The 33 week Pregnant Homeowner

We did it! We bought our first home, and couldn't be more excited that the process is OVER and we can start getting this home ready for our little upcoming arrival. It was definitely an emotional road, but also a great learning experience which we were able to tackle together.

We feel that this home is where God wants us to be right now. There were some hiccups in the road with trying to get this place that led us to think it was a dead end and we actually started our search elsewhere. At that point we tried to remove our emotions from the process and we turned it over to God, trusting and praying that He would guide us where he wanted us. It turns out only a few days later, we got a call from our realtor saying everything had worked itself out. (The house was a short sale so there were many different entities or groups of people that had to agree on who takes the loss financially, plus there was a lien on the property as well. A lien is not good.)

So here we are showing off our house keys right after closing last week. In case you didn't read the title of this blog post, I am 33 weeks along and still feeling great.


Our realtor Silvia wanted to jump in for a snapshot with us. Tom is holding the sweet "welcome home" basket she made, filled with candles, teas, kitchen goodies, and a cookbook.

Pajama Party at the Westin!

My friend Anna is getting married in a few weeks so we got some of our girlfriends together for a lingerie shower/pajama party for a night of celebration. We got a room at the Westin hotel downtown, and I think we were on the 65th floor! We had an amazing view! Here are some pics from our evening together:









We spent the evening hanging out talking, watching movies, opening gifts, and ordering yummy room service dessert. I have such a good time when I am with these girls and I feel so blessed to have them as a part of my life. I am looking forward to seeing the big plans God has for Anna and Steve as they start their lives together. They are such a sweet couple!

Anniversary Relaxation

For our 1st anniversary, Tom and I went to our family's cabin (thank you Aunt Terri and Uncle Larry!) in Hiawassee, which is just outside of Helen. It was so relaxing and refreshing, and just what we had been needing with so much going on with the pregnancy and house hunting.

Here I am, all packed and ready to leave:

We spent our time there reminiscing about our wedding the year before, and wishing we were back down at the Iberostar Grand in Riviera Maya. Tom showed off with his amazing grilling skills by cooking most of our meals. It was so nice to be away from work schedules, house hunting, and to do lists and just be able to spend some quality time talking with no distractions.

We ate the top layer of our wedding cake. It was just as good as the one bite we had at our wedding!


Celebratory drinks: Merlot for Tom and Sparkling White Grape Juice for me :)



We went down to the marina and rented a pontoon boat:


Don't I have a good looking captain?




We went to this quaint little place for dinner one night called The Deer Lodge. It was a very intimate experience and it almost felt as if we were eating at someone's house for dinner. I should forewarn you though: 1. They only accept cash as payment and 2. Definitely share the steak with one, or even two more people. It's huge, but the menu doesn't tell you this bit of info! (16 ounces to be exact!)

Just in case you don't believe me, look at it yourself:


Proudly posing with our giant steaks:




Gotta love self timer:


We ended the weekend shopping and walking around Helen:

365 Days Later...

I cannot believe it has already been one year since our wedding! It has been a fun, busy, exciting year for us. This time last year I never would have thought I would this pregnant with our first baby only a year after our wedding, but I can't imagine life any different now. A year ago today we were down in Riviera Maya on our amazing honeymoon. Oh, how I wish we could go back there every year!

Here's a throwback pic of us in Mexico:


A few wedding pics:













This past year has been far better than I could have ever imagined my life could be. Life as Tom's wife brings more joy each day than the last and I'm so thankful for the man Tom has become. He is a man of strong faith and character, and he is so sweet and tender to me. I have enjoyed laughing, talking, crying, praying, and growing with this man. I know that I still have alot of growing to do in becoming the wife and spouse God intended me to be, and I look forward to a lifetime of making memories with Tom. Happy Anniversary Honey!

For your viewing pleasure...

Last weekend we went to Macon for a family cookout, and my sweet big sister Tiffany snapped a few photos of us at the park in the neighborhood:

30 weeks

I went to my 30 week checkup yesterday and Baby B's heartbeat and my measurements were "perfect" in the words of the doc. We were a little disappointed to find out they are not opening up the hospital for tours of the L&D unit because there is another wave of H1N1 going around. We've never been in Piedmont Hospital before, so we have no clue where to even go when the time arrives. My doctor assured me that when anyone in any part of the hospital sees a huffing and puffing pregnant woman walk in, they will be more than eager to direct us to where we need to go. So as long as we can make it anywhere inside the hospital, we're golden.

