34 Week prego Dr.'s Appt.

Friday February 23, 2007 was my 34 week pre-natal check up. It was awesome because Jake got to go with me. This was the first appt. that he got to go to. So Jake finally got to hear the baby's heartbeat. We were even lucky enough to get an ultrasound done also. Jake loved that one since the last ultrasound appt he couldn't go to =( My Dr. is really awesome. For being a military hospital...she's an awesome Dr. It was really nice to have Jake there to experience that part of the pregnancy.

Josiah goes to the Dr appt's also. He does really well. The Dr. lets Josiah put the gooey stuff on my belly and use the Doppler to hear the heart beat. He absolutely loves it. She is really good with him and Jake really likes her too. It's just so exciting to have a good dr especially in such a "personal" situation as pregnancy. We got two pictures printed at the appt - the top one is of Ocean's "manly" parts which I'm pointing too. The second picture is of his head and face as if your looking down at him. It's so exciting to see our little bundle of joy. We think he's about 5 lbs. right now so hopefully I will get my prayer answered and deliver a 6 lb 10 oz baby (got to be specific in your prayers right?!!!) And I'm guessing that I'll deliver at 39 weeks (last week of March) but we'll have to wait and see how accurate I am when the time comes. I really hope Ocean comes before 40 weeks. I would like to be early but even if I wasn't I'd @ least like to start labor on my own without being induced this time. That would be spectacular!

We got a crib for the baby now but we're waiting for the company to send us a piece so we can finish putting it together. The crib was given to us by Jake's boss so that was a great blessing!! Kookie is going to buy the bedding this week sometime. Once the nursery is completed I'll post pictures on here too. We are going to use a bassinet for the first couple of months so we don't need the crib ready right-away. Everything is coming together nicely so I'm excited.

I still can't believe that we are having another baby. That I'm gonna go through labor and delivery here pretty soon!!! It's just so .... WOW!!! More to come at a later time.

34 Weeks - 4-8 Weeks left and Counting

So today I hit 34 Weeks pregnant! I can't believe it. I only have 4 to 8 weeks left of being pregnant. I can't believe that much time has already past and I only have a few weeks left. Last night as we were watching Prison Break (the best show out there right now besides American Idol) Jake and I were watching Ocean as he was squirming around in my belly. You could see his feet and hands pushing out at my stomach. It was so neat and always wierd at the same time. It's neat to see the way my belly moves when Ocean is moving in there - almost like a belly dancer can move her stomach. It's really neat to watch. I am going to miss the whole experience of being pregnant but I'm ready now for the next stage now - infants!!!! I know I still have some time before that time comes and I'm enjoying every moment of it but just ready to move on.

A Clean House and BABY

Does it ever stop?!!!! Cleaning I mean. I clean my entire house one day and laundry within two days and by the fourth day...my house is a disaster again! It seems no matter how hard I try to keep it clean it always gets dirty and I'm constantly cleaning up so it's not like I just let the house go (that would be hideous)!!! I'm not complaining at all - I just am saying cause I'm 8 months prego and losing my energy by the minute. So it's getting harder and harder to clean my house cause it's taking me longer and longer to clean it.

Speaking of 8 months pregnant...I'm already feeling those Braxton Hicks Contractions. Not that it's a sign for anything but I really hope the baby comes next month!!! That would be exciting. I can't believe that the time is coming so soon. I've already 1/2 way packed for the hospital. I just have the last few items to take the day of like a hairbrush and toothbrush. I'm excited and ready for it to come already. Today after Jake gets off of work - we're going to his bosses house to pick up our crib...we're getting it for FREE!!! This time I won't be giving away any baby stuff just in case later down the road we have another baby (God willing). I'm excited to put the crib together and have the nursery come together. I'll be taking pictures of it soon and post it later. Then kookie is going to get the bedding for the crib (ocean theme cause that's our nursery theme) so once I get that I can put the whole crib/nursery together.

I'm off to get some out-of-the-house chores done! I rarely get to do that so I will greatly enjoy.

Interesting Valentine's Facts and our first married Valentines Day

So Jake and I actually got to go out on a date!!! We hardly get to do that anymore. He got off a little early from work and we hung out with Josiah. Then Josiah went to our friend/neighbors house to play with his friends. Jake and I took off on our date. It was so nice to have an evening out with just the two of us. We went to see that movie "Because I said So" It was funny and cute. I would recommend the movie for everyone. Then we came home and picked up Josiah around 9:30pm. We had a little play time with him - we played cars on his new car mat and then got ready for bed and had cuddle time. What a great way to end the day...cuddling with my two favorite guys!!! What a great Valentine Day it was.


