super duper christmas

We have been so blessed this year and sometimes its easy to take it for granted. Today, looking around my living room at a tree with presents overflowing, boxes of already opened gifts to be put away, and a tummy with a healthy baby bouncing around inside, I feel very overwhelmed. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas celebrating the real reason for the season.

Christmas day is a birthday party

It doesn't matter if you where nice or naughty

He came to save the world from shame

Forever and forever yeah yeah

~"Christmas Day" by Rob Watson

stockings hung by the chimney

Christmas time is one of my favorite seasons of the year. So much fun time with friends and family, lots of cookies and holiday parties, and fun presents to open! This year has felt a little different since I cannot go to all the fun parties. And sadly, no one has felt like relocating their Christmas party to my living room. Funny how that works.

This weekend we drove down to Gastonia to do Christmas with Brian's family. On Friday, we left about 4pm, hoping to miss the snow storm that was covering most of NC. No such luck. We drove straight into the storm! I have never been in such scary driving conditions before, with a sheet of ice and snow on the road, all you could do was try to follow in the tire tracks of the car in front of you as one long line of cars snaked down the highway going 15mph. Luckily we made it there safe and sound.

We had an awesome time celebrating with Brian's family, with lots of family time around the house, yummy food, and fabulous presents. The most fabulous of all...our crib!! It was actually delivered to our house last week but there is nothing like getting to open a 90lb box and see lots of adorable white pieces inside. We also got tons of cute clothes for Lila and the most magical Christmas present of all. Yes that is a princess potty. That sings magical songs for a "royal reward" when you go to the bathroom. I do not think toys get any better than this! Then today, our doorbell rang and lo and behold, our car seat was on the front porch as a gift from a family friend. I am telling you what, this has been a rocking all around week.

From Coney Island to the Sunset Strip
Somebody's gonna make a happy trip
Tonight, while the moon is bright

He's gonna have a bag of crazy toys
To give the groanies of the boys and girls
So dig, Santa comes on big

He'll come a flying from a higher place
And fill the stockings by the fireplace
So you'll, have a yule that's cool
~"Cool Yule" by Louis Armstrong

on tour in a city near you

Last week we headed over to UNC for our maternity floor tour. Which is slightly ironic since we have already been to Labor & Delivery several times this pregnancy. But you know us, we can never be patient and wait to do things like everyone else. Always have to jump the gun! We still thought we should take the official tour and see everything the proper way.

First of all, you would think that other pregnant women would not stare so openly at a pregnant woman being pushed in a wheelchair. I honestly think they were just jealous I got to sit down and they didn't. We got to hear all of the check-in procedures for both us and our family. We also got to visit a delivery room, hear about the different options for laboring they provide for pregnant women which was impressive. Next, we headed up to the recovery floor where I will stay from about an hour after Lila's birth until we go home 2-3 days later.

It was so awesome to start thinking about her coming into this world. And now that we are finally 28 weeks (which is a huge development milestone for Lila) we are feeling less scared about her coming too early and more secure in the fact that she will survive, no matter when she's born. And she is getting so strong! Nothing like a swift kick to the stomach and lungs to remind you that you have a healthy little baby growing in there! I have kindly told her that she has no more room to grown vertically (as you can clearly see by the picture above) and should please start busting out horizontally.

I get no kick from champagne
Mere alcohol doesn't thrill me at all
So tell me why should it be true
That I get a kick out of you?
~"I Get A Kick Out Of You" by Frank Sinatra

oh christmas tree

Look at our pretty tree! With all the pretty ornaments! And shiny lights! Isn't it hilarious how Christmas time turns everyone into a toddler with a 10 second attention span? Oooh, shiny pretty things! I thought I would share some of our Christmas traditions with all my fabulous blog readers out there. And since I haven't heard from most of you in a while, I thought I would ask you to comment and tell me your favorite Christmas tradition. (Hint hint. Please leave a comment. I sit on a couch all day people. I have nothing else to get me through the week).

Every year we get our Christmas tree at this gas station in Raleigh by the NC Fair Grounds. I mean, for serious this place is straight ghetto. Like with the oddest collection of stuff inside ever. And random boxes of weird knick knacks lying around (ace bandages anyone? or perhaps some stained glass windows?) But they have the cheapest trees, so we count it all as part of the journey. This year, Brian got to pick out the tree by himself. Which of course means he had to pack me up in the car, drive me around the lot (slowly so I could make sure to peruse every tree), carry the selected tree over to the sketchy old man with a slightly less than full set of teeth for wrapping, rope it to the top of the car, take it off the car at home, and put it up in the house. All by himself. So strong and manly!

One of our other Christmas traditions is that we get the Christmas presents wrapped as soon as we can so we can have them sitting in all their gifty splendor under the tree to look at. This year was an online Christmas. I usually love going through the stores, shopping with friends, picking out the perfect gifts. But since they have yet to build a TJ Maxx in my dining room, I had to resort to a digital shopping cart this year. Thank you Cyber Monday!

