11 wks to go!

After my usual routine Friday morning, it was time to clean whole house, do laundry, etc. etc. By the end of the afternoon I was ready for our date night. A & I went to see UP in 3-D, followed by Red Robin, and then had something sweet to end a great date night! UP was a good movie and had a great meaning at the ending. It really reminded me of our church service last weekend about letting go of the things that hold you down.

Saturday was nice and relaxing, which is exactly what I needed. Between being really uncomfortable at night and being pregnant, rest is something I absolutely love and need! I told A the other day, that sometimes I really do forget I'm pregnant and need to back off on somethings. In three weeks our church will be doing a baptismal. I've been wanting to do this for a number of years now and finally it works out with our schedule, so both A & I will be baptized June 21. I feel every person that has accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior should be baptized! I can't wait to profess my faith to the world and be washed by the water!!! God is truly great and has worked so many miracles in my life, that I feel all I can do is give all the glory to him. Everything is possible because of HIM and it's through HIM that we will have eternal life!

Today has been a great day all around and I'm truly thankful for my husband and pups! I worked out, played in the pool (this is the 1st time this yr I've gotten completely in), sat in the hot tub (it wasn't on, so it was like a lukewarm bath), ate lunch at Red Robin, did our couple's bible study, and now just enjoying life and the rest of this great day!

Preg notes: 11 wks to go! Let the nestings begin! So far the nesting bug has been hiding until the other day, when it stung me so hard that now I have to make up for lost time. Throughout the pregnancy I've made lists here and there of things I need to do. I usually get them done within a week and then I think/find more things I need to do. I recently came up with the big list and have a feeling this might be able to hold me out until the baby is here. Baby C is more active than ever! Baby C is growing so big and has truly squashed my insides and has made them it's own punching bag at times, which makes for numerous trips to the bathroom. It's funny too because this week we especially noticed how Baby C does more somersaults and moves it's whole body compared to a little kick/punch here and there. It's such an amazing feeling to have something moving inside of you. A's eyes' always light up when he can feel Baby C rolling around in my tummy. A & I have been talking a lot about what it'll be like when Baby C blesses us with his/her presence! I keep wondering what the end of July and beginning of August have in store for us. The baby has found my nerve, Sciatic Nerve that is! I was really uncomfortable from Friday afternoon till late last night. I was on my feet most of Friday and by late afternoon my lower back was killing me. I kept heat on it almost all night Friday and took it easy on Saturday, hoping that the pain would just go away. I walked like a very old man yesterday and could barely move from side to side when I was sleeping. However, late last night on one of my numerous trips to the bathroom I noticed I could walk! Amen! So today has been heaven sent and I'm so happy Baby C decided to get of my nerve. I continue to get BH, so it's great to know my body is preparing for the arrival of Baby C. I do get concerned sometimes because I feel as if they last longer than they should. We are still up in the air with a boy name and now are going back to look at more names. I can't wait until we have a boy name we both really like and would get the "good feeling" about. Who knew this would be such a hard job?! Overall things are simply amazing and more than I could have ever dreamed of! Thank you God for the Miracle of LIFE!



“In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?”-Psalm 56:4

Pregnancy Q & A!

About the Mommy!
Name: Angie
Age: 23
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Green
First Child: YES!

About the Daddy!
Name: Adam (A)
Age: 25
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Green/Blue
First Child: YES!

Finding Out!!
What day did you find out?: December 6, 2008
How did you feel when you found out?: Shocked,Excited, Shocked, Excited again! I really couldn't believe it, hints why I ended up taking 5 tests!
Who was with you?: Nobody. A was gone on a work trip in San Fransisco.
Who was the first person you told?: Two girls put it together by the way I was acting at the wives Christmas party. As soon as A got home from his trip, I surprised him with an early Christmas gift from God to tell him the GREAT news!
How did Daddy react?: A couldn't believe it. He looked at me and said, "So.....are you? Are you sure?" He was in a little bit of shock, but grinning ear to ear:)

Telling the Grandparents!!!
How did your parents react?: Very excited! We waited to tell everybody until we had went to the dr. and made sure everything was ok.
How did his parents react?: Very excited, too!
Are they helping with baby names?: No, A and I wanted to make that decision ourselves.
Have they bought anything for the baby yet?: My mom is so happy to be a grandma again and is already spoiling her soon-to-be grandchild. She gave Baby C Christmas gifts, Easter gifts, and of course shower gifts. One gift she gave us was a little Baby Einstein toy that plays music, which I play for Baby C every night.
How often do they call to check on you?: A's parents ask about every week or so, I talk to my mom almost everyday so she gets daily updates. I think it's just something about your daughter having a baby; she's so excited and can't wait to meet/spoil this little one!

