Child Birth Class- Part 1

On Sunday night, Rich & I had our first child birth class! It's an 8 hour class, broken up into two Sunday nights from 4-8pm. An 8 hour class seemed like a lot to me, and I was wondering if we'd be bored! I certainly have never experienced child birth before, but I wasn't sure how they would fill all that time.

There are 10 couples in the class. Rich & I are by far the youngest, and also had the last due date. Sort of funny- my high school swim coach and his wife are in the class too! I was by no means a star swimmer, so I doubt he even recognizes me. But he has the closest due date of November 16th! I am thankful that we have plenty of time to process all the information we learn before January 18th.

The class took place at Central DuPage Hospital, which is where we'll have the baby. It was cool to see the actual entrance that we'll come in when I am in labor. We will have a tour of the labor/delivery area and mother/baby area next Sunday & I am really excited for that! During our first class, we talked a lot about signs of preterm labor and the different stages of labor. We also talked a lot about relaxation and breathing techniques. That was probably my favorite part of the class! I got about a 20 minute backrub from Rich- whoohoo!

Rich did so great and was very encouraging, even though we were just practicing. He is going to do such a great job during the birth of our baby! He knows me so well and will really be able to help me handle everything. I am so thankful for a husband who likes to be so involved! Rich never acts "too macho" or disinterested. Even during wedding planning, he liked being involved in all the decisions. The same is true with the baby. He is going to be such a wonderful Dad!

Can't wait for Part 2 next week!

23 weeks!

Apparently I am just going to skip week 22...oops! It's been a wild couple of weeks at work, and the little blog took a back seat to sleep & time with the hubby.

How far along: 23 weeks and 4 days

Total weight gain: Maybe almost 5lbs total? We'll see on Wednesday!

Maternity clothes: Loving some of the cute new maternity clothes my Momma picked up for me this week.

Stretch Marks: Nope- but my tummy was feeling very stretched today. Strange feeling!

Sleep: I slept RIGHT through my alarm today. Thankfully my sweet hubby woke me up out of a dead sleep.

Best moment this week: Again, so many! Baby girl is moving around like CRAZY, which has been really fun. We got to work on some of the baby room projects this weekend. We painted the glider & dresser which turned out REALLY well! And we hung this adorable chandelier that my Momma made for us! The room is definitely pretty girly. Things are coming right along!

Miss anything: Wine. For sure.

Movement: Ooooh yes! She is an active little one. She gets going around 9/10ish in the morning, then again in the mid afternoon, and then again around 9/10 at night. No super hard kicks or punches though! Rich has been able to feel her too which is AMAZING!

Food cravings: Strangely enough, I was craving cheeseburgers for a few days last week. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope!

Gender: Pink pink pink!

Symptoms: Hip pain has been a lot better, thankfully. Still loving yoga & warm baths!

Belly Button In or Out: Still in.

Wedding Rings on or off: On!

Happy or Moody: Happy!!!

Looking forward to: Rich's "New Daddy Bootcamp" class on Saturday! I cannot wait to hear how it goes for him. How freakin' cute is he???

{22 weeks photo- I think!}

{I got the cutest little shower invitation in the mail! And it's a shower for ME!}

{My family was here on Saturday helping paint the glider & dresser for the nursery, as well as other miscellaneous projects around the house. Apparently my sisters needed a quick power nap! They certainly deserved the break after all their hard work!}

{Momma hard at work! Check out the cute chandelier in the corner that she made!}

{Up close view of the lovely chandelier!}


{The glider- BEFORE}

{The glider- mid update! Ottoman not pictured.}


{Fabric that will be used to make new pads for glider & ottoman}


{Dresser- BEFORE}

{The dresser! Also mid update. And the mirror is not attached}

{We decided to have some painting done over the weekend. It was a big job & since we talked them down to a reasonable price, we decided to go for it! We couldn't be happier with the results. The space looks so much newer and warmer. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! Above is the BEFORE picture..}

 {And the AFTER!}

That last picture was taken today. Feeling really good and loving the crazy amounts of energy that I have! Again, sorry for the missed update, but hopefully I made up for it with the pictures!

Weekend in Review

As expected, this past weekend was both VERY busy and VERY productive. With the help of my parents, my sister & our good friend Debbie, we were able to finally finish the laundry room! This project has been going on since last Fall- pretty much our first big project after moving in. My Dad & Rich have put in several long weekends of work, and I have to say, it looks AMAZING!

Here are a few before shots of the laundry room:

 {The laundry room as it was when we moved in}

 {Dad & Rich started the framing}

 {Working on organizing that giant mess of cables & wires}

 {My studly husband working on adding more lighting}

{Framing & can lights going in}

For some reason, I can't find the picture I took when Dad & Rich put up the drywall. Either way, things stayed that way for a little while. In March, I got some cabinets for my birthday (Happy 25th, right??) and we hung those up. I really wanted to paint the room turquoise, and Rich went with it! We did the painting ourselves, which really made the room look awesome. But this weekend- we finally put all the remaining pieces in place! Flooring, painted cabinets, trim, etc. Ready for the grand reveal??? DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!!!!

