He's a 4 Pounder! :)

Life has been busy but good around here lately. Had a bout with head congestion/cough/sore throat/chest congestion last week that had been going around at work. Went to the doctor on Thursday and he gave me antibiotics to get rid of the infection. I am super glad to be sleeping through the night again! It was really rough there for a bit...I would wake up coughing every two hours and then for a while every hour. Very annoying. Hopefully I can completely shake this bug soon.


Since I wrote last, we had two more baby showers! Mary Anna McKenzie, Mel, Riss, & Dayne threw one at MAM's parents' house with friends last Saturday (11.24.07). We got tons of clothes at the friend shower...as well as a Penney's gift cards, the extra car seat base, a Bible verse blanket, and a wrap. And I also received two books, a snuzzler (the little pillowy thing that goes in the carseat to support a newborn) and some burp cloths in the mail from friends (so fun to come home and see a box on the front step!! Love it!). We played the "guess how big Lacey's tummy is" game...Amanda won and was really, really close to how big my belly was!! We also did some baby puzzles. We had chocolate cake, fruits, veggies, nuts, cheeses, and meat. Little Anika was the star of the party, though. Her laughs and smiles kept all of us girls entertained throughout the party. :)
















We also had a surprise shower at CBS on Monday night before our Christmas party. We got our really awesome stroller at the CBS shower...and a handmade minibook with wisdom from the CBS leaders...I love it! It has Bible verses, quotes, and advice from the leaders at CBS...some of my favorite quotes from the book...

"A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for." -Anonymous

"Kiss and hold him tight often as he grows, pray with him, take billions of pictures both still and video, create precious family memories and by all means don't blink because the years will fly by, cherish every laugh, funny face, funny word, temper tantrum and every tear." -Mrs. Linda

If I had my child to raise over again...
"I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd finger paint more and point fingers less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I would care to know less and know to care more.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing seruous, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
I'd see the oak tree in the acorn more often.
I would be firm less often and affirm much more.
I'd model less about the love of power,
and more about the power of love."

"There would be fewer problems with children if they had to chop wood to keep the television set going."

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." -3 John 1:4

"When he gets older, instead of saying "How was your day?" which only gets a one syllable answer, ask "How can I pray for you?" I think my kids opened up more with that than anything else I could have asked." -Mrs. Paula

"Know that God has the perfect plan and you just guide." -Mrs. Therese
"Enjoy the new gift God has given you! My words of encouragement are: When you pray for your children, also pray for the little child that will one day be his/her spouse, and for the parents of this little child that God will work in them as well." -Mr. Matt

"Trust the Lord and let Him guide you in the best way to raise Baby Luke! The Bible has all the answers! - Mrs. Julie

"I know Casey and I don't have kids but... Don't sweat it, if you mess this baby up you can make another just like it and start all over. My brother was the "starter baby"!" -Devin

I love the book and know I will go to it often :)


Since I wrote last, Amanda and Vicki slaved away painting Luke's room (12.2.07) (the color is Windwood Spring from Behr...a light and bright blue...reminds me of cotton candy!)...and Brad cleaned the carpet in there with the Rug Doctor.

Pictures will follow once the room is more set up :) We will be getting his crib soon!

We moved the bookcases and changer back into the room. The stroller (completely assembled) is also sitting in his room...just waiting for a sweet boy to fill it. We started cleaning out the closet in his room to make room for all of his new presents and made some good headway. We put all the XL bags that Vicki put his diapers, blankets, and random items into in the closet. His clothes are all hanging arranged according to size. Now I just have to wash them and get them back in there ;)


Brad is making plans on getting a storage closet of some kind to put in the back yard. I would be really excited about that!! I could store all of our house decorations (currently taking up a lot of space in Luke's closet), all of Brad's camping stuff (currently taking up all of the coat closet), extra wedding presents (currently taking up the highest shelf in my scrap closet), and maybe even some of Brad's work stuff (currently taking up much of the Christmas tree room). It would be totally exciting to have places to put all of that stuff (that was not so in the way!)!! It seems that we are growing out of this house pretty quickly! Anyone know anyone that is need of a sofa, oversized chair, and otto right now? We have too much "stuff" in this house!! (And that includes large pieces of furniture!)


I am so sad that we haven't been able to decorate the house for Christmas yet! Christmas will be here soooo soon and I haven't been able to access the tree to decorate it yet!!


