29 Weeks, 6 Days

Dear Baby Batts,

What a fun weekend! Let's recap:

Friday: Annual Fish Fry at FLBC! Our church always fries up a big batch of halibut to ring in the summer, so we all went to that tonight. In the past, I've been told that I can't have halibut while pregnant (so sad - it's my favorite!). But I recently read where I could! So you better believe I ate some halibut! They had a silent auction to fundraise for summer missions, too, and we bid on a couple things... but didn't win. Memaw and Papa won us a pretty painted gold pan though! We were in bed early.

Saturday: We had a quiet morning, then Ruth and I met Hannah and Addy at Starbucks in Eagle River to chat. We had a fun time together! Saturday night, Daddy and I had a Sunday School party to attend. We had a progressive dinner and scavenger hunt.

Sunday: After church and lunch, we had a low-key afternoon at home. I was grumpy (which is silly) and it took me a little bit to get over that. But when I did, it was good! We went grocery shopping then daddy treated us to a Millers Ice Cream! Daddy and I got vanilla cones, dipped in chocolate, and Ruth ate a kid's vanilla cone, too. It. Was. Delicious. Little Millers always signifies the start of summer (we like going there with Pastor Tom and Ms. Linda). So overall, this was a great "summer" weekend!

Tomorrow you are 30 weeks. Aack! Can't wait to see your face and give you all the kisses.

XOXO,
Mama

29 Weeks, 3 Days

Dear Baby Batts #2,

We had such a fun evening tonight!

Memaw, Papa, Pastor Tom, and Ms. Linda all came over for dinner and s'mores! It rained a little bit, but not enough to dampen our spirits as we hung out together in fellowship over good food and a warm bonfire.

We told them about how, the other day, I called you "Clara Boo" then laughed because it reminded me of a caribou. Everyone laughed and then, as Pastor Tom was praying with us all before they left, he prayed for you be name... "Clara Boo."

Oh baby girl, we all love you so much. Today at work, you were so wiggly that I could look down and see my tummy moving in reaction to your kicks and squirms. Soon you'll be wiggling on the outside and we can't wait to cuddle you.

We love you, Clara Boo!

Love,
Mama

29 Weeks

Dear Baby Batts #2,

29 weeks and our last wake-up in Hawaii. This week, you may be able to smile (awww - that makes me sooo happy!!!). I haven't felt you hiccup, but that's a possibility, too. And within the next 11 weeks, your weight could double or even triple! Hopefully mama's doesn't though! You weigh about 2.5 to 3 lbs and are about 16 inches long.

We finished packing this morning, then walked down for our final Hawaiian coffees. We drank them while walking along the beach and out onto the pier. A homeless man hugged daddy and told him he loved him (funny and awkward - your poor daddy). We made our way back to the apartment and were ready to go... well ahead of schedule!

We decided to load up and take a drive!

So we drove up the shore to the west-side of the island, where we hadn't been before, and found a little town called Nanakuli. We pulled off the road and there, right on the beach, were little tide pools! We saw some crabs, some little fish, and cool pieces of coral. We had a great time exploring.

Then, back to the car, a quick stop for cold drinks at McDonalds, and on to Honolulu again. We decided we could live in a town like Nanakuli: mountains on one side, beach on the other, smaller community, nice weather... and we even talked about what kinds of jobs we could get there!

We filled up the car with gas, dropped it off, and checked in at the airport. Phew. What a fun last-minute adventure we had! Now, time to fly home. We have a layover in Seattle and will get into Anchorage at about 2:00am. I'm already exhausted!

Keep wiggling, little girl. And grow, grow, grow! We'll see you in about 11 weeks. We love you!

Love,
Mama

28 Weeks, 6 Days

Dear Baby Batts #2,

Today is our last full day in Hawaii. Sad! How did time go so quickly?!

We started out with church this morning at Waikiki Baptist, then a nap and lunch at the apartment. Then... beach time! We spent a couple hours playing in the water again, walking in the sand, and just hanging out. It was so nice and low-key and we were able to just relax! We got cookies afterward... yay!

I got a little sunburn on my neck yesterday from the beach and zoo, so I really lathered on the sun screen today. I typically go from white to red, but your daddy tans nicely. It seems like Ruth will tan, too, so it will be fun to see what your skin does!

