Adalynn Renee' Dresser

I am FINALLY getting around to updating the blog and still trying to get adjusted to my new life as a Mom, sorry it has taken so long to update but here it goes:

Tuesday, September 14
With our scheduled induction for Wednesday night, this was my last day at work. I was an emotional wreck all day as I nervously anticipated the induction that was approaching. My nerves were shot and I cried most of the day. I was considering calling the hospital to cancel our induction because I wasn't sure if it was really the right thing to do. Yes, I was already 6 days past our due date. But what if they had the due date wrong and she just wasn't ready to be born yet. I prayed and prayed that God would help us to make the right choice and that we wouldn't have to go thru with the induction.

Jinx and I made plans to go to dinner at Carraba's that night. I had a salad with eggplant on it, since I'd heard that eggplant can send you into labor. When we got home, Jinx went to shoot his bow with some friends(stress-reliever) and my Mom came over to walk the neighborhood with me. I was determined to walk this baby out if it took all night long. We walked for over an hour - no contractions. When I got home I made my list of things to do the next the day and then spent an hour or so bouncing on my exercise ball in front of the tv. All the while praying that Adalynn would come on her own. After a long, exhausting day it was off to bed.

Wednesday, September 15
At 3:18AM, I got up half-asleep to go to the bathroom and was suddenly soaked when I stood up out of bed. I ran to the toilet and then realized - I didn't have an accident, MY WATER JUST BROKE!!!! :) I've never been so excited about wetting my pants in my whole life! I yelled for Jinx and he was out of bed in a heartbeat. When he came in the bathroom I proudly announced that my water had broke! :) We both remained calm, but were super EXCITED. I told Jinx that there was no need to rush, I needed to take a shower, blow dry my hair, and do my make-up before we could leave for the hospital. While I got ready, he gathered all our things and packed the bag. We called our doctor, parents and siblings to let them know that Adalynn was on her way. My sister lives in West TN, so it was about 2:30AM when she got the phone call but she wasn't going to miss this for the world. She and her husband loaded up the car and their one year old son and hit the road. They drove all night to get here and made it by lunchtime.

I started having some contractions around 3:30AM, but they weren't too bad yet. We were in the car and on our way to the hospital by 4:15AM. Once we were in the car the contractions really seemed to pick up. I had been too distracted getting ready to time them before, but by then they were coming every 4 minutes. We stopped at Pilot for Jinx to grab some coffee and a Red Bull, where he happily announced to the cashier that we were on our way to have a baby! :)

Once we arrived at the hospital everything started moving pretty quickly. They got us in a room and hooked me up to the IV and monitors. It felt surreal at this point, we were going to be having a baby that day! After my first dose of IV antibiotics, we set off to walk the halls to help things progress. Contractions at this point were 3 minutes apart and pretty painful. I gave up on my hopes of a natural childbirth once I got to 5 centimeters and had been contracting for over 6 hours. The pain was INTENSE!! I have a whole new respect for the women who have given birth without drugs. There is no way to accurately describe the pain, because the miracle of birth and holding your baby for the first time makes you somehow magically forget just how bad it really hurt.

Once the epidural was in place, everything was suddenly happy and the worst pain of my life turned into the BEST DAY EVER! :) It was amazing! The afternoon carried on and by 4:00 PM I was fully dilated and ready to start the hard part - pushing! At this time the epidural meds had just run out. And instead of letting the kind nurse give me more, I requested that it be left alone so that I could regain some feeling while pushing - not sure this was the best decision in hindsight. I had excellent coaching from both Jinx and my Mom while my sister filmed from the head of the bed. After an hour and a half of pushing, Adalynn was born! For as long as I live, I will never forget this moment. After 9 long months of waiting, she was finally here! And much to my surprise, Jinx cut the cord! The smile on his face when he saw his daughter was priceless, he was beaming with pride!

I will never forget the feeling of holding her in my arms for the first time. It was a very special, emotional moment for both me and Jinx! My heart was overflowing with love for her. After having some quiet time alone with our sweet baby we welcomed in the grandparents, who were dying to get their hands on her! :) We had a whole waiting room full of family ready to meet our baby girl and welcome her to the family! It was great to be surrounded with love and excitement from both our families and friends. What a blessing! Life will never be the same, and we are enjoying every single day with our precious little angel! Adalynn is a great baby and I can't wait to have more!

Coming Very Soon: "Adalynn~the first 6 weeks"

Still no baby

We are still anxiously awaiting Adalynn's arrival! She is one stubborn little lady. We took advantage of our last weekend as a couple and had a wonderful dinner and a movie date on Friday night. Then we spent the rest of the weekend trying to stay busy while waiting. Since she still isn't here, I'm back at work today but my last day is tomorrow.

Our doctor's appointment this morning went well, except for the fact that I am still pregnant! :) We got another ultrasound today since we are past due. They checked on the baby, amniotic fluid levels, and placenta function. Everything still looks great! Her weight, per ultrasound measurements, is guessed to be about 7lbs 9oz. They expected her to be much bigger being past due, but bear in mind that their calculations can be off by up to a pound. My guess is she'll be every bit of 8.5lbs and then some. Very healthy! Even though we are both still doing well, the doctor is getting anxious about getting her out of there. So, if she hasn't arrived by Wednesday at midnight she'll be evicted. :( I REALLY do NOT want to be induced!! We have been told to show up at the hospital after midnight(9/16). I will then be started on Pitocin and the doctor will break my water when he makes his rounds in the morning. Sounds like fun, huh?