About the Pregnancy!!!
When was your first appointment?: First appt was December 9, 2008!
When is your due date?: August 16, 2009!
How far along are you?: 28 weeks 4days
Weight gained thus far now?: 22ish
Have you had any ultrasounds?: I've had 2 so far and probably will have one more as I get a little closer to my due date so we can see how big Baby C is measuring. We had an ultrasound Dec 31, 2008, where we saw Baby C's tiny little heart beating (7 wks pregnant). We had our second ultrasound March 24, 2009 (19 wks pregnant, baby was measuring 20 wks). This ultrasound we got to see Baby C for the first time. We saw Baby C's spine, heart, kidneys, head, feet, arms, legs, pretty much everything. It was one of the most precious things I've ever seen!
Have you heard the heartbeat?: First time was at our first ultrasound (got to see it too) and then every dr. visit via doppler.
What was the heartbeat?: Averaging in the 140's.

Sex of the baby!!
Are you finding out or will you wait until birth?: We're WAITING for Baby C to tell us!!! As soon as I deliver the baby, I want A to tell me whether we have a son or daughter.
What do you want?: Either, I just want a healthy baby.
What does Daddy want?: A healthy baby, but he says he has a feeling it's a boy.
What do you think you are having?: I've always thought it was a boy, so it'll probably be a girl!
Have you had your big ultrasound yet?: Yes, at 19 wks!
If so, what are you having?: A BEAUTIFUL HEALTHY BABY!
Are you and Daddy happy with what you are having?: We are thrilled, really couldn't be happier about having a BABY!!!

About the birth!!
Do you know what you are taking with you to the hospital? My husband, my camera, my bag, bringing home baby outfits (1 girl, 1 boy), ummmm...haven't thought about this too much.
Who is going to be with you?: My husband will likely be the only one in the room. One of my friends might be taking birth photos for us.
Are you going to videotape it?: Nope, but I hope to have photos taken of the process. (None below the belt though!)
Natural or Medicated?: I go back and forth on this question. I want to say natural, but I am not opposed to getting an epidural if I feel like I need to.
Do you think you will need a c-section?: I don't think so, and I hope not!
Will you cry when you hold your baby for the first time?: Ummmm, I don't know. I'm not real emotional, but if the hormones are raging the tears will fall for sure!
Do you think Daddy will cry?: Yes, I think he'll at least tear up!
Do you know what you will say to the baby when you first hold him/her?: I haven't really scripted anything..haha.. but I'm sure we'll both be in a state of shock and just tell him/her how much we love him/her and how happy we are to finally meet him/her! Oh, I just get butterflies thinking about it:) I can't wait to meet this little one!
Are you scared about the labor?: Not really, for some reason it's something that I'm not nervous or scared about. Sometimes I worry about the pain and how well I will tolerate it, but most of the time I am confident in my body's ability to handle the birth.

Names!!
Do you have a name picked out?: Working on it. We have the girl's name for sure, and working on finalizing the boy's.
Girl names: Keeping it hush, hush for now!
Boy names: Keeping it hush, hush for now!
Is your baby going to be named after someone?: The first names aren't after anyone.

Other Random Questions!!
Have you felt the baby move?: Yep! I love feeling Baby C!
What race(s) will your baby be? From you and Daddy?: We are both as white as they come!
What was your first symptom?: Sore breasts/nipples, followed by extreme nausea and tiredness.
What is the baby's room theme?: Spelling Bee!
What was the first thing you bought for the baby?: I'm not sure? Since getting pregnant, we've bought some gender neutral onesies, a John Deere 5 piece set that I found on sale, some Ram's onesies, and 1 bringing home outfit for each gender.
Will you cloth diaper?: Nope!
Breastfeeding or Formula?: I intend to breastfeed up to a year. If for some reason this doesn't work out I won't beat myself up over it if we need to switch to or supplement with formula.
What is your favorite pregnancy book?: What to Expect When You're Expecting and Your Pregnancy Week-by-Week have been fun to read each week!
What do you look forward to doing again once you are no longer pregnant?: Laying on my back. Fitting into my old shirts. Sleeping more then 2-3 hours at a time (though I know that still won't happen for a while). Wearing pants/jeans/shorts that actually have buttons and zippers. Not having to monitor my heart rate while working out.
What physical features do you hope baby will get from Daddy?: His gorgeous eyes and facial features.
What physical features do you hope baby will get from you?: I haven't given that one as much thought...
Is he ready to be a Daddy?: YES he is! :)
Are you ready to be a Mommy?: ABSOLUTELY!

