Estrogen it is!

Yes, It's a girl. 

Check her out!

She's lookin right at the camera. She showed us the goods right away(thankfully) then she got shy and was hiding her face toward my back, but we got the money shot.  A lot has happened since last blog. We've officially moved in and now I got some nestin to do. Our house already had a boy/blue nursery in it so i gotta add some pink but we'll get er' done.

We were so excited for the sonogram. It was like anticipating Christmas (for anyone who really knows me it doesn't get better then Christmas) The sono was on Friday and as each day passed in the week every morning Matt or I would roll over and say to the other "4 more days", "3  more days" "2 more days", etc. :-)  Friday comes and I can hardly stand it. For Saturday we had a "baby reveal" party planned with a few family and friends so we were really hoping the baby wouldn't be crossing the legs.

We show up for my appointment and its obvious there is some confusion between the nurse and doctor. Long story short they forgot to schedule the sonogram last time. They were able to schedule us for Saturday morning at ten o'clock. (The party was at 1) Needless to say we were pretty bummed. My husband especially was quite upset. Saturday morning I was getting a shower and just talking to God. I knew there was a reason he had me rushing around between the cable guy coming to install, Internet guy coming to install,finish some cleaning, and cooking chili before a oh-so inconvenient ten am sonogram appointment. I hoped I'd be able to make it back in time to  make my pink or blue cupcakes (depending on the baby's goods) before the fam got there. I said "God, I know stuff happens for a reason, even rescheduling this appointment so I'm not going to trip." He was going to show me...

While we were waiting in the radiology waiting room a woman came in. I could tell she was a little distressed. She was wringing her hands and kept closing her eyes and talking to herself, I assumed she was praying. So God and I start a dialogue. Right away I knew I was supposed to pray for her. I don't mean close my eyes in my chair and say a quick prayer, I mean get up and walk over to her and lay hands on her type of prayer. So my argument went like this. "I really don't want to embarrass this women or myself. I definitely don't want to make a scene." So i tried to ignore her. Yeah, God wasn't going to let that happen. As  clear as a bell it was "Audrey, this is why your here today." I felt nervous. So I thought what's the worse that can happen. She can say ," No i don't want prayer" and I go sit back down and the room is slightly awkward.  "Lord, I really don't want to do this."    'JUST BE OBEDIENT'   yikes...EXHALE...ok here I go.

I walked over to her and just simply asked "Can I pray for you?" "YES PLEASE" was the response and she started to cry. Her husband had just had a heart attack and she wasn't able to get a hold of any of her kids. So I prayed over her and her family Gods comfort, healing and love. She gave me a huge squeeze at the end and thanked me over and over.Of course right after I was asked back for my sono so I didn't have a lot of time to talk with her. I'm just glad I didn't miss it. 

Here's the thing. I'm disobedient probably more then I'm obedient and that is such a shame. There are divine appointments in our life, and if we miss them we could be causing someone else to miss out on their defining moment.  We can not let fear hold us back. God loves using people. Especially broken people to bring about his purpose. It's a humble thing to think God rearranged my 'so important' schedule so he could show this lady in her hour of need He was there to comfort her. At times fear runs my life  and I'm so tired of it. With a child on the way I know the enemy will have plenty opportunity to tempt me with fear. By God's grace I hope I don't ever become a stumbling block to his will in my life, my husbands life, my child's life, or even a complete stranger but that He will able to trust me.

So super cool my baby is already being used in ministry. WATCH OUT WORLD!

On a less spiritual note, LET THE SHOPPING BEGIN. Black Friday is around the corner and now I can actually buy that super cute baby outfit/stuff I see (finances depending).  I still have so much unpacking and organizing to do. I might just go do that now while husband plays old school Nintendo.  But it's super important because he has ten lives left and he's really far.:-) I love him so much.

I'll be better about updating now that we have Internet service at the house. Love you all.

The EASYMESTER!

Goodbye first trimester….Hello the-easy-part. Or so they say….

            Apparently the second trimester is the wonderful time when women get their belly bump and they are no longer sick, all smiles, pure bliss. I find it hard to believe growing out of all your clothes and feeling like a whale is pure bliss but I guess it’s all about your outlook.

Really pregnancy has been fun. It’s new and exciting and once I find out what we’re having, HELLO, excuse to shop!  I’m so proud of myself because I haven’t bought anything yet. I was at the mall running some errands (some undergarments just won’t fit anymore) and I breezed through the Baby Gap. CUTE!  They had these little vintage looking tee’s that had Curious George, and ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ (remember that awesome children’s book?)

