The Mom

Today I put my shirt on backwards and inside out and didn't even notice. Today I took a short nap on the edge of bed, fully clothed including shoes, with my glasses on, with Sarabeth in her bouncy within arms reach of the bed..just in case her binky fell out-that would mean a burst of crying so loud your ears would ring. Now who can take a nap with that.

Today I actually brushed my hair, for fear of having to get out of the house for anything and seeing someone I thought looked familiar.

Today I didn't take a shower, usually that comes at 7 pm when Matt gets home, granted he's not working too late. In that case I skip the shower and go straight to bed. I wouldn't want the shower to wake me up when I'm so close to passing out.

Today I called the pediatrician 3 times hoping to get a different person from the time before to answer the question "why won't my child stop crying". The same lady answered all 3 times and gave me the same answer...she'll get better.

I know my life sounds so exciting, you want to be me. Well sorry people, unless you want to attempt to function on 4-5 hours of sleep per day, feed a child 8 times (including 2am and 5 am), change about 12 diapers-some of which are very stinky-do laundry, wash bottles (all 12 of them), make dinner, make at least one trip to Wal-Mart where you forget to buy at least 2 things that weren't on your list but you are in desperate need of, come home and leave your child in the car seat because she is sleeping for the first time in 5 hours, and attempt to take a nap-ATTEMPT because she will wake up as soon as you put your head down...I promise-unless this sounds appealing then I suggest you be happy with who you are and not to envy me.

I have to admit I'm not the person I was 5 weeks ago. I can't explain how it happens but becoming a mother changes you into a someone you would have never guessed was inside. Some days are like today, actually most days are. But some days I look down at my baby girl while she is sleeping and weep. While motherhood is a mostly thankless job with no paycheck, nothing can be more rewarding than the love I feel for my child. She smiles every time I change her diaper, even if she's in mid cry. She loves to take a bath. She gets so excited and kicks her legs when she plays on her tummy. She hates for people to touch her feet. She falls asleep every time I hold her in my arms and rock and sing to her. She's so innocent and I can't help but look at her and fall in love with who she already is. And best of all, she's mine. God gave me this one chance to raise one of His own. What a job!

So what if I may wear spit up on my shoulder all day, and leave the house fashionably in sweats and tennis shoes, wear my hair in a ponytail and carry a diaper bag instead of my favorite Fossil purse. So what if I only get to shower on the weekends (just kidding!), and I feel like I do dishes all day, in the end, I'm a mom. I'm THE MOM and she loves me no matter what.

No One Told Me

That motherhood would be this hard.

That 12 days after giving birth I would look down and still not see my feet.

That right about the time I closed my eyes, she would open hers.

That I would be tempted to scroll through my phone to find someone to call to watch her while I went to the bathroom.

That the thought of a pedicure and manicure seemed so far away.

That such a tiny little being could have such explosive diapers!

That the lady at Walmart would ask me when my baby was due...5 days post partum.

No one ever told me what it would be like to be a mom. Yet, despite these things no one could have told me the joy that motherhood brings. Even in the middle of the night when I'm switching her from the cradle to the swing to the bouncy seat, just to get a few more minutes sleep, all I have to do is look at her sweet little face, and it all goes away.

I hear all of these things in my head "wait as long as you can to have kids, they change your life forever" "Your life will never be the same" " just wait, you'll never sleep right again".

The truth hurts.

Matt and I are trying hard to settle in, but it hasn't been easy. Sarabeth is such a great baby, rarely cries, but we are still up every 2-3 hours feeding, burping, entertaining, pumping milk (well me, not Matt :) The days and nights start to run together and soon your forget what day it is altogether. I know this time is temporary and I am enjoying her infancy. It's just hard adjusting, knowing that your comfy, soft bed is calling your name and you have to ignore it for the time being. Maybe one day, I'll sleep. Until then, I'll just keep depending on my daughters sweet face and uncontrollable smiles in the middle of the night to keep my mind off the rest.

