jude victor linneman

jude victor linneman.
born at 10:53 am on september 25, 2011.
9 pounds and 12 ounces. 21 and 1/2 inches long.



early saturday afternoon, the maybe-this-is-labor contractions of the week prior became oh-this-is-actually-labor contractions. we went to the hospital around 9:30 that night with intense contractions and thoughts of a babe by early-early morn. oh, what have we learned about waiting? little boy's birth was hard. harder than i remembered birth being. jeremy and i had a conversation in the middle of it to that extent: me -- "i forgot this was going to be really hard." jeremy -- "i know. it's hard." after a long night of start and stop posterior-babe labor, shortly after the sun came up on sunday, our little boy, jude, was born. i got to hold him right away. he had angry eyebrows. i'd probably be angry, too. moreso than joseph's birth, i was very surprised to meet a baby at the end of labor.

joseph got to meet him about an hour later. he brought baby kobe, the teddy bear we'd planned for him to give the babe for weeks leading up to his birth, saying, "here you go, jude."

it's been a good week. we were able to come home a little over 24 hours after jude's birth. jeremy's mom came in town last wednesday, and over the past week provided more rest than i ever thought possible to a home of new-again parents, a babe, and a two-year-old. we have been so well taken care of.

joseph has already taught jude how to suck his thumb and how to make tunnels in mama and dada's bed. he also began using "mm-hmm" for yeah, yes, and general enthusiasm about an idea, which is even more adorable when he realizes halfway through that his answer is actually no. "mm-hmm-no. no."

tonight, jeremy celebrated with another new dada and friends. and i was blessed by a beautiful simple joseph in airplane jammies jude sleeping in my arms three stories and joseph singing amazing grace bedtime.

i love these boys so much. all three of them.







welcome, jude.

i was sitting waiting wishing

so, it turns out, we are not having a tuesday hour babe. this week anyway. :)

we are, however, perfecting the art of waiting. it hasn't been easy. i doubt we're going to perfect it; in fact, i know we're not going to. but we've been learning and praying and growing. it's been good and really tough and alright and resulted in take-out dinner last night.

one thing i have perfected, though, is the art of making simply limeade into a delectable slushie consistency. wanna know how? first, freeze place empty glass in freezer for 1-2 hours. second, fill frozen glass 2/3 full with well-shaken limeade and place back in freezer for 1-2 hours. third, take frozen limeade and slush with a fork, attempting but not forcing consistency in size of frozen particles and place in refrigerator. fourth, once the resistance has reached its maximum, remove glass from refrigerator and allow to warm slightly at room temperature. re-slush with fork. enjoy.

i'm enjoying one right now. am i obsessive compulsive? maybe. but it's reallllly good.

off to finally finally finish the crocheted aviator hat. goggles are harder than you'd expect.

happy tuesday, friends!

some photos from the last few days -- posting on sunday, you know, in case we're having a baby on tuesday or something. :)

heaven blew every trumpet and played every horn

the moon stayed up until morning today.

i turned off the light in the kitchen and let joseph stand up on the counter to look out the window at it. clearly, i'm not like other moms; i'm a cool mom. :)

i remember days before joseph was born, there was a full moon coming soon, so i googled "full moon and labor" (in addition to "eating pineapple to induce labor") to find out if there was any truth to that whole thing. and by that whole thing i mean i think around that week somebody had said something about a full moon and more babes being born by way of the gravity and the tide and such. i didn't find any compelling evidence that the full moon was going to help me out, but did you know that there are many people who actually believe that the entire moon landing was staged? now that's somewhat compelling.. for the record, there was actually a huge surge of births the days around joseph's birthday, so much so that we saw a couple from our birth class in labor but in the waiting room.. eeeeh.

have i mentioned that this book is one of my favorites of all books ever? it's true. i love it. aunt sarah gave it to joseph along with the runaway bunny when he was a few months old. i just purchased a copy of on the night you were born to give to elliott as a much-delayed birthday present. i just love it so much. you should read it. and own it. joseph and i have it memorized.

enjoying this could-have-a-babe-any-moment-but-life-as-usual-proceeds season for now. i'm off to complete some projects -- crocheting the goggles for joseph's aviator hat he's been requesting (with each babe hat i completed, he'd respond to my "joseph, guess what i made??" with "jophes hat?") and the pre-babe assembly of birth announcements. excited to put a photo on the front and announce our babe on the inside slash meet/hold/smell/hold/love/look at/hold this baby.



happy tuesday :)

thinking lots about:

- my home. how it feels now and how i can glorify God in the ways i care for it. i am desiring simplicity in so many areas that are right now lacking but potentially could change with a bit more thought on my part. there are lots of little ways that our home's aroma is affected by simply doing one thing instead of another, and i'm on a quest to discover the ways i can move in the direction of more restful, more ahh-i'm-home, more i-don't-constantly-feel-like-i'm-forgetting-something-where-are-my-keys feelings. one area of needed simplifying begins with admitting that i'm terrified of meal-planning. really, i'm terrified of any kind of planning. there i said it. first challenge, right? although, i have a feeling the week or so prior to welcoming newborn babe linneman may not be prime-time for me to take on meal-planning, but in time? what are ways you are simplifying in your home? what are things you really like about your home/routine/rhythm? i'm really interested.

