Baby's First Game

Hey.

Baby J went to his/her first basketball game last night!

Jered's buddy/co-worker/fishing co-conspirator, Tyler, got free tickets and invited us to go.  I didn't really think much about it being Baby J's first game, but the boys made a big deal about it, and Jered forced me to bring home the program and tickets to put in the baby book.

Baby J must have really enjoyed it (or hated it- but it's more fun to think it was enjoyed) because there was a dance party going on in my belly the whole time we were there.  Especially when the music was playing.  (Jered thinks this means he's going to be a baller;  I think it means she's going to have the dancing skills I never got.)

A few things to note about this picture:

    +Tyler is so happy.

    +Jered looks rather angelic- it even looks like sun beams are shining down on him.

    +Jered is wearing a twenty-something year old Bass Pro sweatshirt and Top Gun hat from Chadd's

      basement.  He wanted to wear his black alligator skin boots as well, but I had to draw the line.

    +As opposed to most third-wheel dates, one of the people who form the actual couple in this photo

      is the third-wheel.  (That would be moi.)

On a whole different note, my little sister is getting married in exactly TWO MONTHS.  Whoa!  And I have to tell you that not posting a picture of her in her dress is one of the hardest things I've ever done because she looks so amazing.  

Well, that's about it for now.  Talk to you later.

Aim

In My Pregnant Skin

Hey.

I have something super duper exciting to tell you!  Well, it might not be super duper exciting for you, but it is for me, so fake your enthusiasm if you must.  (I also noticed, by the time I finished, that this is really lengthy.  Sorry.)

First I must tell you that I naively entered this pregnancy thinking that I would enjoy a "pregnancy glow."  We've all heard of it.  A pregnant woman gets to enjoy radiant, glowing skin and thick, fast-growing, luscious, hair.

LIES!

Ok, ok, maybe those aren't lies for everyone.  Maybe some women really do enjoy such changes, and to them I say, "You lucky duck."

This girl has been experiencing the complete opposite.  Not only am I having more breakouts than normal (like ALOT more), I have this super fun rash around my eyes.  Luckily it's not itchy, but I'd still rather not have a raccoon mask of little red bumps, thank you very much.

I'm going to attempt to be incredibly brave and share some hideous skin pictures with you today.  A couple weeks ago I sent these to Katie through Facebook messenger with the message: Don't ever get pregnant- this will happen to you:

Ok, that might be a little harsh, but seriously.  These are even terrible quality from my dark room and don't show the extent of the damage.  We are talking big clusters of enormous mountains on my jawline, clusters on my upper chin, a few to several Mount Kilimanjaros on my forehead (thank goodness for bangs-amIright?) and the aforementioned rash spreading from my eyelids, down to my cheeks.

Not cool, Baby J.  Why would you do this to your loving mother who is just trying to carry you the best she can and plans to spoil you with snuggles when you finally arrive??

So you see, this has been fairly traumatizing for me.  I know I probably sound a little melodramatic, but seriously- I sit here and think about it all. freaking. day.  It doesn't help that they tend to be painful too.  Just a little salt for the wound to my vanity.

Well, you know what a person does when they have a problem like this...  

They scour Pinterest for a remedy.

And scour I did.  But before I tell you that, I'm going to give you a riveting little complexion background.  (Again- try to contain your enthusiasm.)

Looking back, I was incredibly lucky during junior high and high school.  I rarely had breakouts, and when I did, it was one zit.  (The horror!)  

(This was technically during my first year at SRC, but it was before my problems began.)

I didn't experience any issues until college.  Things really started acting up when we went to TIU.  Ashley and I both found that our skin was changing, and it was probably due to diet, and we suspected the water as well.  

(Notice the state of my first chin.  A couple big-uns.  This picture was also just an excuse to show you how adorable my husband was in college.)

I thought things were about as bad as they could be because I had never had problems before, but boy, was I wrong!  I'm sure I only have myself to blame, as after college I got in a nasty habit of tanning on my lunch break from work, and I didn't clean my makeup off.  That is my guess, anyway, as to why my skin got really awful.  (Also the fact that I was drinking alo-hot of pop.)

