I could be an Expectant Mother for Halloween...

And I wouldn't even have to go buy a costume!! Okay, lame idea, but I couldn't think of anything more creative and it is kind of funny to think about what you wouldn't want to be for Halloween being this pregnant...cheerleader...Disney Princess...Pippi Longstocking (that was my favorite costume growing up)...it just doesn't portray that cute Halloween image really!

So, the Open House was a completely PERFECT event, everything was wonderful, it was so great to gather friends and family together at once, and we have not stopped rearranging the nursery since that day as you can imagine. Pictures to come...

I am nesting this weekend because Tony is away at the National Youth Workers Convention and it's time to get Noah's laundry clean and put away and think about packing some hospital bags...we are officially at 28 days to Noah's due date as of today and I really don't think the reality has sunk in yet. Plus, he really hasn't started dropping much so I am not feeling uncomfortable yet in the least...and am certainly not complaining about!

We are seeing the doctor on a weekly basis and we received our little "this is how you will know you are in labor" card this past week because if he come anytime now, there's no stopping him! His heatbeart was good and luckily, this appt he did grow even though I have still not gained a pound. We had to get an ultrasound last appt because he wasn't showing growth, so this news was better. (After performing the ultrasound, it turned out he was in fact growing, but was conveniently snuggled up under my rib cage, which was why my measurements were off.) But I have now been given strict orders that it's either gain 1 lb a week from here on out or they will think about bedrest or induction, neither of which are options I am hoping for. We are still praying for that crucial November 12th day, please say prayers with us, because that will be my year anniversary with DHL and solidify that my maternity leave will in fact be available for me to take in full.

So, Happy Halloween to everyone, and may your costume choices be more abundant than mine are this year!! I'd opt to be the pregnant one any year, it's the best!!!

Baby Noah's Nursery

So, we always talk about mommy and what's going on with me and the baby...that's why Noah and I decided to dedicate this blog entry to daddy!!! Daddy has done a phenomenal job getting the nursery ready for Noah and we wanted to show off some pictures of his meticulous artistry and handiwork. Every inch of this room has been hand-painted by daddy with love along with the installation of the new ceiling fan/light fixture. It looks a little bare, but don't worry, babies have a way of filling up space with all of their cute accessories, diapers and clothes very quickly!

Doesn't it look so cozy?!?!

I guess we know which one of us is going to

spoil this little guy the most...

Every intricate detail painted with love!

An empty dresser...for the moment!

Ready for Noah to move in!

Watching Tony go through these childbirth classes and learn comfort measures and breathing techniques and see video upon video of precious (and not so precious) moments of pregnancy, childbirth and newborns has been an amazing journey. Just the transformation of the expression on his face as it transitions from fear and apprehension to excitement and anticipation is priceless. After watching the last dvd in class on Tuesday, he looks at me and says, "Are you ready for our lives to change forever...because ready or not, it's going to happen!" If you ask him, he'll tell you, "I can't WAIT to meet my son!!" And I can't wait for them to meet either, he's tired of me keeping him all to myself.


I was just kind of taking it all in the other day as I sat in the rocker in the nursery; and I thought to myself...God is so excited about the mansions he is preparing for each of us, as His children, to come to our eternal home and enjoy forever. And I can't help but think that Tony feels a little piece of that same love and joy as he prepares the nursery for Noah's homecoming. What a great reflection of God parenthood can be!!

Glucose Tests, Baby Showers & Childbirth Classes

Family Photo from Pabor Day...are there three

basketballs in this picture??

Lots of different topics to update on, so here we go...

I officially passed my glucose test...huge sigh of relief! And Noah and I just had our 30 week checkup this past Wednesday and he is measuring right on for his due date, his heart rate was 140 and all is well! I seem to be going through a "having trouble catching my breath" stage again, but nothing I wasn't anticipating. Just makes life more interesting, I guess! Noah is moving like crazy, he's had lots of hiccups and I think I am starting to get better at telling what position he is in or exactly what is jabbing me in the ribs, so much fun!!!

I was given the best shower by the ladies group at Louisville Christian Church. We received so many gifts; outfits, bottles, booster seats and everything in between! It was such a wonderful event, we couldn't feel more blessed with all of the love and support our church family gives us.

Tony and I attended our first child birth class this past Tuesday evening. All the couples in our class are first-time parents, which I'm assuming is usually the case, and the couple we were paired with for the "get to know you" part of class were super nice. She is due 5 days before me, and to my surprise, half the class isn't due until around New Years. I definitely thought we would be on the later end of the due dates attending classes now. I didn't really feel I learned anything new this first session, probably because the instructor presented out of a book we had been given when we found out we were expecting and I have already read it cover to cover twice. But Tony said he found it really helpful. The classes to come over the next month are definitely going to get more interesting and interactive so we'll see what is to come!

We are officially at the 10 week countdown to baby time!!! It seems crazy that 30 weeks are behind us and so few are still ahead of us. Besides being a little more winded, I still feel great and am loving pregnancy. Praying all continues to go well as we look forward to our Baby Open House in October and then finishing up our preparations for Noah's arrival at the end of November...stay tuned for nursery progress updates/pictures, daddy has been working hard and it's almost ready!

30 Week Belly!

***3rd Trimester***

27 week belly!!!

