15 1/2 more hours!

Well, our "Littlefoot" is making no attempt to enter this world on his own yet, so we're going to "encourage" him along tomorrow morning. I am going in to be induced tomorrow morning, New Year's Eve, Dec. 31st, at 7:00 AM. Please pray that the roads will be clear for us to travel to T.C. tomorrow morning, as we're supposed to get some more snow tonight. I am also asking for prayer for the induction, labor and delivery tomorrow. I had to be induced with Ethan, and it took about 16 hours for him to come, with almost 3 hours of pushing! I am just HOPING and PRAYING that this one comes faster and easier. I am praying for safe delivery for the baby mainly, but also that I would be able to deliver without separating my pelvic bone again. That was VERY painful with Ethan. So, I'm trying not to think about all of the negative things that happened, but looking forward to seeing that beautiful shining face who's been hiding inside me for 10 months! We're SO excited to see how he'll look the same and yet different from Ethan too. :-) Thank you so much for everyone who has expressed your interest, encouragement through thoughts and prayers. I really appreciate it! Hopefully, by this time tomorrow we'll have good news to share with everyone, including his name?!? ;-) And, NO, I don't want to wait to have him, that "by chance" he'll be the first baby born of the New Year! Thank you, Lord Jesus, for this added miracle and blessing to our family! We just can't wait to meet him!

P.S. Nana & Papa are coming up tonight to stay with Ethan for the few days we are at the hospital, and through Sunday. You can pray for them with Ethan too. :-) (He should do just fine.)

Surprise Guests...

This morning my Mom called and asked if I was up for visitors today. I said, "Sure!" We're not doing anything else... just waiting for a baby to come. She and my dad drove up for a visit today. It was a nice surprise and a welcomed visit. Since I knew they were coming, I decided I would make the cherry pie that I've been telling Bart for the last couple of days that I was going to make him, that way they can help us eat it.

Here's our Christmas Cherry Pie, homemade, of course!
Ethan and "Pappa," his buddy!
Ethan got to open his last gift from us (which Mom picked up for me). We also got to open our gifts from the Haase & Fogle extended family Christmases.
Ethan, trying to "fix" his farm set with Daddy's screw-driver. (Yikes, he had it for about 10 seconds before we took it away, don't worry!)
Smiling sweetly for a picture with his new farm, which he LOVES!
Daddy & Ethan in their matching blue/gold Rugby shirts.
Thanks so much for coming today, Dad & Mom! It was nice to see you guys. Ethan loved playing with Grandma & Grandpa "Momma & Pappa". :-) Thanks for bringing us the gifts and food also. See you in a few days, this time I'll have a smaller belly. :-)

Merry Christmas!

Here we are, Christmas Morning, still waiting for our little one to arrive, so we're celebrating Christmas Day at home, alone for the first time in 30+ years. :-)

Mommy & Ethan in front of our Christmas tree.

Christmas morning breakfast: homemade cinnamon rolls with homemade cream cheese frosting.
After breakfast, Daddy read the Christmas story from Ethan's Christmas book.
Waiting patiently to open his presents, such a cute boy!Our little "elf" passing out the presents from Grandma & Grandpa Haase.
"I'm gonna' wrap up myself for Christmas...'cause that's what I'm giving to Jesus, it's a present he'll like I know."
Family photo, Christmas morning.

Our sweet boy, Christmas morning.

Christmas Eve....

Normally, we spend Christmas Eve at Bart's parents' house, but this year, since we're waiting for our little blessing to arrive, we are spending Christmas at home. Bart's family had considered coming up and spending the afternoon at our house, but had to cancel due to the snowy weather. :-( So we had our first Christmas at home alone this year. Here was our Christmas Eve dinner that I made: Sliced Ham with homemade pineapple sauce, baked potato salad, candied yams, homemade french bread, and applesauce Jell-o salad. It was very yummy!

Following dinner, we opened our stockings from Grandpa & Grandma Haase.Ethan got some new socks, a couple of books, a car, a couple of toothbrushes, a coloring book and some crayons. Here he is saying, "Thank you" in Sign Language to Gma & Gpa for his gifts.
Reading one of his new books with Daddy.Then we let Ethan open a couple of the gifts we got for him. One of them was a "bathketball" set to use in the bathtub. He also got a Bullfrogs & Butterflies CD set (with DVD) and a Veggie Tales Video. (He has one more gift coming from us, but it is at my Mom's house. She's bringing it when the baby comes.)
Here Ethan is putting his clothes in his new basketball hamper, getting ready for bath time. He's such a good helper!

