belly buddies

Last night Charlie and I got some dinner with our great friends, Katy-Ruth and Tyler.

Katy-Ruth is due to have her little girl, Melody, any day now!

{Katy-Ruth, 40+ weeks & Kristin 23 weeks}

We are all praying for a safe delivery in God’s timing. 

Hopefully sooner rather than later!

i just couldn't help myself

there's nothing cuter than a naked baby....

 with fat rolls...

that's bald ...

getting bathed in a sink.

7 weeks!

Week 7 has arrived!

I am still feeling great and have been able to continue my usual workout routines.

I am amazed at how much better I feel after a 30 minute run.

Usually, i am pooped after work but I would rather spend an hour at the gym

than waiting in traffic so that's a nice built-in motivator.

I have seemed to get out of breath more quickly and that is frustrating

but I am listening to what my body is telling me.

14 weeks

(just getting around to posting this)

finally getting a little more of the baby bump.

luckily all of my clothes still fit and i've only gained about 3 pounds

but belly is still in that awkward,

 "is she pregnant?" stage

i've got my appetite back but i'm more of a grazer now-a-days.

small meals and snacks all throughout the day are working much better than 3 big meals.

my favorite snacks are:

jolly ranchers

baby carrots

honey bunches of oats cereal

pepper-corn beef jerky

fruit salad

no crazy combinations but definitely a random assortment.

Pregnancy Notes:

-I've been feeling all along that it is a boy.  {this proved to be true :)}
-I really haven't been sick at all and now that we're well into the third month I'm hoping that

-I've been randomly feeling the baby move mainly early in the mornings or if I'm taking a nap

-The heartbeat at our last appointment was 168.  Any guesses on what you think it is? 

tehehe

{via}

Playing Opossum

I went to the doctor on Tuesday for a quick check up because I

hadn't been feeling baby lloyd's kicks as much during the last two days.

Of course, as soon as I  got to the doctor's office, he started rolling

and kicking.

{baby profile, 3D ultrasound}

Sure enough when Dr. Maccato went to take a look, baby boy had just been playing possum.

He even had the hiccups! 

I was so relieved

{baby fingers, his thumb is on the other side of the hand :)}

Just for the record, Australian possums...

are much cuter than

our American Opossums...

YIKES!

parenting...and it starts

so i realized, i've been doing ALOT of doctor planning, gift registering, baby blog searching and my heart is excited but still is seeking more.  more prayer.  more quiet times.  more intentional preparation for what is just around the corner.  i went to one of my favorite websites and sumbled upon this article on parenting and here is a little blurb:

"All I can offer you new moms, who are just beginning this journey of motherhood, is what I tried with all my heart to do over the past 23 years:

Faithfully build character into your children every chance you get. Even if you are not the perfect mom in every way, you can be faithful in that. Here are just a few ways to build and model character while raising those children:

• Nurture a healthy love and fear of the Lord into their hearts.
• Teach them the character qualities of God so they will understand ALL of who He is.
• Be there for them … praise them, hug them goodnight, kiss them goodbye.
• Look directly in their eyes when they speak to you. Listen to them.
• Be humble about your own imperfection, but firmly instill how much you love them.
• Take care of them in ways that are important, let go of the guilt or pressure to be super parents.
• Let them fail and take responsibility for it. Love them through it.
• Teach them to think and reason and make good choices…and model that for them.
• Let your children see that your marriage and family are a priority.
• Teach them to show respect, love and concern for others.
• Model what it means to love your neighbor as yourself.
• Give them opportunities to practice selfless and sacrificial love for others.
• Let them shine in how God created them and cheer them on.
• Challenge them to be who God created them to be even when it is hard work to get there.
• Inspire them for what is possible with God!
• Pray for them.
• Pray with them.
• Remember Who they belong to.
• When they question your wisdom, remind them Who they need to please, above all others.
• Remind them often that being their mom is one of the highest God-given privileges and honors of your life.

Hang in there moms. I pray you will see the rewards of your labor and the joy of watching your kids grow up to be Godly young men and women of character someday!"

where can i find this!?

my imagination is running away with me!

and i'm laughing

what will baby boy look like?

(kristin circa 1985)

Charlie (circa 1985)

i guess we'll see in a little more than 6 months

5 Months - 19 weeks and counting...

{what cha gon' do with all that junk, all that junk inside your trunk?}

blessed be your name...

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

Dear Jamison,

You should be here in just over 120 days, maybe more, maybe less, and your Dad and I are just over the moon excited to meet you.  I can feel you kicking up a storm which makes preparing for your arrival extra special.  It seems like time is speeding up, and at the same time, it seems to be dragging along. I'm trying to savor all of these precious moments before you get here, because I know everything will change.

A few weeks ago a houseful of people gathered to celebrate the news that you are a little boy!  There are so many people who already love you and are praying for you.  I hope one day you will read these letters, get a glimpse of what your Dad and I were like when we were young, and know that you were loved long before you came into the world.  As Christmas came and went this year my heart still feels full because you are the most amazing gift I have every received! I can't wait to hold you in my arms and see your Dad rock you to sleep

There are so many things I want to teach you: to love with all of your heart, to know that you have a Father in Heaven who loves you and already has a plan for your life.  I want you to look back on your childhood with fondness and feel in your heart that you are truly loved.

I can’t wait to meet you little man!

Mama