Urgent

Please pray for baby Anna. You can read about her story here. This is a family from back home in Washington (Alissa and my mom served together for a while in the pregnancy center ministry.) All those who love and trust in Jesus, PLEASE pray for a miracle.

Wanna See My Crib?

I've promised a few friends that I'd post pictures of Casey's nursery. It isn't anything fancy, but we're not too into flashy, so this is just right!

One of daddy's vintage fishing signs and lots of books that he read when he was a little guy. We love having old things with so many meaning and history behind them!

Can't forget Mr. sock monkey!

This is a quilt that was made for Aaron before he was born. A few friends and family of the Meredith family each designed their own square. This is so special that we had to hang it on the wall.

Has anyone else noticed that there just aren't any cute laundry hampers out there?? This is the old one Aaron and I used (we got a new one.) Thankfully I could reuse it in Casey's nursery! It's just your basic yellow.

If we were living in a house that was our own, I'd probably do some more to the nursery. But considering that we'll move out of this house eventually - and hopefully into one of our own sooner than later - I don't want to have to repaint, patch, etc! We're just thankful that Casey has a roof over his head and a peaceful place to sleep. Oh, I should mention that since feeding him a few solids, he's been sleeping straight through the night from about 7 to 7. THANK YOU LORD!

Yum Yum!

So as mentioned in my post over the weekend, we were waiting a little longer before feeding Case his first foods. BUT, he's ready. He actually woke up choking during his nap today because he's still having acid reflux issues. I'm hoping that some solid foods will settle his stomach. As seen in this video eating his first solid - whole grain rice cereal...He's hooked! I know it's long (mostly for the grandparent's viewing pleasure.)

Half-Year Gone By

It's absolutely insane that Casey is already a half-year old. Yesterday we celebrated 6 months with our sweet boy! We, of course, took him to see all the great fishing gear at the Bass Pro Shop. Ok, really we went to see Santa (it was free!) but Aaron may or may not have had alterior motives. ;) I think this picture of my two boys is probably one of the cutest we have. I love it! I just want to document all the things Casey is doing right now!

{Rolling both ways - but he often needs a little help rolling from back to front, though.}

{Giggling! Lots of giggles. We love these happy sounds! He laughs the most at his daddy.}

{Sleeping without the swaddle. I admit, I kinda miss my cute little baby burrito!}

{Spitting. You know, all the silly habbits boys have!}

{Drinking water out of mommy's Camel Back bottle. He LOVES to do this!}

{Teething, but we haven't seen any white just yet!}

{Sitting up - But we're still working on bettering this skill. He falls over a lot.}

{Riding in his car seat without crying!! I'm not sure what happened, but all of a sudden he turned into a happy car-riding baby around 5.5 months. hooray! That was painful for a while...}

{Holding and playing really well with his toys.}

{Reading! Ok, so obviously he doesn't read himself, but he LOVES when we read to him. He even grabs the pages and makes sounds like he's trying to!}

{Sleeping full-time in his crib. I've tried to co-sleep with him after Aaron leaves for work, but believe it or not he really prefers his crib! It's definitely true that your baby can communicate their preferences.}

What he's not yet doing:

{Eating solid foods. I've started making and freezing quite a bit, but we're in no hurry. He'll have the rest of his life to eat food and for now we're all happy with nursing! Aaron and I also want him to be able to sit up more independently before we take this big step.}

{Sleeping completely through the night. He wakes up usually around 4 or 5 a.m. for a feeding, but then goes back to sleep until 8 or so. The "cry it out" method does NOT work on this child. But we're ok with that because I've read a lot about how it isn't always healthy. Plus, he doesn't usually wake up and cry unless he's really hungry. I will not be depriving my baby of food!}

We have his 6-month checkup next week with a new pediatrician in town. We're pretty curious what he weighs. He's a big healthy boy!

Longie Love!

Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE knit-wear?! I'm so blessed to have a sweet MIL who can literally knit with her eyes closed. I'm working on my own skills, too, but so far I haven't come up with anything blog worthy! I know I've referenced diaperswappers.com before, but I can't say enough just how much I love this web site. They have a great WAHM wears section (work at home mamas) and I came across another mama whose boys had outgrown these longie-alls. She shipped these all the way from Alaska for a steal of a deal. Aaron's mom has also hinted that I have another pair of knit/wool longies coming from Alaska for Casey around Christmas.

Speaking of Aaron's mom, she sent us a box of Christmas goodies for our first Christmas with Casey. We got an Advent calendar and she also sent this sweet tree hat that she made. I mean, seriously, how much cuter can it get?! It's even adorned with little bells at the top.

Our good friend Erica made this adorable stocking for Casey before he was even born. It's perfect! And I think Casey likes it. Santa's beard is made out of super soft, fluffy yarn and the little man loves to feel it. I hope he likes the santa man in real life because we're planning to take him to get pictures within the next few weeks. I can't wait!

It's so special to be entering this Christmas season and starting our own family traditions. My mind is flooded with memories of my own childhood. Casey is the light of our lives, but more than anything we want him to know the one who is the light of the world. We pray for God's grace as we parent him the best way we know how.

The System

I've been wanting to share about my diapering system because we've finally found what works well for us! Cloth diapering is a process, but believe it or not it can be FUN! There are so many amazing options out there. I love to share my thoughts with other mamas who might be interested in the health, environmental and financial benefits of cloth diapering. And because this is the most common question I get - NO, it's not gross to wash poopy diapers in your washing machine! Everything comes out clean. No smells. That doesn't mean you won't have a few stains here and there, but one of my favorite things is to line dry my dipes outside (yes, just like grandma did!) and allow the sun to bleach the stains.

Also, some are concerned about water consumption with diapering. I wash every third day. Since we have such wonderful HE washing machines now, very little water is used. To be honest, we use more water in one shower than I probably do in a week of washing diapers.

Our favorite diaper cover: Blueberry One Size Coveralls. The added leg gussets are a must to protect against leaks. Casey has crazy poop - I've never found a disposable diaper that he doesn't leak out of. He leaks out of diaper covers that don't have leg gussets (the added layer around the leg opening.) He has NEVER leaked through this cover. We love it!

Our favorite prefold/fitted: Osocozy Prefolds and Green Mountain Diapers Cloth-eez Workhorse Fitteds. Ok, in all honesty, I think prefolds are prefolds - This is just the one we've used and like. But the Workhorse fitted is where it's at! This fitted diaper is UH-MAZ-ING. So easy to use and very affordable. It cuts down on the "bulk" of regular prefolds and hugs to your little one's body. I think it absorbs a lot better, too. Ever since trying these, there's no question that we've found our favorite system. I really have no plans to "try" anything else again.

