An Orange Minivan, Please

Growth report - Week 31. Only 9 more weeks to go! Pretty unbelievable to know that this pregnancy is nearly finished. Then the real fun begins. Matthew is about the weight of 4 navel oranges (about 3.3 pounds) and is about 16 inches long. The report says that he is ready for a growth spurt in the next several weeks. It also says that he is beginning to move around a lot more, making sleep a lot more difficult. Jamie's response to this was a sarcastic, "Oh, really?" Jamie has family from England here this week, so we will be dining with them tonight. Then tomorrow, we are going to look at minivans. Soon, we will be the All-American family!

Nursery Pictures

Party Food

Games

Cornhole!


Pop that balloon!



I'm not even gonna ask.



Fun time by all. Hopefully, Uncle Ron's new knees are all right!

BBQ

Party on! Saturday, our house was filled with family and friends celebrating my sister, Rachel, and more specifically her fiance, Adam. That's right...we had a "Man Shower" for him!!! One of the surprises for him came during the gift time. Even though the gifts came in different boxes and packages, they all contained the same thing. A Lowe's gift card! Hopefully, Adam will enjoy his next trip to Lowe's! We also had a lot of fun with family and friends, played several games, and ate a lot of food. Hopefully, you will enjoy the pictures!


M&M's!!! Yummy!


Say Cheese!


Future In-Laws!


Eat More Food!


Open Sesame! Another Lowe's Card?!

Thankful Thursdays

Today, I am thankful for...

1. Being done with clinical!!!!! I finished clinical on Tuesday this week. Now, all I have left is to finish a couple online classes that should wrap-up by the end of July and pass boards sometime in September! I am definitely relieved to have reached this milestone in life and looking forward to the job search sometime this fall. We have decided that unless something just happens to fall in my lap, that I will start looking for a job once our little one arrives.

2. Online banking. I love this little feature that we use all the time! It makes paying bills and monitoring spending so much easier! Plus, I don't think I have purchased stamps for 6 months or longer!!!

3. Varicella titers. I have been exposed to 2 people who were contagious for chicken pox and am going to be seeing someone who thinks they might have shingles this weekend. When I was little, I only had 2 spots when my sister broke out with chicken pox all over her body. I have never known whether I was immune or not, but with all the exposures over the last couple weeks, I became a little nervous. I would rather not get chicken pox while I am pregnant. I had a titer drawn last Friday at work and it came back immune, meaning that the 2 spots I had were sufficient and I am not at risk of getting the pox again (I could still get shingles, but the risk is not as great and I can only get them from someone who has chicken pox-doesn't make much sense to me)!

4. A clean house. My parents sent their cleaning lady to my house this week because I am having a party and everyone thinks I should not be inhaling cleaning fumes in my "condition." I am looking forward to not having a condition anymore once Matthew arrives. Anyway, my house looks great and I have spent the better part of the week trying to decide what to do with myself since I haven't had too much cleaning to do. Thanks Mom and Dad!

5. Beautiful weather! I have loved the past couple days of mid-70's. I even sat out on the deck with my Grandma on Tuesday afternoon. She was wrapped in a blanket and had her gloves on with hand warmers in them, but the temperature and breeze were perfect for me. I even managed to get a little sun in the process!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Doctor Update

I went to the doctor today for my 30 week check-up. My blood pressure was great which was a relief for me because at my last appointment it was a little elevated. I have been checking it at home and it has been good, so I was glad the reading at the doctor's today was normal. There was a bit of drama today. I saw the nurse practitioner because my doctor isn't there on Wednesdays and she told me that I was measuring about 33-34 weeks instead 30 weeks. She looked back through my chart and it seems I have been measuring 3-4 weeks ahead of schedule the entire pregnancy. I remember the doctor asking me early on if I was sure about my dates because I was measuring big, but didn't really think too much of it! We are definitely sure of the dates. She told me that the doctor would probably order another ultrasound at my next appointment to just check on the little guy. At my 20 week ultrasound the baby was within 3-4 days of the actual due date, so I am hoping that will be the case this time. The other bit of news from the doctor today was that Matthew is still breech. She said he has about 4 more weeks where he could turn and after that it would be pretty hard for him to turn around. I am looking forward to that happening considering he is all over the place already. She told me I could try standing on my head, but I am not sure all the blood rushing to my head is such a good idea at this point. I figure I will see if he is still breech at my next appointment and then maybe try standing on my head. We will NOT be posting pictures of this! Otherwise, business as usual around here. Getting ready for 2 parties this weekend, one at our house for Adam and Rachel, and a baby shower for me with Ryan's family! I am sure we will have pictures after our busy weekend!

Swimming in Coleslaw!

