Rings

I took this picture myself so it may seem a little funny, but I am so amazed that I still have my rings on my finger. I'm at 31 weeks now and when I was pregnant with Matthew I had to have Jamie pry them off long before 30 weeks. And I do mean pry them off, I was so afraid we were going to have to have them cut off, but he got them. So, there you go. There's the belly and the rings. I can't believe it! I hope I can keep them on the whole time this time. Wouldn't that be wonderful!?

OB check

*****T.M.I. DISCLAIMER*****

Okay I had my check up this morning and right now we're okay. I have a bladder infection still and my mw says that it's not uncommon to bleed or spot with that (oh the joys) so she wants to get this infection cleared up and then see if I'm still spotting or bleeding after that. She was really calm about it though so that was helpful. (This was part of my problem sleeping last night/this morning because I was doing all the "what if"s about the spotting)...

Since I was bleeding, she did an internal check to make sure... and we're closed up tight! She said before she went in that I'd better not be dilated, and I wasn't. So that's good. She said the cervix is soft but it's closed up, the baby was high, so she's pleased with that. Also I'm not measuring any further out than I was last time (so even though I'm at 31 weeks, I'm measuring 34 but since that was what I was measuring at 28 she's not concerned of any increased fluids this time!)

SOOOO, I'll go back in two weeks assuming nothing else happens between then and now. AND she wants to do another u/s regardless at 37 weeks to determine size and double check on the fluid levels again.

Thanks all.

Pregnancy Insomnia

Okay... well I've been up for near an hour now. And I had trouble falling asleep when I did go to bed. Why is it when you neeeeeeed sleep and you neeeeeeed rest, your mind is active and can't stop? I've been spinning my wheels like crazy over things that can not be resolved tonight. I thought maybe if I got them written down the spinning would cease for tonight and I could find a few more hours before the house stirs. This post is really to no one but myself, just writing because I'm awake really. 9 more weeks. 9 more weeks...


On a side note, I find it very funny that the gender voting is tied even steven. Every time one gets slightly ahead, the other side catches up. Seems like it's a complete toss up as to who's in here.

Websites for you!

So excited!!!

Jamie and I have been working on a new website that we’d like so much for you to check out! It's called Songs for you! Can you believe it!? We’re in our own business! I’ve been singing my whole life and now, with this website, I’m hoping to be able to reach people all over with the gift God’s given me. I pray that this site will be used to His glory, according to His will. I’d be so grateful for you to come and check it out and pass it on. If you have a moment, please forward this link to anyone who you think might be interested! I am giving God all the glory for this opportunity! And special thanks to my friend Jessica for starting her own website and inspiring me to do the same.

Here’s our website Songs for you

When you do visit the site, please sign the guestbook!

If I’ve had the pleasure of singing for you in the past please shoot me an email and I’d love to add your experiences to the “What say you” page!

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

I wanted to pass on Jessica’s website for her as well since she really gave me the courage to put myself out there! She is an amazingly talented artist and I’ve been very blessed to receive a masterpiece of hers as a gift, take another moment to view her page and you’ll be pleased I’m sure Scripture2picture

Some

Just some updating for all to see.

1. This weekend we got a futon from a friend, so instead of the large bins that hold our toys, I now have "lost" the bins and everything is in baskets or buckets on the bookshelf. This is what it looked like after Jamie and I cleaned it up this morning. And surprisingly so far it still is like that, though Matthew had little playing time today since we were out most of the day. We'll see how long it stays that way when he's had at it. Ha ha.

2. Jamie does pull ups. If you've been to our house, you know there is a pull up bar in one of the main door ways. Matthew typically asks for a turn and we lift him up to "get strong"... well today something new happened. Jamie grabbed Matthew with his legs and swung him. So Jamie's got his hands on a bar, and neither of their feet are touching the floor. They had a great time. Jamie got a good workout though, because Matthew kept asking "again?!" Next time you're doing pull ups, add thirty pounds to your feet and see how many you can do! We were all laughing hard! It was so funny!