Once again we find ourselves
enmeshed in the holiday season,
that very special time of year when we join with our loved ones
in sharing centuries-old traditions
such as trying to find a parking space at the mall.
We traditionally do this in my family
by driving around the parking lot
until we see a shopper emerge from the mall,
then we follow her, in very much the same spirit
as the Three Wise Men, who 2,000 years ago
followed a star, week after week,
until it led them to a parking space.
~Dave Berry

showered with love

So no, I did not forget about the baby shower update. You know, since thats that fun part with bows and boxes and cute cute baby stuff. Last Saturday we had our Cary baby shower. We had been so glad that the doctor told me I could go as long as I sat the entire time. I was so glad that I got to attend this one since Brian's mom had hosted a shower the weekend before that I had to miss.

We got so many wonderful gifts at our shower, our high chair, lots of cute clothes, decorations for Lila's room, and many fun supplies for the nursery. It was so nice just to have a normal, pregnancy moment and focus on the excitment of Lila's arrival. Many thanks to my sister Katelyn for planning such a fabulous party!
The other awesome part of the weekend was having Patti, Brian's mom, come up from Gastonia to join us for the shower. She also brought all of the wonderful gifts from the Gastonia shower! Needless to say, opening over 60 gifts in two days was exhausting and overwhelming. Now we just have to finish up the nursery so we have somewhere to put all of these adorable pink things.

I love giving gifts and I love receiving them.

If it's a really good gift, I love receiving it,

like jewels or small islands.

~Gina Gershon

negative test = good news

We have had a lot going on so I apologize for the lack of posts. I promise to be better! We have had an eventful last week with a lot of God moments. One of the most exciting things was our baby shower last Saturday and lots of fun baby gifts! But I will get to that after the more important things...you know like medical updates on the baby herself.

Last Tuesday we went to the doctor and thank God he says it looks like I am finally stabilized! He thinks the rest is getting my body to go back to a more normal state...apparently it does remember how to do its job and just be pregnant. He also repeated the fetal fibronectin test (that was the test I had 2 weeks prior that came back positive and was an indicator that I could possibly go into labor in the next 2 weeks) and this time it came back negative! So no risk of me delivering in the next 2 weeks! We could not be happier that the rest appears to be working.

On that note, they have decided that I will be on bed rest or limited activity for the rest of the pregnancy to assure that I don't go into preterm labor again. So that means the next 10+ weeks on the couch most of the day. Have I mentioned that I love my couch? We have a special bond, my red couch and I...

Everything grows rounder,

and wider and weirder,

and I sit here in the middle of it all

and wonder who in the world

you will turn out to be.

~Carrie Fisher

gobble gobble

Oh how I love turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. And you know what I love even more?? Being pregnant and having an excuse to eat as much of them as a I want because "the baby needs to be nourished." How could she possibly grow to be big and strong if I deprive her of homemade praline apple pie? I'm pretty sure that has its own line on the food pyramid.

We have had a good week of resting and spending time with family. Our doctors appointment on Tuesday went really well. Basically I have stayed about the same as last week, which is good and means I am not progressing into labor. The doctor reassured us that he does not think I am headed towards more preterm labor in the next week or two, as I appear to have stabilized. They do not know why my body is not holding up, but at least in looks like something that can be managed.

After the doctor did the exam he stated, "Well I think that's about the best we could have hoped to see today." My favorite nurse's response (who was in the room as well)..."Great, so can we just go ahead and hypnotize her until she's 38 weeks and it's time to deliver? Because I'm pretty sure she can't take much more of this." Oh Jeanette the nurse, I love that you understand me!

On Thursday morning, my sister Katelyn and her husband Peter flew in from Florida to spend the week with us, which made sitting on the couch all day so much more bearable! I got a "pass" from my doctor to spend the day at my parents' house for Thanksgiving fun, as long as I laid down the whole day. We did however, briefly get vertical to take some family photos for about 5 minutes. What an awesome way to wrap up a week of giving thanks for God's blessings, keeping Lila safe and warm in my tummy!

Turkey for the girls and turkey for the boys
My favorite kind of pants are corduroys
Gobble gobble goo and gobble gobble gickel
I wish turkey only cost a nickel
Oh I love turkey on Thanksgiving!
~"The Thanksgiving Song" by Adam Sandler

lots of rest ahead

Man, and I thought we were ending all of this eventful, dramatic blog posting. Sadly, our smooth sailing has been suddenly halted. Last Wednesday, I started having some contractions and pressure. I came into my doctor on Thursday and they discovered that I was 1cm dilated and my cervix was shortened.

