Tis the Season

Tis the Season! The season to be jolly, to hang holly and to put on that cheesy holiday sweater for some good old fashion family photo fun! Every year at Thanksgiving my family takes a bunch of photos while we are all together (a rare occasion). It is always easy to get everyone smiling and laughing just watching my dad setting up the tripod and running back and forth trying to beat the 10 second timer to get back into “family formation” in time for the flash. Ahhh yes, tradition! Then of course we sort through the pictures and laugh about the ones that are obvious out-takes (the ones where no one is looking, brother is yelling at sister and someone is still fixing their hair “just so”). Once we narrow it down to 2 or 3 we inevitably argue and disagree and someone is totally ticked for the rest of the day because we had to use the one where their right eye is squinting or their chin looks doubled, etc. etc. That someone is usually me...grrr..But, once it is all said and done we turn the photo into a permanent memory of Christmas love and Holiday cheer via Shutterfly's Christmas Photo Cards - an annual Goff Family project. We have done this for years now and all of our family and friends always tell us what fun it is to receive the cards in the mail and to compare them each year as we grow and change. Last year Matt and I did our own Holiday card and used it to announce our pregnancy! Our family and friends were thrilled to hear via our precious Shutterfly Photo Greeting Card that we were going to have a precious baby! Now one year later we are loving on our almost four month old baby girl! I cannot believe how fast the time is going. Soon we will be celebrating her 1st Christmas and then…just a few months later her 1st birthday – WoW! And you can guess where we will be ordering her precious birthday invitations from – yep Shutterfly’s Awesome Birthday Card selection! Ahhh...a one year old!? Let me back up - time is flying so quickly i get ahead of myself! Before I start thinking "party planning" I better just focus on this year's family Christmas Card! And even better...Shutterfly is giving away 50 FREE photo cards to bragging bloggers such as myself! So expect to see lots of our sweet little family in a mailbox near you soon! Happy Holidays and lots of cheesy memory making for you and yours! xo

42 weeks of carrying – 24 hours of labor – a lifetime of love…Sophia Lynn is here!

(TMI DISCLAIMER – LOTS of “birthing” details included!)

This story starts at 9pm on Saturday night, July 31st. I started cramping pretty badly. I took a warm bath which provided no relief. At 11:45p I had my first REAL contraction…ouch! Matt and I were relaxing around the house and getting ready for bed and BAM it hit me! And then it hit me again and again and again…I did not sleep a wink, too excited and in too much pain. The contractions got closer and closer together through the night. Finally at 5:30 am I woke Matthew and told him I figured he had better shower and load the car. My contractions were about 10 minutes apart. We had already made the decision to labor at home for as long as possible but since I was already at a five (per my last Doctor’s appointment that Thursday) and I had been having contractions all night we wanted to be safe and prepared should things start to escalate quickly.

I called my family to let them know that today was probably going to be “the” day but I asked that they not hit the road until I was officially checked in at the hospital. In my head I knew this was “IT” but I just couldn’t let them drive four hours in vain…and at 42 weeks you really start to doubt yourself. It was difficult for me to believe it was really happening! Needless to say, my mom and sister, Amber, called me a bit later from Corsicana as they were hauling down Interstate 45 against my advice. Go figure…

We stayed at home until almost 9am, working through each contraction as they got stronger and stronger. I paged Dr. Johnson who recommended I wait just another hour or so to allow them to get closer together (8 minutes or less) and more consistent, as they were still a little off on timing. Since we were already in the car at this point, we continued to the hospital and I took another hour of contractions (8 total) in the front seat of the car while parked in front of the hospital. Ouch!

At 10:50 am we had been checked into the hospital, taken to a triage room and checked by an L&D nurse. That’s it…I was officially admitted to L&D…at SEVEN centimeters! SEVEN? What? This is REAL! We were immediately taken to our room and introduced to our nurse for that shift. She was a midwife also and well trained in natural birthing. What a miraculous coincidence, huh?! God is so cool J I am not sure but I think her name was Sharon. She helped me sway, breath, moan…all the things I had learned in class for natural birthing. She showed Matt how to apply just the right counter pressure on my back, got me a stool so I could reposition…she was really a huge help.

Several hours and lots of pain passed and somewhere in the late afternoon, early evening I was at an eight. Things were moving very slowly and the my new shift nurse Jen said that the doctor really wanted to break my water. After quite some time and no progress I agreed and she performed the painless process.

It was then that the contractions got increasingly longer and stronger. Matt was my full time support and tower of strength at this point. I could not survive unless our eyes were locked and he called my breaths out to me. I was terrified of hyperventilating and really focused on survival at that point. It was the most intense pain I have ever experienced. It far exceeded anything I could have ever imagined. By 6pm or so I was at a 9 and they decided should try to push past the portion of my cervix that just refused to budge…Oh.My.Gosh! That was the most disgusting pain I have ever felt in my life. It was not working. I was not dilating any more. I kept trying for another hour or so, repositioning, using the squatting bar, etc…and nothing…my body was working against itself at this point. The pain was too great and I could not relax enough through the contractions to allow for complete dilation. At this point my doctor told me that she was doing everything she could to avoid a Cesarean birth (knowing my desire for a natural delivery) but that this could continue for hours and the strain on me and the baby was increasingly great. After many refusals I finally accepted the epidural…at 9 ½ centimeters. Yes, 9 ½ centimeters! It took everything in me to hold still during the set up and injection as I fought through contractions that were only about 15 seconds apart and 90 seconds long. BRUTAL!

Because I received the epidural so late, its effects were much less than usual but a welcomed relief in comparison to what I was feeling. I could still move my legs, feet etc. I was not numb – which I am grateful for. My contractions remained very strong and consistent so I did not have to have any pitocin, which I am very thankful for. After receiving the epidural I was able to relax for about 45 minutes during which time my family came in and gave me some final words of encouragement. I was feeling very discouraged (having strayed away from my desired “natural” birth plan) but they really offered great support. After my few minutes of rest my cervix had cleared the final, stubborn ½ centimeter and I was ready to push. The nurse set up a mirror so that I could watch. It was absolutely amazing…at 11:31pm on August 1st – after 24 hours of labor…Sophia Lynn Abernathy was brought into this world – a miracle and absolute gift from God. They laid her on my chest and her daddy cut the cord. He was in total amazement as he watched her enter this world. My heart was overflowing and Matthew and I both fell in love immediately. It is such a crazy thing…bringing life into this world. I will never forget the moment she came into our lives. There are just no words!

