Welp. What can I say.
We're officially crazy.
Those were actually the words I wrote to Stuart… on his bathroom mirror: “We're officially crazy.”
Above that, read “Congratulations Daddy, on Baby #3!”
Yep. You heard it here! The Elliotts will soon become a party of five.
As of September 7th, we'll be outnumbered.
Three children. Four adult arms.
Three carseats.
Three bedtimes. Three nap schedules.
I must admit, I felt a bit of panic this time around. The day that I found out, Georgia was in quite the mood – challenging me to no end. How the heck am I going to do this again?
While we weren't trying to have a baby, we weren't ‘not' trying either. We figured the Lord would have perfect timing for our next child, whatever that looked like, and I guess this is when He chose! It's a bit different after the first two, isn't it? It's no longer approaching the unknown land of parenthood. This time around, you know exactly what you're in for. In a way, it reminds me of heading onto the Titanic again. After you already know what happened to it.
JUST KIDDING!
I would never compare parenting to drowning in icy cold water, scared and uncertain.
…
No, no, parenting is a blessing. The madness of young children is a blessing! Being able to conceive easily is a blessing (I blame all those rich fertility foods we eat. Including, apparently, burritos).
One million wonderful possibilities and experiences await us and I am so excited to get to meet this little one in early September. We'll be using a nurse-midwife this time around and will, once again, be surprised by the gender.
I've officially named the baby “sprout.” It'll be growing alongside the garden this year and will be ready for harvest come early fall. I can't think of a better time!
Here goes nothin'….
Christine @ Once Upon a Time in a Bed of Wildflowers
Ha! I *knew* it! π
Congratulations and much love <3
~ Christine
Rebecca C.
Congratulations! Baby Goodrich and Baby Elliot will grow up close in age! How fun! Babies are a blessing and one of God’s many ways of refining us. I’m so happy for you!
Davi
Congratulations! I am so excited for you. We became a family of 5 on Sept. 28th 2013. It’s busy and chaotic, and so wonderful! I pray you will have an easy and healthy pregnancy resulting in the easy delivery of a healthy baby! Be warned though… With my third, we barely made it to the hospital in time. I think I was in labor a total of 1 hour. Only 25 minutes of that was in the hospital. π AH! So excited for you!!
bobbi
congratulations! what a wonderful blessing!
Jennifer
Congratulations!! We are a family of 8, we currently have 6 teenage boys ages 13-19! It is all worth it, I love my boys with all my heart. I am just so happy and excited for y’all!
Anne
Congratulations!!
Rachel
Congrats!! Babies are the best “crop” ever! Hope all goes well with Sprout! I enjoy reading your posts because we are also on the homesteading adventure and also my hubs name is Stuart! π It’s fun! BTW we had twins last June and when I told my hubby after the first ultrasound that it was 2, his response was, “no it’s not! Do you have pictures?!” He apparently needed a little proof. π
Rosalyn
Yay for September babies! My second was nicknamed Sprout, too. π
Ashley
We have been a family of 5 since 2012, and I promise, it’s not as hard as it sounds. You’ll get your routine down. Promise. We even are thinking of soon trying to become a family of 6, so that really tells you it’s not terrible. Congratulations! π
Lindsey
Congratulations!!! I’ve loved following your blog and watching your family grow! Can’t wait to continue to cheer you on!
Kyle Bowser
Congrats! September 7th is my birthday! And my beat friends Birthday!!
Kyle Bowser
*best friend, oops
Mary
We are expecting our third too, ages 3, 15months and this one due in August….. God has his own timing!:)
KacyM
Congratulations!! π
Amy
Congratulations! I have 6 children, ages 15 to 2 — motherhood is not easy, but it is so rewarding. Having many young ones is tiring, but it IS rewarding to see the little ones grow up into young people. Children are a blessing from the Lord; they are a heritage that He gives us. They are a tool He uses to mold us more into His son as we daily practice (and fail at!) patience and selflessness.
Praying for an easy and happy pregnancy for you…
Christine
Congratulations!!!!!! I’ve greatly enjoyed reading your blog and watching your family grow and change over these past few years. [And also planning out my own future homestead in my head!] I hope you have a healthy and complication-free pregnancy!
Dakota H
Congrats!!!! π This is such an exciting blessing! I was actually very happy to see you had a little bump! I am also due at the beginning of September and already have a little bump! This is our second, and I have heard you show earlier after the first but I was caught of guard by this little bump! Blessings to you and your family on this exciting journey of life!
