CHRISTmas has come and gone

We hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! I know we sure did. There were a few highlights:

Aolani received a bib that reads 'I Love My Daddy.' It really touched Ricky and made it hit home even more.

Ricky and his "sous-chef" (as he calls me) gave my parents a coupon for their gift. It was for dinner and a movie on Christmas Day. We got the groceries ahead of time and hid them at our neighbor's house. We prepared (Ricky obeys as I direct = cooking) a spaghetti dinner complete with salad and garlic bread. Then, we watched It's A Wonderful Life. We were so glad to serve them for once.

We went to Greensboro over the weekend to visit my dad's family. Upon returning home, I got to officially declare that I will not be doing anymore traveling or overnight stays for the rest of the pregnancy! What a relief for us.

One final note: I returned to work on Monday, but it was just too hard with all the pain, fatigue, lack of sleep, restless legs, and swelling. So, I was unable to return yesterday and am home now.

We hope everyone enjoys New Year's Eve with much gratitude and praise to Jesus! I will most likely be celebrating the coming of the new year by sleeping :)

Kylie

Our precious niece...

...fast asleep in Uncle Ricky's arms. He's getting practice!

Do you want a FREE Blackberry?

We had to get a new cellphone because our provider and plan had changed. So, we of course put it off for two months. On Thursday we finally got to the store, and they strongly encouraged us to get the FREE Blackberry Storm because it is such a great deal. However, it has a mandatory Internet fee of $30 a month. With a 2-yr. contract, that's a $720 commitment for a FREE phone. We were pretty nervous, caught off guard, and stunned by this fancy new phone with a touchscreen enticing us. So, we got it, walked out the doors, but... there was no peace. My spirit felt unsettled. We prayed about it and felt like it wasn't the right move/investment for us. So, today we went back with the plastic still on the Blackberry's screen. We, personally, do not have a want or need for Internet, extra cellphone radiation, and a loss of $720! Anyway, we just thought it was funny that we could not afford a FREE phone :) Well, that was our 2-day experience of being "cool" with our FREE Blackberry.

Oh, and we ended up with the Samsung Alias 2, a phone with no Internet, no monthly fees, and lower radiation. And we think that is very "cool."

2 More Months?!

Yep. Today is the 7-month mark. And I cannot imagine 2 more months! Pictures are at the bottom.

Aolani's heart, according to the pediatric echo cardiogram, is perfect. And she loves to kick my bladder :)

My hips, butt, and back hurt so much that the escalated pain is moving down my thighs. So, I am now sleeping with a pillow between my legs, which may occasionally help. I have become so big that I cannot move at all when I'm lying down. Ricky has to do it all. Bottom line: We are losing a lot of sleep at night. Not complaining, just admitting that this trimester is rough and tough.

Yes, I am still at work, but I just take one day at a time.

Ricky has started to scoop me up to put me in the car, which actually feels safer because my leg-muscle pain has made them unreliable when I put my weight on them.

We've been getting lots of Christmas cards, and it is so FUN to see pictures and read updates from our beloved friends and family (that's you). Also, we thank all of you for your concern, encouragement and love for us!!! Believe me, it is reciprocated!

I have my OB/GYN checkup visit on Monday. At the last appointment, she notified me that I must now come in every other week. Phooey!

Can you see the (already) 25 lb. weight gain? Hey, more to love ;) I bet I'll gain 10 more at this rate. Ricky is trying to get "buffer" by doing more push ups or at least pickups (of us girls).

Did you notice her stocking on the right? My mom got it for her -- sweet :)

Already holding her... and telling her what a big girl she is :)

CHRISTmas is in the air...

...and so is love :)

How BIG am I??

Yesterday afternoon, Ricky went to a Red Cross Blood Drive before we went to our chiropractor appointments.

As we pulled up into the chiropractor's parking lot and Ricky brought the wheelchair around, he opened my door and stood there. No open hand.

"You're going to have to get yourself into your chair. They told me not to do any heavy lifting."

That funny honey of mine...


P.S. - Ricky has O- blood if anybody wants some :)

The Big Squeeze

I've hit the 30-week mark... She could be here anytime after the new year... It's starting to feel like CRUNCH TIME.

What does that mean for us?

