:)

Olivia 5 1/2 months

1st family Christmas picture

My sisters and our girls on Thanksgiving

The little girl cousins together for the first time :)

4 Months/Christmas picture

The holidays and Christmas are flying by! New Years is just already going to be this week - 2011!

We are pretty settled in our new place here in Texas, are loving being closer to family, and really enjoy our new church home.

Olivia is growing she is about to be 6 months old next week! She is rolling around like crazy and getting more fun by the day :) She is a really good baby, especially now that I know what I'm doing and have gotten to know her cues a ton better (it definitely makes things go a lot smoother).

October.

Well This month is pretty crazy... We are in the process of packing and moving back to TX! :) It sure is hard leaving our close friends and the church family that we've become so close to the last year, but we are so excited to be so much closer to family. That will be such a blessing. So about 1 more week and we are headed south. Ricky will be working at a church working with small groups & the high school youth.

Olivia is doing great, she is 3 months old and is growing :) I've definitely gotten the hang of being a mommy. It's great! We're still working on getting her on a schedule, but seriously it may take a while, esp. with moving underway...


Here are some pics that I took the last few days, which was fun! :) Her little friend Julia Paige is 2 months old and is so cute :) It was so fun to dress them up and take pictures :)

Been busy :)

week 1

week 2

week 4

1 month

Well the last 5-6 weeks have been pretty busy, to say the least! Olivia was born July 8, 2010 (10 days early) at 5:25pm. She weighed 6lbs 9oz, and was 19 1/2 in. long. She has a so much dark hair - it's great (although I'm still waiting for it to turn curly). I had a pretty smooth delivery. I went in when I was about 4 cm along ( around 10am that morning) & the dr. ended up breaking my water & starting a pitocin drip to make my contractions a little more regular (plus he was going on vacation that evening, & I really wanted him to deliver!). I made it to almost 9cm with out drugs, but finally got an epidural because I was getting so tired, & in so much pain. I ended up pushing for an hour. And then she was born. She had some trouble breathing when she came out, so she was put on oxygen (taken off the next morning) & in the NICU, then she had low sugar levels & some jaundice, so she didn't get released for 5 days. That was a little hard.


I've recovered already & feel really good. I have actually been getting some rest & try to get a nap in during the day. My mom came up a week before Olivia was born, and was able to stay 2 weeks after (3 total). It was such a blessing to have her with me so long - she was such an amazing help to me and Rick. The first few weeks were really hard with all the company coming and going, & the lack of sleep. We're still losing sleep, but I definitely am getting in the swing of things a lot better :)


Oh - I've also switched to cloth diapering as well (prefolds & covers) that is going really well & am very happy with choosing cloth :) Even Rick helps change a diaper here and there! :)

waiting.

36 weeks 4 days along..... getting closer :)




me @ 36 weeks




My church gave me a shower last week & here are some pics. Such a great shower - opened over 40 gifts!

My belly buddy Mandi (she's 32 weeks) & I.





The hostesses gave me a high chair



Hostesses & finger foods




My pastor's wife made the Olivia sign :)


The shower was such a blessing. So many gifts, clothes, 2 hand-crocheted blankets, shoes, diaper bag, a moses basket, etc! I was still getting gifts the next day at church - including handmade artwork for Olivia's room, & baby swing. God has been so faithful to provide beyond what I ever thought we would need! :) I'm definitely grateful!


This week has been pretty busy. I really am hoping to finish thank you notes, reading 2 books: "Baby Wise" & "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer," take some continuing ed classes online to renew my TX Cosmo license, & whatever else keeps running through my mind before Olivia gets here!!! Somehow I wonder if it'll all get done, or if she'll get here before. Either way, I'm excited.

I woke up this morning refreshed, and although I don't wake up every morning praying or w/ scripture on my mind - i did today. I began to think of scriptures that focus on trusting God & i was reminded quickly:

"trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight"

"He will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, for he trusts in You."

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"

"be anxious for nothing, but in everything make your requests known to God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your heart & mind in Christ Jesus"

"Be strong & courageous, for the LORD your God goes before you"

these are just a few off the top of my head that comforted me this morning & in general. God's word really does help my mind & heart be calm even through waiting, & through the anxiousness of getting tasks accomplished. God is good and I'm thankful for His word, especially His word that is hidden in my heart.


The dr. told me yesterday that I'm 1-2cm dilated already. I forgot to ask about how much I'm effaced - i'll definitely ask next week! I feel great and i have no idea when Olivia will arrive, could be tomorrow, could be 5 weeks from now :)

it's not long now...

sweet booties

Olivia :)










Her Nursery is pretty much complete
Ricky helped me decoupage her "OLIVIA" letter & helped hang them. He also hung the butterflies in the ceiling corners
Oh yeah - he painted the whole room!!! :)
I made her curtains. My friend, Jade, made the shadowboxes :)


It's amazing to me that in less than 2 months I"ll be holding my sweet little girl :) This makes me happy.
We finished her room about a week ago & her closet is organized & FULL of clothes, blankets, and frills :) God has been so good! He has provided above and beyond what I thought a little girl should ever need :) I am so thankful for his provision and grace.

I feel great for 33 weeks. I do get more tired and am resting a lot more, so that helps.

Rick has been busy with church and working....and is trying to get over a virus/bug/ food poisoning symptoms...please pray for him, he is miserable :( I'm just trying to make sure he stays hydrated.

here's me at 33 wks 3 days



Here's her nursery

20 weeks!!!

I can't believe I'm halfway through this pregnancy. I am getting more and more emotional thinking of my little Olivia Ramona (it's a girl btw!!!) :) I bought some little shoes last week and i was getting them out today and looking at them and it made me so sentimental thinking of her little feet - I prayed that her feet will one day bring Good News. I am already starting to pray she comes to know Jesus and love Him with her whole heart. I can't wait to meet her and love her.

I am also starting to feel little movements (like popcorn popping or like a carbonated drink inside me bubbling!) :)

Other than being busy with work, house work, getting my taxes organized (can you say "procrastination"????) and church stuff, life's going by fast.

I am looking forward to going home to South Texas at the end of March for a visit. My mom's been so excited for me to come - she's already planning a baby shower while I'm there. Both my sisters are going to be there too - so it's definitely going to be a fun trip.

baby update

I thought y'all might want a little update with baby. I am now 15 weeks along and in my 2nd trimester :) We get to find out what it is in about 3 weeks. I've had no nausea, but some headaches... I'm just so thankful for being healthy so far and so excited to be a mommy in by July!

I started a new part-time job last week working at a small jewelry shop - the owners go to my church, and are very nice to work for -I was getting kind of bored at home and I'm glad to have something to keep me busy until the baby comes. The last few months have been a great break from my crazy teaching/working schedule that I used to have before we moved. I have a few prospective violin students that will probably start in the next few weeks, and I do still cut hair on the side for a few people at my church, Rick's job has been really great - so I'm more than content :) I've also been able to help Rick with youth stuff and have begun to get more involved - I'm going to be co-leading a girls Bible study starting next month and am really excited about it!

Here are a few recent pics:

I'm 14 weeks in this pic - I love having my belly growing and cant's wait to start feeling the baby move! :)



Here's when it got super cold a few weeks ago and froze a little pool in the backyard:



Here's rick and I at LSU football game back in November: