things to remember….

A few nights ago I had a dream that I was in the hospital.  I was having a c-section with Judah.  I woke up just remembering how mad I was that I didn’t get to hold him first.  And I remembered what he looked like in my dream.  He had a really round face with chubby cheeks and dark curly hair.  He was adorable!!!  I wonder what he will really look like?!

Justin has told me several times lately that he thinks I look great pregnant.  It’s so sweet every time.  He makes me melt <3.  He even told me once that he like me better pregnant.  Haha… I told him that was sweet but could be bad because I won’t stay this way!  Hopefully I’ll have at least a couple more pregnancies though.  :)

Our little boy is kicking more and more these days.  He can hear things from the outside now.  The other day I put music from my iphone up to my belly and he started moving around.  I’m excited that he can hear our voices and stuff now.  It makes it more fun to talk to him throughout the day.

 

On another note… I got the bedding in today and LOVE it!  Justin loves it too.  It’s definitely a keeper.  I couldn’t believe how soft and well made everything seemed to be.  Now I’m really itching to find stuff that matches it to go in Judah’s room!

clearing my head

• Seems like these days I just about cannot turn my brain off.  Any time I get still for a few minutes my mind starts racing, and I start adding things to mental lists.  I think that I’ve officially reached my “nesting” mode.. but there isn’t much I can do about it.  I’m in the wrong home in the wrong state with so many things to do before I can really start nesting.  I cannot wait to get moved into a new home and begin setting up Judah’s nursery, among many other things.
• For now, here is the bedding that we have ordered—I haven’t gotten it in the mail yet, so not positive it’s a keeper, but pretty sure.  Justin and I both love the color scheme.  And the rocketships have great significance to us, especially Justin.  It seems just perfect.  It’s from the Dwell Studio for Target line.  LOVE Dwell Studio stuff, and since this is the target line, it’s only costing a little over $100 for the set!  (This is not our crib.. we actually don’t have a crib picked out yet, but I know we want to go with dark wood.)

image found here

• Besides trying to pick out stuff and plan for the baby’s room, I’ve also wanted to start reading more “mommy” books.  I bought several before I was even pregnant, but just haven’t felt like reading in the past few months.  Hopefully I can get back into the reading groove. I used to read a ton!  Right now I’m reading The Happiest Baby on the Block by: Harvey Karp, M.D., and just today I bought Bringing up Boys by: James Dobson.  Any other good book suggestions??

herehere

• As anyone can imagine, I’ve had lots and lots of “firsts” lately.  One of my favorites has been Justin finally feeling Judah kick.  It’s so sweet to me that he can finally feel our baby move.  We played some music this morning and Justin laid his head on my belly and could feel Judah rolling around in there and hear his heartbeat :).  One of my not so favorite firsts happened today at lunch.  The girl at the register asked when I was due, so I told her September.  She then proceeded to ask me if it was twins!!!  haha… I didn’t get upset, but it did leave me wondering how big I am really looking?!  I feel huge, but I thought that was normal.  Oh well!  As long as Judah and I are both healthy, I guess it doesn’t matter how far my belly sticks out.
• My first baby shower is next weekend.  I still can’t believe that I’ll be attending a baby shower that is for MY baby.  It’s so unreal.  I can’t wait to see all of my Texas friends and see all of the cute little stuff that they bless us and Judah with.  Hopefully I’ll have a couple pics to post from the shower.
• I’m officially counting down my last days/weeks at work and my last weeks in Dallas.  I have three more work weeks and four more weeks here before the move.  We still don’t have a house there, and Justin still doesn’t have  a job there… but we aren’t worried about it really.  God has totally given us peace in the situation.  We know we are doing the right thing.. so we are just walking in faith that He will provide at the right time!  It looks like we may be staying with Justin’s parents until we find “our” house.  We’ve all talked about it and think it will be fine.  I hope Sylvester feels the same way!  haha… not sure he will be crazy about living with two barking dogs!
• Speaking of Sylvester.. he has been so needy lately.  He wants way more attention than ever before.  And he’s been super cuddly.  I think he knows a baby is on the way or something!

