32 weeks and Baby Shower Pics!

Ok, so I know I skipped 31 weeks.  Sorry baby!!!  It's just because the week after Thanksgiving was so crazy!!!  I just could not get it together, so I never took my 31 week pic :(  But, here I am at 32 weeks!  Below are the baby shower pics, too...so get ready for picture overload!!

I had to take my own pic this time.  Don't you love my lovely outfit? I have been soooo tired this week!

So crazy to see my belly button all flat! 

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 32 weeks, 5 days in the pic

Size of baby:  We had an ultrasound yesterday and my baby boy weighs 4 pounds, 13 ounces and is in the 57th percentile for growth!!!  Keep growing strong Pearce!!! 

Weight gain:  I'm up about 30 pounds so far...geeze, that seems like a lot! 

Maternity Clothes: LOVING them.  My new must have are my support hose.  These are the "old lady" support hose that improve circulation and minimize leg and ankle swelling.  My legs and feet have been so swollen lately that I just had to try these.  LOVE!  They're not the prettiest things, but they do the job and my legs and feet are very happy now :)  I wear them EVERY day...I even wore them under my sweatpants when I was out running errands...yes, that's how much I love them.     
Gender: BOY!  Pearce Matthew

Movement: YES!  He still gets the hiccups just about every day.  I can tell now that his movements are a little more like stretches.  I guess he's starting to get a little more cramped, so he doesn't have room for all of his acrobatics anymore.  I feel more "pointy" parts and "round" parts.  I'm guessing I feel a heel and maybe his bottom or head?  The doctor yesterday said he is head down with his head pointing to my right leg and his feet are by my ribs on the left side.  So I have been feeling little baby feet!! 
Sleep: I have to get up several times to go to the bathroom, but I can always go back to sleep.

Symptoms: Still having reflux, swollen feet, more Braxton Hicks contractions, itchy belly, and I have very sore joints when I get up int he morning....and LOVING all of it!     

Cravings:  Lately, it's been Starbucks:  Decaf Mocha.  I drink a ton of water all the time, so Starbucks is my little treat :) 

What I miss:  Honestly, nothing.  I am just so thankful.   

Best moment this week:  I got to hear his heartbeat on Monday AND seeing him on an ultrasound yesterday!!!  It was a very quick appointment and at first I was kind of sad they didn't spend more time looking at him, but then I quickly realized that I was glad there wasn't much to look at....everything was perfect and just as it should be!! 
What I am looking forward to:  Christmas break where I can do nothing but rest and relax....oh and finish his laundry, get his closet organized, meet with a pediatrician, go to Babies R Us....whew...there's still a lot to do!! 
How's that scar looking? It's gonna be a doozy at the end.  It feels really hard...I just don't see how it can stretch more than it has already.  But, I don't care! 

Belly Button: F-L-A-T  :)

Baby Shower Pics!!

Here are the wonderful hostesses:  Ashley, Lindsay, Christie, Sarah, and Nandini

The beautiful cake and guest favors. 

We had two big tables full of sweet guests! 

On both tables were baby pictures of Chris and me.  I gave Christie my baby book and she just went through it and scanned pics.  She came across this song that I wrote when I was in 2nd grade titled, "Every Girl Needs a Man."  HA!!!  I totally remember writing this on the back of a lunch menu.  The lyrics go like this:  "Every girl needs a man.  Someone to dream about, someone to care about and most of all, someone to scream about.  Every time I see your face, I think of you."  And then there's a part about how if you don't have a man, you'll never make it "out into the open."  Ha!  I just about died when I saw Christie incorporated this into the shower! 

Christie's husband, Mike is a genius when it comes to making movie posters.  Christie gave me a list of poses Chris and I had to do and then email them to her.  I had no idea what it was for, but found out at the shower! 

Judy and Margaret Ann.  They used to teach 1st grade with me and were always soooo sweet.  They are both now retired and enjoying life! 

My beautiful niece, Alexandra 

My mother-in-law, Lora.  Lora got Pearce a silver monogrammed brush and comb set.  It is so sweet and baby looking!

Mom, Jen, Alexandra, Ash, and Me 

My other mother-in-law, Edie.  Cliff and Edie got us our stroller!  It is so cute and I just can't wait to take Pearce for strolls around the neighborhood! 

