Straight from the Pregnancy Files

Just some random news I thought I'd share......

I go for my 4D Ultrasound appointment this Tuesday. My plan is to keep Gracie out of school and take her with me (so she can "see" her baby brother, as I've told her several times recently) and then after the appointment, take her to see Up at the Rave.

I have gained a total of 18 pounds so far during pregnancy. My goal is 25 (which is what I gained with Gracie) and my OBGYN seems to think that is pretty reasonable. I feel as if I'm in the home stretch now, considering there's only about 10 weeks left.

I failed my 1 hour glucose tolerance test. This morning, I got the sheer pleasure of having to take the 3 hour test. Somehow I managed to get through it with only a mild headache and no urges to chew off my arm in a fit of starvation. I did treat myself to an awesome lunch from Moe's afterwards, and can now say I'm just seconds away from a wonderful nap.

And the last bit of big (to me) news:

In ten weeks or sooner should I go into labor on my own, I am going to quit taking my stomach medication cold turkey. Please pray for me, that this will work out for us in the end. The issue I have been having is wanting to breastfeed, but the medication can be passed through breast milk and can cause breathing problems in nursing babies. So after my thought, prayer, and careful deliberation with my OBGYN we decided to test run this idea during my maternity leave.
I have been emailing back and forth with a lactation consultant in our local area who has proved to be very helpful in answering any and all questions I've thrown at her.
This medication has become a crutch for me in terms of the issues I have with my stomach, and I'm somewhat nervous about not taking it. But I also look forward to the benefits and bonding time I can expect with nursing baby James. My only regret with Gracie is that I couldn't breast feed for longer. So just keep us in your prayers that not taking this medication will be okay for me and that breast feeding will also be a success. I'm sure we'll still struggle with it, but that's to be expected - nothing in life is perfect!

We're Going to Disney World!!!

See this lovely photo of Cinderella's castle? Well, Gracie is in love with it. I don't mean the picture - I mean the castle. So much so that almost on a daily basis, she tells me she has to go and see this castle.

For those of you living under a rock, Cinderella's Castle can be found at Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida. And after several weeks of idle conversation between Bryan and myself, we made the final decision to plan our first ever, very official family vacation (to include Baby James who for all intents and purposes is still in utero right now!).

The plan is to start planning (I'm a little OCD when it comes to that, just ask the mister) and our goal is to aim for the first week of May 2010. We have already ordered the vacation planning video courtesy of the Disney website. I bought a book appropriately titled "The Idiot's Guide to Walt Disney World". I have looked over another highly recommended website and pulled four prospective hotel choices.

And to that end, our planning has come to a halt. I tried to do the Disney vacation website, but it only lets you reserve/make travel plans through December 2009. Bryan and I are planning to use some of our income tax return next spring to pay for the trip. And several of our friends have informed us that you are permitted to make payments on your trip, which is a bonus for us since we won't have most of the funds until the spring anyway.

When I asked Bryan if he was excited about our trip, he answered that he was more excited about Baby James' impending arrival. While I'm also excited about that, I'm looking forward to our first family vacation and letting Gracie see Cinderella's castle in person. And I'm hoping we can snag one of those character meals with Cinderella so Gracie can tell her how awesome her castle is.

A Solomon Story

Are you familiar with the story in the Bible that involves Solomon, two women, and one baby?

The story goes (in a nutshell) that these two women came to Solomon, claiming that they had both had babies within three days of each other. One of the women rolled over on and killed her baby, and the other woman claims she took her baby. Solomon suggested cutting the baby in half in the hopes to please both women. In his mind, I'm sure (as well as in mine) the baby's real mother would have stepped up and pleaded with Solomon that the baby was hers but to avoid cutting him in half, the OTHER woman could have him.

Believe it or not, there is currently a situation in my family that is much like this. The lesson I take from that story about Solomon is that if you are the real mother, you would want to spare your child any harm at any cost. I may share all the little details later, but here is what you need to know now:

His name is Preston.

His mother gave him up when he was born.
She has had 5-6 children since age 15 and only has custody of one.
She is pregnant again.

Preston is in Gracie's class at Victory Baptist.

He is one of the cutest and sweetest little boys ever.

The family who has loved, cherished, and cared for him for more than two years is about to lose him.

Please pray for this family. If you need specifics, it is a married couple with three children already. At least ten years ago, they lost a little boy shortly after his birth due to a genetic defect.

They are hurting and in pain, and need your prayers. And so does Preston.

My heart aches for this family.

Preschool Program 4.24.09

Sorry for the delay in posting, we've been super busy with preschool programs (more to come), church related weddings, birthday parties, trips to Phenix City to watch Jessica play ball, and doctor's appointments for Baby James. The following handful of videos are from Gracie's preschool program. Please excuse the song where she is picking her nose. You should be able to tell in this first video (she is highlighted by a box) which child she is - if you don't know already! Gracie's goes to Victory Baptist School which is a typical Christian school. They learn and memorize Bible Verses and most of these songs are Bible based.


"Zacheus"


"Rolled Away" (AKA "Picking Her Nose Video")


"Bumble Bee Song"


"Kukkaburra"

In Baby James news: I am going May 28th for the glucose tolerance test (yuck!) and then June 2nd I am scheduled to do the 4D Ultrasound. We tried to do that with Gracie but the direction she was laying would not have been good for pictures. So we're giving it another go with her baby brother!
Speaking of which - have you noticed my slightly old but somewhat updated blog header? Thanks to Mrs. Leigh for the picture!