I've been looking forward to writing this post for a while now...its just been a little difficult to find a few spare minutes this past week... :)

So our sweet Ira Clarkson has been with us for 10 days now, and its true again, post partum time goes much more quickly than pre - and when it's all said and done, you look back and marvel at all the life changing events that have just transpired. Birth is one of the most amazing things I will ever experience, I'm sure of that.

Labor was easy peasy this time (haha, who am I trying to kid?) -- no really, it was slow to start, but went quickly when active finally started (about 4hrs)... All in all, it was another miraculous experience, and I feel really blessed. 

best feeling. ever.

meeting daddy

We loved our hospital stay, the care was great and the time was quiet. We had nice long visits with family (especially sweet big sister Imogen)...and some friends that brought dinner one night.  There was lots and lots of snuggle time with baby. It was lovely. 

i'm almost certain that they're visiting about golf

a few hours old

We got home on Sunday afternoon and have had a very pleasant week since then. Huge thanks goes to Grammi and Granddad (T's parents) for staying at our house with Imogen and bringing her up to the hospital for visits during our stay (and for generally spoiling her, I'm sure).  And another heaping dose of thanks to Nonna (my mom) for coming and staying a few days last week...I never lifted a finger. No joke. 

And thanks to friends and family for all the food and the visits and the love.

Our new darling is such a sweet and cuddly baby, we've all been loving loving him. :)

love Imogen's face

So, there it is. The responsibility of being Mom of 2 has not set in yet, I'm sure of that. And I can't say that I'm looking forward to the overwhelming days that I'm sure are in my future...but for now, I feel good. I feel healthy. I love my 3.

Yes, I say it again, God is good.

More to come. Love to you all.

hello, world.

Ira Clarkson Campbell 

December 7, 2012 - 2:36am

7lbs 12oz -- 19 1/2"

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, 
His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Ps. 107:1

forty.

How about a little photo comparison?


Baby Girl Campbell: 40 weeks
(aka Imogen Violet)

Baby Boy Campbell: 40 weeks
(aka Harry Potter)

I think my face may look a tad less puffy this time around...but I'm wondering if it may have something to do with that neat, camouflaging  scarf I'm sporting.
And a word about the outfit...I told my dear husband right around Thanksgiving time, "well, get used to seeing me in these black clothes...because they're about the only thing that still fits, so I'll probably wear them any time I'm going anywhere."  And I have.


Just waiting around on this little bugger.  Feeling...eh...forty weeks, which honestly is not the most comfortable way to feel, but, you know, what can you do?  As I type, I'm sipping red raspberry tea, savoring the feeling of clary sage oil tingling into my foot pores...and all other manner of labor inducing witchcraft.
:)

The false labor this time has been a total beast, but I hear its not uncommon with second+ babies.

Any day. Really.

Thanks to you all for the thoughts and prayers.
And waiting on baby is a little easier when you hang out with this sweet/crazy all day:

Well, both of them, actually:

Looking quite forward to meeting the new one. But I said that already.

And I probably should mention my extreme gratitude to T for helping me out so much in the past few days...gotta admit that I've been off and on slumpish waiting on my new sweet/crazy to make his appearance.  Secret's out. 

:)

Love to you all.

post thanks

Hope you all had an excellent holiday weekend. We certainly did.

We spent Thanksgiving day at Autumn's house with family and friends -- the food was incredible -- main thanks for that goes to Auty and my Mom and Dad.

Why didn't my camera come out? Probably because I barely lifted a finger all day...except fingers to face, shamefully. :)  But I did snap a few of the girls and their grandparents right at the start of the day.

my girl is getting too big!

these two.

The Baby Blue Cat Who Said No
(it's been read to 2 year old Imogen nearly one hundred times
by Nona...and it doesn't even belong at our house, but Immy requests
that Nona bring it every time we're together :)

Boppa got a turn to read it, too!

My parents stayed with us on Thursday and Friday night and we got tons of work done around the place...the huge, huge job of getting the leaves all cleaned up was a major thing that got done, no thanks to this mama.

troubleshooting a stolen blower
(oh, by the way, can we borrow your blower, D and L?)

Mom, busily working

Immy, taking a ride

the finished project

I promise I didn't just sit around eating bon bons all day :).
Big thanks to Mom and Dad for working with us and helping to cross a few things off the list.

The kitchen is coming together quite nicely -- shelves are hung, floor is laid, laundry and half bath complete (minus a little trim painting), cabinets face-lifted, dishwasher is humming, and all is well.

The countertops are the last big job, and they're supposed to be in by Thursday. It's so, so exciting to see everything coming together! I've been quietly (and mostly not-so-quietly) amazed to see my super tech husband tackle these projects nearly single handedly, one by one, with the help of a YouTube tutorial or two. :)

More photos forthcoming after the countertop is installed. And I'm hoping to be able to find a 'before' photo...I'm kicking myself now that I didn't take some in the beginning.


So now it's about time for our new little Campbell to arrive. I'm 39 weeks and counting, had an appointment yesterday and was told to expect a baby any day now...but I'm not too hopeful, because they told me the same thing with Imogen...and she was 4 days late. :) But even 4 days late gives us a baby next week...and next week doesn't seem that far away.
And things are progressing nicely on the pre-labor front, so that was good to hear. And I'm feeling good and sleeping ok...so no complaints.

a drawer of baby things

Can't wait to meet this little one. And for him to meet you all!

Love.

bake. bake. bake.

This is a post about pregnancy.
You've been warned.

Naw, it ain't really as bad as all that.


