So many firsts!

Adalynn turned 5 months old on the 15th and is growing and changing every single day. Our baby is getting big so quickly. She cut her first tooth last Tuesday, Jinx and I were ecstatic! Based on the constant finger gnawing and drooling we will likely see another tooth very soon. Adalynn is so full of personality and spunk these days, she keeps us entertained for hours on end. For the last 2 weeks she has been able to sit up on her own, which has meant many other changes as well. We retired the baby bathtub this week and she is now LOVING her big girl baths in the tub! And tonight at a restaurant she had her first high-chair experience. She isn't crawling yet, but can definitely get herself around by rolling or 'creeping' around on the floor. It's probably time to start baby-proofing everything around the house, she'll be truly mobile in no time.

Today we took our very first trip to the zoo. She did great and we really enjoyed getting to show her and tell her about the animals. Life with a little one is getting more and more fun everyday, now that she is more interactive and playful. We will probably start her on solid foods this week, and can't wait to see her reaction once we open up her taste palette to more than Mommy's milk.

Happy Birthday Dad!

With the flu finally behind us, things are getting back to normal. Both Adalynn and Jinx are doing much better! We spent the weekend celebrating Jinx's 26th Birthday!! Mommy and Daddy took a much needed date night on Saturday for dinner at Brazeiro's! It was excellent, and we really enjoyed having some time alone for the first time in over 4 months. We resolved that we really should do that more often.

Adalynn is doing GREAT and growing like a weed! She will be 5 months old on the 15th, where does the time go? This weekend she began sitting up on her own without any assistance. She looks so big sitting up and playing with her toys! Her new favorite thing is to try and imitate us rolling our lips, it usually ends with her spitting all over the place but it is so cute to see her try and do what we do. She has also learned to give kisses(open mouth slobber all over our faces)! So sweet!:)

The FLU

The dreaded flu bug attacked our family! Jinx started feeling bad early last week, which quickly turned into 'too sick to get off the couch' and he tested positive for the flu on Thursday. He was sick as a dog! It takes alot to get this man down, but the flu did the trick. He kept his distance from Adalynn as soon as he suspected he was coming down with something, but unfortunately it was too late. Monday morning Adalynn woke up fussy and feverish, so off the doctor we went. They tested her for both the flu and RSV. Sure enough she had the flu. There are few things more pitiful than a 4 month old battling the flu. :( Jinx and I are learning just how difficult it is to see your child suffer. Breaks our hearts! She is showing improvements daily and with lots of love, hugs, and kisses we pray she will get better soon!

On a happy note, Jinx is going back to school!! I am so proud of him for deciding to finish his degree. Tonight is the start of his first class. I know it will be hard for him to have to spend time away from us while he is in class and studying, but it will definitely be worth it in the long run. We are anxiously looking forward to a graduation in 2012.

We're back!!

It's been a while, I know...a long while, but the blog is back! :)

The last 4 months with our darling daughter have been nothing short of amazing! We have learned so much about her and about ourselves. You know the commercial that says, "A baby changes everything..."? Well, they are right! How selfish we were before, and now our entire world revolves around this precious little girl. We really enjoyed sharing our first Christmas together as a family, and look forward to all the other "first's" to come.

Adalynn is a GREAT baby! We are so very blessed! Don't get me wrong, she can really turn on the waterworks when she wants to. But in general she is a super happy baby! At her 4 month check-up today, she weighed in at 13lbs 6oz(50%) and is measuring 25.5inches(95%) long. Healthy as a horse! She hit a huge milestone last week with her first roll over from back to tummy! Now we can't get her to stop rolling! :) She'll be crawling in no time. Can't believe how fast she is growing! Some of her favorite things at the moment are: bathtime, giggles and tickling, watching football on the big screen, and bouncing(non-stop).

After 10 weeks of spending nearly every second of the day with Adalynn, I went back to work and had a really tough time with it.:( Thank goodness I am only working 3 days a week and she is with my Mom while I'm away. This makes it more bearable!

Here's a quick re-cap of the last 4 months in pictures (newest to oldest)

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!