Matthew is now about 15.7 inches long and weighing in at a hefty 3 pounds. About the size of a large head of cabbage. Cole slaw, anyone? He is now surrounded by about a pint and a half of amniotic fluid. Jamie says that his water aerobics classes are going quite well, especially right about bedtime. How convenient. His classes do not seem to be disrupting my sleep yet, though. I'm sure the time will come when he will wake me up, though. Jamie just keeps telling me that my time will come, whatever that means. Matthew's vision is getting better, however, when he is born he will have 20/400 vision. Hopefully he will get his mother's eyes.

I finished one of my not-so-secret projects this week. I made a bookshelf for the nursery with leftover wood from the gun cabinet. Jamie has already put her decorating touches on it. One of the great surprises at Jamie's first shower was that all the people that came to the shower brought a signed book with them instead of a card. Matthew is so lucky to have such nice and generous people in his life that love him so much already!!! And so are we!!! We both can't wait to fill the shelves with Matthew's favorite books. I promise that I will put pictures of the nursery on here by Monday.

Squashing the Shades

Well, for some reason I did not get my weekly email from the baby center place, so I'll just have to make up the growth report this week. Matthew is about 2 1/2 pounds (think of a butternut squash) and is about 15 inches long from head to toe. His head is growing very rapidly right now to make room for his developing brain. That's good news considering all the books he's accumulating. Jamie and I have both taken our turn reading to him already. His skeleton is also developing very quickly, which calls for Jamie to chug the milk and get a lot of vitamin C, iron and folic acid. Only about 11 more weeks to go. The nursery is almost completely done. Jamie "helped" me put up the window shades this week. Didn't go so well. Matthew just about heard his Daddy say a bad word for the first time. Good news is that they are up and they work. Can't wait to see what's next to assemble!

Thankful Thursday

Today, I am thankful for...

1. A clean basement. We are having a BBQ for Rachel and Adam next weekend and last night was the beginning of getting the house together! I am sitting down here right now just admiring how nice it all looks (with the exception of the computer desk). I am especially thankful that the rust spots came up out of the carpet where Ryan's weights have been resting for an extended period of time. OOPS!

2. A good night's sleep. I slept pretty good last night! I am a major tummy sleeper and have been somewhat miserable since my waistline has expanded beyond the point of no return! Last night was the first time in 2 weeks when I have been able to get to sleep at a reasonable hour and have slept 3 hours straight! WOOHOO! Ryan is probably just as miserable considering the temperature of our bedroom and the number of pillows I am requiring to be comfortable these days!

3. Blue Pledge. I always disliked using Pledge before because I didn't really like the lemony smell, however, since I have discovered the Blue Pledge just about everything gets cleaned with it! The other day I was spraying my dust rag over the kitchen tile. That made for a mighty slippery ordeal! Pledge + ceramic tile=not a good combination!

4. Only two more clinical days to go!!!! I have clinical next Monday and Tuesday and then I am finished! After being in school for 21 years, I am very much looking forward to a bit of a break!

5. My dad. In anticipation of Father's Day on Sunday, I just wanted to give a shout out to all dads everywhere and say thanks for all you do to make our lives easier! I have a great dad who would do anything for his girls! Thanks Dad!

Body by DQ and Body by Matthew

Well, after much delay and many requests for a belly shot, here you go! This is my 29 week belly!

Oh wait, did you mean a picture of Jamie? Here's the blooming mommy-to-be!

Baby Shower #1

Well, Matthew and I went to our first baby shower yesterday! My sister hosted a shower for my family and friends. We received lots of wonderful gifts from those who attended. Abby really outdid herself! The food and decorations were beautiful! It was so nice to spend the morning with family and friends! We have another shower in two weeks with Ryan's family! Ryan is looking forward to putting together all of the little gadgets Matthew accumulates before he is born! I think it would be okay with him if he never saw another twisty tie in his life! Can't wait for everyone to come and see the nursery sometime soon!

Refrigerated Cabbage

Week 28 is here. Only 12 more weeks until we have a little baby boy bouncing around our house. Matthew now weighs in at about 2 and a quarter pounds, about the size of a Chinese cabbage. He's also about 15 inches long at this time. He must be all balled up because 15 inches seems pretty long to be in Jamie's belly. He now has eyelashes, which will make his eyes look all the better.

Tonight, I will be building another item to go in the nursery. It may take me a couple of weeks, but not more than 12!!! It wouldn't take as long to make it, but I'm in my winter coat and gloves, trying to make the house as comfortable as possible for Jamie! If you get the chance, watch Father of the Bride 2. That is about what it's like!!!

Thankful Thursdays!

Today, I am thankful for....

1. Pedicures. After working up a sweat trying to remove my toenail polish this morning, I decided it was time to treat myself to a pedicure!!! I went to one of the local nail salons and they were happy to oblige me. Of course, I messed up one of my nails as soon as I put my sandal back on!!!! Oh well, they look better than if I had done them myself!