We Made It!

We arrived at Memorial Hermann last night about 7:30 pm. Matt left and went to Chili's to get me my "last meal". I had chicken crispers...my favorite! The doctor started me on something to start softening my cervix. I also have an IV with glucose since I'm not allowed to eat after 12. I have a fetal monitor, contraction monitor, and a blood pressure cuff! It is an act of congress to go to the ladies room which is only 4 steps from my bed. It was a very long night. Neither Matt nor I slept at all. OF course I started contractions right away and the medicine didn't help. I had the sweetest nurse on call last night, Kristi! She gave me 2 different kinds of sleeping medicine, neither of which worked. The contractions were getting stronger and closer together so she called the doc and had the medicine stopped for an hour while I could get some rest. At 6:45 Nurse Kristi started to Pitocin and informed me that I was 2cm dilated and 100% effaced, finally! Progress! I ordered for my epidural right away, the contractions were making me physically ill, I was throwing up! They made Matt leave for this part :( The anesthesiologist had to poke me 2 times to get the needle in and then once he threaded the tube, I could here it pop between my spine!! It was much better than the pain of the 18 gauge needle that is in my arm however!

So now I am completely numb from the waist down and loving every minute of it! I don't know how I ever thought I could be super woman and go without. Kudos to those of you that can! So we are are playing the waiting game again. She should be delivered sometime around 3pm we are guessing. Don't worry, I'll keep you posted. Time for a nap before the real work gets here!

Trick or Treat...

Treat, for sure! Yes it is 4:00 a.m. on Halloween morning. I couldn't sleep so I decided to balance the check book...what a weirdo I am. Actually, I have this problem with leaving anything undone when I know I'm about to be gone for any length of time. Kind of like when we go out of town for something I have to have the entire house cleaned and organized. I am hoping the birth of my child will calm me down some. Speaking of, today we will be making our debut at the Woodlands Memorial Hermann Hospital at 7pm. Here is where we will be if you'd like to come visit us over the next few days. I am anticipating nothing so that I'm not disappointed when what was in my head doesn't happen. I've already been there, done that!

I am nervous and anxious but overjoyed when I think about holding that little baby girl in my arms. I never dreamed of being a mom. Matter of fact, Matt and I butted heads during the first few years of marriage because I was unsure I even wanted kids. I guess watching my family grow up and seeing how tough it was, I never wanted the stress or liability that comes with motherhood. However, God changed my heart one day and filled me with a huge desire to be nothing more that a great mom. Matt would ask me what I really wanted out of life and all I could say was I wanted to leave this earth with my kids saying, "my mom was the best mom in the world". That to me, would be enough. To leave a legacy like no other for my children. I never imagined I would actually have the chance to prove that, but now I will. As I sit here and think about the next 24-48 hours, I am overwhelmed by the idea that I soon will be responsible for taking care of a precious little life that God has sent especially for us. Wow! What a job to have. I wonder how I ever passed the interview for this one! I'm sure I will be filled with all sorts of emotions over the next few days. I'll try to post as much as I can and of course post a picture of our new baby girl as soon as she arrives. Stay tuned, and keep praying.

Happy Fall Y'all!

I had been wanting to do this all week and Matt finally agreed. Friday night we sat in the garage and Matt used my tummy as a palate for his masterpiece! We had so much fun and he did such an awesome job! I couldn't believe how much it really looked like a pumpkin! We took a lot of pictures but these were the best ones.

We are finding it harder and harder to make something of the downtime we have while we wait for baby Landes to get here, obviously! We are enjoying our last few days together as DINKS. We will have our own little pumpkin in less than a week!

Still No Baby....

Our doc appointment yesterday revealed 2 things, one: my baby is 8lbs already! two: she's still not here!