My nights lately have been a little rough, but somehow me and Baby C are managing. Baby C's new wide awake time is 4-5 AM. In my 2nd trimester I was usually awake around 3-4ish and now I'm awake around 4ish. I can't manage to find a comfortable position and Baby C is doing somersaults like crazy. I love feeling Baby C move, so I really don't mind, I just wish I could find a comfortable position to sleep. It's been raining on and off the past couple days and at times I think the humidity is 100%! I've been feeling pretty good for the most part (considering everything that's going on). My workouts continue to go great and I'm so happy to still be working out (my belt has been a gift from heaven in making this possible)! Today I meet a girlfriend for lunch and to catch up on how each one of us is doing, since we won't see each other until the middle of July. Molly won't be able to make it to my shower, so she wanted to do lunch so she could give me my shower gift. She's so sweet and it's been so much fun comparing notes and watching our belly's grow together, since we're due 2 wks apart.

Oh ya, today a lady looked at me and said, "Oh my gosh, you're so cute pregnant!" I couldn't help but smile and say thank you=)

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”-Galatians 2:20

Recent Events

It was so nice having A around this past weekend and the beginning of this week. He got a much needed break from football and we've had some great quality time together. We are really trying to take advantage of "us" time while we can.

Sunday I worked on this Pregnancy/Baby book for Baby C. The book is complied of pics from major things we've done since I've been pregnant and my weekly belly pics. I added little sayings to tell what was going on and/or details about the pregnancy at the time. I also printed out all my blogs, so when Baby C comes we can bind them all together and have a great keepsake. I think this baby has the most documented life and it's not even born yet. I sure hope Baby C loves pics, because Mommy sure does! Hopefully someday this little one will enjoy it!

Sunday I also managed not to leave the house all day. It was kind of nice, but by Monday morning I was stir crazy and was so happy to take the dogs on a long walk. I really enjoy taking our family walks and can't wait to be pushing a stroller as we all walk!

The past couple days it seems like we've been running around doing errands, along with the usual day to day things we have to do. Today I did get a much needed hair cut, which was nice and relaxing! I really can't believe tomorrow is Thursday; time is flying bye!

A special congrats to Bobby & Brett who are officially engaged! Bobby called us on Monday to tell us the great news. We're so excited for them and can't wait for the wedding.

Preg notes: I'm so excited that my baby shower is less than a week away; I can't wait! Sunday night as I was getting ready to shower and go to bed, my lower back started to ache terribly. I then started to have severe pressure and my belly was rock solid (like a contraction taking place). I thought it might be Braxton-Hicks, but it didn't go away for a long time. I eventually ended up falling asleep, but wasn't pain free until about noon on Monday. The past couple days I've notice an increase in BH, which means my body is practicing of the arrival of Baby C. I can't believe how close we're getting to August! I've noticed lately by the end of the day my body is worn out and that's when my back really starts to ache and the cramping starts up. My energy level also decreases once it's past 5. The baby has been a little more quite since then, which I hate and wish Baby C would move around all the time just to reassure Mom that everything is ok. It's funny every time I push on my belly to see if Baby C will kick back, he/she does. However, when A does it, he/she must know because it's a little delayed and sometimes he/she won't even do anything. A says that they must know who the boss is?! My friend Cass and I have been experiencing the same cravings throughout most of our pregnancy. I've been craving milk and strawberries lately, which I recently learned is her thing too. This will be even more interesting if I end up having a girl and she has a little boy. This will help prove/disprove some wives tales:)

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”-Romans 12:10

Great days w/ A & 12 wks to go!

I'm blessed beyond belief; I really can't help but thank God almost every minute of the day! I wake up to two of the most precious things every day, a kiss from my husband and a love punch from our little one inside of me. God is Great and Life is Good!

