Four Weeks & Counting

Well we start week 35 today! Which means we have around four weeks till Lil Miss Ella comes! Of course I know this means give or take a few weeks! So we'll just keep waiting till she decides she is ready.
We went to Charlotte for the Memorial Day weekend, well just Sunday afternoon till Monday evening. We had a few more things to get for her room...now we are all set! I will take some pictures when the stuff is hung on the walls! It is looking real cute in there! ♥
Also today, I'm pretty sure I had my first Braxton Hicks contraction. I was riding the elevator with Rachael & all of a sudden I got a real tight feeling down at the bottom of my belly, it was like it was contracting real hard. I even had her feel it. When it was over I had her feel again & it was just like it normally is! So I'm thinking that was the beginning! I'm excited to meet this Lil Miss who has been kicking me these past few months! ♥


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Your pregnancy: 35 weeks

See the big pictureHow your baby's growing:
Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Your uterus — which was entirely tucked away inside your pelvis when you conceived — now reaches up under your rib cage. If you could peek inside your womb, you'd see that there's more baby than amniotic fluid in there now. Your ballooning uterus is crowding your other internal organs, too, which is why you probably have to urinate more often and may be dealing with heartburn and other gastrointestinal distress. If you're not grappling with these annoyances, you're one of the lucky few

Baby Shower Video

Here is a copy of the video that Jeremy, Megan & Andrew worked on for me. ♥
They played this for my at my baby shower! I think I cried the whole way through it! (And do every time I watch it!) haha
This was such a sweet gift & I will cherish it forever! Thank you guys!!!

(copy & paste the link to your browser & it should play)

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/864156/Jans%20Show.mov

Here are a few pictures from that day....
Megan Lee made this really cute cake! ♥

These were some decorations, we had the shower at Shea Foster's house...it was wonderful!


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Also, some of the high school girls & the leaders threw me a baby shower last Wednesday! It was really fun & I felt so loved!!! Here are some pictures!

34 Weeks & Counting

Sorry its been a while since I wrote last....its been kind of a busy week.
First things first....we finished Ella's room!!! Our friends Matt & Rachael who live in Charlotte came up & brought her dresser & shelf from IKEA last Friday night.
Jeremy set all that up & the room looks great!! We just need to hang a couple more things on the wall & it will be 100% done! I wanted to wait till that time to post the finish product. The other thing we are waiting on is the basement. We are storing a bed in Ella's room too & it has no place to go until the basement gets done, so that is the other hold up.

Speaking of basement....drywall went up yesterday!! Its amazing how drywall can change the look of a basement! It looks totally different! its so exciting! Today they are showing back up at 7am to finish the drywall & then lay tile in the bathroom & right in the entry way of the basement door. Its going to look great! Jeremy picked out the tile & it is really nice! I'm so excited for this all to come together! I think the plan is either Friday or Tuesday of next week for the carpet to get laid & the walls to be painted! So we should have the finished product in a couple weeks!!! Then the crowded house can go back to normal!!! (We have stuff everywhere!) :)

So in other news last Saturday was my baby shower...I can not even tell you how much of a blessing this was to me! Stephanie, Megan, Andy & Shea all put it together for me...and for sure was one of the top best days of my life (so far). It was decorated amazing, the food was so pretty, there were so many friends there to shower me with gifts! We played a game that Andy had called my parents to get answers from! (That was neat!), then Megan & our friend Andrew put together a video slide show of my journey of being pregnant! Talk about make you cry! It was so amazing. I could watch it over & over! ♥
Then of course there were gifts! There were a ton of diapers & wipes!! Lots of clothes too!! We are so blessed & surrounded by the most amazing people who love us for sure!

So that was this past weekend...so we get to last night. On Wednesdays with our high school group we have Mid Week Groups. That is just kind of like a little small group time for all of us to get together & talk about what is really going on in our lives. So I was told to get to Britni's house around 5:30....and right when I walked in....about 10 girls jumped out at my & yelled surprise!!! Or I actually think they yelled "You're pregnant!!!" haha :) But they had all gotten there early & put together a baby shower for me!!! It was awesome! I really was so surprised that SO many girls came that early & they had so much food & it was decorated so pretty!!! And again...gifts! These girls poured out more love on me last night than I've felt at least since Saturday! :) No but they did an amazing job, I was truly impressed!

I can't tell you how much these things have blessed my heart....I'm normally the one who gives the parties & likes to just be behind the scenes on things...but I tell you it has been such a good thing for me to be on the receiving end of things...not just because we get things...but it is ok for me to feel love from people too. I think that is the hardest part for me sometimes...I just give & give & its actually a HARD thing for me to receive stuff....I think because I'm afraid that I won't seem grateful enough. But I just have to trust that everyone knows just HOW much my heart was filled up & how much it truly did bless us. We feel so loved.