After an ultrasound, our doc met with us and let us know the baby is head down but not "engaged" which means she's really not in position low enough to come out. Also, my cervix is still closed and because of a previous surgery I may have too much scar tissue for my cervix to dilate at all! Soo.... Matt and I had the option of waiting until she comes on her own, up to Nov 6 (yikes!!!) or my doc could schedule a medical induction for us next week. Our doc suggested the induction because of the baby's weight and we agreed.

We will be admitted to the hospital on Wed night at 7 p.m.-Trick or Treat! They will start me on something to start the process but I will not be given any drugs to start contractions until Thursday so I should sleep Wednesday night.

Please be praying for us. I'm really nervous and especially because most of the time, inductions that have to be started with no dilation lead to C-Sections and I really don't want to go that route. My doc did say to anticipate a harder labor than if I was to go in on my own. I will be having an epidural at this point, knowing that I could be in labor for a very long time, this will help me be able to conserve some energy for active labor.

All in all we are excited to know there is a light at the end of the tunnel. This time next week, baby Landes will be making her debut....and she'll finally have a name!

Stay tuned for some pics tonight...

Forever Pregnant

OK, so no belly pictures for fear of an early Halloween scare, however I do have some baby news. Looks like I could possibly carry this stubborn baby until November! At my appointment today, my dr. informed me that I was not ready (physically) to deliver this child. Apparently I am not effaced yet, which is where your cervix thins out before dilation even begins. So...at my next appointment on Thursday I will be 40 weeks and a few days. My dr. will do an ultrasound and IF the baby is measuring over 8 lbs AND I am dilated beyond a 2, she will admit me to be induced. If not, then I will just have to wait until this baby decides to come on her own, which my dr. informed me could be a week after my due date-Halloween. I did inform her that I was not interested in having a Halloween baby and she understood, therefore letting me know it's perfectly ok to go a few days past and have her on the 1st or 2nd. What?? Are you kidding me? Lady, have you seen my feet? Not to mention I feel handicapped because I can't even shut my car door when I get in. I have to put the car in reverse and slam on the brakes so the door will come far enough back where I can grab it and shut it! I know, you wish you were my next door neighbor. Anyway, so here I sit, just waiting. I wish baby Landes knew how much we are anticipating her arrival. I have 4 outfits for her all packed ready for her to pick out and come home in. Her car seat is installed, stroller and swing are put together and her cradle is so cute with the new sheets on it and a new mobile I just bought her that plays "You are my sunshine" I mean, come on. Who wouldn't want to come out and meet US! Her daddy has been working overtime all week just in case she comes soon, he will be caught up at work. Baby Landes, you are putting a kink in our well planned out delivery of your arrival and making mommy feel like she'll be pregnant forever!

More Sweet Friends

Wednesday last week was our 3rd baby shower! This one was hosted my some of my longest and dearest friends here in Houston. These girls mean the world to me, and although I don't get to see some of them as much as I'd like, our friendship doesn't suffer. I have to tell the stories about each of them because it's not just coincidence that each are part of my life.

I'll start with Erin who I met about 3 1/2 years ago. (far right) She was a desperate soul searching for someone to relieve her from her over stressful job! Actually she was my sales partner when I first started selling new homes and the day before I started I let her know that I would be gone on vacation for the next week and would start work officially when I got back. I had no idea that she had not had a day off in over 3 months and her last partner had just quit after being gone to Hawaii for 2 weeks! After she hated me for a few weeks, we became the best of friends and still are to this day.

