the smith life.

MONTH 4

2011-10-25T21:17:00.002-05:00

Pregnancy #2
MONTH 4- 16 wks

Pregnancy #1

MONTH 4- 16 wks

So far this pregnancy has been as good as my first pregnancy. I crave Vlasic Kosher Dill Pickle Spears, the only pickles I have ever and will ever eat. (No, not mixed with ice-cream or anything weird like that.) I still sleep good. I'm not quite big enough to totally switch to maternity clothes, but I definitely can't button my jeans anymore! I feel like this baby is a boy. I feel him/her moving stronger than the little flutters I felt earlier this month, but not strong enough for anyone else to feel yet. I LOVE feeling the baby move! So cool! The dreaded growing/stretching pains, that I forgot about, are now making a daily/nightly appearance. I can't wait for another ultra sound just so I can have another look at my little 4 1/2" Lovey. I can't wait to meet this sweet baby and to see Ayven as a big brother!

It's almost time.

2011-10-13T22:41:00.002-05:00

In less than a month my baby is going to be ONE YEAR OLD. I know I should probably save this post for his birthday, but my heart is overflowing with thankfulness for him and all of the goodness he has brought into my life in the last year. I couldn't have hand picked, designed, or asked for a better baby. He is SO EASY. From the moment he was born he was an easy baby. He was never fussy, never had tummy problems, never had sleep problems, or anything. He has been such a good boy and an absolute joy. When he cries it is easy to figure out why- sleepy, hungry, sick, or hurt. Those last two are pretty easy to solve by holding him close and loving on him. He is so loving. He climbs all over me all day long and gives me "kisses" and lays his head on my shoulder and says Mama and he loves to sit in my lap while I read him stories and he gets so excited when he sees his stroller because he knows we're going on our daily walk together and he thinks I'm funny and he listens to me whenever I sing and he is so funny and full of joy and...I could go on and on. I LOVE MY SON. He weaned himself off of the pacifier. Around 8 months he decided that he didn't want to have anything to do with it. No thumb sucking either. He only wants to drink water from his sippy cup- he refuses juice. Fine by me! Less sugar the better. One of his favorite things to do is read books. He walks over to his shelf or wherever they may be and he says over and over, "Ook! Ook!" I may be bias, but the boy is smart. He says and does things that truly impress me. There have been days that I've been so exhausted that I couldn't blink for fear of falling asleep. Nights where I wanted him to sleep through the night sooo badly that I cried. Kevin and I decided that letting him "cry it out" simply wasn't an option for us. He has been sleeping through the night for a week now. When he does wake up we make him a bottle, give it to him in bed, and he falls right back to sleep until morning. I love rocking him to sleep and realizing how much he is growing by the way his feet squish against the arm of the glider chair. I can tell that he will be a good listener because he already listens well for an 11 month old whenever I tell him not to do something. He puts his head down and cries whenever he gets in trouble. That being said, he is sensitive. He is especially sensitive whenever he's tired. When he's tired everything gets a little more dramatic. lol. He has always been a great napper and a fantastic eater. From day one he has put himself on a schedule, making it so easy for me to know what he needs. He pretty much went straight from breastmilk to "big people" food. He will not eat baby food and has never really cared for it either. He has a mouth FULL of teeth and he eats pretty much everything that I give him. I'm thankful for that. He gets so much joy and excitement out of animals, whether he sees them in a book, in person, or on T.V. He loves his "puppy puppy puppy" Chloe and Eli. They are amazing with him. He laughs and chases them everywhere, pulling their fur, and they have never hurt him or even tried to hurt him. They stay away from him most of the time. That is, until he is in his high chair. He has figured out that when he drops food they eat it, which I think has become a game to him. It's funny to watch. They certainly don't mind. lol. He loves other babies, music, and looking up at the sky for birds or "bu" as he calls them. He likes bubbles, waving at people, and pointing at everything. His newest fascination and new word is "ball".
I'll definitely post more about my precious boy and what he has meant to my life a little later this month, but those are just a few of my heart thoughts right now that I had to write out. I constantly thank God for giving me Ayven. He is a gift.

PREGNANCY #2 at 11wks

2011-09-20T16:24:00.001-05:00

So far my pregnancy has been identical to my pregnancy with Ayven. With my first pregnancy I had dream after dream that I was having a boy and last night I had my first dream about this baby and it was a BOY! If we have a boy we're pretty set on the name Zander Joseph. I love the name Zander as much as I love the name Ayven, and Joseph was a powerful character in the bible as was Joshua, which is Ayven's middle name. I think it'd be cute to have my "A & Z". If this baby is a girl though then I will obviously be delighted! We are pretty set on the name Hartlee Joy if it's a girl.

I am 3 to 4 lbs more at 11 wks with this pregnancy than I was with Ayven at 12 wks. I know that's not a deal right now, but I'm just hoping it isn't a foreshadow of my future weight gain with this baby! I gained 40lbs with Ayven and I exercised regularly and ate good for the most part, and even though that weight easily melted off after he was born, I really don't want to gain that much this time. I'm hoping to stay around 25-35 lbs. I know it's kind of dumb to even have a goal like that though because your body pretty much does what it wants during pregnancy as I learned the first time. A girl can hope though. :) At least now I have something holding me accountable to my diet. Exercising is the easy part for me.

This baby is due April 9th, but will probably be taken earlier since I am having a scheduled C-Section this time (ugh..not looking forward to another C!!!). I am excited beyond words about having another child and Ayven having a sibling! I am praying for a continued healthy, safe pregnancy and delivery.

Pregnancy #2
THREE MONTHS 11wks

Pregnancy #1
MONTH THREE 12 wks

My Life Lately

2011-09-13T20:32:00.003-05:00

My 10 month old, Ayven, being tickled by mama!

I have to say that my life today is 100% different than what it was the last time I blogged.

For one, I now live in Charlotte, North Carolina! Kevin and I moved here about 2 weeks ago after feeling the call for 2 years to come be a part of Elevation Church. It is an absolute HONOR to be at this church. What an incredible place of ministry. God is moving in big powerful ways through this church body. Pastor Steven Furtick...well...you just need to go hear him and then you'll understand! www.elevationchurch.org

The worship ministry here is one of the best you'll hear. We came here on total faith. We left a church and job we loved, a lovely house with friends nearby, good pay and benefits that we were comfortable living with... we left it all. We didn't come here because of a job offer or a job opening. We came here on total faith that God called us here and therefore would provide for our family, He would be faithful, and He would unfold His perfect plan. And we are seeing Him do all of that before our very eyes! These are the most exciting times in the life of our family!

Everybody here has been extremely friendly and helpful. Kevin and I were so blessed to get into a nice rental house with a great backyard in the kind of neighborhood you see in movies where everybody knows everybody. I LOVE this neighborhood! It's full of trees and hills and very sweet people. Our landlord is the best you could ask for. We will call this house our home for the next 2 years. We are so thankful!!

Another huge blessing was the very day we were on our way to Charlotte, we got 2 year tenants for our house in Texas! That was the best news to hear! We knew we couldn't carry rent in Charlotte and our mortgage in Texas. We didn't know what was going to happen, but we moved forward anyway. God is so faithful when we obediently step out and follow Him, trusting that He is able!

Another huge change for us is that I AM PREGNANT!! And, yes, we planned this pregnancy to be this close to Ayven. This baby is due around April 9th and, once again, we will not be finding out the gender of the baby until it is born! In our opinion, t is the greatest surprise one could experience. It was such a powerful moment to find out that Ayven was a boy the moment he was born that I can't wait to experience that again with this baby. I am praying for an uneventful, healthy pregnancy and delivery. My C-section with Ayven was a total nightmare. So much infact that my doctor said it was the worst she's had to be a part of in 12 years. Needless to say I am praying that this time around is much more pleasant. A repeat C-section is what I'm most nervous about!

Ayven is now 10 months old and he is the greatest joy in mine and Kevin's life! I have been planning his 1st birthday for the last few days. I'm going with this really cute puppy theme that I found:

http://www.1stwishes.com/I-Love-Puppies-1st-Party-Supplies/43960/PartyKitDetail.aspx

Ayven loooves puppies so this theme seemed very appropriate. I can't believe my baby will be 12 months old in less than 2 months. It has been sooo fun having him around! He has the sweetest disposition. I will say that I wish he'd start sleeping through the night though. Since getting pregnant I am soooo exhausted! Getting up with him up to two and three times a night is really hard. Thankfully Kevin has been Super Dad and gets up at night most of the time. THANK YOU, KEVIN!!!