{Rich & I did all the painting ourselves}

{Birthday cabinets!}

{An old cabinet my parents gave us to provide extra storage}

{Cute little "skirt" I made for our utility sink}

{Flooring being installed!}

{Flooring is installed!}

{Flooring and trim is finished!}

{Extra storage cabinet getting a makeover}

 {My people working on our wall cabinets}

 {Finished product- standing in doorway}

 {Extra storage cabinet- freshly painted!}

{So lovely!}

It turned out so well, and we are so excited to finally have this project finished! I cannot wait to be washing little baby clothes in this room in just a few more months! Eek!!

Nesting?

Over the last few weeks, my energy has definitely been returning. Thank God for the 2nd trimester! All the books I've read have said that this is when I will have the most energy to get things done, but I was a little skeptical given how gross I felt for a while. But it's completely true! So, I am definitely trying to take advantage of my bursts of energy.

Some of the projects I've been working on over the last few days include:

• Cleaning out the closet in the baby's room
• Updating our budget to plan for maximum savings to cover my maternity leave
• Sorting through all my clothing into "what I can still fit into" and "See ya later"
• Cleaning off our desk in the guest room so that it looks nicer for guests
• Prepping the dresser in the baby's room for painting
• Separated all of the clothes given to us for our Safe Family boys (still need to buy bins to store them in, then move it all to the basement! Baby steps, people!)

Maybe that doesn't seem like a lot, but considering how little I've accomplished recently, that seems like a BIG DEAL to me!

Some other projects that will begin this week/weekend include:

• Painting the new cabinets in the laundry room
• Painting the large cabinet/"storage thing" in the laundry room
• Installing flooring in the laundry room
• Possibly weeding/mowing the lawn (MAYBE....)
• Possibly putting the door back on the laundry room
• Painter coming on Friday to give us an estimate for painting our kitchen/living room/entry way 

SO EXCITING! Maybe it's just me, but I absolutely love crossing things off my "to-do" list! We'll see how it goes over the next several days!

Registering

Even though it's still early, Rich & I decided to get a jump start on our registry. We knew where we wanted to register (Target & Babies-R-Us). But we wanted to be able to take our time researching different products & brands. It's not like registering for your wedding, where you generally have a basic idea of things you'll need (kitchen items, stuff for the bathroom, sheets, etc.) With baby stuff, we have NO CLUE! So we're starting early!

Last weekend, Rich was home from Grad school. Our plan was to head to Babies-R-Us after church to look at car seats & strollers. That was our main objective. We wanted to take it slow so that we didn't become overwhelmed.

We got a quick little run down from the Registry people when we got to the store. They were AWESOME and not at all pushy or overwhelming. Plus, we got a sweet swag bag with coupons and free samples! After a few tips from the pros, we were off! Rich loved getting to use the "gun" again. I don't think he let me hold it the entire time...

So here is what we found:

Here is our stroller!

It is called a "travel system", which means that the car seat can snap into the stroller for when the baby is still little. Some of the things we liked most about this stroller in particular: cup holders, reversible seat so that baby can face us or face outward, one-handed fold for storage (super easy!) & large wheels!

Here is the matching car seat!

We registered for an extra base, so that we can have one in each car. I'm sure that the grandparents will be getting one for themselves too!

 And the matching pack 'n play!

We decided that we didn't want to buy a separate bassinet for the baby, since they don't even use them for that long. Instead, we wanted to find a pack 'n play that had a bassinet included. This one also has a changing table too! Plus, it matches the car seat & stroller. 

Overall, our visit was a success! We did end up picking out a few more items than just the stroller & car seat, but we left as soon as our energy started to fade. We want to make sure that this is a POSITIVE experience for both of us, not an exhausting one. Next weekend we plan to head to Target to start our registry there too!

"Education"

Even before becoming pregnant, I have struggled with anxiety and fear. Horrible, ridiculous thoughts have a way of creeping into my head and lingering for far too long. I would often find myself completely consumed with the darkness and worry that flooded my mind. So it makes sense that Satan would continue to use this sin issue into pregnancy- although now, it's as if he has cranked up the dial to max. Uh oh.

I'm also a big reader. I love to plan. Gather information. Educate myself. I don't like feeling unprepared or surprised. So I read books. I have read books on being a Christian in college, being single, dating, marriage, wedding planning, sex & relationships, friendship, and managing your money- just to name a few.

So naturally, I have like 4 or 5 pregnancy books around the house right now. And lets not forget the internet, which is always a wealth of information.

However, I realized yesterday that in my efforts to educate myself, I was really working myself into a complete panic. Somehow I stumbled upon some heartbreaking blog of a woman who's baby had some awful birth defect. The baby was horribly disfigured, and only lived a few hours after he was born. It was so, so devastating. But like an idiot, I kept reading. And then I was left with my thoughts for the rest of the day. Trouble.

