Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Just the Right TIme

Yesterday was quite a day. I went in for a typical doctor's appointment at 15 weeks. I told Steve when he left for work if he wanted to meet me there that'd be great but if he couldn't, no big deal since I wasn't having an ultrasound. He showed up at the appointment and I am so glad. Thank you God for sending him!

The nurse could not pick up the heartbeat with the doppler. I wouldn't have been overly concerned except that 4 weeks ago, she detected it right away. After a few minutes she said, "Now I don't want you to panic, and I'm not gonna panic, but I'm sending y'all over to ultrasound and you'll just get an extra peak at your baby!" Bless her heart she was trying so hard to be reassuring but I cannot even describe how I was feeling.

As we sat in the waiting room, I was calm, but tears were streaming down my face. Steve had his arm around me and just kept whispering, "It's o.k. It's o.k." I never stopped praying the whole time we waited. Pleading with God for a heartbeat and a baby that was alive and well, telling him I believed this baby was fine but I sure did need some confirmation. I'm not sure what I truly believed, but I just kept talking to Him. I have never felt any emotion like it and pray I don't ever again. My heart breaks as I think about so many others who have had that same experience, only with a much different outcome.

She called us back and told me that this happens a lot and to try to relax. As soon as she turned on the ultrasound machine she said, "You can breathe. This baby is fine." Or something like that. All I know is that I burst into tears. Like sobbing, uncontrollable tears where my whole body was shaking. Relief and gratefulness and joy and so many other emotions took over and all I could do was cry and cry and apologize for crying! She couldn't even get a good look at the baby I was shaking so much. Steve just held my hand and I know he was feeling the same way. She was truly so precious and I wanted to hug her neck. Praise the Lord everything looked great!

THEN....she said "I know what this baby is if y'all want to know." I asked her how sure she was and she said 100%-without a doubt-no question. Hmmm...well Steve told me last week he thought we shouldn't find out and should just let it be a surprise. (We didn't find out with Anna Clare and it was SO MUCH FUN and I could've probably been talked into it again. BUT the practical side of me was dying to know). I looked at him and he said, "I know you want to know." And I said, "I know you want to wait." He said, "Well, we're here and she knows and she's sure, so let's do it!"


She showed us some different views and angles and (I am having trouble getting these scanned ultrasound pictures to show "regular" size) that last one says...













BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)


We are still in shock I think. The whole moment seems like a dream and I wish I could replay that part back again and again. We are thrilled and grateful and feeling blessed beyond belief. It was some absolutely wonderful news at a time that could have been anything but wonderful. To God Be the Glory!!

I told Steve I had no cute, fun way planned to tell everyone because I didn't know that we would be finding out. So we just did it the old fashioned way...we called them on the phone! :)

The girls are thrilled (although Owen informed me this morning that she wanted a sister and I reminded her that she already had a sister:) Anna Clare has been convinced from the moment she found out that it was a boy. I brought these home for the girls and they had the best time taking them around to all the neighbors as their own way of sharing the news.


And this morning I stopped in here to pick up a little something for my nephew Mason, who is expected to arrive any day now. I couldn't resist one just like it to celebrate. Hey, one must take advantage of a 50% off coupon, right? :) I am a sucker for Kissy Kissy.



So, it was an emotional day with a whole lot to process but we are so very excited and thankful for the outcome!

Monday, May 23, 2011

Farmin' and Fishin'

What a weekend! Owen's waterslide party was a big hit on Friday night, and then Steve and I had a date Saturday night to see "Guys and Dolls," a local theater production. We loved it. It was a very entertaining show filled with lots of talented, hard-working actors. Afterwards we made it to California Kraze just before they closed and sat outside enjoying a little sweet treat.


Yesterday after my 2 hour nap we picked up my mom, who loves to fish, and headed to Steve's boss' farm for the afternoon.


Before we hit the pond, we rode around on the mule while Steve showed us all his turkey hunting spots. He was flying through some thick woods and I told my mom I felt like we were on Romancing the Stone, minus the machetes.