At this stage in his life, he claps, touches his head, touches his toes, waves, points, and dances when you ask him to. He points at everything and everyone, which is super cute. We like to make a game of it and tell him what he's pointing at. Today he has been saying, "Oh" alot. He finally says, "DaDa". He has said "Mama" for a long time so we were anxious to hear him say, "Dada" to Kevin. He loves to play his instruments and hits everything with his drumsticks. I found him hitting Eli with a spoon the other day and then today he wacked Chloe with his drumstick. Sad for the puppies, but Ayven was cracking up. I had to laugh. He loves his puppies but he's so rough with them right now. He pulls their fur and hits them with stuff..he thinks it's funny! lol. I think they tolerate him because they know they get food from his highchair! He is very cuddly, which I love. He loves to just sit in your lap while you read him a book or lay his head on your shoulder. He smiles whenever I sing this song to him to the melody of "Barbara Manatee" from Veggie Tales, "Ayven Joshua, you are the one I love! Sent from up above! My Ayven Joshua!" Kevin and I catch him "singing" all the time in a little high voice. It will melt your heart!

Here are some pics of Ayven's first trip to Charlotte, NC earlier last month. We took him to the beach for the first time and we all had a blast! He seemed to really like watching the waves. Now that we live on the East Coast I sense many more beach trips for our family are in the future!

6 MONTHS- HALF A YEAR!!!

2011-05-02T15:01:00.004-05:00

Here's a little bit about my big 6 month old boy!

He has two pearly whites that he loves to show off with those big, beautiful smiles!

He has a new found passion for his feet. If he isn't staring intently at his toes as if to say, "What are these things?" then he is chewing on them.

MORE PEAS, PLEASE!

Ayven has officially started eating food. We decided to skip Rice Cereal and move on straight to the good stuff! I've exclusively breastfed him since he was born, so this is a big step for me. I'm excited about introducing him to the world of food though, but only to the best ofcourse. He was introduced to organic peas a few days ago. He seems to like them. I think he's still figuring out the new texture and taste. We'll give these a few more days before we add another veggie to the menu.

I've noticed that when Ayven hears or sees other kids he gets very focused on them. Personally I think it's because he's ready for a brother or a sister. :) My hope is to get pregnant before his first birthday. I wait for that day with great delight! We enjoy play days with our best friends, Gina aka Nah-Ni, and little Addy. It will be fun when they can really interact with each other.

We are publicly dedicating Ayven to the Lord on Saturday night at our 6pm service at Woodlands Church. It's going to be a very special Mother's Day weekend!

God's perfect gift to me...

2011-04-22T00:47:00.003-05:00

http://www.freespiritfoto.com/

Thank you, Sherina, for these beautiful photos of my precious baby boy!

Ayven was sick this day and he had just woke up from a nap and he was ready to eat. So we didn't get any smiles this day, but these are still so beautiful. I love my son. Oh my goodness I love him so much and when I look at him I just see God's perfection at work. I still can't believe this beautiful person is mine. Thank You, God, for this incredible, fun, joyful, sweet, loving, and gorgeous little boy!!

ducks & musical fountains

2011-04-12T23:56:00.004-05:00

Funday Monday!!

We had a family picnic at the park where we introduced Ayven to ducks for the first time. It was nice and cool in the shade and so peaceful. It was relaxing looking up at the blue sky, hearing the birds and ducks and the occasional splash of the lake. Ayven seemed to enjoy observing his surroundings. Everything in the world is new and exciting when you see it for the first time through his eyes.

That night we took Ayven to see all of the lights and to hear the music at the fountain in the Waterway. Even though it was his bed time, he was very alert and observant. That's my sweet boy- content, peaceful, observant.

Goodbye bassinet, hello pack n play!

2011-04-06T14:49:00.000-05:00

He slept in this tiny bassinet for a full 4 months until we finally decided he needed more room.

He slept in this bassinet right beside the couch, where I slept, for the first couple of weeks we were home from the hospital.

Then we moved it right next to my side of the bed in our room.

Now, at 5 months old, he has grown into the pack n play! He had been sleeping through the night so I was close to putting him in his crib in his room at night. For the last few weeks though he has been waking up TWICE during the night just like a newborn, so he is still in my room. Most of the time after I pull him into bed with me for his second feeding I just leave him there beside me for the rest of the night. I am cherishing these precious moments with him during the wee hours of morning because I know this time in his life won't last forever. Still, I have to admit, I am one sleepy mama these days! He has an excellent nap time schedule during the day so usually I join him for one or two of them. :) That, to this day, was some of the best advice I received. NAP WHEN HE NAPS!

FIVE MONTHS OLD!!!

2011-04-01T01:25:00.001-05:00

I can't believe I have been such a slacker when it comes to my blog! I have been adjusting to my new life as a mommy though and sometimes blogging doesn't make the cut. I'm getting the itch to blog again. Since I have so much to catch up on, let me just start with where I am right now-

MY SWEET, PERFECT, BEAUTIFUL BABY BOY IS 5 MONTHS OLD TODAY!!!!

Take a look at those teeth! Aren't they adorable?
Yes, he grew these earlier than most, but so did his daddy.

We started him on YOUR BABY CAN READ when he turned 3 months old.
Here he is totally enthralled with one of the videos (he really does enjoy learning his words)...

Just the other day he started saying, "MMMMMMMM....MMMMMMMM....MMMMMMMAAAA." And sometimes it will come out, "MAMA". I love it!! In my heart I think he understands that I am "Mama" because he says it when he's getting hungry, especially if he sees me and he's hungry! He has also started saying, "Ba."

Whose my big, healthy boy??!! :)

He rolls around all over his play mat and has a new interest in his feet..

We took him to Medevil Times. Doesn't he look cute in his crown?? :)

We put his name on his wall. He LOVES his room! He gets so wide-eyed when he sees his animals!

He smiles at them :)

He reaches for things with both hands now. The reason he has a pink blanket and a pink hat is because we took him to a birthday party at the park thinking it would be warm, but to our surprise it was cold. So we had to borrow a blanket and hat from a little girl who was at the party. haha

One of my favorites! He is simply irresistible!!

He was sleeping through the night in the beginning of March but started waking up at 4:30am again towards the end. I think he's going through a growth spurt. I am really enjoying my time with him in the early mornings though. I want to soak up every second with him and make it last for as long as I can. He has been exclusively breastfed since the day he was born, so I enjoy the bonding time with him in those wee morning hours. We end up falling asleep all cuddled up together. I can't put into words how much I love that! I love the way he "talks" to me and rubs my face with his precious tiny hand. I love how he needs me and recognizes me. I love how he randomly starts laughing when he sees me and how in those moments everything I do is funny to him. I love how he "yells" aka how he has found his voice ! haha. He started high pitched squeals last month. It's the cutest! He loves going for walks with me and the dogs. He laughs when they bark. :) He enjoys being outdoors. When he feels the wind he kicks and starts squealing.

He is such a good boy. Kevin and I have taken him to the movies with us twice now and he was so quiet and observant for awhile then fell asleep. He is so easy to please and is very content. I always tell him that he has the joy of the Lord because of his sweet smile. We are so blessed!!

BIG SMILES!!

2010-12-07T00:08:00.000-06:00

I took this picture on Sunday morning. Ayven flashed me some smiles and I was lucky enough to get one on camera! I got one on video too which I'll have to upload later. I love this precious smile!

Ayven's first Thanksgiving

2010-11-29T21:51:00.000-06:00

IT'S A BOY!! (a peek into our first month!)

2010-11-23T01:06:00.009-06:00

IT'S A BOY!!!

Ayven Joshua Smith

November 1, 2010

8:36pm

8.3lbs 21in

~THE BIRTH~

Our precious baby boy is finally here- healthy and perfect. His delivery into this world was far from perfect though. I wanted to see if I would go into labor naturally, but realized that in going so far past my due date (nearly 2 weeks) with no progress, there were risks for both me and the baby. So I went in to be induced on November 1st.

Everything started out great. I went in to the hospital at 6:30am and my labor began progressing really fast. My nurse predicted the baby would be born around 4 or 5 o'clock. My parents and Kevin's parents arrived at the hospital around 3:30. My friend, Krissy, also joined us. She is a photographer and was there to photograph the labor and delivery. Her role was extremely important to me, for she would be capturing those very first moments Kevin and I would have with our new baby son or daughter.

The labor was going great until 9 1/2 cm. I began feeling pain. My epidural was wearing off! The pain increased rapidly and all I could do was wait for my next epidural. Kevin was my rock as I struggled through the pain. His gentle touches and whispers of encouragement were just what I needed. I love him so much!

