Baby Shower Blessings

We had such a wonderful baby shower with friends and family in OKC over the weekend. I am truly overwhelmed with the outpouring of love for my family from so many. And to hear over and over again how many people have been praying for us since way before Breck was on his way is so humbling. We are truly blessed beyond belief. I know so many people worked so hard to put the perfect day together for us - just check out the table of all my favorite food! I truly thank God that I passed my second glucose test because it was all delicious!! So - to my hostesses (pictured left to right around me at the table of goodies), Brittany, Brenda, Mom Boydstun, Carol, Kristie and my own mom, thank you so much! And check out the adorable diaper cake - definitely the biggest one I've ever seen. My mom's friend put that together. It was crazy to see all of the things on it and then when we took it apart, it had a TON of diapers!

I think we have a situation here! People are definitely in spoil mode with Breck and he isn't even here yet! Can you guess what Brian's favorite present was? It already has a prime spot in our movie room.

Check it out - I have known and loved these girls forever! It is funny to me that not only did we grow up together, but all of us strictly have boys! I am so glad they got to come - some I haven't seen in forever.

So once we got home, we went right to work putting the last bits of the nursery together. Check out the baby bedding. It looks perfect! My mom lovingly did a custom job for me since my colors are too cool for stores to carry! :)

Brian's cousins own a custom lettering business. (Check out their site for more: http://bellarosesigns.com) They do sweet plaques as well as stick-on wall stenciling. And let me tell you, it is exactly what I envisioned for the room. It is so perfect. Brian and I wanted so badly to communicate to Breck (and all who visit), that he is such a special child born out of faith alone. I love it that his room can speak those words of encouragement and faith to him daily.

Ok, so I started to spread everything out on the nursery floor so I could take it all in and organize before putting it away. Not only would it not fit into the frame of the picture, it wouldn't all fit into the room. Seriously - thank you for showering us with so much love. Oh and the tons of gift cards we got allowed us to go shopping when we got back and buy some badly needly necessities like bottles! We also got our sweet little swing - I'm really excited about it! And notice all the clothes and toys from the center to the right of the picture? Just when I thought I could not possibly get anything else home (especially since you can't see the jumping activity center, high chair, booster car seat and football chair that couldn't possibly fit in this room), Brittany, Breck's aunt who organized the entire shower, opened up the biggest toy closet I have ever seen. Seriously, her son Wake has a huge room and closet just for all his toys. Well, Brittany, and more importantly Wake - whose permission to borrow these items was important to secure - unleashed a ridiculous amount of toys and clothes that he had already outgrown. And that was stopping with the six months old bin! I really don't think Breck will ever have to worry about something cute to wear - his Aunt Brittany whose stubborn streak is a mile wide! refuses to listen to reason when it comes to not spoiling her nephew (or as her son refers to Breck, his brother, not his cousin). Brittany - I cannot begin to tell you thanks enough for not only so many sweet gifts (and way too much of them too!) but for all the prayers and tears I know you have shared along the way to get us to a day we could celebrate the upcoming arrival of our own little boy. It truly touches my heart how much you love us.

I am bummed. We went to the doc yesterday for our normal check-up and though my blood pressure is low (it usually is) and my weight gain is right on target, I failed my glucose test. So the regular test which is a syrupy sweet drink that you have to chug down and then have your blood drawn exactly one hour later, will now become a 3-hour ordeal. I am hoping they can get me in Thursday since we are on vacation soon. I have to fast, go in for three hours in which they will draw my blood four times and make me drink twice as much of that gross drink. Let's just say that I have spent today reaping the results of the small drink yesterday coupled with the blood draw (3 huge vials). I am fearful of the aftereffects Thursday, especially with us having plans Friday. And if I fail this one then they determine me to have gestational diabetes. I don't know what all that will entail, but I do know they put you on a strict eating plan and monitor the baby closely because the baby tends to get too big too quickly. I'm trying not to worry too much since I know MANY people who failed their first glucose test only to find nothing to be concerned with on their second. So, I will save the freak out for Friday when I hear back from the doc. And I pray that all is good not only for the health of Breck but there's lots of fantastic things sure to be on the menu at my shower Saturday. I would like to be able to actually enjoy them all! :)