(I actually had trouble finding a photo that would show you how bad it was because I edited them as much as I could to hide my skin!  You can see how splotchy it is and the several large ones though.)

 

(I'm not even kidding you- I would make pictures look like this to hide my skin!  Like these are what normal pictures look like.  Jeepers- nice try Aim.)

Well, at this point I was at my wit's end.  I would literally cry over my the state of my skin.  One Sunday afternoon Dad and I were watching T.V. and a Proactive commercial came on.  You've seen them.  They seem like the perfect fix.  So I did it.  I called right then and there and ordered some Proactive.  And I couldn't wait for it to come in.  

The first time I washed my face with it, it was magical.  My skin felt so soft and smooth.  I would say, within a month, my face had mostly cleared up and healed from it's previous state.  I remember after about a year of using it, I was talking with Aunt Diane about it, and how I hadn't had a (sorry-gross) pop-able zit since starting it.  It was glorious.  

(Just in time too- who wants to have nasty skin when they're getting engaged and married and having their picture taken all the time.  Look at that glow!  I'm lusting over my complexion in this picture.  Also- check out my husband.  He's so hot.)

Ahem.  However, over the past two years, I've started noticing more and more breakouts.  It got so bad in the fall, that I decided to switch to this natural black soap I had heard rave reviews about.  Little did I know, the massive breakout I was experiencing was probably an early pregnancy symptom, since it occurred about two weeks before I found out I was expecting.  Although I was still experiencing breakouts, my skin seemed healthier, if that makes sense.  It was less dried out, plus I had heard that you shouldn't really use the heavy chemical stuff on your skin when you're pregnant, so it seemed like a good time to switch.  

I started using the black soap, along with witch hazel for astringent, a clay mask once a week, and stuck with my mom's moisturizer that she makes because I love it.  All fairly natural stuff.  And it seemed to do pretty well for awhile.  Then the rash started.  And the huge zits came back.  And by the time we came home from our Christmas break, I was in tears over the state of my skin.  Again.  (See the first photos.)

So the scouring of Pinterest began, and I found some more natural remedies that people swore by, and decided to try them.  (Their photos should take you to their pages.)

First, I started using Grapeseed Oil as my nighttime moisturizer.  This did not seem to help.  

My face was still incredibly dry, which I've learned from lots and lots of reading causes you to break out more and have even oilier skin.  No good.  Then I came across this one, and she had such great results, I had to try it.  I finally got around to it this week: the oil cleansing method.  Sounds crazy right?  But read her post, and it makes sense.  

So, I started this, and right away, my face felt good.  Soft and healthy, albeit still covered with breakouts.  I only did it at night, and still used my Grapeseed Oil as the nighttime moisturizer.  I even ran out to Jered, and at great risk, said, "Look!  It looks better!  Doesn't the rash look like it went down already?"

(You see, my skin does this really neat trick, where if I even think, "Oh, it's starting to look clear," within hours, I will feel a big one revealing itself.  You think I jest, but Jered told me a couple weeks ago, before we went out, that my skin was looking clearer, and while we were at the movie that night, the pain of a new one on my forehead started.  If it wasn't so annoying, it might actually be a cool trick.)

But it didn't this time!  However, my skin during the day still felt extremely dry.  Not as bad as it had been for the last couple weeks (painfully tight), but still not great.  So I thought it still wasn't going to work.  

So a few nights ago, I switched my evening moisturizer.  I started using Coconut Oil.  

I kid you not, the next morning there was a noticeable difference.  The areas on my skin that were normally dried out by morning, were still soft.  Scabs (gross, I know) that I had the night before were practically healed.

Now, full disclosure, my skin has not completely cleared up (I still look like I have a raspberry on my jaw from the everlasting cluster,) but even Jered is amazed.  He said I could quote him as saying, "You went from having mountains to little hills over night."  He's so sweet. Ha.  Aaaaand, after three days of thinking, and both Jered and I saying that it looks better, no new zits.  Miracle?  Or Coconut Oil broke the curse?  I don't know, and I don't care.

I truly wish I had taken a before and after photo.  Sorry.