Me, Marla, Meredith, and Ash.  I went to high school with Marla and college with Meredith.  They both now live in Dallas and I was so happy they came!! 

My sweet friend, Heather.  She and I met through an infertility support group.  She struggled with secondary infertility but is now pregnant exactly one month behind me with a precious baby girl!!! 

My sweet friends from school, Kristin and Erin 

More school friends!  Sarah, Casey, and Jessica

Remember in the last post I told you about the guest favors?  Well, mom just read the card :) 

Mom and I LOVE holding babies.  This sweet baby girl is Aubrey, the daughter of one of Chris' friends from work.

Time to open presents! 

The tears flowed off and on as I opened presents and read cards.   

More tears of of sheer happiness :)

This little cutie is Charlotte.  She is the daughter of another one of Chris' friends from work.  Her mom, Elizabeth, said Charlotte was so excited to go to a party!  She was all dressed up and looked sooo cute! 

My parents got us a video camera!!!

Thank you mom and dad!!!!! 

Isn't this baby sling so cute?  Helen, Ashley's mother-in-law, got it for me. 

I just love seeing Pearce's name monogrammed on things :) 

Charlotte striking a pose! 

This painting was such a surprise!!!  Adriana painted this for me to put above Pearce's crib.  I always thought Ashley was going to paint individual letters for me to hang above his crib, but Ashley and Adriana had other plans :)  It just looks so cute in his nursery and is such a symbol of love from my sweet friend! 

Surprise, surprise...CRYING! 

Our former music teacher, Elizabeth Lazar. 

The hostesses with their gift from me.  I found these cute fingerless gloves at a shop in Dallas and thought they would be perfect for Texas winter :)  I kind of wish I had gotten myself a pair now! 

Nandini and me 

Me and Christie 

Here are some pics of the nursery.  This is after my friends worked hard at getting it all decorated and organized.  I am just in love with his nursery! 

I saw this sign on another person's blog that I read and just fell in love with it.  I think it looks so cute hanging above the door to his room. 

I love this shelf.  I got it at Hobby Lobby for CHEAP!  I think his little clothes look so sweet hanging there.  My mom made the gown on the left, I got the red and white striped gown in Fayetteville with Adriana, and the other white outfit will be his going home outfit.  It has a cute little hat to go with it.  I got the "P" at Hobby Lobby, too 

I got this print of vintage toys off of Amazon.  I think I just love the colors and it looks so sweet, too.  You can also see the lamps from Mama Pearce.  I got them re-wired and Lora found the lamp shades.  I think they look absolutely perfect! 

I got the two pictures at the top of the changing table hutch from Hobby Lobby...I love Hobby Lobby!  I also got the train on the top shelf and the red truck on the bottom shelf from there.  I've since added some books to the shelves, but you get the idea.  We also put a basket with diapers next to the changing pad, but at the time, it wasn't up yet.  See that bear on the top shelf on the left?  It plays Peek-a-boo! 

One happy mommy-to-be sitting in the glider.  Oh, I just can't wait to rock Pearce and look in his sweet eyes and kiss his sweet face.   

See the picture hanging above the glider?  I need to get a close up of it, but I ordered this off of Etsy.  I came across a poem that summed up my feelings exactly and then I was able to find someone who could make it into a picture frame with the poem at the bottom.  The poem goes like this:   

Before you were conceived, I wanted you

Before you were born, I loved you

Before you were here an hour, I would give my life for you

This is the miracle of life

~Maureen Hawkins

I love the crib mobile!  I need to get the sleeve that goes on the arm of it.  It goes perfectly with the bedding!

Isn't this little bear cute?  Lora got it for the nursery.  She also got a cute pillow made from the paisley fabric...I need to get a pic of that!





The girls that made my nursery beautiful!! 

Baby Shower details!!

On Saturday December 3rd, I had my second baby shower.  My sister has all the pics, so I just want to write down the details now and I'll share pics as soon as she gets them to me.  This shower was absolutely AMAZING!  I was totally blown away by the amount of love for Pearce and I that filled the room.  The details that the hostesses put into the shower was just above and beyond anything I could have imagined. 

