Prayer Answered

I went to my MW (midwife) appointment yesterday and baby had already turned heads down.  Hooray!  Thank the Lord that happened so quickly.  In most cases babies do get in the vertex position around this time, but my previous experience made me want to be very proactive about making sure that happened to avoid complications.  I had mentioned to Davey in the week prior that I had a feeling about it, but I didn't want to get my hopes up.  That sounds negative, but I guess it was more realistic since I'm basing everything off my experience with Lailey and I just figured it wouldn't work that way.  I had a chiropractor appointment in Atlanta after seeing the MW, so we debated whether or not it was worth it to keep the appointment since my initial reason for going (breech baby) was now remedied.  I decided to go anyway, and I'm so glad I did.  I felt so great after getting adjusted!  It's been years since going to a chiro, and I guess with all the changes in my pregnant body I didn't realize how much needed tweaking.  I wasn't having any significant pain, just tension and tightness that comes with being 33 wks pregnant.  Well, after my visit all that was gone, my back felt great, and I noticed all day today that despite being on my feet grocery shopping and walking around the house barefoot a lot, my feet haven't hurt all day!  I just thought tired feet were a normal result of carrying all this extra weight, but I can honestly say they don't hurt at all.  Nice.

So, I will continue to go for wellness a few more times before baby is born.  If chiropractic care is supposed to help with proper positioning of the baby for delivery and shorter labor, I'm all for it.  Who wouldn't want that?

Just for kicks (and for memory's sake) I will post a little update about what baby looks like this far along and what is developing.

This week (33 wks) your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

Big Sister in Training

Since finding out about baby #2, we have talked to Lailey a lot about her new baby brother/sister and things that she'll get to do.  Now that her cousin Adalyn is here, we've had some good time to practice with a new baby, thanks to Nick and Julie sharing her with us.  So far Lailey has done really well and hasn't seemed jealous at all.  This could all change once we actually have a new baby in our house, as opposed to the occasional time spent with her cousin, but I still think she will do quite well.   

This picture doesn't show how big my tummy is at 33-ish weeks, but trust me, it's getting out there!

 The other night, Lailey asked to feed Addy her bottle, and it was so sweet.  She sat there so patiently and was so sweet and gentle, even kissing her on the forehead occasionally.  She looks so grown up.

We're getting very excited that our family will be expanding soon.  It's coming very quickly, and every time I look at the blog and see the countdown on the top left I have a moment of disbelief at how fast this pregnancy is flying by.  In one way I'm glad because the summer heat is definitely upon us.  I hesitate to say I'm feeling "sad" that the next several weeks are the last I will have with Lailey by herself, but I'm not sure of another way to put it.  It's funny the range of emotions you experience as a parent.  Nervousness, excitement, fear, joy, elation, all rolled into one.  We have so much to be thankful for.

In baby news, we do have a prayer request: pray for baby to flip since he/she was breech at my last midwife appointment.  I was pretty sure before they checked because I remember what it felt like with Lailey that way.  For those that don't know, Lailey was breech until 38 weeks.  You can read about it in this old post.  Most babies (95%, I believe) get in the vertex (i.e. heads down) position by delivery, but the longer baby stays breech the less chance there is for baby to turn.  Less room in there.  Well, after our experience with Lailey (almost had to have a c-section), I've done some research and after talking to my midwives we are looking into chiropractic care.  It is supposed to be highly effective in relieving any constraints that make it difficult for baby to get in the correct birthing position (head down, facing toward mom's back).  I'm guessing that the way I carry is probably a contributing factor to both my kids being breech this far along.  We're praying that the chiropractic adjustments will work and then we can go on to having a smooth delivery.  I'm not stressed or worried, but I think it's worth asking for prayer.  God knows what position is best for this baby.  Thanks!