Soon after my 2nd round of epidural, it was time to push. I pushed for a little over an hour. My doctor said that the baby's head was stuck in the birth canal as well as facing the wrong direction, and her attempt to turn the baby to face the right position failed. She left the room for a little while and came back suggesting that I get a C-Section. I didn't understand at the time how serious the situation had become, but Kevin and I decided to go ahead with the C-Section. As they wheeled me into the room where I would receive my C-Section, I slowly began falling asleep. So not only was I having to get a C-Section, which I knew would be a long, painful recovery, but now I was falling asleep and wouldn't be completely aware of my baby being born. This wasn't what I had pictured at all.

As they began the C-Section, I felt everything. I didn't just feel pressure. I felt every single tug and pull as my doctor fought to free my baby from my body. It was the most painful experience of my life. I thought it would never end. All I could do was say over and over how bad it hurt, and all my doctor could say over and over was, "I'm so sorry, Andrea!" There was nothing anybody could do. My doctor was having a very difficult time getting my baby out, and just when I thought I couldn't handle it for one more second, out the baby came. As soon as the baby arrived, my face went hot and I suddenly couldn't breathe or swallow. My friend who is a delivery nurse and who was helping deliver that night held my face and said, "Breathe, Andrea, you're going to be okay." I don't remember much that happened after that because the medicine I was given quickly knocked me out, but I do remember Kevin saying, "It's a boy!" And after that I remember looking over at the baby and hearing him cry for the first time. Kevin took this picture minutes after Ayven was born, but I do not remember it. I was completely knocked out. I am thankful to have this picture!

Kevin had the honor of introducing Ayven to our family!

I remember being wheeled down the hall into the recovery room, where I saw my family lined up outside of the door. A lot happened in that recovery room that I do not remember, but thankfully my friend, Krissy, was there to take pictures of everything. Here are pictures she took of the very first time I held my baby boy!

All I could do was cry. The three words, "It's a boy!" were the best three words I've ever heard. Deep down in mine and Kevin's hearts we really wanted a boy, and we waited the entire pregnancy to find out the gender. The anticipation was insane! So when I was holding him in my arms...Ayven in my arms...it was the most surreal moment. It was a dream come true. I was very drugged, which made it difficult for my eyes to focus and I couldn't even feed him because of how I was falling asleep, so Kevin fed him a bottle of formula that the hospital gave him. I was passed out when they gave him his first bath, weighed him, and all of the other things they do with freshly born babies. Thankfully between Krissy and Kevin, plenty of pictures were taken! And evern though I don't remember a lot of what happened, I don't think I'll ever forget how it felt to hold my baby boy for the first time! It was indescribable. Surreal.

~THE HOSPITAL~

After such a traumatic delivery, I was blessed to discover over the next couple of days in the hospital that God had given us a very content, sweet, healthy little boy, who made things very easy for me considering the pain I was in from the C-Section. Nursing came as natural to Ayven as breathing air. One of my favorite memories from the hospital was when Ayven would sleep next to me at night in my bed and I'd nurse him as we cuddled up next to each other. His tiny warm body next to mine was an indescribable feeling. Another sweet moment was when Kevin read him bible stories from his Children's Bible. We are putting the Word of God in our son early, praying that it takes root so that he may bear fruit for God and may be a mighty disciple of Christ! We constantly looked at him and whispered into his ear things like, "You're so beautiful", "You are so amazing", "You are such a gift from God", "I love you, Ayven". I tear up as I write this, remembering how it felt and how it still feels. We thank God every single day for Ayven Joshua. He is a gift from above!!

Because of the pain I was in, and how swollen I was, Kevin and I decided to limit visits to the hospital to family only, and invite friends over to our house once we went home and I was feeling better. I had a new nurse every day and every night. Most of them were nice and helpful, while others seemed a little hard. One time, as Ayven was crying and I went to comfort him, my nurse for that day said, "Let him cry. It's good for his lungs." I thought, "He's not even 24 hours old yet! If I want to hold my crying baby and comfort him then I WILL!" She did not make me happy. Still others were extremely sweet and went out of their way to take care of us. Ayven couldn't seem to get comfortable one night so a friend of mine who works at the hospital brought him a warm receiving blanket and wrapped it around his body. He was instantly calm and fell asleep. Another nurse recognized us from the church and gave us a super cute beanie cap. We had the TV turned on to a station that played Christian music nonstop, which was pleasing to have playing in the background. Once as Ayven napped we placed his bed in front of the TV so he could hear the music as he slept. Kevin stayed with me every night at the hospital and went home to feed the dogs, shower, and get a good nap in, because he was very involved in helping me care for Ayven at night. The food at the hospital was pretty much horrible, so Kevin brought me lunch and dinner every day. Overall I'd say our stay at the hospital was very helpful as we adjusted to having a new baby, but ofcourse we were anxious to get our baby boy home and learn our "new normal". I was also very anxious to see my puppies, Chloe and Eli, and introduce them to Ayven!

Kevin and I discovered a love that we'd never known before. Every time we looked at Ayven tears would flood our eyes. We were moved emotionally at the realization of a dream- our son was here. Nothing could have prepared us for the overwhelming joy, love, and protective nature that enveloped our entire being for him. There's nothing in this world we wouldn't do for Ayven. We love him more than we've ever loved before. He is so sweet and innocent. He is perfect. He is the greatest gift I've ever received.

Here are some pictures we took during our stay.

~HOME SWEET HOME~

The entire first week I walked around with this constant high. I was filled with an unexplainable feeling of joy and fulfillment. The moment we brought Ayven home I had this powerful sense of, "This feels right." When we first got home with him I saw a gift my mom had left on the counter. It was a couple of little boy outfits and seeing those made me cry. It was the surreal feeling that we had our baby boy. For 9 months he was "the baby" in my tummy. Now he is Ayven. Our baby boy. I felt from the very beginning that I was going to have a boy, and Kevin and I really wanted a boy. So it took that first week for it to sink in that he was here. That first week Kevin and I just marveled at him. It was so fun learning together how to take care of him. We woke up together during the night and changed his diaper together, and Kevin would stay awake with me as I nursed him. Sometimes we'd trade off feedings and Kevin gave him a bottle. We were so full of adrenaline and energy, rushing to meet his every need together. Adrenaline and energy began to wear a little thin as we came upon week two, so that's when Kevin and I really began to trade off feedings and diaper changes. Ayven tends to stick to this schedule- I feed him around 9 or 10pm and then I go to sleep. Kevin stays up with him until 12/1am and feeds him before he comes to bed while I sleep. Ayven doesn't wake me up to eat again until about 4am, then we go to sleep and he doesn't wake up to eat again until about 8/9am. That's our schedule most of the time, which really helps us feel rested. Taking naps during the day really helps as well.

Chloe and Eli did great from the start. I was surprised to see Eli take on a very protective role, while I wasn't so surprised to see Chloe experience a little jealousy. Eli is right by Ayven's side wherever I put him. And any time anybody goes near Ayven or picks him up Eli is right there making sure everything is okay. When Ayven gets fussy Eli tends to whine and gets restless himself. I think they'll be the best of buds someday. Chloe was a little distant at first, but now she has really warmed up to him. She will lay by him and lick him, which I take as a sign of her bonding with him. Ofcourse if I or anybody else holds him she will force her way onto our lap as if to say, "I'm here. Pay attention to me." Because of my C-Section I wasn't able to play with her and Eli for the first couple of weeks, but now I can pretty much throw toys with them like I used to and I have even managed to take them on a walk with Ayven. I make sure I love on them and give them the same kind of affection that I did before Ayven was here. I think they're adjusting great to all of the changes.

I finally felt good enough to have friends come over and see our new little man. It has been fun showing him off and hearing everybody ooo and awwe over him. We're so proud of him. He's the best thing to ever happen to us. Infact, when he was laying on the couch one day, Kevin kissed me and it felt like our very first kiss all over again. I have fallen in love with Kevin in a whole new way through this experience. It feels like we're newlyweds again! He has been the best help I ever could've asked for. He is such a great daddy now, and I know as Ayven grows older he will only become that much greater of a dad.

At Ayven's 2 Week appointment they said he is "perfect". He weighed 8.3lbs at birth, 7.14lbs upon discharge from the hospital, and 8.11lbs at his appointment. I was really happy to see that he's been gaining weight, especially since his only source of food and nutrition has been straight from me. It makes me feel good knowing that he is flourishing from what I provide him. He was 21inches long at birth, and he measured 22inches at the appointment. He is a healthy, growing boy! At the end of his 2nd week he lost his umbilical cord, which we think Chloe ate. I know that's totally disgusting, but it's actually kind of funny too if you know Chloe. She is always eating and getting into things she's not supposed to.

