Dear Edith

October 31st 2017

My daughter! What a surprise to be saying that. My daughter, my daughter, my daughter... I never in a billion years would have thought I would be having a little girl. Ever since I was little I just assumed I would have boys. I have no idea why, but that's how it was. Even my baby dolls I chose to have them boys. Once Lewis came along it was like everything just made sense. Of course he'd be a boy! I'm going to be a boy mom! But then once I started feeling those little flutters of you, praying over your growing body, I couldn't help but feel you were a little girl.

Once we saw your face on ultrasound I knew you were our daughter. But still even saying that is surprising. It's taken me a little while to truly believe that you are you and you are coming and that we'll have all the little girl things filling up our home very soon. 

I can honestly say I'm a little more nervous for your arrival than your brothers. Will I be a good girl mom to you? How will I teach you to have confidence in your self, your body, and who you are as a girl/woman? Being a boy mom just felt more natural. How will I respond to your more sensitive needs but build you up as a strong little lady? 

I know one hundred percent that the Lord has had this plan all along. You in our family, me as your mom. I know things will fall into place and that I will look back and say I can't imagine not having a daughter! With lots of prayer and practice I know I'll fall into this new role of girl mom. What I also know, is that I love you so so very much. So much I cry some nights just yearning to kiss your cheeks with my heart just welling up with thankfulness that you are coming. You are the daughter I never knew I wanted but will be exactly what I and this family needed. I know you are so loved and cherished already and we all can't wait to meet you. Lewis especially, as we have to say good morning and good night every day to baby sister. Man does he love you already too. 

Edith darling, I love you to the moon and back. 

The Day I was a model

October 30 2017

My sister in law is a lifestyle blogger (see her work here) and over the summer partnered with Kohl's to do an article featuring their new maternity clothes. She needed a model and with my perfect sized bump I fit the bill for model! I was grateful to have this experience to play model for her but also get pampered on a bit. Such a treat! We took photos in Edie's room, around my neighborhood, and downtown Portland. It was such a fun day! Here are a few of my favorite photos from the shoot.

photos by Nakalan Mckay

To see more photos and the article she wrote head over here !

Baby Shower for Edie

October 14th 2017

Last weekend my dear friends Lauren and Shelby hosted the most perfect shower for Edie and I. I suggested doing something like a tea party (because I really wanted a wine party but obviously no can do, so tea sounded perfect haha) and they rolled with it. It was absolutely perfect! It's no secret I have been loving sweets and Lauren whipped up - all by hand - the most delicious desserts. 

I mean c'mon, those little tea bag sugar cookies with the E's on them. Everything was so good and just perfect. We sipped tea, ate lots of sweets, and Edie and I were loved on by a bunch of my dear friends. It truly fills my heart with such joy knowing all the wonderful women this daughter of mine will grow up around. Strong, brave, kind, beautiful women. 

Thank you friends for the perfect little celebration! 

Our Daughter's Name & Her Due Date

October 14th 2017

I had been scouring the internet, books, friends, social media - you name it - trying to come up with a list of baby girl and baby boy names that I thought sounded perfect paired with Lewis. Once we learned our little peach was a girl I was able to narrow it down to just little girl names. However, I had the hardest time! You would think having two pregnancies now I would have had a list of top favorites. I did have my list and I added to it some names to suggest to Cory, however, going through them none of them really stood out to me. I suggested a ton of little girl names including Hazel, Winnie, Elizabeth, Nell, Jane, June.. but none of them really sung to me nor Cory. At least not for this little babe. 

I had suggested names, re-sugessted names, but none really stood out. I had suggested a name when Lewis was in my tummy but didn't quite know if I really liked it enough. A few days before our gender reveal party I brought the name up. Edith . Cory said "I've always loved that name". My response was "so..is that her name?". And we both smiled and just shook our heads yes. 

The name is Cory's maternal great-grandmothers name and we think it's going to fit our little lady so well. After deciding on the name I looked up the meaning and found a fun coinscendence between her and Lewis' name. 

Edith: English/German meaning riches or blessed; also war. 

Lewis: German meaning fame or war; renowned warrior.  

We weren't going for a war theme haha but it's kind of cool they both have similar meanings. 