XOXO
Eliza
Congrats! So happy for you. We are due close to the same time! Are you having a home birth with your midwife or a hospital birth? π
Cindy Penrod
Here goes something fabulous, God-breathed, and awesome! So excited for you. More of God’s richest blessings are yet ahead! And never forget… He is right beside you always, at all times, delivering grace and strength for each step of the journey. Plus you have ‘us’ (your blog friends), and that has to be a good thing! Love & hugs. <3
christianmotherof5
Congratulations! We have a party of 7 and I have to admit I was a bit scared during each pregnancy, but it has been the best blessing! The Lord has always taken care of us and I would not change a thing. We are leaving it up to Lord whether or not we will have any more. We trust his plan is the best.
I am sure you will do great, you are in the Lord’s hands!! Bless you and your sweet family.
Tracy Spangler
A big, full of love and hugs congratulations to you and your family! I adore your blog, and I am so excited to hear your wonderful news!
Melanie
Congratulations! We have 4 (the middle 2 are 16 months apart). It is busy but rewarding!
Nicola
Massive congratulations!!!!!!!!
Hilary
Congrats! I just found out I’m pregnant with #3 too and can sympathize with the feelings – so excited for another blessing but worried about the challenge on top of the current two! Looking forward to ‘growing’ with you!
Nina
Congratulations! My husband & I just found out we are expecting our first child, at the end of September. I’ve opted for a nurse midwife as well. Yay for September babies! Love your blog & so excited to be following along with your adventures!
Jennie McDonald
We have been a family of 5 for four years now and I love it! So many helping hands now that we have passed the toddler stages!!!
Congratulations!
Emily
Congrats! We’ve got three kids, and It’s great. No fear!
Barb H
Congratulations!!! We are currently a family of 5 with three kids ranging from 4 to 17…and expecting number 4 in May….AND…grandbaby #1 in June. Still not ready for that one though…but at least they will have a playmate I suppose… π
Brenda
Congratulations on your newest blessing!!!
Heather
Congratulations to you guys!!
Lauren
Welcome to the land of 3 kid madness. It’s a hot mess and so much fun! Congratulation Shaye! You and sprout will be in my prayers!
Heather@Mommypotamus
So, SO HAPPY for you Shaye! Three is an awesome number π
Sharon Lockhart
Congratulations!!!
You are very blessed with two and now another child.
God sure is good to you all.
Are you wishing for girl or boy?
Lisa
YAY!!!
BeccaBabe
Congratulations, you have been blessed! We have 8 kids. They are each precious and unique. Haven’t gone crazy yet. Now I think folk who refuse to have more than 2 are the ones who are nuts.
Karly
Congratulations! I wish I’d been big on gardening when I had my daughter, I’m sure I would have eaten much healthier. I love the Titanic analogy. If my husband were a more… eloquent speaker, that’s just how he’d argue his side.
Nadine
I paid for the PDF download of your cookbook not knowing I could not download it on my iPad. I tried too many times and the link you sent me has expired. This is my third attempt to get another link emailed to me. Can you please help?
Shaye Elliott
Nadine – send me an email at [email protected]
karie
I knew it!!!
Congratulations!
Jill
Congratulations!!
Sheila Menendez
Now we know why Stuart milked the cow for you – you were too tired! :-p Just kidding. Congrats on your lovely and growing family – be blessed!
Jeanette @ Creating a Life
Congratulations!
Jay
you’re going to have to differentiate you morning milkings to us. Blessings
raisingcropsandbabies
Congrats! Adjusting to #3 was somethin’ (could have been because our kids were 2,1, and newborn though!), but we enjoyed his babyhood the most. Even though it was my 3rd boy, I enjoyed his babyhood more than my 4th baby (who was a girl)! I look back with such fond memories. I hear the same thing by so many of my other friends with their 3rd baby’s babyhood too! What fun you’ll have!
Anitra
You can do this! When my daughter was 8 weeks old I became prego with twins! It’s been a crazy, faith filled, desperate for grace, almost 3 years since we became a family of five. Congratulations!!!!
Kendra at New Life on a Homestead
Yay! Once you get past three it’s like, “What’s one more?!” LOL! It’ll be fun to watch your family continue to grow π Congrats you guys!
Vanessa
Congratulations, Shaye! What a blessing!
Christina
Congrats! May God bless you all! For whatever it’s worth, we had (have) some major parenting issues with one of our 3 year olds and this book/website was a huge blessing to us (I would recommend the book, because on-line it’s too easy to just skip to the section you are currently dealing with and miss the big picture, which of course won’t work). And of course you may already know about this, but it was such a blessing to us I can’t help sharing. http://www.raisinggodlytomatoes.com/