Small World

One of my friends from sublette just moved to Olathe. Check out where they found a house!

Just one block south of our old house - in that culdesac where Dana and Dustin Pierce lived, across the street from Melissa Nemechek! Our old neighborhood! There was a bus stop right there at the end of their street on our route from Brougham. 

Their boys will go to Blackbob elementary and he is the new pastor at Vista Baptist Church out on K-7. 

Small world? I think so!!

Leaves!

Marc raked up some leaves for Cole to play in over at Al and Shirley's. He wasn't sure what to do at first, but it didn't take long. 

The smell of raked leaves brought back such pleasant memories of my childhood - at our house in Overland Park and on 149th Terr and the Thomason's house on Hays. Lots of leaves!

Happy Fall!

Awaiting HER arrival

From Georgann

Dave and I visited Dana, Marc and Cole in Sublette earlier this month. We witnessed them preparing for Baby Girl Voth's arrival.

I kept Dana company while she sorted through PINK clothes from Julie!

Marc and Dana got Baby Girl's bassinet ready that weekend.  It didn't take long for Cole and his stuffed horse to check it out.  Marc made sure Horse was belted in safely.  

No matter when Baby Girl Voth arrives, she will be welcomed with love from all her family - daddy, momma and big brother!  And her grandma and grandpa and aunts and uncles and cousins!  And so many more people!  We can't wait to meet her.

Baby Kick by Cindy

This afternoon Julie came to pick Elsy up from the day with me. She was sitting on Julie's lap and all of a sudden she yelled "Hey!" And jumped up. She was so surprised the baby kicked hard and she really felt it. It was her first time to feel her brother move. She was so surprised and really excited. It was a joy seeing the expression on her face.

Surprise Baby Shower

The Nitelites community group I'm a part of tacked on a surprise baby shower for me to our monthly meeting. I had no idea! I got lots of gifts and TONS of clothes. They must've been worried that Baby Girl was going to be dressed in little boy hand-me-downs. 

I felt so loved and taken care of and spoiled. What a treat! Now to get those thank you notes written...

Mail Call

Look who Cole got a letter from this week - grandma Ellis! 

He was so excited and loved opening it. He wanted to write her back right away and immediately found a pen he had stashed under one of our chairs. Ha! Fun pen pals!

Playing

I had been feeling lately that it had been a while since Cole and I had just played. I mean we spend a lot of time together and go and do fun things and read together and go on walks and go to the park and go to friends' houses and to grandma and grandpa's house and play in the backyard with the balls and the raquetball rackets or shooting baskets. But sometimes, we can go days without pulling out many of his toys and just playing. 

So, that's what we did this morning.  He's been sleeping in these days with the darker mornings but he was up and at 'em earlier than normal today and Marc was already gone to the farm, so after breakfast (he seems to have fallen in love with cereal just as much as me, by the way!) we just played. We played Legos and with his little sink/kitchen and with his tractors and combine (for the first time I saw him take the combine to the tractor, pull out the auger and fill the tractor with corn - like we've been seeing all harvest season) and did puzzles and listened to music really loud (his doing  - and what does it hurt? I kept reminding myself). 

I resisted the urge multiple times to get him dressed to go on a walk to get started with our day and get the errands that I had on my list knocked out or to check my phone. He was content. He was enjoying himself. Why push a different agenda?

At the end of our time, as I was getting dressed and getting things ready for our walk to do errands, i came back to the living room to find this - all his toys in a line, something I hadn't seen him do before, especially on his own. Fun!

I can feel myself savoring these (last few?) days with him before Baby Girl is born. What a gift! This is such a fun, sweet and sometimes challenging age. Grateful to be his mama!

Pre-Birth-Day Thoughts

Don't know what all I should say, but I feel like I should say something as Baby Girl's arrival is quickly approaching - 2 weeks until our due date. Eek!

After experiencing some excruciating sciatic pain in my back/rear/hip area - so much so that I would limp and hobble and wince when I walked - for nearly 3 weeks, all that is gone. I feel great. Like really great. Like not uncomfortable at all, really. I know it's probably not an indication, but it makes me think that I will go past my due date - like I'm not as far along as we think. 

I am sleeping well. Feel well rested. We still have lots that could be done around the house, but I feel good about where we are. One thing I still need to do is get our bags packed for the hospital and Cole's packed for grandma and grandpa's. 

Probably one of our biggest questions is when to go to the hospital. We have learned that it's good and most comfortable to labor as much at home as you can but we have a 30 min drive to the hospital in Liberal. I'm not worried that we will have a baby in the car (though Marc might be), but I am worried about having a really uncomfortable drive to the hospital or leaving too early and spending too much time in the hospital, where I might not feel as comfortable. Our friends, Anne and Nathan have offered to let us come to their house in Liberal - which we might do. Who knows?!!

Yesterday I got to attend a breastfeeding class in Garden City with the lactation consultant in our area. It was informative and helpful but probably one of the best things is knowing some of the resources available to me if I should have trouble. This woman has a free breastfeeding clinic every Tuesday and Thursday, which sounds great. And, she was very approachable and made it very clear that she wanted us to text/call her and she would respond. 

I'm nervous about how the transition to a family of four will be for Cole (and for all of us). He and I spend lots of time together and that's all getting ready to change. Luckily, Marc will be in his slow time and be available. Lots of quality daddy/son bonding!