• I’m really glad that the weather is finally starting to be nice again.  We have had the rainiest May ever this year!  It has been so gloomy and just hasn’t felt like summer.  Not to mention the crazy hail storm and tornadoes that came through a few days ago.  I’m so thankful that everyone I know made it through the storms safely.  That was my first experience with tornado sirens, and I wasn’t crazy about it!
• This is Memorial Day weekend, and I’m excited about the next two days.  Tomorrow we have church and then a church wide picnic outside afterwards.  Then on Monday we have plans to hang out with some friends from church and people that Justin went to school with.  Not sure exactly what we will do.. but maybe grill, swim, hike, volleyball??  And then Monday night we are getting together with Candice, Dom, and Ava to swim and possibly grill burgers.  It will be Justin’s first time to grill burgers!  He will do great, though.  He grilled steaks the other day for the first time and they were delicious!

I guess this is enough brain dumping for now… gotta get back to my laundry!

the truth

I’ve always imagined myself to be one of those women who has super easy pregnancies and loves being pregnant more than life itself.  Needless to say, I was a little shocked at how hard this process can really be.  I don’t hear too many people talk about the details of what it’s like to share your body with another person. 

I know it’s different for everyone.  But for me, the first trimester was pretty intense.  I spent weeks and weeks on end so sick to my stomach that I could sometimes not get off of the couch.  I never had full control of myself.. and would be so upset when once again I had the uncontrollable urge to throw up my food.  The precious food that was so hard to get down in the first place.  Every single day my body wanted something different.  I would crave pot roast one day and gag at the sight of it the next.   Same thing with many different foods.  Not to mention smells.  I just about couldn’t walk through the kitchen without gagging.  Besides the sickness, there was the constant state of zombie-ness.  No amount of sleep was ever enough.  I had no energy to even do a load of laundry or put my dirty dishes into the dishwasher.  It was hard.  I had to rely almost completely on Justin to make it through each day.  And I thought to myself… I really don’t like pregnancy.  But, I always loved being pregnant.

After about week 13, I started having more and more days where I wasn’t completely nauseated and sick.  Every day that I went without that uneasy feeling in my belly felt like a victory.  However, just when I would think the sickness and vomiting were gone for good, I’d have another episode.  At least they were fewer, though.  I could deal with that.  And then… the headaches.  Oh my goodness.  The headaches.  They put me out of commission.  I couldn’t read, look at the computer screen, have lights on in the house, listen to music or just about anything else.  I don’t know how many evenings I spent on the couch in silence in a dimly lit room.  Medicine was prescribed, but didn’t help one bit.  I seriously thought I would have to stop working or else my head would split in two.  With every headache, though, I still thought to myself that this is what I have been praying for.  I would still thank God for blessing us with this little gift inside of me.

Here I sit, at 22 weeks pregnant.  I’m a little over halfway to meeting my precious bundle.  Although the nausea is gone almost completely, and headaches are rare these days… there are new symptoms that have come along.  Heartburn is one. Swollen fingers and feet another.  Backache is even bigger than those two combined.  Even while I type this I feel like my spine is trying to splinter and pull in opposite directions.  It is a pain that never really leaves.  It only intensifies as the day goes on and turns into night.  I know that carrying around the 11 month old baby at work isn’t helping.  Only a few more weeks of that.  I’m really hoping that the back pain will be gone with the job.  Fingers crossed.  Despite these symptoms and the other minor ones that plague me, I am happy and in love.

I can honestly say that I really do like pregnancy now.  Knowing that I am carrying my son around inside me and feeling his little movements every day make it all more than worth it.  I remember telling Justin the other day that I would go through this all again and many times over just to have the chance to meet my sweet Judah.  No amount of pain or sickness can take away the love I already have for him.  I’m so thankful for this pregnancy.  Every single minute of it.  I realize that this is a special time that I’m sharing with my boy that I’ll never get back.  And nobody else gets this time with him.. not even his daddy.  It’s so special being a mother.  I never really understood that before.  Judah is teaching me all kinds of things.  He is my gift from God and answer to my prayers.