Please pray that she'll come on her own before then. I've pushed the induction off for as long as my doctor will let me, so her birthday will be 9/16 if not sooner. We are very excited about meeting our little girl, but I am very nervous about being induced. Maybe the stress of an induction will send me into labor on my own. I was 2 1/2 cms dilated at our appointment today, so hopefully things will continue on their own like nature intended. We'll keep you updated and will hopefully be sharing the news of her long-awaited arrival with the next post.

and waiting...

Went to the doctor this morning, and have made no change from last week...again! Very disappointing! I didn't expect to hear any different, but secretly hoped I would. Tomorrow is our official due date, but it's not an expiration date. I absolutely dread the idea of being induced and pray that she will come on her own very soon. She and I are both still doing well and the doctor has no concerns about giving her a little more time to make her appearance. However, if we make it to next Monday's appointment(10:30) then we will likely be scheduling an induction for later that week. :( I really hope we don't make it that long, but that is entirely up to her at this point!

On a positive note, I was able to get my hair done on Friday and have never been so glad to make it to a hair appointment in my life! Now I am completely ready for her arrival! :) We had a GREAT Labor Day weekend with family, and it was nice to have an extra day off work with the holiday! I thought we might have been successful in scaring her out at Boom's Day. She was moving around ALOT during the fireworks. I had several contractions on the way home and for a few hours after, but like normal they died off when I went to bed and I woke up still pregnant. Back to the grind this week as we try our best to concentrate at work with nothing else but our daughter's impending birthday on our minds. At least it helps to pass the time while we wait!

Still waiting...

This last week has been a wild roller coaster ride of emotions. It all started with mild contractions that lasted all day Tuesday, 20 minutes apart and were 10 minutes apart by bedtime. We were starting to get excited wondering if this would lead to full blown labor. I ate eggplant for dinner, walked the neighborhood for an hour, and there was a full moon! The house was clean, laundry and dishes done, and our bags were packed - the timing would've been perfect. I just knew I'd wake up in labor...nope. Just a tease! She apparently does not care what we would like her to do, there is no rushing the PRINCESS!!

All week I had contractions off and on, but they were never what I would call painful just uncomfortable. I took every little thing as a sign that labor was coming soon. No more googling "early labor signs", it makes me a crazy lady! With all the excitement, I did earn myself a Spa Pedicure, which was super relaxing and fabulous since I can barely reach my toes at this point! So, here we are with 8 days till her due date and we're about to explode with excitement, anticipation, and nerves!

Our appointment this morning was uneventful...no change, again! My doctor will be on vacation from the 2nd-6th, so you can bet she will come some time between those days. He is only out of town for 36 hours on the 3rd and 4th. So, he said that once he is back, if I go into labor he would be willing to come in and deliver our baby if the hospital called him and said it was me. What a great doctor! We have a long family history with him though, my Mom and Grandma also see the same doctor and have for years. I really hope that he will be the one to deliver our baby instead of a complete stranger, but some things are simply out of our control.

We have alot going on Labor Day weekend, which will be a nice distraction. Jinx's relatives(Missy, Casey, and Camden) will be in town for the weekend and so will my sister, brother-in-law, and nephew as we celebrate Wrigley's 1st Birthday! With so much family in town, it would be nice of her to make her debut during their visit. Maybe we can coax her out with all the excitement of Tennessee's first game on Saturday or at Boom's Day on Sunday - she does get really jumpy at the sound of fireworks. :) If we make it thru the long weekend, then our 40 week appointment is Tuesday at 11:15am.

Some things are worth the wait

Our doctor's appointment this morning went well. Adalynn and I are still healthy, and don't have any problems to speak of. After a weekend of off and on contractions I expected to have made some progress...but I was mistaken. No change from last week. :( She'll come when she's ready, and not a minute sooner. Then again there is a full moon tomorrow night, but I'm not getting my hopes up. She is definitely worth the wait! While I'm tempted to feel disappointed about not being any farther along, I have to stop myself and praise God for this amazing blessing He is giving us and for the health that He has granted us throughout the pregnancy. I am so thankful to be expecting a health and whole baby, what more can you ask for?

Jinx and I are full of excitement and anxious anticipation as her due date gets closer. Our dear friend,Rick Slagle, put it best by telling us, "Freeze that feeling you and Jinx have right now. It is pure love and eager anticipation of a gift from God. May you treasure this feeling in your heart forever." How true! I can think of no other experience on this earth that compares to expecting your first child. In a matter of days, our lives will change in a way that we can not even begin to imagine. We will never have this exact feeling ever again. It is truly an amazing high, and we are cherishing these last moments of it!

I know that I said we were done with classes, but since we've made it this far and the hospital offers one more class that we haven't taken I figured why not! So, tonight we will be taking "Advanced Labor Support". This class is designed to teach relaxation techniques and comfortable positions during labor for those desiring natural childbirth. Yes, that would be me. I desire a natural childbirth, without an epidural. Notice I said desire, not promise to have. I've read many books on the Bradley method, watched a 6 hour DVD on Lamaze, and hope that these things have equipped me with the necessary tools to deliver this baby without medication. However, I reserve the right to change my mind on this issue at any given moment during labor. :) To aid in my med-free delivery, my bag is packed with motivational flash cards, lavender aromatherapy, and an IPOD full of songs that I hope will motivate me during this process. Jinx did a great job finding and downloading all of the songs for my labor playlist, which includes:

The Good Stuff
Kenny Chesney

There goes my life
Kenny Chesney

The Lord works in a strange way
Corey Smith

I will always love you
Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers

Because you loved me
Celine Dion

Baby Mine(Dumbo)
Toby Bluth

You are my Sunshine

Brahm’s Lullaby

I will survive
Gloria Gaynor

Ring of fire
Johnny Cash

Come away with Me
Norah Jones

Somewhere over the rainbow

Only Time
Enya

Sweet Caroline
Neil Diamond

Remember When
Alan Jackson

I got you babe
Sonny & Cher

My Girl
The Temptations

Isn’t she lovely
Stevie Wonder

What a wonderful world
Louis Armstrong

The way you look tonight
Frank Sinatra

At Last
Etta James

Our next appointment is Monday at 8:55am. Please continue to pray for us as the big day draws near. We ask for a healthy mom & baby, an uncomplicated delivery, and the wisdom to be the parents that God wants us to be.