Other than that, all is great with Breck. You can tell he is getting bigger. His heartbeat just sounded so much stronger yesterday. And the boy moves around like he is hyped up on Mountain Dew! Well...yesterday he kind of was... But seriously, we are having debates about whether this child will ever sleep when he comes out because he is so active inside. And you have to love an appointment that starts with the nurse coming in saying, "You're not having contractions, are you?" It seems with the warmer weather hitting, two patients yesterday alone went into pre-term labor due to dehydration. The nurse then fussed at me about being sure to drink twice as much water and stay inside as much as possible. I told her I happily would but I hoped she realized that we would be at the beach next week. (She was a different nurse than the one we had cleared the vacation with in the first place.) So I guess I'll be hitting the library to stock up on good books for the heat of the day indoors and just enjoy sunrise (Breck wakes at 5 every morning any way) and evening activities outdoors. I don't care - I am just dying to get away for a few days!

All great days have cake! Isn't this one just about too cute to eat? I think we have definitely found a bakery to make all Breck's birthday cakes! And it was the most delicious 3-layer chocolate cake I've ever had. The fact that there are still leftovers of it in my fridge makes it even better! My school threw me a baby shower this past week. It was so much fun! They even have a cute little stork they bring out for it (pictured below) with an interchangeable boy/girl bundle. Everyone was so sweet and we got some cute things for Breck and gift cards to buy more! Brian's Science Department also put together a really sweet gift basket with tons of items we adore. I really love the Radio Flyer wagon my team got us though. It just warms my heart to think of all the fun excursions we will take Breck on in it! I can't wait.

It was an eventful week with school wrapping up and graduations galore. One of my favorite students graduated this week from Duncanville High School. I can't even begin to describe how proud I am of her. She has turned into such an amazing young woman. I know her future is bright and limitless!

And we had fun reclaiming an old tradition. We stumbled upon the weekly jazz concert the Dallas Museum of Art hosts for a month in the spring. We thought we had missed our chance because it used to take place in April but this year they are going with the month of June. It was such a perfect night to sit under the stars and listen to great music while just hanging out together. And Breck loves jazz. Seriously - when they took a 15-minute intermission so did he, but when they returned to playing, so did he!

We return to the doctor Monday for the really fun appointment - ha ha. I take the dreadful glucose test then. Hoping all checks out for that! Then a busy week ahead. Yes, I know it's summer, but I don't think we have discovered the meaning of the word relax! That is most definitely on the agenda for the following week though. And thankfully I won't be doing it in the boot! Yesterday was my last official day in it (and believe me I was ready to take it off the second I hit the door). I celebrated this morning with a designer pedicure. The foot is still sore, and I have to take it slow but anything is better than the boot!

Wrapping Up the School Year!

Eventful would definitely be an understatement for what the last few weeks have been like. First, for the fun - I was like a kid in a candy store at the scholastic warehouse sale. Even Brian had fun! It really was a blast going to a warehouse full of books open only to educators with nothing over $5 and actually having a little one to buy them for! Needless to say, Breck now has a great start to his collection. Seriously, when it was all said and done, I totaled the original list price for the 76 books I got, and it would have cost me $691. I paid $117! Quite a deal! And reading to my son every night is one of the most precious things I just cannot wait to start doing. Matter of fact, since he is big enough now and can start recognizing voices, I plan to start our nightly ritual now. We'll see if my favorites become his! And speaking of things for Breck, his room is definitely becoming all boy. I found a cute football player to stick on the wall and a little football that hangs on the wall with a hook. We have some cute shoes hanging from it right now but we really need some baby cleats! And somehow the idea of adding a guitar sounded good. So after hours at the music store, Brian picked out a cool electric guitar for an early Father's Day present from me and Breck. It hangs in Breck's room for decoration, and though we thought a black one would look better in the room, Brian loved this one that looked like his acoustic guitar. I figure with all the football stuff that will inevitably end up in the nursery, a little brown wasn't so bad. Now, the idea that my little boy has an electric guitar (and an amp!) in his room seems a little ridiculous, but his daddy sure loves it! And I have to admit it looks pretty cool. Did I mention that there

are also LED lights in his room now too? They are mounted above a cool storage shelf we found at IKEA. They cycle through several different colors, lighting up the whole room. Those that know Brian will not be surprised one bit.