I have a feeling that the next 18 weeks of pregnancy aren’t going to be all peaches and cream.  I’m sure that new symptoms will come and others will intensify.  My body is in a constant state of change that I cannot keep up with.  I’m literally being stretched in all directions.  But one thing will remain-- he is worth it all.

22 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:

How far along: 22 weeks

Size of baby: 11 inches.. size of a spaghetti squash.  also finally made it to 1 whole pound!

Maternity clothes: Pants are maternity or stretchy, and shirts are still a good mix.

Gender: baby boy.  Judah Scott Perkins.

Movement:  more movement this past week.. mainly in the mornings and at night when I’m sitting or laying still.  On the 18th, while trying to fall asleep for the night, I felt Judah moving around and put my hand on my belly.  I felt two hard kicks after that from the outside!  That was a first for me.. and I haven’t felt it since.  Can’t wait for more though!

Sleep: Sleep is good I guess.  I’m waking up a few times a night to reposition myself, but go right back to sleep.

What I miss:  bending over and moving around really easily.  I’m also missing my high heels.  Seems like my feet are either swollen already or they are starting to grow.. none of my cute heels fit right anymore.

Cravings:  green grapes, bbq baked beans, and more water than usual. 

Aversions:  I cannot bring myself to cook raw chicken!  Also, the thought of pot roast has had me gagging.  For this week add the smell of a ripe banana to the list.  I took a bite of one and smelled it and then threw it in the trash.  SO NASTY!

Symptoms: back ache, thirstier than usual, itchy belly, and starting to be hot more often.

Best moment this week:  feeling Judah kick from the outside.  And ordering his crib bedding!!!

21 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:

How far along: 21 weeks

Size of baby: 10.5 inches.. size of a banana

Maternity clothes: Pants are maternity or stretchy, and shirts are still a good mix.

Gender: baby boy.  Judah Scott

Movement:  Still not feeling a ton of movement, but felt some definite kicks/punches again this week.

Sleep: Sleep is good I guess.

What I miss:  bending over with ease.  It’s getting harder and harder to move around and bend down with this belly poking out.  Several people this past weekend told me that I’ve “really popped out there..”

Cravings:  I can’t remember craving anything specific.

Aversions:  I cannot bring myself to cook raw chicken!  Also, the thought of pot roast has had me gagging.

Symptoms: back ache mainly.

Best moment this week:  We made it past the halfway point!  I cannot wrap my mind around the fact that I’ve already carried Judah longer than I still have to carry him.  It’s still flying by!

graduation

We had a very big and busy weekend this past weekend!  Justin completed ministry school and had graduation on Saturday night.  His parents and Uncle and Aunt came in town to watch him walk and help us celebrate.

The past two years have been a time of great change.  This school definitely stretched and challenged Justin.  He is such a different person than he was two years ago when we moved to Dallas.  I am so proud of how he has let God shape and mold him.  I know first hand that it wasn’t always an easy road.  There were many times when Justin felt like giving up.. but he never did!  He accomplished his goal, and I think even exceeded his own expectations.

I was so proud and happy just to know that he was graduating, but then during the graduation ceremony we found out that he was also Valedictorian of his class!  What an awesome honor! 

I cannot wait to see what all God has in store for Justin in the years to come.  I know he will be a great teacher and father to many.  He has such a passion for knowledge and learning, and I know he will use that to help others.

Congrats, baby!  I love you!!!  I’m so proud to call YOU my husband and my best friend.

20 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:

How far along: 20 weeks

Size of baby: 6.5 inches.. size of a small cantaloupe

Maternity clothes: Pants are maternity or stretchy, and shirts are still a good mix.

Gender: baby boy.  Judah Scott

Movement:  Still not feeling a ton of movement, but felt some definite kicks/punches during the past week.  He is getting stronger.

Sleep: Sleep has been pretty decent this week.  I have been really exhausted for the past few days, though, and can’t get enough!

What I miss:  not a thing

Cravings:  apple juice!

Aversions:  I cannot bring myself to cook raw chicken!  Also, the thought of pot roast has had me gagging.

Symptoms: super sleepy, back ache (I think this has to do with carrying a 20 lb baby around at work all day), and heart burn!