Went to my 8th doctor appointment (my 32 week appointment) on December 5th. My blood pressure was good...weighed in at 158...gained 2 pounds since my last appointment 3 weeks ago (even through Thanksgiving, people! Woo hoo!!!). So I have now gained a total of 28 pounds. Not sure what my belly measured because she didn't tell me...

I asked her why all the other ladies in my childbirth class can still wear their wedding rings and I can't...she said that because I am smaller and because of the way that Luke is hanging out in there (with his head down) I am retaining more water.


She did an ultrasound and he is weighing in at 4 pounds, 2 ounces. She said that he is not growth deprived but that he is not going to be a whopper either. Can you hear my sigh of relief?! I thought I was going to have to birth a big baby!! She figures he will weigh 7 or 8 pounds. I can deal with 7 or 8 pounds. :)

She said that I have good fluid in there and she asked me if I drink a lot of water and I told her I do. :) His heart rate was 140. He is head down and facing the left. He was kicking while she was doing the ultrasound (last appointment when we listened to his heartbeat he was kicking then too!).


So the doctor says I have a pretty healthy baby in there and things are moving along nicely. :) We tour the hospital and fill out tons of papers very soon.


Overall, I am feeling pretty good these days. I try to put my feet up at work but usually end up getting up a bunch of times. I haven't been walking on my treadmill much lately...my feet are so tired at the end of the day!! I am, unfortunately, probably losing all of my muscle!


I have been eating pretty healthy still. For the most part I don't miss all the unhealthy stuff...except that I still have my sweet tooth and still love my DP Fridays. Luke loves those too and kick like crazy after I have them!

Since I can't wear my rings anymore I have been wearing my fake wedding ring on a chain around my neck (too scared to put the real one on there because I feel like I might lose it!). I totally miss wearing my rings! I still check my fingers tons of times a day and feel like I lost them.


He is apparently a very strong boy because he really kicks the heck out of me sometimes. He will push as hard as he can on my belly...not sure if he is trying to make more room in there or what? It can be pretty startling sometimes!


Started childbirth class last Tuesday night. I didn't learn a ton last week that I didn't already know but I did not realize that being dialted 10 cm is a coffee can...goodness gracious that is scary! No thanks!


Went to childbirth class again last night (12.4.07) and watched some (very frightening) childbirth videos. Oy. Not looking foward to laboring for a gazillion hours!! Next week we tour the facility...not much good to me since that is not the hospital where he will be delivered! But I guess that's okay...we're also supposed to work on some deep breathing...


Still working quite a bit...I feel like I am there all the time! This week I actually worked over 44 hours! (I usually work around 38 since I take Fridays off...but this week I ended up working both this Friday and Saturday so I had more hours then usual.) With Bible study on Monday nights (though we only have our leaders Christmas party left) and childbirth class on Tuesday nights I feel like I am not home much. I feel so behind on everything at home!! I made 30 of my thank you notes but haven't started writing any of them. I hope to get some of them done tomorrow.


And I will leave you with a random factoid...both Brad and I snore these days. This is a new thing. Apparently Brad woke up in the middle of the night two nights ago and said that I was snoring. A few nights before that (when I was sick and awake every couple of hours) I heard a funny noise...I whispered to Brad, "What is that noise, Brad?" (because I thought he was awake)...then I realized that he was sleeping and the noise that I was hearing was him breathing very loudly...lol :)


BVOTD: "This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live." Deuteronomy 30:19

A Wedding Reception & A Baby Shower

Lots has happened since I wrote last...I will try not to leave anything out!

Alicia and Robert tied the knot on Friday, November 16th. We all celebrated with a reception at a local country club. Went a little crazy trying to plan the reception in a week but I think we got everything done and everyone had a wonderful time. I took their engagement photos early on in the week and had some printed up to display...also made some wallet sized photos so people could take some home with them. I was also kinda the informal photographer at the reception (which is not so good since I don't have a clue how to use camera settings and don't get along with the flash so much). I tried my best and got some cute ones...tried to take photos of everyone that came.

Had my first baby shower on Sunday thrown by the wonderful Perez, her sister Liesel, her momma Nelwyn, Linda W., and Julie. It was so amazing. I felt like I was on the show "Live Like a Star" and was getting a famous person baby shower! Honestly! Everything was so beautiful! And everyone was so incredibly generous!

This little boy is very loved I can already tell.

