BABY WATCH

Posted on by beautybeyondbones

Hello friends! And hello final two weeks of pregnancy!!

Holy cow, I cannot BELIEVE the amount of life that has been lived in the last week! (And my apologies for not writing last week — it was literally chaos!)

WE MOVED OUT!!!

That’s right, we moved out and closed on our condo downtown! (And IN with my parents!) As you may remember, the people we bought our dream house from still have to find a house, and to make our offer stand out from the FIVE other offers, we gave them until Oct. 1 to surrender the keys and move out.

So yeah — not exactly the smooth move out/move in action we would have loved, but we are so grateful to be with my parents and be able to share in this special season together!

SO – now onto “baby things!”

We are officially ONE WEEK away from when my “due date window” begins! Which is just mind blowing! We are extatic….BUT…there simply aren’t enough hours in the day!

With our focus having been completely on moving out of our condo, it’s so great that we can now focus solely on BABY! Because she’s coming so so soon!

Yesterday, we installed the carseat, made a bunch of postpartum freezer meals, did some baby clothes laundry and finally watched a birthing class module online.

(Did I mention I am feeling totally unprepared?!)

But everything is going to work out beautifully, just the way God wants it to. That’s what I keep telling myself: God’s got this.

People are asking me all the time, how I’m feeling with the birth of our daughter being so imminent, and I haven’t really stopped to actually reflect and think about it.

And to be honest, I have so many emotions running through my heart, and some of which are surprising.

And as I’m sitting here with hot tears streaming down my face, I’m realizing that life is about to change in a big way.

Change that I am, of course, elated and so incredibly grateful for. But also, I’m realizing for the first time, that it’s no longer going to just be Steven and me.

Steven is not only the love of my life, but my best friend. And the days of spontaneous romantic moments, or relaxing times just being two soulmates in love…we’re going from two to three.

And I am so excited about that, and so ready for all the new beautiful moments that will be between he and I and the precious life that we created together out of that deep, soul-level love that we share.

But I wouldn’t be being honest if I didn’t say that I am going to really miss it just being the two of us, unencumbered by the stress of parenthood.

And I feel like a horrible person for even thinking this. This is what I was created to do! And I am happier than anything in the world that we’re going to meet our daughter any day now and I get to spend the rest of my life loving her. AND I’m so excited to see my husband become the most caring and doting father in the world.

These are amazing things. Beautiful things. And I know we will still find those “two of us” moments amidst the chaos of becoming new parents, but anyway….this emotion was something I was not expecting to feel.

OK — I’m going to just chalk that up to all of the roaring hormones surging through me right now!

Time to go make dinner and wipe these crocodile tears off my face!

Until Wednesday!

xoxo Caralyn

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beautybeyondbones

BBB: Because we're all recovering from something. // For speaking/business inquiries: beautybeyondbones@yahoo.com

47 thoughts on “BABY WATCH”

    1. thank you so much!! yes!! we are just over the moon! and neither can we! we are so excited to meet her!!! 🙂 Hugs and love xox

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    1. thank you so much Shelie! can’t believe that nine months have come and gone so fast! thanks for sharing in the joy with us! Hugs and love xox

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    1. You are doing great, Caralyn. So excited for you guys and can’t wait to see your announcement!! 🥰

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      1. oh gosh, thank you so much Hannah!!! we are truly over the moon and excited for her to make her earthside debut!!! 🙂 so glad you stopped by! Hugs and love xox

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    2. thank you John!! yes! i can’t believe these 9 months have flown by so quickly! (and enjoyably!) God is so so good!!! Hugs and love xox

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  6. Very normal, and you’ll feel all the things over and over, in different ways, and in varying complexity. But the long and short of it is, God is with you all and you are going to be just fine! ❤

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  7. Very understandable to have all those emotions swirling around! Especially throwing a major move into the mix. Being a mom of 7 with a span of kids between ages 42 – 21, as empty nesters, we really enjoy our time just the two of us. (Our youngest has been camping out with us for a few days due to a broken AC unit at his place, and we’re thrilled to have him, but it definitely is different.) It both feels like parenting lasts forever and is over in a flash. I know everyone says that, but it’s so true. Pretty soon they’ll be moving out and suddenly it’s just the two of you again. I want to encourage you to still put your marriage first and make those romantic times happen (okay, so it might take a few months to settle back into that…) because kids are all consuming and it’s easy to get so caught up in them that parents can lose sight of the best gift we give them – a solid, loving, marriage. Blessings on your family! God’s got this.

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    1. Hi Laura, thank you for sharing this wonderful response! and wow — a mom of seven! that is just beautiful! what a rockstar! 🙂 And thank you for that wisdom: putting our marriage first. Because I totally agree: a solid and loving marriage really is the best gift we can give our daughter and future children. So true!! amen to that! Clinging to Him!! 🙂 Hugs and love xox

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  8. Wonderful! Hard to believe that you are just around the corner from becoming a mom! My very best to you and Steven!

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    1. Thank you Delores!!! Isn’t it WILD?! These nine months have absolutely FLOWN by! God is good! Thank you for you kind words!! Hugs and love xox

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  9. First of all, congratulations Carolyn! God will see you through this and you are blessed having parents there to help. Especially in those first three weeks, you will see what an amazing gift that is. The time ahead will be tumultuous and world changing, but also precious beyond measure.

