Preparing for Reagan!

It's hard to believe I'm already 31 weeks pregnant!  That has Reagan weighing a little over 3lbs.  This pregnancy has flown by so quickly.  I'm sure it's because I've been very busy with homeschooling the kids, which is going amazing by the way.  You know what they say, "time flies when you're having fun!"  I've been feeling pretty great through my whole pregnancy.  I am to the point now where I'm starting to get tired more through the day.  I'm sure it has to do with having insomnia in the middle of the night.  Some nights I'm up for more than an hour at 2am and sometimes I make it till 5am and then just lay there staring at the clock for an hour or so.  I'm sure that's only going to get worse with the more uncomfortable I become.  I finally feel like I am almost prepared for Reagan to be here.  I have her crib and bassinet put together.  All her clothes have been washed and are put away.  Just a few more things to still get and I will be ready for her.  All the kids are getting really excited for her!  She will be in our room for a few months and then transition into sharing a room with Kyndal.  Kyndal is so excited about her little sister sharing a room with her!  

As I'm planning for Reagan to be here in a few weeks, I've realized I need to get busy making some freezer meals.  I've done this for my other births too.  I've been looking through my recipes and on Pinterest for some wonderful meals to make and freeze.  Some of the meals that I've thought of so far are Chicken & Dumplings, Chili, Enchiladas, Quesadilla Casserole, Wild Rice & Chicken, Pulled Pork, Terriyaki Chicken & Rice, Penne with Chicken, and Biscuits & Gravy.  Let me know if you think of any other ideas of fabulous recipes that do well in the freezer??

I'm wondering if Reagan will follow her siblings and be early.  All of the other kids have been born 1 week to 10 days early, either from going into labor naturally or being induced.  She is due January 4, so I'm waiting to see if she will be born in 2014 or 2015!  My original due date was December 28, which I have been measuring for that date my whole pregnancy, except during the dating u/s, but they don't change it back unless there is more than a 2 week difference.  My guess is that she will be born in December, which is exciting because that is next month!!
 

Slow Life Down

Do you ever long for a more peaceful slower life?  Over the last few months I've felt like I've been at this point of wanting a simpler life.  I feel like as a family we are slowing life down some.

We are back to homeschooling all the kids and it's going really wonderful.  We have our challenging moments but I wouldn't change it for anything in the world.  Homeschooling is not the right choice for everyone, but for our family it has been great.  When the kids were in school, I felt like our days were so rushed.  Rush them out the door in the morning, only to see them for a couple of minutes when they get home and it's straight to homework, dinner, showers and bedtime.  And then do it all over again the next day.  I feel like life was just passing us by.  I love having them all home with me all day, teaching them and spending time with each of them.  It warms my heart to see one of the older boys do reading with their younger brothers.  I feel like they are going to have a closer bond with each other by spending more time with one another.  We aren't home all day, everyday, we do get out of the house too.  The younger kids are enjoying doing Awana this year and the 2 older boys are in youth group.  We are also part of a homeschool group through our church.  We just went on a field trip to Ritchey Woods last Friday with our homeschool group.  

I'm 25 weeks pregnant.  The pregnancy is going really well and has been going by really fast.  I feel like my monthly doctor appointments are just days apart instead of a month apart.  Baby Reagan is doing great!  Can't wait to meet her in a few short months!

Chris and I have been so blessed by God.  He has blessed us with six wonderful children, soon to be seven!  He promises to give us everything we need and He has.  We have a house to live in, clothes for all of us and food on the table.  We get to spend our days together as a family.  I couldn't ask for more!

        

It's A ...........

We are so excited to announce that we are having another little GIRL!!!!!!  We got the call this past Tuesday from the geneticist.  They said she is healthy.  The baby's risk of being born with anything they tested for is 1 in 10,000.  Kyndal is probably the most excited of all the kids.  She has said it was a girl from day 1.  Some of the boys were hoping for a girl, and the others are coming around to it now.  It's so cute, Kyndal keeps saying she has a baby in her tummy too.  She talks about her all the time.  She says she's going to come out when my baby comes out!!  haha!!  We have chosen the name Reagan Sarah.  Reagan was one of my top 3 girls names.  We decided on the middle name, Sarah because this is my mom's middle name.  Kyndal has my middle name and if we have another girl after this one, she will have Chris's moms middle name. (Yes, we still want more!!)

I'm so excited that Kyndal will have a sister.  Growing up, I always wanted a sister.  I had 4 brothers, but I always felt like I was missing out on this special bond I saw other girls have with their sisters.  Plus, we are running out of room in the boys rooms!  Kyndal and Reagan will share a room, once Reagan is out of our room.  Kyndal is already asking where is Reagan's crib and trying to show me where it can go in her room!

 Reagan is due 4 days before Zachary's birthday.  She is due on Jan 4.  My baby's have been born 1 week to 10 days early.  Which puts us between Christmas and New Years!  That should be an interesting time to have a baby!  Tyler keeps asking me "what are we going to do if she is born on Christmas?" "Do we have to wait to open presents?"  You see where his concerns are!!

I'm so excited to shop and buy baby stuff!!  I have already bought a few things off of facebook boards of second hand stuff.  I love when I find good deals on used things, especially baby stuff, cause it doesn't get used very much and is usually in great condition!  I am excited to go add stuff to my babiesrus registry.  They give you 10% off anything you buy on your registry.  I figured I'll register for everything I need and slowly buy off of it and get a discount doing it!  Works for me!!  Actually I'm finding a lot of places do that if you create a registry with them.

Now that I'm in my second trimester, I can feel my energy level coming back up.  I was so exhausted throughout my first trimester.  I am trying to get back into working out.  I have been going for walks and working out on my stepper.  I'm hoping to keep it up the rest of my pregnancy, only 25 more weeks to go!!