Our favorite night diaper: Bumgenius One-Size Elemental. This diaper is wonderful because it has 3 layers and all of them are exposed. This makes for better absorbancy and easier washing/drying. This diaper has never leaked on Casey - Even after 14 hours at night!

Our favorite wipes: A bamboo/terry cloth blend from a sweet Etsy mama! Soft yet durable enough to clean the messes. ;) I have 3 dozen on hand.

Our favorite diaper rash protection: Burt's Bees rash cream and Bummis fleece liners. The Burt's cream is all natural and the fleece liners keep the skin nice and dry while still allowing moisture through to be absorbed into the cotton fitteds. These are truly a must when cloth diapering since cloth is not very breathable in general. I've heard of women cutting up their own fleece, but i'm personally a bit leery of the dyes in most fleece from the craft store. The Bummis liners are free of any harmful dyes and/or chemicals. Plus, i'm not convinced that it's cheaper to make your own. But again, this is personal preference.

So, why cotton frefolds/fitteds instead of a pocket AIO (all in one) diaper system? (Again, i'm only sharing my personal preference and opinion here so i'm not saying other systems aren't great!)

1) These diapers can only be used once and then must be thrown in the laundry. Obviously the fitteds we use can only be used once, but I reuse the cover multiple times if Casey hasn't pooped. I just wipe it clean and reuse. This means I only have a few covers. Saves lots of $$!

2) Rash creams can only be used on cotton without the risk of ruining diaper materials. Most, if not all (as far as I know) pocket and AIO systems can be ruined from diaper creams. I love that I can lather Casey's bum up if necessary without the worry of ruining the dipes. Furthermore, cotton can be washed with any type of laundry soap - Though I do still use Rockin' Green detergent. But once this runs out, I plan to make my own natural detergent. :)

*If you've never heard of diaperswappers.com, you gotta check it out! This is a forum where other cloth diapering mama buy, sell and trade. You can also get clothes, toys, etc. People use paypal and it's a very honest, easy way to get mega discounts on things. I've paid half the price for most of my diapering system!

Boo!

It's Case-Man the Space-Man! Or Buzz if we're being literal. :) I bought this costume two months ago because I was so excited to get him dressed up. The costume barely fit!! Lesson learned - always size up because you can't make something bigger! Our healthy little dude!

He Is.

My dear friend Chelsea sent this to me in an email and it encouraged me so much that I want to share it! I'm thankful I have friends - though far away - that I can share honest moments with. Then this is how they respond to me. What a blessing!


In Genesis, He's the breath of life
In Exodus, He is the Passover Lamb
In Leviticus, He's our High Priest
In Numbers, the Fire by Night
Deuteronomy, He's Israel’s guide
Joshua, He’s salvation's choice
Judges, He’s Israel’s guard
In Ruth, the kinsmen's Redeemer
1st and 2nd Samuel, our trusted Prophet
In Kings and Chronicles, He is Sovereign
In Ezra, He’s the true and faithful scribe
In Nehemiah, the Re-builder of broken walls and lives
In Esther, He’s Mordecai's courage
In Job, the Timeless Redeemer
In Psalms, He is our morning song
In Proverbs, He is our wisdom
Ecclesiastes, He's the time and season
In Song of Solomon, He is the lover's dream
In Isaiah, He is the Prince of Peace
In Jeremiah, the Weeping Prophet
Lamentations, the Cry for Israel
Ezekiel, the Call from Sin
Daniel, the Stranger in the Fire
Hosea, the Forever Faithful
Joel, the Spirit’s Power
Amos, the Strong-arms that carry
Obadiah, the Lord our Savior
Jonah, the great Missionary
Micah, the Promise of Peace
Nahum, our Strength and Shield
In Habakkuk and Zephaniah, He's brings revival
In Haggai, He restores that which was lost
In Zachariah, He’s our fountain
And in Malachi, He's the Son of righteousness rising with healing in His wings

AND THAT’S JUST THE OLD TESTAMENT

In Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, He is God and Messiah
In the spirit filled book of Acts, He is the reigning fire from Heaven
In Romans, He is the grace of God
Corinthians, the Power of Love
Galatians, Freedom from the curse of sin
Ephesians, our Glorious Treasure
Philippians, the Servant's Heart
Colossians, He’s God and the Trinity
Thessalonians, our calling King
In Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, He's our mediator and our faithful pastor
In Hebrews, the Everlasting Courage
In James, the One who heals the sick
In 1st and 2nd Peter, our Faithful Shepherd
In John and Jude, He's the lover coming for His bride
AND in the Revelation, in the very end, when it’s all over, said and done, when time is NO MORE. He is and will always be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Prince of Peace, Son of Man, Lamb of God, The Great I Am, Alpha and Omega, God and Savior

He is Jesus Christ the Lord

HE IS EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED!

Just say "Cheer up, Charlie."

I recently realized that I never really blogged about our move. Not that it matters because most of the people who read my blog knew about it whether or not I "documented" it here, but I do like to get my thoughts out so I decided I'd give a quick update. I'm most definitely not in a place right now to even post pictures. In fact, my camera battery is still dead from my Washington trip which was now almost two weeks ago. That pretty much sums up how these past two weeks have gone!

I got to Texas and met Aaron in Austin on a Tuesday and we were planning for the movers to arrive on Friday. Unfortunately, that didn't happen and they ended up arriving 5 days later but that's how moving goes (as most other people know!) It was probably just as well, though, since I was still recovering from a sinus infection. It's such a bummer that I always manage to get sick when I visit Washington! I'm pretty sure it's from flying. So Friday non-moving-day (as we'll call it) came and went and we had the weekend in front of us. We got the keys to our house and ran to a few places that Saturday. It was strange to walk into Lowes with a list of things since we pretty much lived there 3 years ago when we were remodeling our first house as newly-weds! While in the store, I started to feel sick to my stomach but thought it was from riding in the back with Case (yes, I do this from time to time because it keeps him from screaming!) After a few hours, I knew I really wasn't feeling well at all. Then it hit - the awful stomach flu bug! Ack. Is it not the worst?? Thank goodness the flu usually only lasts 24 hours. It was at that point that I finally listened to my body which had been screaming for DAYS to please slow down! Last Sunday was quite honestly the first time in about 3 weeks that Aaron and I had actually sat down on the same couch together for longer than 10 minutes. It was absolutely necessary. Sadly, we apparently sat a bit too close to each other because I shared my flu bug with my handsome man. On the plus side, Casey was spared!