Playing with his "bathketball" set during bath time.

Finally, I made homemade cinnamon rolls in the evening, put them in the refrigerator overnight so they would be ready to bake for Christmas morning.

Christmas Morning...

Here is a short video clip of Ethan opening his presents from Grandma & Grandpa Haase on Christmas Morning.

Almost 40 weeks and .... breaking chairs?!

Well, we are down to almost 1 more day until our due date. No signs that our "Littlefoot" is coming any time soon. But we're hoping he changes his mind and comes SOON!

The "baby" pose.
"Ethan, where's Mommy's baby?" "Ba-by," he says, as he pats my tummy.

Last night we had quite a laugh. I was sitting on the dining room chair, at the kitchen counter chatting on Facebook with a couple of our teens, when all of a sudden there was a crack and I found myself sitting flat on the floor. All four legs of our dining room chair broke right off the chair! So, it must be time to have this baby, if I'm breaking chairs!! Bart and Ethan had just come out from playing in Ethan's room. Bart of course grabbed my arm and asked if I was okay, which I was just fine, but Ethan cried. I think it scared him more than any of us. Then he just kept saying, "Uh-oh, Uh-oh!" Finally he decided that a legless chair was kind of cool, because it was just his size, so he sat on it on the floor.

So here he is - sitting on our legless dining room chair, in front of our Christmas tree. Today we left to go grocery shopping and he saw the broken chair in the garage, to which he immediately said, "Uh-oh!" So he remembered! These were nice oak chairs that we bought with our dining room table brand new 11 1/2 years ago - just before we were married.

So, I guess this baby better come soon, before I break some more chairs! :-(

My Big Helper....

Ethan is my big helper! Whenever he sees a couple of needles from our Christmas tree on the floor (which is daily), he runs to the closet and pulls out the broom or the Swiffer. He has to help sweep the floor. When I take the broom to actually sweep the needles and other things up, he says "Dee-Dee". (That means "Ethan".) So I say, "Does Ethan want to do it?" He says, "Yes." This is a highlight of his day. I put a Swiffer cloth on it and let him run, why wouldn't I? :-) He cries when I make him put them away though. So if anyone is looking for a "maid" Ethan may be up for hire here shortly. ;-) (Just kidding)

Nesting, distraction or productivity?

Can you smell this fresh baked bread that I just took out of the oven? I just made homemade french bread for Christmas Eve (that I will put in the freezer). I am hoping to make some more strawberry jam this afternoon/evening also. Call it "nesting," or is it just a distraction, or could it be plain productivity. Probably all 3. Six more days and ready to go!

20 months old already!

It is hard to believe that it was 20 months ago, that Ethan entered this world! (It is even harder to believe that we're ready to welcome another little one into this world.) But this is about Ethan... He continues to grow and learn daily. He always surprises us with something that he has learned (quite quickly). He is finally beginning to say some more words, including: "NO" (which means No - he learned this one at Thanksgiving - must be from his cousins), "No" (also means snow), "More" (although since "NO" came into the vocabulary, we've temporarily lost the M sound apparantly), "Pop" (means soda pop, or Kellogg's Corn Pops), "Yes" (we're thankful "No" does not mean NO & YES), "Bye, bye" & "Bye," "Hi," "Off," "Boo" (means "boots"), "Pow" (like the "handshake" which Uncle Chadd taught him) along with the already "Momma," "Dadda," "Nana" (which means Nana Glupker & banana), "Papa," etc. His understanding though is even greater than his vocabulary at this point. He knows SO much! He can point out all of our family members by name in pictures, MOST animals in his books (including odd ones, like the Kookabura, and Cockatoo, etc.) & knows many animals sounds, and he is working on picking out his colors, especially "Boo" (blue). Most of the time he understands what we're saying, you can tell. He picks tiny specs off the floor and throws them in the trash. He's my little helper, and puts his toys and books away...and that's just the beginning! He's so smart!

Reading books inside Mommy's laundry basket. Doesn't look too comfy, but he likes it.

This has become an after dinner "ritual". Spencer usually lays on the floor right underneath us while we're eating. When either Bart or I get up and clean up Ethan, he usually hops right down next to Spencer. Spencer stays still for a second, until Ethan gets too close, or sits on him. It is kind-of cute though.