Friday A and I had a great date night! It's been awhile since we went all out on our date night, so we decided it was time. We meet a couple at the movie, followed by HuHot's, and topped the night off with Coldstones! It was an AWESOME time and truly a great date. We went to Night at the Museum II: Battle of the Smithsonian. I thought the first one was good, but I thought this one was great; well worth the money! It was so nice to take the time to enjoy each other and spend some quality time together.

Saturday we savored the morning by feeling Baby C move all around. I think Baby C was giving A a high five! The other day A and I could feel Baby C fluttering its feet back and forth; it was so neat to feel! The rest of our morning and afternoon was full of working out, taking the dogs for a long walk, playing in the pool, going out for some breakfast food, and running to Target to grab this and that. Saturday night we went to church, had our usual Mexican meal, then a little sweet treat, and a night of 24! The pastor at church had a really good message that definitely got me thinking. He talked about what are the things we keep on our back and can't let go in order to really give our whole lives to God? My goal is to drop the extra baggage that brings me down and doesn't allow me to climb through the whole and give my everything to the Lord. We watched the last 4 episodes of 24. Both A & I were disappointed on how the season ended and now we will be forced to watch the next season, because they left so much open. Overall it was another great day and this weekend is turning into everything I could have only hoped for!

12 wks to go! This was for sure the first week I've started to notice the 3rd trimester kick in. Everything from having to wear a pregnancy belt, my increased appetite (I could royally eat a whole buffet at times-first time this whole pregnancy that I've felt like this), starting to waddle sometimes, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep, increased baby movements, and it's simply getting harder for me to move around this basketball I'm carrying. My blood work and tests came back this past wk and everything says that Baby C is healthy and growing just fine. A and I have figured out how Baby C is laying in my belly. At times you can feel it's little bottom pushing my tummy out. We love feeling Baby C do somersaults, kick, punch, whole arms moving along the inside, and high five! It's such a blessing from God every time I feel Baby C move. Today marks the day I will start to do "kick counts" regularly. I've been doing them here and there, but they say to really start them at 28 wks. I simply time how long it takes me to feel Baby C move 10 times, which usually takes a minute; Baby C is quite the mover now days. As far off as it may sound, I still can't believe there's a baby inside of me. It's unbelievable A & I are going to be a Mommy and Daddy in August; it's so surreal, but makes me smile so much every time I think about it! I'm so anxious to meet this lil one!

A and I decided that once the season comes we're going to go back to some of our old traditions. A's first season here we always made breakfast Tuesday morning and took the day completely off. It was so nice and relaxing to have a lazy day together. Last year we made sure to always have a date night during the week. We usually went to dinner and a movie. It was nice to take time for just the two of us during the busiest time of the year. This year we plan on doing both. We understand the importance of making time for our "new" family and the importance of making time to be just a couple. I'm really looking forward to Tuesday with our new growing family and Friday nights for the two of us.

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”-Romans 15: 5-6

My New Best Friend & Letter to Baby C!

Today has been a great day with my new best friend, My Belt! I haven't had nearly the cramping &/ pressure like I've been having the previous days. As long as I wear my belt and watch what I'm doing all is well!

Today I did my usual workout and even managed to take the dogs on a long walk. God and I had some great quality time together and it's truly turned out to be a great day! After cleaning the house and doing my usual day to day things, I had to run Rambo to the vet to make sure his paw pads were okay. He's okay, we just need to watch how much he's on concrete these next couple days while he builds up some calluses.

A letter to Baby C:

Dear Baby C,

It's amazing how far we have come together in such a short time! Once a dream, you are now a little growing baby with a rapidly beating heart. Every time your Daddy hears your heartbeat, his heart just melts. You still make me sick at times, which seems slightly unfair considering I will spend many hours & days comforting you through sickness. Luckily nothing of Momma's is starting to swell, which means I can still wear my wedding band and promise ring that your Daddy gave me to show me how much he loves me. Daddy and I can't wait to bring you home and have our family grow from 4 to 5. I think Rambo and Pebbles are starting to sense a change is about to happen. They just want to be around Daddy and I all the time. I think they'll be very curious about you when we bring you home.

Baby C, I can't stop dreaming of you & they are the most wonderful dreams I could ever imagine. The kind that I never want to wake up from because I want to stare at you in my arms. I sit and daydream about whether you'll have Daddy's nose, my eye's, tall or short, and most of all what we will call you!

