9 months!

Our baby is 9 months old!!!  It's crazy!  We were just talking about it the other day and really can't remember our lives before Lyla.  In the scheme of things, being married for 4 years, 9 months really isn't that long.  Yet, this little girl has forever changed our hearts :-)  Lyla is so active these days!  She is crawling everywhere, chasing kitties, pulling herself up on everything, and making us realize how many things we need to put away :-)

She responds to "no" as well.  Even before we have to say it, if she knows we've said it before, she'll look back at us to see what we're going to do.  It's crazy how soon you can see the sinful nature coming out in children!  She throws tantrums when she doesn't get what she wants.  She is a sinful being and I pray every day that she will come to know the Lord - the One who saved her life from the beginning.

She has been sick the past few days...leading to us having to clean up the biggest mess she's ever made on Sunday!  We were heading out for lunch and hear the grossest noise, and all of her lunch came up in the car :-(  Poor baby.  Yesterday was her scheduled 9 month pediatrician appointment, so I figured she could get looked at then.  Hopefully we are past the worst!

At our appointment yesterday, the doctor said she looks great!  The only thing they're a little concerned about is her weight since she's steadied off, and now losing weight since December/January.  I have to start supplementing soy milk and try upping the amount of solid food she gets.  Hopefully, by our follow up appointment in a month, she will gain some weight.  I'm really hoping that it's just because my milk supply has gone down due to being pregnant.  Hopefully with the added soy milk she'll be getting all that she needs.  Please pray that it is nothing more!!  The cardiologist is keeping a close eye on her growth since it can be tied to her heart.  Our next appointment with them is April 17.  We're hoping to get a clean bill of health heart-wise.

Again, please pray that Lyla gains weight, and that we will know when to be concerned or when it's just her growing and moving a lot.  She could just be a small baby!  But we definitely can't over look the heart factor in all of this.

Surprise!

Well...God continues to show us that His plan is so much better than our own!  We found out late in January that we are expecting a baby brother or sister for Lyla in September!  We were definitely not expecting or planning this, but clearly God had other plans :-)  And we are completely ok with that!  After a long road trying to get pregnant with Lyla, this is such a blessing that God has chosen to give us.  It definitely complicates some decisions we are making, but we are trusting still that God's plan is always better than our own.

Along with the excitement of expecting this new baby comes some fears as well.  As it is so close to Lyla's birth and complicated situation, everything is still so fresh in our mind about what we went through with her.  It is easy to fear that we possibly could have to go through that again.  It's crazy right???  We just had an awesome chance to see how amazingly God answers prayers and is faithful to us...and yet I can doubt?  I often have to dwell on what we went through simply to remind myself of all the blessings we received this past year. And also, knowing that if this baby has complications, that God will once again get us through that as well.

Most people are wondering what the chances of having another heart baby is.  We have been told that the chances are exactly what they are for everyone else.  We don't have a higher chance of another heart defect.  However, my doctors are taking precautions and are sending me to a high risk doctor for consultation along with my anatomy scan.  From there, they will refer us to the cardiologist for a fetal echo.  Our main prayer is that this baby is healthy and strong.

Please pray with us for the development of this baby and for peace for Peter and I as we wait to see if there are any complications.  Pray for wisdom as we look to relocate sometime this year...should we move before or after baby?  Pray for a job for Peter when the time comes (and also, for what that time is :-), as well as a location to move to.  Lots to consider!!  We are trying our best to rest in the knowledge that God already has everything planned out and we just need to trust that He will lead us there when the time is right :-)  I'm glad to share our excitement with you!