38 weeks...

38 weeks.......pretty much my full grown baby bump!!!

Wow!  I can't believe I am 38 weeks pregnant today with little Isabella!  I've had so many friends say, "Man...your pregnancy has just flown by" or one lady at church this past Sunday said, "Lookin' good - so you  have about 6 weeks left?!".......Let me just say that this pregnancy hasn't exactly "flown" by - but it has been quite an adventurous journey and every day has been such a blessing to grow Isabella! =)

This past weekend, Jeremy and I finished up some last projects around the house.  Jer pressure washed our porches and driveways....and they look just beautiful!  I figured if we are having a "spring baby" - we will enjoy sitting on the porch together in the beautiful weather - but not if they are dirty!!!  

I've been doing my best to rest  lots!  The past several days I've slept for 12 hours each night......guess my body is trying to get all the sleep it can now before life changes very quickly!  I'm definitely a girl who needs her sleep! =)

Our bags are packed.....house is clean and we are just anxiously awaiting Isabella's arrival!  I feel like my tummy grows bigger every day.....and poor Isabella is running out of room in there!  She'll stretch out and we can see her little knees poking out.....but her favorite thing to do is to kick her mamma's ribs!  The other night - Jeremy and I just watched as her little feet would poke in and out - Jeremy was trying to grab her foot and wiggle it......and she'd pull it right back in!  Last night, as I was resting on the couch - Jer got out his guitar and started singing to her.  She started moving all around.....how sweet is that!?  I told him we might want to bring the guitar along with us to the hospital......it always helps me relax and Isabella seems to like it too!

Jeremy's been a little sick the past few days - so that is our number one prayer request....that the Lord will renew his strength and energy before Isabella's arrival!

This morning we were counting down the days in our heads......ok - today is Wed (church tonight)....tomorrow is our doctor's appointment.....then the weekend - that will fly by......then we just have 3 days 'til all our family arrives and we head to the hospital!  Of course - Isabella could decide to come earlier if she chooses! =)

My Comfy Chair...

My comfy rocking chair finally came in and I love it!  I'm sure I'll be spending many days and nights rocking little Isabella in this chair - sweet little mommy/daughter times. =)  

John and Linz came to visit us this past weekend and "Uncle John" helped put the chair together!  He insisted on putting it together "just right" for his little niece Isabella!  So sweet...

Week 36 & 37

Last Thursday, we saw my high risk doctor.  Everything looked just perfect.....my blood pressure was still a bit elevated.  But, my doctor is not too concerned - he thinks it may just be due to nerves. =)  They always take my blood pressure at the beginning of my appointment ant it's high.  Then, they monitor the baby while I rest and check it again and it always goes down a bit.  So, my doctor thinks that I may have slightly elevated blood pressure but because I have no other symptoms of preeclampsia they are not super concerned.  

On the ultrasound, we were able to see Isabella practicing breathing - she would move her little diaphragm in and out - so precious!  She was practicing swallowing...puckering her little lips and moving her tongue in and out!  Then, they put this weird thing on my tummy and it made a noise - we couldn't really hear anything but supposedly it's really loud to the baby.  Isabella jolted!!!  The tech said, "Well, we know she can hear and has good reflexes!"  I could have told them that because every time we are at church - especially on Wed. nights at youth when the band is playing - she is just a wiggling all over during the worship time! =)

Whenever Jeremy puts his mouth to my tummy and talks to her - she just starts moving all around!  So sweet to think about how she can hear us and responds!

We went to see my reg. OBGYN yesterday and she was very pleased with my health and Isabella's health also.  The past few weeks I've developed a weird "itchy" thing at night!  So strange.....my high risk doctor went ahead and did some blood work because he thought it may be related to my gallbladder/liver.  The itching is only really bad at night....my legs, tummy, back, chest!  My doctor told me they think I probably have a mild case of the condition - but not too severe.  So, unless it gets worse I really don't have to take any meds.  I figure I can make it 2 more weeks - and then they say it will clear up immediately after delivery.  My blood pressure was high at the beginning of the appointment - but of course went down once I rested and they monitored the baby.  I think it was 138/78 - which is a little high but not super high.  Praise the Lord!  My cervix has softened and I'm slightly dilated.....which is very normal for this stage of pregnancy!  My doctor does want to go ahead and induce me April 1st evening - and she expects I'll deliver on April 2nd.  (Good Friday!)  They want to induce me due to my blood pressure being slightly elevated.....and also just as precaution.  They figure if the baby is healthy at 39 weeks along with me being very healthy - there's no need to go an extra few days.  That's when preeclampsia can show up.....as well as my placenta will start to not be quite has healthy.  So, due to me stopping the baby Aspirin and everything else with my history - they set my induction date for April 1st at 5:00 pm!  