So now we're moved into our new rental house...well, I should clarify that we're "in" but certainly not settled. I won't be taking pictures anytime soon! Wow, moving with a baby is SO much more work. I get about 2 hours of stuff done in a day - all in about 15 minute increments! (Pause while I go re-paci my screaming child who needs to be sleeping!) Ok, whew. Speaking of my darling boy, he's now in his own room and crib! This is a huge step for us. Coming from a small one bedroom place, it's nice to have more space and I think it truly is healthier for all of us to have our "designated" rooms. But the first night was rough....for ME! I missed my little man being right next to me. But my big man is important. ;)

I'll be honest, if I may. This feels like a lonely town and I'm somewhat lost, for lack of a better term. We know one couple here - Our friends the Legacys. Aaron and Brian were stationed at Andrews AFB together. But they live about 20 minutes from our new place and they're also both working on their masters so they have quite the busy schedule. I met a friendly woman a few houses down, but so far the rest of the 'hood seems quiet, which has been a bit of a surprise to me. I know I can't possibly be the only SAHMama around here! I just said to Aaron tonight, "I know we'll make friends eventually, but right now if feels like we never will." Most of you know I can be a tad dramatic at times, so take that comment with a grain of salt, ok? I can't stop thinking about how much I wish our good friends were here with us. I miss our Virginia peeps (aka family) soooo much it hurts. Aaron must have known I was slipping into a "my life right now in a blog" type of post because he just brought over a pint of Blue Bell ice cream (a Texas favorite.) How is it that ice cream cures a multitude of depressing thoughts? Even for a girl with an on again, off again lactose intolerance? Somehow it does (aren't you enjoying my play-play comments here?)

Well, here we are in Texas, and I'm so happy that I have my little man with me day to day to brighten my life. He, even more so than Blue Bell ice cream, truly makes my life so wonderful.

I promise I will attempt to make my next post more uplifting! But I truly needed an honest moment. Don't we all?

"Desperate Housemoms"

I'm going to steal my friend Mari's "Win/Fail" format for posting because it's perfect for how our flight from Seattle to Austin went down yesterday. Also, Casey turned FOUR MONTHS (I had to write that in caps because I still can't believe how fast he's growing up) on Monday! We simply love this kid more and more every single day. And because i'm drowning in a sea of setting up bills, trying to figure out why our movers won't be here within their contracted time-frame (ugh), changing our address, etc. etc. (the list of things to do literally goes on and on) I have no idea where my month stickers are for Case's picture, but probably packed away in the moving truck which is STILL in Virginia (another big UGH.) Anyway, I just think the "Desperate Housewives" show is so impractical...no one really lives like that...or perhaps just crazy people do. But I do think a show called "Desperate Housemoms" would be PERFECT. I mean, the amount of juggling moms do with there time and their kids is seriously comical, right?? Oh, you all would have a hayday laughing fest if you were a fly on my wall today! So, yes, i'm a "Desperate Housemom" who had a desperate kind of day yesterday. Here it goes:

WIN: We made it to the airport in Seattle without missing our flight! Thank goodness we left in the am because by pm yesterday, the airport was FLOODED with Amanda Knox supporters and national media. Though I would have loved to greet her!

FAIL: I couldn't for the life of me get Casey to stop crying as we walked to our gate. Everyone around me was glaring at me as if to say, "Dear God, please do NOT let this girl be on my flight!"

WIN: I love that Alaska Airlines lets you board before everyone else including first class. YESSSSSSSS!

FAIL: I pumped before our flight in order to give Casey a bottle for take-off and landing because that way I can control his sucking a little better. This is truly not for feeding purposes as much as it is to help him clear his ears. I tried to thaw out my milk in the sink but there was no hot water. Actually, there was no water at all. So the flight attendent had to give me a barf bag filled with hot water. I about spilled it all over my lap. But in case you're wondering, they did have the water turned on by the time we took off.

WIN: Nobody came to sit in the middle seat of our row. That meant Casey layed out on that seat for two hours straight during the flight and smiled at me the entire time. My dream baby!

FAIL: We had a lot of turbulence and at one point the pilot told us we'd need to stay seated for at least 15 minutes. About 2 seconds after that annoucement we started bouncing around, dropping and coming back up, dropping and coming back up. Just then Casey took a huge poop. HUGE. It leaked out all up his back, down both of his legs and onto me, too.

WIN: This smarty-pants mama packed a change of clothes for Casey and for myself in the event that this would happen. One of about 1,928,000 reasons why I love and miss my cloth diapers. It's just easier to travel and move using disposables...but I can't wait to return to my new amazing diapering system. I haven't had a single leak! Darned disposables.

WIN: This month is the 4 year anniversary of Alaska Airlines flying to Hawaii, so they have really good Hawaiian inspired meals available in-flight for purchase. I got Chicken and soba noodles. It was pretty good for airline food!

FAIL: Casey has incredible timing. He will almost always fuss and get hungry right as i'm starting to eat (or as Aaron and I sit down to eat). Yesterday on the plane was no exception! So I tried to eat one-handed but this is not easy with stringy noodles. I dropped a big glob of them right on his head. About an hour later, I leaned down to kiss his head and it smelled of teriyaki sauce! Oops...

WIN: Casey fell asleep right before we landed so the trip ended well. :)

We have just the sweetest boy in the world. I love him as my travel companion and he reminds me to just take a deep breath and laugh at the craziness of life!

While You Were Sleeping

During Casey's 2.5 afternoon nap, I made this! I've been looking around for just the right blue-beaded nacklace for months now. Everything I found was either not quite right or too expensive. So I walked up to The Potomac Bead Company today on King Street and bought all the things I needed to create my own necklace. I've discovered that jewelry making might just be my new crafting obsession! After a quick tutorial from the store saleswoman, I whipped this up in about 25 minutes at home. It's a good thing it was a quick DIY project because Casey woke up screaming about 2 minutes after its completion! Tis life! :)

P.S. I really need a better camera. And speaking of cameras, I'm eyeing this even though it would be just for fun. Who doesn't LOVE instant pictures?!

Three Months!

Holy smokes! We have a THREE month old in da house! I feel like a broken record, but time sure flies. It's true! But we fall more and more in love with Case every single day. He cracks us up all the time with his sweet smiles and coos. He talks to me while I nurse him now. It melts this mama's heart! He will often look up at me inbetween sucks and just coo away with smiles, then he goes back to his grubbin' business. It's adorable.

Also, his latest thing is that he really grabs now! Just last week he did this:

On Friday, he grabbed his burp cloth and pulled it up over his face a few times. I got so excited! You gotta enjoy each and every little thing as a parent. It's all so special!