5 Year Anniversary (5.20.11)

On May 20th, we celebrated 5 years of marriage!  We sent Lailey happily off to Grammy and Grandaddy's house and spent the weekend in Atlanta relaxing, eating amazing food, going to movies, and actually sleeping in.  I read a whole magazine from front to back.  It was quite the life.  You realize the things you took for granted before having kids.  What exactly did I do with all that time I once had?  I'm not sure I remember.  And I wouldn't change it for the world, but every once in a while it's nice to just have to take care of one person - yourself - for a day or two.  I forgot how easy it was to get ready in the morning!  Of course, by the time we got back we were dying to see our Lailey-Bug.

3rd course of our anniversary dinner at The Melting Pot.  Yum!

My new favorite place in Buckhead, Anis Cafe & Bistro

Saumon à la Poêle  (Sarah's meal)Pan Roasted Atlantic Salmon, Roquefort Risotto, Julienne Endive and Saba Vinegar

Filet of Beef “Au Poivre” (Davey's meal)
Lyonnaise Potatoes, sweet onions, and cognac scented Jus

I took Spanish in school, but I don't have to know French to know the food was amazing.  The salmon melted in my mouth.  Okay, now I'm hungry again.

Wow, looking and feeling very pregnant at 7 months!

It's really hard to believe that 5 years have passed since we said "I do."  We've had our share of ups and downs, as any marriage does, but I've never regretted the choice to spend the rest of my life with him. Who is this man I've been married to for 5 years? First of all, he's my best friend.  We were friends before we dated, and I'll always firmly believe that this is the strong foundation for our relationship.  I enjoy doing absolutely nothing at all as long as it's with him.

Engagement picture

He's my constant source of entertainment.  There's never a dull moment when you're married to Davey.  He cracks me up with his hilarious perspective on life, his not-so-common sense about things, his sense of direction (ha!), his ability to look right at an object and still not be able to find it, and his enthusiasm and curiosity about things.  He still hasn't lost his zeal about things he's interested in, and it's fun to be around someone like that.  Oh, and he's the worst liar ever (he only "lies" in a joking manner, of course).  He squints his eyes in a funny way and I can always tell.  It's quite funny.

He is my Mr. Fix-it.  I can ask him to help me with anything, and if he doesn't know how to do it he'll figure it out.  He's passionate about learning new things and he'll work to figure something out until he does.  Sometimes this can be frustrating when he doesn't know when to give something up (we joke about this now), but there's really something to be said about his perseverance and diligence.  

His newest endeavor?  Learning to cook.  I've taught him a few things, but his real teacher isYoutube.  Yes, my darling husband is learning to cook and prepare foods to help me out on busy days, and he's using his friend technology to help him out.  And you know what?  He's good at it!  Everything has turned out good if not great.  I remind him when he's too hard on himself that I have made many meals before him that didn't make it onto the table again.  

Honeymoon in Cancun, 2006

He is so thoughtful.  He finds ways to make me happy.  He learns to speak my love language as it has changed over the last 5 years.  He puts up with my bad qualities, and gently encourages me to become a better person.  He loves me no matter what.  He forgives me.  He goes out of his way to make my day, from the smallest little detail to big things like cleaning up the whole house and surprising me.  There is very little he doesn't do to keep our house running.  He cherishes family time and makes sure that there is enough of it.

He's creative, funny, talented, diligent, humble, and good-looking (I had to throw the last one in 'cause it's true!).  He follows his passions like becoming a certified fitness trainer.  Whatever he sets his mind to he'll accomplish.  He's incredibly thrifty and will do anything for a good bargain.  One of his prized possessions is his free Craigslist gas grill...which he drove 3 hours round trip for but didn't pay a dime.

NYC Trip 2008

He is an incredible Daddy.  The moment Lailey came into the world something clicked in Davey.  It was like he instinctively knew what being a Daddy was all about.  Not only did he quickly learn and master the basics (oh, those poopy diaper experiences!) but he also takes time to really be a father.  He read her her first book at days old.  He makes things fun in ways only he can.  He dances with her around the living room, body slams her on the bed (she LOVES it), swings her really high, lets her drive in his lap in our neighborhood, and cherishes her nightly request to "snuggle with Daddy."  And these are just a few recent favorites of hers.  The list goes on and on.

