Thankful.

Well, at this point, I am pretty sure the baby boy has dropped and we could expect his arrival any time...even though it’s still quite early (4.5 weeks away).  I am feeling more pressure on the lower half of my belly!  I would prefer he waits until March 7.... my spring break!  I don’t want to have to come back to school earlier than the beginning of May...haha (the real reason!)  I just need to take a minute to THANK GOD for His AMAZING GRACE throughout my pregnancy.  Although, I’ve mentioned all the “difficulties” (why is it so much easier to focus on those, rather than the good moments???) I need to acknowledge that I have had a GREAT pregnancy.  I haven’t had any complications and have been very healthy!  Overall, I have felt wonderful and loved my growing body.  I have been able to keep working full-time with 6^th graders that require SO MUCH energy – emotionally and physically.  My back has held up beautifully (I have definitely had some aches and pains...but haven’t had any problems with some of my previous back problems that I was worried would happen).  Glory to JESUS for that!  I haven’t been overly hormonal (my co-worker and friend, Amber, attested to this the other day), with the exception of a few (between 5-7) days where I cried for no reason or got angry for no reason.  My students have even commented that I haven’t been “mean” like other pregnant teachers...haha.  I’ll give credit to the Holy Spirit for that.  (Although....I am mean to some of them...only when they deserve it...haha).  I finished 8 weeks (just in case he comes early) of substitute plans today (all color-coded and organized in a nice binder!).  This morning I was singing praise to God and my heart was overflowing with THANKFULNESS for his favor, grace, mercy and love! 

So, as the final month approaches, I can actually say I’m in the home-stretch!  I am “ready” for him to arrive, in that I’m mentally ready to go through labor and EXCITED to be a mommy!  I think I am as prepared mentally for labor as I’m going to be!  I was praying about my labor/delivery and God gave me some sweet promises.  He spoke to me and told me that I was going to be able to make it!!! (that may sound simple...but it encouraged my heart so much) and that he was going to be on one side of me, just as David will be on the other.  He spoke some other promises about little details that I’m clinging to...and know I’ll cling too when the PAINS set in!!!  Thanks for all your prayers!!! 

5 More Weeks - FullER of Baby!

Week 34 was quite uncomfortable....lots of leg cramps throughout the night, major heartburn (major!), difficulty breathing, fuller of baby and waking up each day feeling gaseous for the first 1-4 hours.  However, today I woke up and felt great (comparatively speaking)!  I was so thankful!  While at school today, 3 different people looked at me and said “I think you’ve dropped!”  It didn’t really click with me, but then I thought “Hm...that must be why I feel better.  I can definitely tell his positioning is different.”  I still have little feet in the ribs and a little difficulty breathing, but it is noticeably better than the past week.  Whoo hoo!  

These signs of progression have put a little kick in the urgency to get things ready!  I stayed at work tonight until 7 with my amazing friend, Amber, and we mapped out the 6 weeks I’ll be out.  She is a true gift from God for me for so many reasons.  I still have roughly 6 hours of work to do to prep my sub, but I feel much better having the plan set!  Whew!  Speaking of getting things ready – my mom will be here in one week.  She will be helping Billy move out and then spend a week painting the room and helping me get organized.  I can’t wait to have the baby room set and ready to go! I can't wait for her to get here!

Over the weekend, a sweet friend, took some maternity pictures of us.  She is starting a photography business and wanted to use me as her maternity model for her website.  I loved it and am sure we’ll end up with some great pictures. David, on the other hand, endured the 3 hour photo shoot as an act of love towards me.  I’ll hopefully be able to post some of the 34 week pictures soon. 

News: Tomorrow we’re going to meet two pediatricians, so hopefully one of them is great!  Oh and I told my boss today that I am not planning to work full-time next year!  I was nervous about the conversation, but it went better than I could have planned!  She offered me a part-time position (well, an unofficial offer because she’ll have to work it out in the budget), so I’ll be praying about that.  If it’s God’s will and ends up being financially beneficial, then I’ll probably do it....we’ll see!  