Keisha came with the package when I met Erin. She was in a sales office not to far from us and came to visit often. It just goes to say, if you are friends with Erin, you are friends with Keisha. She has the best fashion sense of anyone I know and likes for her friends to be dressed to a T as well. She'll even go as far to buy them clothes (see example here). She also hates scary movies and will spend the night with you if you make her watch one. (back row, right)

Next would have to be Penny. We have a strange history. At one point I couldn't stand her. I'll never forget the day she waltzed into one of our Monday morning meetings at work and I kept thinking "great another bubbly blonde dumb girl coming to work here". Not to mention it was September and she was already wearing Ugs. What was she thinking. I had no reason but I had this "junior high" dislike for her. I wanted to spit my gum in her hair at the meetings. And if I would have, she wouldn't know because she never brushed it...never! I think my boss played a cruel joke on me about 8 months later when he sent Penny to cover my office while I was out with my sister's funeral. She was so sweet and compassionate and called to ask if there was anything she could do. When I returned she was still there...as my temporary sales partner. She and I have been best buds since. She still doesn't usually brush her hair but she did for my shower and she looked great (she's the one on the far left).

Now for Ms. Merri (left of me). Sweet as can be and feisty! She's barely 5 foot and you'd never know because she wears 3 inch heels with everything-even pj's! JK :) Merri was my sales partner for a few months while she trained for a bigger and better place. She taught me a lot while she was there, especially what it means to be a friend. Merri is the easiest person to talk to and is a vault. I don't know if it's because she forgets or if she really does keep secrets! Merri has taught me how to live life and keep your true friends close. She's a trooper and she's a little mama, always taking care of everyone.

After Merri left, I thought I would have my own sales office. And, I did for a few weeks. One night I was at a realtor event our company was hosting and in walks Penny (pre-friendship) with these 2 other blonde girls that didn't work for our company. Not yet anyway. All I could think was ugh! I tried to check them out without being obvious but one of the girls never said a word! I thought, how in the world is she ever going to work here! Well, Monday morning at our meeting one of the girls from the function, Christie (back row left) walks up to me and announces that she will be a little late getting to OUR office today. That's just what I wanted to hear. Howeve, it didn't take long for my heart to soften for this one. Before the day was over I realized how much she was just like me. On the outside people think she's a snob and some never give her a chance. I'm glad I did. Christie has been one of the funnest people to get to know, probably because I think we are so much alike! Except for she runs 6 miles every morning and eats healthy. Honestly, she taught me a really tough lesson on pre-judging. Something, obviously I've had a problem with! We've since become the best of friends and she even gave me the honor of being a part of her wedding last year.

Last, but not least is Jackie (right of me). I met Jackie in a Monday meeting as well. I don't have any funny stories about how we met, but I have tons of others! Jackie has a true servants heart. Although she has extreme OCD when it comes to planning and organizing, she does it well. She was the mastermind behind the shower and took on most of the duties. Not because the other girls didn't want to but because she didn't let them! :) Jackie has taught me about prioritizing and family. Something I know will come in handy in just a few weeks. She is a great mom to her son and a great friend to me.

The best thing about all these girls is how selfless they are and how much they love me and each other. We are a tight knit group and although we don't work together anymore, we are very much a part of each other's lives. I'm so honored to have these girls call me friend.

Ok, no more gushy stuff. The shower was great-obviously and the hostesses (all pictured above) went in together and purchased the baby's bedding. You can see it here. These girls way out did themselves. It was a night filled with tons of friends and lots of goodies for baby Landes. Here's the rest of the crew:

nancy, me, kim and liz

lynda and penny

arlene, maria, erin

merri and sara

My New Invention

As I progressively become larger, it is mildly painful to perform most household duties. Every time the laundry builds up, I cringe! Knowing that I have to bend over to pick up clothes and then bend over to load them, and put them in the dryer just makes my stomach hurt...literally. A stomach this large does not bend easily and when it does, it is really painful. Not only that, but how in the world am I supposed to carry this basket to the laundry room? So...I had to find a new efficient way to make sure my sweet hubby had clean clothes for work. Here it is:





Ta da! Now all I have to do is get the laundry into the basket and I can drag it wherever I want! It works grand! The only other thing is to find a way to get the clothes in the washer without bending over...I guess that is called "help from my husband".

Making Room

Matt and I have been busy over the past few weeks, making room for baby girl Landes! We've been blessed to have had a couple of baby showers where we received some awesome gifts. Now, just finding a place for everything!