His cry no longer sounds like a newborn, but more like a baby. Anyone who has children knows exactly what i'm talking about. It's bittersweet to watch our handsome boy grow up! Each new phase brings new joy, but it also comes at the cost of leaving things behind. He is most certainly not a "little" baby anymore. He just weighed in at almost 13 lbs. this past week! But in many ways, he will ALWAYS be my baby (even when he's 40!) Our life was truly so dull without him...we just didn't know it at the time. :) Case is a very, very smiley baby. He likes to smile with his mouth wide open just like his daddy did when he was a baby.

He was supposed to have his first plane ride experience, but plans took a huge turn. I think most people know now that we're moving to San Antonio Texas! Aaron took a promotion with his engineering firm and their main office is located there. We should have been there for the holiday weekend looking for a rental house, but there was a terrible accident on the way to the airport and we missed our flight. We literally sat on the freeway for hours. I feel awful for whoever was involved, but the timing of everything couldn't have been worse. Southwest said we could fly on stand-by the next day for free, but we would have to be on stand-by out of Baltimore then again at a connection before getting to San Antonio. There was just no way we were gonna do this with a baby on a holiday weekend, especially if we got stuck in some random place unable to get a connection. There's literally no other time we can fly out before we actually move, so now we're working with an agent to apply for a rental sight-unseen. I'm not at all thrilled about this because it was really important to me that we familiarize ourselves a bit with area and find a place we felt safe in. Aaron will be traveling one week out of each month with his company. But, for reasons we may never know, God clearly didn't want us in Texas this weekend.

Casey will now have his first plane ride experience when just he and I fly out to Seattle on the 22nd of September to visit family for two weeks. Aaron's mom is flying down from Alaska so we are SO excited to have this time with everyone before our big move! Pray for me though - I'm honestly nervous about a 5 hour flight by myself with the little man! Plane rides make me anxious anyway. But i'm sure we'll be just fine.

5 Billion Uses

I love coconut oil and I use it A LOT. Maybe not quite for 5 billion things, but I swear it can be used in so many different, healthy ways! You can find a variety of uses and health benefits in this blog. I can't confirm it works for all of these things, but I found this list quite interesting!

Currently, I use coconut oil mostly for cooking (super healthy - Thanks Kristine for introducing me to its foody greatness!) as well as for daily moisturizing. Yes, I most certainly lather straight up coconut oil all over my body! Now before you think "EWWW!" don't knock it 'til you try it! Contrary to what many might think, coconut oil goes on the skin quick and easy and you only need a small amount. The best part is that it leaves your skin feeling SILKY rather than oily -- I promise!! An added bonus is that your skin smells tropical (I prefer to pretent i'm on a private island drinking a margarita while being fanned by my own cabana boy). But seriously, I love this stuff. I also use it as my facial moisturizer. No breakouts. I keep a jar on the counter in my bathroom. Whole Foods sells it in a mason-style jar, so I just peeled the label off and now it looks like part of my bathroom decor! I paid only $6.99 for 14 oz. This jar will last you a loooong time. I love that I can dip into the same jar for a number of different reasons and that it's all natural. I can hardly believe all the crap that's in lotions and cosmetic nowadays. Yuck! Give coconut oil a try!

Ooh, we better wash that.

No caption needed, really. May I add that those are Aaron's favorite shorts? He wears them over and over again until I sneak them off the floor and wash them. Oh, I love boys.

And since we're on the topic of diapers, we're getting ready to test out some cloth ones. We've decided on the Ecobums. I hope we like them! We're still not sure if cloth diapering is for us, but how do you know unless you try? I'm already tired of spending so much moolah on disposables! Now that Case is almost 3 months and not pooping 10 times a day, it seems like the right time to enter the cloth world. I'll also be using bamboo wipes. Fingers crossed!

Thankful

We had such a scary event with Casey the other morning. We woke up early on Friday around 5:45 to him thrashing around in his bassinet. I quickly jumped to my feet and leaned over him to discover that he couldn't take a breath. I could hardly believe what I was seeing, but my adrenaline kicked in and I quickly picked him up (still in his swaddle blanket) and threw him face down on the bed. I had to pat his back for the longest approximate 10 seconds of my entire life until he finally took a big breath of air. Aaron and I were both absolutely stunned. I will never forget the look of terror on Casey's face. His eyes were almost popping out of his head and he had spit coming out of his mouth and mucous coming from both sides of his nose. To be honest, we both looked at each other afterwards and said, "Could he have just had a seizure?!" We just didn't know what to think. I felt like I had just ran a marathon, the way my heart was pounding!With tears still all over his face, Casey calmed down, looked at me and flashed the most adorable smile. It melted me and made me cry all at the same time. This mama was so scared! But it was almost like he was saying, "I'm OK, Mama!" I fed him and he fell back asleep for a bit and then I called the pediatricians office as soon as they opened. Looking back, I wish I would have just called the on-call doctor. They told me to go to the ER for some tests just to rule out anything serious. So we made the drive to the ER in Fairfax where they have a pediatric emergency room. I was pretty amazed. Everything was so pint-sized! I snapped a few pictures on my phone but I'm not sure I can upload them to the computer. The blood pressure cuff was so tiny and they even had me put an infant hospital gown on him. It was so precious and pitiful all at the same time. Casey was such a champ...all the doctors and nurses loved him and kept saying how cute and sweet he was. I couldn't agree more!! He only cried when they gave him an IV to draw blood. He was so, so good! Praise God all the tests came back normal. There were absolutely no signs pointing towards a seizure (no lethargy, muscle weakness, etc.) The final diagnosis is that he has an acid reflux problem, so he's now on an antibiotic. They say he most likely aspirated stomach acid into his lungs and had trouble clearing it. They also said he most likely would have eventually cleared it on his own. We're trying not to play the "what if" game. We can only hope and pray that it never happens again. It was absolutely terrifying.

We cuddle and squeeze and kiss our Case-Man all the time, but we hold him just a bit tighter after all that happened. We are so thankful for his health. He is our treasure! We are also thankful beyond words for all of the prayers from friends and family!

How Do I Explain?

How do I explain just how much I love my boy? There are no words that do it justice. I don't get to style my hair or do my make-up much anymore. I rarely get a shower before noon and my body isn't nearly as "fit" as it used to be, but I'm happier than I've ever been. My entire heart and life are forever changed! I love you, Casey Lowell Meredith!

Calling

Each of us has one. My passion is quite possibly very different from your passion and that's ok. If you haven't already picked up on this over the years, my passion is for women who have had or are considering an abortion. Sometimes that means talking them through the decision before they make it and other times that means talking them through their decision afterwards. I prefer to call this my ministry because it's from the heart. For a while, I got paid to do this work. But it wasn't about the money. Honestly, I got paid very little.