Now for the crazy - not only do I have the distinct pleasure of walking slowly, becoming winded easily and occasionally waddling, I now also have a bit of a limp. Yep - I am wearing a boot on my right foot yet again. It's a long story - and not a fun one - but let's just say I can't wait for school to be done with. I am hopeful that when I return to the doctor this Friday, she will let me out of the boot early. I expect her to say that I need to finish the year with it on, but I sure hope that's it. With me at 25+ weeks, she didn't want to x-ray, but

she suspects from the swelling and bruising that it fractured in two places (my middle toe and at the base of that toe leading to the foot). Crazy enough - neither of those places are where it was injured before! Just what I need - new fracture areas to ache in the cold. Yippee... :( I have had some pain in my abdomen, which I suspected was the result of wearing this dreadful five-pound contraption, so I called my OB. She saw me today just to make sure all was good with Breck. He is doing well - kicking would be the least of what he is doing inside there! She said it was to be expected that I would have some pain in my abdomen because he is getting bigger (he's 2 pounds now!) and my ligaments are being stretched out. The addition of the boot causes all of those pains to be a bit more pronounced. So, she just said to take it slow - not sure if there's any way I could be slower!

Now, for more fun stuff! Saturday was our 11 year anniversary! It's so much fun thinking how we have spent more than half our lives together now (16 years if you count the five years dating). I am blessed beyond measure. Seriously, my heart is filled with joy when I think about how good God has been to me in blessing me with Brian.

He is such an amazing man with a heart full of love for me that he is not ashamed to show with expressions of affection daily. And oh how he loves our little boy! I know he just cannot wait to become a father, and I look forward to seeing him fulfill that role that he has desired for so long. I know he is going to be amazing at it! (Breck is kicking his agreement even now!) So, we enjoyed a fun anniversary Saturday, starting out at the Taste of Addison in the afternoon. We went there last year and had tons of fun with friends. (It's kind of funny because my friend, Andrea, was pregnant last year and this year her little girl, Kennedy, got to join us. Next year, Breck will get to be part of the group and Kennedy can show him the ropes!) And let me just say, there is no better place for a pregnant woman to be! Brian propped me up under a shade tree, there was a

nice breeze on a warm day, live music nearby and all the food anyone could crave within a few feet. Brian spent the day running from booth to booth for me. I sampled quite a bit - sampled because after a few bites I was good and Brian ate the rest! We had steak, pizza, fajita nachos, ice cream and a snow cone! Then, after 6 hours, we went to the Melting Pot for an anniversary dessert. Of course, by the time we got there, I was happily starving and Brian had worked up an appetite, so we enjoyed quite a bit of food before the delicious chocolate fondue dessert. I love a place with all my favorite things to dip in chocolate - strawberries, bananas, marshmallows, graham crackers, brownies, pound cake, cheesecake and rice krispie treats. It was the perfect day. And to think it is our last anniversary before Breck gets here made it all the more special.

Well, just 7 days of school (with students) left. My school is throwing me a baby shower next week, which I am totally excited about. And then friends and family in OKC are throwing one the next week. After that, we'll enjoy a bit of a vacation and then summer school. I have a good gig though - the smart kids that want to get ahead in a virtual school. That's right - they are all on computer, and I just have to supervise. Not a bad deal at all! Other than that, just find the pool (conveniently out our back gate), and that's where you will find me for the duration of this summer.

6-Month Checkup

We had our monthly checkup today. Breck is continuing to do well! Some checkups are anticlimatic - blood pressure, measure, heart tones, etc., but I still love getting to hear his little heart beat away! (That's all the video at the bottom is - the recording of his heartbeat.) Even knowing the appointment would take a whopping 10 minutes, Brian took off the morning just to be able to hear his little boy for a few seconds. He has steadily grown stronger so Brian has enjoyed getting to feel him kick on occasion. Boy feels like he is dancing away in there but oftentimes by the time Brian puts his hand there, he stops! I find it quite distracting to be in the middle of teaching grammar and Breck just starts kicking away. Don't know if he is trying to tell me to stop with the grammar lessons already or that he is preparing to become a scholar. I prefer the latter but Brian just rolls his eyes at that suggestion. At the beginning of my pregnancy I ended up losing 10 pounds from being so sick and as of today, I have officially gained six more pounds, bringing my total weight gain to 10 in 6 months. That's right - he's growing but technically I'm back at 0! I like the sound of that - especially after my oh-so-honest 8th graders greet me on a Monday morning with, "You look huge today!" Uh, thanks...