Thanks for keeping me and Kbabe in your prayers.  I am needing lots of GRACE to make it through the days working with my students.  We are believing he will come at the PERFECT time (but it would GREAT for me to make it 3 more weeks – through my spring break).  I’m not counting on him arriving early, but many people think he’ll come early and I also have a strong feeling he will.  March 24 (original due date) sounds perfect to me...but I’m not sure we’ll make it there....who knows?  

‘Till next time.....

Full of Baby!

People keep asking me how I feel (well, that’s not new), but my response is!  I don’t know how to describe it other than “I feel so full of baby!”  It’s weird how I can be starving, yet my belly feel so full and tight....new and bizarre.  Baby boy’s feet (assuming it’s his feet) kick against my ribs multiple times a day (and definitely every night) and sometimes it feels like a little foot gets stuck up there under my ribs.  I try to kind of push him down, but I don’t want to hurt him...so I just take it!  Sleeping has officially reached the “uncomfortable” stage and I have one spot in my mid/side back that aches so much if I sit too long in the same position.  I have daily heartburn now, which is a bummer because I thought I was in the clear.  I had only a couple bouts of it in earlier weeks, but the burning sensation visits me regularly these days.  I have a feeling it might stick around through the next 7 weeks..bummer.  I am getting a lot more tired and feel the need for a serious nap every day (okay, that’s not new either...but it’s intensified now!)  We had a “snow day” yesterday, which was crazy because there was no snow, nor was there any ice after 8a.m.  Texans are weirdos.  It will be cold (it was 15 degrees today!!!) and people freak out and refuse to go outside...which means you can’t go to school either (last I checked we worked in a heated building and most people have cars with heaters).  However, I glady received the news and then took a 2 hour siesta....(ahhh, so refreshing!).  Watch for my post on May 30^th (Memorial Day) and remind me of how sweet it was to take a nap yesterday on the “snow day” because I will be complaining about going to school to make-up for the missed day yesterday (grr) and having spend another day away from baby boy!  I think I’ve gained 25lbs now...which I’m okay with.  At first I kept thinking “I cannot get on the scale and see 150!” but I think that might happen now, seeing that I’m at 143lbs and have 7 more weeks to go...oh well.  I guess the only real thing that bothers me about my body is that now when I look at my thighs, I see cellulite on the front of them...THE FRONT! 

Enough of the “negatives,” though – I have so much to be thankful for!  I have 7 weeks left and am getting more and more excited.  Monday we finished our 2^nd childbirth class (of 3) and took a tour of the Labor and Delivery rooms and the Mother and Baby rooms (they move you across the hall 2 hours after you deliver).  The hospital is 2 years old, so it’s very nice!  David and I both felt much more excited after the tour because I think it made it all feel so much more real.  Not like the kicks, growing belly and heartburn don’t make it feel real!  David was the volunteer to get on the delivery bed and demonstrate several different positions women can get into to help make labor more comfortable (hilarious!)  He even practiced breathing while “modeling” for us.  Around 8:30p.m. all the tired, achey, and sick-of-standing women welcomed a good laugh!  He’s a trooper.  Yes, I got a picture, but it’s on my phone and I don’t know how to get it into my blog....haha. 

Okay, time to grade papers.....or take some Tums and go to bed????  Hmm..the second option sounds so much better!  Oh, we are going to be seeking God and praying about labor, delivery and still praying about Kbabe’s name, so please join us!  If God speaks anything to you, please pass it along!  

David's birthday present: His Daddy Bag (aka a cool Patagonia Backpack)

David's daddy-time blanket (I made this quilt for David over X-mas Break - it was a lot of work, but so fun cutting, sewing together and making the dino teeth border!)

Happy 28th Birthday David (Jan. 12, 2011)

 

32 Weeks and 4 days - Jan. 30, 2011

32 Weeks (Disregard the sweaty "glisten," I had just finished a pregnancy workout)

32 Weeks

32 Weeks