If you are interested in trying it out, Pinterest has a bajillion links to different Oil Cleansing Methods.  What I have done is this:

At night:

+  I mix about 6 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil with 1 tablespoon of Cold-Pressed Castor Oil.  (After reading the update made by the girl in the second link, I decided on that lesser amount of Castor Oil because she said the original mixture dried her face out a little too much.)

+ I follow her directions with massaging the mixture onto my face (about a quarter-sized amount in my palm).  Then using very warm/hot water, I cover my face with a soaked washcloth to soften the oil, then proceed with rinsing the washcloth and wiping my face until I feel it is cleaned off.

+  After patting my face dry, I use a bit of Coconut Oil instead of my usual moisturizer.

In the morning:

+  Rather than washing, I've just been rinsing my face off.

+  I still use my witch hazel as an astringent, but if I feel my face is a bit on the dry side, I skip it for the day.

+  I then finish with my mom's moisturizer.  (Maybe after this weekend I can share the recipe with you.)

+  If, after finishing my makeup, I see any spots that look a little dry, I dab a little Coconut Oil on them, and then my face is still moisturized by the end of the day without being greasy.  Awesome!

If you've stuck around long enough to make it here, you are a trooper!  Way to go, you!

Now, while I can see a major difference, what about those pesky big ones?  Well, I'm majorly thankful to my cousin, Kristen, who is an Essential Oils guru and is going to give me a mixture to try out and see if we can't knock them out as well.  I'm very hopeful.

Well guys, this turned into a way, way, way longer letter than I thought it was going to be.  Hopefully it wasn't too rough for ya. 

Oh- real quick- yesterday in the wee hours of the morning, I was woken up by Baby J.  It was so weird, my stomach was jutting out and hard as a rock.  He/she must have been turning around or something.  I tried to wake up the Mister so he could check it out, but he wasn't all about waking up in the middle of the night.

Ok, you made it.  All the way to the end.  Congrats, and have a good weekend!

Aim

Telling Jered

Hey there.

It occurred to me that I didn't really tell you about that one time we found out we were going to have a baby.  Let me forewarn you: it's not a cutesy romantic story like most.

I went home for a visit and a bridal shower during the last weekend of September.

See that face?  That is a girl who has no idea she has a baby inside her at that moment.

I drove home that evening and could hardly keep my eyes open despite the cup of coffee I had before I left and the Mountain Dew that kept me company on my trip.  

I'm going to attempt to navigate the rest of this story without giving you too much information...  That evening when I got home, I realized that I wasn't as certain about my not-being-pregnant as I thought I was that afternoon.  Next day: still no sign of not being pregnant.  

When I got home from work I chugged a glass of water and used a pregnancy test that we had around just in case.  Nothing really showed up, except a very, very, very faint line that wasn't really decipherable.  Basically just a line that would be noticed by someone who was paranoid and terrified.  Then I read the directions that say to use the test in the morning and to try not to drink a bunch of water before you use one because that can dilute things and make it unclear.  Oh.  

I went to Jake and Molly's that night to babysit and was not my usual charming self.  (Ha)  Either I'm not usually that charming, or I put on a good face because they didn't seem to notice.  I happened to write THIS while I was there.  After they came home, I took my leave and stopped by Walmart to pick up another test for the next morning.

Jered came home from work that night, and I told him I might be pregnant.  He laughed and didn't believe me.  

Well, the next morning I got up early, and as soon as he left for work, I tried again.  Almost instantly a pink plus sign appeared, and I thought to my self, Oh gosh.  There's that.

I looked in the mirror and held my flat tummy that immediately felt bigger somehow.  And I looked at myself... and cried.  I am not ready for this.

I pulled myself together enough to go to work, but I was in a mood all day.  To fully understand why, I'd have to tell you our dirty, little secret:  I was uninsured for all of 2014.  (I know, I'm about to face huge issues during tax season.)  All I could do was stress.  I couldn't tell anyone.  I didn't want to tell Jered in a text.  I just bottled up my anxieties and thoughts all day and was miserable.  