And whelp in Ella news....I am 8 1/2 months along! She is coming in 5 weeks....It really still blows my mind that this little one will be with us that soon! But we are super excited...Jeremy is too! Its been so fun to just hear him & watch him with her stuff & just get himself ready for her. I am so excited for our little family unit to be expanded soon! ♥
Here is a 34 week picture:


Also...Jeremy said last night as I was putting clothes in Ella's drawers....
"What if she was a boy?"
HAHAHA oh man! Ella...all I have to say is that you had better be a girl! HAHA We have so MUCH pink! I can't imagine having to switch it all!!! So Ella....you will be an.....Ella...ok? ;)
But what a thought! Phew....lets not think too hard on that one! :)

Hope everyone has an amazing week! ♥

Painted Walls

Well this weekend came & went! What a great weekend it was! Jeremy, Megan and Luke came over to help paint the baby room! Megan is trim queen! When you look at the room notice the trim...that was done with NO TAPE! Seriously! She has such a steady hand & it so good at it! Thats why Jeremy didn't give her the option of whether or not she would help us paint...he told her she was going to! :) Good thing its one of her favorite things to do! :)
So Saturday the got all the main colors painted, then on Sunday Jeremy & I did the striped wall. We taped off the stripes, Jeremy painted & then we placed the poke-a-dots. This was such a fun project, and I am so proud of Jeremy for all the hard work he has done. He really has been so flexible with my ups & downs (yep! I'm having them! --> shocking right! haha). He just keeps hanging in there, trying as best as he can to go with the flow! He's been amazing & has been super patient through this whole thing! ♥

Here are some pictures of the finished room:





Apparently I didn't get a still photo of the whole room...but you can see that one side is a pink wall & the other is a brown wall & then the stripes & poke-a-dots are the main wall, but when the crib is all set up & everything I'll post more pictures then!
I am so pleased with the room! It makes me so much more relaxed & ready for her to get here...not sure why paint on a wall does this...but it does! :)
The crib is on order & the comforter set is too, so by Monday that should be here, so after Monday lil Miss Ella can come anytime! Well...maybe we'll wait a little longer...but I'm feeling great & very relaxed!
I'm so thankful for Jeremy doing so much & making this just perfect for me! I never get tired of being married to him! He is an amazing man! ♥

Baby Room

Well this weekend on the schedule is painting Ella's room. We got everything moved out of the room Friday & we have some friends coming over, in a little bit actually, to help us paint. I am so thankful that we have friends who will come help us! They are amazing! I am not really supposed to be around the paint fumes, so the internet tells me...so I will be the cameral girl! :) I will post some pictures when we get it all done! I'm so excited to see it finished!!

Also yesterday we ordered the crib & the crib set! They both should be here in 5-7 days! The dresser should be here next weekend too! Its coming right along! This is the part I've been kind of anxious/stressed about getting done, and its all coming together! This makes this Momma happy! :)

Then next weekend is the baby shower!! WOW! Time is flying...next thing you know I'll be in labor! EEKKK scary! haha
I am hoping the majority of the month of June I'll just be able to rest & relax & wait this little ones arrival! Looking like that is going to happen for me, or at least get pretty close!!! ♥

Baby Care Class

Tonight we had our baby care class! We learned how to bathe baby, change baby, dress baby, and put baby in a sling! It was so much fun! Jeremy did a great job at changing his very first diapers ever! He even put on the onesie the right way & the bib, learned how to hold the baby's head gently, and much more!
Next week we do a little recap of labor & delivery & then we take the hospital tour! I'm really excited about that too. I think it will help to go there & know what it will be like. Put my mind somewhat at ease!

Also, on Friday we start painting the nursery!! YAY! We are getting closer! It feels so good to be making progress!!!

Here are some pictures that I wanted to share from our night!

Month 8 -32 weeks

Today starts month 8 for little Ella! I am still in awe of this whole thing...I am eight months pregnant! Haha it cracks me up! I feel like I just found out! ha! So crazy! Last Tuesday we had our first Child Birth Education class, and it was on labor & delivery. I think it kind of freaked me out some, not because I don't want her to come, but I just didn't have this in my mind & it was the farthest thing from where I thought I'd be right now.

See for those of you who don't know, Jeremy & I have struggled with the idea of kids for the past 2-3 years. We have been married for 7 years, and at 5 years of marriage we said we'd talk about having kids. Well 5 years came & went & we were no where closer to having children than when we first got married. I desperately wanted them, and he really did not. So we were in a holding pattern....that lasted two years.

Around May of 2009 our church started a series called "Abiding". It was based off the book "Abiding in Christ" by Andrew Murray. There were 31 chapters & we were supposed to read a chapter a day. Some girls & I thought it would be neat for the month of May to read this book together & get together one night a week & discuss it. From the condition of my heart & knew I needed to do this. See I was in a place of my heart turning bitter at the situation. We had just celebrated our 6 year wedding anniversary & Jeremy & I talked briefly about the idea of kids, and his response was that he was farther away from wanting them than he had ever been. And I, was closer to wanting them than I ever had been. As you can see this created a lot of hurt & resentment to start to root itself in my heart. It was no coincidence that the Abiding series was starting that very month.

Through the tearful, heart wrenching chapters, I managed to get a ton out of this book. Here is some of what I took away from it:
*Definition of Abiding:
1. To wait for
2. To endure without yielding
3. To accept without objection (as you can imagine this one did not sit well with me at the time!) :)

*"The obedient scholoar asks NO QUESTIONS about possiblities or results. He accepts every order in the confidence that his Teacher has provided for all that is needed."