3. Last weekend we went to the wedding of one of Jamie's cousins. Here are some shots from that. I love the one of the three Hobbs men walking hand in hand to the wedding. So cute. The wedding was really nice. After the pastor did the final prayer and said "amen" before announcing Mr and Mrs... Matthew added his own "AMEN" Loudly. oh well. :) It was a nice night and fun party.


4. I go back next Monday for another OB appt. I'm praying that I wont be any further in measurements than what my MW wants to see. I've got to get through the next week. I'm still praying daily for the baby's kidneys. That they are working properly and functioning well and there wont be any issues with them before or after birth. Thank you for your continued prayers on that.

5. In big boy bed news; Matthew has done great great great. I couldn't be more pleased. He's had one day since starting that was just awful. Up and down the whole time, eventually no nap came of it but since then, it's been back to normal and he's done so well. I tell him each time I put him down to "stay in his bed" and he (except that one day) does. It's amazing. When he wakes up, he calls out "Momma, I stayed the bed. I need the help. Momma, I stayed the bed!" It so cute. And I love that he's disciplined enough TO ACTUALLY stay in the bed and wait for me to come get him. I know eventually he'll just get up and we'll face a new battle, but for now, he's doing so good!

I think that's all the news I have.

OH!

6. MY SISTER IS AMAZING. She is done done done with her classes for her vet program. She has a ceremony tomorrow and I'm sad we wont be able to be there with her. Tomorrow she gets her white coat! Then next week she starts orientations and clinicals! A year and a half to go and we'll have a Doctor on our hands. I'm so proud of you, Kris.

3D baby

I've been pondering on whether to share this with the world or not but I think I will...

If you would have asked me "are you all going to do 3D pictures?" I would have probably said "uh, no." And in my head I'd ask 'don't you need money to do those at a special session?'

Well, at the last appt with all the fluid measuring going on, the u/s tech asked if she could "play with something" I was totally unsure to what she was referring, but said "sure." And this was the result. She gave me a 3D picture to take home... She said there was more but she couldn't give me but the one for free. They were checking the 3D stuff out anyhow, I just didn't know it. So getting a free 3D shot at 28 weeks is pretty amazing. It's hard to think about this creature inside me now as anything less than a fully put together child, knit by the Master. Would I have paid for a 3D session or bought a 3D video? Still probably not... Would I trade this picture? Nope. It takes my breath away every time I look at it. I simply can not get over how formed he or she truly is. I love that little nose already. What a difference the reg u/s picture is compared to this 3D one. How much more connected to my Manna baby I feel now that I've seen "more" of him or her. God's love, God's mercy, God's miracle of life is truly amazing.

The bed

Just wanted to show off my son's big bed. Much different looking from the first shot of it empty and unused, huh? He has done amazingly well in the big bed. He's gone down without a fuss or fight. He's stayed in the bed all but one time (including NAPS!) and is truly amazing me. He basically is weaning himself off the crib. I was ready to keep doing naps in the crib but just try the big bed at night... Nope! He wont have it. I'm surprised the sitter today got him asleep in the packNplay while I was teaching. I didn't voice it to her but wondered how that would go, since he hadn't been behind bars in a few days now! But he did fine there too. My son is such a big boy. I can't stand it!

The Big Bed!!!

Holy Big Bed Batman!!!

I might have spoke too soon...

Matthew stayed the whole night in his big bed last night!

I have a big boy!

baby update

Nothing like a whirlwind of emotions to start your day...

I had a rough appt for sure. I gained *ahem* 15 pounds in four weeks. (Oh holy crapola!) and am measuring 6 weeks ahead. (Last OB appt we were measuring 4 weeks ahead) so needless to say my MW was a little on the concerned side. She said she wanted to do an u/s today to see what the fluid levels were surrounding the baby and to see if we needed to check the kidneys of baby, if the fluid levels were in danger zones... SOOOO I was a mess emotionally as my thoughts went all over the "what if's" while I sat in the waiting room to be "squeezed in" to an u/s appt. THEN having to wait some more afterward while the u/s tech got the results ready for my MW to call me back in and tell me them...