We have spent the past few days shopping around for a learning center. I say learning center because we really don't want to put Breck in daycare. Daycare to me is just a glorified babysitting service where they collect a paycheck and count the hours until you pick your child up. We want Breck to be in a wonderful, nurturing environment where I am assured his safety and learning are at the forefront. I think we have finally found a place that meets those needs. We were both really impressed with Primrose because they have a daily curriculum that begins even at 6 weeks of age. Our little one will learn sign language and they focus on spatial recognition, language acquisition and music theory, in addition to activities intended to develop motor skills. As he grows, so will his curriculum. They encourage elements of language, math, science, art, etc. on a daily basis in a structured, well-disciplined environment - which Brian and I love! They are a bit pricey, but I think it is well worth the cost to have people working so closely with Breck. Here's their website link: http://www.primroseschools.com/schools/main.aspx?schoolID=55

I am so excited about Mother's Day! It is my first one with my little boy. And I've been spoiled already via his daddy :) Brian got me my mother's

ring a while back. I love it! It says: Faith, Hope and Love - which is just perfect. So, he went and got it engraved the other day with "Breck's Mom." And then he gave me my really special gift. He wrote a song for me and Breck AND recorded himself playing it on the guitar and singing it to us. I already have it downloaded to my phone. Breck and I love listening to it. Of course Brian is steadfast in the claim that he doesn't sing well but he is an amazing writer and so accomplished as a guitar player already! And I love hearing him sing because it is an outpouring of his love to us. Ok - I'm sure he is embarrassed that I've mentioned it at all but everyone deserves someone that loves them and their child that much! :) We are both so very blessed.

Beautiful Baby Boy!!

What a great day! We got to see our beautiful baby boy. And that little bit of Coke before the appointment ensured he was active! He looked perfect and the doctor was very happy with his progress. And yes she confirmed that he is definitely 100% boy! He now weighs 10 oz. I feel weird things all the time which the doc says is probably me feeling him and just not realizing that's what it is. With as active as he was on the ultrasound, maybe it's a good thing I can't feel him all the time. This boy never stops! Such a cutie though! And the sono confirmed 10 fingers (it's sad that that is such a big deal for us to hear!! but we were very excited). I love the video because you can just see so much. It's amazing to view God's creation in such a tiny little form.

And great news! My lab results came back today saying that I had not contracted the fifth virus; however, I also do not contain the immunity for it and other virals so I am not allowed to be around little ones 5 and under for a prolonged period of time. The doc says that these viruses die down by the heat of summer, but by then I will be huge and not much help in the nursery at church anyway! Thanks to all that have been praying about this. We are truly grateful.

Enjoy the video below!

Happy Easter, everyone! We go back to the doctor officially this Friday, April 9th, so nothing big to report for now. We just thought we would post a picture today. (We took it in Breck's nursery so people could see the colors. We haven't done a lot of decorating in there yet, but it has paint and furniture!) I guess I am officially "showing" since complete strangers are now starting to come up to me and ask when I'm due. It's good though. Seeing as how I've had no weight gain (being sick 4 days out of 7 will do that to ya), I am surprised at how big I appear in the picture! I have had a great 7 days in a row (longest so far) without throwing up even once. It was nice!! (Knocking on wood now...)

A little side note...I am temporarily banned from working in the preschool at church. It seems two young ones had fifth disease and this is potentially hazardous for pregnant women. I had to go to the doc Friday and have some emergency labs drawn to see if I contracted it. The bad news is that it takes 7-10 days to find out the results. The good news is that the ones who had it were not in my area and supposedly they were contagious the week before (and I wasn't working that week). So, for now, I am just trying to be positive and not worry. But extra prayers wouldn't hurt!