I’ve heard moms say ‘why would I spend name-brand prices on kids clothes when they are going to grow out of them in a few months?” I totally get it and I agree.  I’m sure If I pop out one or two more it’s all going to be about hand me downs and ‘Money doesn’t grow on trees, You’re going to wear those pants until I see your ankles!” Or how about , “Johnny, your sister’s shirt fits you just fine. When they make fun of you just tell them you’ll be their boss some day.” Ok I probably won’t subject my kids to that but I am all about bargain shopping. But it is so hard to walk away from these cute nike outfits and Baby Gap hats I know I’ll buy just a couple outfits.

Don’t get me wrong, I think my Babys-Daddy is super handsome but really when you put the two of us together our little one might need all the help he/she can get, so a ‘happenin’ outfit or two can’t hurt anything.

Good news everybody, The inspection on our third house went great.! So it’s looking like it’s ours! I’m not going to do my victory dance until we sign the closing papers but it looks like that will happen at the end of  October. There is also a really really really cute nursery already in it, FOR A BOY. Man, we both want a boy so bad- but I could just add a pink stripe through the blue if I have too. (and our child’s identity crisis begins)

On a personal mommy note- I’m trying to mentally prepare to be a good mom. If any of you have good tips on how to actually do that let me know. I haven’t had a super amount of time to get the good wife thing down so I think it might be kinda like that- trial-and-error.  I’m thankful God is so merciful and gives so much grace. I feel like I fall short all the time but He is always there with a  gentle correction and points me in the right direction. (That right direction is usually a pride-swallowing apology.) I want to be the woman-wife-mom God is calling me to be. I feel like lately, the only way to up my chances at that is going to be PRAYER PRAYER PRAYER- Oh, and a little praise cause sisters’ gotta get her praise on.

Love you all.

From Embryo To Fetus...Always A Baby

I have reached the important ten weeks mark. According to babycenter.com  here's where we are...drumroll please...

Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature. He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.

If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.

My baby no longer has webbed toes. Whew! That should keep him from being shoved in a locker or two (for the record even if he/she pops out with webbed toes, I'll still love him.)

In other news... I got my first belly rub. My co-workers wife came in and grabbed my belly and rubbed it. It actually didn't bother me, especially since she is trying to get pregnant and she was trying to rub some "prego" vibe on her. I hate to break it to her but that's not how you get pregnant.  I'm not really showing,I am a little bit , but reality is its fat she was rubbing. SO if she gains 5 lbs, it ain't my fault.

I could fill this post with how easy my pregnancy has been with no vomiting and how I absolutely have loved my first trimester.... buuuuttttt..... truth is I poured out a ocean of tears over my stupid dog chewing my favorite black shoe.When Matt says "Your beautiful" I automatically retort "Your just  saying that because you were just noticing how much weight I'm gaining!" my eyes fighting back tears. I'm hot,cold, and always tired. May I introduce to you.....Ms. Emotional! I can't wait to feel normal again, everyone is telling me after my first trimester things get better, you just get fatter. I can already things aren't as bad as they have been. So I will take my mother-in-laws advice (................................) and try to enjoy this time.

Nesting Symptoms

It has begun. 

The house hunt.

It has actually been going on for sometime now. Lots of drama already! Put a bid on a house and they hated us because Matt has a receding hairline and I'm  a chunky chick. (it was one of those 'pretty onlys' neighborhoods.) Ok, not really. IT was a short sale home  and Wells Fargo owned it. Wells Fargo has been waiting on HUD to tell them if they can allow a variance on their rules so they can get us a furnace before we moved in. (That's a 4 G expense yo')

Long story short it's taking too long and we get our behinds kicked to the curb in three weeks...so yeah, the hunt is on. We are going to put a bid on another house tomorrow. Pray that everything goes well. 

My motherly instinct is beginning to grow and I FEEL it's super important for me to start preparing a nursery. I know it's really not but either I put my energy into designing a nursery or into eating Chipotle. Hmmm...I'll do both. Hopefully I can draw something up and get  scan it in and get y'alls opinion. I'm thinking a hundred acre wood nursery because I'm obsessed with Winnie the Pooh and have been since I was little. I kinda feel like Eeyore this last month. 

"All I want is a home, Nothing fancy. A umbrella would do."

At this point I think a big umbrella would do I'm so tired of looking at houses. BUT we trust the Lord has His hand in everything and He really has been watching out for us. Not only was it promised to us but we have felt it. We have seen it. We are loving it. There is nothing more secure then a life in Christ.

I would share more but my husband is about to float on here and look for a better paying job in his field. Yeah for forced initiative!:-)

And my God will supply your every need according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. 

Phillippians 4:19

God Is Bigger Than The Boogie Man

So today was definitely one of those emotional roller coaster days. First, let's talk symptoms, wonderful, glamorous, joyous pregnant woman symptoms!  A sip or a 2 liter, it just doesn't matter. I have to pee all the time! Dizziness,headaches, and cramps are all part of the territory but PRAISE GOD no morninsickness. Woohoo!