What else?

A lot of people have asked if I'm excited. And I am, I think, but I'm also not in a hurry. I know things are going to change - that it's going to be exhausting and chaotic and I'm going to have to make hard decisions about what to let go and how to spend my time and things are going to fall through the cracks - which I hate. But the part I forget so easily is that there's going to be a sweet new addition to our family! A sweet baby girl. A girl! A girl that I can grow old with and gab with and love and enjoy and watch become a mom herself, all Lord willing. 

Last week I went to the hospital to fill out preadmit paperwork. And I had to fill out papers for me AND separate ones for the baby. And it hit me - there's a new person coming into this world THROUGH ME! 

We haven't settled on a name. We have some ideas we like but haven't decided. 

Ready or not, she's a coming! What's she going to be like? What's she going to look like? Won't be long until we get to find out!!

Sublette Homecoming

We got to go to the Sublette homecoming game this Friday. Cole LOVED it! He was a great cheer-er and kept saying "mama, stand up!" when the cheerleaders would start a cheer. He could find and watch the ball and liked seeing them kick and throw. Fun! 

Oh, and we got lots of yummy dinner and snacks and had friends all around us, so we didn't have to worry too much about where our feet and hands were going (though we did manage to drop a ketchup and mustard filled hotdog on the guy in front of us - luckily it was a fellow crop consultant that has young elementary boys). It was a fun night, but we were ready to go home at halftime. 

Glad we got to go. It was fun. They lost, I think. I don't think we have to go back this year. One game a season is enough for us. :)

Harvest

One thing we really wanted to do while mom and dad were here was have them experience harvest. For some reason, although lots of other family has gotten to experience it in the last 7 years, they haven't for one reason or another. 

It ended up working out great! We traveled just a few miles south of sublette to find Travis and his dad cutting corn. Travis let Marc take over the combine, so him and dad took the first ride while mom, Cole and I piled into the tractor with Travis pulling the grain cart. 

Later we switched, and mom and Cole joined Marc on the combine and dad and I took a semi load into town to dump it at the elevator (one of my favorite things to do). 

I'm so glad it worked out! I love that we have access to this kind of stuff. Cole already can recognize and name a combine and tractor and corn and milo. Too cute! Farm boy through and through. 

Preparations

Mom and dad helped out a lot while they were here. We got things crossed off the to do list, which felt so good!

One of the things that was really hanging over my head was organizing and washing all the baby girl clothes - from the shower and hand-me-downs. It just seemed so overwhelming and daunting to do alone. I was so grateful to get this done and put away in the dresser!

Mom started the process of putting together the bassinet for baby girl and stalled out, but Marc was able to finish it in a snap. So glad to have that out and ready. 

Cole doesn't have a baby doll, so he tucked his stuffed horse in for a nap -sang it a song and gave it a goodnight hug. 

Mom and dad kept Cole occupied while we worked. 

Still more to do, but I feel so good having these things done and not hanging over my head. 

Pumpkin Patch

We saved our pumpkin patch excursion for when mom and dad came to visit, and I'm so glad we did. We had a lot of fun! Cole was just the right age to enjoy a lot of the activities and had fun picking out different pumpkins. 

Al and Shirley joined us. 

They had a huge catapult that sent pumpkins flying high into the air! Cole still talks about it. 

Dad trying to "bat the rat" as it slides down the tube. Not as easy as it looks. 

Lots of adults and one kid. Next year we'll have another - she could even be toddling around by then!

Rainy Day

Wednesday was a drizzly day. Cole and Daddy decided to go out and play in the rain before Marc left for work. 

And then Cole and I stayed busy with some rainy day activities - lots of play-doh, Legos and even a special letter written and taken to the mail. 

Wonder who the lucky recipient will be?

Double Stroller

We got to put our double stroller to work yesterday when Isaac and his mom Michelle joined us on our walk to the pizza place for lunch! Cole was a great big brother friend to 7 month Isaac. 

Isaac fell fast asleep on the walk home. 

First of many times in the stroller!

Put to Work

Mom and Dad arrived this evening and I've already put them to work. Along with playing and reading and doing puzzles, I'm hoping that we can get a few "do before baby girl arrives" things knocked off the list. 

After folding my laundry, Mom was happy to help complete one of the tasks - making a stock pile of face wash! Mark it off the list!

So grateful for them!

Work Corn

As Marc has started slowing down at work, Cole has gotten to go with him a lot more. He loves to go "work corn" or "ride combine" decked out in his jeans and cowboy boots. Tonight he tagged along while daddy pulled soil samples. 

He returned to the truck all excited to tell me about a coyote they saw running. Fun!

We joined Michelle and Travis for their harvest meal in the field and Marc and Cole rode the combine while I helped Michelle clean up supper. 

Just another Friday evening in sublette! What a neat place to live and grow up - lots to do and experience. 

Mom and Dad come to visit tomorrow night! We can't wait!

Play Football

Check out this little boy who is all decked out and ready to play football.

 It's a nearly daily occurrence that he declares he's going to play football, scampers into his room and comes out with a "helmet" and pads ready to hit the field. His "down, set, hut, hut, hut hike" is the cutest you'll ever hear.