I was quickly sent up to Labor & Delivery to be monitored for about an hour. My contractions had all stopped at the point and Lila's heart rate and movements were great. They decided to send me home on modified bed rest until I could see my doctor this Tuesday. That means I am only allowed off the couch or bed for bathroom and shower breaks.

As a precautionary measure, they went ahead and gave me a dose of steroid injections to boost Lila's lung developments. This will be critical to her lung development at birth (no matter how early she is born) and can increase her lung maturity by up to 2 weeks ahead of her development. For example, if she was born at 32 weeks, the steroids could potentially have allowed her lungs to develop as if she was 34 weeks gestation, which is a huge difference.

We rested on Thursday night and Friday, but ended up back in Labor & Delivery on Friday night due to some more pressure. At this point, they did a test called a fetal fibronectin test, which showed that I was positive for an increased risk of going into labor prematurely. They decided to measure my cervix again and found that miraculously, it had lengthened considerably since being checked the day before! According to the doctor on Friday night, the only way that could have happened is if it had been measured incorrectly on Thursday. Seeing as how one of the attending Maternal Fetal Medicine specialists had done the measurement himself (and I am pretty sure he has the skills down), we are thanking God for acting in a way that only he could. Based off of those measurements, they sent me back home to rest over the weekend.

I am going back to my doctor tomorrow afternoon to hopefully get some answers and a game plan. At this point, we are not sure what is causing these preterm labor symptoms, or what we can do to stop them other than rest. We also do not know any statistics about how likely we are to deliver early or when we can expect for that to happen.

Both Brian and I are feeling very calm at the moment and just praying that God give the doctor a clear diagnosis tomorrow. We also know that every minute the Lila stays inside of me, she gets stronger and bigger. We appreciate everyone's prayers for Lila and her continued safety and will continue to update as we get more information.

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.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
~Psalm 139: 13-16

worth the wait

We have been having a lot of fun getting ready for Lila this last week. As we work on her nursery, it is so amazing to picture her in the room and imagine everyday things like changing her diaper and rocking her to sleep. We are doing some more work on her nursery tonight, so expect a big picture post later this week!

Another major part of the week has been sorting through boxes filled with baby clothes and toys. Talk about a blessing! Our friends Kristy and Todd have a two-year old daughter named Reagan. When they heard we were having a little girl, they told us to come on over so they could give us some of Reagan's baby clothes. Little did we know they meant 7 boxes of clothes, newborn through 2T, toys, playmats, blankets, etc! We have been having so much fun going through all the adorable baby girls things, laughing and talking, until we got to this one...

As I pulled out this onsie, both Brian and I teared up and sat there for about a minute just thinking about all the tears, prayers, anger, sadness, anticipation, shots, and doctor's visits that have gone into this precious little girl. We forget sometimes how long we have waited for her, prayed for her, and imagined what it would be like to have her in our lives. And now, as the waiting draws to an end, all we can do is thank God that she will soon be ours.

It's all about you, Jesus

And all this is for you
For your glory and your fame
Its not about me
As if you should do things my way
You alone are God
And I surrender to your ways
~"Jesus Lover of My Soul" by Passion

buy buy baby

This post will be of no interest to anyone but my local mommy friends. Breaking News: a brand new baby store called Buy Buy Baby is opening up next week on Nov. 17 in Durham. It is very similar to Babies R Us in prices, but has a much bigger selection. I went to the one down in Charlotte and they had styles and colors of some products that I didn't even know existed!

And the best part of all...you can use Bed, Bath, & Beyond coupons on almost all of their inventory! Since it is owned by the same company, they honor coupons for most items, except for furniture and some major brands. That means 20% off lots of baby items, since you know you get those big blue coupons in the mail like 12 times a week. Holla for baby deals!

Shopping is a woman thing.
It's a contact sport, like football.
Women enjoy the scrimmage, the noisy crowds,
the danger of being trampled to death,
and the ecstasy of the purchase.
~Emma Bombeck

future Mia Hamm

We have had so much birthday going around, I feel like we need a whole post about Miss Lila! The most exciting news is that Brian finally got to feel her kick on Sunday! I have been feeling Lila move around for about a month, but due to her positioning (further back by my spine) my doctor had told us it could be weeks before she was strong enough to be felt outside.

On Sunday morning, Brian was laying in bed talking to my tummy (he likes to tell Lila stories) and had his hand laying on my belly. All of a sudden she kicked really hard and Brian literally jumped off the bed! He was shocked and asked me if I had made my stomach do that. After explaining to him that no, I could not make my insides move independently of my body, and yes that was the baby, he freaked out. He kept talking to her and for about 10 minutes she just kicked away for him to feel and see. I am so excited he finally got to feel this beautiful little life growing inside me!

We have also been working very hard on Lila's nursery and almost have it cleaned out. Next up, we (meaning Brian and my mom) will be painting some stripes in the room, touching up her bookshelf and dresser, and rearranging furniture. I am on the hunt now for a fun rug on Craigslist, my favorite website ever.