I've also recently started getting a million + one complete strangers in the grocery store/post office/ everywhere telling and asking me everything they can think of about my pregnancy. When are you due? Boy or girl? Do you have a name picked out? Are you excited? No, not at all. Of course I am! This was the number 1 confusing question when I was engaged. Of course I am excited to be getting married or else I wouldn't be! Really, you're 30 weeks? Your not that big. I mean...you're big. But not thaaat big. Uuummm...thank you? You need to eat up, you are eating for two. Actually, I only need 300 extra calories, so that's really a myth. These questions don't bother me because I love sharing my joy with other people, but it's when the complete strangers want to touch my belly that I get a little uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong, I love my family and friends touching and rubbing on my belly and waiting to feel Brayden kick, but it's hard for me to feel that same way about complete strangers wanting to touch my baby bump. Am I wrong here folks?

Here is a little factual info about what's going on with me this week:

Weeks: 30 weeks
Maternity clothes? Some shirts, but no maternity pants yet! The bella band rocks!
Sleep: Off and on...it's hard to find a good position, but I can usually get a few good hours before I have to wake up and go to the bathroom.
Best moment this week: Hearing Brayden's heartbeat at the doctor's office.
Movement: ALL THE TIME.
Food cravings: Still fruit...and Rigatoni D! (Creamy Chicken Marsala from Maggianos!)
Gender: sweet baby boy
Labor Signs: none
Belly Button in or out? Just barely out...
What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach and back.
What I am looking forward to: Getting started on the nursery once we get in our new house in a few weeks. Nesting has kicked in!
Weekly Wisdom: Save money in the nursery by DIY projects! We are getting an old rocker from my sister and my grandmother is going to sew cushions to make it more comfortable.
Milestones: Getting into the 30's! Less than 10 weeks until D-Day! Also, preregistering at the hospital for the delivery!

Feeling Really Pregnant...

So I'm on my way to 29 weeks and I'm feeling really pregnant. I went to the doctor yesterday for a quick checkup and my measurements and baby's heartbeat checked out good. I did my glucose tolerance test, which wasn't too bad at all, but then I had to get a ton of blood drawn for that test as well as an iron test and a clotting test. I was really tired yesterday after my visit from having so much blood taken...I slept so good and hard last night I told Tom I felt like I had taken a sleeping pill or something. Good sleep is hard to come by these days!

While I was at my appointment, I met with the ob nurse and she was talking to me about labor and how to tell if it is real or fake, as well as alot of other helpful information. After I left I was thinking..."Am I already to the point they feel the need to tell me about labor? Oh no, I am!" That made me a little nervous that the time will be here in a little over 11 weeks, or possibly sooner! I'm looking forward to our birthing class, which we will do at the beginning of May. Tom and I have also been talking about starting to come up with a birth plan, since there are certain things I really want and don't want (I really don't want to be induced unless it's a necessity, and Tom wants to be as involved as they will let him be). This appointment was my last monthly appointment and now I will now start going for checkups every 2 weeks, and then weekly starting at week 36.

I had my first Braxton Hicks contraction a few days ago, but haven't had one since. I am feeling Brayden twisting and turning in my belly rather than just kicking now which is a really neat feeling. I can sometimes even feel his arm sweep across my stomach. This week Brayden now weighs over 2.5 lbs. and is approx. 15 inches long!

Check out how big he is making my belly grow:

Nursery Furniture!!

We ordered the nursery furniture a few weeks ago, and I'm super excited about our choice.

The Crib:


The crib comes with the toddler bed conversion kit and it can also be turned into a full bed when he's a little older.

The dresser:


I plan to put a changing pad on top of the dresser to make it double as a changing table while he is a baby.

I will post more pics when his furniture comes in and we get started on the nursery!

Tom's new hobby..

So over the past few months, Tom has started to really enjoy running. So much, in fact, that him and a group of guys run 4-5 miles through the city on their lunch break a few days a week.

Tom decided he wants to run in the Peachtree Road Race this year on July 4, but he needed to first run in a qualifying race to be able to start in a decent position. There are 55,000 people that run the Peachtree so if you have to start in the back, you walk for the first mile and half or so. This past weekend he ran the Chattahochee Road Runners 10K, which was one of those qualifying races.

Tom and I bright and early before the race started:



About to cross the finish line:



I am so proud of him...He ran almost 6 and 1/2 miles in 47 minutes! It was such a beautiful day out so I was really happy to spend the morning outside!