We had decided a couple days ago to get some sushi for dinner tonight. So daddy found a place online (Hawaii Sushi, right across from South Shore Grill) and we walked over there. We got three or four rolls to share, plus a kid's order for Ruth. She ate a couple pieces and we devoured the rest!

We walked back down to the street next to the beach and bought souvenirs: chocolate covered macadamia nuts, Christmas ornaments, and a lei for Ruth.

We stayed on the beach long enough to watch the sunset. It was lovely and relaxing.

Time to pack and get things ready to fly out tomorrow... we have to head to the airport no later than 10:00am. And I like to get things packed the night before, if possible, so after Ruth is in bed, we'll work on that.

Vacations always come to an end, Clara... sometimes it's just sooner than we want!

Love,
Mama

28 Weeks, 5 Days

Dear Baby Batts #2,

Today we went to the zoo! But of course, we started with some coffee from Starbucks. This has been our little tradition - get coffee, then carry on with the day.

The zoo was fun: we especially liked the giraffes (mama's favorite - I saw them wild in Africa one time!), the African wild dogs, and the elephants. Today was Earth Day, so there were some vendors set up on the zoo lawn, so we walked through and looked at their wares, too. It was such a beautiful day, and we were worried about sun burns, so we went home to rest and eat lunch right after we were done walking through.

After lunch and a nap, we headed to the beach. And this time, we played in the water! It was fairly warm, which was nice, and we just walked out some, let Ruth "swim" between us, looked at shells, and relaxed on the sand. When we bought our beach towels, daddy picked out four - one for each of us... including YOU! I might put everyone's name on their towel.

We took a long way back to our apartment, just window shopping, and I'm so glad we did because we stumbled upon a Farmer's Market! We all had a hankering for some cookies, but instead, we found some malasadas (a donut type thing filled with fruit) and we munched on those. We decided to go get cleaned up and walk back for dinner.

So we did! We ended up eating lots of fruit, meat on a stick, spring rolls, and some Mexican-style jambalaya stuff. It was all so good. Because the Famer's Market was right in the middle of a shopping district, we looked around there, too.

I think what we love most about this vacation is that it's just the three (four!) of us to consider. We can do what we think will be fun without worrying about someone else's agenda. In fact, we've enjoyed it so much that daddy and I talked about planning a vacation like this every year. Sometimes it may be to places like Hawaii or Disneyland, sometimes it may be to places like Ireland or Iceland... but sometimes, it may be juts down to Seward or Juneau. The point is, we want you girls to grow up with memories of our family vacations, doing fun low-key things like this: daddy and I each pushing our little girls in umbrella strollers as we navigate a new town together.

Adventure is out there, little Clara. Let's go find it!

Love,
Mama

28 Weeks, 4 Days

Dear Baby Batts #2,

Good morning, Hawaii! Today was rainy, so we headed up to the North Shore. We drove all along the east coast of the island (after getting coffee, of course!) before stopping at Turtle Bay. We walked out to the public beach where we had it all to ourselves most of the time!

The waves were HUGE!! There was lots of exposed coral and sand, so we played on it and in the waves, being sure to dodge the really big ones... well, all but one! It came crashing up out of nowhere and we all got soaked! On our way back to the rental car (a Jeep Renegade), it started pouring down rain, too! Yikes! We bought a few souvenirs (a book for Ruth and playing cards for daddy), made a picnic lunch in the car, and drove to Haleiwa (drying out the whole way).

In Halewai, we parked and walked down their main street, looking in all the fun shops. Daddy and I love to do that - just window shop in small towns, stopping for coffee and enjoying. So that's what we did! We found a coffee place and daddy got coffee, but I got a smoothie. Ruth ended up drinking 1/3 of it because she liked it so much, too! Before we got back to the car, it started pouring down rain there, too! So of course, we got soaked again. Even though it was raining, it was still so nice and warm outside. I like that. On our way out of town, we stopped at a ukulele store. We didn't get one, but I think daddy would have if we could! I pray you grow up loving music as much as he does. I bought a bracelet in this town, and we got two little bags of coffee for Papa Larry and Aunt Mandy.

Next stop: Green World Farms, a coffee plantation in the middle of the island! We got free samples, bought a bag to take home, and AGAIN, got soaked when it was time to leave! We couldn't believe how rainy it was on the island today!