As a hostess gift, I received Luke's car seat which makes me all giddy inside since I can't take him home without that piece of equipment. I also received 4 handmade blankets (did I mention that my family is very crafty and talented?!). I received a handmade blanket from my Aunt Imogene and I didn't even know that she crocheted!! Can't wait to take pictures of Luke laying on it; it's beautiful! I also received 2 blankets from my Aunt Linda; 1 with trains & cars and the other with baby Snoopy. One side has the print and the other side is made of incredibly soft material. I'm sure he will love being wrapped up in those blankets! I also received a blanket from Granny Hill that she started making for Brad when he was a baby and just finished it recently. It is a cow jumping over the moon blanket. Totally cute. I received tons of hooded towels, diapers, and onesies. I also got a baby tub/shower, Diaper Genie II, baby scale, diaper bag (it is soooo cute!), and a convertible lounger/chair.

Perez went so above and beyond...she bought Jones soda bottles (Berry Lemonade flavor) with Luke's ultrasound picture...got me the cutest corsage to wear...framed cute baby cards in floating frames...had boxes of "It's a Boy" gum cigars...brown and blue polka dotted ribbon on the tables...bought blue hydrangeas to decorate the tables...made "flowers" out of a white pot, toothpicks, and different colored blue cupcakes (a Martha Stewart idea)...made a four tier diaper cake for the food table...made 2 diaper wreaths to hang on the door...inflated blue balloons to lead the people into the conference room...had a friend make the cutest onesie cookies in clear bags with blue ribbons tied on them to decorate the tables...and Julie made the yummiest blue cream cheese icing frosted milk & dark chocolate polka dotted cake I have ever seen (now if I can only keep myself from eating it!!)... I mean, seriously. Amazing What a blessed girl I am!!! :)

I went to my 7th doctor's appointment (my 29 week appointment) on November 14th . It was so weird going to the doctor after only 2 weeks had passed! Well, good news! I didn't gain any weight! So I am still weighing in at 156 pounds...and my belly was still 29". My doctor says that I am retaining about 5 pounds...so, technically, I have only gained like 21 pounds, right?! lol! His heart rate was 150 and he was actually kicking while she was trying to find his heartbeat. The doctor says that I don't have gestational diabetes or anemia and that my blood work came out fine. So that is good :) I go back on December 5th for another checkup.

This little guy is very active. Starting Sunday night, little Luke has decided to push as hard as he can on my belly and hold for it as long as he can. It is a very odd feeling. I am used to all the kicks but not to him just pushing with his all his might. lol :)

Still feeling pretty good. Am getting a bit sick of retaining weight and not being able to wear my wedding & cross rings. Oh, the joys of pregnancy! ;) I need to buy a good chain to put my wedding ring on...just makes me nervous that it will break and I will lose it. My face is still ugly as can be. I think I should go see a dermatologist soon. I don't want to scar! Not sure what I can really use to help my skin though. Hopefully it will get a bit better soon (but I am guessing it won't be until well after he is born). I still can't believe how big my tummy is getting! I am a big fan of the elastic/supportive shirts that I got. I wear them everyday and notice a huge different when I don't have it on. By the early afternoon I definitely start feeling the weight of my belly. I am liking wearing the leggings under my jeans too.

I need to get my booty busy on thank you notes is what I need to do!!!!! I am actually going to get started working on them this weekend...just have to get my card factory cranking! I am not sure how I can even begin to thank everyone for how wonderful it was and how happy it made me!! I certainly felt loved on Sunday!!!!

So now the extra room (the room with the Christmas tree) is full of presents (stay tuned for some "before pictures...my wonderful sisters have decided to help me overcome my crazy huge mess!! Vicki sorted baby clothes & assorted goods today and next Saturday I think Amanda and Vicki are going to work on painting Luke's room and organizing all of our stuff!!)! I have decided that I do not like the smell of diapers...not sure why...just kinda grosses me out. Is that weird? I hate the "scented" smell that some stuff has...

Had a wonderful Thanksgiving...didn't take a single photo!! We were missing quite a few close family members but we got some good food and had a lively pool tournament at mom and dad's house! I have so much to be thankful for this year!!!

I am looking forward to a baby shower with friends this Saturday afternoon. I hope to see some friends that I haven't seen in a while!! It is always good to catch up!

BVOTD: My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. Proverbs 3:11-12