3 weeks to go...

Jinx and I had a fabulous weekend in Gatlinburg celebrating our 4th anniversary! We went to the Peddler, the Aquarium, and did lots of walking on the strip. It was very relaxing and nice to get away together one last time.

Our visit to the doctor yesterday was not nearly as exciting as last week. Adalynn is still doing great, but I did not make any progress from last Monday. :( I was really hoping to be another cm dilated. Oh well, she's the one picking her birthday so I'll just be patient and wait. I also found out that while I passed the gestational diabetes test, I tested positive for Group B Strep. This means I will have to be on IV antibiotics once I arrive at the hospital in labor, and we will be required to stay a full 48 hours after her birth. She will not require any antibiotics or special treatment, they will just want to keep an eye on her to make sure that she doesn't show any signs of having contracted the bacteria in birth. This bacteria is present in 10-40% of adult women, and has nothing to do with strep throat as many people assume. It does not cause any problems or symptoms for the carrier, but can be problematic for a baby if untreated. For more information on GBS, this website is full of information: http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/groupbstrepinfection.html
Our next appointment is Monday at 8:20.

We finished our chilbirth class last night and will be taking a breastfeeding class tonight, then all of our schooling is done. :) I'm still feeling pretty good, just starting to tire out and having more trouble sleeping at night with my ginormous belly. Contractions are becoming even more common and stronger by the day as we are gearing up for labor. With only 3 weeks left, my emotions are a mix of nervous, anxious, excited, scared, happy, and everything in between. Can't wait for her BIRTH DAY though!

Finally, here are some nursery pictures:

Exciting Day at the Doctor's!

Well, we had our 36 week appointment today and it went great! We got to see our little Adalynn again, it's been 16 weeks since we saw her last. She has grown quite a bit since then, too! They estimated that she weighs about 6lbs(44 percentile) and should weigh around 7.5-8lbs by her due date. What a relief!! We got to see her opening her mouth and her chest moving up and down as she practices breathing. The ultrasound tech said she has lots of hair too! YAY!! Bring on the bows! :) Our ultrasound picture didn't turn out too great because her face is a little squished in there. Even when we tried to get a good look at her in 3D it was very distorted. The top pick shows her hair waving around, and the bottom pick is a sideways shot of her face.

I had another glucose test today and was swabbed for the Group B Strep test. We will get these results next Monday at our appointment. My blood pressure is still low and her heartbeat is still high which is great! I also got checked by the doctor today and was 1cm dilated and 25% effaced!! Which was very exciting to know! I was expecting to be at least a little dilated since I've been having lots of pressure and tons of braxton hicks. Adalynn has already settled nicely into delivery position. Her head station was -2 (locked and loaded)! Only a few more weeks to go! We are super anxious to meet her, hold her, and shower her with love! Can't wait for all of you to meet her, too!


Nursery pics are coming...I promise! Everything is pretty well ready for her arrival. Her bag is packed and ready and I've begun throwing things together for my hospital bag. We are as ready as we're gonna be, and are excited about becoming a family of 3! Jinx and I will be celebrating our 4 year anniversary on Thursday and are heading to the mountains for a weekend away(still within driving distance to the hospital-just in case). It will be a nice, restful weekend for us to spend some time together right before we meet our baby girl! I'll update again on Monday, our appointment is at 4:15pm.

6 weeks to go, we're almost ready

It is hard to believe that our precious daughter is only 6 weeks away from being in our arms! :) We are more anxious and excited than ever! Jinx is really ready and is already in "go" mode at this point. Everytime I call him the first thing he says is "Everything ok?". We are both just dying to meet our little girl! I keep trying to imagine what she will look like and how it will feel to hold her in my arms for the first time. My heart feels so full just thinking of her! It won't be long now!



We had our church baby shower on the 18th, and it was absolutely unreal!! I still can't believe how many wonderful things we received! I opened gifts for an hour and a half straight! :) We were so touched by the outpouring of love and support from our church family! And it was such a joy to know that so many people are excited about Adalynn's upcoming arrival! We really appreciate all the hostesses(pictured above) who put everything together for us! Jinx was also included in the shower. Here he is getting all ready for Daddy Diaper Duty with his new tool belt. It was equipped with diapers, wipes, pacifiers, shampoo, lotion, baby powder, princess band-aids, the works! :) He loved it!

Monday's doctor appointment was pretty uneventful. All the standard things were checked and both Adalynn and I are healthy as could be. Gained a little more than I would have liked at this visit thanks to Mom and the awesome peach cobbler made from her peach trees! I thought I could count it as a fruit? :) Guess not! Even so, I will still be within the recommended weight gain when this is all said and done. A little cobbler never killed anyone. Our next appointment is August 9! I am very excited for this appointment because we'll get an ultrasound to check on Adalynn! They will check the amniotic fluid level and take a guess at her size. I will also have to take another Glucose Tolerance Test. :( It's just to make sure that my system is still tolerating sugars properly. This will be a very exciting visit for us and we'll be going every week from then on! The end is near!