Sweet Sophia aspirated on some fluids and had to be suctioned quite a bit after delivery. Therefore, she could not nurse immediately. So in came the family…My mother, father, sister, nephew (Skyler) and mother in law were all in attendance. My father in law was out of town and other siblings were not able to attend. They all held her and fell in love one at a time as they passed her from one set of arms to the next. It was so special for us to see our daughter light up the entire room. We were already proud parents!

Finally around 3am the room was transformed into a clean and calm haven, our vitals had been taken, I got a shower (thank goodness) and my dad brought us Whataburger J. I had nursed sweet Sophia a couple of times when I sent her to the nursery and slept from 4am-6am…

I thank God that she came on her own…42 weeks to the day. I had planned and prayed for a natural birth free from all interventions. BUT more importantly – Matthew and I had prayed for a healthy baby. I thank God for his provision and for the miracle of my daughter and I trust that everything went according to His plan.

Jeremiah 29:11 is my favorite verse. It is my “life” verse. I have a little calendar that I got years ago as a wedding gift. Each day it presents a scripture. At night before bed, I flip it to the next day’s verse and read it in advance. On July 31^st before heading to bed I flipped the page and found MY verse.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans not to harm you but to give you a hope and a future.” Sophia Lynn is all of that and more. Thank you Jesus!

Thank you to everyone who prayed for us and supported us during this difficult and amazing time. We love you all!

More to come soon…

 

friday night wife

this is my last friday night to be just wife - no mommy. abby and i went to dinner at chilis (my pick)! i would NEVER EVER have chosen chilis as my fave dinner out before pregnancy...tommy bahamas for a killer salad or black walnut even...but definitely not chilis! but what can i say...greasy food has "become me" lately. a habit i am eagerly looking to leave behind...but not tonight ;) dinner was nice and it was good to have a night out together. i am going crazy just sitting in the house every day waiting!!

today i also went out and bought an outfit for "after" pregnancy. jc penny was having a huge sale and i had a coupon too. i don't have to go far from home and this penny's is not in the mall, so it makes it nice and easy to access. best of all...it got me out of the house - but only for a bit. then the nagging pain of my baby on my sciatic nerve had me heading home on a pathetic limp! anywho - i know people at the store see me shopping in the non-maternity clothes section - looking more shamoo than human - and they are thinking "is she kidding me?!" but hey, i won't be pregnant forever and i will need some cute clothes to make me feel good about my new "post" baby body! so i was excited to get a cute new top and skirt!

anyways...it is a strange feeling to know that one way or another, i will have a baby in my arms this time next week. i am sure every new mommy goes through this flurry of emotions but it seems almost intensified by this elongated wait! it's funny matt and i joke that i am not even pregnant anymore (really a big joke when yous see me). it has just been so long since we first thought we would be meeting our angel (back at week 36 when i was already at 3cm!). so now it just seems as though she is never coming...but of course, come she will - and i can hardly wrap my mind around it. i have actually been trying NOT to think about it for the last week or so. it just becomes too emotional with my being so "late" and all. so i focus on other things. it sounds strange to focus on anything other than the baby to be when you are almost 42 weeks pregnant, but it is sort of my way of "coping" at this point.

i mustered up the courage to take some pictures...much to my mother's delight no doubt! so here they are...







well...happy friday night. the abernathy house is pretty uneventful - which is probably the last time i will say that for a long time coming. please keep the prayers coming!

ps) sweet abby - i love you so, so much. being your wife has been the greatest privilege of my life thus far. i have enjoyed our precious newlywed years more than i could have ever imagined. we have learned and grown so much together. i treasure every single moment of our party of two. but i know our little angel is going to fit right in. we will be the 3 musketeers! (plus haley, of course!) i love you with all that i am - forever. xo

pps) little pea...i am not sure if i mentioned it, but we are ready - you can come now :) xo, mommy & daddy

TMI DISCLAIMER

this is an official disclaimer - consider yourself warned:

i am blogging through this pregnancy as a diary of sorts. i want to remember as much detail as possible from this amazing time in my life. i want to look back on it and recall each moment and milestone and every heartache and joy. i also believe that the more i am able to share, the better friends and family are able to pray specifically for me, matthew and our baby.

sometimes this kind of detail includes medical information or personal details about my body, my experience and the overall journey that is pregnancy that some might consider TMI (too much information).

i hope that no one is offended, but felt that since there are some people who have not experienced pregnancy or who are just not comfortable with this type of sharing, that i should shout out some sort of warning!

SO - there you have it! enjoy and thanks again for all the love and prayer!

41 weeks and 4 days…really?

holy bananas i would never have imagined this precious baby would still be in my tummy. i cannot believe i am still pregnant! here is a recap on the week.

being post dated in your pregnancy is sort of like stepping into celebrity status at the doctor’s office. you can get an appointment at whatever time you like on whatever day you like and they make sure to give you the “full package” when you come in, lol. ever since i hit 40 weeks i have 2 appointments per week instead of just one. i get hooked up to “the belts” for NST testing every time for at least 45 minutes or so during which they monitor my contractions, the baby’s heart rate and the baby’s “reactive movement” to what is going on in there. i also get to see her on the ultrasound screen each time. it isn’t the big nice one like at the imaging center. its the more blue, fuzzy screen….but it is still a live shot of my beautiful baby girl, so what’s to complain about?!

my doctor finally got back in town and i had a ”real” appointment on monday, july 26th. she showed me the baby on u/s – she is perfect and in perfect position for delivery! she looks like quite a chubby little thing and again, we could see all her hair! my fluids were also great, no loss. i do not recall the name of the #s…but your fluids need to remain at at least a 7. i was at 10.5. she “checked me” and said i was still 80% effaced, station zero and at 4cm. my nurse had figured that i was surely at a five with the contractions she witnessed on my NST’s (non stress tests) while the doc was away, but alas…i was still at a 4.

dr. J was really understanding of my desire to continue carrying and avoid induction but advised that she is not supportive of me  carrying past 42 weeks, as risks to the baby begin to set in. i fully expected that news. i really, really want to deliver on my own – so as days pass i have to consider all the possibilities. on monday i allowed the dr. to sweep/strip my membranes. in other words, separate my sack of water from my cervix (this is NOT the same as breaking my water!). i knew that it was a 50/50 shot and if anything were to occur, it would be within 24 hours of her doing so. i went home and had severe cramping (what i understand to be “REAL” contractions, not just Braxton Hicks) all night…but in the end – nothing.