Every day I sit and call you a different name when I'm talking to you. I really like the new name your Daddy & I came up with if you're a boy and if you're a girl, we have your name picked already. Oh Baby C how I dream about the day I will finally get to hold you in my arms!

Baby C, I love you & I cannot wait to meet you face-to-face. I know it will be love at first sight.

Love,
Momma

"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." -Elizabeth Stone

Uncomfortable Feeling & Unplanned Dr.'s Visit

It's been a rough couple days on me and it's starting to wear me down. I have to vent a little here, but don't worry I'm in good spirits. Just have to get somethings off my chest.

Last Thursday I started experiencing some cramping and told Dr. P about it on my Friday appt. He thought it was due to me still doing squats, lunges, and leg exercises, so I decided to stop doing those. Over the weekend I felt pretty good and then Sunday night I started to get really uncomfortable. My lower back began to ache (which it hasn't to this point) and I started to get cramps in my lower abdomen. I didn't think much of it until I didn't sleep well and woke up with some cramping and pressure. I went to the gym to do my normal workout, which somehow I managed to get through (an easier version of it though). Later A & I took the dogs for a 20 min walk, in which I thought I was going to die at the end from cramping and severe pressure. I'm very anti Dr/medication unless I see an immediate need for it, and well A knew it was bad when I called the Dr to see what I should do. They wanted me to come in tomorrow afternoon to check everything out.

Today I attempted to do some cardio and ended up in the recumbent bike for a little workout. We went to the Dr where I was tested for a couple things and well here's what we've come to conclude: I'm not dilated at all (what a huge relief); the baby might be positioned in a way that is very uncomfortable to me, which in turn is causing the cramping and pressure; they would like me to wear a pregnancy belt from here on out to help with the stretching of my lower ligaments, this should help alleviate the cramping and pressure possibly too; and I'm on an antibiotic to clear up some discharge problems. So in a nutshell: I'm probably just going to be uncomfortable for the next couple months. Although Dr. P didn't not flat out say this to me, I kind of caught his drift.

I guess I spoke to soon, when just last week I was feeling great and was amazed how well my body has been doing with the extra weight and all the different changes. It really does seem like just 4 days ago everything was a-ok and now I'm uncomfortable all day long. I feel best when I'm sitting with my legs up, but find that even then I still have pressure and cramping that happens, but not as much compared to when I'm on my feet. Nonetheless, I'm just happy that I'm not in labor and everything is okay with the baby. I pray that the cramps, pressure, and pain will subside soon and I can return to my jolly ol' self.

A started his first OTA's today. In less than a month he'll be done with football for about 6 wks; this will be just in time for us to finish getting ready for the baby. He starts training camp July 30 and our lil one is due the 16th of Aug! What a crazy time this will be?!

We'll see what the rest of this week has in store for us.

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”-Galatians 2:20

Baby Basics & 13 weeks to go!

Here's the difference in 20 wks:

Today A & I went back to the basics, baby basics that is. We learned how to care for our new baby's basic needs. It was a good class that prepared us with the skills necessary to meet Baby C's needs. It was great to refresh ourselves on basic care. I'm really glad we took advantage of the class and think we both benefited from it. While we were there we signed up for a Breastfeeding 101 and the Holistic Childbirth Education Class, both of which we'll take in June. Signing up and taking these classes is a great reminder of how close we are getting to Baby C meeting the world. Oh, I can't wait to meet this little one!

I can't believe in less than 13 weeks I'll be a mommy!!! We've been brainstorming boy names like crazy lately, well actually I come up with some names and A says "yeah or nah." I have a new boy name I like and well would be happy if we went with it. I think we're going to go in with 2 boy names and then decide from there. Baby C has been really active lately, which is a constant reminder to me that everything is okay. A tells me how much I love feeling him/her move and I really do, because it helps ease the stress that expecting moms have about there baby.

We had a pretty laid back weekend and were able to get lots of sleep last night. Our sleeping in days are less than 100 now days, so we really try to take advantage of laying in bed and watching some TV before getting our day going.

One of my friends from high school just had a baby last week and it was the craziest story ever. She had no idea she was pregnant until she was in labor. She said she was on birth control, had normal periods, put on some weight but thought it was because she hadn't been very active, and she carried the baby in her back, which is why she didn't feel it moving around. It was crazy talking to her, because I couldn't believe she had no idea. I am baffled and told her she should go on the Discovery Health show "I didn't know I was pregnant!" Nonetheless, she is blessed with a little baby boy and the whole family is doing great. Amazing how God has a plan for each one of us, despite what our plans might be for ourselves.