When I first found myself in this ministry, I might have said it happened by "accident." To make a long story short, I found myself in a Planned Parenthood clinic in Washington DC. DC and Maryland have some of the most lax abortion regulations. The room was filled with young women of various minorities. Contrary to what a supporter of "choice" might think, I was not there to do research. Though it's important to note that poor communities are targeted by abortion clincs (and also leads to the question of: Do we seek to protect the poor or exploit the poor?) Rather, I was there for personal reasons. But for this particular post, that is neither here nor there. When I walked in, I was told it was a "termination only day." Initially this rolled off my back. But as I sat in the waiting room and watched these women be filed in and out for their abortions, I could hardly believe what I was seeing. I still ask myself, "Do I really live in a country that thinks it's just A-OK to kill babies?? This is a country that's supposed to protect women's rights. When you reach into her womb, you are violating her most sacred capability. And I'll be honest...as I watch this country in economic crisis, particularly with health care, I say with confidence that until we become a country that protects human life, those who are the most vulnerable - the poor, the hungry, the sick, etc. will never be protected by this government. Plain and simple. Let me make a comparison for just a moment....when we see images of starving children, do we just sit back and say, "Hey, we should just let them die. They'd be better off. At least their suffering would end." NO! We say, "What can I DO to help?!" But then why do we say when it comes to unplanned/undesired pregnancy, "Let's just end the life...this child shouldn't have to suffer." Well, I still say the same, "What can I do to help??"

After that morning in Planned Parenthood, that's exactly what I prayed and God answered in a mighty way. Just a few short months later, I entered into the pregnancy center ministry. Though I've taken a step back for a period of time to raise my son, I know without a doubt that my calling has not changed. If anything, the fire is feuled even more. Each time I look at my son...his innocense....how perfectly he is formed.....how completely unique and individual he is.....I know that life is a miracle.

There are many babies I know I will see one day in Heaven. One in particular, and a client I grew to love and have such a bond with, will forever stand out in my mind. This young woman's child at 10 weeks was the very first time I had ever witnessed life via an ultrasound. I was stunned. That sweet baby waved back and fourth at the screen. I could hardly believe my eyes. After many conversations and tears, this young woman made the decision to go ahead with an abortion at 14 weeks. I saw her afterwards and she was broken, yet she believed it was the only way. We had many conversations. I shared with her the greatest truth of forgiveness in Christ. A few weeks later, I got the most beautiful vision that I would one day see that little one in Heaven and know him or her by name. And there will come a day when I will be able to see that sweet face and say, "I saw you. I knew you. You are human." What a wonderful reunion that will be.

You see, it is not a choice to sit back and accept that 1 in 3 women has had an abortion and millions suffer from that decision with each passing day. It's a calling to do something about it.

Today I turned on the TV and the Dr. Phil show came on. I wouldn't normally watch this show...just not my thing. But today's show was different. It was about "secret regrets." One young woman came on the show to talk through her secret regret. The regret of abortion. I sat on the floor cuddling my Casey boy as I physically ached for her. Her pain was so real and raw. She was so honest and for that I have the utmost respect. She spoke on behalf of millions of silent women. She, like so many others, thought it was her only option. I was thankful for Dr. Phil's remarks to her. To be honest, I was a bit surprised. He provided her with long-term counseling and also suggested to her that "good could come out of it." He said, "perhaps one day you will work for a crisis hotline (maybe a little shout-out to pregnancy centers?!) and help another young woman in your same position. I think what I hate the most about the abortion issue is how its become so "political." Yuck. I hate that word. Once something becomes political, it's like rolling dice. Life is no longer an absolute, it's to be questioned...messed with. What the heck. I hate you, politics! The greatest tragedy of Roe v. Wade wasn't the legalization of abortion (though still terrible) it was the mind-set it created - Such that choosing to have an abortion is really no different than trying to decide what to eat for dinner. No. Big. Deal. I care enough about women's rights that I say it is a big deal. I care enough about women's "silent suffering" in the aftermath.

I am called.

I am so grateful that I am called to stand up for women, children and men (they suffer, too.) States don't require a married woman by law to inform her legal husband of an abortion. He never has a chance. So in an effort to give women more rights, we've stolen them from men. Selah.....Whenever there's a winner, there's always a loser.

I look forward to the many more women I will come to love through this calling. There is nothing greater than seeing a wounded person find healing. I thank God he has given me Casey as a reminder of the fire he's placed within me. I pray for this nation and the impact we have on the rest of the world. I pray we become a nation who values life. For from that comes true value for health, well-being and unconditional love.

Big Boy!

Our sweet Casey boy is two months today! I know I sound like every other new mom out there, but I truly can hardly believe how fast he's growing up. He's learning new things every day. Today we had his two-month check-up and he weighs 10 lbs. 11 oz! He's still only in the 15th percentile, but still growing steadily. He's also officially wearing 3 months clothing and can only wear a few outfits that are 0-3 months. He got a few vaccines today and it was a bit traumatizing...for ME that is! It just breaks my heart. He was super smiley and happy at the entire appointment and then - BAM - those darn shots! I may or may not have cried when I told Aaron about it after he got home from work. I'll give a run-down here of his likes and dislikes:

Likes:

-His paci (Actually, this might belong in the "obsessed" category.) That'll be a fun habit to break!
-Being held
-Being sung to. His favorite is when I sing him a song that goes "Hey beautiful boy. Mommy loves you, she loves you. Most beautiful boy, in the whole wide world." It's supposed to be "girl" but of course I changed those lyrics. ;)
-Tummy sleeping. The pediatrician has warned me about this, but I only let him do it right now during naps. He's still a back sleeper at night until he can roll over sometime in the next two months.
-EATING! My goodness, this boy can eat. He nurses at least 7 times each day (and still at night...sigh....) and he scarfs it down in about 10 minutes. No messing around here.
-Standing - He's a very strong little guy!
-Being outside - He's not too fond of the stroller sometimes, but as soon as we get outside he's perfectly content.
-His Daddy! Case looooves Aaron. I know he loves me too, but right now I think it's because he knows I feed him! With Aaron, he just sits and stares at him, becomes calm as soon as Aaron holds him, and typically falls asleep too. However, he will not sleep for his mommy very often. Stinker.
-Skyping - I think he's fascinated by the colors and movement on the computer.
-Taking baths
-Swaddling arms out

Dislikes:

-Sleeping on his back
-Having his diaper changed. I often say to him while he's screaming, "Really?? You don't want me to clean your poopy butt?!"
-Getting out of the bath. Hates. It.
-When I leave the room. He notices now!
-Swaddling arms in - This, I have to say, is the fault of the hospital. They said it was "better for his development" to have his arms out. Now I feel like calling them and inviting them over at 2 a.m. when my child has startled himself out of a deep sleep. GRRR.
-Napping (but only with his frustrated mama!)