Here's Matt putting together the baby's car seat and stroller that his mom and dad bought for us. Thank you Mom and Dad Landes!

We are also the proud new owners (really borrowers) of "the cradle". This piece of furniture is a family heirloom and has been passed down for 3 generations now. Matt and his brothers slept in it as have all of the grand kids so far. It's ours until the next one comes along..who will it be??

Here's a picture of the changing table I got such a great deal on. It was a floor model and they had marked it down. I haggled with the lady and she took another $20 off plus I had a coupon for $25 off. They almost paid me to buy it!

For now, that's all we have room for. We still have her swing in a box, hopefully we can make room for it soon. Matt also bought us a rocker/recliner last weekend. It's the greatest thing ever! It goes great in the living room and will be perfect to rock baby girl in!

Baby Shower and Blessings

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

Matt and I went to Longview this weekend for our first baby shower. My girlfriends Callie and Ashley from high school hosted it. I had a wonderful time getting to visit with tons of people, some I had not seen in years! Matt played golf with an old friend from college and his wife came and brought their baby girl. My cousins Sarah and Paula came from Arkansas, a huge surprise! I also had a chance to visit with my longest friend, Michelle. She and I met the summer before kindergarten and have been friends ever since. She's one of those friends that you can lose touch with for a few months or even a year and pick back up where you left off. I was so blessed to have her there with her mom too! Michelle is expecting a baby soon as well. I just wish we lived closer so our babies could grow up together like we did.

The baby was showered with tons of gifts, mostly pink things! The shower was beautiful, Callie and Ash did a great job and the food was wonderful! Thanks girls!

On another note, Matt and I left to come back to Houston on Sunday morning. Because we left early, we had a little time to spare so as we drove through Nacogdoches, we took the road through town instead of taking the loop around. It was really cool to go by where we went to college together, lots of memories. The place has changed so much, it's hard to believe it was 10 years ago that we were there. After our stroll down memory lane, we headed home but not before stopping at The Cotton Patch in Lufkin. Matt and I had our first date at the Cotton Patch in Nac in April of 1997 and I don't think we've been there since. I thought it would be fun to eat there again and of course, I'm always up for food! The place was crowded with church goers from the morning and I walked in feeling a little underdressed in my comfy traveling clothes. You have to really know this town and the surrounding areas. It's filled with true southern hospitality. The people were so nice and it reminded me so much of home. As we finished up lunch the waitress asked us what we would like for dessert. I'm not one to pass up a dessert but I had just inhaled a chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes! She mentioned that someone else was buying our lunch so we should take advantage of a free dessert....??? Remember we are out of town so who in the world was buying our lunch? Matt and I talked for a minute and felt kind of weird, like someone was watching us, so we asked her who it was-she later brought this to us

Wow! A random person from Lufkin 1st Assembly bought our lunch. I can say, I've never had that happen. Matt and I started talking about how this gesture was truly an act of kindness and an example of how Christ calls us to love each other. A moment of guilt rose in me and I thought to myself "why haven't you been this kind to someone before". We were very honored and thankful for the gift of the free lunch and left thinking about how something so small could impact someone in a huge way. It was the topic of our converstaion for the next few miles.

The View From Above

Ok, I know odd picture. However I wanted all of you non-pregnant people to see the view from my perspective. I actually stuck my feet out a little so you could see, but usually they aren't visible from the top!

I went to the dr. yesterday and she said everything looked great! Nothing to report! Blood pressure was great, no protein visible, and good weight gain (only 3 lbs)! I did ask her about the intense swelling I'm experiencing. I refer to it as "Shrek Feet". My feet literally swell up to just blobs of skin with toenails! I can't even get flip flops on some days! I won't scare you with the photos but just picture Shrek...you'll get it!