“The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”-Hebrews 1:3

Glucose Test & Great Dr Appt

Today started off a little rough. It was a long night for many reasons and then both dogs and A got sick last night, so this morning A and I had to clean up the dogs before heading off to the dr's . An hour before I was suppose to have my blood drawn I had to drink this "flat pop," so they could measure my blood sugar levels. After cleaning the dogs up, drinking my "pop," and getting ready we were out the door for our appt.

All went well at the dr's, here's the basics from today's appt: up 20 lbs (2 lbs since last time), Baby C's hr was 140 bpm, and my bp is 116/54. When Dr. P found Baby C's heart rate it was really amazing how strong it is getting compared to the months before. Our little one is growing so big! A's face lite up when he heard his baby's heart beating so strong. I think the baby already has him wrapped around his finger. They'll call next week with the blood results; although we anticipate everything to be great. I go back in a month and then after that it's every two wks! It's getting so close and am getting beyond excited just thinking about August!

After the dr's I headed to the gym. I was told today to steer clear of lunges, squats, well pretty much any leg workout until I have Baby C. Dr. P said I can continue to do my regular cardio and arms, but to limit my workout to just those two. Nonetheless, I'm feeling great physically and can contribute that to exercising and eating well.

A & I went out to eat this afternoon for out date. We enjoyed some Longhorn and went shopping at Sam's afterwards. At Sam's we bought a couple lay out chairs to put by our pool and lots of fruit. The chairs almost didn't fit in the back of the pickup, but some how A & I made it work.

Overall, it's been a pretty good day especially considering how it started! Oh ya, it's super HUMID and HOT today; hello summer!

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” -Psalm 139: 13-14

Vegas, Running out of room, & Less Than 14 weeks to go!

So it's been a week since my last post and I can't believe how fast time is flying by....Nonetheless it's time to recap this past week in a nutshell.

Wednesday- A's Birthday! I had him do a scavenger hunt to find his gifts. I tried to spoil him rotten with sandals, tennis rackets, coupon for HuHot's, sunglasses, remote control boat for the pool, ipod holder, and a surprise trip to Vegas! Wednesday evening we had our neighbors over for cake and ice cream, packed our bags and then headed to bed (knowing that the next couple days we wouldn't get much sleep).

Thursday- It was a regular morning and afternoon as usual, then it was off to Vegas! I felt absolutely terrible Thursday evening. There have been a couple nights that I literally couldn't breathe and am very uncomfortable. The baby seems to be pushing up on my diaphragm, and well it's running out of room in there. Nonetheless, I just have to push down on my belly and/or lean over standing up to relieve some of the pressure created by this basketball under my shirt. Once we got to Vegas and met up with the Hull's we headed to the Strip for a late night of fun! We also got to meet the Hull's newest addition, Cruz, who is a chocolate lab!

Friday- We took it easy in the morning, considering A and I didn't go to bed until after 4 our time! Warren, A and I headed down to the strip for lunch and some touring time, while Annette worked. A and I went and saw Nathan Burton perform comedy magic. He was pretty good and left A & I wondering how he did some of his tricks. Later that night we hit up a great buffet, which even served cotton candy with the desserts. I've never seen that before and had to get one just to take pictures with. After having our fair share of every food imaginable we headed to Trader Vic's for the LA Comedy Club event. As we watched the 3 different comedians perform, we could sit and look at the Ifle Tower lit up, and to our backs was the famous Bellagio fountains. I absolutely love looking at the strip at night. After our show we headed to the Wynn and Encore. These are 2 of the most up scale casinos I've ever been in and I about fell over when we walked by a blackjack table that had a minimum bid of $300!!! Usually these tables are reserved for the special room marked "High Roller" not just on the floor. It was another late night, but when you're in Vegas time really doesn't exist. Between the lights and people every where you have no idea whether it's 7 PM or 2 AM.