Fortunately I didn't have to wait too long for the u/s. In fact, I didn't even get to call Jamie to tell him in between. But I did have a little bit of a wait after that while they got the results ready. That was hard. BUT it was beautiful seeing my little Manna again. And while I was waiting the second time, I was staring at his or her sweet face, curtisy of the u/s tech who gave me a pic to take home.

After all the waiting, the good news is we ARE okay. The levels of fluid are HIGH but they aren't ABNORMAL. So, my MW says we'll just keep watching. She said if I'm still measuring this far ahead next time or further (oh my word, I can't possibly measure even further out can I?!), then we'll do another u/s to double double check and make sure that the fluid levels don't increase into danger levels. If that happens THEN we'll have to monitor and test the kidneys but for now we didn't have to. WHEW!

So, we ruled out two of the three options that were potential scenarios for today from last appt.

1. There is only ONE baby. The u/s tech even did a 3D shot to make double double sure. The possibility of twins is ruled firmly out. (God help us if they are wrong come December!)
2. The baby measured only a week ahead for his or her personal growth. I'm 28 weeks and 1 day today, and baby measured at 29 weeks and 3 days. Roughly about 3 pounds. So THUS FAR, we aren't looking at a large baby...

MW just said that because of all the fluid, my uterus is providing an penthouse suite instead of a measly apartment for living space. LOL

Anyhow, I'll appreciate all healthy thoughts and prayers for my baby and his/her kidneys as we progress along in the pregnancy. Thank you.

three things

Thoughts on three things...

1. Relay for Life went great this past Friday night. I had surpassed my personal goal of 250 dollars by about 60 dollars! Our team raised nearly 3500 dollars to fight cancer! I'm so proud to be a part of it and look forward to doing it again next year and raising even more money in the name of a CURE! One of the things that is the most moving (emotionally) at Relay is the luminaries that line the track. Luminary are lit in honor or memory of those who are battling or have battled cancer. Hundreds of them lined the track on both sides. Hundreds. Looking at each name on each bag as you walk past chokes you up thinking about every name belonging to another person. When I found my dad's bag I literally almost cried out loud. There he was. There was his name. I walked and raised all this money for him. I pray that as he battles the cancer this time, it will really be the end of it. I'm so thankful for my dad and for his life... I took a picture of his bag with his candle glowing for HOPE...


2. Recently we made up Matthew's big boy bed. Just thought I'd share a pic about that too. He hasn't yet slept in it. Though we've been having story time on it in the afternoons before nap and sometimes before bed. I'm hoping when we do transition it will go smoothly. I'll update on that as it happens. For now it is just harboring a gathering of stuffed animals. He was so cute about it the night we set it up, which this shot was taken.


3. And lastly, here's the most recent belly picture for you. Today's the 5th, if you go back in the blog world to September 5th, to see the difference, it's pretty great. Today is 28 weeks, the start of the third trimester! I'm so glad. Though, I can't believe it's already here! And the baby will be here before we know it. :) I have an ob check up tomorrow. We'll see what is said about the size of the belly then and I'll update accordingly. Cheers.

.

Four years

I'm not much of a poet, and sadly it doesn't rhyme all the way through, but oh well...


Four years ago yesterday I married my best friend.
I became a help-meet for a man who God had designed for me.
Four years ago yesterday my life stopped being my own.
I'm now part of a unity instead of living just for me.
Four years ago I never knew just how much my life would change.
I had no idea what it would mean to belong to someone else.
Four years ago I never knew just how much love would come my way.
I had no idea what it would mean to carry and birth his children.
No one had told me that my heart could break and be glued back together larger.
No one had told me that my love for him would keep getting stronger.
I'm so blessed beyond my wildest dreams.
I love you Jamie. I love being yours.

♥