I am still feeling pretty good. There are the standard aches and pains as I'm nearing the end, but nothing unbearable and thank goodness I still haven't swollen(knock on wood)! The braxton hicks contractions have really picked up this week so I do my best to stay hydrated, stay seated, and stay out of the heat!! Is it just me or is this one of the hottest summers EVER???!!!

Here is a picture from this week, I've gotten ALOT bigger in the last few weeks:

















It is funny how much people love a pregnant lady! There is no denying that I am indeed 'with child' at this point. Everyone - at the grocery store, the mall, anywhere - I make eye contact with gives me a big hearty smile and nod. :)

















Just for kicks, here is a picture of my precious nephew, Wrigley! My sister and her family came to town for our shower. Isn't he a doll? He took his first steps last week. He'll be a year on September 1st. The time has gone by way too quickly! Can't wait to see Wrigley and Adalynn together!

32 weeks!

We have entered the 8th month of pregnancy and are 32 weeks today, YAY!! Only 8 more weeks to go! Monday's check-up went great! Adalynn's heartbeat was good and strong and she is still growing by leaps and bounds! She should weigh between 3.75 and 4 pounds this week!! And she'll continue gaining about a 1/2 pound a week until the end. So, if you do the math that would put her somewhere around 8 lbs by the end of this journey. And if she is late...even bigger! Lucky me! LOL!! :) My blood pressure, weight, and belly measurement were all great! Our doctor was able to determine her position by feeling my stomach(see below), and she is definitely head down - thank goodness!! Hopefully she'll stay that way! It is really neat to know her positioning. I can feel her kick on the left side and a little bump that is her bottom on the right side. Whenever she is really active I'll rub her little back and it seems to calm her down. :) We'll see if it works once she is outside the womb.


Some of the discomforts of the 3rd trimester are beginning to creep up on me at this point, and include: heartburn, middle of the night leg cramps, braxton hicks, back ache, tiredness, etc. Luckily I have a private masseuse, who graciously rubs my back every night before laying down for bed. He's the best! :) Things aren't too miserable yet, just a little more challenging to make it thru a long day at work. Work has been very hectic these last few weeks, but I'm still hanging in there and trying to stay on top of things. Can't wait for my 10 weeks of maternity leave!!

Our hospital birth class was cancelled on Saturday because the teacher was sick. Go figure...we've not had alot of luck with birth classes so far. We've signed up to take the same class in August and hopefully this one will work out, otherwise we'll just have to wing it! Since we didn't have class we spent all day Saturday working in the nursery. The bed is made, drawers are full, and the mobile is hanging above her bed. We really enjoyed spending the day together working on Adalynn's room! :) There are still a few more things to buy for the nursery walls and such, but pictures will be coming very soon!

Our church baby shower is this Sunday, and I can't wait! I know it will be a great time and I am anxious to share in the excitement with these women who have taught me in bible class since I was a baby and watched me grow and helped mold me into the woman and soon-to-be Mom that I am today! It will be a very special day! :)

Two Months till D-Day!!

<- Shower Pictures






















































My how time is flying! :) I can't believe we are only 2 short months away from meeting our precious little angel!!!!! According to the poll so far, most of you think she will be early which means less than 9 weeks from now! We are getting SO EXCITED!! Life has been busy as usual, which definitely helps to pass the time. We had another great shower on the 26th, which was thrown by my Aunts(Donna & Candy), Cousin(Heather), Sister(Stephanie), and Sister-in-Law (Andi). It was "Princess" themed and oh so cute! We got tons of great gifts, thanks everybody!!

I spent the next week wrapped up in Vacation Bible School at church. It was a huge success! We had around 250 participants! Then we packed up and headed to the lake for the long holiday weekend with the Dresser's. The annual Dresser Lake Trip is usually over Labor Day weekend, but since we'll be a little tied up around Labor Day we bumped the trip up to July 4th this year. We had a really good time and made it home right before the heat index made it's way back to the 100's. While at the lake we went to 'Fire on the Water', it's a big fireworks show over the lake. Jinx and I got so tickled feeling Adalynn jump around during the fireworks! :) She was going crazy!

As far as the pregnancy goes, so far so good! We go back to the doctor on Monday for a 2 week check-up. I can tell Adalynn has really grown alot lately. Her movements have changed from kicks and jabs to mostly twisting and turning. She also gets the hiccups at least once a day! :) I always email daddy during the day to let him know when she has the hiccups. Sometimes it's 3x a day! I am still feeling pretty good for the most part. Getting comfortable to sleep is a challenge and my stomach feels like it can't possibly stretch any farther, but I'm still enjoying every second. It is such a special thing and I want to savor every moment. Here are some pictures for comparison. On the left is a picture from 27 weeks and the one on the right was taken last night at 31 weeks. Crazy how much I've grown in 1 month!



