I can't wait until you and Ruth are old enough to play together in the backseat - on our drive back to Honolulu, she was being so fun and silly and it will be a huge blessing to look back and see TWO little girls sitting and laughing (and sometimes screaming) together.

We parked back at our apartment and walked to dinner at the South Shore Grill... and it is my FAVORITE meal the whole trip so far! I had a shrimp burrito (sooo good) and I think you really liked it, too, because you were so wiggly tonight! As daddy and I laid in bed, you were just kicking and dancing all over the place!

On the agenda for tomorrow: the zoo!

Love,
Mama

28 Weeks, 3 Days

Dear Baby Batts #2,

After travelling all afternoon yesterday, driving a rental car in a new town, and settling into our Air BNB apartment, we are in HAWAII!! Daddy, Ruthie, and I are here until April 24th with no big plans except to relax.

So today we grocery shopped, got caught in the rain, drank coffee from Starbucks, went to the beach, and ate at Rainbow Drive In for dinner. Their burgers were delicious! Even Ruthie ate almost her whole meal.

We are already having the best time and Daddy and I are already dreaming about a trip back here in January 2019 for our 5-year anniversary. Of course, we want to come again with all of you children, too. :)

Here's to hoping the next few days are relaxing and fun!

Love,
Mama

28 Weeks, 1 Day

Dear Baby Batts #2,

We heard your little heartbeat today! It sounded strong and healthy at about 132 BPM. You have been active and seem to be growing well. While I wish we had more ultrasounds during this pregnancy, it will be SO fun to see your little face when you are born.

I made the rest of my prenatal appointments today, too! For the next month or so, I'll go to the doctor every other week... then, starting in mid-June, I'll go every week. I can't believe we're this close to the end! It's almost time to meet you, Clara Boo!

We love you. Keep growing and getting strong.

Love,
Mama

28 Weeks

Dear Baby Batts #2,

7 months! You are the size of that head of cauliflower we usually have in our fridge: about 16 inches long and 2.5 lbs. You should be getting into the proper position for childbirth (and in fact, Ms. Ashley at my work today told me that it looked like you were lower than usual!). You may be dreaming during your naptimes (which don't seem to be very often... you sure kicked and squirmed a LOT today!). You can blink, stick your tongue out, hiccup, and improved sucking and breathing. Grow, Clara, grow!!

We made some more progress in your room this weekend: we hung curtains, discussed rugs, bought hangers for your clothes, and made sure the hanging shelf in your closet was secure. Memaw and Papa may move in with us soon, so we can't really do much else in there yet... there needs to be room for their air mattress on the floor. But we are getting closer and - with just 2 and a half months left to go - it's a good thing we are!

This week, we head to Hawaii for a few days of vacation. Can't wait to go and relax on the beach, hike a little bit, explore the zoo, and more. We are considering a trip to Oregon this fall, when you can come with us, then we'll all head to Ghana, Africa in December.

Daddy and I went on a date tonight - we had dinner at Red Robin, walked around Sportsman's Warehouse, then got milkshakes and drove home. Memaw and Papa babysat, but Ruthie still wasn't asleep in her bed (that stinker!) so we tried (for an hour!) to get her to sleep. No luck. Finally, we let her back out of bed and she ran around playing for about an hour. We re-did her bedtime routine, settled her in bed, and she was out like a light. Then Daddy and I just worked on packing for our trip, then went to bed.

We love you, littlest one. Can't wait to meet you on the outside in just 12 more weeks (ish).

Love,
Mama

27 Weeks, 6 Days

Dear Baby Batts #2,

SUNDAY! Resurrection Day!! Easter!!!

Christ is risen from the grave, trampling over death by death. Come awake! Come awake! Come and rise up from the grave! Oh, death, where is your sting?! Oh, hell, where is your victory?! (Matt Maher, Christ is Risen)

He's alive! He's alive!

Satan was not the winner.

Christ, the slain but resurrected One, is the Savior of the World. He is and was and is to come.

Hallelujah.

Love,
Mama

PS - Today consisted of:

• Easter baskets
• Church
• Potluck lunch
• Easter egg hunt
• Naps and long talks
• Our first fire pit dinner of the year

We. Are. Blessed.

