You Kicked Me!

Dear Baby,
For the first time today you kicked me, and hard! I have felt you stretch and roll and settle into place, but today was a first. At first, when you kicked, I was so surprised that I jumped. Then, I couldn't stop laughing. I was so thrilled that your tiny legs were growing strong enough to make your presence known.
I dreamt about your feet this weekend. I could see your little foot through my stomach. I tickled your tiny toes and you quickly pulled your foot back in. What's odd about my experience being kicked today, and that dream, is that in both situations I had the same reaction. At first, shocked, then just overcome with delight!
This week marks week 20 in this pregnancy with you, that means we're halfway done. I'm so excited that I get to meet you soon, but also slightly terrified. Right now, I can keep you safe and warm, inside of me. Soon, I'll have to do the very best I can keeping you safe outside of me. The good news is, you have the very best dad, family, and friends that already love you and are excited to help me keep you safe.
Well, keep moving in there, I can't wait to feel it again. I love you, so much.

Love,
Mama

18 weeks- letter to baby

Dear Baby,

I love you more now than I did before. On Friday I went to the doctor and had a sonogram. They had to look at a lot of different stuff, so I got to spend a lot of time watching you. I loved you before, but that was the first time I could see your fingers and toes. That was the first time I could see how long your legs are. That was the first time I could see you move around, something I had only felt before.

We had a lot of measurements to take while we were there. You were so stubborn! If she needed to look at your front, you crossed your arms. If they needed to look at the back, you chose that moment to stretch. She was getting so frustrated with you! I couldn't help but laugh. In just that short hour I already could see so much of your father and I in you! You'll quickly learn that we never sit still for long. After watching you do the same, I loved you even more.

In just three short weeks we find out if you are a boy or a girl. Let me tell you, I couldn't care less. You're ours, and that's all that matters. I know you still have a lot of growing to do, so I won't get to see you for another 22 weeks, but just know, I'm longing to feel your touch and hold you in my arms. I love you, so much.

Love,
Mom

It's been a while

Since I've been on here! So much has changed over the past month or so. The baby is growing, fast and doing great! Baby has also brought some unwelcome changes. The past few days I have hurting so badly when I roll over to sleep at night and when I'm in the car and pretty much all the time. I was certian that it was because something was wrong with the baby. Today I called the doctor and come to find out, the baby is fine! The reason that I hurt so bad is because my ligaments are tearing and stretching and my ribs are moving. OW! She called that good news! Bad news is, I'm not staying hydrated enough and my blood sugar isn't doing what it's supposed to. The rest of the summer is going to be a much quieter one for us, I believe. We had trips planned the next three weekends, but we're going to change those and only do one. We're headed to Houston for the 4th! Relay for Life, I can't stay all night, but I can go for a little bit. Past that, it's just going to be a lot of not doing everything that I used to be able to do.

Promise an update on summer so far is coming soon.

My Best Friend

If you know me then you know that I don't keep many close friends. I find it to be exhausting and a waste of time. I can't keep up with that many people at once, and I get bored easily. There is one friend though, that despite these things, has stuck by me, even when I didn't deserve it. If you have ever met my best friend, you know just from looking at us that we are complete opposites! Kelsey is tall and thin, and I'm not. I'm loud and outgoing, Kels is quiet and reserved. I have blond hair, she has brown hair. That's just the beginning of our differences. Somehow though, we were brought together close to 6 years ago. It wasn't because we were so much alike, or because we had all of the same classes, we just were. Our friendship was not how you would expect a friendship to be in the beginning. Our friendship was built off of a mutual friend moving. Odd, right? Between the reminiscing about our times with him, running to class, and meeting other friends, I found my best friend. Kelsey has been there for me through most of my major adult life events. She was there when I met and started dating John, got engaged, moved to Texas, moved back to Kansas, when Mary left for boot camp and Afghanistan, getting married, and now Baby Eskimo. In six years we've been through weddings, funerals, graduations, new jobs, loss of jobs and so much more. Tonight I got to spend some much needed quality time with her. As we were walking and talking I thought about everything we've been through in 6 short years and I realized that God has given me our friendship as a gift. I've gotten the privilege of watching her go from a shy timid college freshman to a knowledgeable and respected teacher. The transformation that took place over one summer of camp together was amazing. The way I got to see her heart and life change when she met Adam, her husband was astonishing. To know how much she loves her friends and family is inspiring. I am so thankful for Kels and everyday that I know she's right there with me, ready to laugh, cry, pray and rejoice. I'm thankful that she'll be around when Baby Eskimo's born and that it will get to know her light and joy as well. God gave me her to be a strong, Christian woman that I can rely on. I can go to her no matter what the problem, or the time of day. God knew that despite everything going on in my life, I would need a constant. I was given someone who possessed many of the traits I have yet to acquire, someone that I could learn from. I'm thankful that for all of our differences, there's something that binds us together. I'm thankful for Kelsey.