• Sanding and painting her crib and changing table (modifying is DONE)
• Trying to get next year's health insurance figured out (IN PROCESS)
• Remodeling the bathroom, so it's accessible and easy for me to use (IN PROCESS)
• Hardwood floors put down throughout house (DONE)
• Beginning the process of getting me a new wheelchair, now that I know what changes to make (IN PROCESS)
• Putting the nursery together (not even close to starting)
• Researching online when time allows!
• Getting all her stuff (what a blessing baby showers, friends and family are!)
• Childbirth classes (6 weeks long starting in January)
• Tour pediatric clinic (scheduled for mid-January)
• Find a doula (DONE): The one who helped my sister-in-law agreed to help me, too :)
• Lots and lots of reading and learning...

It looks and is overwhelming, but PRAISE GOD for He gives strength to those who are exhausted and worn out (Isaiah 40)!!!

A Wink & A Smile

The 29-week ultrasound was so fun! Our boss let Ricky go to this one (he hasn't seen her on the screen in several months). She weighs about 3 pounds now and is about 16 inches long, from head to toe. She is such a wiggle-worm! Ricky has gotten into the habit of pressing his ear to my belly at nights so he can hear her and feel her kick him in the head! She's learning quickly :)

Turn your head to the right, and you will see her smiling :) She stuck her tongue out at us, too!

The ultrasound technician said that she already has chubby cheeks (that's from Aidan)! Her cousin has chubby cheeks, too.

She had one leg up by her head and the other behind her back (still sounds weird to me... can't figure that one out). They officially termed her the "gymnast."

We are going to get another echocardiogram of my heart later this month. My pulse is so strong that you can see my heartbeat moving papers when I hold them in my hand! Aolani is scheduled for her pediatric echocardiogram in a couple weeks. We have a routine check-up on Monday with my regular OB/GYN.

My belly is starting to reveal that brown, vertical line (linea nigra) down the center. So, I am in the 75% that get this mysterious, harmless mark. Since my winter boots no longer fit the swelling blimps (feet), we went to K-Mart on a mission. We came away with three different kinds of black slippers that will both fit over my hunting socks and allow my feet room to get fatter during the course of the day. Ricky affectionately calls one pair my "bear feet."

My hips are starting to spread apart and get wider. Good news: My body is getting ready for childbirth! Bad news: My legs are spreading apart, which means nothing fits beside me in my wheelchair or on my lap (as it falls right through the gap onto the floor). AND THEY HURT! My hips are out of socket, and I cannot straighten up on my own. So, I make Ricky shove my hips back into place when he transfers me. I feel exactly like the rusty ol' Tin Man, except my oil can is missing!

Obviously, we returned home from our trip to Cincinnati. It was an exhausting trip, with over 28 hours in the car! I sat on a donut (the butt cushion with a hole in the middle) the whole time. But, we had a great time. We watched the Lord of the Rings trilogy extended editions, which was over 12 hours of hobbits! Also, Ricky ran his first 10K (6.2 mi) race, with a time of 1 hr, 1 min, 25 sec. His younger brother, Robby, ran with him, and Ricky said that made all the difference. His brother pushed him on, kept his spirits high, and helped him stay focused. Next on the list: 15k!

I absolutely must post the link to an article that is very important and infuriating about miscarriages caused by the H1N1 vaccine.

Baby Registries

They are as ready as they're ever going to be. There are two:

http://www.babiesrus.com/ - Obviously a nationwide store. You can order online almost everything, but you can go to a physical Babies "R" Us or Toys "R" Us and see what they have in-store that is on our registry.

http://www.youaremysunshine.biz/ - A local business of Wilmington. Around half of our registry is available for online orders; however, there are several items available in-store only. They have two physical locations in Wilmington: one is downtown in the Cotton Exchange and the other is in the mall (Belk wing).

A few notes for those making other purchases:
We are using cloth diapers. We will be avoiding products containing chemicals and most plastics. Aidan will be breastfeeding (God-willing), so we will not need all the bottle/formula stuff. If possible, we are selecting organic clothes and other eco-friendly items. We are avoiding clothes with buttons and snaps, which are hard for Aidan to use, and are looking for Velcro and zippers.

We so appreciate your understanding!

Baby shower invitations will be going out to local friends and family this month. The showers are scheduled for January.

An ultrasound is scheduled for Thursday, so an update will be soon to follow :)