Here's a little background Information on St. Valentine and where we get the traditions we celebrate today:
Catholic Origins
The legend of St. Valentine is not absolutely clear, which is also why we refer to this history as "legend." One legend portrays him as a priest who refused the Roman Emperor Claudius II's law, ordering that young men remained single. It is argued that Claudius II did this to grow his army, believing that married men did not make for good soldiers. The priest Valentine, however, secretly performed marriage ceremonies for young Catholic men. When Claudius found out about this, he had Fr. Valentine arrested and thrown in jail. Claudius had meetings with Fr. Valentine and grew fond of him and even attempted to get Fr. Valentine to convert to the Roman paganism which he practiced. Instead, Fr. Valentine refused and attempted to convert Claudius to the Catholic faith. This enraged Claudius, and he sentenced Valentine to death. While imprisoned, one of the jailors had a blind daughter, whom he brought to the jail often, and she spoke at length to Fr. Valentine. Just before he was put to death, he sent her a small card and signed it, "From your Valentine."
Another story has it that while Fr. Valentine was imprisoned, people would leave him little notes, folded up and hidden in cracks in the rocks around his cell. He would find them and offer prayers for them.
Either way, the origin of the modern "Valentine Card" came from notes either to or from Fr. Valentine while he was in prison.
Fr. Valentine was put to death on February 14, 270 AD (some sources say 269, others 273 AD).


February fertility festivals
On the ancient Athens calendar, the period between mid-January and mid-February was the month of Gamelion, dedicated to the sacred marriage of Zeus and Hera.
In Ancient Rome, February 15 was Lupercalia. Plutarch wrote:
Lupercalia, of which many write that it was anciently celebrated by shepherds, and has also some connection with the Arcadian Lycaea. At this time many of the noble youths and of the magistrates run up and down through the city naked, for sport and laughter striking those they meet with shaggy thongs. And many women of rank also purposely get in their way, and like children at school present their hands to be struck, believing that the pregnant will thus be helped in delivery, and the barren to pregnancy.
The word Lupercalia comes from lupus, or wolf, so the holiday may be connected with the legendary wolf that suckled Romulus and Remus. Priests of this cult, luperci would travel to the lupercal, the cave where the she-wolf who reared Romulus and Remus allegedly lived, and sacrifice animals (two goats and a dog). The blood would then be scattered in the streets, to bring fertility and keep the wolves away from the fields. Lupercalia was a festival local to the city of Rome. The more general Festival of Juno Februa, meaning "Juno the purifier "or "the chaste Juno," was celebrated on February 13-14. Pope Gelasius I (492-496) abolished Lupercalia. Some historians argue that Candlemas (then held on February 14, later moved to February 2) was promoted as its replacement, but this feast was already being celebrated in Jerusalem by AD 381. The pope also declared in 496 that the feast of St. Valentine would be on February 14.

Children - sons and daughters

As I sit here typing this blog...my baby is squirming in my belly. It's the most amazing feeling in the world. It hurts sometimes especially when he jabs me in the ribs but satisfying to know that he's alive and kicking. It's sad to think that this will probably be the last time I get to feel a baby inside of me. Unless it's God's will for us to have another baby - this one is our last one. So as of now we will be a family of four with two boys!!! That should be an adventure in itself.

I still long to have my daughter though. I've always wanted a daughter since I've wanted kids (since I was like 5 or so). It saddens me to think I may never get to meet her - but blessed to have the two children I have. Not everyone can have babies and they have a very hard time trying to get pregnant so I do count my blessings!!! But I still long for a daughter. I don't know how to explain it.

I can't wait to meet our second son. I love being pregnant and am going to miss it but at the same time I'm so ready to have this baby!! I'm ready to get my pre pregnancy body back and to move on from here. I only have 5 weeks until I can give birth and up to 9 weeks to wait. So we'll see what happens in the near future.

Orlando Trip Feb 2007

So.....we decided last minute to take a trip to Orlando Florida while Jared (Jake's brother) was here visiting. It's a 7 hour car trip (way too long for being 8 months prego!!!) that we started at 3 am on saturday morning. When we got to Orlando at around 11:30 or so (there's a one hour difference) we went straight to sea world! We had so much fun and stayed till almost closing. We saw a few shows, ate lunch, pet the dolphins and walked ALOT. Here's some pics at sea world:













Jared and Josiah waiting to see Shamu and Josiah getting wet!