Jinx and I will be taking a birthing class at the hospital this Saturday. I am really looking forward to it! I'll update again on Monday after the doctor's appointment. For now, I'll leave you with a sneak peek of the nursery:

Busy Weekend ~ 29 weeks

Well, we had our first baby shower on Saturday and it was a blast! We got so many great gifts, now the trouble is trying to find somewhere to put them all! :) Jinx and I were blown away by all the friends and family that have showered us with love and presents for the baby. We are so thankful for everyone's generosity and are warmed by the thought that so many people are anxious and excited to meet our sweet little Adalynn! I want to give a big thank you to Linda, Megan, Alyesse, Mindy, Erin, and Hope for putting on the shower for us!! We also got our crib and changing table/dresser this weekend at the shower. Troy, Jinx's dad, has been working very hard on building our nursery furniture and it looks amazing! I can't wait to post nursery pictures so you can see how awesome it is. The furniture was actually made from a tree out of their backyard - how cool is that! It looks great in the nursery and now that we are getting everything set up for baby's arrival, we are more excited than ever!

We will be working hard this week to get all the gifts put away because we have another shower this Saturday!! :) I can't wait! My sister will be coming in for the weekend, so I'll get to see my sweet nephew, too!

Jinx had a good soon-to-be Father's Day on Sunday! I gave him a card and Krispy Kreme doughnuts(which are a rare treat in our house) and he spent the afternoon at the batting cage. We had lunch with my dad and family and had dinner with his dad and mom. It was a great day! There is something so special about Dads, and we are both very thankful to have Dads that loved us unconditionally, worked hard to provide for us, and sacrificed for our well-being. Thank you, and we hope you both had a Great Father's Day!!

Adalynn is moving around like crazy lately! We can actually see her moving through my stomach, it's crazy! Today we are 29 weeks along and she should weigh about 2 1/2 pounds and be 15 inches long. From this point on I've been asked to keep 'kick counts' to make sure that she is doing alright in there. At least twice a day I count the number of movements or kicks I feel in an hour's time. She should move about 10 times an hour. This helps us monitor how she is doing in there since space is getting increasingly tighter and she is growing by the day. It's crazy to think we only have 11 weeks left! :O She will be here before we know it!

I Passed the Test!

Just got a call from the doctor and I passed the Glucose Tolerance Test! YAY!! This means I won't have any trouble enjoying the punch and sweets at my upcoming baby showers!! :) They did say that my folic acid level was a little low, so I'll be picking up a supplement from the pharmacy this afternoon and will try adding some more high folate foods to my diet. I was suprised because I take my prenatal vitamin with 1,000 mcg of folic acid everyday!! Oh well, if she needs more, then we'll take more. Thats all for now.

The 3rd and Final Trimester! YAY!

We are almost there and have alot going on in preparation for the Princess' arrival!! 12 more weeks to go! On Wednesday, we'll be 28 weeks and will have entered the 3rd and final trimester! We are in the home stretch!

Our trip to the beach was an absolute blast!! We had a wonderful time! I soaked up the sun while Jinx got to do plenty of fishing, and even had an interesting encounter with a sea turtle that our friend Luke caught by accident.











This morning we went to the doctor for our 28 week check-up and to take the glucose tolerance test. That was loads of fun! The drink itself wasn't so terrible, but the fact that you have only 5 minutes to get it all down on a starving stomach isn't my idea of fun. For the first half hour I was on a sugar high and felt jittery, then as it began to wear off it made me feel dizzy and tired. Thankfully Jinx was with me to drive, and once I got something to eat I began feeling much better! Hopefully I passed, we won't know for a few days.

Everything went great with our check-up! Here are our stats:
Blood Pressure 110/70
Weight Gain 20 lbs
Fundal Height about 28 centimeters
Adalynn's Heartbeat 147 BPM

Now that we are in the 3rd trimester, we will have doctor visits every 2 weeks until we reach 36 weeks then we will go every week until Adalynn arrives! :) My next appointment is June 28.

Our birthing class plans have changed a little. We had our first Bradley class last Tuesday and decided that it would also be our last. So, we are now looking into some of the classes at the hospital and I am reading the Bradley books on my own.

Jinx worked super hard this weekend to get the nursery ready. He put up the chair rail and painted the base boards, door frame, and doors. I'm so thankful for all the hardwork he has put into getting everything ready for our little lady. It seems as if the nesting instinct has struck him first! :) I'll post pictures of the nursery once it's complete with crib and all. I almost forgot. . . Jinx and I woke up Saturday morning to Adalynn with the hiccups!! :) That was really cool!

25 Weeks on my 25th Birthday!

As I celebrate my 25th birthday today, we are also celebrating Adalynn's 25th week of life! "Keep cooking Sweetie, only 15 more weeks to go!" So, we're both 25 today, in a manner of speaking! Here's a shot of me today on my birthday, as you can see little Adalynn is growing! She should weigh about a pound and a half now and is around 13 1/2 inches long. I am still feeling fabulous and loving every second of this experience. We enjoyed lunch with the Dresser's yesterday and dinner with my family tonight to celebrate.

Jinx and I leave on Saturday to spend a week at the beach with some friends! And we can't wait! Jinx plans on fishing, golfing, and relaxing! While I plan on sleeping, reading, and sunbathing! It will be nice just to be away from work for a week and to have some down-time to spend together as a couple before we become 3!

After much pleading and begging on my part, Jinx agreed to taking Bradley birthing classes in preparation for our little one's arrival. Our classes start June 8. I am very excited about the class, and can't wait to learn what to expect and how to prepare for labor and birth. I'll keep you posted on the classes once we get started.

24 Weeks down, 16 Weeks to go

We had our monthly check-up with the doctor this morning, and all is well! We are both growing like crazy and things are right on track. Blood pressure, weight, measurement, and baby's heart beat all looked good! Today I got my stomach measured for the first time, too. The measurement is taken from the top of the pubic bone to the top of the uterus, and should correspond in centimeters with the number of weeks gestation you are. Cool, huh? On Wednesday we'll be 24 weeks along, and have officially entered the 6th month of pregnancy. That is a BIG milestone in my mind because, if absolutely necessary, Adalynn could survive outside the womb at this point. Of course we want her to stay in there and cook until her due date, but it is comforting to know that she would be ok from this point on.