Speaking of Craigslist, Brian and I scored an almost new Simmons crib mattress for $25 yesterday! I love finding awesome baby deals. And now, Lila is finally starting to have as much stuff as us in her room...

Let them be little
Cause they're only that way for a while
Give them hope, give them praise
Give them love every day
Let them cry, let them giggle
Let them sleep in the middle
Oh, let them be little
~"Let Them Be Little" by Lonestar

birthday love

So much birthday love for Brian! We have had a very busy weekend celebrating Brian's 28th birthday and had so much fun getting to hang out with all our favorite people.

On Friday night we went out with a bunch of friends...16 friends to be exact! We had such a great time getting to hang out with all of our friends, eating lots of yummy food, and just catching up with everyone all at the same time. Also at this party were the Four Mommies! There are four of us at church that are all expecting our first babies next spring. In fact, we are all due within 5 weeks of each other!

From the right, we have:
Lindsey (she and her husband are expecting their son Sam on Feb. 16)
Jen (she and her husband Evan are expecting their daughter on March 3)
Me (expecting Lila on March 7)
Casey (she and her husband Joey are expecting their daughter on March 30)

It is so much fun to have other new moms to talk through pregnancy symptoms, share fun stories, nursery advice, baby books, and showers with. And come February/March, we will have a whole little playgroup for the babies!

Another awesome part of the weekend was dinner with Brian's family in Greensboro. We got to eat at Lucky 32, one of our favorite restaurants. Brian also got an adorable bib for Lila to wear...telling everyone what a great daddy he is!And a great dinner gift certificate for the grown-ups dinner after Lila comes. It was so fun to see Patti and Benny and Brian's brother Patrick for the night!

Last fabulous part of the weekend, a new Xbox 360 for Brian!! Talk about getting spoiled on your birthday! Brian was so excited to get this surprise gift from my dad and what a great way for him to get a little pampering after how much he does to take care of me and Lila :-) Happy birthday Brian! We love you!

The secret of staying young is to
live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.
~Lucille Ball

best papa ever

Happy Birthday Brian! I am so excited for my sweet husband's birthday this year. Since its the Year of the Papa. And his last birthday without little Lila on his lap helping him blow out the candles. We have officially started the birthday celebration for the week, kicking off with a sushi dinner with my parents in Durham last night. We had a great time, opening fun presents, talking about Lila, and enjoying the evening at one of our favorite restaurants Mt. Fuji at Brightleaf Square. Big shout out for buy-one-get-one-free sushi rolls!


We have several more birthday celebrations coming up this week, with a fun group birthday dinner tomorrow night and a dinner with Brian's family on Sunday in Greensboro. We do birthdays big, if you haven't noticed.

Funny story about this pregnant lady here. I usually will get up early on Brian's birthday and make him a home-cooked breakfast in bed. However, I am fully aware that I am too much of a hot mess to even attempt that idea this year. Instead, I set my alarm clock early, knowing that Brian would not be getting up since he has the day off today. I slipped on my sweats, put the dogs in the back yard, and jumped in my car to go buy him some breakfast. Just so you have a complete picture: I was wearing a flannel nightgown, Carolina sweatpants, and slippers with my hair in a pony tail.

5 minutes after I pull out of the driveway, Brian calls me, "WHERE ARE YOU????" My poor husband had woken up, realized I wasn't in the house, noticed my car was not in the driveway and freaked out. I explained to him that I went to get him breakfast, but poor thing thought something had happened to his pregnant wife and I couldn't wake him up or something! He asked me politely to never try to surprise him again...at least not by leaving the house at dawn while pregnant and not telling him. Sorry sweetie!

Thanks to modern medical advances
such as antibiotics, nasal spray, and Diet Coke,
it has become more routine for people
in the civilized world to pass the age of 40.
Sometimes more than once.
~Dave Barry

one man's junk, another man's treasure

We have had a nice restful week after our little reminder to take it easy last Monday. Most of our nights last week were spent laying on the couch. We did get a chance to catch up with our friends Jen and Evan, who are expecting a little girl 4 days before us, for a pizza night on Friday. We also got to see some cute trick-or-treaters on Saturday night at my parents house in Cary. Cutest kid of the night award goes to a little Batman, who after asking if he could take a piece of candy for his sister, sniffed the air and said "Have you been cooking something??" So adorable!

Saturday was also spent cleaning out the nursery, which has been filled with piles of yard sale stuff, boxes of junk we have been carting around for 4 years, and lots of pre-maternity clothes. All of that is now piled and ready to go for our yard sale this Saturday! Anyone who lives in this area, feel free to stop by my parents house at 8am on Saturday for some awesome treasures. Once we get the last part of her room cleaned, I will start posting some pictures of the work in progress.