He loves Jesus and wants to know him more.  He is the spiritual leader of our family.  He demonstrates his love for God in any way from playing bass in front of thousands of people to working at our church and taking out the trash.  He has a servant's heart.  He knows that it doesn't really matter what you do so long as you're doing it for Jesus.

I'm so proud to be married to him, and I love him exactly the way he is.  Thank you, Davey, for being the most incredible husband and dad a girl could ever ask for.  I love you!  Happy Anniversary.

Lailey "Reads" Peter's Chair

I know there is probably a fine line between saying you're proud of your child and then plain old bragging, but I'm going to hope that I don't cross over too far with this one.  Seriously though, I'm impressed.  Lailey's memory astounds me.  It began months ago when we would read every night and she began finishing the phrases in a few books.  Then she would finish almost every phrase in a few books.  Now it's come to this. The video is almost 5 minutes long, but I had to post it.  And sorry about the shaky camera and blurriness.  She's kind of wiggly and I was trying to get in close so the words of the book could be seen.

Please enjoy Peter's Chair, by Ezra Jack Keats, as read recited by Lailey, age 2.

Warm Laundry, Swings, and Sprinklers

What do these three things have in common?  Well, right now they're 3 of Lailey's favorites.  She loves for us to pile warm laundry on her when it comes out of the dryer, so this day she just decided it was best to climb IN the laundry basket for the maximum coverage.  

"It's warm!"

maximum coverage

Thanks to some dear friends who gave us this swing, Lailey is one happy camper!  She absolutely loves swings, playgrounds, climbing, slides, and the like.  One evening last week Davey hung this swing in our backyard and she's been enjoying it ever since.  The higher we can push her and the faster we can spin her the better.  Do we have a daredevil on our hands?

"Higher!"

Lailey received this sprinkler from Grandpa Jim for her birthday and this week it was warm enough to try it out.  I think it's a hit!

I'm trying to smile, Mommy, but I keep getting wet!

Cousin Addy

After many months of excitement and comments from Lailey about "baby Addy in Julie's tummy," Lailey's little cousin, our niece Adalyn Faith, is here.  She's perfect and beautiful, and we are so excited to welcome her to the family.  And Davey and I are Uncle and Aunt for the first time!

Just hours old

Watching videos on Uncle Eli's computer at the hospital

Lailey meeting Addy for the first time

Cousins two years and one month apart exactly (4.7.09 and 5.7.11)

Taking her paci out - little stinker

Easter 2011

Trying on and modeling her new Easter dress made by Mommy

Last week we celebrated Easter in a different way than we usually do since Davey was playing at a church that Sunday.  Usually we're home for Easter.  Despite the deviation from the norm, we still had a good time and enjoyed Lailey's first Easter Egg Hunt.  We also rode on a boat on Lake Sinclair.  Last year's boat experience was, haha, not so delightful from Lailey's point of view.  She hated wearing her mandatory life jacket.  This year, she was okay with it (still not thrilled), she just didn't want to sit still for a moment.  We had to switch off holding onto her as she darted around the pontoon boat.  Unending energy, I tell ya.  

I'm saaaaaailing!

Driving the boat with Grandaddy

Getting ready to go down the steps to hunt eggs

Which of the 40 eggs should I go for first?

Back home, thoroughly enjoying her cookie sent to us from Aunt Amy since we couldn't be with them on Easter

Our own dyed eggs

Grandpa Jim's artwork

The finished product

Lailey's newest favorite song to perform is "The B-I-B-L-E!"  I just figured out why many of my best videos of her are while she's eating in the high chair: because it's the only time she will actually sit still.  Except when she's sleeping, but that doesn't make for very interesting videos.  She always seems to have food all over her for the videos, but hey, isn't that what being a toddler is all about?  By the way, at the end of the video, she is asking to "see it."  She loves to watch videos of herself on the camera or computer.