So, on Friday my mom and Ashley came into town.  My mother-in-law, Lora also came a few days early.  We all went out to lunch and did a little shopping.  Then it was time to pick up my friend, Adriana from the airport.  I have been friends with Adriana since high school and it meant so much to me that she would fly from Fayetteville, AR to come to my shower.  I dropped her and Ashley off at Babies R Us so that she could do a little shower shopping :)  I went to Hobby Lobby to get decorative accents for the nursery.  Our plan that night was to have Ashley and Adriana help me hang pictures and finish decorating the nursery.  They got right to work and I am just in love with how my nursery looks.  I can't wait to post pics!  The two of them hung pictures, the shelf, the growth chart, decided where the decorative accents should go, and organized the drawers. 

On Saturday we all slept in a little and then started getting ready for my shower!  Two other high school friends and one college friend came into town on Saturday and just met us at the shower.  The fact that all of these friends made the effort to come in from out of town, meant so much to me!!  I had to drop Ashley off early since she was one of the hostesses, so I just waited outside the restaurant.  They had it at Maudie's which is an awesome Mexican food restaurant.  Finally, it was time to go in.  The hostesses were: Ashley, Christie, Lindsay, Sarah, and Nandini.  I was blown away by the amount of guests that actually came!  My close friends from school came, other close friends, and several family members! 

The cake was sooo cute!  It was light blue with blue and brown paisley on top and a big blue on top, too!  That cake was soooo yummy, too!  It was chocolate on the inside.  Lindsay's neighbor made the cake.  I looked at the two long tables and noticed all kinds of pictures of me and Chris as babies!  Oh my gosh, all of the pics were sooo cute!  What a fun touch to add!  I kept saying to myself "Don't cry, don't cry."  I just really didn't want to cry because I wanted to really soak in everything.  I did wear waterproof mascara, though, just in case.  Well good thing, because then I saw the favors that all of the guests would get.  It was a cinnamon scented candle wrapped in blue netting with a cute bow and a tag that said:  "Thank you for coming to the shower.  From Carrie's bun in the oven.  Light this candle when you hear of Pearce's birth."  When I read that, I just lost it.  What a sweet touch and the thought of everyone lighting a candle in honor of him????  Oh my gosh, I just could not stop crying.  I thought, oh well, it's all over with now and I asked my mom to read it....she lost it too.  From then on, I was just a blubbering mess. Oh!  There was also a poster that looked just like the movie poster from Knocked Up except my face and Chris' face was on the actors!  It was soooo funny! 

Everyone got to enjoy appetizers of chips and queso, salsa, nachos, and quesadillas.  What shower food is better than that?!  Then it was time for me to start opening presents, and let me tell you, there were a TON to open!  Once again, the tears started flowing as a read the sweetest cards and received the nicest gifts.  I know I said this before, but I was just amazed at the love that all of my sweet friends and family had for Pearce and I.  Pearce is one loved little baby, and he's not even here yet!  I can't wait to show you the pictures of the wonderful gifts we received.  All I can say, is that I'm so glad Jen brought her van because otherwise, there's no way we would have fit everything in my car. 

So we all went home and mom and Jen and Alexandra came over to see the finished nursery.  All of my friends from out of town stayed at my house:  Adriana, Marla, Meredith, and Katie.  They all got to work going through the gifts, opening them, and putting them away in the nursery.  Then, they made a list of must-haves I still needed, so off to Babies R Us we went!  We went up and down the aisles and the girls just said, "Ok, you'll need this, you'll need that, etc..." At the end of the shopping trip, I had my crib mattress, Diaper Genie, diapers, wipes, towels, a thermometer, nail clippers, files, diaper ointment, and a bunch of other stuff.  The total came out to $300.00, but with the gift cards I already had, the total came out to $100!!!  I'd say that's a pretty good shopping trip!  I treated the girls to dinner at Panera and then back to my house we went.  Oh wait!  We had to make a stop at Walgreen's because Meredith was battling a sinus infection and started feeling terrible.  So terrible that she started crying at Babies R Us :(  So, Dr. Stacey (Adriana) called in an antibiotic for her and we went to pick it up.  It took forever to get it because they were having a problem with the insurance and then the pharmacist was asking about the doctor and Marla said, "Look, we've got the doctor and the patient in the car with us, do you need to talk to them???"  It was so funny!  Here's this car full of girls and no one would ever think Adriana was an actual doctor because she still looks like she's in high school!  We finally got Meredith her medicine and went back home and the girls got to work organizing the nursery!  The finishing touch was hanging the painting Adriana did of Pearce's name.  Ahhhh...it's just perfect!!!!  It looks so cute hanging above his crib. 