Oh, second pregnancy, how you've differed from the first...
-Weeks have gone by so much faster.
-I'm carrying a rowdy boy this time, instead of a rowdy girl.
-My back cooperated with life so much better this time around...with Imogen it was a non-stop annoyance from 17 weeks on, but with the boy it's been hit and miss from 30 weeks.
-But I must say I feel so much older and creakier with this pregnancy...dunno if it gets more and more this way with each consecutive child...makes me wonder how folks with several kids manage it.
-Last pregnancy my best friend was the swimming pool...this time it's the heating pad. I think this is a seasonal difference, but also due to the fact that taking a toddler to the pool is not the most relaxing experience you'll ever know :)
-I really do feel like I'm 100 years old.
-And ready to be done.
-And ready to meet our son.
-But until that day I really could just sit in a strongly detergent scented room, crunching ice...all day long. (this one isn't different from pregnancy with Im...)


20 weeks:


36 weeks:




And yep, I'm nervous about the events that are quickly approaching (labor, birth, postpartum, bringing a new baby home, juggling baby and toddler and everyday stuff...), it'd be silly to say that I'm not...but it's funny because I used to think that girls who were having second (or third, etc) babies wouldn't have to deal with nerves and all that because they'd done it all before...and now I know. :)
But I'm excited. Super excited. And full of overwhelming love for my sweet, sweet, amazing little family.

And I've been learning more and more that faith trumps fears...when I allow it to.

God is so good.



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Party hearty

Our sweet girly turned two last Thursday. The lead up was fun this year, since she was excited about it (especially the cupcakes), so we talked about her approaching birthday a lot.




Flowers from her sweet Daddy...an early present.


On the morning of her birthday, she awoke to find the dollhouse that T and I got for her (and gleefully set up after she went to bed the night before her birthday so everything would be ready for her to find the next morning). The discovery was adorable, and she has had so much fun playing.








The whole setup seems a little big for our front room, but it'll stay here, at least for a little while, because I really don't want to miss a moment of her sitting there, oblivious to the world around her, pretending away, marching those dolls around that house, visiting with each of them. My heart melts.
And it's fun to sit there with her, and do a little pretending myself.


Back to the birthday.

After the initial discovery, I had to run to a baby appointment, so Imogen went with her Pa to the bookstore to play with the trains.

Later that afternoon, we ran by Kipling's house for a surprise cake pop and present.







Magical markers that only write on specially designated paper? Pure genius.


That evening, all the grandparents came over for a very low key snacks and presents party. I felt a touch guilty not having any kids to the party, but figured this was the last year I could get by with it without Immy noticing.
Plus she loves her grandparents...so what could be better than their undivided attention all evening. Plus, only one kid at a party means no sharing practice. Bonus.















Our family...and yep, Immy's probably kicking her brother. :)



All partied out.




My mom and dad spent the night after the party, so dad and Im made waffles for us the next morning. Yum.




On Friday Chauntee came over for a while to see all the presents and play for a while. Alas, no photos of them together.
But here's one of just Immy from that day, still living the birthday dream:





On Saturday mom came back to look after Davie and Immy while Auty and I worked on the kitchen project. T and Bryan worked on cutting out the cabinet and installing the dishwasher...oh, happy times ahead.

Bryan and Rae stayed for dinner, and more presents were presented. Here's a portion of the present:
These sneaks'll make you jump higher...just ask Immy :)




Please note plastic high heels and pj combo :)




So, lots and lots of birthday fun. It's continuing this week, too, as we keep playing with all the new, fun things.

A real live two year old. Nothin terrible about it.

And she does and says the most amazing things...but that's for another post. Or even for when you drop by for some coffee (or choc milk) and dollhouse fun.

Love.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

trip II

So, as I was saying...

::dreamychimesofyesteryear::


We had a lovely dinner and visit with James and Lori & Steve and Betty (and their way-too-grown offspring). Imogen thought she was grown, too, by the look of this photo:



Also, there are plastic high heels under that dress. No, really.
:)

And why is that the only photo I have of that night?


Thursday night we were at Travis and Sarah's. Collin and Stephanie were in attendance as well.
These two little girls were pretty cute:








Again, the only photos of the night. There were grown ups there. I promise.



We were at Jackie's, staying up late visiting on this last night in town...we had just gone to bed when Jackie knocks on the door and says something about fire:



Ya, that's my parents TX house. :( We were grateful the family that lives there now was safe, and no one was hurt. Stinks to have your stuff burn, though.
And quite the adventure for the last night in Texas.


Friday morning it was on to Kansas, where I took no picture of Imogen and her great grandparents!
But here's one with cousin Nicholas:






They look very related. And Immy even claimed to be him...sitting in her high chair a couple mornings after we got home she's saying "I'm Nic. I'm Nic." :)

We had a delicious dinner prepared by Grandma, and then an early birthday celebration for Imogen, complete with divine cheesecake by Aunt Andrea:



It was so nice to be with everyone...and I hate that I didn't take pictures of everyone. :(


Sunday morning it was back in the car, eastbound big time. We actually drove and drove until we crashed at my parent's house at 2:30am Monday. It was so nice to climb into a comfy bed...and huge thanks to mom and dad for putting us up after moving all weekend!!

So, all in all a very fun trip.

We're back into the full swing. The kitchen has a project to finish. Imogen has a birthday in a couple of days. And me? I'm a 90 year old pregnant woman.

Wait. Does that sound weird?
Yes.
It does.
Just saying...I'm quite pregnant. And I quite feel like I'm ancient, ancient, ancient.

6 weeks to baby time!

Love.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad