The Blossoming Baby Bump

Well - I did it - I have survived the 1st and 2nd trimester and am now beginning my third. I cannot believe that I am 27 weeks already! Besides the kankles that keep creeping up on me - I can't really complain. I feel like my belly cannot stretch any more but I am afraid it has only begun. She is sitting super low so that is a bathroom challenge, but with her growing, I feel her constantly and it is the coolest feeling ever. It is hard to fathom that I have a little one inside of me and she likes to remind me she's there all day. It is strange because although September seems a long ways off, 13 weeks doesn't seem like that long to go. I am so anxious to have her - I know that I shouldn't wish the time away - it will be bittersweet to let go of my alone time with Brad - but I just cannot wait to see her face!

Nursery News

                                            

                               

                         



We finally did it! We got our nursery painted! Our theme is brown and pink (with a touch of polka dots). Our spare room basically has not been used at all - just mostly as an extra closet - so it is so cool to think that within a couple of months, our little baby love will be using it! Here are a couple of pics - Brad did a great job painting and putting the crib together!  I don't have the bedding on the crib yet and our changing table was damaged when we got it sent to us so we should be getting a new one on Tuesday. The picture doesn't show the colors very nicely but we really like how it turned out.

Layla Belle Geurink

A beautiful baby girl was born to our dear friends, Joe and Mere Geurink. Her name is Layla Belle, and she was born 9 weeks prematurely on June 4. She is the sweetest thing with such dainty and delicate features. She was a tiny little peanut weighing in at 3bls 12oz and 16 inches long. Mere was put on strict bed rest a few weeks ago and our prayer was that she would hold off til the end of her pregnancy to have the baby, but God had different plans for her. Although there were many concerns for having her come early, God has blessed her richly and she is doing so well. Layla is staying at the NICU at Spectrum and breathing on her own and able to take some feedings all on her own- she is a little trooper! At times she has a feeding tube because she gets tuckered out easily. She is currently being treated for the precursor for jaundice but otherwise she is doing so good. We have been able to spend time with her a couple of times already at the hospital and each time I see her the first thing that comes to mind is that she is a miracle baby! We feel so strongly that she is another sign of God's goodness in this world. Although our hearts hurt for our friends to have to go through this, it has been awesome to see them as such loving and caring parents. Please keep them all in your prayers as we all hope and pray that Layla will be able to come home soon strong and healthy!

A Farewell to my Friend

I just wanted to properly wish my dear friend Sarah a fine farewell! Sarah Clark (next to me in the middle) left MI on 5/22 to move back to her roots and her family in Kentucky and will be starting a new job at "Save the Children". She worked with me at Hilliard Lyons and Raymond James and was a dear friend of mine. I am such a sap in general and have an especially hard time saying good-bye to people and this time was no different. I have only worked without Sarah now for 2 days now but I feel like there is such a void at our office without her. I could not be more thrilled that she is doing something that means so much to her but I am selfishly sad to have her at a distance. I just wanted to say I miss you Sarah and I hope that your first day at your new job goes awesome! Love you girl!

(Also in this picture is Tina and Kathy whom I love to work with as well!)

The Official Baby Bump

This is for all you out there that do not get to see me on a regular basis (especially for you Shawna:) I have been hearing for weeks from everyone that no one can tell I am pregnant so here is some proof that I in fact have a bun in the oven!

It's a Girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am finally writing in to announce the news that we are having.... a baby girl! I wanted to blog last Thursday when we had our ultrasound, but I wanted to wait until my Dr's appointment today to hear if all was okay. The Dr. said that if there was a report card, the baby would get an A+ (which we are not surprised about considering who her parents are:) The ultrasound was one of the most amazing things that I have ever witnessed in my life. I figured that I would just be bawling like a baby but really I just couldn't stop smiling - I was mesmerized by the fact that I was getting to see my baby for the first time...inside my stomach no less. It was bizarre seeing my insides so up close and personal. When the technician finally starting showing us the baby (after the excruciating pain of having to pee for like 2 hours was over), it was indescribable. Granted, we couldn't see every perfect little feature of hers, but we saw the basic outline of the new love of our lives. I did shed a few tears when I seen that little heart beating - the heart rate was at 143 - it was a sense of joy and relief. Its not that I had negative thoughts but I guess since my pregnancy has been pretty easy-going so far, I sometimes didn't feel very pregnant and was like - do I really have a baby in there? It meant so much to me and Brad to see her. The best part was when we had a really good close up of her face and she started opening and closing her mouth! To all you out there that have been through this before or have children now, maybe this sounds trivial, but my goodness, that was such a blessing to see! They said that she was 15cm and 11oz. Although that seems really tiny, she has never seemed more big or real to us. I am now half way through the pregnancy - 20 weeks! - and starting to feel some commotion from her - yea!!! I must say I am really enjoying pregnancy, but we cannot wait to have her out so we can meet her!

Macie May

We had the pleasure of house sitting for my sister-in-law's dog Macie for the past week. We are dog lovers but not a couple that has ever truly wanted one of our own because of how much work they tend to be. We like to have our own schedule and not feel tied down, but after having her for a week, it almost, I said almost, made us reconsider. We would rush home at lunch and home from work to be with her and almost found ourselves trying to go away separately so we wouldn't leave her alone. I almost had a tear today knowing she was leaving - wow - how unexpected. (Don't worry Elvis Geurink - no one could replace you though:)