My babies

My firstborn baby

And my other baby (at 12 weeks)

Pregnancy 1 vs Pregnancy 2

The differences between my pregnancy with Campbell and this pregnancy are outstanding. A few differences to date (14 weeks tomorrow).

1. When I was pregnant with Campbell, there was never a day (or minute :) that I forgot about being pregnant. I thought about it constantly, talked about it constantly, and constantly fantasized about her and having her with us. Although I am very excited to welcome a new addition to our family, I just don't have that same preoccupation as I did before. I actually forget I'm pregnant a lot of the time. I attribute a lot of that to being so much busier than we were then, being content with our family of 3 for the moment, and to feeling so good this time around.

2. I was exhausted when I was pregnant with Campbell. Like take two or three naps a day tired. This time, I haven't really felt tired at all. I'm not going to lie, I go to bed fairly early most of the time and sleep great at night...but that's not so different from my norm. I had some nausea initially, but even that went away about 8 weeks and was never very severe.

3. At this point in my pregnancy with Campbell I had already gained 16 pounds. (I only wish I was exaggerating!). I've gained one pound so far this pregnancy. I am beyond pleased with this particular difference!

4. With Campbell, from about 6 weeks on I KNEW it was a girl. Never once did I waver. By this point in my pregnancy with her I had bought an excessive amount of girl clothes. This time, I have basically no intuition regarding gender. Makes for interesting name discussions...and a hard time waiting until 20 weeks!

5. I had a lot fears when I was pregnant with Campbell about something being wrong with our baby. At times I felt preoccupied with worry about things that could go wrong. It is not at all that I don't care or don't long for a healthy baby this second time, I think I just have more realistic expectations and the benefit of some experience. I know what it is like to walk a terrifying journey about your child's health, and although one of the most difficult struggles I've had in life, I am also grateful for the changes in perspective, faith, and relationship that were the outcome of Campbell's sickness. My OB told me recently that you have about a 2% chance of your child having some kind of health issue. While I appreciate the low percentage, I mostly trust and appreciate the God who walked us through such a struggle with Campbell, showed Himself faithful, and changed us in the process.

Just a few differences to date!

Reunited. And an orange.

One of the wonderful things that happened recently at our house was the reunion when Jo version 2.0 arrived in the mail. All is right in Campbell's world again.

The other day she shared her orange (her newest fascination) with Jo. Campbell wants her orange slices on the peel. Unfortunately, she also eats the peel. I heard her tell Jo, "Jo! Don't eat peel." Wonder how many times she has heard that herself :)

Feeding Jo

"I need 'nodder one"

Wipe hands.

Easter!

We had a fabulous Easter. Sunday morning we went to church, which was amazing. Celebrating the sacrificial love of Christ corporately has never been as sweet as it is with the community of believers we have at The Waters.

Getting ready for church. Someone is not currently into cooperating at picture time, but I got a few good smiles. Check out the fabulous dress GiGi made. Not only is it undeniably cute, but the vintage feel and quirkiness are a definite reflection of Campbell's mama's style.

Due to the fact that her daddy leaves at the crack of dawn on Sundays for band rehearsal, she got her Easter basket after church. Her strategy is to dump and conquer.

After church and a quick nap for Campbell Rose & her daddy, we headed over to my parent's house for a lunch (dinner?) of brisket. My sister and I are adamantly opposed to ham as an entree. I made up a recipe for macaroni and cheese that was a hit. I feel pretty smug about my domestic goddess-ness.

Campbell hunted eggs that her cousins hid for her. Then dumped them out of the basket and collected them multiple times.

Lauren, MiMi, and a bunny.

She also played on her tricycle for the first time. I like this first picture because she looks like she's just hanging out on her bike like a big kid.

And I love this one because of her hair blowing and moving, which is what she looks like as she runs and plays throughout every day.

King Family Update

We have some news...

That's right, we will soon be a family of four!!


We cannot wait to meet our newest little joy. October 2010!

Jo

Yesterday the unthinkable happened.

I had a session scheduled in the Woodlands. Russ and Campbell tagged along so we could walk around/eat dinner afterwards. We did the pictures on the Waterway, then the three of us headed over to the outdoor area connected to the mall to eat. We took a round-about way (mostly because we didn't exactly know where we were going). We probably walked about three miles total.