Best moment this week:  By far my favorite thing was finding out that our little boy is indeed a boy, shopping for him, and starting to register.  This part of pregnancy is awesome!

we found out today!

This morning at 9:20 I had a baby doctor appointment.  It took forever for me to fall asleep last night, and then Justin and I were both up way earlier than necessary this morning.  So much anticipation because we knew we were about to find out what our little one’s name is!

At the appointment we did all of the regular stuff (weight, blood pressure, urine sample…), then waited what felt like an eternity for the ultrasound tech to come get us.  I laid on the table with Justin beside me as she began looking for different organs and getting pictures and measurements.

Eventually she got down the the legs and was measuring something there and I got a glimpse of the area.  haha!  I was pretty sure I knew right away.. but we had to wait on the supervisor to come in and confirm it for us.

As soon as he put the little wand on my belly, he said, “well, there is no doubt about it.. it’s a boy!”.  And he was right.. No doubt!  Here is what we saw on the screen:

Justin said he was smiling ear to ear.  And I had a couple tears leak out of my eyes.  We were both over the moon happy.  Justin had really been wanting a boy first.  I didn’t care either way, but we both felt like it would be a boy.  And we were right!

So, Judah Scott Perkins is on his way!!!

And the even better news is that he looks completely healthy.  Everything measured and looked great.  4 chambers in the heart with a heartbeat of 148 beats/minute.

I’m just not sure the day could get any better.  Words can’t begin to describe how happy we are.  It’s so surreal now knowing that we will be parents to a son.  I can now call Judah by his name when I talk to him and pray for him.  It just really makes it seem more real somehow.

Justin and I have been busy dreaming about all the fun stuff we will get to do with our son.  Fishing, playing ball, camping out, etc.  And most importantly we want to raise him to be a man of God and love Jesus with all his heart.  We went and bought some baby boy clothes right after the appointment and then had lunch together to celebrate.  I’m off work today and thinking I may just go register somewhere later too! 

Judah means “praise” or “thanks”, and we feel like that is so fitting.  After praying and praying for this baby, we are very thankful to the Lord for blessing us with him.  We definitely praise God for this gift.

Kindle Elisabeth

Some of our best friends welcomed their first baby into the world today.  Her name is Kindle Elisabeth, and she is perfection.  She weighs 8.5 pounds and is 19 inches long.  We went to the hospital for a visit after I got off work today, and I’m pretty sure it was love at first sight. 

Seeing Miss Kindle really gets me excited about our little bun in the oven too.  This was the first time I’ve been to visit a newborn and family in the hospital since getting pregnant.  It’s a whole new experience.  I couldn’t help but think that in 5 short months, I will get to meet my little one.  It’s scary and exciting and happy and everything else all rolled into one.

Congratulations, Dustin and Jenna!  She is one beautiful and perfect little gift from God.  I know more than just about anyone how blessed she is to have you two as parents.  I can’t wait to see yall’s story unfold and watch that little princess grow up.  I feel so privileged to get to walk along side you guys in this whole journey.  Love you.. all three of you!

19 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:

How far along: 19 weeks

Size of baby: 6 inches.. size of a heirloom tomato

Maternity clothes: Pants are maternity or stretchy, and shirts are still a good mix.

Gender: Holy Cow!!!  WE FIND OUT TOMORROW!!!  in exactly 12 hours I have an appointment.  I cannot wait!

Movement:  More and more little movements.  Still nothing big that I can definitely call a kick or a punch.

Sleep: Sleep has still been not-so-great.  My sinuses have been acting up so it’s hard to breathe.  And my back has been hurting. 

What I miss:  I can’t think of much.. but I do miss a good night’s sleep.

Cravings:  watermelon and a Captain D’s breadstick (random, I know.. and I didn’t get it because there isn’t one close to us).

Aversions:  I cannot bring myself to cook raw chicken!  Also, the thought of pot roast has had me gagging.  A new one is my gummy vitamins.  I get sick every time I try to chew one.

Symptoms: getting tired easy and backache mainly.

Best moment this week:  I think that my favorite part of the past week has been all of the excitement and anticipation from all of my friends and family.  I have so many people that love us and love this baby anxiously waiting with us to find out the gender and the name of this angel!