I always clean before the cleaning lady comes.
If not, when I come home, I can't find anything.
Cleaning ladies are always hiding
things you leave out.
~Celia Cruz

introducing...

Yes internet, that is now officially our baby girl's name!! After hours pouring over baby name books with one of us shouting out a name and the other one distastefully wrinkling up their nose and muttering, "That's...interesting..." we finally picked one! We have been calling her Lila around the house now for a couple of weeks and hoping that we will know if it feels right.

This last weekend, I asked Brian if there were any other names that he liked as much as Lila (there were not). Then I asked him when he thought we were ready to make a decision and say its officially her name. Brian looked at me and said, "Well I don't know. I've never named a baby before." I love that man :-)

Any child can tell you
that the sole purpose of a middle name
is so he can tell when he's really in trouble.
~Dennis Frakes

time out

What a bad, bad blogger! Over a week since the last post! I think I shall punish myself by making me eat this whole cinnamon raisin bagel with cream cheese. And no getting up till its finished!!

We have had a very busy week at work, as it was Homecoming for the college I work for. Which meant lots of extra hours and craziness. And apparently Miss Baby Girl did not like all that activity! On Monday, I started having some pressure and pain so it was off to the doctor's office for us. Thank goodness it was not pre-term labor, but just my body being exhausted and telling me to slow down. Or as my sister Katelyn told me, the baby was just complaining that I was not giving her enough attention!

So yesterday was spent on the couch resting my body. And today I am back at work, holding court in my office from a big overstuffed chair with my feet propped up. Ahhh, what a sad, deprived life I lead. You can come by my desk anytime and schedule an audience :-)

We also want to give a shout out to Patti, Brian's mom, on her birthday last week. Happy Birthday Patti! Next year you will be a grandma on your birthday!

I like to write my name with a pen that has a plume.
That's a fancy way of saying feather.
And I can't wait to learn French
because everything in French sounds fancy.
~"Fancy Nancy" by Jane O'Connor

sniff sniff

Poor Brian has a cold! He has been fighting it all week and it seems to be going downhill. Prayers are appreciated that he start feeling better soon. Luckily, we had a lot of down time this weekend to watch movies and do some work cleaning out unwanted junk that was being stored in the nursery.

Best movie of the weekend: "Couples Retreat"
Best moment of the weekend: Having people pay us for all our junk we posted on Craigslist

We are super excited about finishing up our registry and getting all of little girl's stuff picked out. We have decided to go with The Bob stroller and picked out our car seats! That might not seem like a success of any kind, but you apparently have not been sucked into the black hole of Babies R Us for over 2 hours before.

Now we can't wait for all of the baby showers coming up. Brian's mom and friends are having a shower down in Gastonia on November 21, which will be our very first shower and chance to celebrate! Then, my sister Katelyn is throwing us a shower the weekend of Thanksgiving and we just got the invitation in the mail. How cute are these?!

The only way to keep your health
is to eat what you don't want,
drink what you don't like,
and do what you'd druther not.
~Mark Twain

pumpkin patch kids

Why is it so cold??? And the leaves are all changing!! And my belly is getting really big!!! Holy overuse of punctuation Batman!

I love fall. Everything changing, people bundling up in new clothes, trying to squeeze in as much outdoor activity as possible before the cold kicks us to the fireplace. This year, we have even more change to celebrate :-) Brian and I have spent this last week of temperature change cleaning out closets of summer clothes, eating chili and watching movies, and baking. Or rather, I baked and Brian taste tested.

One of my favorite ingredients to use in the fall is pumpkin. I am actually not a fan of pumpkin pie, so I have to get my fix elsewhere. I have the best pumpkin muffin recipe from my friend Dori that I pull out every year about this time. This year, they served as Boss's Day gifts for Brian and I. And for those of you with blank looks on your face, yes Boss's Day was today, yes you missed it, and yes you now have to get an even bigger card and gift to slink into the office with on Monday. Enjoy!

Dori's Pumpkin Muffin Recipe

Wet

1 C vegetable oil

2/3 C water

4 eggs

2 C canned pumpkin

Dry

1 t nutmeg

1 t cinnamon

3 C sugar

3 1/4 C flour

1/2 t salt

2 t baking soda

-Mix wet ingredients together with mixer. Then add dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

-Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, till inserted toothpick comes out clean.

back to school, back to school

Lets talk about Miss Wiggles. This is by far the coolest feeling of my entire life. We are still in the flutter stage, so right now it just feels like something is rustling around under a blanket. I can't feel any defined kicks or rolls yet, but we know from the ultrasound that she is definitely practicing her gymnastics. Not to get too anatomy lesson on you, but the reason we can't feel a lot of movement yet is because her placenta is attached to the abdomen side of my uterus and she is behind it. So basically she has to get big enough to kick through the placenta for me to feel it. Brian is patiently waiting for another growth spurt so he can feel her too!

