Week 16 Appointment

So, I am actually 17 weeks but had to reschedule my 16 week appointment so it was a little late.  Baby sounded great today with a heart rate of 151.  I scheduled the "BIG" ultrasound appointment today.  November 26th @ 9:30am, we will know whether we will add a son or daughter to our family. It will fall of the first day of my 19th week.  I had to sweet talk them for an appointment that day because they claimed they were booked.  Lucas will be in town still for Thanksgiving and not sure when he will return after that so it pretty much had to be that day.

I can name advantages of either sex.  I would love for Layla to have a sister and I would also love a son so honestly, healthy makes me happy.

I wanted to take this spot to record a few things that Layla has said during this pregnancy so far....

1.  She went with me to my 8 week appt and the doctor did a physical exam at that time.  Layla watched it all and then as we were leaving asked if the baby could talk now??  Maybe she thought the doctor flipped a switch while she was in there?!

2.  The first time Layla saw me throw up because of the baby, she went running out the front door.  No Joke.  I was bent over the toilet, heard the front door slam and had to go after her.  I asked if it scared her when I did that and she just said, "No, its gross, I don't want to see that!".

3.  Unfortunately, periodically throughout the day Layla would ask, "Are you not feeling good"or "are you feeling sick"?  Sweet girl.  Now, if I am being what she thinks is quiet, she will still ask the same question.

4.  Layla quickly picked up on the fact that I would suck on candy to help calm my stomach.  Of course, she started having "stomach problems" too.

5.  After watching several people we know breast feed their children, she told me the other day when she had on footed pjs that she needed a different shirt on so monkey could eat from her boob.  She then preceded to try and feed him that way.

6.  Lastly, today I took off my shirt in front of her and the response I got was, "Whoa, the baby is getting big!".

Any gender predictions?  I say girl, Lucas says boy.  I was wrong in this area with Layla.  I thought for sure she was a boy.  Layla mostly says she thinks its a girl.

We will know soon enough!

Belly shot at 16 weeks and a few days...

I am mostly in all maternity clothes and have had to buy new bras.  I started this pregnancy at 130 and to this date have gained about 4 pounds....trying not to stress but remember that with a little hard work, my body will come back:)  It's all worth it right?

Baby on the way!!!

Ok, so I know that I am now 16 weeks pregnant and it is sad that I am just now blogging about this baby...
I'll start from the beginning and try to make it short.

So, in October of 2011, I quit taking my birth control in hopes of getting pregnant shortly after.  With Layla, it took 2 months and I am not even sure we knew what we were doing the first month:). Because of insurance reasons, my pregnancy would not be covered until January of 2012.  Every month we tried without success and at this point I was not sure I was even ovulating.  My cycles were crazy, ranging anywhere from 40-60 days long.  Then in April, I went for my yearly exam and she told me to come back in August if I wasn't pregnant.  Also, in April, Lucas started traveling back to NY for work, being gone a week and a half to three weeks at a time.  In case, you are new, it takes two people to complete this task, so this was an extra kink in our attempt to conceive a baby.  As you can imagine for a momma who was beyond ready for the a second child, I was keeping the faith, but frustration was definitely beginning to build.  On August 1st, I went to the doctor and she told me to come back the next time I was on my period and the testing would begin.  She talked about different things it could be and talked about the first steps of fertility intervention.  After a break down to my husband and sister (thanks for listening),  we pretty much decided at that time that fertility treatments were not for us.  We would keep trying as long as the blood test showed that thyroid,hormones and everything else was normal.

Well, guess what? I never started my period!  Wouldn't you know this is how our God works??  Pretty sure I was pregnant at that August 1st appointment and didn't know it! I was shocked and so thankful for that positive pregnancy test!

So that is where our journey starts with this new little one.  Due April 22nd.  Yes, we will find out what it is.  Lucas says boy.

This pregnancy overall has been much different than with Layla.  I still had about 5 weeks of throw up and yuckiness.  With Layla at this point I had lost 12 pounds and this one, only 2!  Food cravings include anything fresh, mainly salads.  Ligament pain has been worse, I think that is the norm for #2.  Also another norm for #2, is feeling the baby move earlier, it was first during the 14th week.  I still have a lot of food aversions but for the most part, I am functioning normally with a little nausea here and there.

Layla is beginning to understand a few things about being a big sister.  She knows if she is having brother, that means boy and a sister means girl.  She changes her mind moment to moment on which she wants.  She does asks things like "Can the baby talk yet?".  She got to join us for an ultrasound at 12 weeks and thought it was very neat to here to heart beat.  At one point, she climbed out of her daddy's lap and came over and held my hand while I laid there.  Cue tears now!