We also picked and ate lots of plums, the little grape-sized ones that are either really sour or really sweet. Yummy!


Each girl caught a fish while Steve, my mom and I caught nothing but gnats...


My mom put little pieces of Bounce fabric softener in my ears to try to keep them away but to no avail.




They wanted to touch the fish before we threw them back.


We headed back to my parents' house where my Dad had burgers ready and Steve and the girls cooled off in the pool.


We got to bed pretty late but it was totally worth it for a fun, family Sunday afternoon!

Friday, May 20, 2011

Slide!


This monster thing is in my backyard at the moment. It was delivered and set up yesterday afternoon in preparation for Owen's little birthday party tonight. The neighbors came over yesterday and we had to pull the children off at 8:30 last night. I think it's safe to say we have already gotten our rental fee money's worth and it's not even party time! Owen is so excited and it makes me so happy to see them going down again and again and again...

Cakes by KK

My mom dropped these off earlier (I wish this were not made with my cell phone camera...it's hard to see the detail). She has made Owen's birthday cake every year and came through beautifully again this year! I loved these Barbie dress cakes when I was little and think they are adorable!  Thank you Mom!

Here's to turning 4!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Owen is 4!



These are all cell phone pics again. I am having issues with my camera. I can take pictures but can't upload them because the thing that you plug the cord into is all jammed up. Gotta go have it checked out. We have the worst luck with our electronic gadgets.

My sweet baby girl turned FOUR today! She started it off with a bang at the pediatrician's office at 7:30 this morning. Her Daddy was a sweetheart to take her because he was afraid I might pick up something from the waiting room...thank you Steve! She has been fighting a cough all week and the only medicine we have expired last summer so he took her to get it checked out.



Turns out that's all it is...a cold, and we are so glad! They got her all fixed up, and while they were there they did her 4-year-old check-up and gave her her "school" shots. Our office gives you the option of doing them at 4 or 5 and we like to get them over with...though I hated that she got them on her birthday!


For a birthday treat I took her and her sweet friend Lydia to get their nails polished. They thought they were BIG GIRLS! They were so precious and so serious while the ladies were dolling them up.




We met Steve for dinner at her restaurant of choice...Cracker Barrel. She and Anna Clare had blackberry pancakes. I tried them and they were delish. More like dessert than anything. We have had a wonderful day celebrating her and I am so very thankful tonight. She is having a little splash/slip-n-slide/waterslide party on Friday and is very excited about spending it with some friends. Hope to be back with some better pictures soon! Happy Happy Birthday, Virginia Owen!

Friday, May 13, 2011

Monday, May 2, 2011

Easter pics




Last Easter as a family of four :)






Posing with Butterfinger the Bunny

I am obviously having some margin issues but it is much too late to worry about that now. Will work out the kinks another day..

Thanks so much for your kind, encouraging words and congratulatory messages. I wish I could describe how excited the girls are about this baby. Anna Clare is truly beside herself. Each week she wants me to go online to check the size and developmental updates and apparently she shares that with everyone she comes in contact me. A couple of weeks ago someone came up to me and said, "I hear your baby is the size of a kumquat this week." I love it.

While I am feeling great, I failed to mention I am T I R E D. Like could sleep for days tired. I am expecting that to improve soon since I am only a couple of days away from the 2nd trimester. But I'm not gonna lie...not sure I want it too. I am getting the B E S T sleep of my life! But since I'm sure Anna Clare would appreciate me actually being awake when she gets home from school, I guess it's time to move on :)

Some friends of ours were laughing at us Easter morning in the parking lot at church. I waited to put the girls' dresses on when we got there because they wrinkle horribly and they rode to church in their towel wraps. Our friends said that with a newborn next Easter, wrinkles in dresses will be the least of our concerns. I'm sure they are right. But we can't wait.

Please continue to pray for those affected by the devastating storms. We are so thankful that our family members in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham are safe but the destruction is absolutely heartbreaking. There are some great ways to help out locally, but if you aren't able to do that, please, please pray.