This week has been a little crazy as my brother Jonny ended up in the emergency room at college for an emergency appendectomy. He is recovering well, but I feel bad for the poor guy. This was following up on my sister having swine flu last week and my mom having pneumonia. What a mess!

And on Thursday, I am finally back to work! I am looking forward to having a little more activity and stimulation in my day. And getting to talk to real people! Yay! So lots of prayers please for me and my little mango that we stay safe and are able to ease back into our busy schedule.

Holidays are enticing only for the first week or so.

After that, it is no longer such a novelty

to rise late and have little to do.

~Margaret Laurence

sweet potato pie

So many blog posts, so little time! I wanted to catch up on all the wonderful things that happened this week. Starting with last weekend when my sister flew into town to surprise me! It was just a normal Saturday morning and all of a sudden, Katelyn is walking into my kitchen! After I almost numchucked her, we spent the weekend laughing, shopping, and playing together. It was so great to spend time with my sis :-)

Now that we know that its a sweet baby girl, we have also gotten the chance to buy some fun new things. Like her adorable bed linens! Yes, I did go back to Marshalls and get them the day after we had our ultrasound. I cannot believe what a great deal this is and it matches the green walls of the nursery perfectly.

We also ordered an adorable diaper bag off Ebay that is so cute. I do love a good damask print. This one is handmade and has lots of pockets inside and out. I am thinking of having her first name or initials monogrammed on the outside (once we decide on a name that is). Does anyone have any feedback about monograms on diaper bags?

When women are depressed,

they eat or go shopping.

Men invade another country.

Its a whole different way of thinking.

~Elayne Boosler

sugar and spice

Sorry it has taken me two extra days to post...but we found out on Wednesday we are having a girl! Now the reason for my lack of posting has not been because I was out buying lots of dresses, but rather an attack from bronchitis. The not fun thing about being pregnant - if you really are sick, they will hardly give you any medicine. While I appreciate the concern, my lungs are not too happy about the situation.

But back to our baby girl...what an amazing moment to see how much she has grown! It was surreal to have them show us her arm bones, leg bones, kidneys, bladder, nose, toes, and fingers. We even got to watch a special movement ultrasound showing blood flow between the chambers of her heart!

Brian had the whole day off work for Baby Baby Day. After our amazing ultrasound that morning, we spent a beautiful lunch outside in the sun, talking about all the fabulous fun times ahead filled with twirling, talent shows in the living room, princess dresses, and giggles.

Then it was onward to Babies R Us for some pink ruffly shopping and then to get ready for our special dinner. We had scheduled dinner with my parents and Brian's parents and brother to tell them our fun news. That's right, we kept it a secret all day! After arriving in Greensboro, we sat everyone down, placed a cupcake in front of them, and told them to dig in.

And hidden inside, pink icing! I am not sure we will every be allowed back in that restaurant again after all that commotion.

In my daughter's eyes I am a hero
I am strong and wise and I know no fear
But the truth is plain to see
She was sent to rescue me
I see who I want to be
In my daughter's eyes
~"In My Daughter's Eyes" by Martina McBride

it is well

Sometimes in life you are not sure the direction God is taking you. Brian and I are so blessed to be expecting our baby and cannot wait till he/she arrives, healthy and happy. We know God has taken us this far and will carry us through all of the unrest of the next couple of months. Often I just find it overwhelming to look at all that we still have left to walk through and thinking about how long it will be till I get to hold my baby. And in those times, I just have to let go and give that to God.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way

When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say

It is well, it is well, with my soul

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come

Let this blest assurance control

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate

And hath shed His own blood for my soul

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought

My sin, not in part but the whole

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live

If Jordan above me shall roll

No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life

Thou wilt whisper thy peace to my soul

But Lord, tis for thee, for thy coming we wait

The sky, not the grave, is our goal

Oh trump of the angel, oh voice of the Lord

Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend

Even so, it is well with my soul

~"It Is Well with My Soul" by Horatio G. Spafford

strolling along

Being on bedrest has made me boring. I have nothing exciting to post about. Because I am not allowed to do anything fun. Booo. So perhaps I shall write about something that will be utterly boring to everyone but me. I am giving you a free pass to skip this entry if you like. You can thank me later.

Let's talk about...STROLLERS! Yayyyyy...jazz hands. I am very confused by all of the contradicting opinions and the seemingly endless options. At first I was planning on making the very obvious choice and getting the travel system, which is the infant car seat and the matching stroller.

Then I was told by many other moms that they hate their travel system stroller because its too bulky and not convenient. So I asked for opinions on other strollers and got a recommendation for the BOB stroller. Yes you heard me right, "Bob". I love it if nothing more than for the name.

But the BOB is $380. Say what?? I cannot figure out if the Bob is so amazing that it is worth that absurd amount of money or if its just hype. And I am not sure how I figure that out without buying it and trying it out.