i had appointment #2 for the week today. the baby is still doing great. my fluids are still high, she is still in perfect position and her heart beat is strong and steady. NST went well also. she is a mover for sure! today i asked the doctor to give me an estimate on her size while looking at the u/s. she said she will be at least 8lbs… what a chunky little lovie! i was 8lb 2oz – so i guess this is payback…right mom?! :) and as for momma...well i have gone up some weeks and down others, but my total weight gain for the pregnancy thus far...THIRTY SIX POUNDS...yep 36! whew! the doctor also did another cervical check today….YAY PROGRESS! i am now at FIVE centimeters! that’s right…my body has carried me half way thru labor without ever having to check in at the hospital :) PRAISE GOD! i am so thankful for a MIGHTY GOD, a patient doctor and a high pain tolerance – haha! i let her sweep my membranes again today in hopes that one more push might bring labor about without actually being induced…i am cramping again tonight, so i am hopeful and full of prayers! it helped progress me one centimeter last time…so if i was able to get one more tonight/tomorrow…i am almost certain i would go into active labor at a six!!! please pray with me!

if it does not happen this way…and i am still pregnant on monday, i have to go back again for one final NST test to monitor the baby’s heart rate and movement and make sure she is still a healthy, strong little lovebug. and then…TUESDAY morning – August 3rd – at 42 weeks and 2 days pregnant - i will be induced. it is certainly not my “plan” or what i would have chosen for me and PeA…but i know that ultimately God is in control and he is sovereign. either way, i hold on to the amazing joy that sometime between now and tuesday, i will be holding my most precious gift ever in my arms. and matthew and i will never, ever be the same all thanks to our lord, our savior and our deliverer, JESUS CHRIST! Praise Him for his faithfulness!

i cannot tell you how much all of your prayers, love and support have meant. we are so thankful to have so many wonderful friends and family members on our side. please continue to pray for the health of the baby. pray that she would come at just the time God has chosen and that she will be in perfect form. also, today i began to experience the extreme pain of sciatica. i am grateful to have made it so far into the pregnancy without this struggle but hope that even now it does not last. please pray for healing. pray that i would trust in god alone to give me the grace and patience i need to wait upon His plan and the wisdom and strength i need to bring this baby into the world healthy and safe.  please also pray for matt and i as we prepare to raise up a child in His light and love.

baby PeA – mommy and daddy love you so, so much. you are amazing and surprising us every day already! we cannot wait to see your sweet face and hold you close forever. we are praying for you every day. we pray that you will be healthy and happy and that you will grow to know the love of our lord in a sweet and perfect way!  xoxo

41 weeks

well - we are 41 weeks today and still just cookin' in there! sweet baby girl...i am so anxious to meet you. i am praying for patience. for guidance. for wisdom to do just what god wants me to do. mommy and daddy are so ready for you to be here...(not to mention your gigi, doc, aunts, uncles, and lots of family and friends!) xoxo

picture taken at 40 weeks and 5 days


daddy is so ready too!

time

i have learned in the last week, that time is really how you perceive it. it’s a funny thing, time…

last week i started to really wear thin at work. exhaustion and anxiety were getting the best of me day after day. so on thursday and friday i called in sick – expecting that my baby girl would make her appearance over the weekend (and YES, her doc and gigi drove in yet again, expecting the same!). but alas, no baby. sunday night i was faced with a difficult decision. – go back to work and try to fight it out another day, week, ??? OR start my leave of absence. it may not seem like a tough decision but considering every day i am at home right now sans baby is a day i could have worked and saved to spend with her once she arrives…well – it was a gut wrenching decision for me. but – after some tears and talks with my adoringly supportive husband, i made the decision to call in and stay home until the baby arrives. i truly needed some rest and to be honest my sanity was teetering! of course…i did not expect to still be waiting today…

i officially hit “full term” on sunday, july 18th. as it stands now, i am 40 weeks and 4 days…aka…post dated…aka…4 days late. its all relative i guess, seeing as how 7/18/2010 was an estimated due date…key word “estimated.” but after 10 long months and counting down the weeks, you start to feel like a ticking time bomb. you engrain the date in your brain and then…then…nothing?!? well, it’s a real drain on the emotions to say the least. i knew all along the date was an estimate – but after some thorough and very misleading information from my doctor, i truly believed i was on the other (the earlier) side of that date.

time will fly when she finally gets here. i have no doubt that it will be the fastest and most amazing few weeks of my life that i get to spend at home with her before returning to work. however, this time – these long days of summer, home alone, exhausted with nothing to do and filled with anticipation. well, these days, are some of the longest i have ever had. time seems to stand still during the day as i wait to feel labor pains or pray for my water to break. and yet, each time i go to the doctor (2x this week already) i feel like time is rushed. my doctor will be back in town on monday. if baby PeA has not made her debut by then, i will likely have to get induced. something i have avoided and really do not want. it’s funny how time stands still in some ways and races against me in others.

i went to the doctor on tuesday and thursday of this week. each time they just monitor my contractions and the baby’s heart rate for about 30 minutes. her heart rate always seems to average around the 140’s. my contractions are there, but not consistent or strong enough to send me on my way to L&D. so…i wait. and wait. and wait. i have thru the weekend to have this baby “on my own”. please pray with me that she comes soon!

in my time of waiting i have not done much. i really made sure i had everything “done” so long ago. the house has been cleaned. laundry is always done, dishes, etc. her nursery has been completed for a while. so i scrapbook, rest, watch tv, have long talks with my tummy :) and more or less drive myself nuts waiting! i have gotten to see a couple of movies and go on several date nights with abby which has been so sweet. i know it is something we won’t get to do for a while once she arrives, so i really cherish the time. on monday morning, my first official day of leave, he went in late to work and the two of us went to breakfast together – something we never do. it was absolutely lovely. i will remember it for forever, i think. just a simple breakfast with the man i love. talking about life and love and our little bundle on the way! he is really such a wonderful man.

as you might imagine, i have not been in the most photogenic of moods. so i have slacked on the pictures for week 40, now almost 41! i will get some up soon. i have been walking every night with abs. OUTSIDE i might add, in this nasty southeast, tx JULY heat. i am not sure how that itself has not sent me straight to L&D! i have done every recommended trick in the book to “naturally induce” labor. basil and oregano in heavy doses, plenty of pineapple, walking until i am panting and purple, sumo stomping around the house (super entertaining for abby), and some other unmentionables. obviously, my little angel is just comfy-cozy right where she is! on a closing note…if i had a dollar for every time someone said one of the following…well…i’d be one very wealthy (Still Pregnant) woman!