He's now smiling a ton and starting to make noises when he smiles, too. I'm thinking we might get a laugh out of him very soon! He's definitely found his voice. He coos quite a bit and we, of course, think it's the darn cutest thing ever!

Aaron and I are having so much fun with this kid. Aaron always says, "I just love him!" whenever he's holding him. I couldn't agree more!

Melt-Down

Mama said there'd be days like these.....

Case has decided to boycot his naps today. It's now 1:30 and he hasn't slept since he woke up at 9 a.m. this morning. I've tried it all....changing, feeding, rocking, paci............AHHHhh. Poor baby. I just don't know what else to do, so i'm currently letting him sit in his bouncy seat and cry. I feel like a terrible mother. But what more can I try?? He is beyond.tired. I'm sitting here crying while he cries. It's a sight to see. Somehow blogging seemed appropriate while I attempt to keep my sanity.

Sincerely,
-A new mommy who just wants to take a shower.

Say HI!!

I'm just missing my grandparents and wanted to say hello! Love you!

A Wedding and a Tough Decision

Today my dearest, best college friend is getting married in California. Today I am sitting in my living room in Virginia writing this. I'm fighting back the tears to even make this post! I was supposed to be there, in the wedding, but Aaron and I made the difficult decision that it was just too much for me to go out there with Casey so soon after his birth. There are many reasons we came to this decision. I know I've disappointed my sweet friend, but I don't think anyone could possibly be more disappointed than I am. Bre and I have walked with each other through so many life experiences, it feels surreal that I'm missing quite possibly the most important one. Life is full of tough decisions, but that doesn't mean it gets easier to make them.

Bre, I love you and I pray blessings over your special day. You are so dear to my heart. Cheers to this beautiful new start! xoxo

Packin' on the Lb's!

We had Casey's One-Month check-up today and he went from 7 lbs. 3 oz. to almost 9 lbs. in just about two weeks. We can hardly believe it! I'm exclusively breast feeding and things are going very well! We have quite the eater on our hands. So while he's working on gaining, I on the other hand am working on losing. I had my first two mile run since being pregnant. I ran a half marathon when I was 4 weeks along (didn't know I was growing a baby yet!) and let me tell you, two miles felt H-E-double hockey sticks. How does that happen?! Someday i'll get back in shape, but this experience is so worth it! Casey is truly a gift and we love him to pieces! I can hardly believe we already have a one-month old!

Lovin' My Boy!

We took Case to his first baseball game at Nationals Stadium the other night. The Mariners are in town, but sadly they've lost both their games so far. We still had fun though! Casey is such a chill little guy. He sat through 7 innings of the baseball game and didn't let out a single cry. He fell asleep on Aaron at about 8 p.m. and stayed that way until we got home at 10:30 and I fed him.

At this point, he gets up to eat 2-3 times a night. Sometimes he'll go as much as 4 hours before wanting to eat again, but this is still a rare occurance. I know it'll get better as he gets older! For the most part i've been feeling pretty good even with the lack of sleep. I'm starting to adjust to the demands! But I will say that today i'm painfully tired.

He continues to eat like a champ! I am so fortunate that he latched great from the day he was born and my milk supply came in full when he was just 3 days old. Nursing was tough at first - and still has its challenges - I finally broke down and starting using a shield, but then I couldn't get him to latch without it! So I went to see the amazing lactation specialist at his pediatricians office and of course, he latched right away while she was watching. Little stinker! She said it happens all the time. I laughed and said he was a show-off. So now i'm able to nurse him without the shield (or with it if necessary) which is great! All of that to say, I've realized that you have to just stick it out with nursing even when it down right hurts and you really just want to quit and start giving the kid a bottle! I'm hoping I can nurse him full-time for 6 months and then quit completely after 12 months. That's my goal!

Case's weight gain is great, too! When we left the hospital, he was 5 lbs, 12 oz and then at 3 days old he was back up almost to his birth weight (6.5). At his 2 week appointment he was 6.14 and then on Tuesday of this week (just 4 days later) he was already at 7.3! My little champ! It's hard to believe I already have a 3 WEEK OLD! These 3 weeks have flown by it seems. It truly is amazing how quickly a baby changes, so i'm soaking up every single second! I am SO grateful that i'm able to stay home full time and watch him as he grows. I don't take it for granted at all! I'm sitting here as I type listening to him make little noises (and fill his pants...HAHA!) and I can hardly put to words how much I love him.

Baby Casey is here!

Casey Lowell Meredith (after my dad) 6 lbs, 5 oz and 19 inches of perfect love!

I'm so excited to make this post because we've been waiting! Baby Casey arrived on Friday, 3 June at exactly 11:45 a.m. On Thursday night, I was feeling funny so I went to bed around 10 p.m. I told Aaron I was frustrated because I felt like I needed to pee every 10 minutes - I was feeling so much pressure! I got up out of bed after I had only been laying down for about 15 minutes and I felt something trickling down my leg. I quickly realized that my water was leaking. I yelled out to Aaron, "Babe, I think i'm in labor! It's happening!" Within a few minutes I was feeling strong contractions about 7 minutes apart. I called the doctor on call and he said to go ahead and come into the hospital because they needed to give me antibiotics (for being GBS positive - no big deal though). Aaron wanted to stop by his office to see if he could pick up his work computer since he obviously wouldn't be going into work the next day. By the time we got to his office just a few miles away, I was in a lot of intense pain and I said, "My contractions feel really close....is it all supposed to happen this fast?" Contractions had gone from 7 minutes to about 5 minutes apart in less than a half hour. They got so strong that about 10 minutes from the hospital I made Aaron pull to the side of the road to let me pee. I could NOT hold it! And yes, I really did pee right along a side-walk....and an elementary school. Such a fine moment.

Once at the hospital, they checked me into my room and had me put a gown on. That's when my water completely broke. Once that happened, things really picked up even more. Within the next half hour or so, my contractions were about 2 minutes apart. After having zero relief for a bit, I opted for an epidural and do not feel bad about it. In fact, Aaron and I were both able to sleep for a few hours that night. So at midnight I was 4 centimeters, by 3 a.m. I was around 5, by 7 a.m. I was at 8 and by 9 a.m. I was a full 10! My mom had hopped a red eye flight from Seattle and got to the hospital right around 9. By 10 a.m. I was feeling enough pressure to start pushing. I had the most incredible nurse named Kim who made the experience so wonderful! Aaron and my mom were a huge help too. And to top it off, my most favorite OB happened to be on call (I had prayed for this!) So after only 1.5 hours of pushing, our sweet baby Case was out and in my arms! It was such an incredible experience! I could hardly believe I was holding him and seeing his face. By far the best moment of my life! It's almost surreal to Aaron and I that this little person is part of us. And only about 12 hours of labor, start to finish- I think that was the Lord's mercy on me for having such a rough pregnancy!