Saturday- We went to the Adidas store to pick out some nice apparel, since A has a deal with them. Then A and I had our first In-N-Out burgers! I haven't had a burger in ages, but it was good and now I can say I've eaten at In-N-Out. Later that afternoon Annette worked on A & I doing different massage techniques. Saturday night we went to the famous Lion King Broadway performance at the Mandalay Bay. I've never seen a Broadway performance before and am glad this was the first one I got to see. I've loved the Lion King since I was little and it was so neat to see all the people dressed up in their animal costumes. We had a great time at the show and it left us speechless at times. Even though it was late when the show was over we decided to go to Green Valley Ranch so A & Warren could test their luck. A actually came out ahead and Annette and I got some great girl time to chit-chat.

Sunday- Only 14 weeks to go! My first Mother's Day To-Be! A bought me a hilarious Mother's Day card and I was so touched about being thought of on a special day. Going on 4 hours of sleep from the night/morning before we were up early to make our flight back to St. Louis. A and I slept part of the way and watched a movie, The Ultimate Gift, the rest of the way. The movie was a pretty good movie and had a good meaning to it. It really made one think about their own life and what we take for granted. We were exhausted from an awesome time in Vegas and couldn't wait to go to bed early. When we went to pick up the dogs from the kennel, the ladies there gave me a flower and said that Rambo and Pebbles had picked it out for their Mommy! I got so excited thinking about how next year will be my 1st Mother's Day! I can't wait to celebrate with my hubby and our little one!

Monday- It was back to reality and our usual routine, a trip to the gym and the grocery store. Luckily the night before I had finished almost all our laundry, so that was one less thing to do. However, we were hosting bible study so we had to clean the house a little and do our study. It was another late night after every one had left.

Tuesday- I spent most of the afternoon catching up on bills and some paper work. Other than that nothing too major or eventful happened, which is exactly what we needed. Oh ya, we did have a crazy thunderstorm all through the night, that kept me tossing and turning for hours.

Today/Wednesday- I met with 2 wives to talk about babies. Two of us our going to be new moms this summer and fall and the other one is a mom to three. Amy is the mom to three and she is absolutely amazing. She talked to us about Babywise and pretty much we asked her a trillion questions that were on our mind. It's great to have so many resources at my finger tips. Other than that it was a usual Wednesday routine.

Pregnancy Notes: Baby C seems to be running out of room, especially if I don't watch how much I've eaten at once and towards the end of the day. Baby C lets me know that it's getting a little tight in there. The bathroom trips seem to be back up too because of this. Only 3 months to go till I get to meet this little one! Some of my friends have taken a liking to this basketball under my shirt. They insist on rubbing and feeling it. It's funny how they say it looks like I'm carrying a basketball under my shirt. I usually hear, "It's all belly! You look so cute pregnant," on a daily basis. I really do feel as if I'm carrying a little b-ball underneath my shirt, which is great. Even the old guy at the gym made a comment about it; too funny! Friday I go in for my Glucose test and Dr. appt. I can't wait to hear Baby C's heartbeat and make sure everything is going great with me and baby. After reading a ton and talking to people, I finally feel like I'm establishing a plan for when this little one comes. I plan on using Babywise and getting the baby on a schedule is a priority of mine. I'm also contemplating whether to get an epidural or not. I really think I'm going to try to do it natural, but nothing is set in stone yet. A & I have our Baby Basics class on Sunday. The class should be really beneficial to both of us and it makes me so excited to think about it, because I know the baby is that much closer to making it's debut. It really feels like the baby should be here any day now! A & I are still tossing names around, however I think if Baby C is a girl we have a name. Now if Baby C is a boy, we still are thinking/pondering the perfect name! We absolutely love watching Baby C pushing on my belly. A says it looks like "Santa's belly jiggling around when the baby is doing somersaults!" When I'm alone in the house I keep imagining Baby C here in it! It's getting so close!

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”-Galatians 2:20

Happy 25th A!

Today it A's 25th birthday and it's time to spoil him rotten! I keep kidding with him that he's a "Quarter of a century," just to make him feel like an old man. He says he won't feel old until he hits 30! I can't wait to celebrate his birthday today and pretty much the rest of the weekend=) A is psyched about being able to celebrate his birthday for more than one day; he's so spoiled, but so worth it! I'm so ready for A's birthday and can't wait to make him feel like a king!

Unfortunately, on Monday I had what could be called a terrible "Case of the Monday's"=( Monday I woke up to a really bad leg cramp that turned into an all day aching pain in my leg. It was so frustrating, but finally after my usual remedies I got it to go away by the end of the night. We were suppose to go to the Cards game, but we had to pass between my leg killing me and A being exhausted from mini-camp.