Me and Kelsey

Birthday Week!

In our family the last week of November has always been a big one. Dad's birthday is November 26, my sister, Mary, has her birthday November 27. I'm November 28. Growing up that was birthday week! It was the biggest (and best) week of the year in our house. I'd always joked that one day we would take up the entire week with birthdays, as it turned out when I got to college my best friend, Kelsey's birthday is November 29. Woohoo! Today when I went to see the doctor she said that we were definitely looking at a December 4th due date. I sighed a little and she asked why. I explained birthday week to her and told her that I was kind of hoping that this little guy's birthday would be part of birthday week. She looked at her calendar and told me that the 29th was okay, and that we could schedule induction on November 29 so that baby can be a part of birthday week! I am pretty excited! It will be so fun to share that week with my baby. We'll have 4 full days of family birthdays :) I know it doesn't seem like much, but it means a lot to me and to my family. So excited!

Presents

My sister's got me baby presents! They got me a lot of really useful stuff, and then also some fun stuff! Since we don't know what we're having yet, one sister got me a bag of boy clothes and one a bag of girl clothes. These were my favorite items, the girls know what's important!

I never thought that I'd be one to get excited over baby stuff, yet here it is, happening to me too!

***Wear pink tomorrow in memory of Maddie, it's Spring for SIDS day***

Easter Wrap Up and A Day Off!

Tomorrow! I have a day off! I used to get a day off every other week, because I would work Saturdays. Lately I haven't had to work many Saturdays so I haven't had days off. I miss my days off but I also have been enjoying my Saturdays. Tomorrow I have a day off for the first time in weeks. I feel as though it is much needed. With John working during the day I'll hopefully get more accomplished tomorrow than I would if I had John to hang out with all day! I don't want to set unreal expectations for tomorrow, but I know that I need to set some goals nonetheless. I'm hoping to get the kitchen mostly cleaned, our bedroom vacuumed and shampoo the carpets, clean both bathrooms and finish laundry. That shouldn't take too long. I also need to go on a walk or workout or something, and hopefully I'll get some research on baby stuff done as well. I know that before I've mentioned that I had a cousin who's 4 month old died from SIDS, I want to know more. I want to try to understand this terrible disease. I like to know as much information about something as possible, and I feel like maybe, if I know more, I can prevent it from happening. I know that's not true, but I figure that it's worth a shot. My cousin, Kellie, blogs almost daily about her and her husband, James' struggle to find "a new normal". I think each time that I read it I cry. No parent should have to go through this. I know that I need to learn more about SIDS, especially as an expectant parent, but I wish that it wasn't through the hard lesson from my family. Please, when you have time, pray for Kellie and James this week. They're in a really tough spot that only God can see them through.

On another note, this past weekend John and I went to Oklahoma to celebrate Easter with his family. We had such a good time! Mary went down with us on Friday night and on Saturday Mary, my SIL, Allison and I went to Stillwater to go shopping. It was nice to get to hang out with both of them at once! I have a lot of fun with Allison and Mary and was glad that they finally got to meet. I also got to just hang out and talk with my other SIL Kassi. She's one of the only people that understands some of the struggles that I face in my life. I am so thankful that God put her and Allison in my life to help me through tough times. They have both been very helpful on this baby stuff, and many other things! This weekend was a busy one! On Sunday (Easter) my goddaughter, Scout was baptized! I love baptisms, always have. This one was different because It was MY goddaughter. I got to hold her as she was being baptized and WOW. That was amazing. I also got to just hold her and be with her during church and it was such a great feeling to just hang out with her and feel her breathe. It was one of the most peaceful things that I've ever felt. And, she's beautiful. I lover her SO much already and it made me a little less nervous for this little guy (or girl) growing inside of me!

PRAYING FOR THIS WEEK
* Kellie and James
* Healthy pregnancy
* Good weather and a safe OKC Marathon this weekend
* Safe travels for Mary this weekend as she moves up here
* Couples who are getting married this summer