27 Weeks, 4 Days

Dear Baby Batts #2,

Today is Good Friday. Today we remember the Lord's sacrifice on the cross, His suffering and death so that our sins may be forgiven. We attended a Good Friday service at FLBC tonight, where we heard Jesus's seven last phrases from the cross, took communion, and engaged in worship.

On the drive home, daddy and I started talking about the chaos that would have ensued when He died:

• Total darkness for three hours in the middle of the day
• An earthquake in Jerusalem

But most surprising...

• The curtain in the temple tearing in two.

It was Passover, which means there were more people than normal in Jerusalem. Animals would have been wandering all over the temple, waiting for their turn as the sacrifice. Priests would have been "all hands on deck" managing the crowds, sacrificing animals, ensuring things were done correctly and honoring to the Lord...

When all of a sudden, they start to hear a "riiiiiip" and the curtain (six feet wide of material!) begins to come apart and fall to the ground. Riiiiiip. The Holiest of Holies is exposed for everyone to see. Riiiiiip. Priests, men, women... anyone around had a visual into the room reserved for once-a-year entrance to the High Priest only. Riiiiiip. Everything had changed. Riiiiiip.

Christ came to us, born as a baby, so that we could be reconciled to the Most High God. So that we could access that Holiest of Holies where entrance had previously been denied to all. And on Good Friday, that purpose was fulfilled.

Christ was dead. The curtain was torn. And Sunday was coming.

Love,

Mama

27 Weeks, 2 Days

Dear Baby Batts #2,

Family Date Night tonight! We packed a picnic dinner (chicken salad sandwiches, string cheese, chips, and fruit), drove to Wonderland Park, and spent a sunshine-filled spring evening playing with bubbles, sitting in the grass, swinging, and walking around the park.

Being outside in the sunshine was so nice. I'm ready for spring to be in full-bloom and it almost feels like we're there! It was a nice lead-in to our Hawaiian vacation next week, too: a practice evening, if you will, of soaking up the sun!

Soon we'll have you here on the outside, running around and playing with Ruth, cuddling with me and daddy, and learning all about this beautiful world we have.

But don't come yet! You need to keep growing strong and healthy (and mama's knees need to heal so I can get on the ground and change your diapers!). Keep it up, little one.

XOXO,
Mama

27 Weeks, 1 Day

Dear Baby Batts #2,

While daddy was at class tonight, after Ruthie was in bed, I watched a documentary about how babies develop while in utero... and when it finally got to about 27 weeks, I was so so excited. It's like I was seeing how you are growing RIGHT NOW!

When daddy got home, I talked his ear off about the development you're experiencing, what your little body has already gone through, and what's coming up for you. And to say that we are both looking forward to your arrival is an understatement!

I also called you "Clara Boo" the other day, then laughed because it made me think of Caribou. Who knows?! Maybe that will be your little nickname. We call Ruth "Ruthie Bug" sometimes and you may be our little "Clara Boo."

Love,
Mama

27 Weeks

Dear Baby Batts #2,

You are okay. I am okay. Praise the Lord.

I was walking down the hallway at work today, thinking about your room and looking around when, all of a sudden, I tripped and fell (hard!) on my hands and knees. I got terrible rug burns on my knees and an ankle and was pretty shaken up. I went back to my desk, told daddy what happened, then ate some lunch to see if I could feel you moving around. I could, but just a little. I called my mid wife's clinic and they told me to go to the OB at the hospital. I called daddy and he decided to drop Ruth off at Memaw and Papa's house then meet me there.

We arrived at the OB, they checked us in, and guess who was there?! Ms. Donna, our midwife! The Lord is so good, even in that.

For the next 4 and a half hours, they monitored your heartbeat and checked me for contractions. To be honest, they had a hard time finding your heartbeat because you kept kicking and pushing the monitor away! The nurse would get it positioned just so and you would kick it and move... over and over and over again! I was laughing - I knew then that you were okay.

Donna ordered lunch and dinner for me, so we ate some food while we waited. I napped a little. Daddy and I chatted. And finally, about 6 hours after I fell, we were given the all-clear: Your heartrate was steady in the 140s, I wasn't having any contractions, and things looked fine (other than my banged-up legs).