I drove home, expecting Jered to still be at work and thinking that I should come up with a nice way to tell him.  When I walked in the door he was there, and all I could do was collapse into his arms for a hug.  

"How was your day?"

"Not real good."

"Why?  What happened?!"  (He thought I wrecked the car or got fired.)

"I'm pregnant."  (So much for finding a nice way to give him the news.)

"Get out!  Shut up!"

Jered laughs, I cry.

He hugs me and throws his head back in laughter and looks at me, smiling in disbelief.  I cry out of sheer terror.  And he holds me and tells me everything will be just fine.  And I begin to believe him.

(During that first week of knowing.)

And he was right.  We found a free, Christian-run clinic that offered ultrasounds, so we were able to get that done at ten weeks.  The insurance started just in time for us to go in for the twenty week ultrasound, and we don't have to worry about the pregnancy being considered a pre-existing condition.  Everything will be covered, and baby is growing and healthy.

My husband is a perfect example of what it means to have the faith of a child.  I wish I had that.  At least I have him.

I feel a little quite bad that the one person who I should have given the most joyful announcement to, got the weepy, scared, not excited announcement.  In a way though, it's been nice to have my enthusiasm grow because of his reaction.  I love knowing that he can't wait to meet Baby.  I love knowing that he is excited.  I know he is going to be an amazing dad, and that knowledge has helped me become more and more excited myself because I know I'm going into this with him.

Parenthood is going to look great on him.

Talk to you later,

Aim

Creative Dreamer, Doer, Maker

Hello.

I drove through melted snow today, and despite the ever darkening splattered windows to my car, it was stupendous.  While I am thankful for the beautiful weather today, I'm a little disappointed that I live in an area that is experiencing a winter where thirty-seven degrees feels delightfully warm.

Well, Ima link you up again to something I read this morning.  It felt like exactly what I needed to read today, hitting on some feelings I've been experiencing, but hadn't put my finger on yet.  It's a long read, but a good one.

I feel like I have roughly four months to get myself together.  I know this is impossible and that in reality I'm going to learn more about myself during the events that take place after that period of time than I will before, but it doesn't stop this desire that's sprung up in me recently.

One of the goals I set for myself for this year is to read through all the devotional books I haven't gone through yet.  Some of them have been sitting on my bookshelves for years, and I just ordered some last summer that are about art, creativity and how those relate to and are influenced by our relationship with God, the original and ultimate creator.

Yesterday I ordered this devotional after reading about it HERE.

It seemed like something that will fit in well for this season of life.  I even splurged and got the complete set with the journal included.  I'm hoping maybe it will give some added direction and spur on my thoughts more than just reading.

Back to the feels- I feel like I need to take control of my time because before too long it won't be just my own.  Jered and I have both talked about getting up an hour earlier to get a more balanced breakfast and a devotional, maybe even a walk in.  I actually really like doing that stuff in the morning; it's just that my snooze button is so stinking alluring in the dark comfort of my bed.  

I can't help but think that I would feel so much more prepared for the day that way though.  Mentally, physically, and spiritually.

I loved that blog post linked at the top because much of it had to do with owning who you are, to strive to find out about yourself rather than going along with what is expected.  When I started to think about that, I wondered how much of what I do, say, wear, you name it, is grounded in what is expected or popular.  If I were to go all out and do what I felt like, to focus on what I'm passionate about, what would that even look like?

Jered likes to ask me about my ambitions and passions.  I kind of hate it when he does.  He did it last night, and I always start to question myself.  Is there anything?  What drives me?  What truly excites me?  I start to get this terrible feeling that I don't know at all and that I've just been along for a ride.

When I read that post this morning, and when I read about that devotional yesterday, I started to feel that fire.  It's when I'm reading blogs by creative women, when I see art, when I read something inspirational.  My heart rate increases and my mind gets going- I don't always know where it's going, but it is moving nonetheless.

In the next few months, I want to focus on giving those thoughts the attention they need to thrive and blossom.  I want to grow and expand my creativity and get into better habits, so that once life changes and it's a bazillion times harder to keep up with those habits, I will at least know they are there to get back to.  I'm excited about this new devotional because I honestly wouldn't normally think of myself as either a dreamer or a doer, and it's about time that changed.