- this babe who's growing and moving and pushing my ribs up-up-up. i can't wait to meet this autumn baby. soon oh soon.

- joseph bourne and how to help him thrive and enjoy and wonder in this stage of life. yesterday we walked around our friends' apartment complex for over an hour and he loved it. more enjoyable fall temperatures could not come at a better time for joseph or mama. and for the coming stages -- i'm thinking about education and what jeremy and i think about it. and what joseph will think about it. and how he'll best learn. and what learning even is. and where i can find a big roll of newsprint paper so that he can have a bit more room for the lightning mcqueen marker creations he's been working on. probably where they print the newspaper; we just have yet to make the trip there.

huh. i thought there were more thoughts, although, the above thoughts have lots of thought-layers to them. i think i think too much. hmm...

pictures instead? :)

the mamas on the bus go up and down

it's been a week of highs and lows, as is life, right? i'll leave out the part about the woman not-so-graciously responding to joseph excitedly pulling a lego-wagon over her mother's feet in the doctor's office waiting room and save room for the pictures of my completed crochet projects at the end. some highlights and lowlights of this week:

- the exciting double stroller we've been desiring for some time is on its way to our home just in time for the new babe and joseph to share. and we got a great deal by ordering it from cotton babies AND saved $21 right before ordering by googling "cotton babies coupon codes." $21 off because of a google search? that's the best. well, technically not like the very best in the entire world, but i do like to think about where that $21 will go instead. toward a moby wrap. :)

- jeremy came home from work early on sunday evening armed with a realsimple and the potatoes i requested for that evening's brisket and mashed potatoes. the man knows the way to his wife's heart.

- this really has nothing to do with anything, but it's kind of fun.. i think this company has stolen my strategic communications heart. their little catalogue with its quirky little "small but still long winded book of why boden is quite good" is adorable. and i like their clothes, too. right now they are significantly adding to a longing for autumn and crispness and a cardigan and oh, that baby i'll have by then and warm coffee early in the morning and such.

- my sweet boy and i have had quite the challenging week. mama's getting more pregnant (or more hormonal and more easily worn-out) and joseph's getting more expressive in moments of frustration (or flailing all limbs in different directions at the same time). so, it's been really hard. this morning was especially challenging, and once we managed to get out of the house to calm things down, i spent the walk praying and reflecting on what we're doing and how and why and what i should do in future moments of extreme challenge (or moments of feeling like i should just get under the covers and hope it all goes away). parenting is hard. i think i knew that. i'm just knowing it a lot more right now. anyone else?

- potty training is still going well. going number 2, however, is not. i think we'll figure it out sooner or later. until then, there is some major resistance and awkward how do i help you not to be afraid of this and how are you, me, and this pregnant belly all going to fit in this bathroom while we try to figure it out? moments. nevertheless, joseph's pretty cute when he washes his hands, isn't he?



- recently added to my books to read list: give them grace, radical homemakers, and the well-trained mind. what's on your list?

- i think i gave myself carpal tunnel syndrome (oops) by way of incessant crocheting. but here are the finished hats. i discovered that "repetitive wrist movement" can make this common pregnancy condition worse, but i couldn't bring myself to stop before finishing this sweet little newsboy cap for a baby girl. ah well, i'll just have to deal with a tingly right hand for a bit.



yep, there have been lots of up and down moments this week. i found sweet hope in these words yesterday morning: "but this i call to mind, and therefore i have hope: the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to and end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'the Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore i will hope in him.' (lamentations 3:21-24)

i hope your weeks have been good (at the same time as possibly up and down as well). until next tuesday, friends. :)

a big weekend.. here are some glimpses:


[watching the lawn mowers across the street. in thomas underwear and double-layered winter hats.]


[sweet jeremy brought these home for me -- five year anniversary/thanks for letting me go pick up dinner and wander around whole foods after the 9-3 potty-training shift on my day off flowers.]


[yep. celebratory cupcakes. with lime frosting.]

we spent our weekend on a 3-day potty training adventure. today is day 4, and not only did sweet boy wear big-boy underwear to the library and keep them dry, he climbed the big historic steps to the front doors (something i pictured happening around, oh, four years old, probably with vibrantly colored autumn leaves blustering about and a look of long-awaited accomplishment on joseph's face) all by himself. the kid's a big boy. (sigh.) (happy sigh.)

how was your weekend?