2. Air conditioning! Every time I walk by the air conditioner, I turn it down a degree! Ryan is freezing, but I am still sweating! Last night the air was on, the fan was running on high in our bedroom, and I was still way too hot! I am so thankful we have the luxury of staying as cool as possible on these 90+ degree days!

3. The Culligan Man. Ryan and I decided a couple months ago to have the local Culligan man deliver our salt for us. We found ourselves letting the tank set empty for several days (possibly weeks) before we would venture out and get more salt. He came this morning and filled us up! Now, if only I could find someone to come and fill my refrigerator for me!

4. A day off from work this week! I have Saturday night off this week from work! My first baby shower is this weekend, so I took Saturday off. After working every weekend since last August, it is such a nice break to have a day off! I am almost looking forward to going to work tomorrow night!

5. Passing my glucose tolerance test! After repeating the test due to hospital error, I found out this week at my doctor's appointment that my glucose level is just fine! I was actually kind of surprised by this considering the amount of sugar I have ingested over the last couple weeks! I have decided to try and cut back on the amount of sweets, however, I am pretty sure Matthew is going to come out asking for Skittles or a Little Debbie Nutty Bar!

Have a great weekend!

Operation Mendoza

As I am writing this post, I am halfway through a large homemade salad. I am trying to lose some of my baby sympathy weight that I've accumulated over the past six months!!! My goal is to be sub-200 by the time Matthew gets here. For those of you who are baseball fans, when a baseball player's batting average gets near .200, he is approaching the Mendoza Line. That's why I'm terming this little diet as OPERATION MENDOZA. It sounds way cooler than a diet, don't you think? In baseball, the Mendoza Line is not a good thing to be approaching, but in this case, I would love it if I got near it!!! I've notified the CC Deli that I will not be coming in for my daily doughnut, or muffin, or biscuits and gravy, or root beer, or ...

In other news, the nursery is almost complete. I added three new items this weekend. None of the items were pink. To the right is another picture clue:

This weekend also started a time in our summer I've termed "Party Summer". Between Jacob turning the BIG ONE on Saturday, to Matthew being born in August, to Rachel getting married in November, the summer of 2008 will be a busy one for sure.

Secret Project

So, I'm finishing up my secret project. I would like to share full pictures with everyone, but I've decided not to do that yet. For those of you who live around here, hopefully, you will get the chance to come over and see the nursery in the coming weeks. For those out-of-towners, I'll post pictures later. The picture above is just a portion of what I'm working on. Notice the pink! Don't worry, it will all make sense soon!

Thankful Thursdays

Today I am thankful for...

1. EMS personnel. My grandma was taken back to the hospital today following what seems to have been a mini stroke. The EMS personnel who came to my parent's home were wonderful. In moments of stress, it is so nice to have people who are professional and compassionate helping you. Grandma was admitted to the hospital for observation.

2. My husband's creativity. He has been creating items for the baby's room all weekend. This little guy is going to have the cutest nursery I have every seen (I might be a bit biased)!

3. Peanut Butter M&M's. I have had an entire pound this week by myself!

4. The halfway mark of clinical. Today, I am officially halfway done with my clinical hours. Only 75 hours left to go!

5. The smell of fresh cut grass! Nothing screams spring more to me than pretty lawns and yummy flowers!

Pink Is The New Blue

Week 27 is here! Only about 3 months to go until the due date. Matthew is quite the growing little boy, weighing in at almost 2 pounds (about the size of a head of cauliflower), and about 14 1/2 inches long, legs extended. His lungs have developed pretty well by now, enough that they would be able to work out in the world. Let's pray that that is not the case, though. It's also possible now that he will be starting to have hiccups!

It's pretty crazy to think that in just 3 months, we will be having a baby. We got a lot done with the nursery this weekend. More on that to come with a later post. I will try to get pictures taken of my secret project. Just know this: Pink has made a return to the nursery.

I'll Give You A Nickel For Your Pickle!

So, I've fallen a little behind on my growth reports. Sorry. Not a whole lot to report this week. Matthew is now the length of a 14-inch English hot house cucumber. I don't know what that is, but here's a picture of one.

He is now weighing in at a hefty 1 and 2/3 pounds. What a porker!!! He'll be continuing to put on his baby fat all the way until he's out. Another interesting item to file in the "Too Much Information" file: Matthew's testicles will descend this week!!! It should take two to three days for them to make the long journey. Sorry, Grandma...I have to let everyone know what is going on!!!

My big job this week was to put together and move baby furniture. (Thanks, Kyle!!!) The nursery is really starting to come together. I have another job that will keep me busy the rest of the weekend, but for now, it's a secret. Shhhh.