In other news, our due date was pushed back today.  Baby J's new due date is June 4, and I'm going to sound silly saying that I'm a little disappointed that the size of my belly is for a 20 week baby instead of a 21 week baby.  I know that's not important.  What's important is the good bill of health we received and the confirmation that Baby J is growing like he/she should be.

Just look at how good-looking our kid is!  We made that.  No big deal.

 

Except it is!  Look at those tiny little guns and that button nose!  We're hoping Baby J has my fingers and toes and a mixture of our hair.  Looking at these just make me so amazed at the might of God.  Wow wow wow.  Look at that tiny human inside me!  I am so thankful for the advancements in technology and medicine that allow us to see Baby J.  Majorly cool.

Well, it's time for me to start winding down.  Have a good night!

Aim

Better than Soul Mates

Hi.

You know the "trending" news feed on Facebook?  I have a love/hate relationship with it.  I love when actually important stuff pops up there, laugh at the stupid headlines that are deemed newsworthy (you know... TMZ kind of news), and feel overwhelmed by the number of stories that make me disgusted with humanity.

Anyway, did you spy with your little eye that Nicholas Sparks is separating from his wife of twenty-five years?  Sad and ironic, right?  Side note: one of the things that made me adore Jered when we met, was that he enjoyed Nicholas Sparks books.  I didn't care for them at all, but thought it was endearing that he had this soft side.  Ahem, I mean he's really tough... and stuff.

I came across THIS BLOG POST on Facebook as well, addressing the problem with people believing that real life is like a Nicholas Sparks novel.  Another side note: luckily for me, Jered didn't fall into that category.

Well, this guy's posts end up on Facebook quite often, I think, because he's very outspoken about controversial topics, and he uses shock value in his titles.  Sometimes I think he just comes across hot headed and over the top, but generally I agree with him.

Here is an excerpt from the post linked above:

"We’ve got it all backwards, you see. I didn’t marry my wife because she’s The One, she’s The One because I married her. Until we were married, she was one, I was one, and we were both one of many. I didn’t marry The One, I married this one, and the two of us became one. I didn’t marry her because I was “meant to be with her,” I married her because that was my choice, and it was her choice, and the Sacrament of marriage is that choice. I married her because I love her — I chose to love her — and I chose to live the rest of my life in service to her. We were not following a script, we chose to write our own, and it’s a story that contains more love and happiness than any romantic fable ever conjured up by Hollywood."  - Matt Walsh

When I read that I thought, "Hmm.  Being the one Jered chose to marry is a lot more meaningful than being 'The One' or, try not to gag: 'soul mates.'"  I don't know why anyone would prefer it the other way.  The fact that Jered is daily choosing to love me, despite the fact that we aren't a perfect match, is a big deal.  It's a testament to the kind of man he is- one who knows what love is really about.  In fact, when we first said "I love you" to each other, he gave us homework!  We read as many Bible passages on love as we could find.  He knew it wasn't just the emotional, butterfly-inducing feelings.

(Right around that time)

It's not always pretty sunsets and flowers, but our marriage is good.  You know, it's better than sunsets and flowers because we are strengthening and sharpening each other with each worked-through argument.  We are growing and loving and becoming more of who God created us to be because God is using us to teach each other.  

And that's so much better than just being soul mates.

Talk to you later,

Aim

A Very Short Rant and Nursery Ideas

Hi guys.

Did any of you see the news about Kaley Cuoco Sweeting a week or so ago?  You can follow the link there, but when asked if she considered herself a feminist, she answered, "Is it bad if I say no?"

Girlfriend got all kinds of hate.

She mentioned how she likes being a housewife and serving her husband, and people went crazy- so much so that she felt the need to issue an apology for her comments.  Seriously?!  What is wrong with that?  I'm all for equal pay, being respected, not being doormats and all that, but I wouldn't consider myself a feminist either.  When did that become a reason to hate on fellow women?

Ok, rant over.  Please don't hate me for not burning my bra.

Can we talk nursery?  Please, oh please, can we? 