Adalynn should weigh well over a pound by now, and be around a foot long! And the uterus is now the size of a soccer ball, which seems about right. Most days it feels like there's a soccer ball tucked under my shirt. My belly has really shot out in the last few weeks. Last week when I was at Sam's, a complete stranger asked me when I was due. It was a very proud moment for me!! :) People are always afraid to ask for fear that you aren't pregnant, but I will happily announce that it is now apparent to the outside world that I am indeed 'with child'. Adalynn is on her way to being a very active little girl. I love feeling her kick, twist, and turn so does her daddy. I imagine that she is already practicing her little ballerina twirl in there! :)

Our 28 week check-up is on June 14. I will also be taking the glucose tolerance test that day to check for gestational diabetes, a high blood sugar problem that some women develop in pregnancy. I have to fast beginning at midnight, then drink a big sugary drink, wait an hour, then have blood drawn to check how well my body responds to the massive dose of sugar. Let's hope I pass the first time, otherwise I'll have to take the 3-hour test and drink twice as much. Fun stuff!

On the Daddy-front, patience is not a virtue. Jinx is SO ready for Adalynn to be here!! I think that he is more anxious than I am. He will be an amazing Dad! He plans on them spending many hours together cuddled up on the couch during football season. I can't wait to see him with her, I know he will be an incredible father. He's already made some dad decisions for her, as well, including - she won't be dating till college! :) Bless her heart!

Pregnancy is so wonderful, everyone should try it at least once! I could do this again and again... and again - that would make 4, right? LOL! I just feel so very blessed to be carrying a life. It's indescribable!

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
is the Hand that Rules the World!

Blessings on the hand of women!
Angels guard its strength and grace,
In the palace, cottage, hovel,
Oh, no matter where the place;
Would that never storms assailed it,
Rainbows ever gently curled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Infancy's the tender fountain,
Power may with beauty flow,
Mother's first to guide the streamlets,
From them souls unresting grow—
Grow on for the good or evil,
Sunshine streamed or evil hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Woman, how divine your mission
Here upon our natal sod!
Keep, oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Blessings on the hand of women!
Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,
And the sacred song is mingled
With the worship in the sky—
Mingles where no tempest darkens,
Rainbows evermore are hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

By: William Ross Wallace

Following up to Mother's Day, I'd like to say a special thank you to my Mom. For carrying me for 9 long months, loving me before I was even born, and sacrificing your wants and needs for all of your children. For being present at EVERY school awards assembly, staying up extra late to make birthday cupcakes or jell-o jigglers for my entire class, and for molding me into the woman that I am today. I am only beginning to understand the depth and richness of love that a mother feels for her child. Thank you, Mom, for all the years of unconditional love, even when I was at times unlovable. I hope to be as great a mom to Adalynn as you have been to me. I love you!

What's kickin'?

I'll tell you what's kickin, our little lady!! :) She is all over the place these days. Jinx even got to feel her kick for the first time on Tuesday! It is so cool to be able to feel some of her stronger movements on the outside now instead of just the inside. She is very active and must be developing some good, strong muscles in there as much as she moves.

Oh yeah, we've picked a name for our baby girl, Adalynn Renee'! We just really liked the name! Lynn is my Mom's middle name, and Renee' is mine.

Things are moving right along as we prepare for our precious daughter. We started our baby registry last weekend, picked out the bedding for the nursery, and even have the bassinet set up. My Mom is very sentimental about certain things, and I'm awfully glad! She still has the bassinet that she used for us kids as infants, and that is what Adalynn will be sleeping in for the first weeks we have her home. :) A good part of our Saturday was spent picking out paint colors for the nursery and moving things to the attic so we can make room for baby. We can't wait for everything to come together, and see the nursery complete! At least we've made a pretty good start. It feels so much more real now that the spare room is slowly beginning to look like a nursery. She already has a nice little collection of clothes in the closet thanks to her Nanny, Gran, and Aunts! And I couldn't help but buy some sweet little hairbows while out shopping today, so she will certainly be well-dressed if nothing else!

And finally, here are some stomach shots. The one on the top is at 6 weeks, and the one on the bottom is today at 21 1/2 weeks.

Our Precious Baby Girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a girl!!!! And most importantly, she is healthy and whole! Everything looks great - heart, brain, spine, kidneys, etc. That is what we were most wanting to hear today, and finding out that it's a girl was just icing on the cake! We are both so excited!! I cried when she announced "It's a girl!" We would have been tickled either way, but it was a very emotional moment when we found out. It was so amazing to see our baby girl! We are in awe of our little wonder already, and we can't wait to meet her in September! She put on a little show for us, too: turning, moving about, and playing peek-a-boo thru her tiny arms. Per the ultrasound measurements, she weighs about 11 ounces and is right on schedule at 19wks, 5days. Her heartbeat today was 139 BPM, the dark spot on the third picture is her heart.

I know she will be Daddy's little girl! She already holds a special place in his heart, you could see it in his eyes today when we found out! There is just something very special about a dad and his daughter. Now if we can just decide which shade of pink to paint the nursery! :) I will be very busy over the next couple of months buying dresses and collecting hair bows-one in every color, so we always match.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers that all might go well over the next 20 weeks! We're half way there!