I mean, its real pretty and all but it better make me a decaf soy caramel macchiato and deliver it to me in bed every morning for cash like that. So I am at a crossroads...get the stroller that everyone says is worth its weight in gold, or be skeptical and go for the cheaper option. Please feel free to weigh in on my absolutely meaningless, boring dilemma.

If you break your neck, if you have nothing to eat,
if your house is on fire, then you got a problem.
Everything else is inconvenience.
~Robert Fulghum

clowning around

Another doctor's appointment, another extended bedrest. Yup, the doctor added 3 more weeks, so now I will be out until October 15. We feel really blessed that God has made this situation work financially and that I really able to spend time focusing on the baby and being low stress. And of course, catching up with all of our DVR'd season premieres. Do tell, what is the TV premier you are most excited about?? (come on, I have to get my excitement from something!)

We did also got our BIG ultrasound scheduled for October 7 which is super exciting! We can't wait to find out if we are having a little boy or a little girl. There is something so definite and promising about being able to have a vision of our baby boy or girl that we can start calling by name. And to celebrate, here is our new balloon animal friend that a clown who came into Brian's work made yesterday. Too long of a story, but basically the clown found out I was pregnant and even though you can't see it on the picture, she put a little baby balloon in the bear's tummy. Yes, this is the rarely seen, elusive yellow pregnant balloon bear. Very timid, make no sudden movements.

Nobody can be uncheered
with a balloon.
~Winnie the Pooh

mommies unite

I was having lunch with a friend from church today. She has three small children and was excitedly discussing all of my pregnancy symptoms and giving me advice on the exciting journey ahead. It made me realize how little Christians and the church have taken the opportunity to be involved in this process, from infertility to getting pregnant to the pregnancy itself.

For most women this is one of the most exciting and overwhelming time in their life, filled with questions and concerns, the need for advice from other women about the practice of getting pregnant, dealing with emotions and symptoms during pregnant, celebrating a life growing inside you, preparing for the birth of your baby, and the actual birthing process. But there is very little advice or forums out there for these thoughts and for Christian women to bond together.

When you are getting married, there are 500 books about preparing for a Christian marriage, curriculum for pre-marital counseling, and Christian articles about the wedding itself and being a Godly wife. However, there is no real Christian magazine, book, curriculum, etc. for experiencing the joy and wonder of pregnancy through God's eyes. All of the pregnancy journals, websites, magazines, etc. have completely cut the spiritual side out of this process.

I wish I was able to hear more amazing stories and advice like those of my friend Jennifer; I think all young Christian mommies-to-be would feel amazing support from bringing God into this process. Any of my mommy readers, feel free to comment and share your best pregnancy advice.

Everything grows rounder and wider and weirder,

and I sit here in the middle of it all

and wonder who you will turn out to be.

~Carrie Fisher

hobby lobby

So first of all, yes I just read "Twilight" in 12 hours and yes, I am now obsessed. Like I needed to give myself something that keeps me up at night reading. I'm just saying, if the baby gets sleep deprived, I am blaming all of you.

I have decided I need a hobby. I mean all good Southern women have a hobby, don't they? Like gardening? Or canning vegetables and jam? Or washing baseboards? I think if I have all of this unfilled time on my hands, the least I can do is find something productive. Cause you know, idle hands are the devils playground.

But the problem is that I am not very visually creative. Sure, I have been known to whip up elaborate scavenger hunts for camp kids, throw together a themed cocktail party for college students, or type up entries for my silly blog, but ask me to draw a picture? Well you better love a good stick figure with curly hair. Maybe my hobby can be grilling? Like I make food on our new beautiful grill and eat it and then me and the baby have happy tummies? Is that a hobby?

Hmm, I think it is time for some reader suggestions please. What is a good hobby that:
1. I can pick up quickly
2. Does not cost a lot for supplies
3. Does not require any visual artistic or creative talent whatsoever (which would automatically eliminate scrapbooking, FYI)

I do not see plays, because I can nap at home for free.

And I don't see movies cause they're trash,

and they got nothing but naked people in them.

And I don't read books, cause if they're any good

they're gonna make them into a miniseries.

~"Steel Magnolias"

bowled away

Okay so let's not get too into this idea of belly pictures. Nothing against all my beautiful friends and their beautiful pregnant bellies posted on their blogs. But you will not ever be seeing a pulled up shirt, full belly view of pregnant Lindsay. But for my wonderful sis in Florida and friends who cannot see the baby belly on a regular basis, here is a little somethin somethin...

We haven't felt any flutters yet, but the doctor told me it would probably be later since our baby is chilling at the back of my uterus. We have however reached the stage where I can no longer lay on my back. Brian laughs because I will fall asleep on my side, roll over to my back, and wake up in a panic because the baby is pushing on all of my organs. It is the strangest feeling ever, like a little human bowling ball just taking up residence on my abdomen.