Thankful Thursday

Today, I am thankful for...

1. Grace... I certainly use my share of this everyday!

2. For tired legs... I finished my second week of clinicals today and I am so tired tonight. However, I am grateful because I know my body feeling tired hopefully means that in some small way I have helped someone else's body heal. I am realizing more and more everyday that nursing is exactly where I am meant to be!

3. Hot fudge... I have my glucose tolerance test tomorrow, so I am thankful for each and every bite of sugar I have had over the past couple weeks. I have a feeling these Thankful Thursday posts might contain a food item for the remainder of my pregnancy (hopefully tomorrow won't bring an end to the sweet options in my diet).

4. For yellow walls in the baby's room. We were planning on re-painting Matthew's room when he was a girl to go with the pink and brown motif, however, due to our little surprise, we have discovered that the yellow walls are perfect with the bedding set we chose! Hallelujah for no painting!

5. Steven Curtis Chapman. For those of you who do not know this man, he is an incredible Christian musician. Ryan and I have been blessed by his concerts on more than one occasion. We danced to one of his songs at our wedding. This morning we were heartbroken to read that his youngest daughter, Maria, was killed in a tragic accident at their home. He has blessed our lives so many times, and we are thankful for his witness to the world. Would you join us in lifting his family up over these next difficult days and weeks? If you would like to read more about their ministry or their family you can visit his website: http://stevencurtischapman.com

Safety First

Here is Ryan's latest creation! He made a gun cabinet for our brother-in-law, so that he has a safe place to store his firearms since their little boy is starting to get into EVERYTHING! This is his most difficult project to date, and I must say it turned out beautifully! Jared was really surprised tonight when he came to our house to see it for the first time! Hopefully, our cars will find their way back into the garage sometime later this week!

Matthew Thomas Peppler

Well, after several rounds of elimination our little guy has a name! His name will be Matthew Thomas Peppler. Ryan and I both had uncles pass away several years ago who meant the world to us. We wanted to use parts of their names for our little boy. We hope he will be as wonderful and loving as these two men were in our lives! Here's to Uncle Todd and Uncle Tom, we love them and miss them everyday!

Thankful Thursday (well, really Friday)

Today I am thankful for...

1. Ultrasound machines (I think)!

2. My grandma is home from the hospital. She is living with my parents again and gaining strength everyday!

3. Baby Gap sales!

4. 3 days of clinicals down... only 18 more to go!

5. All the little kicks and movements I feel everyday! Our little guy is so active these days and it makes me smile just thinking of how busy he will be when he arrives!

Have a great weekend!

Re-registering!

It's a good thing I enjoyed the registering process the first time because doing it a second time is not nearly as much fun! My mom and I went back to Babies R Us tonight to remove the pink items from the list and replace them with blue! It seems the decisions were harder this time. I was a bit torn between an animal theme and a sports theme for the room. In the end, I decided our little guy would be a member of the animal kingdom! He will be living in a jungle for the first couple years of his life! GRRRR! I am hoping Ryan likes the choices I made, however, I am fairly confident that he will pretend he likes them no matter what because he doesn't want his emotional wife to have a meltdown!

I survived my first week of clinicals and only have 6 more to go! I have some really wonderful preceptors this semester who are providing me with some really unique and interesting experiences! I will definitely be relieved when I am finished with school and can focus more on the little guy who is moving all over the place these days!

My sister told me I was waddling the other day (I asked for her opinion)! I am trying very hard not to waddle, but I don't think I am succeeding. Oh well, I guess being pregnant has its perks!

Waddle on, friends!

The Morning After...

Well, after our big news last night, I thought I better post and let you all know we made it through the night!!!! I hardly slept, however, Ryan was sound asleep for most of the night! There are a few details we left out of the initial post that I thought you might find interesting. The only reason I had an ultrasound yesterday was because I started clinical at Warsaw Women's Center and one of the ultrasound techs wanted to scan my belly "just for fun." Well, her fun was a tad more than I bargained for! My Mom is now convinced I am having twins because we were 95% sure with the first ultrasound that it was a girl! I promise there is only ONE baby in there! I have another clinical this morning... hopefully they don't have an ultrasound machine!!!! Have a great day!

Okay, Now What Do We Do?

Y'all ain't gonna believe this!!!!! Start thinking blue. Jamie had an ultrasound done today, and guess what the doctor found? I'll keep it G-rated, but they did find something that little boys have and little girls do not have. To say that we were shocked would be an understatement!!!! You have no idea how much pink stuff we have purchased and our families have purchased over the past 6 weeks! DON'T MISUNDERSTAND: WE ARE VERY HAPPY THAT WE ARE HAVING A HEALTHY LITTLE BOY, but it is taking us a little bit to adjust to the news! I guess he won't need too many hairbows!!!! As you might have guessed, we haven't decided on a name yet!!! Once the fog lifts, we will get back to you! The second picture from the top on the left shows the evidence!!!!