So, unless precious Isabella decides to come earlier - we will meet her in about 2 weeks!

All that to say.......our bags are packed, car seat installed, clothes are washed, nursery finished.......and we are just making the most of these last days as a family of 2!  I've definitely been having new little twinges here and there in my lower back......and my pelvic bone are sore.....guess that means she's dropping lower!  As my doctor said, "It could be any day now - she's on the launching pad!"

So, we are praying that the Lord will bring Isabella to us in His perfect timing!  We'd love for my body to go into labor on it's own naturally - but we are also trusting the doctors the Lord's placed us with and will go ahead with the induction if necessary!  It amazes me to think that in a little over 2 weeks we will be a family of three......... I can't even hardly think about it without tearing up.  It's been such a long journey....and really the journey will just be beginning once we hold her in our arms.  For now....we'll just take it one day at a time...praying lots every day for the strength to endure labor, wisdom for the doctors, peace throughout the process and faith that the Lord will hold us all in His hands!

Memories...

Last Tuesday evening, all the staff wives from church threw me a little dinner shower at one of our favorite local Mexican Resturaunts.....none other than the famous "La Hacienda!"  It was such a fun time to celebrate Isabella's life!  Here are a few pics from our evening together...

Faith made a beautiful cake.......it was sooooo yummy too!  White cake with chocolate chips...so moist....mmmmm!  

They surprised me with the most AMAZING gift.......a Baby Jogger!  I mean this is like the most awesome stroller!!!  Jeremy runs with a group of guys down town along with the owner of our local Running Store and they all have told him that this is the BEST running stroller ever made! I can't wait to try it out!  I was so excited and surprised to see they had all contributed to purchase it for us!  Jeremy and I can't wait to take little Isabella along with us when we go running!   Such a blessing.....we are so thankful!  So many family memories to be made for sure...

Then, on Thursday my sweet first grade teacher friends threw me a school shower!  My team of teachers have become such dear friends to me over the past 4 years that I taught with them.  A few of them are right around my mamma's age and they truly became like "mothers" to me!  They are all phenominal teachers and they inspired me in so many ways each and every day.  They prayed for me and walked beside me the past 2 years through my miscarriages.....there were many lunch breaks when they would just let me cry on their shoulders.  They have been such an encouragement to me and a strong prayer support.  I remember last fall - administration wasn't quite sure about the final student numbers and so I wasn't sure if I was going to be teaching Kindergarten or First Grade.  Open House was Friday and I was having my D&C procedure on Wednesday.  I remember they all came in my room on Tuesday and said, "We're not losing you.....you're gonna stay right with us and teach first grade"...and they rearranged my room for me and helped me get it all set up!  Sure enough - I was able to stay in first grade! =)  That was such a difficult week for me - but they helped to carry me through each day.  It continues to amaze me how the Lord places special friends in our lives to love on us, encourage us and support us - even when our "real family" may be so far away.  Even though Jeremy and I have decided that I will be staying home next year and being a full time mamma to Isabella - I look forward to keeping in touch with these dear friends!  They better keep teaching long enough for Isabella to have them in first grade! =)

Here are some pics from the shower...

Here is my team of first grade teachers...

Jeremy enjoyed helping open the gifts...=)
Here are Alexis and Mackenzie - two precious girls I taught 2 years ago in first grade - their mamma's are teachers so they were able to come join us at the shower along with Alexis's little sister!  They were so proud of the beautiful diaper cake they made for me!
I had to include this pic.....Jeremy opened Desitin and had NO idea what it was for....one of my teacher friends yelled, "It's butt paste!"....Haha...

Week 34-35...

It's been quite an eventful couple of weeks!  Last Tuesday after Jeremy's staff meeting, they had a little shower for us to celebrate Isabella!  They had the cutest little diaper cake along with yummy food and a sweet little easter basket with a money gift!  They had an Easter theme - since Isabella is due just 3 days after Easter! =)  Here's a pic of the cute cake...