Now we are home getting used to our new life! So far, Case is a great sleeper and eater. My milk supply came in after only 3 days. Nursing is one of the most challenging things I've ever done, but i'm so thankful that my body is cooperating so that I can do it. I really enjoy our mommy/baby time and we're getting better at it with each new day. My mom has been such a HUGE help. Aaron has been able to work since she's here and we honestly don't know what we'd do without her!


Aaron is the most incredible daddy and is loving his new son. They're so cute together when they cuddle. I'm already seeing a new, even softer side of my beloved husband. It's so wonderful!! We couldn't be happier. We thank God for blessing us the way he has!

39 Weeks....Whew!

Alright, so no picture this week, just an update! I saw my OB today and we've made more progress since last week. I'm 2 cm dialated and almost completely thinned out now (I was 90 percent effaced with less than 1/2 cm dialation last week). Dr. Anderson asked me about my contractions. My response was, "Hmmm....what contractions??" I say this because all I've really had is a ton of pressure downstairs and lots of painful menstrual-like cramping. She was surprised at my response because she said she could feel his head and in her words, "If this kid drops anymore, he'll fall right out!" Wow, wouldn't it be nice if labor could be that easy! Ahhh, now I have this Beach Boys song stuck in my head. Boy, I sure get distracted easily.

Anyway, I think this stage is rather frustrating because 2 cm could mean a lot, or very little. I could stay this way for another week....or TWO! Yikes. I've decided that this little guy is very much like his daddy - super chill with the patience of a SAINT. No joke. Aaron's amazing like that. I, on the other hand, don't even pray for patience because God sits up there on His Throne of Glory laughing at me (i'm sure.)

Well, I think i'll go take a long walk in this 90 degree, humid weather in hopes of dehydrating myself and starting contraction. Ok, JOKING about the dehydration part, but I admit i'm kinda curious about contractions so I hope they start. Yes, I will be retracting that statement once they're in full swing. And yes, I'll probably hit someone in the face. Hopefully you won't be the one in my way! ;)

38 Weeks - Are we done yet?!

Birthday dinner - Please excuse my terrible posture!

The anxiety is starting to set in. When will he get here? How much longer will I be pregnant, uncomfortable, tired, cranky, etc.?? I'm thankful i'm one of the lucky few who hasn't had ANY heart burn. But the backpain, pressure and cramping are making me look like i'm 90 years old when I walk around! I feel pretty yucky, but i'm hangin' in there. I think my biggest fear at this point isn't the labor, it's finding myself still pregnant at 42 weeks. That would mean 4 more weeks from now! I need to stop thinking that way!

So, let's talk about something HAPPY! Monday was my 27th Birthday and Aaron treated me to a romantic dinner at our favorite Italian place. It really reminds us of Italy. The food is all made from scratch and the Italian family who owns it has been running it for many, many years. We've had really hot, humid weather and it was storming a bit the night we went to dinner, but we still decided to sit outside at a table under an umbrella. The rain and the experience reminded us of our favorite night in Venice Italy almost two years ago. Aaron surprised me with a prenatal massage which I've already booked for next week (trying to stay busy!) I have the world's most wonderful husband! It was a bit strange to think that it was my last birthday without a baby! But we're ready for it. Come on little guy! We want to see you!

My next OB appointment is on Friday, so they'll finally be checking me to see the progress i've made...if any. Saying our prayers!

37 Weeks!

Aaron with his fish - getting his "fix" before our baby boy makes his appearance!
Sam (Aaron's brother) and our buddy Stan

From what i've been reading, apparently 37 weeks is "technically" full-term. So can I say that we've arrived?! But I have a feeling this child is not coming out just yet. :) A few of my doctors have said he could come as late as June 11 because he measured slightly different on two early first trimester ultrasounds. Can they ever really know for sure?! I don't think so. I'm actually A-OK with it because i've already come this far....what's 3 more (or perhaps more!) weeks?? But I must say, this stage of the pregnancy is d-r-a-g-g-i-n g.....on......and......ON! There is nothing like the anticipation of seeing your first born's face - i'm convinced! What will he look like? Will he be even HALF as handome as Aaron?? Will he have dark hair? No hair? Curly hair? What will he weigh? What will it be like to touch his fingers and toes for the first time?? I could go on and on but I think you get the picture.

I'm feeling pretty good for the most part. The baby is quite crowded, so i've been feeling a lot of discomfort on my pressure points and it knocks the wind out of me! I talked to the doctor on the phone about this and he said they may want to check those pressure points (not sure what that means, but maybe i'll find out tomorrow at my check-up). He is still moving regularly, but very slowly. I'm curious how he's positioned - though I know he's head down - because I never feel his feet kicking. I'm wondering if his legs are stretched out sideways instead of up?! So many questions!

I've continued to have "bouts" of morning sickness....oy. But I guess you could say i'm used to it now! Sad, isn't it? I haven't had any further signs of labor other than the usual cramping i've had since 34 weeks and a lot of pressure "downstairs" but for those who have had babies, I haven't yet experienced the other tell-tale signs of labor being on the horizon. I had one HUGE contraction a few nights ago. I thought for a moment it might have been the real thing. It wrapped around my entire lower back and stomach and was down-right PAINFUL! But it lasted about 20-30 seconds, went away and never returned...hmmmm.

Our fun May visitors have come and gone now. Aaron's brother Sam was here for about a week and the guys got a lot of fishing time in! Then Aaron's mom came to see us and just left yesterday. We loved having them both here! So now you can imagine me sitting around wondering what the heck to do with these last few weeks! Not so fun! But on the bright side, my 27th Birthday is next week, so i'm hoping for a romantic night out on the town.

Baby boy Meredith will be here before we know it!

But baby, what will we do?

Our worship pastor sang a song during our mother's day service yesterday and let me tell you, HOLY EMOTIONAL ME! Our pastor was preaching on the book of Proverbs and the importance of chapter 22, verse 6: "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." I think the reality that our son will learn from all we say and do is such a monumental responsibility! I know it might sound silly since i'm still pregnant (currently 36 weeks) but I know time will fly! First, I want to cherish all the moments when he's small and snuggly because I know the day may come when he's 14 and disinterested in my kisses and cuddles. And right now it may seem far off, but perhaps sooner than I think the day will come when he's married and having babies of his own. The best thing Aaron and I can do for him is to teach and direct him so that he can go out on his own to impact the world for good.