Tuesday was full of getting this and that done. Nothing major and that's what I needed.

I've been having some really good workouts or as I would say, "I'm kicking butt and it feels great!" It's so funny the looks I get at the gym from bystanders when they look at this little girl with a basketball under her shirt doing lunges/squats with bicep curls! The double looks and jaw drops are priceless. I think I'm motivation for some people, because they look at me and think if she can do it, than I can do it.

Pregnancy notes: Baby C has definitely developed his/her own little routine and is very predictable when it's going to be most active and when it's going to relax and sleep. Baby C is getting so strong and I love feeling him/her doing somersaults inside of me. Baby C has a definite personality, which is crazy considering it's not even born. I can tell Baby C is definitely going to be a "Daddy's baby." The other day we had HuHot's and the baby absolutely loved it, just like when I had Ihop; both places of which Daddy loves! Baby C loves it when Daddy reads and talks to it at night. A is convinced that Baby C is going to love listening to the music I play it every night to fall asleep. Lately we both seem to be day dreaming about the day we will meet this little bundle of joy. I love being on team "Green!" I can't wait for Baby C to be the one to tell us what he/she is! I'm so psyched! I find myself grinning ear to ear every time I think about how close we're to starting our own family=)

Now it's off to celebrate the birthday of the greatest man I know=)

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” -Romans 12:12

15 wks to go!

Wow, I can’t believe I only have 15 wks to go! It seems like I blink and there’s another week gone. Every time I think about August I get so anxious and excited to meet Baby C=) Oh, I can’t wait to hold this little one that has been growing and living inside of me. I have to be honest, lately I really, really have baby fever. Every time I hold a baby, I just melt and think about what it’s going to be like to hold my own baby. Is it August yet?

Friday we had a shower for one of the wives who’s due about 2 wks before I am. She has two boys at home and is now having a little girl. My baby shower is in a month and I’m so thankful to have the friends I do to do this for me. It’ll be nice to get fun baby gifts and then see what we still need before the little one comes.

Yesterday, I had a wonderful day with some of my girlfriends. We had a girls afternoon (husband and kid free). We had lunch at a cute littlecafé down in Old St. Charles. It’s a place I’ll for sure have to take friends and family when they come. We then went and saw Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. It was a good chic flick and a wonderful afternoon with the girls.

A little Q&A:
How far along? 25 wks!
Total weight gain/loss: +18 lbs.
Baby size: A big eggplant!
Maternity clothes? Yes, I can still fit into some of my regular jeans that were a couple sizes too big to begin with (and also low-rise). My regular t-shirts are beginning to really emphasize this basketball I’m carrying. Everyone keeps commenting on how small I look and how it’s all just going to my belly (thank goodness for that). Nonetheless, I love my baby bump=)
Stretch marks? Not yet and hopefully never!
Sleep: About 2 hrs of consistent sleep at a time, then it’s a bathroom break and flip to the other side. I have my pillows that go on both sides of me to cuddle with and keep things propped up! Oh the joys!
Best moments this week: When Adam got to see the baby move from the outside!
Movement: Yes! Every day. Baby C loves when Daddy reads to him/her and when mommy plays music for him/her. Baby C also let's mommy know when he/she is hungry.
Food cravings: Captn’ Crunch, Candy, and milk!
Labor Signs: No, and hopefully not for a long time! I did however have my first experience with Braxton Hicks this past week.
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Laying on my back! Being able to bend over and tie my shoes with out having to sit down on my bottom. I can’t breathe if I just bend over and try to tie them. I also miss something’s I do when I workout (run, abs, jump rope, etc).
What I am looking forward to: My baby shower and only having 15 wks to go until I’m a mommy! Most of all I look forward to holding this little one in my arms.
Weekly Wisdom: Still trying to watch how much I’m drinking after 6 p.m., to help with multiple bathroom trips at night. Don't buy munchy foods!
Milestones: A & I both feeling kicks every day and being able to see the baby move from the outside. That’s so crazy!

All of this is still very surreal and most of the time I feel like I’m living a dream and am going to wake up soon. I have a feeling it won't really set in until they put my baby on my chest and I see it's precious face for the first time=)

Oh ya, A just finished #2 mini camp (only 1 to go)!!! I can't wait to spoil him rotten on his birthday, because he deserves it!


“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace”-Ephesians 1:7