Happy Halloween!

Hope you all had a fun Halloween.  We spent our evening on the couch, eating chili, catching up on our DVR, and handing out candy to the Trick-or-Treaters.  We did dress up for a couple of Halloween parties this weekend though.  I thought I'd share a few pictures of our costumes:

My skeleton family.

Me with Lucile Ball.

Witches Brew 2011

Our friends Justin and Bekah as Garth and Kat from SNL.

Our skeleton costumes were inspired by a photo I found on Pinterest.  I had Laura draw out our skeletons on freezer paper, then I cut it out to create a stencil, ironed the stencil on the shirts and pants, painted the stencil on with fabric paint, then removed the freezer paper.  Ta da!  A cute little skeleton family.  I liked mine so much, I wore it again tonight while handing out candy.

Happy Halloween, friends!

30 Weeks.

Elliott:

We've made it to 30 weeks! Now we only have 10 weeks (or less) to go.  You are 17 inches long, weighing about 3.1 pounds, making you the size of a butternut squash.  I'm really starting to feel pregnant this week.  My feet have started swelling a little, I get acid reflux after I eat, and the first trimester fatigue has returned.  My belly feels heavy and it's hard to roll over and lift myself out of bed.  But, the end is in sight! I just keep reminding myself how good it will feel to have you in my arms.

Tonight your Daddy returned from 12 nights in Hong Kong for work.  I'm so glad to have him home! He couldn't believe how much you had grown in just a week and a half.  The first thing he did when he saw me was bend down and talk to my belly (I think he missed us both too).

Tomorrow we go visit Dr. Chang.  I'm looking forward to finding out if you are measuring big, because I feel like you are.  Maybe he'll even move your due date up (fingers crossed).  Either way, we'll get to hear your heartbeat, which is always exciting.

We love you more than you can imagine,
Momma

29 Weeks.

Elliott:

I'm starting to feel how much you have grown the past 7 months.  My back is aching when I sit still for too long, my lungs feel like they have been pushed into my throat, and I can no longer bend over and touch my toes.  You have reached the size of a small cabbage, weighing 2.9 pounds and measuring about 17 inches long.  That sounds really tiny, but it sure feels big to me!

This week your Daddy and I attended a breastfeeding class at the hospital.  Now I feel more confident that I will be able to provide you with the food and important antibodies you'll need when you are born.  I'm glad we signed up for these classes.  I'm learning so many things I never knew about how to best take care of you when we bring you home from the hospital.

This week you've had the hiccups a lot.  I still love to feel you move, it makes me wonder what you look like in there.  Your Daddy thinks you'll look like me since I look so much like your grandma, but I think you'll be a perfect blend of us both.  We decided not to have a 3D ultrasound, so I guess it will be a total surprise.

Only 11 weeks until we see your sweet face!
Momma

life lately, according to my iPhone.

1.) Infant CPR class 2.) Visiting Miss Paisley

3.) Morning on the White River for Epoch Church's women's retreat

4.) White River 5.) Dying scarves with the women of Epoch

6.) Scarves laying out to dry 7.) Handmade coffee filter wreath

28 Weeks.

Elliott:

You're now weighing in at about 2 and a half pounds and measuring 16 inches from head to toe, about the size of a head of cauliflower.  By this week you have learned to blink, cough and suck.  But most importantly, you are learning to breathe.  This means if you decide to come early, from here on out, you would have a pretty good prognosis since your lungs have reached maturity for the most part.  However, we want you to keep baking for a couple more months.

This week your friend Paisley Hayes was born.  We know the two of you will be great friends since you'll only be about 3 months apart.  Your Daddy and I have already gone to visit Paisley twice, and every time we hold her, it makes us more excited about your arrival.

To better prepare for when you arrive, last night we took an infant CPR class at the hospital.  Hopefully we'll never need to use it, but now we both feel more confident that if you were choking or unconscious, we could help you until medical help arrived.

We've started receiving lots of sweet gifts from friends and family.  This week your Grandma and Grandpa Grant sent us a cradle, cradle pad and blanket.  We'll keep this cradle in our room for you to sleep in the first couple of months.  Also, Laura finished sewing your quilt, and it looks perfect with your bedding.

We're checking things off the list, now all we need is you!

-Momma

Life lately, according to my iPhone.

1.) Family walk by the lake 2.) Lakeside scenery 3.) Pumpkin picking

4.) Fall-ready front porch 5.) Thankful table 6.) Girls night at ZaZa's

[*Not pictured was a visit to OBU for Tiger Tunes, where we saw my brother, 

enjoyed the show, and reminisced our college years.]

Paisley's Arrival.

Late last night we got a call from Brooke saying her water had broken and they were heading to the hospital.  I was so excited I could hardly sleep.  This morning at about ten, Gary and I headed to the hospital to await Paisley's arrival.  We got to go back and see Brooke for about an hour when we arrived, she was being such a trooper.  At about 10:50 the nurse came in and said it was time for her to push, so we all headed out to the waiting room.  She and Jonathan had a whole crew of family members waiting to welcome Paisley.

About 2 hours later Jonathan came out with a camera so we could all see pictures of their sweet baby girl.  She weighed 7 pounds, 11 oz. and was 20 inches long.  We were all relieved to hear that both mom and baby were perfectly healthy.

After a quick lunch at the hospital's cafeteria, Gary and I got to go back and see the proud parents and meet Miss Paisley.  She was perfect, awake and alert and making the sweetest little sounds! We both got to hold her, and we were in awe of what a beautiful baby girl she is.

What a lucky little girl Paisley is to have Brooke and Jonathan as her parents.  I'm so thankful they allowed us to be a part of this special day in their lives.

Belly Buddies.

Tonight we had one final pre-baby double date with Brooke and Jonathan at Gadwall's.  We decided to get a few belly shots together for Paisley and Elliott to see some day.  Little Paisley should be arriving any day now, and we can't wait to meet her.

27 Weeks.

Elliott:

We've reached the third and final trimester of our pregnancy!  This week you are measuring about 15 inches from head to toe, and weighing around 2.2 pounds (about the length of a large cucumber).  You've doubled in weight from 4 weeks ago.  My uterus has swelled to the size of a basketball to accommodate your growth.

We went to see Dr. Chang yesterday.  At this appointment I had blood work done to test my glucose tolerance for gestational diabetes.  I had to drink a sugary drink one hour before going to my appointment, then they took a blood sample when I arrived.  I don't know the results yet, so I'm hoping we passed.

I also received a rhogam shot.  This is a shot I had to have since I have a negative blood type and your Daddy has a positive blood type.  The shot will protect me if our blood crosses during delivery and your blood is positive like your Dad's.

Since I'd already had two needles in one appointment, I figured I might as well make it three, and get my flu shot too.  Now we'll both be protected from the flu this winter.

Your heart rate was measuring around 150 bpm at this appointment.  Dr. Change felt my belly and said it feels like you are already in the head down position, so we're praying you stay that way since before too long you won't have much room to change positions.

We go back in 3 weeks to check on you again.  We feel so blessed that you are healthy and strong.  I hope this last trimester is as good as the first two have been.  It won't be long until we have you in our arms!

I love you,
Momma

Life lately, according to my iPhone.

(1.) Supporting Razorback football. 

(2.) Visiting family in Texas.

(3.)  In-N-Out Burger in Texas.

(4.)  Spoiled pup. (5.)  New art @ the salon.

(6.)  My growing boy.