Another milestone! We have officially crossed over into the third trimester...and I'm still feeling wonderful. Although I KNOW I will continue to feel more uncomfortable, kicking will become less exciting and labor ultimately prevails in the end, I still feel fantastic right now so I'm making the most of it!!

We went to the doctor today and it was all good news! My blood pressure was good and actually relatively low compared to normal. I haven't gained anymore weight which they were okay with since Noah is measuring right on for week 28. And I took the glucose test...ya know what, the orange stuff wasn't half bad. The worst part was when the mean vampire-lady drew lots of blood, we don't like the lady who draws blood...but it's a necessary evil. And she's really not mean at all...

According to my trusty books, Noah is a little over 2 pounds now and about 9.5 inches long from crown to rump. I would have to agree with one of the books when it said there is always a point during pregnancy that the mom is convinced she is carrying an octopus because there's definintely a flurry of activity happening and it makes you wonder if there really are just two arms and two legs! I was telling the nurse today that I was concerned about how his movements have changed in the past couple of days, it felt like he was lying really low and I wasn't getting any good kicks. She decided to hook me up to a fetal monitor for about 20 minutes since they were waiting for the magic glucose potion to do its thing before drawing blood anyway...so, I got to spend time watching Noah's little heart rate and fetal movement get tracked on a maching that looked much like the Seismograph used to record earthquakes. It was neat!

I also read that he will open his eyes sometime between this week and next...how exciting!!!

I've moved up to visiting the doctor every two weeks now instead of three so it feels like time is starting to snowball upon us very quickly!

In other updates...the Louisville Christian Church ladies group is throwing me a baby shower tomorrow night...the nursery walls are looking cuter and cuter everyday...and we start child birth classes a week from Monday!

And my belly button is not so much an "inny" or an "outty" anymore...it is really more of a "flatty" at the moment...and it's getting harder for me to see everyday...so are my toes!

Why I'm Excited to be a Mom...

First, I'll get to experience the feeling all moms talk about but can never fully explain...actually holding your very own child that you carried for 9 months...getting to finally see his little hands and feet for the first time, hear his coo's and look into his eyes...

Getting to know that little one, with all the different cries, expressions and preferences better than anyone else...

Dreaming of what my son will grow up to be, his interests, talents and passions...

Providing for, caring for, loving, admiring and praying for him every moment of every day as he grows and grows...

Watching Tony become a daddy!!!
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

My registry is complete and the nursery is underway. Tony is SO excited to unleash his creativity and paint Noah's room, it is going to look phenomenal! Today was probably the most active Noah has been so far, growth spurt or energy increase, I'm not sure, but it is still the most amazing thing! I love it!! We are a little less than two weeks away from my third trimester and God has just continued to bless Noah's growth and my health beyond belief. We are so grateful to be approaching the next milestone in my pregnancy.

My last Dr.'s appt had all good things to report...Noah has a strong heartbeat, everything measures right on, we won't talk about the scale, thyroid levels are perfect and I go for my glucose test the first week of September!

And the most amazing news of all...my belly button remains an "inny", not by much, though. I so thought I was joining the "outty" club like a month ago...he's a growing boy!!!

All is as it should be...

Not much to update on at the moment...all is well and Noah is growing like crazy!! I think I have said that a lot since I started this blog, but I mean it more and more everytime I say it. Experts say he is now about 8 or so inches long and a little over a pound in weight. His kicking is less of a random thumping now and more of actual limbs jabbing at me from inside. It's the greatest feeling!

I am going to register this Saturday morning with my mom and Tony's mom, so that will be lots of fun. Tony has officially banned me from the Babies R Us & Target websites because it's becoming my new obsession to be ready for baby registry day!! And despite the countless hours I have spent researching and shopping, and, of course, making a checklist, there are still many decisions left to be made. And the best part is, I actually had a dream two nights ago that Babies R Us just let me spend the night in the store because I still had so many decisions to make...pretty pathetic...

We also received our first big gift, only because there was free shipping, but my mom & Randy officially bought us our Travel System! It is so awesome, we love it! I just stared into the carrier once we had it all together and tried to imagine my little guy all snug in the car seat...the reality of a baby coming into our family gets more real with every passing day!!

Random Updates...

We had our 21 week ultrasound this past week and the grandma's came along to see their little grandson wiggle around...no, it didn't fall off...it's really still a boy!! He was very active during the ultrasound, I think he knew we were watching. It was truly adorable. His heartbeat was 143, he is weighing in at 15 oz. and everything seems A-OK and right on target. Praise the Lord!

I was afraid I was never going to be able to fully recognize his kicking...boy was I wrong. There is no mistaking those little baby movements, and Tony has had the opportunity to feel a few...he just has to be patient and wait until Noah is ready to play. But he is getting more and more active everyday...it's still cute, not painful yet.

Tony and I enjoyed a night our at the Carousel Dinner Theater the other night, which was a lot of fun! And we just got done with Vacation Bible School, marking the end of our summer craziness. That means it is on to nursery remodeling, baby registries, childbirth classes, baby shower and preparing for Noah's arrival! I'm excited but definitely enjoying every minute of being pregnant...what an absolute blessing!!!

Here is our latest family photo...

Mommy & her Noah Bump