27 Weeks

This is Week #:  27 Weeks

Total Weight Gain:  10 lbs (Baby A is now 2.5 lbs!)

What I am wearing:  This week?  Lots of PJ’s!  When I go out though: leggings, long sweaters/shirts, and scarves!  Loving the sweater I have on in the pic too - that's the one my sis in law got me that I mentioned!  SO CUTE AND COMFY!!!

Favorite accessory/piece of clothing:  Cross bracelet and “C” necklaceJ

Body woes:  An itchy belly and an uncomfortable back!

Best part of week:  We had another great week, lots of fun celebrating the New Year with family and soaking up the rest of the week off.  I also found out my sugar was goodJ and that Baby A is VERY flexible…he was folded up like a lawn chair (see below)!

Feel anything in there?  Baby wiggle worm…check!

Gives me the Creeps:  coffee:/

I miss:  going without back pain! LOL

Zzzzz Pattern:  It’s been hard, but that is expected…I am afraid it will only get worse!

Gender:  Little ManJ

Belly Button Metamorphasis:  Outie

I’m Craving:  Nothing really in particular...

Working Out Regimen:  3 days…(Jillian times 2 & Carmen) but I have almost come to the conclusion that it is time to look into a walking routine.  No more jumping for me – my bladder can’t handle it!

Mood (s):  J  I am a very happy girl

I can’t wait for:  Decorating Baby A’s room…it is almost that time about another week!  My grandparents surprised me by buying the crib for us and it should be here tomorrow!  EPPPPJ

This Week, Baby A is the Size of:

    A roast!

He was very flexible on our New Year's Eve Appointment!

New Year Resolutions 2013

Happy New Year!  
There is something fresh and exciting (sometimes scary) about a new year.
ESPECIALLY 2013 for this little family.
A new baby...new job...let's just put it simply=new LIFE!

Do you make new year resolutions?  Seems like a lot of people associate this "new beginning" with failure, but I personally think it is good to begin the year with a little bit of reflection, soul searching, and thoughts about the expectations that you want to make sure are a part of the year to come.  I will be the first to admit I have set some pretty wacky goals for myself in the past that I never follow through with, but now I am leaning toward setting my sights on important things that I want to remember throughout the year instead of "benchmarks" to be attain in a certain period of time.

1.  I want to be present in every moment.  I tend to find myself living in the future or "trying to just get through the day," and never soaking in each moment.  Life is too short to live in this mindset and I just want to be present and enjoy every second of it.  ESPECIALLY knowing how fast this little boy is going to grow up on us!

2.  Eat cleaner.  Here it is.  The classic food resolution.  I don't have any kind of tight regimen that I am going to set for myself, because personally, that only leads to failure.  I just want to make good choices for my body and set a good example for our little guy.  I can't expect him to eat healthy when I am not doing that myself (not to mention the pure fact that we only have ONE body, meaning we need to be taking care of what we GOT.)  I'm going to start journaling about this again very soon...especially after the baby is born.

3.  Be Active!  Again...I know...another classic resolution, but I have to include it.  I know my life is about to change drastically: new job, new baby...making it MUCH harder to find a time to be active during the day but that is one reason I created this blog.  I want to find ways to make this a type of "me/baby/stress relief time" that I include at least 5 days a week.  Cade and I are usually very active in the summer, so I am excited that will be around the time I will be trying to lose the baby weight.  I hope that we can establish a routine to our day to ensure that we are getting the exercise/family time we need and make it a natural everyday part of our life.

                                         

4.  ALWAYS make time for family and friends.  It seems like this past year, so many people have passed away.  Cade and I both lost our grandpas, something we knew was inevitable for the near future but you can never really prepare for when it actually occurs.  It is a sobering thought to realize that we nor our loved ones are promised tomorrow, therefore I NEVER want to pass up the opportunity to spend time with those so special to me.  It is so easy to crave alone time, but I can always find another time for that if an opportunity arises to spend time with others.

                                       
5.  My relationship with Jesus.  Another tough one for me.  SO ashamed to admit this but it is true.  I really want to learn more about Him, grow spiritually, and prepare myself to raise our baby!  I know that there isn't a "self help" or "how to" book on raising a baby any better than God's word.  Instead of trying to read through the Bible in a year (which I ALWAYS fail miserably at) I am going to just take time every morning to read something from his word to "meditate" on during the day.