• still no baby yet?
• when’s that baby going to get here?
• will the doctor not induce you?
• you’re still pregnant?
• how much longer?
• you need to go to the hospital!
• you’re HOW far along?!

…no offense to anyone who has mentioned any of these to me. it’s typically out of care and concern from dear family and friends,  i know. it’s just funny when you feel like you are about to burst how the most simple of statements can make you feel like you might actually lose all sanity right then and there! :)

praying and praying for my angel to arrive. i truly cherish all of your love, prayers and support.

xoxo jna

the home stretch

WOW! i am 39 weeks pregnant today. it has been SUCH an incredible journey. i still remember walking into the living room stunned on November 15th as i looked at the POSITIVE pregnancy test and held it out speechless for matt to see. i am a TON excited and a little sad as this amazing time comes to a close. i will never forget this incredible blessing and the miracle of carrying god’s child inside of me.

matthew and i are so very excited to meet our daughter and believe me…i am exhausted and ready to have her in my arms – but i would be lying if i said there isn’t a part if me that will miss the sweetness that is having my baby in my womb. the kicks, rolls, hiccups…all of it. just the other morning she was so active as i was laying there in bed. she had been very still through the night and slept well, but as i began to move around in bed, preparing to get up, she started to squirm. i laid there and rubbed my tummy and she did the cutest little thing ever. she started rubbing her feet (which are now basically in my ribs) together. her daddy and i both do this when trying to fall asleep. it was so cute, i could very distinctly tell that that is exactly what she was doing…just like a little cricket in there begging “please mom, just five more minutes” she rubbed her tiny feet together to put herself back to sleep, and within a few more minutes she was still again…it was so precious!

i have truly loved being pregnant. if the world was all teacups and roses, i would definitely not be working at 39 weeks pregnant – that has been the difficult part indeed. but carrying this little one has really been no trouble at all. a few worries or aches here and there, but nothing that is remotely close to the reward i hope to soon receive when she is placed on my chest any day now! it has been an honor to have her all wrapped up inside of me for the last 10 months and to take her with me everywhere i go. what a miracle!

_______________________________________________________

STATUS REPORT -

i had my 38 week check up this past wednesday. i was praying for progress of any kind. surely enough, i got some! i am still 80% effaced and at station 0. but i am now 4cm dilated! WOW! i cannot believe i am almost half way there. i am so lucky. many women go through all of their laboring at the hospital. i am so grateful to be moving along and continuing with my day to day as i do. hopefully this will make for a shorter and smooth delivery once we do check in at L&D! oh and i will also say…i believe my weight gain was up to a total of 36 lbs. in my defense, i did eat a freebird burrito right before weighing in and i am definitely swollen and carrying some fluid weight, but whatever!

my doctor left town today and will not be back until July 26th or something insane…so i suppose it is pretty safe to say that one of the physicians she shares call with will be the lucky dr. to bring out little pea into the world! at this point, i really don’t care much about who “catches” her, so long as its on her terms. allowing her to come when she is ready is much more important to me than having had dr. johnson induce me so she could deliver her before going on vacation. i am glad we have decided to let labor start on its own.

38 weeks!!!

last weekend, when i hit 38 weeks – my parents drove in to visit, just certain that their arrival would bring about labor. obviously not… but we had a wonderful visit and a fun fourth of july none the less! in fact i even rode all the way to surfside with them and saw the ocean. (dad had to drop his surfboards off to get doctored up after a minor incident on interstate 45, but that my friends, is a whole ‘nother story!). it was little pea’s first time to “see” the ocean. i think she liked the breeze and salty air! if she is anything like her momma, she will love it and be a fish in no time!

our fourth celebrations were low key. we ate at a local taqueria - my dad’s favorite past time is digging up great local and authentic taco dives – and sat on the deck out back watching everyone else’s fireworks and listening to the pops and crackles. the whole block smelled like firework smoke…a reminder of the fun i had as a kid! i can’t wait to have sparklers and smoke bombs and do all that fun stuff with pea when she is just a little older. but this year, she had fun just tucked away in my tummy away from all the loud noise while her doc, gigi (my mom and dad) and mommy and daddy visited and enjoyed a hot summer night in southeast texas!

  hanging on the patio – happy 4th!

the next morning, my parents actually visited our church (the ark) for the first time ever. they really enjoyed themselves, and i was honored to have them with us for worship and fellowship. it was a neat time. and even cooler…some of their highschool friends actually go to our church and we are friends with their kiddos, small world. here is a picture of my parents and their buddies steve and virginia roper…apparently my dad and steve used to surf down in galveston as young kids – CRAZY!

once again…this weekend, my folks headed into town. dad had to go back to surfside to pick up his boards, so mom figured she would come along for the ride, again convinced this baby would surely come. i will say…this time, i thought she was right!

i had strong contractions at work all day friday and they continued on into the evening/night. but by the time i woke up saturday they had subsided. which of course, mom was determined to remedy. and so….we walked! and walked….and walked! we shopped til we dropped, had lunch with my aunt pat and the shopped some more. but still NO baby. poor mom, she is so ready to be gigi to her sweet pea! so saturday evening came too quickly and she and dad headed back to waxahachie, minus a granddaughter! ….sorry guys!

today is sunday, and as i said, i am officially 39 weeks. believe it or not – this little baby girl had SHOWER NUMBER FIVE today! my mother in law’s sweet friends threw us the sweetest shower! it was a “high tea” southern style with tea and scones, sandwiches and one amazing cake! it was such a precious little party and all the ladies were so sweet. there were about 15 women there most of whom i have never met and a couple that i have met only once in passing. i feel so honored and flattered that they were so generous and kind to someone they hardly even know – what a wonderful bunch of women! and needless to say…baby pea left with LOTS of goodies!

so…i am not looking forward to another week of work. at this point, it is truly a challenge to face that desk each day. but - i put my faith in god that he will get me through this and i know each day that i am that much closer to a much needed break with my new little love! i am praying for rest and a sense of peace as i enter this (hopefully) final week of pregnancy. thank you all for your love, support and prayers through this amazing journey and please continue to cover us in prayer as we near the greatest part of this trip.

a huge thank you to my mother in law nancy and her wonderful friends for such a beautiful party.

a special thank you to my mom and dad for the visits and special time together. i know i45 is well traveled between here and waxahachie!

thank you a million ways to my best friend and true love matthew. you are my everything. my shoe buckler, glass of water getter, foot massager, neck rubber, listening ear and ever present support. i love you dearly.

and of course – thank you jesus. thank you for this miracle. thank you for choosing me to mother this child and for giving me such a wonderful partner in life to go along side me. god, you are my strength and my peace in all of this!

