oh, life

This is Ira. He's nearly seven weeks old, weighs over 10 lbs, likes taking naps on the couch, loves cuddling, dislikes carseat. Eats well, sleeps well. Quite the charmer.



This is Imogen. She's 2 1/4 years. She loves to sing, loves to make believe, loves using your legs as a slide, likes to color, would use the iPad all day if allowed, is working on potty training, talks continuously. Eats well, sleeps well. She's the sunshine of our day.



This is Anya. She's a nice, old age. Most days she feels like she has 3 things to do every moment of the day. She assumes she will never again enjoy an uninterrupted cup of coffee. Her children astound her all day long and she wonders how she ever got along without them.



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thankfulness and a few fun facts

Ira -- 5 days old
from a photo shoot by Kristy

I'm thankful. Thankful that my little boy is so sweet -- sweet like his Dad, and sweet like his big sister. Thankful that postpartum everything has seemed to go so much smoother this time... 

Yes, basically that's what I want to share. I'm unworthy, but oh-so-grateful that things have gone so much more easily than I was expecting (perhaps shame on me for having such grave apprehensions?? :). Again, I know there will be moments and complete days where I feel like a total nutcase -- but I believe this is called motherhood.

But the sweetness (oh, the sweetness!) of these children. My, my. 

Ok, don't have just a ton of time...Ira is taking a nap on the couch and Imogen is taking a "rest"...but, from the sound of things, I believe she's jumping on her bed. 

A few things, in no order at all, ala post pregnancy brain:

• Yep, T had a great-great uncle named Ira, but he doesn't remember him and I never met him. So, while Ira is indeed a family name, our Ira Clarkson isn't an actual 'namesake' of great-great Uncle Ira.
• However, "Clarkson" is T's middle name and Grandma Lottie's maiden name, so the "Clarkson" part of Ira Clarkson is after 2 very special folks.      So that's the word on the name.

• Imogen Violet is doing very well. Yes, it's been a big adjustment for her, but she's done really well, and really loves her brother.   Have there been a few fits? Well, of course there have been.  But its to be expected, being 2 yrs old and having your world turned on its side. :) 

T found them like this

there've been a few of these moments

 but mostly moment like these

• Biz came to visit. And we had such a fun time. I wish I could find the photo of me holding Isabel when she was a newborn...it's pics like this that make me blink and wonder where the time goes...

• And here's a random photo of the New Years party. These 3 cuties watching the festivities.

Ok. Must go. 

Happy New Year!

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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