                              

6. Graduate & Get a Big girl job...okay so this is one of those goals that I said I wasn't going to make-but I am determined to mark it off!! It's been a long time coming for six years!

                                        

7.  Be more like a dog... yes you read it right!  I want to take a lot of what my dogs have taught me over the years and apply it to my attitude and outlook on life.  I was really touched Sunday morning as I read a blog by Francis Chan talking about Proverbs 30:7-9:

Two things I ask of you;

deny them not to me before I die:

Remove far from me falsehood and lying;

give me neither poverty nor riches;

feed me with the food that is needful for me,

lest I be full and deny you 

and say, "Who is the Lord?"

or lest I be poor and steal

and profane the name of my God.

I often find myself wrapped up in all the materialistic things of the world, wanting more and more while failing to take notice of ALL that I DO have and God himself.  I am SO beyond blessed and I am so ashamed that I don't take notice of this at ALL times as I should.  This verse just goes to show the more we put our faith and set our eyes on materialistic things...the less we depend on God to meet our needs.  

I look at my dogs, who are the happiest little things in the world just to have their human (aka love), a bowl of food and water.  I think God made them our friends for a reason and there are a lot of lessons we can learn from them.  This one...the most prominent.  

The little book below is A MUST:)  I encourage everyone to read it and view the video from Francis Chan's blog here.

8.  Begin a Thankful Journal.  My friend Nellie over at Nellie's Cozy Place inspired me to start this.  I love reading hers and she encouraged me to try it.  I think this will also improve Goal #7 as well.  So for the year of 2013, every week I am going to think of something I am thankful for each day and write it down.  So here goes: Day #1?  The blessing of a new year with health, my family, and our new little blessing on the way.  Day #2?  A great NY celebration with family and friends.

Well...I think that covers it for me!  I want to do a mid year check-up with these around June to see how I am keeping up with these values.

What are YOUR resolutions? ;)

A Look Back at 2012...

Happy 2013!

WHAT a year!  For me, 2012 was a year of challenges, loss, gain, surprises, and blessings.  I think the most prominent lesson I learned would have to be that life isn't always what you plan it out to be...and God will never leave you when it isn't what you plan for...HERE goes:

In January, I began my first clinical practicum of graduate school, and had responsibility for four clients!  SO scary AND exciting but God helped me through:)

In February, we lost Cade's Papaw Bill, but we know he is now in a MUCH better place.  We also experienced our first tornado by taking shelter in a Dollar General (that was a pretty funny memory).  

In March, Cade came home from working off in Pennsylvania due to a layoff from his job.  He is now happily employed doing what he loves as a Narcotics Officer while earning his degree in Criminal Justice.  

(SO proud of him!)

In April, we unknowingly were A YEAR AWAY from a baby boy.

WHO knew??

In May, I completed my first and most difficult year of graduate school!  Can't believe how FAST it went by.

In June, Cade and I tried something new that I really hope we can do more this summer: hiking!  It was so nice to be outdoors, enjoy the place we live, and do something together that we can enjoy with our furry family:)

In July, I went to the beach with my two sisters:-)  We had a great time and I am looking forward to many more, hopefully with more family members tagging along as well!

In August, we found out about BABY A!  THIS WAS THE SURPRISE!!!! Life changing moment here!

In September, we lost my Papaw Leonard.  Same as Bill, he is just waiting on all of us in heaven:)

In October, I decided to start this blog and we found out Baby A is a BOY:-)  I really have enjoyed sharing this journey so far.

                                                       

In November & December, we celebrated our first Thanksgiving and Christmas without our sweet Papaw's and as expectant parents.  We also celebrated our 3rd Anniversary (the last one without another member of our family present!  Craziness!)

AND we seen our sweet baby's face for the first time!

Goodbye 2012, Hello 2013!

I have to admit that it's pretty sad that we are losing 2012 BUT we are also gaining a whole new year...

A new year to make new memories!  

Excited about what is to come...our new baby boy, the end of grad school, and beginning of new career!  Here is to 2013...

Gonna share my New Year Resolutions tomorrow:)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!