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    1. Thank you so much Pete!! Yes, I fully believe this — I truly feel I’m being carried in the palm of Jesus’ hand through this entire thing, and I’m just resting in that peace. (Or trying to!) that’s a great perspective. Tumultuous/world changing; but precious beyond measure! thank you again! Hugs and love xox

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  10. This is so beautiful! Wow; God bless you and give you grace and strength to carry on this faithful journey! You are both going to be amazing parents and God’s divine favour shall continue to follow you all. Thank you for sharing your story with the community; it is really refreshing and encouraging! Praying for you here in the UK 🙂 xx

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    1. Thank you Esther! I so appreciate your kind words of encouragement. We are totally clinging to God and His goodness and just trusting in His timing and plan. Thank you for the prayers! Hugs and love xox

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  11. Those times don’t have to end. You will find ways to make every day special for the two of you, even if only for five minutes. Your life is what you make it, and you will continue to make it beautiful.

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    1. thank you Amy! You’re right — we’ve just got to make the time for it. Steven and I are so head over heels in love, there’s no way for us NOT to have those moments pop up, probably at the most unexpected times (even diaper changes!) haha Hugs and love xox

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  12. Oh sweet girl! Hugs!
    Let me give you a bit of old momma advice. You are a grown woman and I respect that so what I’m going to say is just advice from someone further down the road on this same journey and it’s up to you what you want to do with it.
    While there is a new addition to the family, I cannot stress this enough, do NOT allow the addition to diminish your romantic moments nor to reduce the primary couple relationship.
    Your marital relationship is your primary responsibility and your children are the beneficiary. Your spouse alone is your “flesh of my flesh, bone of my bone”, ” the two who become one flesh in the sight of the Lord ” and this relationship it is designed in this way to continue beyond the time when our children will leave to form lives and families of their own.
    The two remain.
    In our focus on couplehood, we teach our children how to be that one flesh, how to build the firm foundation of marriage upon which a family is built and it gives them security and feeling of safety.
    Our romance teaches our children how to love another and how to expect to be loved by another.
    Your sons will love completely and sacrificially,
    your daughters will not settlesacrificial,
    They will be raised seeing and knowing what real love looks like, seek it and be it.
    Be diligent to protect your foundation. Too many couples slip into an identity crisis where their identity as a couple becomes centered upon their children and being parents and in time become less couple, all co-parents. As a result, many marriages fail due to adultry in the void of true connection and longing for relationship or as the children grow and begin to leave the home, two strangers are left behind and many of those also fail.
    I have given this advice repeatedly, CONTINUE TO DATE YOU SPOUSE. God set the priority for us and for good reason.
    My nephews marriage fell , my brothers fell and I’m praying my son will be the one to hear this wisdom and take my advise.
    Do not let the addition change what you have. Let your children enhance it and give them the enormous blessing of it. ❤️

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    1. oh Laura, this is so so good, and such beautiful advice. I’m actually forwarding this to Steven to read at his lunch break! THANK YOU for this sage wisdom. You’re right – the example of our love will be one of the greatest gifts — aside from faith — that we can give our child[ren]. This is so important, thank you again!!! sending big big hugs and love xox

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  13. If I can give any advice on childbirth and newbornhood, it’s to not have a rigid plan. Lol Get ready to roll with the punches! I did all the birthing classes and my daughter ended up being breech, and I had to have a c-section in March 2020. I didn’t plan on breastfeeding, my mom wasn’t able to so I assumed I couldn’t either, but ended up nursing and then pumping for a year! Oh, and COVID hit the very month that I delivered and there was a lot of fear and uncertainty around visitors, and therefore didn’t have help outside of my husband and my mom. Not at all what I had pictured!
    Plan on things not working out the way you plan and being okay with that. 😊 Sending you all the luck and good vibes for a smooth delivery!

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    1. Hi Amanda! Thank you so much for this awesome advice! Wow – it sounds like you were definitely thrown some curve balls (( and covid certainly made things difficult )) but gosh, I’m so glad that everything worked out great for you and your beautiful family! I’m literally making postpartum freezer meals as we speak…so if NOTHING ELSE goes as planned, at least I will have some soup for two weeks!! hugs and love to you, friend! xoox

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    2. You’re getting so close Caralyn! Been praying for you. It’s good you’re keeping busy, as that will help with the waiting. Savor the spontaneous dates now, because they will stop for a bit. But also remember the newborn phase does not last forever, and you will develop a new normal! You will also fall in love with one another all over again. I feel my marriage is so much stronger and sweeter since becoming parents!

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      1. Hi Emily! ohhhh, thank you for your prayers! they are so greatly appreciated! i know that the only way I’m going to get through labor is with God! 🙂 yes! we had a spontaneous date last Saturday…we went and got pizza where there was live music, and it was lovely, and while we were there, it started absolutely STORMING and we got back to my parents’ house and the power was out, and so we spent the rest of the night by candlelight, and it was such a precious memory 🙂 and i definitely believe that. I have fallen in love with Steven all over again already! — just by watching him fall in love with our daughter and the way he takes care of me and how he is leading our family with such strength and faith. 🙂 aww, I love that!! thank you for this beautiful encouragement! sending big big hugs! xox

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  15. Oh precious one! I am so excited for you! Rest assured – you will get a beautiful rhythm with your baby and even if baby time seems crazy, rest assured – everything is bonding you as a family – even the crazy stuff! Get lots of rest and remember: There is no RIGHT way to be a mommy – there is ONLY your way woven with God’s way – and that may not look like anyone else! Create your boundaries with online and be sure to let go of comparison or suggestions or ANYTHING beyond your precious crew and GOD! So – take a little break and breathe! Sending so much love from an extra “Gran” ❤️ God Bless YOU!!!

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    1. Hi Laurie, oh this is such great advice, thank you so much!! that’s a great way to look at it: that everything is bonding us as a family! love that 🙂 thank you for this beautiful encouragement and for sharing in the joy with us! Hugs and love xox

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  20. As life goes on remember to find the space to continue those special times together. Your little one needs parents who find tiime to love and cherish each other. From one who was married for 59 years. Peace, Suzanne

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