This last weekend I kinda hit a breaking point. I've been trying to ignore my cramps assuming my body is going through a bunch of changes why not would I have excruciating cramps? But Friday night in my head I knew something just wasn't right. They were so painful they woke me up and I just cried and hollered, absolutely excruciating. I told my husband, "this can't be normal." I wasn't panicking because cramping was just one symptom of miscarrying that I had read about and I didn't have any of the others but my husband insisted on going to the doctor. So I made the call and the doctor told me she wanted to see me. After talking to the doctor and describing my pain she mentioned what I had been fearing, Etopic Pregnancy. Simply put its when the baby attaches in the fallopian tubes or somewhere where it can't grow and your forced to miscarry. Once I heard it come out of the doctors mouth I desperately tried not to think about it. 

Earlier on the way to my appointment at the hospital I was driving and talking to God and just telling Him (and honestly reassuring myself) "I trust You. " The response? "Have I ever let you down?"

In the lab waiting to give a UA I focused on His faithfulness. While I waited to check in to the Ultrasound area I reminded myself of how He really had never let me down.  As I laid on the bed and she scanned my stomach and took pictures (not saying anything at first) I kept repeating in my head "I trust You."

There he/she was. Matt has deemed him our "little peanut." The baby was right where it was supposed to be, heart beating and all. :-)

When we left the office I fought back tears.(I have the right to be emotional)

 I was so happy that I didn't need to fear and my baby was ok. Matt hugged me and said, "God is bigger then the boogie man." How deeply theological.

Psalm 56:3 "Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You."

  

I'M WHAT !?!?!?!?!

Just a normal thursday. Kiss my handsome husband as we both head off to work, him to the lab at the doctor's office and me to my cube jungle.
I had scheduled a doctors appointment like 4 weeks ago (this was a doctor who is hard to get into) for nothing serious but I had been having some reaccuring problems for months that my other doctor just wasn't fixin'. Nothing wrong with a second opinion right? I see my computer clock slowly click on to about 10:10 and I head off for my 10:30 appointment.
I was feeling a little stressed that morning. I was super behind in cube rat work and I didn't spend time with Jesus that morning. I was hoping my wait wouldn't be super long knowing this doctor was Mrs. Popularity.
"Audrey"
Sweet that didn't take long! Hop on the scale and I'm hanging out at about 140. Hmmmm, I was hoping for a little less. I just recently lost about 20lbs. After I got married I stuffed my face and put on about an additional 15 so I was at least back to wedding weight. I give the nurse the low-down about my problems and she asks about my 'Aunt Flow.' "Well, I'm about 4 or 5 days late but I'm having some serial cramps so I should be starting soon." So whats the next logical step? She ushers me to the bathroom to pee in a cup. YYYEEESSS!

As I'm waiting for the doctor sitting on the crunchy paper I was wishing I had taken some midol for my cramps. Seriously, why do we women have it so hard? (for any guys reading this I sincerily apologize, but these are the facts of life.)
I hear the nurse and doctor whispering about me just outside the door. That always annoys me. Don't they know I can pick out my name? It's never loud enough to hear what they are saying but just enough to make a sister paranoid. So anyway, doctor waltzes in and I complement her hair. It never hurts to butter-up the one with cold hands. I immediately start apologizing all over myself. "I'm so sorry for taking up your time, I know your a busy woman. I've just had some reaccuring stuff for months now and thought yoiu would say something different then my other doctor..." She patiently listens and asks me questions. She gives me some good answers that may help. Little did I know the next ten seconds was going to change my life forever.

"Ya know your pregnant?"
What did she just say? "What?"
"Your pregnant"
What.. "What?"
"Your urine test is positive, your pregnant."
"You've got to be kidding me? I'm pregnant? I'm pregnant!"
AND SCENE: FADE TO BLACK.
(Seriously, I fadded to black.)

The next thing I know my eyes are filling up with tears. Is it true? Am I crazy? Did she just say I'm 5 weeks? I thought I was just late. Doctor Surprise begins to show me paper work about proper eating and medicines to take and not to.. yadda yadda. I'm desperately trying to focus but I feel light headed. As she is talking all I can keep saying is;
"He's going to flip!" "I had no idea, I can't believe I'm pregnant!". Well we finish up and I am to say the least in a daze. In a short couple minutes I went from being a guitar rockin' newly married 24 year old who was still learning to cook to a MOM-to-be with visions of nurseries and mini-vans all dancing in her head. As I'm walking out of the office the doctor shouts out to the waiting room. "Audrey, I forgot to tell you! APRIL 2nd!"
So April 2nd...April 2nd.
The two of us become three. SO begins the journey. :-)