Aaron and I have a prayer for him that will eventually hang in his nursery. A good friend of our family painted a picture (a watercolor! Watch the video/song and you'll know why this is so fitting!) with the prayer on it:

*For Your Salvation: to have a place in the kingdom
*For godly character: to be a credit to the kingdom
*To become a servant of others: to be used to promote the kingdom

Above all other things, we pray he loves Jesus, but more importantly that he knows how much Jesus loves him. And also that he will have a heart for the world and desire to love ALL of God's human creation.

I actually grew up listening to this song in the 80's - gotta love the early Christian music movement! But it never meant much to me until now. The video is pretty old, so hopefully you can look past the rockin' hair do's and outfits from that era (or perhaps you're like me and still in love with it!) Either way, enjoy...and grab a tissue!

Watercolor Ponies by Wayne Watson

There are watercolor ponies on my refrigerater door
And the shape of something I don't really recognize
Drawn by careful little fingers and put proudly on display
A reminder to us all of how time flies

Seems an endless mound of laundry
And a stairway laced with toys
Gives a blow by blow reminder of the war
That we fight for their well-being
For their greater understanding
To impart a holy reverance for the Lord

But, baby, what will we do
When it comes back to me an you?
They look a little less like little boys every day
Oh, the pleasure of watching the children growing is mixed with a bitter cup
Of knowing the watercolour ponies will one day ride away

And the vision can get so narrow
As you view through your tiny world
And little victories can go by with no applause
But in the greater evaluation
As they fly from your nest of love
May they mount up with wings as eagles for His cause

What Do You Do?

What do you do when you search around for a cute laundry bag for your kid's clothes and all the hampers you find are too big, cheap-looking, not cute, etc.?? Well, you make one! I snagged this adorable fabric off Amazon.com (yes, I LOVE Amazon and pretty much buy everything from them) and made this laundry bag for just under $10. It's perfect! I'm really into the elephants and giraffes for this kid. We'll see when we go to actually decorate a nursery at some point if the theme sticks! Also, I had to show everyone a picture of his bed/stroller and diaper bag. I might have gone with a "cutesy" bag but thought better of it once I reminded myself that Aaron would NEVER hold or carry a cute bag for me. So, my decision came with alterior motives. :) Go Huskies!!

And here we are....35 weeks!

35 Weeks....

I really want to post a picture, but I just don't have the energy to do it! I'm still waiting on some test results from my OB to make sure they diagnosed my infection correctly. In the mean-time, they told me to stay on bed rest. I've been feeling a lot of nausea off and on again for about the past week or so. It feels just like my earlier pregnancy morning sickness. This morning, I threw up while eating breakfast. I just feel DONE! Sorry I sound like a complainer....I know i'm being a complainer right now.....but this pregnancy thing is not for the faint of heart and it's feeling extra tough today. I've spent most of the last 8 months now feeling like I have a flu bug. :(

I'm feeling so ready and anxious to meet this little boy who is our son. I'm already so in love with him and I just want to look in wonder at his beautiful face! And i'll admit, i'd like to shed this pregnancy feeling too!!

My OB ran some test last week to determine if i'd go into labor within the next two weeks. She called and said it came back negative, so I guess we're in the "clear" for at least another 1.5 weeks. I have no clue how they can test for that! Pretty amazing I guess. Anyway, baby boy and I would love your prayers over the next few weeks. I know his birth date is in God's hands, not mine or anyone elses.

I can do it, I can do it, I can do it.....

Bed Rest

I just got back from an OB appointment and am actually having some signs of pre-term labor, so i've been put on bed rest to see if it helps. Turns out (sorry...TMI) I have some sort of bacterial infection that has caused my cervix to soften quite a bit and I started having contractions last night - No wonder I was up for 3 hours in the wee hours of the morning! I had back pain and just felt AWFUL last night, so I crawled into bed around 9:15. Then I woke up with menstrual-like cramping at midnight. It was a good thing I mentioned it at my appointment today because I had kinda written it off for some reason.

Although i'm only 34 weeks, the doctor says not to worry because she's hoping the bed rest and prescription will calm things down. Though she said she thinks I may not make it past the end of May. Don't wanna get my hopes up, only God knows! But this kid really does need to stay in and strengthen his lungs for even a few more weeks. It's hard to believe we could actually have him any day!

The good news is that I put on about 3-4 more lbs. (my mom fed us well when she was here!) and our boy's head is down, so he's getting ready. :) Such a good boy!

Better Than I Deserve

Couples baby shower BBQ!

My wonderful parents

We're on the home-stretch! I'm 34 weeks today and feeling pretty good....better than I deserve! My feet have been swelling a bit in the evenings, so i'm trying to take it easy these days. My parents flew back home after spending about a week with us. It was SO WONDERFUL. I love my parents. They're just a ton of fun and so loving. My mom cooked meals almost every night and made extra to put in our freezer for after the baby is born. My dad fixed our wireless printer (hooray!) and tracked down floor mats for our new Pilot which will come in handy for Aaron's fishing trips. It's much easier to clean mats than carpet! And then I joked about how if this kid is anything like me, he'll get car sick a lot and it'll be easier to clean up puke, too. Ha! I cannot express how thankful I am for them! It was hard to say goodbye yesterday, of course. It gets "easier" being so far away, but it's always just as hard to say goodbye after our visits together. But they'll be back in about a month! My mom plans to be out here for the delivery (we'll see when!) and my dad will fly out right after the little guy is born. My dad and I were saying how strange it is to think that the next time we see each other, we'll be holding our boy! I can't wait.

Our neighbors threw us a couples baby shower BBQ. What a great idea! The weather was beautiful and we were reminded, yet again, how COMPLETELY BLESSED we are to have the friends we do. With Easter being this past weekend, I spent one evening just thanking God for who He is and how He has blessed us. I was filled with so much joy from simply having a heart of thankfulness....i'm thankful for Salvation and that I'm completely loved and forgiven, I have the best husband - He's more than I could have ever dreamed of and he'll be the BEST dad in the world. And my friend Erica wrote in a card to us that she loves being a mom so much that she even loves the sleep depravation (even when it's really hard!) I know that might seem hard to wrap your mind around, but reading that was so encouraging to me! I will never take for granted the gift of being a mom and will be forever grateful for it. I'm even thankful for the little things - Like when "junior" tries to stick his elbow through my skin. ;) His movements are getting very wild! Not painful, just very noticeable - almost "alien-like" but actually very human! I love him so, so much.