So, at 27 weeks now, you are continuing to grow (about 2 lbs and over 14 inches long), your eyes are opening, you're developing some muscle tone from all the workouts you're doing in my tummy, you can hear me when I talk now, even though it is a little muffled for you, and you could even get hiccups now!

We are now entering the third trimester and on the home stretch. Hooray! Just about 13 more weeks (eek!!) and you'll be here.

All our love,
Mama

26 Weeks, 6 Days

Dear Baby Batts #2,

Well, today did NOT go as planned! That seems to be par for the course lately around our house!

We got up, got ready for church, and even left on time... but when we were about 5 minutes away from FLBC, Ruth got sick in the back seat and threw up five or six times! We turned right around, went home, got her cleaned up, then we all rested a little bit. I think the weekend was just too much for your big sister!

We spent the day at home, cleaning things up, playing outside in the yard, working in your bedroom and the garage, and just relaxing. Daddy went to a meeting at FLBC and brought home pizza for dinner. It turned out to be exactly what we needed, apart from Ruth getting sick. We were able to just reconnect as a family.

Clara, daddy and I are realizing more and more how much we need that simple family time: playing outside in the spring sunshine, watching movies in the living room, eating pizza... we need that so that our family unit is strong and healthy.

We can't wait to have you on the outside to enjoy these days with us!

Love,
Mama

26 Weeks, 5 Days

Dear Baby Batts #2,

Good gravy, we are exhausted! It was a long, tiring, and fun weekend at the Celebration! My portions went well, we went shopping (hello, new dress, 2 shirts, and shorts!), ate dinner at Olive Garden, attended breakout sessions, and tried to sleep... some times the sleep went well and sometimes it didn't!

Now, it's good to be home with daddy, relaxing and getting ready for the week. Tonight, we went to Value Village and found daddy some new pants. Tomorrow is church and then the week starts all over again.

We love you, little Clara!

Love,
Mama

26 Weeks, 3 Days

Dear Baby Batts #2,

I took today off work to hang out with your handsome daddy and sweet big sister. This afternoon, Ruth and I are going into Anchorage for the Women on Mission Celebration and daddy is stay home for some much-needed alone time.

I'm looking forward to being with some of my WMU friends, leading a breakout session, presiding over a meeting, and generally spending a good time with Memaw and Gma Linda! I think you and I are sleeping on the pull-out bed in the hotel room... so hopefully it's comfy for us!

Love you lots,
Mama

26 Weeks

Dear Baby Batts #2,

26 weeks! We are almost in the third trimester. You now weigh about 2 pounds and are 14 inches long. Your fingernails have grown and your eyes are beginning to open. You can hear and respond to noises, tastes in the amniotic fluid, and light shining on my tummy. Speaking of tastes, you were active after our Mexican dinner last night! You must like chips and salsa like we do.

It took me a while to fall asleep last night. I had a lot on my mind that was making me feel all worked up. Finally, I relaxed enough to drift off, but I didn’t really feel rested today.

Tonight, I think daddy and I are going to work on the garage some more. This will be a busy week: he has class tomorrow, a missions committee meeting on Wednesday, I have a School Board meeting to watch on Wednesday, then Thursday through Friday I will be in Anchorage at a missions conference. The Lord is our strength.

Keep growing, little Clara – we will see you in about 14 weeks!

Love,

Mama

25 Weeks, 6 Days

Dear Baby Batts #2,

I’m officially in the Nesting phase! We spent a large chunk of the afternoon working on organizing the garage – a much-needed activity, since we have recently inherited so many treasures from well-meaning people. Unfortunately, many of the “treasures” are things we don’t really need (or, to be honest, want).

So we made piles, we threw away, we packed for thrift stores, we organized, we purged, and we started all over again! Daddy and Ruth are taking a load to the dump and another load to the thrift store. Then this week, we will work on organizing what remains into its proper place inside the house.

It’s amazing that in about 3 ½ months, you’ll be in our little family, too (on the outside). We have lots of work to do before then, but I’m so excited!

Love,

Mama

25 Weeks, 5 Days

Dear Baby Batts #2,

What a day! Things did NOT go as planned and, unfortunately, we were all a little snippy with one another. I hate days like that! However, after a much-needed family dessert date to DQ, we ate dinner at home and nestled in for a relaxing night.

Life is full of ups and downs… but what matters most is living with forgiveness, intentionality, and love.

Love,

Mama