Growth report: Our little boy is the size of a rutabaga this week. No other news to report.

No Grace Here

All right, it's time for a middle name update. Bad news for 12 of you out there. The middle name will NOT be Grace. Jamie and I both love what it stands for, but we love the other middle name that we chose better! We're still not revealing what the actual middle name is, so you'll just have to change your vote to something different. Have a great week!

Addy's First Photo Shoot

Thanks to Jacob's Curious George, Addy had her first official photo shoot today! Look at all the pretty hairbows!!!!!! Can't wait to see them on our little girl! If this nursing thing doesn't work out, maybe I will go into the hairbow making business!!!

Thankful Thursdays

Today, I am thankful for...

1. HAIRBOWS! I have been creating hair accessories for our little girl for the last 24 hours! This little adventure started when I was searching online for hairbows for babies and discovered that they cost between $12-$30 each!!! That was the end of searching online and the beginning of production at my house! I have been to Wal-Mart 4 times in the last 24 hours to gather the needed supplies and so far our little girl has 20 hair bows to accompany her little outfits! I figured making anymore than that would be overkill at this point! HA! I just keep reminding Ryan of all the money he is saving. Pictures to follow later.

2. Hot glue guns (except the blisters on my fingers!)

3. Little Debbie Fudge Rounds! (YUM!)

4. Learning how to sew. Before this little hairbow project, my sewing skills ended at putting a button back on a shirt (which I am not very good at). I kind of have enjoyed this new little hobby, and think I might start sewing a little more.

5. For my Mom! In honor of Mother's Day this weekend, I want to give a shout out to all moms everywhere! Thanks for all you do everyday!!! I am blessed with one incredible MOM!

Congratulations, Sis!

The Peppler family made a trip to Indianapolis this past Friday to watch Rachel's graduation. She now is has her doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Indianapolis. Congratulations, Rachel!!! I altered the logo above in honor of her accomplishment!

Corn on the Cob and Baseball

Weekly growth report time! Adelynn is now about as long as a foot-long ear of corn. "Footlong, who's got the footlong?" That was for those Dumb & Dumber fans out there. She has gained about a quarter of a pound just this week, and is really kicking up a storm in Jamie's belly. I love hearing from Jamie when she is kicking and I am now able to feel Adelynn a lot more. What a cool feeling! Jamie had a good report from the doctor yesterday, and everything seems to be going well.

I was asked the other day about the pictures that I have been putting on here, and why there is a quarter on them. I get these pictures emailed to me, and I guess the quarter is just there to give an idea of size. In other words, I don't know why there is a quarter in all the pictures!!!

Also, for those of you who don't know me very well, I am a huge St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan. And I just want to send out a shout to all my friends that are Cubs fans. Although it is very early in the season, the Cards are on top of the division, and primed for a great season. I'll end this with one of my favorite quotes about the Cubs. "Anyone can have a bad century!"

Take care, all.

Thankful Thursdays

Well, I am stealing this idea from a fellow-blogger friend of mine (Thanks Deanna!). She posts 5 things she is thankful for every Thursday. I find this idea refreshing and a welcome change in my somewhat ungrateful attitude. So, I am going to attempt to do this on a regular basis. Hopefully, it helps me remember all I have to be thankful for! Here it goes...

Today, I am thankful:

1. For a husband who loves Jesus and loves me!

2. For a clean house!!!!!! I have spent the better part of the last two days cleaning our house. I even made our bed two days in a row which might be a record around here... GASP (I know most of you probably make your beds everyday, but that is usually not the case around here!) I even came up with an idea for a new invention while I was cleaning: a device that allows you to clean crown molding without climbing on chairs and clean the baseboards without getting on your knees! I used a baseball bat yesterday to get this job done, but think there is surely an info-mercial out there somewhere screaming for this product!

3. For a healthy pregnancy so far. Despite the morning sickness (which has almost completely subsided as of late), I have felt good and Addy seems to be developing on schedule! Praise God!

4. For finals next week (not exactly the final exam itself, but the fact that next Tuesday will end my time spent in a classroom for awhile! All of my summer classes are online!)

5. For brownies baking in the oven! YUM!

Huntington University

Well, as most of you have read, I had an interview with HU last week. It has been a goal of mine to return there to teach since I left to pursue nursing. Ryan and I have been praying and discussing the idea of the position being full-time for the past week and decided that I would not pursue the job any further. One of the things we value is the thought of being able to spend as much time with our kids as possible and me starting out in a full-time position does not fit into that picture very well. I have been a tad emotional over this decision, but I know it is for the best and something else will come along. So, if you know anyone who needs a nurse practitioner (on a part-time basis), let me know!