We go back to the dr. in 2 weeks and will be going every 2 weeks until delivery. Next time we will have another ultrasound and check the baby's growth and my fluid levels. My dr. suggested starting to get the nursery ready as my energy level will be dropping dramatically over the next few week. Oddly, I've felt very active the last few days....maybe the last burst before the downhill slide!

On another note, the baby's closet and dresser are filling up fast! Last week we went on vacation with Matt's aunts and they showered her with tons of clothes! Check out her wardrobe!

And of course, no little girl's wardrobe is complete with out a little camo! Including a dinner ware set!

That's it for now. Hope you enjoyed! Stay tuned for more on our vacation...

Blog Facelift and a Surprise in The Mail

First off, I love my new page! You can get one too here. Also, I got a great package in the mail today. A little background to the story first. A few weeks ago I was having lunch with 2 friends that I used to work with, very sweet friends that I adore very much. I will keep their names a secret as I know one of them would be mad if I told this story and added her name...and of course the other friend will be mad that I left hers out! :) Anyway, I made converstaion on how I always feel frumpy when I leave the house and I miss my more fashionable days when I felt "put together" when I left. Of course sitting there with these two made it worse, seeing as they were dressed to the nines as always! So lunch progressed and we said our goodbyes. No big deal. So today I go to the mailbox and there is a huge package from one of my friends from lunch. She had sent me a LOAD of clothes from Motherhood Maternity! She said she wanted me to feel "cute" again! How sweet, I was totally floored! The clothes are the cutest things ever and I can't wait to wear them! Thank you so much K, you know who you are! And E, I know you were in on this as well! You 2 are the greatest friends...you're in big trouble now, but you are still the greatest. It's a blessing to have you in my life.

26 Weeks and playing catch up!

I can't belive how big my belly is! I did visit the dr. last Tuesday and I'd only gained 3 pounds since my last visit over a month ago. Which is great, considering the 12 pounds I put on the month before! Seems like the weight gain may be slowing down a little. Other than that, everything is going great. It's really hot and the summer is going to be brutal at this size!

Here are some pictures from out belated Independedence Day Celebration with my dad in Florida. Matt and I took a quick, but much needed trip to Central Florida a few weeks ago to visit with my dad, step-mom and step-sister and brother and his daughter Haley. It was Haley's 8th birthday and she was so funny! Take a look...

Happy Birthday Haley!

Even Simba, my dad's very overweight cat joined in the festivities!


My dad's famous homemade pizza! Straight from the Texas Alamo Pizza Oven, handmade by my True Texan Dad! (complete with longhorns!)

The Fireworks Display! Actually, there was a really cool one going on behind the "Sparkler Show" but the boys were more entertained with the kids fireworks....go figure!



The Teacher and the Student. My dad was showing Matt how to pop a bull whip. It was very loud!! Not to mention, dangerous. You could see a spark when he popped it. It took him a while, but he finally got it...then he wouldn't put it down!

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

"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." Psalms 139:13-14

Here's the ultrasound pics of my 20 week visit to the dr. They are scanned so some may not be too clear. The nurse was so nice that she took a 4-D picture and gave it to us for free! Usually they are about $100 and are taken around 32 weeks. She is fully developed although you can't tell in the 4-D picture. I've started to feel her kick and punch and it is incredible! I can only wait until Matt can feel her too. It was so fun to watch our baby girl during the ultrasound. She is very active and loves to punch and kick. At one time she shot us the bird!

Here is one of her profile. You can see the chambers of her heart and during the ultrasound you could see it pumping, so cool! She has the cutest little nose and lips, just like me! :) She is going to be beautiful, I can't wait to see her!

This one is a little blurry but it is her feet, one on top of the other. How cute, tiny little toes!

Matt and I are so excited and seeing her on the ultrasound made it so much more real to us. All I can think is how awesome our God is. Stay tuned for updates from our weekend in Arkansas at Matt's family reunion....