I shared this with Richard, as well as a few trusted friends. And they each agreed to help hold me accountable. Another encouraged me to memorize a verse or passage of scripture to pray over our baby for these next several months. I loved the idea, and I am going to do my best to memorize Psalm 139.

There are some fears that I have, deep in my heart, that I am too afraid to even say out loud. I don't even want to tempt fate--which I KNOW is a completely ridiculous thought. Sometimes I try to pray for every single possible outcome, for fear that if I don't, something bad will happen. I try to cover all my bases. But, I know that the Lord will not allow illness or birth defects due to MY lack of prayer. The fact is, I need to just take myself out of the equation all together.

Does this even make sense to anyone? Or am I just rambling? 

Either way, when I am calm and rational, I know these things to be true:

-The Lord already knows the little life that is growing inside me. He knows baby's birthday. Name. Hair color. Shoe size. Everything. The Lord knows it all.

-The Lord already has plans for that little life. He knows how long our precious one with live. He knows where he/she will go to college. He knows if he/she will eventually get married one day. And His plans are already set.

-The Lord loves my child, even more than I do. Even now, having not even met my baby yet, the Lord completely adores him/her. He knows his/her every thought and word. And He will never stop.

Psalm 139
O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.


You hem me in-behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.


Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.


If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.


For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.


How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake, I am still with you.


If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you blood thirsty men!
They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord,
and abhor those who rise up against you?
I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.


Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

Keeping Secrets

I am just the worst at keeping secrets. I simply cannot do it. It's not because I like ruining surprises for other people- it's not from a malicious place, I assure you. I get too excited! It's why I can't buy Christmas or birthday presents more than a few days in advance. I just want to tell.

So you can imagine how difficult this week has been for me. I've basically been avoiding my Mom. I can't talk to her for more than a few minutes without feeling like I might slip and say something. Now I'm starting to become paranoid thinking, "She knows! She knows something is going on!"

I'm really excited about our plan to share the news with our families. Like I said in an earlier post, both my Mom & my mother-in-law have big birthdays in the next couple of weeks. My mom's birthday is this weekend (the 25th). The plan is to wait until everyone is home- Lauren gets into town on Friday & Ashley gets in on Saturday. I'm not sure when we're doing presents- maybe before our dinner out on Saturday, or maybe after dinner. Either way, we plan to give Mom our present last. We got her a sweet little receiving blanket & little yellow hat. I cannot wait to see the look on her face! I'm hoping Rich will be able to catch the reactions on his phone.

Just a few more days until I can share our secret!

Graduate School!

Today, we received some VERY exciting news. {No, we are not pregnant...}

RICH WAS ACCEPTED INTO GRADUATE SCHOOL!

He will begin his Masters in Music Education at the University of Illinois this summer down in Champaign-Urbana. It is a 3 year summer program, which will allow him to work during the academic year, and go to school during the summer! We are so excited for this opportunity. Not only will it be an incredible learning experience, but it will make him eligible for jobs at larger schools with larger programs, thus giving him more earning opportunity to provide for our family.

This is DEFINITELY an answer to prayer. We are so thankful to our Lord for this opportunity. We know that God is ultimately in control our lives, and it was His decision as to where Rich would go to graduate school.

Again, we know that the Lord is in control, so ours plans really don't mean anything to Him. But, here is a little layout of our plan- Lord willing!

June 2012- Rich heads down to U of I to begin Year 1 of graduate work. Oh yeah, also try to get pregnant! That could be tricky since we won't get to see each other except on weekends...

August 2012- Rich comes home to Woodstock to begin the Fall semester at Richmond-Burton High School. And hopefully we'll be pregnant.

April/March(ish) 2013- BABY STILES IS BORN!

June 2013- Rich begins Year 2 of graduate work

August 2013- Rich comes home

That way, we'll at least have one year of graduate work under our belts before we have a baby in our lives. We're pretty excited to see what the Lord will do over the next few years. I don't know what He has in store, but it's going to be pretty incredible!

Second Thoughts

The last couple of weeks have been a little rough. To be honest, I thought we were going to have to scrap the whole baby plan and wait until Rich finishes graduate school. To make a very long {and personal} story short, we hit a couple of financial bumps. Some unexpected expenses and bills really caught both of us off guard and made us questions our ability to provide for a baby right now.

I'll admit, I panicked and got a little hysterical. There were tears. Dramatic outbursts. Lots of doubt.

And my sweet husband was such a champ. He proved, yet again, how loving, supportive, compassionate and patient he is and just how lucky I am to have him! He listened as I explained the situation. He offered words of comfort. He hugged me tight when I got home. And he paid attention to me the rest of the night. What a guy. I am so blessed!

Anyway, things seem to be back on track.

And Rich & I are rock solid. I couldn't be happier to be living life with him.