We got to the Cheesecake Factory, waited for a table, were seated, and were unloading the stroller and putting stuff in the diaper bag. Russ handed me Campbell's little lovey blanket that she always carries with her baby, Jo. I asked where Jo was. We started frantically searching through all of our stuff. Nothing.

Jo was missing. We both freaked. Russ went and checked the stroller. Nothing. He ran up the sidewalk where we had been walking as we waited for our table. Nothing.

Many, many parents will identify with both Campbell's (and our) attachment to Jo. She goes everywhere with us, is a staple at bedtime and mealtime, and provides security in new situations for Campbell. She endured 19 days at Texas Childrens and recently got a major bath when Campbell took her diaper off at naptime and accidentally peed on Jo. Waiting for Jo to dry outside on the patio table was excruciating for Campbell that day.

We paid for our drinks, packed up our stuff, and took off. We retraced our steps, walking those miles again (I might have been running some). We got back to the place where I had taken the pictures and...nothing. I started sobbing. Russ and Campbell went up to the car to make sure she wasn't there and I retraced the steps again.

We ended up at Pottery Barn Kids, looking at cloth dolls, thinking maybe if she picked out a new doll things would be okay for the night. By that time we were all starving, feet aching, Campbell had peed through her diaper and clothes (we may have been a little distracted), and I was borderline emotional mess. We left PBK with $95 dollars worth of new baby (Abby) and coordinating outfits.

Today, Campbell hates Abby, has asked for Jo a hundred times, and I have cried about fifteen times about it. I have always marveled over how much Campbell loved her and how sweet she was with her. Today when she asks for her and I've tried to explain "we don't know where she is. Jo is lost", she has told me "Jo in car" and " Jo in bed". When we put her down for her nap this afternoon she asked for her again. Russ said "how about Abby?". Campbell said "how about Jo?" :)

The positive note about all of this is that I contacted the seller on Etsy who made Jo. She doesn't make the dolls anymore, but she was so touched by the story that she is trying to track down the fabrics to make Campbell another one. I am praying she can and will, and that Campbell will never know the difference.

Otherwise the Kings might be in morning for Jo for a long time.

Meeting Jo for the first time on Easter last year. She loved her instantly.

Feeding Jo in her new highchair on Christmas Morning.

At the end of my photo session yesterday, right before we started walking along the Waterway. Jo's sitting in the stroller.

These days

These days are busy and full...

*These days, I am 39 hours away from being done with my LPC (licensed professional counselor). I took the big exam the day after I found out I was pregnant with Campbell and began the process of completing the required 3000 supervised hours a few months after. Ever since Campbell was born I've worked three days a week, which has dragged out the process a little, but I am finally almost there!

My fabulous company has agreed to create a new position for me, only working 2 days a week. I can also pick my days, which is awesome since the past few years I have worked different days every week. I am unbelievably excited about dropping a day of work and having more time with my sweet girl AND being able to do playgroups and playdates and storytime (since we will finally have a set schedule). In anticipation of finishing, I have been working extra days since the beginning of February. It has been exhausting and I have hated being away from CRK so much, but I am looking forward to my new schedule!

*These days Russ is busy studying to take the state ESL test this weekend and the GRE next weekend. Campbell and I are so proud of how hard he works for us, his desire to be a GREAT teacher, and how hard he is working to advance his education.

*These days the photography spring rush is in full swing. I am BUSY. I do love it, but combined with my current work schedule, it has been crazy.

*These days Campbell Rose is developing into a funny, opinionated, almost two-year old. Bless her heart, I think she has gotten more spankings in the last week than in the past two months combined. We are also contending with sickness, the emergence of two-year molars, and attempting to drop from two naps to one. It's a lot for a girl to handle!

She has recently learned the word "no". Literally one day I asked her a question and she shook her head no for the first time. The next day I asked her a question and she told me "no". She says no as sweetly as I would have expected her to, but don't be fooled - she says it a lot. Sometimes it seems like she says no to everything, but mostly it seems like she fully means what she is saying. Yesterday I asked her if she wanted a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch. She told me "no. oatmeal". Sure enough she ate two bowls of oatmeal for lunch.

*These days we are loving our life as three!