One Month Old

Wow, I can't believe my baby girl is a month old!  Milestones so far:

• She's smiling and cooing more and more everyday.  It's the absolute best!
• ...except for the day she giggled in her sleep!  So. Freaking. CUTE!!
• She's going 3-4 hours between feedings.  The other night, she went 5 hours!  I was in heaven!!
• She's playing by herself for about 10 minutes at a time.  She loves her play mat with toys that hang down and sitting in her Bumbo seat.
• Baby acne has reared its ugly head. I am afraid that she will have to contend with these types of skin issues much of her life, if her parents are any indication.
• She loves watching Wilma, our red Miniature Pinscher.  I have a few theories as to why she prefers looking at Wilma over Betty: a.) Wilma is very interested in her.  b.) Wilma is more active (Betty's kind of a bump on a log.) or c.) Wilma barks at her.  (She doesn't understand why this weird looking creature won't just get up and play with her already!!)

I'm working on getting Abbi used to sleeping in her own crib so that I can start sleep training shortly.  We're already taking baby steps to get ready, like starting a bedtime routine and only letting her nurse to sleep at night.  I'm researching options for sleep training now...it's very overwhelming.  I will probably combine a few different methods to find what works best for us.

In other news, the hubby left this week for 6 months and we moved to be closer to family.  It's been a crazy, emotional time but God has been faithful.  We're here at this time because He planned it that way (we certainly didn't!) so we're trusting that He'll get us through.  In any case, we're taking everything one day at a time and enjoying watching our little one grow!

 Not a great picture, but it gives perspective.  Granted, it's kind of a small recliner but still...she's about 21 inches long!! (We'll find out for sure next week.)

Abbi's first time at the beach!  Looks like she's enjoying herself, doesn't it?

Thanks for all of your love and prayers during this time of transition for us!

Birthday Pictures!

 Just a few pictures from little Abbi's birthday!

Daddy holding his girl for the first time...so sweet!

Please don't judge...someone had already put my hairbrush in the car.  :-/

Admiring our beautiful girl

I just love this picture!  She's so sweet!

Ok, the whole reason for this picture is the looks on mine and Wilson's faces.  Haha, we were so excited!!

Pretty dress!

Us with the midwife who delivered Abbi.  Her name is Ashley and she was WONDERFUL!!

Stay tuned for the actual birth story...It's coming, I promise.  But no pictures unfortunately.  Everything went so fast we actually left the camera in the car! All of these pictures are from my mom's camera!!  =)

She's Here!

Abigail Elizabeth was born March 22 at 6:22am.  She weighed in at 7lb 2oz, and measured 19 inches long.  She is a champion eater, sleeps for 3-4 hour stretches at a time and is the most beautiful baby we've ever seen.  Ever.  Seriously.  ;-)

Stay tuned for her birth story...

Just sayin...

37 Weeks!

Hello, crazy lack of updates!  Let me explain...No there is too much.  Let me sum up.

*Quick! Name that movie!*

1. We moved to Jacksonville, FL right before Christmas.  Well, I moved.  Wilson was in Rhode Island.  Moving 4 states away by yourself 8 months pregnant=Crazy fun, Navy-style.

2. I've met most of the officer's wives on Wilson's new ship.  Yay!  All of them are married to people who outrank my hubby and are therefore basically off-limits for hanging out.  Boo.

3. We're preparing for the hubs to go on deployment in April.  Fruit is in the dehydrator and beef is marinating for jerky as we speak!

4. I had a baby shower!  We had great fun and I was blessed with some amazing homemade gifts from some wonderful friends!

5. Speaking of baby, let's resume the old categories, with a few new additions mayhaps?

Nausea/Cravings 

Slight nausea at random times.  The midwife was bewildered.  Basically, I just have to keep a little food in the tummy and we're good.  Still no cravings.  Wilson asked me this weekend when that will happen.  Haha, dude, it would've already happened!  I think he's a little bummed that he doesn't have any "I need pickles and a blue snow cone RIGHT NOW!!!" stories to tell.  So sorry, my dear.

Mah Girlish Figure

Hah!  Wilson keeps telling me that I just look like I can't get comfortable.  And he's right.  I'll be comfy for, like 10 minutes and then I need to shift.  This belly is starting to get...annoying.  We went home for a visit last weekend.  Much more feasible now that we're only 5 hours away but it was still not super fun.

Also...the baby dropped!  My mother-in-law noticed it one evening when she was visiting; she said my stomach looked lower and when I sat in bed that night I realized that I could take a deep breath!  Yay!!  Basically, this means the baby's head has dropped into my pelvis.  They say now the baby is "engaged in the pelvis".  Sweet, huh?  Yay for progress!