We stayed up late into the night talking and gossiping just like we did in high school.  I had so much fun with these sweet girls.  It's amazing how we can all go a while without actually seeing each other, but when we do get together it's like no time has passed at all.  Ashley, Adriana, Marla, Meredith, and Katie....I love you all so much!!!  Thank you for coming for the weekend and celebrating my baby boy!!!!!

Ashley, Nandini, Christie, Lindsay, and Sarah...thank you for throwing me the most perfect baby shower!  It truly was a dream come true.  You all are so special to me and I can't tell you how touched I was at all of the time, effort, and details you put into my shower.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

PICS COMING SOON!!

This time last year....

It was around this time last year (actually Dec. 2) when we began our first attempt at IVF.  Here's the timeline that I wrote in my journal:

12-2 Start Follistim at 300 units in evening
12-3 A.M. Decrease Lupron to 5 units, Follistim still 300 units in A.M. and P.M.
12-6 Bloodwork in A.M. sonogram at 9:00 (showed I had 3 follicles on the left measuring 8, 8, and 9) and 2 follicles on the right measuring 8, and 4)
12-9 Blood work in A.M. and sonogram at 2:45 (showed only 4 follies that were a good size. There were others but they were way too small. We were probably going to have to convert this IVF to an IUI. I needed at least 10 good size follicles to make IVF worth it.
12-12 Blood work in A.M. and sonogram at 10:00
**My body failed me once again. I only made 4 eggs. I had to give myself the Ovidrel injection to induce ovulation of those eggs and prepare for IUI.**
12-13 and 12-14: IUI.
12-28 BFN

Oh, I remember being devastated when I found out we would not be able to go through with IVF.  I was looking so forward to it, I was so full of hope and anticipation.  I remember calling Chris and just crying to him and feeling so hopeLESS.  I have to say, through all of this, Chris was always hopeFULL.  There were so many times when I wished I could feel that way, but after so much disappointment and literally feeling my heart ache for a baby, I just kind of gave up and thought we might never be parents.  I have never wanted anything so badly in my life and the thought of it not happening was almost too much to handle for me.  I think I tried to prepare myself for the possibility of never having a baby because after everything we had gone through and tried, that was easier to believe.  In the words of Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman:  "The bad stuff is easier to believe."  I hate that that's the way I felt at the time, but it is. 

Now almost a year later, I feel my baby boy move inside of me and I just am so amazed.  God never gave up on me....even when I gave up on Him.  I remember one time I was sooooo angry at God.  I was having a pity party for myself and I went to my car and just cried and pounded my fists and yelled at Him.  I did the same to my husband.  But, they never gave up on me.

I came across a text message that was sent to me from Chris on December 29, 2010.  It said, "I am excited to move full steam ahead with IVF!!!"  We were going to attempt it a second time after I did a few things to get really healthy.  That text message made me so happy and gave me hope again.  Little did we know we would receive the shock of our lives just 5 months later in May when I found out I was pregnant...without any medical intervention. 

And now almost a year later, Chris and I are going to our first baby class and hospital tour tonight!  WOW!!!  Chris, thank you for sticking by me through all of this.  I love you.   

