xoxo

I love you Ryan, with all my heart!

31 Weeks

Baby Update:
From this week on, your baby will continue to gain around ½ pound a week until shortly before birth (even though it may feel like a whole lot more with every step you take).

Other highlights this week:

Due to increasing space constraints, your baby's arms and legs stay drawn up close to the body now, known as the fetal position (oh, so that's where that name came from!). Plus, your baby can now process information from all five senses—so she'll be all set to smell the pureed peas, taste them, feel them as she mashes them into her hair, hear you crack up and then see the flash as you grab the camera to snap picture after picture.

By now, your baby's lungs are the only system not fully mature. And by mature, we're not saying that the rest of your baby's systems are mature enough to be out past 10 PM with the neighborhood hooligan, just that her lungs need a little bit more time to bake before they can kick it in the outside world.

Miracle in the Womb

I had to share my fun news! Our good friends, Dave, Kylie & Aisley have gotten us an early Baby Shower gift! Kylie called me on April 1st and said that she had an awesome gift for us and we needed to get together soon. The very next day I look up from the Teller Line at work and there she is! When she and Dave were pregnant they went to this place called Miracle in the Womb for a 3d/4d Prenatal Ultrasound. She loved it so much that she wanted to share the experience with us.
We got an Ultimate Miracle Package:
This Ultimate Miracle 3D/4D motion ultrasound is just that! This experience is dedicated solely for the purpose of bonding and therefore you can expect to spend quality time with your unborn child. From a yawn to a stretch, or the beating of your baby's heart, your ultrasound will allow you to take a début at your baby's first movements inside the womb. This exciting new 3D/4D ultrasound technology, you can actually see what your baby is going to look like before he or she is born is indeed the ultimate! Plus a Live 4D motion of the entire session set to music!
• 30 minute 2D/3D/4D session
• 2 black and white thermal 2D prints
• 4 colorized thermal 3D prints
• 1 Miracle in the Womb DVD of entire session, set to music
• 1 Miracle in the Womb CD with all your baby's images taken throughout the session
• Listen to baby’s heartbeat
• Gender determination (upon request) (noo thank you!)

While Ryan and I are a weee bit nervous since we are not planning on finding out the gender of the baby and the 3/d 4 /d is SO very clear. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for no accidents! I talked with a sonographer with MITW and he said there should be absolutely no issue at all.
We are super excited to do this!! Our appointment is this Saturday @ 4:00!!!
It was such a thoughtful gift and I can not wait to see how they turn out. I will keep you updated...pictures to come :)
Thank you Lindenberg Family!!!!

Pregnant Rant & Rave

Strangers, you need to think before you speak.
As pregnant women we suddenly, somehow find ourselves public figures just because we have these big bellies sticking out. Everyone's got an opinion on every aspect of YOUR nine months and boy are they going to tell you about it. While most comments are not meant to hurt or slander, it really blows my mind that they would even consider saying them our loud.
Here's my favorite list of

"Things Pregnant Women Do NOT Want to Hear"

Some have been directed at me, some I have read from other pregnant women who feel the same way I do...

• Are you having twins?
• No really...are you sure there's just one baby in there?
  
• Oh my God, you look like you are about to pop/Wow, you are really getting big!
• When are you due again? You have to be at least 9 months?!
  
• Were you planning on this pregnancy?
• When did you conceive?
  
• Are you really going to eat/drink that?
• Aw honey you are too young to be having children!
• You aren't going natural are you? I don't think you'll be able to make it!
• You look really tired!
• I bet you are counting down the days until you get to be done with this huh?
  
• What are your baby names? Oh, I knew someone with that name - they were horrible.
  
• You've started retaining water huh? I can see it in your face.
• When is your due date? Ohhh...a Gemini - good luck with that.
• Eating again?
• Enjoy your last few months of freedom!
  
• Has this ______(fill in awful side effect) happened yet?

I could keep going for days! Sometimes they wound you for a split moment, but my excitement along with the admiration of family and friends, and the look in my husband's eyes when he looks at me...it all makes it disappear.

Thank you for the customers, co-workers, strangers, friends, and family that:

• Tell me there is nothing more beautiful than a pregnant woman.
• Call me "glowy" (our ATM Security Guard has nicknamed me)
• Remind me how much of a blessing children are.
• Get so excited when they find out its our first - and tell me how insanely, wildly fun life is about to be.
• Tell me how cute my maternity clothes are.
• Giggle at my "cute marshmallow feet" - I know, you thought I'd be offended right? They really do look like marshmallows though :)
• Tell me how amazing it is to not find out the gender of the baby and how it is so worth the wait!
• Tell me no matter what I have, it will be handsome/beautiful
• Show me pictures of their new baby/grand-baby and tell me how happy we are about to make our family!
• Ask kindly before they touch my belly...and are gentle when they do it!
• Act shocked that I am still working on my feet and call me a "superstar" :p
• Pick up all the random items my belly knocks off counters.
• Rub my back (friends and family only!)
• Tell me what a great Mom I am going to be.