The changes that take place in just a few weeks are amazing. From the start Ayven was very alert, but now he is really beginning to focus. Kevin and I are going to start him on the Your Baby Can Read program very soon, and he starts infant music classes in January. We want to do our part in making sure that his little developing brain has every opportunity to learn. His pediatrician wants us to start giving him tummy time, but Ayven isn't too fond of tummy time. He'll get fussy and kick his legs straight back so he looks like Super Man. It's so cute! He kicks a lot and constantly tries to hold up his head. He's a strong little guy. He's a real cuddle bug too. I love how he is so easily soothed when you hold him close in a blanket and rock him. I love it when he falls asleep on my chest too. He sleeps in between Kevin and I at night and we love holding his little hands and rubbing his face as he sleeps and quietly snores the cutest little snore you've ever heard! We noticed in the 2nd week that his tears are beginning to form. They haven't fallen down his face yet, but his eyes get red and watery when he cries. It's so sad to see his tears!

I look forward to working out again. I should get the "okay" from my doctor in about 3 weeks. The baby weight has dropped a lot without me even doing any exercises, so I'm excited to see how quickly I can get back in shape once I'm able to start intense work outs again. Once I'm back down to my pre-pregnancy weight I am going on a shopping spree to Forever 21! That'll be a fun day. I'm also looking forward to leading worship at the church again. I've been off for about 6 weeks now, and I still have 3 weeks to go. I'm not rushing it though. I need this time off to focus on Ayven and myself. This time off is a blessing. It'll be exciting though to introduce my beautiful boy to the church and to worship with them again. My first time back will be around Christmas which is my favorite time of year at the church. I will start up piano lessons again soon too. I am blessed to have Sarah Kelly as my teacher. A song about/for Ayven is definitely in the works!

Here are some pictures of what life with Ayven has been like this month!

~THE POWER IN A NAME~

When I first heard of the name Ayven I instantly fell in love with it. It is typically spelled "Avin", but I came up with "Ayven".

Before Kevin and I decided to have kids, I went through this phase where I was scared to bring a child into the world. How could I bring a child into such a dark and painful place?? That's when I felt the Spirit speak to my heart that I need not worry about how dark this world is because I will raise my child to be a light in the darkness. As simple as that sounds, it changed my perspective. This world needs more light, which is what we'll prayerfully raise our child to be. I had picked out the name Ayven long before the Spirit had given me this peace and new perspective, and my prayer for my future child instantly became that they would be a light in the darkness. Later, when I got pregnant, a friend of mine discovered that the name Ayven means, "Bright, shining light". It gave me chills when I found that out! So Ayven is a very special name that I believe was divinely appointed.

There is also special significance to his middle name, "Joshua". The day before I went in to be induced, I was reading in Matthew where Gabriel was telling Joseph that he was going to have a son and he was to name him Jesus. I saw that there was a cliff note, so I read it. It said that "Jesus" is the Greek form of the Hebrew name "Joshua". Instantly I knew if we had a boy his middle name had to be Joshua, after Jesus.

I had this special, meaningful boy name picked out but had no girl name. And all along I felt like we were going to have a boy. So when he came out a boy, I knew he was special. I believe he has a call on his life to be a light in this world. I mean, we all have that call on our lives as Christians, but I am excited to see what gifts God is going to develope in Ayven and how He will use him in this world. Kevin and I will pray for him and do our best to raise him to fulfill his destiny and be a bright disciple of Christ.

AYVEN'S ROOM!!

2010-11-11T00:21:00.000-06:00

I am still editing my blog about our first week with Ayven, which has been indescribable. Here are the pics of his room in the meantime! I absolutely love it. My mom did an awesome job!

THE DAY BEFORE BABY!!!

2010-10-31T23:28:00.000-05:00

Today was our last day as a family of four (yes, Chloe and Eli are family). Today, October 31st, makes me 10 days past my due date. I really thought, along with many others, that I'd have a baby right now! But this little pumpkin doesn't seem to want to come out on it's own, so we're inducing bright and early TOMORROW MORNING!! For some reason it still doesn't seem real. I'm going to be a mother tomorrow? I'm going to give birth to a baby that is mine forever? I can't imagine what's about to happen to my life. To my marriage. To our entire family dynamic. What a blessing this little baby already is and will surely be! We feel so blessed that this baby was conceived out of love and what we believe was God's will and perfect timing. Tomorrow we will finally meet our son or daughter. I am amazed at how fast and easy this pregnancy was. I pray that labor and delivery tomorrow is fast and easy as well! I am anxious (a good kind of anxious) to see how Chloe and Eli will react to the baby. We hope they adjust quickly and learn to love the baby as a part of our family. As Kevin and I walked them tonight and cuddled with them on the couch we laughed because they have no clue what's about to happen to their little world!

Here are a couple of pics we took today to remember "THE DAY BEFORE BABY!!!"

No Thanks!

2010-10-28T14:55:00.000-05:00

I found these online. I love music and all, but these names are ridiculous to me.!

"Add a little harmony to your baby's life with these names inspired by musical terms and instruments."

Baby boy names

Adagio
Allegro
Alto
Bene
Brio
Clef
Forte
Freddo
Glissando
Harp
Jack
Legato
Lyric
Note
Omaggio
Opus
Quintus
Reed
Solo
Sonore
Tempo
Tocsin
Vespers
Zydeco

Baby girl names

Allegra
Arietta
Cabaletta
Cadence
Cappella
Carol
Celesta
Demi
Dot
Harmony
Hymn
Key
Lyra
Marcia
Medley
Melisma
Nera
Nocturne
Ottava
Rhapsody
Sonatina
Song
Stanza
Vespers
Viola

9 MONTHS- ALL DONE!!

2010-10-22T15:04:00.000-05:00

OCTOBER- MONTH 9

FEBRUARY- MONTH 1

I can't believe I'm already PAST my due date! Only by one day ofcourse, but this pregnancy has gone by so super fast. I was so blessed with a wonderful pregnancy experience. It didn't stop me from doing anything I like to do. I aimed for a 35-40lb weight gain, and I'm happy to say that I'm right there in the middle of that goal. Thankfully I'm not swollen or even all that uncomfortable. Now we're just playing the waiting game. If I don't go into labor before then, my doctor wants to see me on Wednesday. I suppose then we'll discuss inducing since she doesn't really want me to go past Thursday. I hope the baby comes on it's own without us having to induce. I am so anxious to meet him or her!!!!

BABY SHOWER #2

2010-09-29T22:47:00.001-05:00

These are my sweet friends who hosted a lovely baby shower for me- Janna Long, Karen Matocha, and Monica Matocha.

My friend, Sandra, was under the impression that our baby is a girl, so she bought some adorable little girl outfits! They're so cute! If we have a boy I just might have to exchange them though. haha

This thing is super cool!

I had a lot of fun and am grateful for all of the gifts and gift cards that have helped us prepare for our first precious little baby. Now all we need is the baby! :)

MATERNITY PHOTOS

2010-09-20T23:54:00.000-05:00

Kevin's cousin, Jon, is a photographer at Galmour Shots in the Mall. His boss gave him the keys to the studio one night and let him take maternity pics for Kevin and I totally free of charge. What a blessing! We are thrilled with the results. These pictures capture very special memories for Kevin and I that we'll always cherish and remember.

5 lbs 11 oz

2010-09-16T19:35:00.000-05:00

I am 35 weeks pregnant today. We finally got to see our precious little baby again!! He or she is now 5 lbs 11 oz, and probably somewhere around 18 inches long. I was surprised at how difficult it was to get a good picture of the baby this time because of how squished up it was! You can see from this photo that the little nose looks like it's squished up against a piece of glass. The baby is head down and today confirmed that the jabs in my left rib are a tiny foot! It was so sweet watching the baby open and close it's mouth and at one point it grabbed it's foot with it's little hand. It had the hiccups too, which was kinda funny to watch. I think the details that ultrasounds reveal are amazing. I could see all 4 chambers of the heart! Fascinating! God is the perfect Creator and Author of Life! Leanne, my ultrasound tech and friend, predicts that if I go to 40 weeks the baby will be about 8.2/8.3 lbs. That's a nice healthy weight, but I'm hoping this little boy or girl decides to come in early October rather than late...like perhaps on October 10th!! (10-10-10, awesome birthday!) I think the baby still has Kevin's chin, which you can't see very well in this picture because the baby's arm was in the way. I also think I see some plump little lips, which would definitely be from Kevin! I can't wait to kiss that little face, hold those little fingers, and just love on my baby boy or girl!!

8 MONTHS. WOW!!

2010-09-15T10:17:00.004-05:00

I compare these two pictures and all I can say is, "Wow."

SEPTEMBER- MONTH 8

FEBRUARY-MONTH 1

Only 5 weeks left until my due date!!