21 Weeks and The Countdown Begins!

I can't believe it's already half way over! I'm starting to feel sooo much better and not quite as tired. Here's some pictures for your viewing pleasure....or for your daily laugh. I think Matt is starting to have sympathy pains or jealousy issues! Enjoy!




Does my belly look lumpy in this one???

We're having a baby_____!

GIRL! Most of you have already heard the news but it's official. We will be welcoming a baby girl into the world in late October. I have to admit for a slight second I was shocked because all along I knew it was a boy. Matt is beside himself happy! He wanted a girl the whole time but never voiced his opinion. We are ecstatic and have already begun nursery plans. I will post ultrasound pics and the latest and fattest belly pick tomorrow. Just wanted to share the news...pink it is!

Only 17 WEEKS!

Ok, so I look like I'm about to pop and it's only 17 weeks. I don't know what the deal is but my belly popped out WAY early! No, I'm not having twins and my doctor said everything looked great! Matt and I go back on June 6th to find out if it's a boy or a girl. We've been debating on whether to find out, but I can't stand it any longer!

The nosebleeds and headaches continue. The headaches seem to have moved in and decorated. They start on the weekend and last until about Thursday and then start again on the weekend. Weird, but nothing has helped.

We've started collecting baby stuff! We haven't bought anything yet but it seems like every week someone brings something over. Matt helped this really nice couple move some furniture last month and yesterday they gave us a brand new crib mattress! I made a little corner in the hall bedroom where I've been putting all the goodies! We've received some cute onsies, stuffed animals, Baby Einstein videos, and my mom passed down some things that were family treasures when I was a kid.

Other than the baby, we've been really busy with work. Matt was transferred to Kingwood/Humble last week. We're not really that happy about the move but Matt has been praying a lot about his job and we feel like this is the right place for him. It's sometimes hard to trust God's plan when it doesn't go along with ours.

Our rent house goes on the market tomorrow so we may be moving sometime this summer. I'm very excited about that! I can't wait to have a place where we can just relax for a year or so before we build our house.

For those of you that have experience in the area, Matt and I are eager to hear about the "must have" baby stuff. The good, the bad, and the ugly. We are starting to look at stuff and have no clue on what some of these things even are!

The Belly Pooch

Ok, I am reluctantly posting these pictures. For some reason all the other "progressive belly pooch" pictures I've seen look so cute. Not sure if it was the camera's fault or what but I look a little round all over and not so cute. :) Nevertheless, here are the pictures of the belly, for those of you interested.

6 weeks





















8 weeks- I thought this angle may make my butt look smaller....nope. I sometimes wonder how small would my butt need to be before I thought it wasn't huge??

12 weeks-this time I got smart and wore more flattering pants-from the back anyway, and I covered up the evidence.

The Dancing Baby

Ok, I tried hard to scan the pictures where they are recognizable, but they didn't come out too great. I'll try my best to explain them.

Here is the first one. He's kind of hunched over with his feet dangling at the bottom.

This one he's standing up and his head is tilted to his left where his left arm is. Then you can see his belly and two legs and the bottom. The arrow is pointing to his knee. He looks like he is dancing!
The nurse had such a hard time getting a good picture because he was dancing around so much. It was the most incredible thing to see him moving around, and he moved a lot! I keep saying "he" but we don't know what it is. It just kind of came out when I started talking about the baby. Anyway, everything looked great and they discharged me to my regular ob/gyn. It's great news but I'll miss weekly ultrasounds! I don't have another one until week 20 and I'm going to miss seeing my little one every week! :(

This week it all came so clear to me. I have a baby growing inside of me! After watching him move around and dance, I was in awe of God's perfect work. At this stage, this baby has all of its fingers, toes, arms, legs, heart, brain, even eye color! It's so crazy to think that God picked out this special baby just for me and Matt. He's forming him now, giving him a personality, and most importantly, a soul. We cannot wait to meet our little one. I feel like I know him already! I hope this helps those of you that read, to be excited for us as well and pray along with us that our baby arrives healthy and strong.