*Our part is simply to yield, to trust, and to wait for what He has promised to perform.
(expert from my journal: "Trembling but trusting I lay this situation at your feet. You take it. I lay my rights, my expectations, my dreams, what I thought my life would be like at your feet. You take it. Mold me, make me like you. I am tired of fighting for what I feel are my "rights". Do this for me Jesus, I do abide in you.")

*Accept my position, consent to kept there, and surrender my faith to the strong vine.

*Let your first aim be to abide in Him, in focused, fervent devotion of heart; when the heart and life are right -->rooted in Christ, knowledge will come in the measure we need.

**Cultivate the habit of rejoicing in the assurance that the God of divine wisdom IS guiding you, even where you do not yet see the way**

There is so much more I could write out, after all I had a whole month of this goodness being poured into my broken heart. I can say with 100% certainty that at the end of the month of May, I did truly lay down the child situation. I surrendered my will & my rights.
But the reason I end on that last quote because isn't it just the way of the Lord that one year later....exactly....May 2010, that I would be starting my 8th month of pregnancy??
From May 2009, not only did God move Jeremy to a place of laying down his rights, but me laying down mine as well...and then God said, "OK, now I will do it my way." And he allowed this little life to start growing inside me.

God answered my prayers, the prayers of SO many of our friends & family too! He is with out a doubt a God who is and can be trusted, and just when we thing we don't "SEE" what he is doing, let us not forget....He IS working, He IS moving, He IS doing something, and knowledge will come in the measure we need. All we are responsible for is to have a heart that constantly says:
"Yes Lord I do abide in you."

Amazing. ♥

Mothers Day

So today is Mother's Day & there has been some debate (more from me saying I'm not a mother yet...everyone says I am...) but some debate on whether or not I celebrate today as a Mother....I say no, because you don't celebrate Ella's birthdate as October 12, 2009 when she was conceived...but you celebrate the day she is actually born....so that is why I say next year is my first Mothers Day. :)
This can be my first "Mother-to-be" Day! :)

Either way my amazing husband is so sweet. He is never lacking in the area of gift giving and is SO good at giving me thoughtful gifts!! I took the following picture with my cell phone, thats why it looks so horrible, I'll try to post another one with our camera so you can really see the true goodness of it...but for now this is what he made me....



If you can't tell that is an ultrasound picture of Ella's profile & then the other is a picture of me at 30 weeks pregnant.
This is the most amazing gift to me. Jeremy is SO thoughtful & is so good at giving gifts to me. This is something I will treasure always! After all, I will never have a very first "Mother-to-be" Mothers Day again! ♥

Just a note to my Mom & my Mom by marriage...you will never know what influence you truly do have in my life. I am a little less scared bringing this little sweet life into the world, because I know that I have you as someone I trust implicitly to give me Godly counsel. I am who I am because of how you love me & how you push me to be a better me. You are a treasure to me, and all of the rest of your family & I pray that you feel so loved & treasured this Mothers Day! I love you.

Lil Dancer

So as I sit here at my desk, randomly throughout the day Ella will wake up & I'm pretty sure she starts doing a dance routine!
She will get in these kicking fits where she must not be comfortable or just needs some practice time to perfect her routine for her big debut! :)
But I will just sit back & watch my belly dance around & then she will fade out & fall back asleep! haha it cracks me up.

Today I just kind of had this really odd moment while it was happening, that....hello. There is a CHILD inside me. A baby. That is coming in two months! It still blows my mind, even through the kicking & watching my belly move! It still feels a bit odd! I guess because most women have had 9 months to mentally prepare & I will have only had four! haha!

The books I've been reading talks about how in the last few months I'll be able to distinguish a pattern of her awake times...so far its been pretty random. Or else I'm just not that observant. :) But like today she woke up at 5 & kicked around some, and then was awake again at 9:30am, then again at 2pm. Most nights around 9:30 or 10 she is wide awake, right when I'm trying to get to sleep :)
But its been pretty random, not everyday is the same, so maybe the bigger she gets the more I'll be able to see a pattern with the more distinct kicks & stuff...but we'll just have to see!

We start our first Child Education class tonight! I am really looking forward to them!!
Hope everyone is well!! ♥

31 Weeks!

Your pregnancy: 31 weeks

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

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So today marks 31 weeks! I can't believe next week I will be at month 8! This has to be the shortest pregnancy ever! ha! :)
But we are super excited for Ella to get here! Friday night we bought the paint for her room! We are just waiting on the basement to finish (next couple weeks) and then once that is done, we will start painting. We had to store some stuff in her room for the basement to get cleared out, but once its done we'll be good to go!

We start our child birth education classes tomorrow, that will be good to feel a little more prepared.
But other than that everything is great! Ella moves quite a bit each day! It is crazy because now I can just watch my belly & see her move...no real signs of like a foot or anything, but you sure can see my belly moving! SO CRAZY! I made Jeremy watch one night! he was like...oh wow, that's just weird. HAHA :)
Its been so fun to experience this!
Only a couple more months!!!