a whole hand mommy)!
My thoughts...the anticipation usually is much more exciting than the actual thing :)

We Survived

Thanks to you all for suggestions and prayers! We did survive :) I kept repeating to myself...that this will pass and also just the first line of Psalm 16...Preserve me O God, for in you I take refuge.

I took Grace to her 1 mo. Doctor visit the past week...she grew 3 inches!! and gained 3 pounds!!!! in just 1 month. No wonder she cried (well, screamed through the whole Dr. appt.). One thing we are trying now is to restrict my dairy intake and see if it helps her fussiness after feeding times.

Thanks again!!

1 month

Time sure does seem to be flying by. Tomorrow Grace will be a month old! And my husband leaves for a 6 day business trip. Have Mercy!!! Grace has definitely found her lungs and has a couple screaming spells/day. Some good friends gave great advice...this IS the place God has called me to right now and when I get desparate enough that is when I will see his grace....and to memorize a portion of Scripture so that when these crying spells come I can still be at peace.

Any more suggestions to help me keep my sanity this week???

Grace's first pics

Ok, so its been over 2 weeks since we've been home and I finally can get on-line on our main computer (the one with all the pics on it). Here are a few of those first days with our baby Grace (and some leading up to it).

baby smells

Not the bad kind :) It is 6 a.m. and I just finished a feeding...I should be going right back to bed, but I felt compelled to comment on how much I love the smell of a new baby. I think it must be God's gift to us...that sweet smell in the middle of the night helps to get over the hump of exhaustion. Also, I now know that this smell goes away all too soon and thus I need to appreciate it while I can. I wish I could bottle it up somehow and keep it forever :)

7th Anniversary

Tomorrow is our 7th Wedding Anniversary! It seems like it has been a long time, but also none at all. Tomorrow night we will celebrate in (after putting Abigail down for an early bed time) and when Grandma comes in a few weeks, then we can paint the town red.

The theme verse our pastor used for our wedding was: "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God". Ephesians 5:1

Mostly I am just extremely grateful for my great husband. The more the years go by, the more I see how blessed I am.

I love you Mike!!

it's a...........

.....girl!




born:
4:49pm
6 lbs 10 oz
19 in
Grace Michelle Cheng

At the Hospital..12:00 p.m.

Here we go! I've been having contractions since 3 a.m. I was just praying that they didn't stop...and I guess the real deal is here! Been at the hospital since 10ish...will try to keep everyone posted.

Just waiting

So I've made it to 38 weeks!!! I really can't believe it, but I am grateful. Mike was able to pass his 6 hour licensing exam last Friday, which means he still has a job...which is a blessing. I've been able to get really organized with stuff around the house. And now that I want real labor to start it is actually really clean too :)

Counting down the days...

Full Term!!

Yesterday I reached Full-Term!

So exciting...now I can experience those last few days/weeks of waiting and waiting...just wondering when labor will start. I'm not always very patient about it, but I do try to just enjoy each day that comes...especially when it is a beautiful sunny day like today.

I recently read an awesome book called "Stepping Heavenward" by Elizabeth Prentiss. She wrote this in the lat 1800's and man did women have a much harder life back then! Her main theme is that suffering can draw you closer to God and you can experience peace when you submit to God's will for your life. Here is a precious excerpt from the main character after she found out about her 4th pregnancy and someone remarked how much harder her life would be:


"Well, This is one side of the story, to be sure, but I look at the other. Here is a sweet, fragrant mouth to kiss; here are two more feet to make music with their pattering about my nursery. Here is a soul to train for God; and the body in which it dwells is worthy all it will cost, since it is the abode of a kingly tenant. I may see less of friends, but I have gained one dearer than them all, to whom, while I minister in Christ's name, I make a willing sacrifice of what little leisure for my own recreation my other darlings had left me. Yes, my precious baby, you are welcome to your mother's heart, welcome to her time, her strength, her health, her tenderst cares, to her lifelong prayers! Oh, how rich I am, how truly, how wondrously blest!"

Pre-School Graduation

We had a little family celebration at the end of June. I think she liked the balloon best of all.

Abigail's first tea

Our first mother/daughter tea. We went to a local chocolate/tea shop in our town. I think a good time was had by all.

Early Summer Fun

Although it has been raining a lot lately, we have found a few times to play with our new Water Table and blow bubbles. Sometimes it is just the little things in life :)

Helping Mommy

Since I haven't been able to any housework. I've had to put Abigail to work. She learned how to pick up her own crumbs :)

Baby Shower

A couple weeks ago ladies from my care group and a few other friends from church threw me a tea/baby shower. Besides getting some new things for baby and a new swing, it was great just relaxing and talking.

Fun May Outings

So, I'm trying to catch up a bit on sharing pics. Since I have a hard time finding time now, I'm sure it will be a bit harder once the baby comes. So get ready for an onslaught of pics over the next week or so :)

Before Mike started his new job (well, studying for licensing exams) we spent some days doing fun things as a family. Our version of a summer vacation for this year :)

We went to the Boston Public Garden one day to ride Swan Boats and hang out. Another day we found a great beach on the upper Cape...just one hour away from our house.

