Advent

Every year at church the womens ministry puts on Advent by Candlelight. I have never been before but I really wanted to go this year. It is a night to spend with women getting into the Christmas mood. Well a woman I work with wanted to go as well so we went together. It was a lot of fun. It was a night of desserts and punch with the entertainment of "Minnie Pause and the Hot Flashes" (yeah...I was one of the few young people there but thats ok). Minnie Pause and the Hot Flashes did a show about not wanting to get in the Christmas mood because of everything else going on in life and by the end of course they were in the Christmas mood because of the real reason for the season- not the shopping or the decorations but because Christ was born. It was a cute show. Afterwards we went up and took pictures with them.

Me with the group

I told them I am pregnant so we took a fun pose with the baby

After taking the fun pose they  prayed over Baby Knight. It was really special. These women who I hardly knew who just performed for an auditorium full of women wanted to pray over our baby. Not many shows you go too these days will pray over your unborn child. It was really neat. Here they are praying over the baby...

Week 18

18 weeks

Size of baby: My little sweet potato

Total Weight Gain/Loss: well this week was an odd week. I'm actually back down to negative 7. I'm eating though. Apparently not enough. I did throw up again today but that shouldnt make that big of a difference. 

Maternity Clothes: Jeans-yes. Other clothes normal.
Gender: baby boy

Movement: all the time! Even when we went on Friday for our Ultrasound appointment the man said Wow! You sure do have a mover!! (It may or may not have been the donut I ate before) but regardless he moves all the time! Still waiting for the day Justin can feel him. I can't wait to see his face when he does!

Sleep: Snoogle pillow. Heaven sent. I love my pillow and every night I can't wait to go to bed so I can cuddle with it. 


What I miss: can't think of anything this week other than I wish my stomach wasn't so tight all the time

Cravings: none. I'm just hungry all the time-then full almost as soon as I eat.

Symptoms: headaches, heart rate elevated (115 this afternoon), fatigue, etc. You know the feeling after you eat too much and your stomach feels huge and bloated until about 30 or so minutes after eating. Well my stomach constantly feels like that. 



Here is 18 weeks:

Sorry this is a little late considering tomorrow I'll be 19 weeks. We had a super busy week last week. I'm playing catch up. 

Busy Week

This week has a lot in store. Yesterday was pretty plain. Justin had a recruiting dinner so he was gone and I didn't feel very good after eating so I went to bed around 8:30. Today we have a faculty meeting and then I'm gonna hurry to shower and get ready for Advent by Candlelight at church. I am soo excited. I have seen it in the past but never had anyone to go with. However, this year a lady I work with goes to church with us so we are going together. Here is the little tidbit about what it is about:

Come join us for an evening of dessert, fellowship, Christmas music and inspiring words as we celebrate Advent--the coming of Jesus-- and we share the good news that Jesus is here right now!

I am super excited!! So that is tonight. I am going to try and remember to take pictures.


Tomorrow night I have a storytelling event. When I was in college I was part of the "storytelling club" ya know...it was one of those things you had to be involved in so many things so I chose storytelling because all we would do at meetings is get together and tell "stories"- i.e. things going on in our lives. : ) However, for comp time in January I needed some hours so when I got an email saying the sponsor for the club was hosting an event for teachers and it would count for comp time. I was all over it. 


Then Thursday night, my mom is coming in to spend the night because Friday morning we have our big ultrasound appointment where they will measure everything. I am super excited for that! Its like Christmas is on Friday and I want it to hurry up and get here! 


After our ultrasound we are going to register on our way to Kingwood. We are going to Kingwood for the weekend to do "Thanksgiving" and celebrate my dads birthday. My sister and brother in law are leaving on November 17th for their mission trip to the Amazon (please keep them in your prayers) so we are also  going so we can all be together one last time before they head to a foreign country to spread the good news! 


WOOHOO! I love when we are super busy! We will see if Monday after such a busy week and weekend if I still love being busy! haha! : ) 


P.S. I was just sorting through my emails and came across this photo Justin emailed me. It was from the day we found out it was boy. We went to Eric's football game where his team played Cannons. Here is Ella and me "posing for Uncle Justin"--- too cute- love my little ella!

17 weeks

17 weeks

Size of baby: an onion, 5 inches, 6 ounces (wow, that photo of an onion looks huge- the photo is just zoomed in a lot I suppose)

Total Weight Gain/Loss: -3. I'm almost back to where I started!! Woohoo! Maybe by Week 18

Maternity Clothes: well jeans for sure are maternity and all my dress pants (other than one pair of black pants I have). Shirts are all still regular! 

Gender: baby boy


Movement: I feel him move a lot more. I love it. It is such a crazy feeling! Justin still hasn't felt him yet though. I read online that some dads could hear the baby move around if they put their head to the tummy so I make Justin do that. He says it just sounds like fluid moving around. No baby kicking to his knowledge.

Sleep: ugh. I want to sleep on my back and my stomach. ugh. I'm tired of my shoulders hurting and not feeling comfortable. that's all I have to say about that. 

What I miss: sleeping comfortably throughout the night. my stomach being flat.

Cravings: oranges

Symptoms: my back hurts, my stomach muscles ache/hurt big time, waah, waah, waah, right? Better than throwing up so I'll take these symptoms. I'm hungry all the time but then eat one little thing and feel full, then ten minutes later I'm hungry again. Hmph.  