39 weeks!!!

the queen’s quarters

so, the nursery has been done for a while, but i have not gotten around to posting pics…i suppose if i don’t do it now, i may never. and if i ever did find the time once baby girl arrives…it may never be this clean and orderly again! i am still waiting on curtains and some custom pillows…i have the fabric (it will match the bedding) but just have not gotten around to this yet.

i absolutely adore all the sweet and meaningful little pieces throughout the room. and most of all i love the hard work that my amazing husband put into this room. he did all the wainscoting, painting and putting together of all the furniture. what a wonderful daddy he already is! xoxo

i have every drawer filled, all the blankets tucked away diapers stocked and a closet FULL of the cutest clothes you have ever seen. literally…EVERYTHING but the sweet baby girl to use it all :) soon, soon though!

so without further ado, here are just a few pics of her precious space

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WEEK 37...Deja Vu

well little PeA must be quite comfty, because she is not ready to come out yet! i had my weekly check up today with my doctor. i am still 80% effaced and at 3cm. also - i am at a station zero...no...she did not crawl back up, lol. apparently i was wrong last week and was never at a +1, just zero. which is really no big deal - she is still fully engaged in my pelvis and may not hit +1, 2 and 3 until active labor. at this point i am just waiting on strong contractions or my water to break. i am guessing the contractions will come first - but what do i know?!

not much progress for me, but baby girl did make a big turn for the better - literally! she is no longer "sunny side up". her back is against my tummy (good girl!) and hopefully will stay this way. yay for avoiding back labor and thank you to everyone who offered up prayers on this. what a huge blessing and praise! thank you jesus!

the doctor asked if she could strip/rupture my membranes, which was a huge NO for me. sweet little PeA will come when she is ready and i am no where near my due date yet. it's funny how anxious we get isn't it? i mean - of course i may complain here and there and it is certainly rough carrying a baby and going through the emotions and exhaustion of it all while still working full time...but all in all - the pregnancy has not been bad and i consider it a total blessing. and i am certainly not interested in forcing my little passenger out before she is ready!!! i was really surprised to hear my doctor jump to this option so quickly. i know it is common and i know tons of people do it. but i have made my desires for a natural birth very clear to her. the first of those being that labor starts on its own! i am just a couple of days past 37 weeks. what's the rush? (well...actually i know what the rush is...she is leaving town! but hey, not my problem)

i think i forgot to mention my 1 lb gain last week. i had not put on any weight this week...so my grand total is sitting at 33 lbs. WHOA! and for the record i had some chocolate blue bell this evening, and then later on some cookie dough ice cream.

anywho...this texas heat is killer and the humidity is worse than that. but somehow, i managed to walk outside for 30 minutes last night and tonight. today i dusted the whole house, yuck! i have to break the house cleaning down into short tasks, because a full cleaning is just not something i can manage in one day anymore. i am officially exhausted and heading for the bed. i won't sleep - because hey, i haven't done that in months...but it's worth a shot...

i go back next wednesday for a check up...unless of course my angel decides to grace us with her presence before that. either way, i am blessed. huge, hot, achey and exhausted - i won't pretend otherwise...but blessed. abs and i are so ready to meet our daughter. we love you PeA, so keep on cookin' and we will see you soon xoxo mommy & daddy

Progress in Week 36

Sweet little PeA is making some great progress. I went in for check #2 on Wednesday – at which point I was 36.5 weeks. I had a 10% increase in effacement, putting me at 80%! And although I had not been feeling contractions, I was definitely having them. LOTS of them in fact…enough to dilate me to 3cm! WOOHOO! I was at a station +1 so baby is fully engaged and has dropped quite a bit. And allow me to withdraw a statement I made a couple of posts back after my 1st check…IT DOES hurt. OuCh! I asked my doctor why it didn’t seem to hurt at all the first time but it was quite painful this time and she said it is because my cervix is slightly posterior…in other words, behind the baby’s head. Fuuun…

She also showed me PeA on the screen. A treat I did not expect…Bummer….she is sitting posterior with her back against mine. For any mom who has labored you likely know what this means…BACK LABOR! I have been doing pelvic tilts this week and trusting she will turn. Many “Sunny Side Up” babies turn even during labor as they “corkscrew” into the birth canal, so she certainly still has time. As I approach my big day with plans of no interventions, I truly hope and pray she does turn – b/c back labor is the most painful there is. I appreciate your prayers with me on this. God has come through for us in so many AMAZING ways already during this pregnancy, I have faith He will again!

Funny thing is, before this check I had some significant lower back pain – which was apparently my contractions (and the result of her posterior position) but nothing in my abdomen resembling contractions – not to me at least…BUT ever since she checked me I am singing a different tune! I have constant cramps and plenty of abdominal pain to boot! My back is still aching, but I figure that is just going to go with the territory from now until delivery. I really don’t mind the contractions at this point. They are not debilitating and with each one I know I am progressing and moving closer to meeting my angel!

I have another appointment on Tuesday so we will see where these contractions have gotten me…IF I make it that long. Which Aunt Amber is hoping I do…she is in Mexico on vacation right now and has begged me to hold baby girl in until her return on Wednesday, June 30th :)  We shall see…I figure she’s going to come when she’s ready! And I really just cannot wait.

Daddy Abby is pretty excited too. I have to say that the other night we had a little “scare” and thought that it might be “go time.” There are really no words to describe his reaction….HYSTERICAL might be a good "summary.” In an attempt to calm him down I said “just go to sleep…I am not having this baby tonight honey.” (of course I had no guarantees – but it seemed like the thing to say). To which he replies…”Really? Are you sure? Cause that’d be great – I am straight trippin’ over here.” To this remark I laughed so hard I think I peed in my pants (which does not take much at this point, I might add) and seriously sent myself back into contractions…Oh my, these are the moments I will never forget. Going blindly into this wild ride with my hilarious best friend. I love you babe!

Baby girl…hurry up! We are just dying to meet you, and I promise we are worth few good laughs! xoxo – your (clueless but eager) mommy and daddy!