Then, last Thursday we had our appointment with the high risk doctor.  Everything looked just perfect with Isabella and overall - this pregnancy is just going very smoothly!  They were a bit concerned about my elevated blood pressure.  It has been just slightly elevated throughout the pregnancy - it's not super crazy high - but at the beginning of the appointment it was 145/98! Once they did the ultrasound and then monitored Isabella for a while.....they took it again and it was 140/90.  So, my doctor said it's nothing to admit me in the hospital for - but they want to continue to keep a close watch.  The main concern is that I would get "preeclampsia."  But, I have none of the symptoms for that other than the fact that my blood pressure is slightly elevated.  They check for protein in my urine, swollen hands/feet, swollen face, bad headaches and rapid weight gain.....all of which I have none of!  Praise Jesus!!!  So, my doctor said that due to my other high risk issues and the fact that my blood pressure is slightly elevated, he does not want me to carry Isabella past 39 weeks (April 1).  They will check me each week and see if my blood pressure rises - if it does they will go ahead and take her even earlier!  So, we may get to meet Isabella even sooner than we expected! =)  Our prayer of course is that the Lord will allow my body to sustain this pregnancy as long as possible so that Isabella can grow strong and healthy inside me until she's ready to come into the world!  Here's her little profile from 34 weeks....she had her little lips puckering in and out!  Too cute...

Last weekend, I was able to spend some precious time with two of my best friends from college in Sandestin!  We spent the weekend going out to dinner, talking, relaxing, talking some more and squeezed in a little shopping too!  We each treasure our once a year beach trip......and hopefully now that we are beginning to stay home and have babies we may get to see each other more often! =)

Court and I did a little shopping at the Carter outlet store.....we decided we needed one Preemie outfit!  How cute are these little outfits!?!

Belly to belly......Court's baby boy is due about 6 weeks after Isabella!  We can't wait for them to meet! =)

Sweet friends......we missed Margaret this year.....but hopefully we'll have a little "reunion" this summer so all the babies can meet each other!

Here's a pic of my growing baby bump at 35 weeks.....

We went to see my reg. OBGYN this past Thursday for a check-up and overall everything seems to be progressing along!  My blood pressure was once again elevated......145/90.  So, they went on with the appointment, monitored Isabella's heart and then checked it again.  They said if it didn't go down - they would send me to the hospital!  Sure enough....once I reclined in the chair and rested.....and Jeremy gave me a little back rub......it went down to 130/80! =)  But, she does want me to stop walking/exercising and she wants me to rest, rest, rest as much as possible! =)  So, I figured I better go home and pack our bags for the hospital and just pamper myself for the next few weeks!  I borrowed some fun movies from my neighbors......got a few good books and am preparing myself for some good TLC until Isabella's arrival.  I'm not officially on "bed rest" - but the more rest the better!  Other than having slightly elevated blood pressure - everything else looks great!  I think at this point I've gained right at 25 lbs.....so about 4 more weeks go!  Of course....we may see Isabella sooner! It's all in the Lord's hands - but I will do my best to rest. =)

Here are a few pictures of her nursery.  We are hoping our big, comfy yellow chair comes in in the next week or two - so we will definitely look forward to adding that to the corner of her room.  The sweet staff wives from church are throwing me a little dinner/shower this Tuesday night and my teacher friends are throwing me a school shower on Thursday!  So, I definitely still have some fun memories to make!  But, for now...here's the progress we've made in the nursery...

We're hoping to put our yellow chair in this corner....I love my ottoman that a friend gave me! We found it at Target and it matches my fabric perfectly! =)

ABOVE:  We may end up putting a little bookshelf against this wall for all her books!  But, for now her little swing fits perfectly. =)  On top of the dresser there is a cute little pink and brown polka dot frame that says...."My prince finally came and his name is daddy"....can't wait to put a picture of Jer and Isabella in it!

BELOW:  Jeremy had the opportunity to preach during the Sunday morning service this past fall. He used this scripture Proverbs 3:5-6 and preached all about Trust and placing our faith in God's perfect plan...even when we don't understand.  He was able to share a lot about our baby journey and ended with telling our church family that I was 15 weeks pregnant! =)  Mamma Lloyd found this little plaque - perfect for hanging Isabella's diaper bag!

This is a sweet little cross that Linz gave me for my birthday.  It says, "For this child I have prayed"....a verse in 1 Samuel - referring to Hannah and her diligent prayers to have a child.  I hung it with ribbon on Isabella's door......

ABOVE:  This is a sweet little cross that Linz gave me for my birthday.  It says, "For this child I have prayed"...a verse in 1 Samuel - referrin to Hannah and her diligent prayers to have a child.  I hung it with ribbon on Isabella's door.

BELOW:  This is Isabella's cozy little crib...

ABOVE:  Isabella's little reading corner - hopefully she'll enjoy rocking in her chair and reading her little books someday soon!

BELOW:  "I see the moon and the moon sees me; God bless the moon and God bless me."  Jeremy and his mom used to say this together every night before he went to bed.  Jeremy's looking forward to saying it with Isabella every night too.....

A little picture of Isabella at 21 weeks and 2 days...definitely was "Love at first sight!"