MY 8 MONTH CHECK LIST:
-We got the carseat! Now the baby can actually come HOME with us from the hospital! :)
-I have one more baby shower on the 24th, which I am very excited about!
-My mom is still working on the baby room mural, and Kevin is going to help my dad build a bookshelf/toybox for the baby's room. I'm not sure how much longer the baby's room will take, but my mom assures me it will be finished before the baby comes home. At least it will sleep in our room at first anyway.
-I finally registered at the hospital
-I'm beginning to pull together a list for my hospital bag. Since the baby is due in October, I plan on buying a plastic pumpkin and filling it with candy to leave at the nurses desk when we arrive at the hospital. It's just a little way of saying, "Thank you for taking care of me and my family!" I read about that idea online and thought it'd be nice (plus it doesn't hurt to get on the nurses good side).

My doctor thinks the baby will come before the due date. Still in October, but before the 21st. My birthday is October 17th, my niece's birthday is October 18th, and my sister's birthday is October 1st. I hope my baby comes on October 10th. How cool would it be to have 10-10-10 as your birthday?? Let's hope the baby thinks it's as cool of an idea as I do! haha

I walked into Forever 21 the other day and saw an outfit...or a few outfits I should say...that I really wanted!!! The new 2 story Forever 21 (the size of a Department store!) is great motivation for me to lose the baby weight. Thankfully I haven't gained too much, but still, I hope I can fit into my old clothes again. I guess that's a common thought among prego women. I have my eating and exercising plan ready to go. I should have been eating right this whole time anyway, but somehow I let that go a little. Oh well as soon as the baby is born it's eating right for me, and hopefully soon after, Insanity work-outs again! Yay!!

Kevin said to me the other day that he can't wait for us to know if it's a boy or a girl. I think daddy is getting excited! I know I am!

He didn't make me do it...

2010-09-14T16:18:00.003-05:00

I love yard work and have always been the one to take care of our yard. All summer Kevin's cousin lived with us and he took care of the yard duties for me since it has been so hot. On one particular evening earlier this month the heat wasn't so bad, and Kevin's cousin had moved out, so 7 months prego or not out to the yard I went. And then I breathed out a big sigh of accomplishment as I looked over my nicely cut grass. I noticed the neighbors were outside watching me. I wanted to tell them, "No, Kevin is not some horrible, lazy husband who made me do this. I wanted to do this."

More maternity pictures!!

2010-09-13T16:29:00.000-05:00

My friend, Lindsay, with Bella Bleu Photography, gave me another sneak peek at some of my maternity pictures. I love them!! I can't wait to see the bare belly pictures!

So far this picture is my favorite of Kevin and I!

LAMAZE

2010-09-04T21:06:00.000-05:00

Kevin and I had our first Lamaze class on Monday night. We have 3 more classes.
Kevin got to wear the "Empathy Belt" which is supposed to simulate pregnancy. He wore something that constricted his ribs so that he couldn't breathe as well, the vest added 30 lbs to his belly, and he had something pressing up against his bladder. He had to lay down and try to get back up, drop a book and lean down to pick it up, and he ended up wearing the vest for about 20 minutes. It was very entertaining!

We were first to class so we got a free pack of diapers. Yay!

A sneak peek...

2010-08-30T12:08:00.000-05:00

Here is a sneak peek at our maternity shots from Bella Bleu Photography. Lindsay and Shannon are very talented photographers and we had so much fun working with them! I can't wait to see the rest of the pictures!

MONTH 7!!!

2010-08-17T12:43:00.002-05:00

MONTH 7!!

~~MONTH 6~~

~~MONTH 5~~

~~MONTH 4~~

~~MONTH 3~~

~~MONTH 2~~

~~MONTH 1~~

I think there was something magical about entering into the Third Trimester, and I don't mean a Disney World kind of magical. What I mean is that for the first time since becoming pregnant, I actually began having "symptoms". I'm serious, something happened as soon as I hit 27 weeks, which according to pregnancy calendars is the beginning of the Third Trimester.

-I've suddenly experienced exhaustion in a whole new way. I am SOOOO TIRED ALL THE TIME!!

-Charley Horses. 'Nuf said.
-Hot flashes. And it doesn't help that it's AUGUST! I told Kevin that our next baby is going to be born in the Winter.
-Emotional. I want to cry about everything and I get irritated easily.

-Kidney Stones. At least that's what the doctors speculate. They can't really know 100%, but they have no reason to believe it was anything else. I had to stay at the hospital over night because I was in severe pain and was sick.

I still can't complain though because this pregnancy has really been so easy and nothing serious has happened. I have been blessed. No one could have prepared me for how active the baby would be at this point! When the baby is "going crazy" I like to sit and just watch my belly move all over the place. The baby likes to sit right up near my ribs which at times makes it difficult to breathe. Not knowing the gender of the baby was easy at first, then it was hard, then it was easy again, and now it's hard again! I'm soooo anxious (a good kind of anxious) for the moment I meet my little one face to face and I'll finally know if it's my son or my daughter! I love having the surprise for this first baby, but I want to find out what my second baby is and have a party to reveal the gender to the family. That'd be fun. Only about 10 weeks left. WOW!!!

One month makes a BIG difference!

2010-08-13T11:30:00.000-05:00

This is the exact same outfit I worked out in before I got pregnant, so watching my belly grow into it has been kinda fun.

I took the first picture on August 11th, before my work out. I took the second picture on July 1st, before my work out. I think it's funny to compare these images that are only about one month apart. One month makes a big difference!

Our First Baby Shower!

2010-08-12T01:35:00.000-05:00

My mom and sister, Malea, put together a beautiful baby shower for Kevin and I on Saturday, August 7th. They decorated with a bird theme and it turned out so good! The cupcakes were vanilla with coconut, decorated to look like little bird nests. They were so delicious and looked so cute! We are thankful to our friends who came out to celebrate with us and really missed our friends and family who couldn't make it. We were blessed with many things for the baby, including some really cute personalized bracelets. Since we don't know what we're having, Cathy made a bracelet for each baby- a pink one for Elynn and a black one for Ayven. So sweet! We held the shower at Sycamore's Cafe in our church. I was in the hospital overnight, for what we believe were kidney stones, on Thursday night and I spent most of the day in the hospital bed on Friday, so I was exhausted during the shower on Saturday and was definitely feeling the effects of the pain and nausea medication. I still had a great time though and am so thankful to my mom and Malea for making it look so beautiful! I hope you enjoy the pictures!

Only THREE months ago...

2010-08-02T13:49:00.000-05:00

On April 27th, I blogged about our new flowers...

Three months later, on July 27th, I took this picture to show how much they have grown! I LOVE LOVE LOVE our pink Double Knockout Roses! They have done so well!

LAST VACATION BEFORE BABY!!

2010-07-27T11:17:00.000-05:00

In celebration of our 4 year anniversary, as well as our last vacation before the baby arrives, Kevin and I spent the weekend in the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, and the rest of the week at a beach house on Surfside Beach in South Carolina. I have never been on that side of the coast before so I don't know what the water is typically like, but the week we were there the waves were the biggest, strongest waves Kevin and I have ever been in! About 3 times I got knocked over by a huge wave that whipped me around under the water. It was a little freaky, but I made sure to dive through the huge ones when I could. The awesome thing about the waves was that they were very consistent, which ofcourse made it more fun but also tiring because you were constantly fighting against them and the crazy strong current just to be able to stand. We had a blast!

CAUTION: DO NOT BUY THIS TENT!!!

Kevin and I bought this tent at Academy while here in Texas, thinking it would be perfect on the beach. Well it was perfect until it BROKE the very first morning we used it! The wind was just too strong for it and snapped one of the supports. We thought we just bought a bad one so we went to Target and bought the exact same tent. It worked great for the morning but BROKE that afternoon in the exact same spot as the other one! This tent is nothing but a good idea gone BAD!

Our cozy little beach house that some friends blessed us with practically free of charge!

This was our fun ride to the beach each day!

THANK YOU, GOD, FOR BLESSING US WITH 4 YEARS!!! We celebrated our anniversary,Wednesday, July 21st, at a Japanese Steakhouse...

We saw advertisement for "The Best Fireworks Show on the Beach" so we decided to go. I had my cotton candy and camera ready for a good show. We got there at 9:30 and it was soooo crowded that we had to park behind some buildings (lame view), but still I was excited about seeing "The Best Fireworks Show on the Beach" and it was our anniversary night so the view didn't bother me too bad. You wanna know how long "The Best Fireworks Show on the Beach" lasted?? TEN MINUTES!!! They started at 9:30 and ended at 9:40. It took us 30 minutes to drive to the Boardwalk, another 15 minutes to find a place to park, ALL FOR A 10 MINUTE SHOW WITH A LAME VIEW!! All we could do was look at each other, laugh, and say, "Really?? That was it??" At least I had my cotton candy to eat on the 30 minute drive back to our beach house. These are the only 2 pictures I got...