Our little Edie girl (pronounced ee-dee) also has a fun due date. At least fun for us right now. For her in the years to come not so much! She is due December 26th! The anticipation to Christmas is already so high naturally and this just makes it the biggest gift ever! 72 days until Christmas which means around 72 days to meet our little girl. 

Baby Girl

October 14th 2017

IT'S A GIRL!!!!

This was our announcement photo revealing that the little one growing inside of me is a little girl. Cory and I kinda knew she was a she, me for a while now and him after seeing her profile in the ultrasound. It's still shocking though! Probably because we only have our son and so we are so used to everything boy. And also, when we were childless we would joke that we would only have boys because we already have our girls (Lucy and Gretta). 

We are so beyond thrilled! 

It's been a couple months now that we learned the news and it is starting to sink in more and more. We have a name chosen for her, we've accumulated some baby girl items from friends and family, and having been preparing Lewis for a little sister. 

Photo by Nakalan McKay 

I've started piecing together her nursery and imagining our daughter filling in all those tiny (crazy adorable) dresses and pink onesies. It still is a little unbelievable that we'll have a little girl. Our daughter. I'll be writing a little post soon about how I feel about her being a her and my initial reactions. 

Our daughter, we are so thankful that you are growing healthy and cannot wait to meet you!

Boy or Girl???

August 7th 2017

I did it with Lewis, so I thought it would be fun to do this again with baby number two. Going through the old wives tales to see if we can get a predictor for this baby's gender. 

1. Craving Salty vs Sweet foods: Sweet , GIRL

2. Morning sickness, excessive vs very little: a little more excessive than with Lewis, GIRL

3. Carrying high vs low: higher, GIRL

4. Heart beat faster than 140: GIRL

5. Chinese Gender predictor: GIRL

I read once that 71% of moms "know" what they are having. I was pretty certain with Lewis that he was a boy. This time, I honestly do think about a little girl more often. So that is my guess. Cory guesses boy. Our family is pretty 50/50 with their guesses. But we find out in a week and I am so excited! 

Baby No. 2

The news is out and we are expecting baby number two!! We weren't trying, yet in the same breath we weren't not trying. We expected it would take about 8-12 months for us to get pregnant since it took even longer for Lewis to come along. However, God had different plans and at the time we started praying about peace and patience, this little baby was already settled in my tummy. 

Our announcement photo : "I love these babies. Our hearts are bursting with the exciting news we'll be adding another little one to our family at the end of the year. This news came totally unexpected and our hearts are so grateful. Continually thanking the Lord for this growing baby and praying for a healthy little one. To my friends still waiting for your babies, God does miracles and we are still praying for yours." 

I had been feeling a little queasy the week we took the test. I thought it wasn't too odd because sometimes that happens to me if I'm too tired, or drink to much coffee in the morning. But the queasiness felt oddly similar to pregnancy nausea. I thought, what the heck, and asked Cory to stop on his way home from work and grab a pregnancy test. I took the test the next morning and right away it was positive. Like before I was even done washing my hands. I stood there for a second with my mouth open, a smile quickly formed and I slowly walked out of the bathroom and into our bedroom. Cory and Lewis were playing on the bed. I leaned against the frame of the door with the test in my hand with a little shocked grin on my face. Cory said "so?". "Um yeah, it's positive". We both just started laughing. Completely shocked but completely happy. 

19 weeks at work. 

The pregnancy is flying by and I think it definitely has to do with Lewis. On my days at home we just go-go-go and I don't have much time to sit and day dream about this little one. I also think it is because of the time of year. We are outside a lot doing a lot of things with friends and family. 

I feel some similarities to this pregnancy compared to Lewis'. I am a little more nauseous this time around. My belly feels small but in pictures I am actually bigger. Only gaining weight in the belly again. Craving all the sweet things! But this time I crave pizza like crazy which was a huge aversion last pregnancy. My face broke out pretty bad the first trimester which didn't happen last time. 

My birthday, 27 years old and 17 weeks along with baby

We are due December 26th but I'm hoping the baby comes between the 28-31st. Not much wiggle room but we'll see. This baby will come when he/she is ready and not a minute sooner. I'm a little nervous about what this winter will be like having a energetic toddler and a little newborn, but it'll be fun and hopefully less stressful this second time around. 

We are just so incredibly excited to meet this little one, see what he or she looks like and see how different or similar they are to Lewis. So blessed to have this experience growing another little human of ours. 

xo Leah