I'm fairly certain that I, at one point, promised I would write to you about things other than pregnancy, babies, and the like, but... it's still a pretty consuming concept.  Forgive me. Por favor.

I've had many high hopes for Spare Oom over the last year and half.  Obviously I dreamed that we would have this sweet, little guest room for when family came to visit.  It was also going to be the Mister's study, a room for me to put my face on in the morning, and basically a project room.

I wish I had taken pictures of it now.  It had a few weeks spaced out in that year and a half where it looked like a decent guest room/study.  For the last few months, however, it has been a labyrinth of junk that you must carefully maneuver through if you need to find something so that you don't trip and fall and become lost forever.

(This, folks, would be why my dad keeps telling me that getting a bigger place is not always the way to go because you magically find ways to fill it up with stuff that you don't need.) 

Well, I brought forth my proposal to start working on the room early because it will be so much more difficult to do when I'm waddling around, looking like I have a beach ball under my shirt.  The Mister, thankfully, agreed.  We can now walk in and around the room.  Huzzah. 

Now the fun part can begin. 

One of Jered's coworkers is selling us his like-new crib at a generous price, so that is awesome.  My parents got me/us a gorgeous rocking chair from Cracker Barrel for Christmas that I'm going to find/make cushions for.  Then all we want to find is a very inexpensive dresser that could double as a changing table.  (Or if the Craigslist fates are on our side, one of those combo dresser/changing tables.)

I'm pleased to say that Jered and I are finding that our tastes are lining up really well, and not just because he's telling me to do whatever I want and that he doesn't really care.  In fact, our tastes are lining up so much, that my friend at work laughed and said I've been around Jered too long when I showed her this crib sheet that I love:



 



You know, she's probably right.  I don't know that I would have given this a second glance a couple years ago, but now I'm in love with it.

Even though Jered would love for me to come up with my own ideas, I can't help perusing Pinterest on the daily to look for details that stand out to me.  I mean, have you looked at Pinterest nurseries?  They're amazing.

Yesterday Jered had me draw out "exactly" how I want the nursery to look.  I don't know what that looks like still, but I drew out a tentative idea.

Basically we are both leaning towards a simple, woodsy kind of theme, which if you know Jered at all, you will find shocking, I'm sure.  It seems like neither of us are really into the traditional, overly cutesy, baby look.   I also like the idea of using some animals that maybe aren't as popular when it comes to nurseries.  I saw an adorable hedgehog stuffed animal recently that I kind of fell in love with.  I think maybe it's my slight aversion to the traditional baby looks, or maybe just the strong "gendered" colors that makes me like them in their realistic colors too.

 

 

Aren't these guys cute?  I have one similar that might have to come out of the Christmas ornament box and become a staple in Baby J's room.



 

Jered pointed out that we currently have several items on our bookshelf that would work for the look we have in mind.  They include an owl bookend, a wooden bird Joel brought Jered from Jamaica, a few classic books like The Swiss Family Robinson, Huckleberry Finn, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, a sketch I did of a little raccoon when Jered had Lucius, and some other trinkets.

 

I'm dying to have a fur rug in there.  Mom thinks it would be ideal if I used one of Dad's bear rugs, which I might agree with, if it weren't for the teeth and sharp claws.  Not exactly crawling-baby/barefoot-middle-of-the-night-mommy friendly.

 

 

While I think this one is lovely, we have beige/tannish carpet, so I'm wondering if one of these might pop a little more.

 

 

 

Don't worry animal lovers- we're talking faux fur here.  Although, Jered does have a deer hide he would have loved to use for this.  I'm just afraid it would blend into the carpet too much.  Maybe it can be a wall hanging...

 

When it comes down to it, two things stand out as accents that we both really want in the room.  One is the rug.  The other is something like one of these:

 

 

 

I am so enamored by these!  Maybe I have been spending too much time with Jered.  Ha.  I've seen several stuffed animal ones, but for some reason I feel like those would be more traumatizing to a child.  I'm probably crazy. 

 

Well, I think that's about it.  If any of you are creative and want to give me some brilliant ideas that I can pass off to Jered as my own, share away! 

 

Talk to you later,

 

Aim







Halfway There, Living on a Prayer

Hi.