Week 31 - Happy Easter!

Today was Easter and it was wonderful! Ryan has been reading at church all throughout Holy Week. He read the part of Jesus on Palm Sunday and the compliments are still flowing in from the congregation. He read at the Good Friday service and with our families by our side today he read the Prayers of the People over a Baptism for the Easter service. Father Mckee has come up to him twice and shook his hand in thanks. I can't express how proud of him I am!

























The service today was immaculate! Easter lilies and baby's breath filled the church with the feeling of rebirth and spring time. The smell of incense flowing through the pews reminded me of our wedding. The choir - as always - left me choking back the tears on at least three occasions. Casey, the choir director and organist, pulled out all the stops (haha get it?) and ended with horns blazing accompanied with three men on the french horn, trombone, & trumpet. It was amazing!



















My Mom and Grandma and Ryan's Mom all joined us at our house for a delicious Easter brunch of ham, honey potatoes, pineapple, cantaloupe, and a slew of candy goodies :) It was so nice to sit and relax and catch up. Easter has always been one of my very favorite days of the year and this one was no different. Happy Easter!!

Glucose Goodness - Week 30

A few weeks ago I had my glucose screening to check and see if I have gestational diabetes. Ryan and I went to the 6th floor where my doctor is, grabbed my paperwork and headed to the lab. They called my name and I went back and guzzled this orange sugary substance...not so yum.
It tasted like flat orange Crush with about two cups of sugar added :/




















Then we set our watch countdown to an hour and headed back up to see Dr. Howerton. She measured my "fundal height" to make sure baby was growing properly. We also got to listen to the heartbeat which is now at about 130bpm. Everything checked out! She said the baby was growing perfectly and she even things little one is on its way to being "vertex" (upside down) and getting prepared for it's big debut :)
We talked to her about getting aquainted with the hospital and getting enrolled in our classes.

We have an appointment on April 15th to get set up for pre-admission. For about an hour we will meet with someone from the hospital to discuss options for pain control and if we will decide for an epidural, my medical history, assessment my physical, socioeconomic and educational needs and the fun insurance talk! Then we will head back to Dr. Howerton for my last Ultrasound with Associated Women's Specialists!!

After the hour passed I went and gave blood *shudder* and awaited my phone call to hear the test results! I have a terrible history of my veins bleeding into my arm and creating some pretty nasty bruises. This time was no different :( Here are my battle wounds...

























I got the phone call at work two days later that my tests were negative for G.D.!! I am so lucky to be in such good health!
My appointments are going to start happening every two weeks for the next three or so weeks, and then they will be happening every week until the baby is born! I can't believe we are making birth plans and enrolling in Lamaze classes already!

Week 28

I am in my third trimester and I can see the changes in my body daily! My belly is growing growing growing. If people weren't able to tell I was pregnant before, there is no mistaking it now :)
There are no more looks of "is she? hmm..." there are only inquisitive questions of "OH! When is your baby due?" and "What are you having??"
Customers at work talk to me about it on a daily basis which is fun. Everyone seems the most excited with the fact that we aren't finding out what we are having - they love the idea of an amazing surprise (as do we!)

The baby is kicking with all its little might! Every time I get a strong kick I think to myself, "that was the biggest kick I have felt yet!" then my little powerhouse proves me wrong. Some of them are so jolting they make me jump. Ryan and I were napping on the couch yesterday and I was laying behind him and he could feel the big kicks in his back! They only happen when I am laying down or resting, which means almost none of my friends or family have gotten to feel it yet. Anyone that wants to feel it, come over around 11:00 p.m. and crawl in bed with us and we will take turns!! Whatta ya say?

The leg cramps that created sleepless nights of my first trimester are back...and so are the constant potty breaks. I fly out of bed several times a week to stretch my aching calves by walking around the bedroom. Ryan usually murmurs something sweet like "awww you poor baby" before he starts snoring again. I have started checking my clock out of curiosity and it always seems to be at 3:00am!? Better get used to this not sleeping thing!

I had an excriciating pain in my lower abdomen above my hip for four days last week. One night was so bad we had to make a late night CVS run for a heating pad in hopes it would help with the pain. On Wednesday I went to my Chiropractor and he explained the nerve paths that start in my lower spine and spider down my hips. As pregnancy progresses your hips start to "disconnect" to make room. When that happens it can sometimes put pressure on your nerves that create a prickly constant pain. He adjusted my back and voi la! It took the pressure off my nerve and made me feel so much better!!

The ride is definitely getting more interesting and I look forward for the weeks to come to see what happens next!!

Week 27 - Lindenberg Wedding!

On March 13th Dave and Kylie became Mr. & Mrs. Lindenberg! The wedding was beautiful and we all had so much fun. Ryan was an Usher in the wedding along with Nate. We met at Arrow Springs Chapel on Friday the 12th and the wedding party practiced for their big day. We then met at Dave's parent's house for an amazing dinner! Their house looked simply beautiful with orchids and candles everywhere. The dinner was scrumptious and we all toasted to a marriage full of happiness and love. It was fun to get dressed up with everyone twice in one weekend!