The Mango: Some Assembly Required

We've made it to week 23! Adelynn is now about 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound, about the size of a large mango. One big development this week is the fact that she can feel Jamie move and dance. So, in honor of the picture above, we've created a dance called the Mango. It's a combination of the always popular Macarena and the classic Tango. Don't ask. What happens behind the doors of our house stays behind the doors of our house!!!

I got to feel her kick for the first time last week, which was great. She seems to really get excited after supper, so I've been trying to cook some of Jamie's favorites for her. Jamie tells me that Adelynn really likes spaghetti, but I think that that is just her way of telling me that she likes it. Oh, well. At least I like spaghetti, too. I'd better, considering we've had it twice a week for several weeks now!!!

I tried to talk Jamie into using the middle name of Flurry for Adelynn, but I see that it didn't quite make the list above. It's pretty amazing to me that we are already to the point of coming up with names and such. Only about 17 more weeks to go, and we'll have a little mango in the house.

In other news, I found out what "Some Assembly Required" means over the weekend. We ordered our stroller (Thanks, Grandma Phegley) and our Pack 'n Play, and they came last week. So, being the father, the job naturally fell upon my shoulders to assemble these things. The stroller was a piece of cake, considering all I had to do was snap the wheels on. But the Pack 'n Play may very well have been one of the most annoying things I've ever set my eyes upon!!! After finally getting the thing put together, we decided to move it to the living room. Guess what didn't fit through the doorway!!! Luckily I learned a few things the first time I put it together. There are just enough weeks of this pregnancy left to forget everything I learned in time to move it back to the family room!!! Such are the perils of fatherhood!!! Take care.

Ryan

A Middle Name

Well, Ryan and I have narrowed down the names for our little girl and have settled on a first name. Her name will be Adelynn (Addy for short). We have been set on this name for some time now, but have been hesitant to reveal it in case we changed our minds. Now, we have the tough decision of deciding on a middle name for our little princess. There is a poll to the right where you can vote on which middle name you like the most. We are definitely not set on any of these, but they are the names in the running. We will try to make up our minds soon and let you know what her full name will be!!!!

Happy Monday!

Father of the Bride

We upgraded our Dish to HD this week, so Ryan has been rewinding and taping things like crazy. This weekend he recorded "Father of the Bride" and "Father of the Bride Part II" for me. I love those two movies and now they are forever stored on my TV!!!! What a great invention! I think Ryan even got a little misty-eyed this afternoon as we were watching the 2nd movie when the babies were born. He is a tad sentimental at times! We spent the entire afternoon today watching movies and sleeping. I guess we are going to enjoy our quiet afternoons for as long as we can!

Ryan was able to feel the baby kick this week for the first time. She is getting much stronger these days and likes to jump up and down on Mommy's bladder most of the time. He was pretty excited to feel the movements that I have been feeling for awhile now. I think he is reassured that there is actually something in there and his wife's belly is not just growing for no reason.

No big plans for the week. I am going to try to get our house cleaned because I start clinical again in 2 weeks and then I will be very busy until the end of June. I wore heels to church this morning and when we got home my feet were so swollen I had cankles (calves+ankles). I can't wait to see what they look like after being at clinical for 8 hours!

Hope everyone has a great week!

Grandma Phegley

My Grandma Phegley has moved in with my parents for the time-being. She was discharged from the hospital on Tuesday morning and has been living with them since then. My parents took down their dining room table and have created a mini condo for her in their dining room. She seems to being ok, but is still very weak and gets tired easily. This living situation is temporary for right now, but could turn into a more permanent fix if needed. It has been nice to be able to spend some time with her as she recuperates.

Huntington University

Well, today I had an interview for a possible nursing faculty position with Huntington University. I attended HU for my freshman year of college and loved it! I only left because they did not have a nursing program. I have always said that if I could return someday, I would jump at the chance. About a week ago, the director of the nursing program emailed me and asked if I was still interested in a position with HU as part of their new nursing faculty. As excited as I was, I informed the director that I was pregnant and due in August which I figured would deter her. Much to my surprise, she was looking for candidates to begin in Jan. 2009. I went for the interview today not knowing exactly what to expect and not sure of where I really want to be in January. The interview went really well, however, the job is for a full-time position. We always thought I would work part-time while our kids were little. I will have another interview this fall and then potentially be offered the job to begin in January. Of course, I am thankful to have this as an option, however, I am a little hesitant about it being full-time. Ryan and I will be praying for God's direction in this as we look to the future. We thank you in advance for your prayers and support during this time of great transition in our lives.