 

Pain/Cramping

Braxton-Hicks, baby!  These "practice contractions" are happening almost daily now and I may-or-may-not-have had 3 little contractions in a row last Friday that then decided to stop.  I'm getting ready for the big day!

 

Skin

Clear and glowing!

 

Sleeping

Pretty good most nights, actually.  I'm surprised; I expected to be up all night getting kicked and having to pee by now.  I'm only having to get up once at night and occasionally sleep through without having to pee.  Once I get settled I pretty much stay put so that's good!

 

Fetal Movement

My tummy is lopsided a lot of the time and it's really fun to be able to feel the side of my stomach and feel the baby's foot.  So fun!!

 

The Hubster

...is ready to meet his kid.  Last night he leaned in and talked to my belly and told the baby (s)he needed to get here already.

 

Overall State of Mind

Excited!  A little bit nervous about labor and the big impending life change...but mostly excited!

Did I miss anything?  Probably, but this is a good "sum up"!

Thanksgiving

Today, I give thanks to the Lord my God for the blessings He has bestowed upon me.

For my husband, who loves, guides, and protects me daily.  He is strong where I am weak and holds me up when I fail.  What a man, to honor God and seek His will, love and strengthen his family, and point us to the Lord.  He is already a wonderful father; I can't wait to walk down the rest of life's path with him.

For my parents.  Their commitment to one another has spanned a quarter-century! What a privilege to have such an example to follow.  They have loved me unconditionally through thick and thin and they are always a source of guidance for life's troubles.  I praise God for their presence in my life.

For my parents-in-law.  They have welcomed me into their home and family as another of their children, rejoicing in my joys and sharing in my sorrows.  I could not have asked for a home so gracious and loving.  They are truly a blessing from the Lord upon my life.

For my siblings and sister-in-law.  From the little things like shopping for Christmas and birthday presents together to bigger things like sharing in the loss of loved ones, these are the people I share life with.  I love that I have other Godly women in my life, going through many of the same struggles I face at the same time, and for a brother who is growing and being transformed from a little boy into a man of God.

For this little one.  The blessing of a fruitful womb is from the Lord (Ps. 127:3) so I return thanks to Him.  I praise You, Lord, for the miracle of a baby, for Your perfect timing, and for Your provision to me.  You knew the physical hardships I'd face, moving without my husband while pregnant, and You blessed in amazing ways.  Just like the Israelites in the desert, my feet have not swollen and my strength has remained steady.  I have been healthy, energetic, without nausea, heartburn, or (much) achiness.  You have given sleep to my eyes and rest to my bones and I praise You.  I pray for this child that Your salvation would come to him or her, that You will form each organ into Your perfect design, that You will watch over each moment of this little life.  I ask for Your guidance for us as parents, for Your wisdom in discipline and instruction, for Your peace as we make this life-altering transition.  Bless our marriage.  I praise You for the man You have given me to walk with through this life; You truly designed him for me.  I pray that You will raise up our child to a life of wisdom, faithfulness, mercy, justice, and love.  And I thank You again for allowing us to participate in this miracle called life.

For my extended family, my friends, my overwhelming physical blessings (ie roof over my head, warm place to sleep, etc.), my health....there is too much to list here.  I am so incredibly blessed and take so much for granted.

For the many blessings to come.


Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

God is Faithful

I have a confession to make but you need a bit of background in order to understand it.  Back in March, Wilson had to take a class for the Navy and his reimbursement was delayed.  Sounds like not such a big deal until you realize that the class was in Rhode Island and we paid for 3 weeks in a hotel, meals, travel, etc without any reimbursement.  Well, this is where the confession comes in...I covered that expense by not paying our tithe for a couple of months.  Then I didn't pay it again for this trip that he's taking now.  I know, bad bad girl.  I kept track of how much I owed, though, so that when we got the cash from the Navy I could pay the "back tithe" if you will.

Well, we got the reimbursement check a few weeks ago, which ended up being nearly exactly what I owed in tithing.  I struggled with paying it, b/c doing so left us pretty deficient in our checking account.  But my husband said, "It's supposed to be the firstfruits.  Pay the whole thing and we'll just trust God."  So as I wrote the check that Sunday, the phrase came into my head, "If you are faithful to God, He'll be faithful to you," which is my (very poor) paraphrase of Psalm 18:25, "To the faithful You show Yourself faithful, to the blameless You show Yourself blameless."  So, anyway, I wrote the check, not sure how we were going to be able to cover all of the moving expenses coming our way, but trusting God to provide.

Well, through 2 VERY unexpected resources, this week God not only paid us back...

he doubled it.

Our Father covered our worries to the extent that, not only are we back on track with our budget, we have extra wiggle room for the coming months.  Praise Him for His goodness!!

"The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it." 1 Thess. 5:24

Don't you love it when God shows up??