Here a couple of pics.  I will try to be more consistent with the updates, mainly for myself, but you can follow along if you'd like:). Yay for babies! Sorry pics are out of order...

11 Weeks

14 Weeks

Positive Pee test.  Doesn't everyone take a pic of this??

Our little Gumby Bear at 8 weeks.  Hearing and seeing that heartbeat for the first time is a miracle.  HR was 159, it was 168 with Layla, if I remember correctly.

Next belly pic, I think you are going to see a noticeably bigger bump.  Stay Tuned!

Last day as a 2 year old!!

Layla knows that tomorrow is June 1st and that means it's her BIRTHDAY! She has been requesting me sing all day, even though it's a day early.  She would listen to the whole song and then at the end say, "Thank you mom!".  In fact, as I type this I can hear her singing it to herself from her room:).  We have a big play date at the park planned.  About 20 of her little friends have RSVPed.  There is about about a 60% chance of rain in the morning but I am hoping that it will miss us. Although, it wouldn't be the first time it has rained at her party:) She is most looking forward to her daddy flying in from NY to spend this special day with her.  Happy Birthday Eve to my baby girl!

Last meal as a 2 year old...PIZZA!!

Some decor for Layla as she comes down the stairs in the morning:)

Memorial Day Weekend

First Cousin Sleepover where they all sleep in the same room:) 

Layla's first night in a big girl bed!

Layla's TN Birthday party cake

Princesses and Minnie Mouse...what more could a 3 year old girl ask for??

CHEESE!

Blowing out her candles

AWESOME scooter from Aunt Robin and Uncle Jason

Trampoline from Grammy and Granddaddy

CAKE!!!

Back at home, babysitting Annie.  Layla grabbed her hand and held it...so sweet.

Testing out her scooter

Tim's Ford Lake

Passed out on the way home of from the lake.  We had a GREAT weekend!

2 Year Old Dance Recital

Layla has been in dance all year at Decatur School of Ballet.  As a two year old, her and I went together to a Mommy & Me class. She had her recital yesterday, which they actually just call a "demonstration" since 2 year olds often don't do well on a big stage with a long performance.  It also saves us money on all the costume fees.  Instead, they offer old costumes that the kids could choose from throughout the demonstration.

Layla has improved so much over the year.  She is definitely ready for the next step and ready to go without me!  We can't wait until September when she begins Creative Movement I with Mrs. Jessica!

Daddy made sure he was in town from NY to see her:)

Her first costume choice.

with friends Eliza and Gabrielle

waiting for instructions from Miss Dee

Knees Up Farmer Brown in costume choice #2.

Getting ready to stretch

Pointing to her eyes because the song said so.

Stretch!

Stamp time after class!  Everyone loves this part.

We have had such a FUN year together!

STAMP!

All the girls and their mom or grandmother.

Ballerina bear from Miss Dee and flowers from daddy:)

What's to come...

Lucas and I have had many conversations about this season of our lives. We are very much at peace with where we are and the things we are doing. But there is something that is happening that neither of us can put into words. There is something more that is at work, yet neither of us can quite put our finger on it. Through different circumstances, different relationships, and different whispers from the Holy Spirit, there seems to be something working in a realm that we can't quite identify. We both just keep saying, "God is preparing us for something bigger".

So pray with us. What I love about my Father is the unknown is not a scary place with Him. I can wait patiently, in expectation, because I know that He has nothing but the best prepared for us.

Lord, we are willing. When you say "Go", we will go. When you say "See", we will see. When you say "Listen", we will hear. When you say "Learn", we will gain wisdom. And when you say "Wait", we will trust.

Psalms 27:13-14
Yet, I am confident. I will see the Lord's goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be strong and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Absent

I have been avoiding this area like the plague.  When I come, it just makes me feel so far behind on everything that I have failed to record.  So let me just tell you the trend in my life right now: SIMPLIFY!

Lucas left Sunday, a week ago, and will be gone for 2.5 weeks.  So this puts me about one week in.  After this week I have realized one thing.  I have got too much on my plate!  Lucas and I are a really good team when it comes to this whole parenting thing and with us entering another season of life with him going back and forth to NYC, I am realizing that I cannot keep up everything that him and I make work together.

So, I am letting some things go.  I have taken a step back to reevaluate my priorities.  It means sacrifice in some things that I enjoy but it means securing the most important things on the top of the list. Jesus, unchallenged time with my husband and daughter, and time to invest in my friendships are the areas in which I want to be my best.

So, excuse me in my absence.  I will be back soon to catch up on life.  I really do enjoy this spot. It is often a place to get things off my mind and I hope for it to be that again very soon.  Life doesn't stop, even when we feel like we need a break and I hope to get back to remembering it here.