Daddy and Josiah - Smiles!! Me and my hubby with a pretty background.

Then we went to a hotel to rest for the night. We actually had reservation for a Days Inn but due to a mess up - they canceled our reservation so at 9pm at night we went looking for another (affordable) hotel to stay at. We finally found a Travelodge and stayed the night. The next morning we went to breakfast and then headed for Downtown Disney! We walked so much AGAIN!!! But there was lots to do and it was a blast. Josiah had so much fun. We finally left to head back home around noon. We didn't wind up getting home till almost midnight!!! We stopped along the way to eat and stretch our legs. Overall it was a great trip...long but super fun. Here's some pictures of our second day in Orlando:














Uncle Jared, Josiah and I in the hotel room. Josiah with Donald and Daisy.











Mr. Potatoe Head and us. The family posing with Mickey and Minnie!

Jake and I at Downtown Disney. Can't hide my belly anymore!!!

Children are like sponges

Josiah is such a fun loving child and a ball of energy at that! He cracks me up and really makes me realize how much like sponges children are and how they pick up on everything. The other day we were eating dinner and Jake asked his brother Jared to get him something from the kitchen. Jared was busy getting Josiah some more of his milk so Josiah told daddy "hold on daddy just chill, he'll get it in a minute" I couldn't help but laugh. And his tone was like "duhh daddy" It was just so darn cute.

Then the next day we were going from the thrift shop on one base to the aviation museum on the other and I was trying to decide which route to go (front gate or back). Josiah tells me to go the front way but I wanted to go the back way so after a short debate Josiah tells me "fine go the back way." It cracks me up the way he says it and what he says. I couldn't help but laugh at this one also.

He really does pick up on everything we say and how we say it. We try to be careful on what we say but never thought about our tone too!!! Out of the mouths of babes!!!!

Sunday's Service

We sang a song at church today that just really touched the depths of my heart. It went like this:

What can I say
What can I do
But give you this hard O God
Completely to you

I'll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the one who gave it all

I'll stand
My soul Lord to you surrendered
All I am is YOURS

There is absolutely nothing we can do that God hasn't done. There's nothing we can do to make God love us more or to dislike us. He did it all so what could we possibly give to god but the very center of ourselves...our heart! And the best part is...that's all God wants from us. Due to this (hence the next part of the song) we raise our hands and praise him who deserves it all. We abandoned our own wants and desires to give glory to god - to the one who GAVE IT ALL! We surrender our soul and everything we have and are and give it to God almighty.

It's amazing what God has done in my life. He has given me so much and has walked me along his path. And the paths that I have chosen in the past (that weren't very good) he never left me but walked right by my side. My soul is wholly surrendered to you O God who truly gave me your ALL!

A lesson from a 3yr. old

I have been having some "bad" days lately. My hormones are so out of wack with this pregnancy and my patience has dwindled down to almost nothing (I hate this feeling and being this way). Josiah got sick a couple days ago and hasn't been feeling too well. I have also not been feeling up to par lately and have had no energy what so ever.

Anyway, Last night I took Josiah with me to the store to get some milk. Of course - it had to be pouring down rain so we just went to the commisary cause it's right here on base. Josiah started acting bad cause he wanted a certain wagon that wasn't available - the one's with the car in the front of it. So we finally get settled down and in the store - I got all the things I needed went up to the register and figured out that I didn't have my military ID (you have to show it in order to buy from the commisary). So back to the sections of cold products and had to put it all away....Only to go back to the car and find my ID sitting in the dash board!!!uhhh!!! I wasn't going to go back in there (remember now it's pouring outside) and do it all over again. I had only enough energy to do this one time around NOT TWO!!! So we got back in the car and went home...we'll go tomorrow I thought.

What was the amazing part of the whole "shopping experience" was in the car ride home. As frustrated and tired as I was - my 3 yr. old son taught me a valuable lesson...as I heard a little voice in the back of the car repeating over and over the name of Jesus. When I finally heard what he was saying I asked him what he was singing about and he tells me Jesus! That's exactly what I needed at that moment in time...to call out on the name of Jesus. My frustrations seem to just melt away. Sometimes that all we can do in to call out on the name of Jesus...and how powerful that name really is!!! Just speaking it aloud and it rolling off your tongue can help a mood or feeling so much.

Thank you Lord for the little life lessons we learn from the smallest of places - a child!