ITS A GIRL

It has been so long since I have done a blog I almost forgot how to do one. Now that we have found out that we are having a girl I bought Mackenzie a big sister book and I try and talk to her about having a sister around. It has worked out good because I watch a 10 month old little girl three days a week so she is definitely getting used to having a play mate. She has adapted well except for feeding time where she insist on sitting on my lap while I feed her. We have decided that we are going to name the baby Emma Joyce Sprouse, Joyce being after my mom's mom. Our due date is September 4th but I am hoping that this baby will show up early like Mackenzie did. So far the Dr's are pleased with everything, I initially lost 10 pounds but have gained that weight back and 14 pounds. I was a little nervous that I was going to put on a lot of weight because I have gained weight quicker this time around but as long as I keep at the pace I am at I should gain about the same amount. I will be 22 weeks on Sunday. At this point with Mackenzie I was just starting to have to wear maternity clothes. I barely had a belly. I am glad that the Dr's were able to find a medicine for me to take so I don't get sick. When I was pregnant with Mackenzie I was sick the entire 9 months and I wasn't able to eat during the day because the smells and work (chick-fil-a) bothered me so much I didn't have a appetite. This time they had to try 4 different medicines but they found one that keeps me from throwing up all the time. If I didn't have that I don't know how it would work trying to watch Mackenzie and being sick. . This year has definitely proven to be a trying one. Both January and February I was extremely sick with my pregnancy which didn't surprise me since I was that way with Mackenzie. I just got it a lot worse this time around. I was stuck in bed for about two weeks with both a stomach bug and the flu and I had to go to the ER once and the Dr's once to get fluid because I was so dehydrated. Around all this time Mackenzie was starting to test the boundaries and for about 2-3 weeks she was watched by so many people and had such a sick mom that she got away with a lot of things. Things have gotten better but she still tries to push the boundaries everyday. She has really started learning a lot of new things and that is been a lot of fun seeing her develop new things. She now signs more and please. If you remember when she was young I started teaching her things but then I had to leave her for 8 days for a missions trip and so it seemed as if she forgot a lot of what I taught her so I didn't keep up with it. It amazed me that out of the blue she started doing it on her own. She also now says PaPa, Nana, Momma, Dada, sit, cup, stuck, and thank you. She has also started learning to pray. It is so adorable to watch her each time I tell her it is time to pray she folds her hands and closes her eyes for one second. It just gives me such joy to see her already praying to God. We try and do it every morning and night along with meal times. I have also started working with her on her numbers, and letters. I also try and sing bible songs and talk to her about Jesus and how he loves her. We try and stay as involved as possible with church and other activities with church. We go to second Saturday every month where we pass out food along with many other things. I also have a bible study that I lead and we attend one each week where Mackenzie learns verses and sings bible songs. She loves going every week.

On top of everything going on Mackenzie has started getting her 2 year molers in. She usually sleeps from 7pm til about 8:30 am and then takes a nap from about 12:30 till 2-2:30. Now she is usually up every night, up early and taking short naps so she is getting about 2-3 hours less sleep then normal. She tends to be very fussy and I have to work very hard all day to keep her entertained. The car rides and feedings are probably the hardest times now. I have to talk to her or entertain her the entire drive. During meals I am having a hard time getting her to stay in her high chair and she isn't eating a lot. I don't know if all of this has to do with her teeth coming through therefore making it a phase or if I am doing something wrong. Her eating time is now doubling because it is such a fight to get her to eat and sit. I just keep trying to remember that this too shall pass and that God has control of each day and I need to remember to give him my cares.