Recent prego shots (2 weeks ago)

More Cute Abigail sayings

Upon hearing that Michael Jackson had died:

Abi- Why did he die?

Me- His heart stopped working

Abi- Maybe he needed more batteries!!

Trial Run

So it seems like all I do now is write about this baby. I need to find time to upload some pics and share them because we have been doing other things too :)

This morning I woke-up with some painful contractions (actually they woke me up). I decided to take a bath to try to relax but they kept coming. Since I was told to call in if I had more than 4 painful ones in an hour, I dutifully did so. So now I am at the hospital listening to the baby's heartbeat and thankful that the contractions have slowed way down. Everything looks fine, we are just waiting to hear back from a test to see if I have a chance to go into labor in the next 2 weeks. If not, then I should make it to full-term (if I don't do anything dumb)...and then I will be able to look forward to labor time instead of dreading it coming too soon.

COA, i.e. Center Of Attention

A sign that Abigail is already feeling the effects of not being the center of attention (or the COA as Mike puts it):

Me- Please be careful and don't kick me

Abi- But the baby gets to kick you.

Me- (after laughing) Well, the baby is inside and has no where else to go

Abi-I want to be inside of you too!


I guess all first borns have to adjust to sharing their mamas :)

A beautiful inheritance

Today I had my first round of letting people serve me by cleaning my house. It was humbling and wonderful at the same time. At least now I won't be sneezing so much because of the several weeks of dust build-up :) As we were hanging out over lunch, my friend told me this verse has helped her in times of uncertainty:

"The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance" Psalm 16:6

Other versions use the word boundaries instead of lines. To be reminded that this is the place God has for me now and that He has my good in mind, even in the midst of a hardship, is quite refreshing.

Time for Rest

Well, the day has finally come. I was put on "modified" bed rest by the Dr. Which basically means no standing more than 30 min., no housework (which isn't such a bad deal), no long drives, etc.. Yesterday I had contractions all day long, even while sitting down. Providentially I already had a regular Dr. appt. made and didn't need to be seen at the hospital. So, now is a time for rest and not going crazy at all the dust collecting.

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.
He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit".
Jeremiah 17:7-8

The Miracle of Birth

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
Psalm 139:13-16

I'm 30 weeks now and getting more anxious that little one will come too early (especially since I've been having lots of brax-hicks contractions) This reminds me that the One who created the universe holds this precious life in His Hands too.

Funny things about weight gain

I find it so curious that at my Dr. appt at the end of April I found out that I had gained 7 POUNDS in 1 MONTH!

So I stopped eating ice cream every night :) and limited myself to just the week-ends. That was all I changed about my eating habits. 3 weeks later I got weighed again and only gained...1 pound in 3 weeks! How does that work??

3rd Trimester

Well, today I reached the last stage! I can't believe that it is going so fast, yet it already feels like I've been pregnant forever. And we were able to get all the "big" projects done before now. I even bought some newborn diapers just cuz it made me feel better to have them already. Now its time to get all the clothes and baby gear out....and for some reason I still think this baby is going to be early like Abigail. I am feeling much, much better, but the baby is still sooo low that sometimes I worry its just gonna fall right out.

Another update...My husband got a job :) He will start the last week of May, but the first 4 months he will be studying for 2 licensing exams and traveling (the first week of travel is the week baby is due!!) for training. We now have to switch insurances and Dr's and the hospital! So I've been a bit anxious the past week..but God has been good to bring Scripture to mind that reminds me He is in control and sovereign over all things. Tomorrow we will take a tour of the new hospital and then pick new Dr's, and I think I am going to end up liking this new one even better (at least the people are much more friendlier).

Bragging Rights

It usually drives me crazy when moms go on and on about how their child can do "something" special before normal...look Johnny can walk at 9 months or Suzy can write her name at 1....things like that. So I am going to do the thing that drives me crazy...cuz I guess its my kid and my blog :)

Tonight my 3.5 year old read her first book!!!!

Granted it is just a Bob book and the word list is very, very simple..Mat sat. etc.. but it does bring a smile to any parent's face when their child actually sounds out the letters to make a word and reads! Maybe its a first-born thing, but it is still pretty cool.

And just so my head doesn't get too big..she still struggles to correctly ride a tricycle..mostly because her little legs can't reach the petals :)

John Piper

On Sunday night I had the privilege to hear John Piper speak live for the first time. He came to Park Street Church in downtown Boston and we were sitting in the 3rd row. Oh, what a treat! The great thing about him is that you know when you hear him, you won't just have your ears tickled. He speaks hard truth...but with humility. You are always convicted, but it is always good.

He spoke mostly on this verse: "We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part" 2 Corin. 8:1-3

His main point (which he writes a lot about in his books... http://www.desiringgod.org/) is that when we find our full satisfaction and joy in God it will spill out in love for others. The convicting part for me was in this particular passage the people in Macedonia who were extremely poor and going through a lot of affliction were giving abundantly and joyfully. God is more concerned with my heart than my husband finding that perfect job or that all my life's circumstances are easy and the way I want them to be.

Also, Mike got him to sign my Bible and our friend Bry snagged a pic. of us with him:
Well... a picture of Mike and the back of my shirt :)

Prego shots & egg hunt