Funnel Cake. Who doesn't LOVE it???!!!

This Mama's last vacation without her baby at her side!

Less is More

2010-07-24T12:42:00.001-05:00

This has been a nonstop summer! Two camps and a week of vacation have made me slow to update my blog or even edit pictures for that matter. Here is a pic of Kevin and I from camp earlier this month. I have tons of pics of the wildlife and the incredible views, but this picture of us was all I could get to. Sometimes less is more I suppose.

We just got home last night from a week long vacation so I hope to edit and upload those pics soon, as well as pics of the baby furniture!

MONTH 6!!

2010-07-14T17:54:00.000-05:00

MONTH 6!!

~~MONTH 5~~

~~MONTH 4~~

~~MONTH 3~~

~~MONTH 2~~

~~MONTH 1~~

I am so excited that I'm almost in my 3rd and final trimester! And I am sooo thankful that everything continues to be great with my health and the baby's health. This is a really exciting time for Kevin and I as we have 3 baby showers coming up, and tomorrow we're picking up our baby's furniture! Thank You, God, for Your countless blessings to us and for this precious life developing inside me right now! My prayer for our son or daughter is that their life will shine like the brightest star on the darkest night!

On Saturday morning Kevin and I are going on our last vacation as just the two of us. We'll be spending the first 2 days in Charlotte, North Carolina and the following 5 days at Surfside Beach in South Carolina. Our 4 year anniversary is on Wednesday, the 21st, so we're thrilled to spend it on the beach, celebrating all that God has done in our marriage.

I CAN'T DECIDE!!!

2010-07-01T14:22:00.001-05:00

I CAN'T DECIDE WHICH CRIB BEDDING I WANT!!!

(click on the photos to enlarge)

I love this first one because of the brightness of the colors and the fun swirls and stripes, and my mom can have a lot of fun designing a wall mural...

Kevin and I also love this one because the design is cool and overall more subdued, but a wall mural would be a little more difficult to come up with for this bedding...

WHICH ONE DO YOU LIKE???

VIDEOS!!

2010-06-28T16:15:00.001-05:00

Grandma & Grandpa, these videos are for you! I hope you enjoy them!!

This first song is called Healer and it's by an artist named Keri Jobe. I sang this song on a weekend that we were having healing services. During the worship portion of the service people came forward to have oil put on their foreheads and to be prayed for. It was a very powerful and moving weekend! I love this song and am so glad that I got to sing it!

This is a song that I sang during our Easter services. On this particular video I'm singing it on one of our regular weekends. It's called Healing Begins and it's by a band called Tenth Avenue North.

I hope you both enjoy these videos! I love and miss you VERY much!!! Kevin, the baby, and I hope to see you in October!!

Our Baby Birds!

2010-06-27T22:58:00.000-05:00

Kevin and I had a nest of Barn Swallows on our front porch last year and to our delight they returned this year. We thought of them as our birds and took it upon ourselves to protect them. We enjoyed watching them grow and I got some great pictures of them! One Sunday, when I returned home from church, one of the baby birds (who looked much like the one in this first picture) had fallen out of the nest (or was pushed out) and was lying on our concrete porch. It was one of the saddest things I've ever seen. It was so tiny and helpless, and just when I thought it may be lifeless, I saw it breathing! Kevin wasn't home at the time so his cousin picked up the little featherless baby bird with a paper towel and placed it back in the nest. To our relief the baby bird was welcomed back into the nest by mama and siblings, it never fell out of the nest again, and it grew up to fly away just like the other baby birds. We'll leave the nest and see if they return for a 3rd year in a row next year!

Like Daddy Like Baby

2010-06-23T23:23:00.001-05:00

Most people have not seen Kevin without his beard. It covers up his cute chin! And that cute chin is exactly why I think the baby looks like him in the 4D ultra sound pics. Can YOU see the resemblance??

(This is a pic of Kevin from early 2005, when we first began hanging out and before we even started dating! And, obviously, before he grew his beard.)

My baby and Austin Powers???

2010-06-22T14:30:00.000-05:00

Our little cutie!!!

Is it bad that this image of our baby instantly reminded me of this guy??

Hahaha, our baby will be MUCH better looking though I'm sure!!!

Today I measured to be 23 weeks and the baby is weighing in at a whopping 1lb 5oz! That's still so tiny but so awesome that he or she is now weighing a little over a pound! My doctor really put how close we are in perspective when she told me that we have one more 4 week visit then we'll see each other every 2 weeks until the baby is born! Wow!! I'm actually really thankful that it's going by so quickly because I can't wait to meet our baby!! To know I can call my son, Ayven, or call my daughter, Elynn, will be such a special day. I just hope that when the baby is born that time will slow down. I don't want him or her to grow up too fast once they're here. I'll do the best I can do enjoy every precious second and milestone of their life!

Yesterday we ordered the baby furniture! Yay! I will post pics as soon as we have those.

ps. This little baby is moving a lot right now as I write this blog! They must know I'm talkin' about them :)

HALF WAY THERE!!

2010-06-15T16:24:00.001-05:00

I am 5 months pregnant and growing fast and furious. I seriously wake up every day and think, "Wow, I think my belly grew some more over night!" It's still strange/new to me now that I have this belly and am growing in other places...some not so pleasant aka my thighs! I know it's for the best though so that my baby will be healthy and strong. I am trying to eat healthy and exercise so that it'll be easier for me to lose the baby weight when all is said and done. I'm not one to obsess over it though. If I want a cupcake or a bowl of ice-cream then by golly I will ENJOY a cupcake or a bowl of ice-cream! :)

I have cleaned out the baby's room so that it's ready for Grandma (my mom) to begin painting! We'll be ordering the baby's furniture soon too, which is so exciting!! My sister is beginning to plan my first baby shower set for August, so I'm looking forward to that. I switched to maternity pants and shorts last month. They're so comfortable. I don't see how people can do the whole rubber band thing. I say just give in and buy those maternity pants! I can still wear my regular shirts but they're beginning to look a little funny so I think it's time for some maternity shirts too. All signs of a healthy, growing baby, right? What more could I ask for? I feel the baby's little flutter-like movements all the time now! And every now and then it feels like a somersault! What a wonderful feeling. Sometimes I'll stop right where I am and will stop doing whatever I'm doing just so I can focus on it moving. I got my first prenatal massage a few days ago because my sciatic nerve tends to bother me fairly often since getting pregnant. I think prenatal massages should be covered by insurance. They're awesome! :)

As far as the gender of the baby goes, 60% of me says boy and 40% of me says girl. Almost everybody I know thinks we're having a boy. There's a pattern for girls in my family and a pattern for boys in Kevin's family, so it's really hard to guess! We're looking forward to either one. I always tell people that I'm ready for bows and I'm ready for baseballs, so whichever the Lord sees fit for our family will be amazing I know.

MONTH 5!!

~~MONTH 4~~

~~MONTH 3~~

~~MONTH 2~~

~~MONTH 1~~

First Camp of the Summer

2010-06-11T15:56:00.001-05:00

Kevin and I led worship at our first camp of the summer. We led for Fellowship's 2nd-4th graders. It's actually the same camp as the first camp that Kevin and I ever led worship at together. We led worship there back in the summer of 2006, the month before our wedding. I still have pictures of that camp posted on the first page of my old blog: www.xanga.com/surrender186. Who would have thought that 4 years later we'd be back at the same camp, only this time expecting our first baby?? So cool!

This year was fun (the kids were great with participating in the worship!) and easy. We led worship in the mornings and at night, but during the day we drove back home since the drive wasn't too far. That being said, I don't have many pictures of us hanging out at the camp, but I will share the ones that I do have!

See my baby bump??!! I swear it gets bigger every day!

This photo was really dark, but I edited it the best I could...

Every night after worship we took a walk through the camp trails...

It was rainy and muddy and HUMID pretty much the entire week! It felt pretty gross outside. You can see the fog in this picture...

Trailor blocking the trail? Just walk over it...

Camp is always fun, but there are a few reasons that I'm glad to be home. For one, I reeeeally missed my puppies!! Even though I got to play with them during the day when we came home from camp, I missed cuddling with them at night when we went back to camp. I'm so used to their furry little bodies sleeping next to me. Speaking of sleep, that leads me to my second reason I'm glad to be home- our mattress!! On our first night there Kevin and I squeezed onto the bottom bunk of a bunk bed. We realized after one night that that wasn't going to work. So the next day we brought up our Queen size air mattress. Only problem was that at 4am we woke up to a deflated air mattress. Yep, somewhere there was a hole in the stupid thing! ha! So that plan was a fail. We resorted to stacking the 4 mattresses from the 2 bunk beds which made a sturdy bed, but extremely uncomfortable. We woke up with so much back pain. Needless to say, we can't wait to have a good night's sleep again in our own comfy bed! The last reason I'm glad to be home is for home cooked food!! Camp food is just BLAH and it makes you feel like BLAH! Kevin is my personal chef and a very good one at that, so I can't wait to have his good cookin' again!! :) :) :)

The Perfect Onesie

2010-06-02T11:12:00.004-05:00

Check out this link:
I Love Pomeranians T-shirts from Zazzle.com

And the perfect thing about this little onesie is that it has two pomeranians- one for Chloe and one for Eli. Love it! My baby will have this. :)

Memorial Day Swim

2010-06-01T12:54:00.001-05:00

The pregnant moma :)

Maddie and Malea

The parents!