Practicing To Be the Toothfairy

Well, this week Flurry is about the length of a spaghetti squash. For those of you who do not know what a spaghetti squash is (like me), I have included a picture. She is about 11 inches long, and is starting to look like a human now. Thank goodness. Flurry weighs almost 1 pound now, and is kicking and moving like crazy. Jamie has been telling me all about her movements and her water ballet classes. Her lips are forming and little tooth buds are starting to form, although her teeth won't start coming in until she's 4 to 7 months old. Maybe it's just a father thing, but I'm already dreading the dentist bill! Another worry of mine is how to get Flurry's first lost tooth out from under the pillow without waking her. Maybe I'll practice on Jamie tonight. In my thorough research on baby development (Ha! Ha!), I've learned that it is possible for some babies to be born with teeth!!! I'm sure that would make breastfeeding a little more difficult. On that note, I had better sign off. Take care!

Shake, Rattle & Roll

Well, it seems that I was just hitting the snooze button for the second time this morning about 5:35 and all of a sudden the house was shaking!!! Jamie and I both woke up to what we thought was an earthquake!!! We both kind of brushed it off to early morning hallucinations, especially since Jamie didn't get home til after 2:00 this morning after being down at her Grandma's all night. But, then I turned on the news and there really was an earthquake. Or so it seems. There's not a whole lot of details out yet, but we felt it. Our first earthquake. How exciting.

Babies 'R Us

Well, we survived the registering experience at Babies 'R Us last night! I let Ryan operate the gun, which kept him occupied while I tried to decipher all we needed. I just wish there could be one more brand of bottles to choose from! HA! I think companies just like to invent 18 different ways for a new parent to bathe their child to try to confuse the already overwhelmed parents. I bet we stood in the tub aisle for 10 minutes trying to decide which one would be the best for us. Luckily, I have a patient husband who enjoys bath toys and was busy scanning items like the penguin toy while I was trying to make a decision. I haven't really looked to see what else he might have scanned while I wasn't watching! After we got home I realized all the things I had forgotten, but figured we had some time to finish up later.

In other news, my Grandma Phegley is back in the hospital. My mom and I spent most of today in the ER waiting for test results when they decided to admit her around 3:30. She has the beginning of a bowel obstruction. She had some exploratory surgery done on Monday and her bowel has just not started up again like it should. Hopefully some fluids and electrolytes will help reverse the problem. We are all praying for a speedy recovery. I was able to read almost the entire book written by the families affected by the Taylor University crash 2 years ago while sitting in the ER today. What an incredible story of faith and hope in the midst of crisis! The book is called "Mistaken Identity" and it is a really fast read for anyone who is interested.

One other thing, our nephew, Jacob, made me laugh so hard yesterday. He is learning to wave and clap right now and has mastered both of them fairly well. Yesterday, his mom opened the front door to let him watch the cars go by and he was so happy that he was waving and clapping as they watched. It wasn't too long before Abby realized he was waving and clapping for a funeral procession!!!!! Oh well, hopefully he brought a smile to someone's face who was having a rough day! He is so darn cute!!!! Aunt Jamie thought it was pretty funny that he enjoyed the parade of cars so much!

Hope everyone has a great weekend! I get to work... only 19 more weekends to work before the baby comes! YIPPEE!!!!

Carrots and Fajitas

Time for the weekly growth report. Flurry is now the length of a 10 1/2-inch carrot and weighs about 3/4 of a pound. Oh, and great news...Flurry's eyebrows have come in!!! What a relief! Jamie is feeling her move quite a bit now. The experts say that she will move about 50 times an hour, even while she's sleeping!!! Also, good news!!! Jamie has not been sick since last Thursday!!! Praises for that!

I need prayers for tonight. I am entering into a world where I'm not quite sure how to act. Baby's R' Us. That's right...we're going to register tonight. I will probaby defer to Jamie on a lot of things tonight. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it will be interesting to go, but I just have a feeling that I won't be able to pick the right bottles out of the 2 million choices!! The thing that I'm holding onto the most is the possibility of going to Carlos O' Kelly's afterwards!!! Yum!

Heartburn

Well, the latest development with this pregnancy is heartburn! I seem to be experiencing indigestion after eating lately. I am not sure if it was the supreme pizza or the chocolate last night, but it felt like I swallowed something with lots of acid in it right before we went to bed. Fortunately, Flurry's dance classes are not interrupted by this new development.

I was able to read our ultrasound at work over the weekend (the perks of working where you have it done, I guess), and according to the report, there were no abnormalities reported. We are thankful for this and looking forward to getting the full report from the doctor at our next visit.

Flurry is already collecting lots of adorable little outfits... thanks to some generous people in our lives. Not to worry, not all of her clothes are pink! I am pretty sure this little girl will have more clothes than Mommy and Daddy one of these days. I must admit I had to buy her a few little outfits. I can see how someone could get in trouble ordering online! I have only ordered items that are on sale!!!! We had to go buy hangers last night so we could see the comforter on the bed again. Ryan has two favorite outfits right now: the pink St. Louis Cardinals onesie he received for his birthday and the little onesie that says, "My finger might be small but I can still wrap Daddy around it." I have a feeling he is going to be pushover when it comes to this little girl!