Here is week 17 photo.

and check out the comparison from week 12 to week 17. yikes!

Gift of Life

I need to vent a little. Yesterday I wrote a facebook status stemmed off of this song:



This song just speaks so much to me right now. I always think of this verse...

I saw a couple walking by they were holding hands

Man, she had that glow

yeah I couldn't help but notice she was starting to show

I stood there for a minute takin' in the sky

lost in that sunset

a splash of amber melted in the shades of red
I've been to church
I've read the book
I know He's here, but I don't look
near as often as I should
Yeah, I know I should
His fingerprints are everywhere
I'd just slow down to stop and stare
opened my eyes and man I swear
I saw God today

My mom always told my sister and I to look for his gifts. He is guaranteed to show you himself in something today. So I always try to look for his gifts. Such as a puppy dog basking in the sun, or a green light on my way home. Regardless his hand is everywhere.

Anyways, my status was, 

"Every time I look down at my tummy or feel the flutters of my little boy I think to myself...I saw God today." 

Well awhile after posting I get a comment that was kinda surprising to me. It was actually just rude. I guess now that I am having a baby I realize just HOW BIG of a miracle each precious life is and for someone to poke fun of me for thanking God was just kinda shocking. Also, I had just been watching The Little Couple where they announced they were pregnant, only to lose it 6 weeks later. I know so many friends struggling with getting pregnant, struggling with the physical and emotional side effects. I can't imagine how hard it is. 

I am so so thankful. I tell Justin every day how lucky we are that God is blessing us with this little baby. Whose kicks make me thank the One who blessed us. Everything that I say and do should be the glory of the Lord and this little baby is no different. He is a miracle. Every pregnancy is a MIRACLE. God chooses to bless us. He doesn't have to at all. I am sinner just like the rest of us and yet he allows me to carry one of his own. I pray each day that Justin and I will lay a firm Godly foundation in his life and that he will grow up knowing what a miracle he is and that there is NOTHING---NOTTA- ZIP that could CREATE life from cells other than my heavenly father who is the keeper of the stars, the maker of the rain...and oh so many other things. 

To God be the glory- for the struggles, for the pain, and for the miracles. 

16 Weeks

Size of baby: 4 1/2 inches long, 3.5 ounces, the size of an avocado

Total Weight Gain/Loss: negative 3!! Woohoo! I may have done a happy dance when I saw I was only down three pounds!! Granted it has changed back and forth because yesterday when I re-weighed I was back at negative 7. But I'm gonna go with negative 3. :  ) 

Maternity Clothes: I have one pair of non-maternity pants I can still wear. (other than sweat pants & jogging suits) The problem with non-maternity clothes is they HURT. I LOVE my maternity jeans! They are SOOOO comfy! I feel better just wearing clothes that fit rather than trying to squish myself into jeans that are too tight.

Gender: a little Justin- his daddy is so proud. : ) 


Movement: I feel the flutters. It is such a crazy feeling. I feel him more at night. I love it! Whenever he starts moving I beg him to keep doing it so I can feel it longer! I can't wait for Justin to be able to feel it too!

Sleep: still good I suppose. My shoulders hurt from laying on my side and I wake up frequently with my hands and arms asleep. I got a coupon for BBB for I think I'm gonna go invest in a maternity pillow. All my friends have them and SWEAR by them! Also, they say to start using it as soon as possible so you can get used to it BEFORE you are super uncomfortable. I also have been getting charlie horses when I sleep and that is NO fun!

What I miss: #1 thing I miss: having energy. I also miss sleeping on my tummy though as well. 

Cravings: still just living on orange juice and oranges
 
Symptoms: charlie horses, stuffy nose (that could just be allergies), itchy skin, my stomach skin hurts- I can feel it stretching. (still praying for no stretch marks), no energy, hungry every 20 minutes but nothing sounds good. 


Victory this week: I have gone 2 weeks without vomiting!! WOOHOO!


We took 16 week photos. I hate ALL of them. We took one on my phone of just my tummy so you get that plus one of the ones I hate. : ) 

10-27-11- 16w2d

Weekend Happenings

Friday:

*dinner for Natalie's 31st Birthday at Chuy's Mexican grill (delish)

Saturday:

*shopping 
                I went to Motherhood and bought a pair of jeans & two pair of dress slacks- I had so much fun! The girls that work there are college girls and were bored so I felt like a celebrity. They were bringing me all sorts of clothes to try on! It was so much fun! It feels SOOO much better to have maternity clothes on. They stretch and fit and don't hurt! GLORIOUS! While I was there I tried on the belly that adds three months..check it out.

ignore the no makeup look- I'm LOVING those jeans! Those are the ones I got. 

After Motherhood I found baby boy his first shirt. Adorable. Granted it's 18 months- but he will look adorable at 18 months in it. 

I came home after shopping and took a nap. The rest of the evening was pretty uneventful. Just laid around.


Sunday:
*cleaned house a little
*went and met Kimberly for lunch at Jasons Deli- it was DELISH!! It was so good for us to just sit and eat and talk! I miss all of us living in the same town!

*I took a picture before I left so I could see if you can see my bump. I think it is starting to show...what do you think?

Justin came home this afternoon and we have just been hanging out for the day. He was only gone for three days but I HATE him being gone and so I have been so excited for him to be home! : ) We are watching Hall Pass right now and are about to do Family Skype Night in a few minutes!