Girl or Boy? Pink or Blue?

Well, the poll has closed and the majority of you have voted that it's a girl. We will all know for sure in 3 short days! As for Jinx and I, we have been thinking it's a girl for some time now. However, Tuesday night I must've dreamed that it was a boy, because when I woke up that was the first thought in my head. Now I just feel really conflicted, and have no idea at all! :)

We are both SO EXCITED for our ultrasound on Monday!! And we'll be thrilled whether we find a precious baby boy or a darling little girl! I already know I'm going to cry! So expect a sappy post on Monday. The last time we got to see our little one at the 7 week ultrasound, it didn't look much like a baby. This time at 20 weeks we will find arms, legs, fingers & toes, eyes, ears, a nose, and tiny mouth. Aww! I can not wait! It will feel like torture waiting the weekend to find out, but at least our schedule is packed full of events(as usual) so we'll try to stay distracted.

As for the much-promised belly shots...they really are coming, but not until I look good and pregnant(as opposed to just husky)! :) Soon very soon!

16 Weeks Appointment

We had our 16 week check-up yesterday, and things are going great! Our little one had a heartbeat of 156 bpm, consistent with last time. While we were listening closely to the rapid little heartbeat, the doctor made a joke about how the baby had just farted(the baby was moving around and it made a funny noise on the doppler). :) Jinx thought that was HILARIOUS!! He told everyone about it and sent out an email with this picture to accompany his story.

Our BIG ULTRASOUND is scheduled for Monday, April 19 at 9:30am!! 27 more days! Can't wait! We are taking the Grandparents with us to get a sneak peek at their new Granddaughter or Grandson. At home, we're still playing the name game. We've got it narrowed down to 2 names for each sex, so hopefully we'll be decided by our next appointment. Who knows, maybe we'll put up a poll and let you vote! I will post a tummy shot very soon, the bump is just beginning to show!

I FELT OUR BABY MOVE!!

I can't even describe what it felt like. I was just sitting here at work typing at the computer and felt a quick, little flutter in my left lower abdomen. It lasted just a second; I thought it felt different but brushed it off. Then about 2 minutes later I felt it again. I couldn't believe it, and I had to tell Jinx right away. He said "Seriously??". Wow, that was awesome! I got a little emotional about it and almost cried, but figured I better keep it together for fear of scaring my co-workers. It was great though! I've been on a high all day! It was a nice little reassurance that everything is ok in there and our baby is doing well! Today is Jinx's Mom(Linda) and his sister Megan's birthdays, so we agreed that the baby just wanted to wish them 'Happy Birthday'! We are 15 weeks tomorrow, and can't wait for the next new thing and much more movement! I can't wait for Jinx to be able to feel the baby moving too, but I know it will still be a few more weeks for that.

6 months to go!

I can't believe it, but we are exactly 6 months away from our September 8 due date!! YAY!! How exciting!! We will be 14 weeks on Wednesday. Time is going by so quickly. This pregnancy stuff is really fun, I'm loving it! Just to walk around every day and know that you are carrying your child with you...can't help but smile! Of course it has also made me just a little bit emotional, Jinx would say its made me VERY EMOTIONAL!! Watching a Baby Story on tv is enough to bring me to tears these days. He's been so supportive and kind in my moments of both pure sappiness and happiness! :)

On the Tummy front: I like to think that I am sporting a teeny tiny little baby bump, but I don't think anyone else believes me. Even though I've not gained much, my mid section is getting thicker and thicker and my abdomen is starting to round just a tad. Not yet ready for any maternity clothes, but thank goodness for the belly band!! I wear it everyday! More updates coming soon!!

"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
The fruit of the womb is a reward."
Psalm 127:3

Pregnancy Test: $7 / Celebration Dinner at Regas: $60 / Hearing your baby's heartbeat: Priceless

We got to hear our little baby's heart beating for the first time today! I think I'm in love! :) I could listen to that 'thump, thump' all day long and never get tired of hearing it! The heart rate today was 156 bpm, nice and strong! It is so exciting for us to experience all of these things together. We've hoped, wanted, and prayed for this baby for a long time and it just feels surreal to read, see, and hear all the changes that are taking place with our baby from week to week. Our baby is growing up so fast! LOL

We'll be 12 weeks tomorrow, and are quickly approaching the 2nd trimester. I am feeling ALOT better, and am really able to enjoy being pregnant. I can't wait to see what changes are just around the corner, including the baby bump. And don't worry, as soon as there is something to see, we'll post a pic. Our next appointment is March 23, and our next ultrasound won't be until the end of April when we get to find out whether we'll be having a son or a daughter. Can't wait!!

Daddy's Last Birthday! LOL!

Jinx turned 25 on Saturday! In Jinx's words, this was his 'last birthday'. And although that isn't exactly true, we both know that every birthday after this will be different. As we won't be so consumed and worried about our own desires and wants once we have a little one to care for. It was a great birthday though! We had a great weekend celebrating with both family and friends. Dinner at Red Lobster, UT basketball game, 'Happy Birthday Daddy!' cake, and the Super Bowl! You couldn't ask for much more.

Our baby is still growing away! Even though the sickness has been rough, I know that it is only the first of many sacrifices we will make for our baby. And as long as the baby benefits from it, then we'll just be thankful for it. Silly me, I thought I had made it past the worst after week 8. Last week was pretty good, but the ole quesiness is back again this week, so we will continue the countdown to the end of the first trimester and hope it ends there. We'll be 10 weeks on Wednesday, and our next appointment is February 23! We should be able to hear the heartbeat with a doppler device when we go. I'm still not showing yet, but we are taking tummy pics every week so we'll know for sure when the pregnant belly pops. Can't wait!