Gosh- it's already January 9th!  Christmas and the start of the new year have already come and gone, along with my thoughts of giving you a run down of our Christmas vacation.  It seems like so long ago already that it's become blurred in my mind... 

Oh, you know me.  I've got to share a few things.

Seester graduated!  Hip-hip-hooray for this day! 



Then we had a Christmas day with my mom's side of the family.  Katie, Kiera, and I were astounded by the difficulty of a trivia game we thought we'd fly through easily.

Wonderful surprise:  Justy was still in Cissna Park!  We didn't think he was going to be home for Christmas, so it was truly a delight to walk in and see his face.

While the brothers played basketball or hunted in weather too chilly for this lady, the girls played hours of card games and learned to make cinnamon rolls.  (I was again reminded of how lucky I am to have in-laws that don't feel like in-laws, but are truly family.)

 

 

Cool moment: on Christmas Eve, I felt Baby's kicks for the first time!  I think they were still too small for Jered and Katie to be able to feel, but they definitely happened.  (In the last week Jered has been able to feel them almost daily, possibly due to the fact that Baby's legs just had a growth spurt according to the What to Expect app on my phone.)

*I think it's also safe to say that the belly has officially popped.  Along with my belly button- it is so weird.

 

Exciting news:  In less than an hour and a half, Katie found her wedding dress!  She only needed to try on six dresses, and as soon as Mom zipped up the dress, I knew it was the one.  We walked out of the dressing room with her, and Amy, Peggy, Mom, and I all started crying/giggling.  Magical.

 

I exceeded my own personal best gift wrapping:

 

 

That, my friends, is Ashley and Caleb's gift, wrapped up to look like a cat.  It stood on its own and everything. 

 

(I'm realizing that I did a rather terrible job of taking pictures this holiday season.  I'm sure next year we'll have loads.)

 

We had some really fun game nights, including one where we played Hollywood Game Night at The Farm.  I really hope you can view THIS VIDEO.

 

I feel like I'm missing a bunch, but like I said- it's already getting blurry.  Plus I said just a few things.

 

In Baby J news, we visited the doctor yesterday.  (Don't get all excited- Baby's name is not going to start with a "J."  That's just our nickname for it right now.)  We heard the heartbeat again, and although our doctor reassured us that the heart rate/gender connection is an old wives' tale, it was 150 in case you stand by that indicator. 

 

(We also learned that it would have technically been feasible for us to continue with our plans of going to Hawaii, and while I would have loved to dodge the frozen tundra of this winter and enjoyed a sun-kissed pregnant belly instead of a pasty one (which incidentally is good for babies' eyesight), let's be real- that would have been a little too much added stress for us.)

 

As of today, we are halfway!

 

 

I make a solemn vow right now that if I'm going to insist on sharing new bumpies with you, I will start getting better quality ones. 

 

I was wondering what I should pray for when it comes to this wee, but quickly growing babe.  As I made my requests for health and proper development one night, I prayed for the heart (which according to my app, was going through major developments at the time) and maybe it was God's prompting, I don't know- Brandon told me if I asked Him to, He would- I started praying that this baby would have a merciful, compassionate spirit. 

 

So that's my prayer for Baby J.  That he/she would have a heart for others, a compassion for those less fortunate, a tendency of mercy toward people who need it, and a desire to make this world a better place through kindness. 

 

I'm also praying that Baby J would be a teacher to Jered and me in this way.  It's not that we're totally cold-hearted; it's just not our strength or spiritual gift.  But my prayer is that Baby J will be so strong in this, that we can't help but learn from him/her. 

Well, I hope that you are steering clear of frostbite and staying cozy whenever possible.  If you think about it- Jered and I could use prayers in the vehicle department, as my car has joined Walter in vetoing driving in winter weather.  Really hoping it's something minor that Jered can work out this weekend.  Also- incredibly thankful for great coworkers who go out of their way to get us to work!

 

Anyway, have a toasty weekend inside with some hot tea if you can.  That's how I plan to spend my weekend, along with clearing out the spare room for a special little someone.

 

Take care!

 

Aim