Little Declan boy is just days away! I am 10 days to my due date but my belly is showing it could be 10 hours. Declan dropped last week so it’s been most likely over 9 days since then and my midwife told me that most babies come out 7-9 days after drop. So I am definitely in that window. Although, with pregnancies it could be tonight, tomorrow or in a week+. The waiting game is a fun one. I was 4 days over with Bennett — so you just never know. I am sitting happy as long as I know that I can feel baby Decky and that he is okay.

Last week I did an ultrasound with My Baby You’ll Be and it brought such peace of mind. I don’t have any ultrasounds after 26 weeks because my OB typically doesn’t offer more than 2 (26 weeks/6 weeks). I do like that they are non-invasive with pregnancies but I also get a little curious as to how baby is doing and looking and all the things. I was already 37 weeks along so the recommended time frame for a 4D picture had expired out. However, they were able to get a little snap of his face showing just above his nose. He looks so cute and I am so excited to meet him even more. From the looks of it, he looks to have a Jackson nose just like Benny. Hmmm… so curious as to what other features he will have. Bennett was a total surprise because I expected a ginger with blue eyes and light skin. He is all the opposite of those things! He came out olive, full head of dark hair and beautiful dark eyes. We were able to see that Declan has hair too! Again, so curious as to the coloring of his skin, his eyes and his hair.

Shelby and I came to the name Declan almost in the same way that we came to the name Bennett. Once we heard it we knew that was the one. It took us a little bit longer to get to Declan. We had Caleb picked out but not settled with us. It was just a floating name. But as I continued to dig and look at “names with meanings” on Google I finally came across the name Declan. It means, “Full of goodness,” “Man of prayer.” I love it so much! Bennett’s name has meaning too which to Shelby and I it was very important to us. Bennett’s name means “Blessed One.” And boy is he ever!

I pray that Declan will be a man of prayer and full of goodness. That he will live up to that name and I am so hopeful that I will be able to pour into him all the things that God provides. I truly want both of my boys to know God, have a heart for HIM and lead by example. Declan has been way more active in my tummy than Bennett. Which blows my mind because Bennett is the most active kid on the planet and after picking him up from child care, I get frequently, “He is such a sweet and good boy. But definitely never stops moving and our most active kid.” So either Declan will be super active too or just getting it all out now. I pray that Declan will have wisdom and strength in discernment. Also that he will be kind and fun-loving. Being that he has Bennett as an older brother I am sure he is going to enjoy his childhood very much with the laughter and silliness that little boy brings!

Bennett is going to be the BEST older brother. One of his favorite books right now is Just Me and My Little Brother. And it is so cute! He knows which one is him and which one is Declan. He rubs my belly sometimes and he knows that belly is “baby.” I can’t wait to see him in that role. I’m a boy mom! Still can’t believe it. Always been surrounded by boys. Middle girl of two brothers, military jobs with more boys than you can count, and very often the only girl in the crew. Beanie is a boy too! So yeah, I’m outnumbered by a lot. But ya know, it’s great because I feel like I understand that dynamic so well and looking forward to sitting in it more.

Shelby has been so wonderful in being there for me to take care of Bennett so I can do all the things with this big pregnant belly. I am so grateful for him. We have been staying very active in this pregnancy. We attend a marriage group called ReEngage through our church Rock Harbor. It has been so nice to reflect on our marriage and have deep conversations regarding very important topics as we tip toe towards a big transition in our life. We also have been connecting with other like minded couples and developing more and more each day as a team in parenting and being proactive in directing the path to our lives. We have kept God close, and we keep making decisions together and in full force. I am so fortunate to have a husband that trusts in my thoughts and discernment and that we can come together as a unit to break down any decision that needs to be made or finding solutions to a problem. We do very well on the total involvement in pushing our wagons in the same direction. Thank God for that. I feel confident in what Shelby and I can do together. We work very well and I can already see how our parenting has brought such a good little human being in Bennett. I know that it will be the same for Declan. There is not a day that goes by that I am not aware of the importance of the wait that was necessary in meeting Shelby. I had to wait a very long time. 12+ years for him to come into my life. And it was worth every single day of wonder, uncertainty and hopefulness. God’s timing is the only timing I trust in with my life. HE IS and ALWAYS WILL BE – my compass.