We saw the heart beating!!

AMAZING! It is indescribable the feeling you get when you see your baby's heart beating inside of you for the very first time! It brought tears to my eyes! I don't even know what to say! It is beyond me how anyone who has had a child can deny that there is a God. At 7 weeks and 5 days pregnant, our precious little baby has a beautiful beating heart already pumping at 160 bpm. God is so good!

Our little spot has grown to look more like a gummy bear now! :) The 4 tiny paddle-looking bumps on the sides are arms and legs that have already begun to form.

Jinx really enjoyed the ultrasound! He let out a massive sigh of relief upon learning that there is only ONE healthy little baby in there. He asked the ultrasound tech to look around real good and make sure she hadn't missed one! LOL! For those of you who didn't know, we had suspicions that there could be more than one due to some of my early blood work. So he was super relieved to learn that we were expecting only 1.

We are so thankful to have gotten a good report today, and it was so cool to see the heart beating! Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers, we really appreciate them all!

16 hours and counting...

We will get to see our precious baby in 16 hours! On the ultrasound of course, but I live for these appointments and the teeny, tiny little pictures these days. I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep, I am so anxious and excited. We will get to see the heartbeat tomorrow for the first time!! Aww, we are so in love with this amazing baby already. I don't know how we'll make it another 7 1/2 months!! We'll update you more tomorrow!

Psalm 139:13-14a
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

"Morning Sickness"

For anyone who did not already know, this thing called "Morning Sickness" is only if you are one of the very lucky. It actually lasts all day long for the most part, and is most often (at least for me) not hugging the toilet but a constant feeling of dizzy discomfort. So, the "I'm feeling fabulous so far" part of our journey has ended, and the "I feel like I'm gonna be sick" part has begun. I'm not complaining, mind you, because they say "the more sick you are, the healthier the baby." Honestly, I think they tell you that just so it doesn't seem quite so unbearable. But I'll wear my sickness with a smile nonetheless. Thankfully I'm not alone in my sickness either, Jinx has had a few bouts of morning sickness, too!! Bless his heart, he's been a real champ about it! LOL!

Jinx is already busy making preparations for our little bundle of joy. He spent the weekend moving around furniture and cleaning out the closet in our soon-to-be nursery. He's gonna be a great DAD!!

For now we are anxiously awaiting our next appointment!! The suspense is killing us! We go back to see our baby on the 25th, can't wait!!

Our First Dr. Appointment

Here's the very first glimpse at our baby(the little black spot)!! We had our first doctor's appointment yesterday! And got to have an ultrasound even though we're only about 5 weeks. So, we saw our little baby bean! Isn't it precious, looks just like it's father! LOL! We will get to go back on January 25th for another ultrasound and will be able to see the heartbeat then. Our Estimated Due Date is 9/8/10. Now that would be a cool birthday! I still feel fabulous, and am enjoying every second of it while it lasts. The reality that we are going to become parents in 8 months really set in yesterday, when we got to see our baby(spot) for the first time. We can't wait for the next appointment!

Telling the Grandparents

My parents:
The day we found out was my parent's 32nd wedding anniversary. So, we decided to surprise them at dinner with the news. I text Jonathan(my youngest brother) to find out where they were going, and we ordered some roses to take along. He told me they would all be at Carraba's, so we had our plan. We showed up at the restaurant with 11 red roses and 1 white rose. When we found their table, they were excited to see us and about the flowers for their anniversary. We asked them to read the card with the flowers, "Happy Anniversary! 11 red roses from your baby, 1 white rose from ours!". They were ecstatic! Mom did a happy dance in the booth and Dad jumped up to hug us immediately!

Jinx's parents:
They were on their way home from a trip to visit family in Kansas the day we found out, and we had been dog-sitting while they were gone. So, Jinx called and told them that we'd bring Bud(the dog) over after church. Troy is an amazing woodworker, so we decided to order some crib and dresser/changing table plans from the internet to present to them. When we got to the house, Jinx said "We've got a late Christmas present for you!" Troy opened the envelope and saw the plans, then Jinx announced "We're having a baby!" They were so excited! Linda cried while jumping up and down and Troy had a smile from ear to ear!

We're having a baby!!

Here's how our baby news got its start last Wednesday, December 30, 2009:

I decided, upon getting up, that I would take a chance and take a pregnancy test. After seeing negative after negative for months and months, I was prepared for the let down to follow. So, I quickly took a test and laid it on the vanity to wait the suggested 3 minutes...but this time there is a very faint pink line. In disbelief I go ahead and jump in the shower. Giddy, smiling, and praying thanks to God I begin to think maybe I didn't read that right. I peek out of the shower, but the test is too far away to tell. I hurried the rest of my shower so I could get out and check just to make sure that I do indeed have a baby in there. I decide to take another test, the kind with words this time. Sure enough, "PREGNANT"!! Now I'm really shaking! I couldn't wait to tell Jinx! While he is ironing his work shirt in the spare room, I rush around trying to gather myself and the video camera all at the same time. I had ordered a shirt from the internet months earlier that reads "He shoots. He scores.", and hoped he would get the point. So I run into the spare room with video camera in tow and toss him the shirt, "Here, you should wear this today!". The expression on his face at that exact moment was priceless. I shouted, "We're pregnant!". Then there was crying(from me), hugging, and laughing. Awww...it was one of the happiest moments of my life!