37 Weeks – The BUMP…errr…Mountain~

36 weeks

i am one month away from my due date. here’s hoping she comes early :) not too early…but you know…not too late either :)

we love you little PEA! take your time baby girl, just not too much!

a very happy father’s day

thank the lord for daddy’s . where would we be without them?

Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.”

i am so blessed beyond words to have amazing parents. my father and my mother have always shown me enormous love and compassion. they love the lord with all that they are and it shows in all that they do. in all the confusion of childhood and doubtful times of youth…i never once questioned the love that they had for me. and to this day – i know that same love is there for me, supporting me and taking pride in what i have become. what a joy it is to bring good into their lives now that i am grown. mom and dad, you are so wonderful! THE BEST, in fact!

happy father’s day to my wonderful dad. a true man of god and a servant of the lord. a man who loves his wife and speaks highly of who she is and how she has made him better. a man who loves his children, and knows each of them in a special way. a man that also loves the fatherless and shows mercy to those in need. a man who has shaped me into the person i am today and who continues to challenge and teach me new things all the time. a man i am so proud to call daddy and who soon will be the grandfather of my little girl. I LOVE YOU PAPA!!!

i would also like to say happy father’s day to my wonderful husband. although i guess next year will be his first “official” father’s day, i think this one is pretty special. i am so grateful to share this life with such a loving and godly man. and i cannot put into words the way my heart jumps when i think of him spending time with our daughter. i know that when i meet her she will no doubt, melt my heart. but i truly think the thing that will bring tears to my eyes is the two of them together. i just know they are going to steal one another’s hearts! i love you SO MUCH abby! you are my everything. you are my hiding place and i couldn’t do this life without you. i thank god for you.

what amazing men god has placed in my life! ..and if that was not enough - i also have a wonderful father in law who is just down the street! he is a godly man and has helped shape my husband into the man he is today. for that i am so grateful! i know that matt is going to be a great father, because he was raised by such terrific parents ! thank you randy and nancy for all you do for us!

each of you are such a blessing in my life and matt and i would not be the people we are today without your love and support. we appreciate you so much! we are so grateful for the guidance you gave us in our younger years and the friendship you provide today. we count each of you among our greatest blessings.

finally, i am SO THANKFUL for my heavenly FATHER! the ULTIMATE DADDY! the man who breathed life into all of us. the man who CHOSE me as his own and calls me  beloved child. the man who gave his own life to save mine. thank you JESUS for loving the unlovable and for washing me white as snow.

John 15: 13 “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

i’m not charming

i’m simply not charming. i'm probably not very witty at this point either come to think of it. i want to be. i wish i was. but i cannot find it within myself to smile and say hello to strangers. to have my hair and makeup just so and to follow dress code at work. i just cannot. i am going to burst soon, i am almost positive. i wish to say it was just from excitement and joy, which in part…it is. but mostly it is because i am a huge swollen heap of pregnant mess!

i had my final ultrasound yesterday. i may have said “final” before, and that is because i really thought it was…but we have had 3 BIG u/s at the hospital rather than just the one most folks get. “why?” you might ask – well, i’ll tell you. it’s because this sweet little angel inside my belly is rather stubborn and non-cooperative when it comes to ultrasounds! each time they have tried to get certain measurements they have been unable to capture a good shot of her spine and of the 4 chamber valve in her heart. this time we got the heart and all 4 chambers! WOO HOO! but turns out, 3rd time is not ALWAYS a charm…still no great spine shots, which dr. says is just fine and no biggie. in times past her spine was too curled up and facing the wrong direction to capture. this time however, it is that the bottom portion of her spine, along with her little hiney, are tucked SO far up behind my right rib that you cannot see them on an u/s…yes, it is as it sounds, rather uncomfortable!

other than that – the u/s went well. it is always my favorite thing, to see her up on the screen just precious and so REAL! i think her daddy would agree. we just love to watch her move around and do cute baby things! :) yesterday she grabbed her feet and started playing with her toes. i watched and smiled and thought to myself, “WOW! in just a few weeks she will be lying in my lap doing this!” she rubbed her hands by her face a lot and kicked me non stop, which is no change from when the cameras are off! i remember when she was so tiny that i could see her kick on the screen but not feel it…a big change from that to where we are today! but i wouldn’t trade those kicks and jabs for anything. i love, love, love knowing she is in there and just anxious to come out and meet me and her daddy! her little head was COVERED in hair. there is a picture of it on the slide show below, it is the cutest thing ever! speaking of her head…it was incredibly low and in GREAT position for birthing. PRAISE GOD! in fact, the u/s tech said it best - “wow, her head is really low – she is knocking at the door of your cervix!” i got SO excited when i heard that! we also go to hear her heartbeat, a beautiful 144 bpm. still total music to my ears!

after our u/s we went up to dr. johnson’s office for our appointment. they faxed over the u/s preliminary readings so dr. johnson could brief us on “the good stuff.”  most importantly that the baby looks good and is weighing in around 5.11 lbs right now. she said she thinks by delivery she will be around 6.5-7 lbs! perfect by me! i have to add shamelessly, that I on the OTHER HAND...have put on a whopping 32 lbs. six in just the last 2 weeks. WOW...there is really nothing else i can say to that, lol. oh well! :) dr. johnson asked how i was feeling to which i replied “good. i figure it’s not a total lie. for a woman 35 weeks and 4 days pregnant i think i am doing alright. she asked the typical stuff “is the baby active” (yes) “any bleeding” (no) and then asked how the u/s went. i told her that the tech mentioned the baby was “a-knockin” and she said “YES! let’s check you!” i have to mention that dr. johnson has told us all along that the baby would turn head down (which she did, PTL) and that i would not carry full term…more specifically that i will deliver the baby naturally before she goes on vacation on July 10th (keep in mind my due date is the 18th). so…i stripped down and laid down for the first dreaded “check!” i have heard that it can be painful, but i had no pain at all. it was quick and totally painless….

seconds later and full of smiles she tells me “YEP! you are 70% effaced and at a minus one station." what!? matt and i look at each other a bit dumbfounded. i had bet him that i was moving along quickly, he had bet me that i had no effacing or dialation and that what i was feeling was probably what every girl feels at 34 weeks. (i have been feeling like she’s literally just going to fall out for 2 weeks now). turns out we were both right, sort of. i am 70% effaced so my cervix is thinning quickly and baby is moving down and putting LOTS of pressure on things “down there.” BUT no dialation just yet so i haven’t “opened up.” a minus one station means that when she put her finger inside of me she could actually touch the baby’s head (through my uterus and cushioning of course) but was still able to push her up with her hand. Once the baby drops another 1/2 centimeter or so she will be at station 0 and thus “fully engaged” in my pelvis and not able to be pushed back up at all. At this point i am almost certain to start dialating! she summed it up by saying “walk, have sex, do whatever you want to do at this point. you are not going to have the baby this week, unless your water breaks on its own of course, but i do not think you will not be carrying her much longer!”