Maddie and her Aunty

punky Malea

BABY PICTURES at 19wks!!!

2010-05-27T13:06:00.000-05:00

I am nearly half way there and the pregnancy- the babies health and my health- as been excellent. Praise God!! I am so thankful for such an easy pregnancy and I pray that the rest of the pregnancy continues to be as smooth and problem free!

We got more ultra sound pictures today and discovered an active, healthy baby developing just as it should! As soon as I saw the 4D images I wanted to cry. Something about seeing that little face and those features in that much detail just made the entire pregnancy that much more real. I am in awe and SO IN LOVE with this little child already!! I poked around on my belly and you could see the baby react on the monitor as if to say, "Enough already, mama!" because he/she turned over on their side so they were no longer facing us. haha! It was the cutest thing ever! My parents and Kevin's parents joined us for the occasion. They tried so desperately to see the gender of the baby! haha. Kevin and I have decided to keep the gender a surprise until the baby is born, but they tried to sneak a peek anyway. I have to admit that after seeing the 4D images it was tough not to find out, but Kevin helped me stay strong because we both know that the surprise in the end will be well worth the wait!

Here are the pictures of our beautiful, healthy son or daughter!!! The only thing I can be sure of as of right now is that it has daddy's chin...

streeetching...

flexing my bicep for my daddy!

Our Favorite Park

2010-05-25T21:51:00.001-05:00

I went on a walk with my babies today at our favorite park. I can't wait to take our son or daughter on this walk with us!

I call them "Pretty" and "Handsome"

2010-05-19T11:11:00.001-05:00

I love it when they're fresh from the groomer! They're all clean and soft with the wonderful scent of shampoo and their fur is nicely trimmed. They're always adorned with scarves and Chloe with her bows. She hates her bows, but I think they're so cute.

ps. I disabled comments awhile back for technical issues, but they should be up and running again without a problem.

The Last 4 Months...

2010-05-15T10:50:00.003-05:00

My growing baby, or should I say belly...

FEBRUARY- MONTH 1

MARCH- MONTH 2

APRIL- MONTH 3

MAY- MONTH 4

By Your Side

2010-05-14T22:22:00.003-05:00

This is a video of me singing By Your Side by Tenth Avenue North a couple of weekends ago. The first time I ever heard this song I was going through a really difficult time in my life and was driving down the road when it came on the radio. The words hit me to the core and a flood of tears and emotion came over me, nearly causing me to have to pull over on the side of the road. I hope the words bless you as much as they did, and still do, bless me.

This is a video of Kevin and I singing The Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel that same weekend.

Baby Bump!!

2010-05-12T23:29:00.000-05:00

My little love baby is growing!! This is my tiny bump at 17 weeks...

Veggie Tales

2010-05-10T13:03:00.000-05:00

This is a video of my niece, Alora, when she was 3 years old, singing the Veggie Tales theme song. She is 13 now. My niece, Darrion, who was 4 and is now 14, suggests in her high voice that Alora sing "The B-I-B-L-E". Alora makes a face and shakes her head NO. They were the funniest, cutest kids I've ever known! My niece Payten is also in this video. It was her 1st birthday and she is now 11. Sometimes I really miss them being babies!

Yes, I did it again!

2010-05-05T14:03:00.003-05:00

This time I went dark red with blonde highlights.

This picture kind of creeps me out! haha

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY SWEET LOVE!!!

2010-05-01T12:50:00.001-05:00

I can't wait for next year when we'll be joined by our son or daughter to celebrate WONDERFUL YOU!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY SWEET LOVE!!!

Enjoy this video that is filled with sweet memories from when we were dating to nearly 5 years later and finding out we're having a baby!

Pink Roses and Pink Ladies

2010-04-27T22:17:00.006-05:00

Here is what the freeze did to our once beautiful hibiscus flowers!!

We decided to dig them up and plant something more hardy, so Kevin planted Double Knockout Roses and Pink Lady Hawthornes. They're so beatiful, especially when fully grown! We got the idea for the Roses from a friend down the street. Her's look great year round. And we got the idea for the Hawthornes because I wanted an evergreen that had a pretty bloom. I can't wait for all of the new flowers to fill out and grow to full size!

I'm the one who does all of the yardwork- the mowing, edging, blowing, watering, weeding, you name it. I love doing the yardwork and probably wouldn't let Kevin do it even if he wanted to because I'm pretty particular about it, plus I enjoy it. My mom always took care of the lawn when I was growing up so I guess I took after her. It's funny to me though that Kevin wants to be the one to plant all of our flowers. He always has. He's so particular about getting them perfectly straight and just right. I'm glad I have a husband who cares about the little details like having nice looking flowers in our flowerbed. He's cute.

Beautiful, with lots of room to grow!!

Watering our new flowers. Grow, grow, grow!!

What you are looking at in this picture is not a sprinkler, although it may look like one. It's actually where the water hose connects to the house. No water should leak out of this connection. Well the connection is obviously a bad one because when you turn it on it sprays about 10 feet! haha!

Kevin and I singing "I'm Alright"

2010-04-25T19:38:00.003-05:00

Kevin and I led worship at Grace Lutheran Church this morning so that our friend who normally leads worship there could have the weekend off. Kevin and I enjoyed just the two of us leading together with the acoustic, and the church was soooo friendly. We hope to go back some time.

Here is a video from this morning of Kevin and I singing "I'm Alright" by Kidsintheway. I love this song and I hope God blesses you as you listen to it. Never forget how much He loves you and forgives you no matter how far or how hard you fall! The lyrics are below the video.

I'M ALRIGHT

I run away when I get scared
I find a place where no ones there
And I cry

My shame it covers like a cloak
It leave me room enough to choke
And I'm stranded
When I fall down
You pick me up
You wipe my eyes
And say, "It's alright"

There's One who knows the place I go
He never fails to let me know
I'm forgiven

He sees the good in you and me
He throws our sins into the sea
They're forgotten
They're forgotten

When I fall down
You pick me up
You wipe my eyes
And say, "It's alright"

And no matter where you go
No matter what you know
No matter who you are
No matter what you've thought
It's forgiven

And no matter what you say
No matter time of day
No matter how you look
No matter what you took
It's forgotten
It's forgotten

When I fall down
You pick me up
You wipe my eyes
And say, "It's alright"

I'm alright

The Pampered Poms

2010-04-22T00:07:00.008-05:00

I want to share some pictures with you in this post, but first let me set the scene for these photos.

Everybody who knows me knows that for the past 2 and 3 years I have been raising two babies, but not the type of babies that most of you probably think of as babies. My babies come in the form of pomeranians. Chloe and Eli, to be exact.

Chloe and Eli have been the center of mine and Kevin's attention ever since we brought them into our home, and they know it. They especially know that they have me wrapped around their little paws. I wouldn't have it any other way. They're the perfect pomeranians as far as I'm concerned. Loving, gentle, playful, comforting, loyal, friendly, cuddly, warm on a cold night, and besides all of that (and believe me there's more!) they make the greatest listeners and emotional supporters. I like how they follow me around everywhere I go. I like how they curl up around my feet, jump in my lap, and lay as close to my side as possible. I like how they make me laugh EVERY SINGLE DAY. I like how they're playful one minute and cuddly teddy bears the next. I like how they wake me up every morning, so happy to see me. I like how they lay their little heads on me and just look me in the eye with their sweet puppy eyes. I like how their personalities are so unique.

Chloe is sassy but oh so sweet, sneaky and usually eating something she isn't supposed to, "I gotta have it just so", "I belong on your lap or in your arms", "I've gotta give you a million kisses", "I love EVERYBODY", and is extremely alert to her surroundings. Throughout the day you will periodically feel a little paw scratching at your leg and when you look down it's always Chloe looking up at you, wanting you to hold her.
Eli is sweet natured, the most gentle dog in the world, "I just wanna have fun", laid back and somewhat timid, "I wanna make you happy, mama", "I'll follow you to the ends of the earth", who lives to PLAY. If he's not bringing me a toy to throw then he's pestering Chloe by pulling her tail, trying to get her to play.
And BOTH of them LOVE to EAT. Their personalities are awesome. They're the best.

