Little Underwood, Big Harte

Well just like that we are less than one week away from leaving Florida and Zoe is 7 weeks old. In some ways it seems like time has flown and in others it has crawled by. When I think of the move, I know we are doing the best thing for our family and we are genuinely excited, but there is that churning in my stomach every time I imagine the day we actually leave. I'm sure it has to do with transitions and change being hard plus leaving "the know" and our people here along with venturing into the unknown and having to make new people. Plus, there is some nostalgia for here ... the place we went from being a couple to being a family of four. I get choked up but know once the goodbyes are complete and the move is underway that I will be able to look forward more to what is in store.  We get our final FL reinforcements this week. BIL and SIL Mike and Katie arrive later this week to help finish packing, hang with the kids, load the truck and make the road trip with Stefan...

This year Mother's Day meant I was a momma for TWO little souls. Oh the blessings! We have been battling a spring cold and all taking our turn so things weren't too crazy around here. I got a lovely breakfast, not so much in bed given the newborn, lunch out followed by one of our fav dinners...Gulf shrimp (bfast and dinner courtesy of the awesome husband!). I also got some gifts that Gavin got to help pick out! Hilarious! We wanted until later in the day to try for a picture which just resulted in one tired looking mom! Oh well, I'm sharing anyway because with an energetic toddler, a newborn and a cross country move in two.five weeks that's just my reality right now. We also had Stefan's work going away early dinner at the beach and tried to get a family photo by the Gulf. Did not go well. Maybe we can sneak one in still when Mike and Katie are here to help facilitate. Would love a good one before we don't have the chance! Things are getting real and the go...

We enjoyed having Grandma Jo come meet her granddaughter! Thanks for all your help while you were and the freezer stocked of homemade meals (score!). It was especially helpful while I was down for the count with the mastitis. That seems to be on the mend, thankfully, and I'm trying to keep that in check so I don't have a recurrance.  We are now on our own for a couple weeks which will include packing up the rest of the house and saying our goodbyes to friends here (ugh, can't stand that part, even typing it makes me choke up). Then we await Uncle Mike and Aunt Katie arriving at the end of the month to meet Zoe, see all of us and help us finalize our move. We are so blessed with AMAZING  families! M&K will be accompanying Stefan and our belongings all the way to PHX via road trip while I make my way up to MI with the kiddos for a pit stop before PHX (since I won't have a car or anywhere to sleep while its being driven cross country). Without all of our support t...

Welcome Grandma Jo! We are excited to have her here to meet Zoe! And ... are we thankful for the help ... two kids, meals, keeping the house together and yes there is still packing to do...thank goodness for our parents! Zoe is doing well still. She has some fussy periods and mostly her witching HOURS (yes more than one!) are 7-10 p.m. She  tends to overeat and then throws up on us, but we are all adjusting and figuring it out. After that we get a good 3-4 hour chunk without her nursing if Stefan hangs out with her in the living room. He tries to snag some sleep, and I can get some rest before I take her the rest of the night which consists of usually feeding her two more times. Z is about to wake up, so a fairly quick post, but I wanted to share our recent pictures. Check out our latest happenings >>

All is well and we are adjusting to being a family of four (and little sleep again). A huge thank you to mom and dad Harte for all their help while we were at the hospital and when we brought Zoe home. It has been so appreciated to have the extra hands around. We are managing through this week on our own and anxiously awaiting the arrival of Grandma Jo this weekend! Check out lots more pictures below along with several adorable videos of the kiddos! Pictures and videos from Zoe's first and second week>>

Zoe Joelle's Birth Story Born Sunday, April 3 at 12:01 a.m.  7.17 oz, 18.5 inches On Saturday, when I was 39 weeks, I was having some light contractions in the morning but had similar ones Thursday morning so still didn't think she would come that day. At my appointment the Monday before, I was dialted 3 cm but the doctor said that wasn't uncommon for a second pregnancy. My doctor suspected I wouldn't make it to our due date of April 9, so Mom and Dad Harte arrived Wednesday to be around to watch Gavin while we were at the hospital and to help when the baby arrived. Saturday morning we walked around downtown and the Jazz Festival before having lunch. Later, Stefan made a nice dinner and we thought it would be a normal evening. After Gavin was in bed and I had my shower, I sat down to fold some clothes around 8:15 p.m. When I stood up to get the remote control I felt a twinge in my lower abdomen and commented on it, then I noticed my water had broke! The e...

We hope everyone had a great Easter! Although it was rainy we celebrated with an indoor egg hunt on Saturday and church then brunch with friends on Sunday. This was our last weekend just the three of us before Mom and Dad H come down, so we spent time together and did a few final preparations for the baby's arrival. Putting the bucket car seat back in made it feel extra real!  I had an appointment last Wednesday and again this past Monday. Things are moving along! I have been off my medication for Factor V for about five days now, so he/she can come anytime! If the little one doesn't make his/her appearance by early to mid next week, we will likely be scheduling an induction so I'm not off the anti-coagulant for too long. I'll be 39 weeks this Saturday if I hang on that long. Overall feeling pretty great still just a bit fatigued and tired - so I should be used to it when the baby comes, right?! Some photos to leave with you... Easter coloring 37.5 Week...