YAY! i am so excited i can hardly stand it. i have my hospital bag packed but i need to add just a few more things. matt installed the car seat (finally!) tonight. we are really doing this…

here are a few pictures of our baby girl. her face is chubby, her cheeks are huge (like her mommy’s) and her nose is so precious. her lips are full and pouty (which she did NOT get from mommy) and all 10 toes make mommy and daddy just melt. we love our little girl so much. just this week matt looked at me and said “i think this is going to be really fun".” “what’s that?” i said….”you know, having a daughter…” he replied! lol…i am glad he’s “in” – i just don’t think i could get any more blessed at the moment. beautiful daughter inside of me, an amazing husband by side and wonderful friends and family supporting us through all of it. THANK YOU JESUS for all of my blessings. You are so worthy of our PRAISE!

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oh…and although i am now almost 36 weeks i am behind on my picture posting…so here i am last saturday at 35 weeks. boy oh boy….or should i say GIRL :)

 

car rides are not for preggos

we made our last long road trip this past weekend to frisco where my sister and her family live. my parents drove in from waxahachie friday night and we had a nice cook out at amber's house. it was so nice to all be together and to visit with mom dad, amber dustin and precious skyler. i have to say that i have hands down, THE cutest nephew in the entire world. he is suuuch a beautiful baby. on top of him being so darn cute he is also so well behaved. this kid wakes up and falls asleep smiling and laughing, literally. ohhh he just melts my heart. it makes it hard to imagine loving my own little baby more when i meet her soon. i love her so much already, but i can only imagine the way she is going to flip my world around as soon as i lay eyes on her. same goes for her daddy! we are just so excited. the trip was wonderful and we had such a great time, despite the horrendous car ride! i just don't think women that are 34 weeks pregnant are supposed to sit in a car that long :)

this week has been tough. my lower back aches. my uterus is tightening and cramping with braxton hicks contractions, i'm sleeping very little and light and i am so busy with work. emotionally it is all trying to catch up with me. but i am still holding pretty strong...i think so anyhow :)

matt and i finished our childbirth class on tuesday. we had a little graduation ceremony and our amazing teacher, bobbielynn, even printed us a diploma - so cute! we really are so glad we went to this class. our teacher was incredible and we learned so much about the natural process of birth. i am encouraged and empowered with the knowledge i gained in class and from LOTS of reading i have done in my own time. i know matt feels more comfortable too having watched videos and talked through many different scenarios. i am sure knowing that i am a type A super planning nutcase makes him feel very good too :) speaking of plans...we presented our birth plan to my doctor last week. she was actually more supportive than we anticipated and only had a few points she wanted further clarification on or to discuss options of flexibility. all in all we were both relieved and happy with the discussion and the reaction we received. tonight i packed our hospital bag and this weekend we will put the carseat into the 4 runner...talk about "making it real!" i am sooo excited. 

next wednesday we start our "weekly appointments" until this little stinker arrives. i am going to go ahead and have them check me for dilation at that point as just in the  past couple of days i have started to feel like she is going to fall out of me. if you have been pregnant, you likely know that feeling. i think she must have dropped sometime this past weekend. you can sort of tell even just in the pictures of my belly. i will be 35 weeks on saturday. at the appointment on wednesday we will also have our FINAL U/S. one last time to see our baby angel dancing on the big screen before she is safe in our arms. i am hoping they will give us a "guesstimate" on her size/weight at that time too. it is all happening so fast.

i started reading an amazing book - "bringing up Girls" by James Dobson - it is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. if you are a parent of children at ANY age i would recommend picking up a copy of this or "bringing up Boys" or both! i could blog for days about just the first couple of chapters. but i will not ruin it for you and instead just tell you it is a MUST READ. i am loving it. matthew is definitely going to read it when i am done. it has opened my eyes even more to the incredible responsibility we have as parents to nurture, protect, discipline, teach and above all LOVE our children. what an honor to be chosen by God to provide all this for one of his precious children. i am so touched when i think of how truly special the times ahead of us are...

oh and a couple of preggo facts...

• i gained 1 more lb at my last appt. i think that puts me at a whopping 26lbs!
• baby is kicking, and rolling all over the place. you can see her from across the room when she really gets going :)
• i married an incredible man. he is loving, godly, wise and i adore him. i cherish these times we have together as "two"
• my family is amazing. i miss them dearly and live much too far away from them
• did i mention my nephew is the most adorable little boy EVER?

34 weeks with baby pea and precious Skybear

super happy parents to be :)

handsome men

my 2 favorite boys in the whole world: hubby and daddy

world’s most amazing parents “gigi & doc”

 

LOVE my big sister <3

love love love my family

And a very special shout out to my brother Matt & brother N law Dustin. It is both of their birthday’s tomorrow. I love you very much!!!

Happy Memorial Day!

happy memorial day and a very special THANK YOU to all of the brave men and women who serve our country and fight for the freedoms that make our lives so beautiful. god bless you and bring you all home safely soon.

we spent the weekend just relaxing. the "dog days of summer” seem to have come early with the extra 25 pounds i am carrying around. it is HOT HOT HOT in southeast TX folks! but hey…just a few more weeks! i hit 33 weeks on saturday and i can hardly believe i am just 7 weeks away from my due date. it makes me so excited and for the first time…i think i am starting to feel just a hint of nerves!

at this point i have given up on sleep – and exhaustion adds a bit to emotion. but all in all i think i am holding together pretty well. i am still working over 40 hours a week and staying busy around the house on weekends. i am grateful to have a “short week” since today was a holiday and friday matt and i are working only 1/2 day and then heading to frisco to visit my family. matt hasn’t been up since christmas and i have not been in months. we are excited to visit and relax with family and to make one last road trip together before baby day!

we are so so excited and anxious to meet our little angel. wednesday is our big doctors appointment when we plan to share our birth plan with the doctor. please be praying for us – for courage and confidence knowing that we are making the best decisions for our family and trusting in god’s plan and provision over our lives. please also pray that baby girl continues to develop and grown in good health. what an exciting adventure ahead of us!