3rd Trimester

So today I am 25 weeks, 4 days along. My 3rd trimester has definitely snuck up on me!! Overall, I have no major complaints. Some of the less than glamorous things I have noticed happening with me are:

-->I have noticed that I am starting to get tired more easily again like in the first trimester, and being able to sleep soundly is pretty much nonexistent. I constantly wake up to shift positions, use the bathroom, or because of the kicking alarm clock inside me. No other time do you love being kicked as much as this except when you're pregnant.

-->Heartburn has made its way into my life. My mother in law said that means Brayden is going to have a head full of hair!

-->I've also noticed I am becoming forgetful (my list-making skills are really coming in handy right now) and also just a little clumsy.

-->I notice so many more aches and pains in my body than ever before. After walking 45 minutes on the treadmill, my hips and legs begin to ache.

All of this is more than worth it for a healthy baby boy though, so bring it on!

I went in last week for a routine ob visit and the doctor said I'm measuring right on track and that Brayden's heartbeat sounds good. Tom was able to hear Brayden's heartbeat this week by putting his ear on my belly. So cool...I'm kinda jealous! I go back to the doctor in 3 weeks for the gestational diabetes test so I plan on bringing a good book with me since I have to sit for an hour and wait for the results.

Growing bigger every day:

What's in a Name?

Most of you probably already know by now that we are planning on naming our little boy Brayden Thomas, but I thought he still needed a proper introduction for those of you who didn't know. Picking a boy's name was really easy for us, and he was pretty much Brayden since the day we found out he was a boy. We actually didn't even crack a baby name book. (Thanks Tiff for letting us borrow it anyways!) So, Brayden it is...no turning back, especially after the first monogrammed gift arrived last week. :) Just kidding. I know this little boy is going to be blessed with so many wonderful people around him that love him. I went to the mail this week to find some adorable personalized towels from his Aunt Tiff. She is always so thoughtful and I can't put into words how good she is to me and she is always there to help make my life easier. From pretty much furnishing our whole first apartment, to always being there when I need her,to helping us shop and plan for Brayden, the list could keep going...So Tiff, if you read this, thank you for being you and having you as my big sister is such a blessing!

His hooded towel and washcloth set:


Every cool little baby boy needs a shark beach towel! I love this!


Since you've seen his beach towel, I thought you should also see his cute bathingsuit that I found at baby gap for when we go to the beach with Tom's family in September:


The name Brayden means "brave". When I looked up the meaning of his name, I thought it was really ironic that the name we chose for our little man meant brave. I have always struggled with a spirit of fear and I have talked to Tom about how I didn't want to pass that on to my children. Reading that translation of his name, I felt like God was telling me that this is not something I have to pass on to my son. My prayer for Brayden is that he is brave. Brave to try new things, brave to stand up for his beliefs and to witness to others, and to not allow a spirit of fear to keep him from responding to the life God has planned for him. I am reminded of the verse in 2 Timothy that says "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."

I pray that God will bless him and that He will give Brayden a heart for Him and to serve His Kingdom. I can only imagine that there is no greater joy than when you know your child loves the Lord.

No hiding that belly now...

Today I am 24 weeks, which marks the last week of my 2nd trimester! Baby must have grown alot over the last few weeks, cause I sure have! Take a look:



I've officially lost my belly button:







Tom is loving my growing belly and getting to feel baby kicks and punches day in and day out. The sweetest thing ever is when he puts his lips to my belly and sings to the baby because the baby usually responds to Tom's voice and starts kicking when he hears his daddy singing to him. The question is, is he kicking telling Tom to be quiet or does he love it? If I were a betting woman, I'd say he loves it. His daddy does have a good voice after all!

Spring, is that you?

Today was such a beautiful day in Atlanta! It was in the mid 60's so after church we decided to get outside and walk some trails that follow along the Chattahoochee River. We stopped on a bridge for a quick photo op:



Tom was checking out all of the people fishing in the river. He went out fishing yesterday morning but wasn't able to catch anything so I'm sure he was a little jealous of all the people catching trout here.



After we left the trails, we went on an afternoon drive with our windows down, which was so refreshing! I just wish this warm weather was here to stay. I saw this evening it's supposed to get cold again this week. :(

On baby related news, this week was the first time that he has been waking me up throughout the night kicking and bouncing around in my belly. I've been exhausted from not getting good sleep, but I can't really complain because there is no better feeling than when he is moving around because I know he is doing great! I have heard that as you get further along in your pregnancy it gets harder and harder to sleep anyway so maybe I am starting to get to that stage. Something neat I read in one of my books is that not being able to sleep very good during pregnancy is your body's natural way of preparing you for getting little sleep once baby arrives. How cool is that? God thinks of everything, doesn't He?