Hope everyone has a great week!

Pickles and Chocolate Milk!

Well, last night I had a new craving!!! About nine o'clock I was hungry and thought pickles sounded good. So, I got the jar of Kosher dills out of the fridge and ate a few huge pickles and rinsed them down with a glass of chocolate milk! Ryan thinks I am gross! They were yummy!!!! I did not sleep well last night, so I am wondering if my belly is just getting in the way or if the pickles had something to do with it!

Halfway There...

We're at the halfway mark of this pregnancy, and all seems well. Jamie is feeling Flurry kick quite a bit, now that she knows that that is what it is!!! Flurry is about the size of a 10-inch long banana from head to toe and weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. The next part of this blog comes straight from the email that I get every week, so bear with me.

"A greasy white substance called vernix caseosa coats your baby's entire body to protect her skin during its long submersion in amniotic fluid. She's also producing meconium, a black, sticky substance made of dead cells, digestive secretions, and swallowed amniotic fluid, which will accumulate in her bowels and end up in her first diaper."

I just can't WAIT for that first diaper!!! Several words come to mind when thinking about it. Eww is one of them. On the bright side, I am starting to warm up to the color pink. Especially the St. Louis Cardinals onesie that Jamie got Flurry for my birthday!!!

Doctor Update

We went to a doctor's appointment this afternoon hoping to hear the results of our ultrasound, however, my physician was out helping deliver a new life into the world. We saw the nurse practitioner who listened to the heartbeat and measured my belly, but didn't have the results of my ultrasound. Flurry was dancing all over the place while she was trying to listen, but did cooperate after a little persistence. So, at this point, we have decided that no news is good news and we will get the results at next month's appointment. The scales have started moving up... I have gained about 3-4 pounds and can no longer use my weight loss as an excuse to eat whatever I want (especially sweets!). Flurry and I are going to try to start going on walks around the block since it is nice outside now. I went up one flight of stairs at school today and was out of breath, so I am sure these walks will be rather short in length (at least to start). No other news to report.... we will try to get a shot of my belly on here later this week... our camera has been out of batteries for about a week. I am sure we will not be so slow on getting new ones once little Flurry makes her appearance! Have a great week!

Water Ballet

Little Flurry has decided that bedtime is a good time to practice her water ballet! Last night, she was fluttering around all over the place while Mommy was trying to go to sleep! Maybe it was in anticipation of Daddy's birthday today! Happy Birthday, Ryan! Mommy and Flurry made Daddy cupcakes last night to take to work today. She is a good little helper in the kitchen already! Maybe we will be able to coordinate her ballet and cooking classes one of these days!

Have a great week!

Prayers for Alan

We have a dear friend who is in the hospital and having lots of tests run. If you have a moment today, if you could just send a prayer up on his behalf for healing and strength during this difficult time. He is married and has 2 daughters... I am sure they would all appreciate your prayers. Thanks in advance!!!

Daddy tales...

Well, in case some of you don’t already know, I have an incredible husband! I am so blessed to have such a caring and wonderful man in my life. He makes me laugh and takes such good care of me (even though I like to imagine that I am quite self-sufficient)! My favorite thing he is doing right now is talking to my belly. He gets this really cute, squeaky voice and tells the baby all kinds of fun stories! He says that the baby is going to learn our voices, however, I am not sure she will recognize his unless this is going to be his new tone! Maybe he will talk to you in his cute little voice if you ask real nice! I love you, Ryan! Flurry is going to have an amazing Daddy!

You say tomato, I say tomoto

Well, with all the big news about the gender of Flurry this week, I almost forgot to do the size report. At 19 weeks, Flurry is about the size of a large heirloom tomato. I'll have to ask Grandpa what an heirloom tomato is, exactly. SHE weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and is about 6 inches long. HER brain is developing very rapidly at this point, and SHE can hear us talk to her. They say that Flurry will get a preference for the voices she hears the most, most of all being Jamie's. So already, she's a mama's girl!!! It was so great to see the ultrasound pictures on Monday, and to be able to watch our little girl moving around so well. At one point, she showed off both of her little feet to the camera. Seeing all of that made it a little more real for me on Monday. Not that it wasn't real before, but seeing that little baby inside of her mother puts a new perspective on things. After reading this week on how much more expensive it is to raise a girl than a boy, I've checked into part-time jobs around the area. Just kidding!!! It will be a lot of fun in the next few months as we get ready for a little one. Take care, all. Thanks for all the prayers!!!