Spencer's ready for Christmas...

Spencer was groomed again today at "Dancin' with Woofs" in Cadillac. Boy was he ever shaggy! Now he is all nice and pretty, and a lot less shaggy/hairy for when the baby comes home.

What a cute dog!

38 weeks and ready to POP!

Here it is....the BELLY shot. I am 38 weeks along now and ready to go anytime! The doctor said the baby is in position, head down and that I can go anytime. So, hopefully this baby will choose to come out sooner than later. Although, Bart did say this morning, that he wants me to wait a few days, since we're getting DUMPED on with snow again. Getting to the hospital today would be rather treacherous! Baby has stretched Mommy out quite far this time.
Bart's comment last night was, "That is one big belly!" (You can see the reaction he got for saying that.) It is true though, and I'm feeling it!

Christmas Season...

Well, it's definitely getting to be that time of the year...one of my favorite seasons ... Christmas! First of all, we must remember that "Jesus is THE Reason for the Season." I was reminded this Sunday in our Morning Service that though we tend to think of Christmas as a time with family (as much as I love that part of Christmas), it really isn't even about that. I've been so looking forward to the birth of our new son this Christmas, but I keep thinking I hope he comes early or I hope he comes now... so we can see our family for Christmas. The reality is that Mary & Joseph were not home with their families for Christmas, but rather in a stable by themselves, welcoming the Lord Jesus into the World! What a great reminder, that we need to stop what we're doing and remember that God himself, entered the World in the form of a baby boy! May we all slow down this Christmas season, and remember the True Reason for Christmas, that Immanuel came down from heaven for the sole purpose of glorifying God and to save His people from our sins! Merry Christmas to you all!

Of course, here are some Ethan pics in front of our Christmas tree.

" Say Mommy Ethan." (Be careful what you ask for, huh? Little ham...)

Ethan checking out our Christmas tree.

That is Mommy & Daddy's ornament.

That one is Ethan's ornament from Nana & Papa.

Diapers, diapers, and more diapers...

You can see how far behind I am on my recycling. Look at the pile of empty diaper boxes in our garage! And these are just for Ethan, I haven't begun to buy diapers for "Littlefoot" yet. I will have to buy some soon! (Anyone need any empty boxes before they go to be recycled? Feel free to come and get them!)

Thanksgiving with Family...

We had an extended vacation for Thanksgiving. We spent Wednesday afternoon - Saturday morning in Grand Rapids with our families for Thanksgiving. We enjoyed these several days visiting with them, especially since we won't be able to travel for Christmas this year (unless baby decides to come early.) We spent Wed. & Thursdays at Bart's parents' home. Thanksgiving Day there were about 25 family members in attendance.

All 6 of the Glupker cousins together: Hayden, Taylor, Hayley, Hudson, Emily and Ethan (with 2 more in utero, not showing).

Visiting with the family...

Enjoying plenty of delicious food

Enjoying time with family... reading books of course.

Emily & Ethan deep in conversation. ;-)

Then Friday we went to my parent's home, where as tradition goes, we put up Mom's Christmas tree. (She likes to do it when Bart is around, since he's tall enough to be able to reach up high.) Bart put the tree up and the kids helped decorate the tree.

Bart & Jeremy putting the tinsel on Mom's tree.
Kaitlyn, Ethan & Jeremy helping with the tinsel.

Solomon helping Grandma put the ornaments on the tree.

Time with family always includes food and snacks. YUM!

All 6 of the Haase cousins together: Ellie, Solomon, Kaitlyn, Caleb, Jeremy & Ethan - not including our "Littlefoot" of course.

The cousins playing together, building a tower with Ethan's stacking cups.

Ethan's favorite part of being at Grandma's was probably listening to her clock. It spins open, lights up and sings music (Christmas music now). Every time it went off, Ethan came running to watch, listen and dance to it.

"Is it time to go home yet?" (Really he was just intently watching the garbage truck outside, but it was a cute shot.) We were all ready to get back home.

Saturday morning, before we left, we went back up to the hospital again to visit Grandma Hall. She was doing okay, but not great. We knew she would not be around much longer, but probably didn't think it would be the last time we would see her. She passed away the next morning, early Sunday. She lived to be 101 and is no longer suffering though. We are very happy for her, but will miss her greatly! We love you Grandma!