Ryan left around 3 on Saturday to get ready with the boys. Cara picked me up at 4:30. I was in a "getting ready stresses me out" mood and she fixed that quickly :) We picked up Sirikit and made our way to the chapel. Ryan escorted Cara and I to our seats and we watched as the Bridal Party arrived then Miss Aisley was pulled in her chariot (Radio Flyer) down the aisle by her Grandpa. She was darling, smiling at everyone on her way down! The beautiful bride was next! She looked stunning. Their vows and the prayers said before and after were darling and full of love...Kylie broke into tears and all the girls on my row were choking back the tears. It was just perfect.



















The reception was at The Glass Veranda at Forest Ridge (if you get a chance to look at the brochure, the main photo is a big picture of Scott & Devan...famous?!) It was beautifully decorated with deep reds and black and white. Their first dance and family dances were so sweet. Dave danced with little AisleyBug in her handmade puffy white dress - it was darling! We all had a blast dancing the night away - much to my delight the Chicken Dance and Cha Cha Slide were included :)
We bid farewell to the newlyweds with a tunnel of glowing sparklers! We are so happy for you Mr. & Mrs. Lindenberg!
























P.S. Sorry there aren't more wedding pictures! I am sad to report that my camera batteries died after five photos! Here's a few from our after party photo shoot :)

Week 26

There was a double rainbow the weekend of our Birthdays! One pot of gold for the each of us!



































Cara & I <3
26 Weeks!






































Caught you red paw-ed little stinker...you know you aren't allowed in that chair!

25th Birthday {Third Trimester}

Yesterday was my 25th Birthday - Even more crazy to me it was also the first day of my Third Trimester. I can not believe it has gone by so fast! We are in the home stretch now...our sweet addition to the family will be in our arms before we know it!

Ryan and I had such a fun weekend! His Birthday was on the 4th, he turned 28 this year :)

We stayed in for dinner and homemade strawberry shortcake and enjoyed our evening together.

Friday I got to work to find my station had been ransacked/decorated! My Mom sent me the most beautiful bouquet from Toni's, Neda got me a gorgeous scarf & bracelets & Mary surprised me with cupcakes from Merritts for the party! Her & Joenna also got the baby two onesies from Lazy Days! Everyone at work was SO sweet - thanks for the card too!

That evening we met Jared & Marla at the Brady to see the talented miss Norah Jones! She is absolutely cute as a button. Tulsa was her first show to kick off her tour. She was spunky & funny and chatted back and forth to the crowd. Her opener was a unique folksy duo from Denton, Texas - Sarah Jaffe & Robert Gomez. It was a great intimate show with great company!

Saturday Ryan and I woke up to a beautiful sunny day and cleaned like the dickens!! We scrubbed, vacuumed & dusted almost every inch of our house in preparation for our Birthday Party. My Grandma popped in for a surprise visit to bring us homemade cookies (yummm!) She saw the Nursery for the first time and just went crazy over it :) Our friends started showing up around 7 and stayed into the wee hours of the night. It was so much fun to have everyone together again - we have been pretty out of the loop since we found out I was pregnant. It was so heartwarming that every single one of them showed up!! We even had two adorable babies come to play! Kylie & Dave (almost Newlyweds!) brought their daughter Aisley, & Jessi & Tommy brought their son Collin.

Aisley just learned to crawl & even stand up with the help of any solid structure she can find, so she was scooting all over the house. Chloe was fit to make sure she was herded properly. She nosed Aisley in the face a few times & Aisley decided to stick out her tounge and lick her back :) Collin was introduced to us for the first time and he is just the sweetest little boy! He got sleepy later in the night and Jessi got him to sleep in the nursery - she put him down in the crib and he looked so precious! Such an honor!! We got some of the COOLEST presents! April&Chris got a sonogram frame from Bonnie Marcus for the nursery that is too precious! Jessi&Tommy got us the cutest owl nightlight from Pottery Barn Kids that fits our theme perfectly! Sirikit, Beth & Nate got us a cute birdie bag stuffed full of treats like onesies, a bottle, & rattle & more! We got some pretty neat/sweet birthday cards too :)

It was so great to catch up with everyone and get my round of hugs in.

Sunday was the most amazing lazy Birthday that I can remember. We didn't do much of anything and it was simply glorious! Ryan woke me mid morning with a back/foot rub, then the three 1/2 of us went and got breakfast. The weather was perfect. We came back and opened all the windows and curled up on the couch together and talked for hours. Ryan and Chloe fell asleep in my lap so I dozed off for a bit too! We got up and took Chloe for a walk - she was soooooooooo happy for her first Spring time walk. I had a sweet chat with my Momma then watched the funny E Cards Sherry sent me. Then we took a quick trip to the grocery for Birthday Dinner fixins! Ryan made me a delicious filet mignon with garlic red skin potatoes & a bubbly pomegranate spritzer. We ate & had fresh pineapple over a movie then cleaned up & turned ourselves in for the evening. It was the most perfect day!