  33 WEEKS!!!

32 weeks pictures and plans

yep. 32 weeks and 2 days today! we have our second birthing class tomorrow. we are both very excited because our teacher is really supportive of natural birth. which if i haven’t mentioned…i am going to make an attempt at! i know a lot of people have really strong opinions on this topic which at this point i am not really searching for :) just encouragement, thanks!

anywhooo – we really enjoyed our first class. we learned a lot about the stages of labor, what to expect with each stage, and some great ideas on natural pain management. i am feeling strong and ready! tomorrow i am going to present my birth plan to our teacher. she is a certified doula, midwife, RN and about 10 other very credible titles. she is thrilled at our decision to avoid intervention and has offered to help in whatever way she can. so we want her to read it over and make suggestions before we present it to our doctor. she has also offered to swing by during delivery if she is not busy teaching a class and help advocate for our decisions. AMAZING! i really hope this works out since we made the decision later in the prenatal process and did not hire a doula.

i know the hospital environment will be a challenging one to accommodate our wishes, but i believe we can do it. i trust my body and i trust GOD’s design and divinity! please be praying for us as we get closer to this big day and many big decisions. we are really excited!!!

and true to form…here are the pics…32 weeks! wow!

CAN YOU TELL WE ARE EXCITED ;) XOXO

spoiled?

i am 32 weeks today. i had a dr.’s appointment on thursday and have now moved into the 2xmonth visits which i will do twice. then i will start going once a week for my final month…WHOA! i cannot believe i am so close. it is so exciting and crazy to even think about.

i really am pretty well prepared. i mean aside from my whole world being turned upside down of course. i have done everything i can do to prepare. this baby has been showered and spoiled from every angle. she has more clothes than i do ten fold. they are all washed and put away. she has enough blankets to keep a small country warm and they are also clean and tucked away in her drawers. her nursery is almost done, i just have to hang a few more pieces of wall decor. her monitor is set up and in place, her stroller has been put together for months, we just need to install the carseat into my car. matt and i started child birth classes this week, which we actually both LOVE. we have one class a week for four weeks. i will post more on classes later.

so far we have had 3 baby showers. one with family. one with friends and one at work. there are still 2 more to come. one more with co workers and one more with my mother in law and all her sweet neighborhood gals. i have never seen a baby with SO much stuff! is it really possible to spoil a child rotten before they even arrive?! little Pea will certainly not be in need! we are truly blessed and feel so loved. thank you to all of our friends and family who have so generously poured love and support into our lives during this special time and thank you to everyone for all of the amazing and kind gifts! god has really surrounded us with so many wonderful people.

at 32 weeks i am feeling pretty darn good. excited, but not really nervous. a little emotional at times, but not overboard (matt may beg to differ :) lol)  my feet and ankles are swollen but i am not miserable. i do not sleep much at all – maybe a solid 2 or 3 hours a night but i feel like my body has adjusted to this. it has been this way for a few months now. my blood pressure is great. the baby is moving and squirming all the time. my entire stomach shifts from side to side (AMAZING)! i only gained 2 lbs since my last month’s appointment (shocking to me!). my total weight gain is around 25 lbs. the major bumps in the road so far have been as follows:

• not exposed to parvo – turns out i am ok, and did not contract virus
• blood type RH Negative – got a shot of rogham and will check baby’s blood at birth – everything is under control for now
• blood work came back anemic last week – taking about 700mg of iron/day to avoid blood transfusions during labor.
• baby sitting frank breech for months – she appears to be turning. head is down and the rest of her body wraps up around my ribs and then back down. She sort of makes an upside down U on my tummy. we will have a final U/S at 35 weeks to see her position clearly.
• dr. will be out of town july 10-26. my due date is 18th. dr. is not a big fan of my birth plan, so maybe this is god’s way of giving me a dr. that is :)

here are some recent pictures of my bump and my baby shower!

30 weeks

31 weeks

 

baby shower blessings…

shower 1

shower 2

shower 3

  

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PICS OF NURSERY TO COME SOON!!! xoxo

labor of love

i am 29.5 weeks today. my back is killing me, i think i may have pulled a muscle carrying kitty litter thru the grocery store. glamorous, huh!? i know, i know…20 lbs and i shouldn’t have even pulled it off the shelf, but Come Oooon. UGH! i am tired of feeling so helpless. a lot of my friends have said they loved this part of pregnancy. the not lifting a finger and having everyone wait on you and and foot stuff…not me! oh well. 10 more weeks…”ish”

baby girl is growing and growing. i still feel kicks, plenty of them BUT she has new tricks on the table. with her room becoming ever smaller for her growing little body i am really starting to feel her every move. i can feel the pressure of her limbs as she drags them from one side of my tummy to the other. it is like a deep pressure along my tissue and i can see it lump up on the surface as she moves across. it feels so strange and so amazing. she is never still.

at 25 weeks matt and i had an ultrasound to get some additional measurements on our little sweetie. she had really changed since the last u/s. she was very active but still had her feet all the way up at her head, she is quite flexible :) unfortunately her position was also breech and not very helpful in getting the measurements they needed. soo, we will see her again on the big screen one last time at 35 weeks. here are some of her “glamour” shots from week 25!

precious feet

long legs

precious profile

(see her feet wrapped back around up to her head!)

here are some pics of mommy -

28 weeks

29 weeks…WHOA!!!

yep…i am getting pretty darn big! but what can you do?! eat blue bell and roll with the punches… :)

i have had a few hiccups, road bumps and emotional ordeals as of late. more to come on those soon…but for now-i truly cannot wait to hold my baby girl. i love her so much already – more every day. sweet little Pea…mommy is so ready to meet you!

THIRD TRIMESTER...

yep, that's no joke. i hit the third trimester mark on Sunday!? 27 weeks preggers. CRAZY how it is flying by - not without making its mark though! i am definitely feeling pregnant these days. i am having indigestion (this is the newest of my prego pains), swelling - though not too much, exhaustion (welcome back from the 1st tri), and plenty of emotion.

there are lots of outside pressures in my life right now too stemming from work, etc. but this sweet bundle inside of me holds my priority and attention. she is god's way of distracting me or allowing me to get too caught up in the chaos of things that are not for me to worry over. so under God's great guidance, i worry not! i am trusting in his divine plan and grace over my life. OH HOW HE LOVES US!

so here is... a catch up on the ever growing bump!

25 weeks


26 weeks


27 weeks