On another fun note, I found really cute girl bedding at Marshalls the other day. And no, I did not buy it, even though it was $59 for the bumpers, crib skirt, and sheets. Yes, you heard me right, $59. That my friends, is willpower. Or at least willpower until our October 7 ultrasound. Then all bets are off.

You should never say anything to a woman

that even remotely suggests

that you think she's pregnant

unless you can see an actual baby

emerging from her at that moment.

~Dave Barry

i'll be peace. i'll be quiet.

I think the monotonous, never-ending routine of bed rest has finally got to me. Friends, I am officially losing it. I am now trying to rationalize with the dogs. And I know I will get comments about how this is just preparing me for days on end with a crying baby and how I will really be out of my mind then, blah blah blah.

But if I have to explain to Molly the dog one more time about how crying at the squirrel in the back yard is not acceptable, just as barking at the highest decibel imaginable over and over again at the squirrel now in a tall tree once I finally let her outside is also not acceptable, I might scream.

Yesterday I just wanted to get out the house for as long as possible. Even if all I was doing was laying on the couch at my parents house. Just out. of. my. house.

On a more positive note, I have finally given it to reading the Twilight series. Yes, after countless hours on the phone with my sister Katelyn praising the gloriousness of vampire love, I have decided to see for myself what all the fuss is about. Its not that I am against vampire love stories in theory, I have just not ever found them to hold my attention very long. But then again, its not like I have a lot going on these days that would interrupt. Stay tuned...

All men's miseries

derive from not being able

to sit in a quiet room alone.

~Blaise Pascal

oh this is ladies night

There is nothing like standing (or sitting in my case) with a group of women as they worship and pray for each other. I have been desperately missing church lately and it bums me out to go a couple of weeks without seeing all my church friends.

On Wednesday night, we had a Ladies Worship Night at church and I was so excited to see everyone. Luckily my good friend Jen drove me and they had couches set up, so I was able to sit down for the worship. I felt such peace and comfort when they closed out the night with my favorite worship song "Your Love Never Fails" sung by my all-time favorite Hope worship leader Jennifer, of course.

The one good thing about being home these last few weeks has been the chance to catch up with so many good friends. We feel so blessed to have our friends that have come visit me at home, brought me lunch, sat with me, and made us awesome dinners. Thanks so much everyone for being so supportive!

Nothing can separate

Even if I ran away

Your love never fails

I know I still make mistakes

But you have new mercies for me everyday

Your love never fails

You stay the same through the ages

Your love never changes

There may be pain in the night

But joy comes in the morning

And when the oceans rage

I don't have to be afraid

Because I know that you love me

Your love never fails

~"Your Love Never Fails" by Chris Quilala

not laboring

What a great Labor Day weekend we had! Brian's parents joined us up in Durham for a fun filled (and yes, relaxing) weekend of ice cream, yummy home cooked meals (thanks Patti!!), and registering for the baby! And just before everyone gets their feathers in a ruffle, I was escorted all around Target and Babies R Us in a wheelchair. Which was so worth it to get to pick out all our cute, stylish baby stuff. I mean, who wouldn't be excited after picturing the adorable baby in this crib?

Or just riding along in this oh-so-cute polka dot stroller?

Come on baby, hurry up, cause we have lots of shopping to do for you! Other than the obvious excitement of baby buying and hanging out with Benny and Patti, we had a great doctor's appointment yesterday. The baby was jumping all over the place, being silly, and looking healthy. The doctor said that this bleeding looks like it will continue to be a problem as long as Baby A's placenta and sac are staying formed and not dissolving. There is a chance that will never happen and we will be dealing with this the whole pregnancy.

So we are praying for a miracle that it dissolve and I am able to go back to work and be a healthy, non-couch-potato person again soon. I go back for another doctor's appointment on September 22 and will stay out of work until then. So please keep the prayers coming and feel free to drop me an email or call...it definitely helps break up the day!

Having a child is surely

the most beautifully irrational act

that two people in love can commit.

~Bill Cosby

lazy days

Bed rest so far has consisted of:
1. Sleeping in
2. Making lots of yummy food for my breakfast and lunches
3. Maybe making it out of the house for 1 errand a day

The overwhelming activity of my day is out of control. Yesterday, I even got a movie from Red Box. So how am I going to fit in time for the baby and I to relax in this fast-paced, racing daily environment? Well I am open to suggestions. What is your favorite way to pass a slow day? Books I must read? Movies I must see? Trashy day-time TV I must watch?

Or maybe I should just take a page from the daily life of Zaxby and Molly. They seem to have it figured out.

Rest is not idleness,
and to lie sometimes on the grass
under the trees on a summer's day,
listening to the murmur of water,
or watching the clouds float across the sky,
is by no means a waste of time.
~John Lubbock