I often wonder how they'll react when our baby gets here... for I know things will change. They'll always be my little furry loves but they won't be the center of my world like my baby will be. It won't be all about them anymore. I know this. It may sound weird but I'm kind of nervous about how things will be different. How will things change? People have told me that they just forgot about their dogs once their baby arrived, but I don't want to be that kind of person. They're too important to me to just push aside like they're not a part of the family anymore. My hope is that Chloe and Eli will adjust quickly and learn to love and protect the baby as they do Kevin and I, and that they'll feel as much a part of the family when the Baby gets here as they always have.

Anyway, before you think I'm any more dog psycho than you already think I am (haha), here are some pictures I've taken of my puppies on my phone that I didn't want to go to waste in a picture folder on my computer. I wanted to share them with all of you. Besides, what parent doesn't like to show off how beautiful, cute, and adorable their babies are?? :) I like to refer to them as "The Pampered Poms" because...well...the pictures will explain...

(click on any photo to enlarge)

Baby stuff!

2010-04-17T18:49:00.000-05:00

My parents are going to buy our baby's crib (what a blessing!), so today I went with my parents and sister, Malea, to look at baby furniture. To my delight we found EXACTLY what I've been wanting! The crib is antique black and converts to a toddler bed and a full size bed. I also love the dresser, which is also antique black. It is pictured here with the hutch attached but all I want is the dresser. The crib and dresser are so beautiful and I can't wait to have them in our baby's room!

I also found the gender neutral, animal themed bedding I want for our baby's room. I love it! My mom is going to paint the baby's room and paint the wall mural you see in this picture above the bed...

I have been busy registering and learning what I really need and what I want for our baby. (And, yes, we're still keeping the gender a surprise until the baby is born!)

Fund Raiser with Pastor Kerry

2010-04-17T18:30:00.004-05:00

Pastor Kerry painted a picture of Christ as I sang and Kevin played the guitar. The painting was later auctioned off to benefit the private Christian school Providence (an awesome school that we were honored to support!). The fund raiser was art themed, which is why Pastor Kerry painted. It was a wonderful night! I've never been to a live auction before. They auctioned off a horse, a puppy, and many awesome trips around the world!

Pastor Kerry's painting with the blacklights turned on...

Here is some of the beautiful art decor...

This is a 200 yr old bible! Amazing!

Are YOU pregnant??

2010-04-09T10:25:00.002-05:00

People are beginning to notice. People are beginning to wonder. People are beginning to ask. And the answer is an excited, enthusiastic, "YES, I AM PREGNANT!" I am 12 weeks and my belly is beginning to take on it's mommy-to-be shape! I only gained one pound in my first trimester. We'll see how long I can keep that up. (hehe) I started scrapbooking my pregnancy and it has been really fun! I'll post pics of that as I get further along. I plan on scrapbooking the baby's first year or two of life. I love creating and saving all of the precious memories!

So far this pregnancy has been a total breeze. I haven't had any morning sickness, thank the Lord! I haven't had any cravings either. Random things will sound good to me but I haven't had my mind set on any one particular thing. Maybe cravings come later? The only thing I've noticed, besides my growing belly, is that I NEED a nap around 1:00pm or else my energy is zapped for the rest of the day. Praise God that everything has been so healthy!

Our baby looks like a baby!!

2010-04-01T22:05:00.001-05:00

I went to the doctor today and our baby has a strong heart beat, is healthy and is growing! Praise God!! I am nearing the end of my first trimester, which has totally flown by with the greatest ease. I hope the rest of my pregnancy is as smooth and healthy. I was so excited because when I sang at church tonight people could tell that I was pregnant from the tiny bump that is beginning to form. Yay!

I absolutely love these pictures of our baby because you can see it's precious tiny features! You can see it's skinny little arms and legs, it's tiny tiny nose, mouth, and eyes, and it's little round pot belly! haha! The baby is 5cm, about the size of my pinkie. I can't believe I'm looking at my son or my daughter. I am so deeply in love with this child. I can't wait to meet him/her face to face and daddy Kevin can't wait either! Thank You, God, for this blessing!!

Handmade by Grandma & Grandpa

2010-03-19T11:17:00.001-05:00

My Grandma and Grandpa made me this gorgeous quilt!! I love love love the colors and the patterns. It was asian inspired.

The Front...

The Back...

So many of the patterns have a shimmer to them, which I love!

THAAAANK YOU, GRANDMA & GRANDPA, FOR TAKING THE TIME TO MAKE ME THIS LOVELY QUILT!! YOUR HARD WORK PAID OFF WELL. IT'S PERFECT.

"Light in the Darkness" (baby names!!)

2010-03-15T13:10:00.000-05:00

Before I was pregnant I remember struggeling with the idea of bringing a child into this dark world that seems to only be getting worse. I struggled with knowingly bringing a child into a world that will undoubtedly bring hardship, temptation, and pain. That's when the Lord gave me a new perspective. Rather than look at it as me bringing a child into a scary dark world that will surely bring it's share of trials, think of it as me bringing LIGHT into this dark world because the light of Christ is what this world needs and that's what I will raise my child to be. After that new perspective of my child being a light in the darkness I had peace about starting a family.

That being said, when Kevin and I were deciding on names, the meanings of names didn't play a role in our decision. We simply picked names that we liked. When I heard the name "Ayven" for a boy I instantly fell in love with it. I had no idea what it meant and couldn't find the meaning online. Then I fell in love with the girl name "Elin", or as I will spell it "Elynn". I easily found the meaning for that name and it is "sun ray, shining light". I didn't think too much of the meaning at the time. Then a friend of mine searched for the meaning of the name "Ayven" and shared with me the meaning she found. She said it means "beautifully bright". That's when it hit me that both names I've picked out mean LIGHT!! How cool is it that in my heart I see our child as being a light in the darkness and then unplanned on our part the names we picked out mean light?! I believe this is an example of how God knows us and has a plan for our lives before we're even born. We will do our best to raise our child to shine the light of Christ and as he/she is being knit together in the womb right now they already bear the name! I think that's the coolest thing ever.

My dear Ayven or Elynn, I can't wait to hold you close!!! Surely you will bring precious light into MY life!!

Ayven

(AY-vin) is a simple spelling of the Irish name Eibheann, which means "beautifully bright."

Elin

(E-Lin) is a variant of Elen (Welsh) and Ellen (Greek), and the meaning of Elin is "sun ray, shining light". I will spell this name "Elynn". My middle name is "Lynn" so I think it's cool that I can incorporate that into my daughter's name.

Nice day for a BBQ

2010-03-12T20:40:00.002-06:00

Today was a beautiful day and perfect for being outside for a bbq.

My sweet boy and I on the swing while Kevin grilled...

Chloe is never too far behind...

She's pretty much only interested in what is on the grill, haha...

Eli likes to play every second he can!

He loves to chase his "ducky"...

This picture makes me wonder who the baby will look like!! Will he/she have my green eyes or Kevin's brown eyes?? My nose or Kevin's nose?? My mouth or Kevin's mouth?? My skin tone or Kevin's skin tone?? Only the Lord knows! Whoever he/she looks like I know they will be beautiful, wonderful, and fearfully made!

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Psalm 118:24

BABY NEWS: So far the pregnancy is going great, praise God! I'm into my 3rd month now without any morning sickness so I'm keeping my fingers crossed! I haven't experienced the food cravings or the extreme exhaustion people talk about yet. I go to bed early and wake up early to start my day off with exercise. I've been trying to drink enough water (didn't realize it'd be such a challenge to drink 64oz a day!). I've had several dreams about the baby so far and in all but 2 of them the baby has been a boy.

As long as I'm living my baby you'll be...

2010-03-05T13:54:00.000-06:00

Grandma & Grandpa,

click on the photo to enlarge so you can read a special message just for you!

Kevin and I with our first pictures of our baby!

That's about how tiny it is inside of me right now!

Here is a video for you to watch! It's footage of how I told Kevin, the first time we saw our baby and heard it's tiny heart beat, and the reactions of my parents, Kevin's parents, and his grandparents after we told them the news! We love you both so much and hope you enjoy sharing in these first exciting moments with us as you watch the video!!

Snow!!

2010-02-26T16:32:00.001-06:00

It snowed for the second time this winter!

Here are a couple of pics of the puppies and I in the backyard...

These are some pics I took on my phone at work. They were the biggest snowflakes I've ever seen in Texas!

It was such a beautiful sight seeing such big snowflakes flying past the windows!

Disclaimer: I am a born and raised southern gal so snow makes a very rare appearance in my world, and when it does I am completely fascinated!