Thanksgiving 2011

This year, I went to Dallas for Thanksgiving.  Chris would have gone with me, but the Razorbacks were playing against LSU in Baton Rouge, so of course he had to go cheer them on!  We ended up losing, but I know Chris had fun with his cousin, Darien.  I went on Tuesday after school with both dogs.  The traffic was horrible going to Dallas, but I finally made it there Tuesday night.  Nathan and Charlotte were both still up waiting on me.  I loved seeing both of them!  Wednesday we got dressed and went to Target.  I promised Nathan some light-up tennis shoes and he was sooo excited to pick some out.  He looked so cute in them :)  We ran a few more errands and then Mom, Jen, Robert, and Alexandra came over to Ashley's house to pick up Nathan to go to Lego-Land.  Alexandra stayed with me and Ash and Charlotte.  I just could not believe how tall Alexandra was and how grown up looking she looked.  She is the PRETTIEST girl!  That night we went to mom and dad's for dinner.  On Thursday, we had a great Thanksgiving lunch.  Ashley cooked the turkey all by herself and it turned out perfectly!!  I ate so much during lunch that I absolutely could not eat another bite the rest of the day....I almost could not even drink water!!  Here are some pics from Thanksgiving 2011:

My little buddy waited up for me :)

Charlotte sure did enjoy giving the dogs scraps of food...they loved it too! 

This is what Otis looks like after a full day of play with Nathan and Charlotte...ha! 

Getting ready for Thanksgiving lunch.  What a pretty baby!  She loves to look pretty.  Mama made this dress.  Is it not the cutest?! 

And here is the cook!  Look at that turkey!  It was as delicious as it looks.  Good job Ash! 

Nathan had so much fun with Robert!  Here they are making guns out of legos...typical boys :) 

Here's Jen's family with one bonus family member :)  Alexandra, Jen, and Robert. 

Mama...aka "Baby Hog."  

Grandma and Nathan.  Grandma looked so pretty!! 

My beautiful 15 year old niece!  Look how cute and stylish she is!!   

Wayne and Daddy 

Sisters :) 

Grandma loved holding Charlotte.  She just slept and slept on Grandma. 

This is how we all felt after eating our Thanksgiving lunch!! 

Nathan and Grandmother (Wayne's mom) 

The Birthday Girls!  Alexandra's birthday was on the 22nd and Mom's was on the 24th...Thanksgiving Day! 

Daddy got mom a new iPhone 4!!!!!!!!  We were all a little jealous. 

Look who woke up! 

Money for shopping...always a good choice of gift for a teenager! 

Here are the dogs eating their Thanksgiving dinner.  I put little pieces of turkey in each of their bowls and boy, were they in HEAVEN!! 

Friday me, Ash, Jen, and Alexandra went to The Dry Bar.  It's a hair place where all they do is wash and then style your hair.  You can choose from several different looks.  We all went with some type of curl.  I never wear my hair that way, so it was fun to do something completely different.

The finished product!  I looked totally different with curls in my hair!  What a fun thing to do with the girls! 

Daisy is WORN out!  Nathan loved chasing Daisy around the house and Daisy loved having someone to run after and play with!  On the way home, she slept the WHOLE way and even when we got home she slept the rest of the day.  Nathan is so great with my two dogs....even naughty Daisy :) 

Charlotte used to be a little unsure about the dogs, but she has definitely warmed up to them now.  Daisy of course, loves her! 

Two cute little girls! 

I had such a fun time seeing everyone.  It was kind of weird thinking this was the last time I would travel anywhere until after Pearce comes :)

30 Weeks!!

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 30 weeks, 6 days 

Size of baby:  Pearce weighs almost 3 pounds and is a little over 15.7 inches long from head to heels. 

Weight gain:  I'm up about 24 pounds so far...geeze, that seems like a lot! 

Maternity Clothes: LOVING them.   
Gender: BOY!  Pearce Matthew

Movement: YES!  I feel more and more of his body parts now.  I'm not sure what they are, but I think I can feel his bottom sometimes and I also feel something pointy...maybe a foot or knee or elbow.  He still gets the hiccups every day, several times a day!  Ashley got to see him in action and she was amazed at how much he moved around.   

Sleep: I have to get up several times to go to the bathroom, but I can always go back to sleep.

Symptoms: Still having reflux, swollen feet, a little back pain, and a few Braxton Hicks contractions.     

Cravings:  Lately, it's been Starbucks:  Decaf Mocha.  I drink a ton of water all the time, so Starbucks is my little treat :) 

What I miss:  Honestly, nothing.  I am just so thankful.   

Best moment this week:  I got to hear his heartbeat on Monday AND my doctor set his birthdate:  January 25!!   

What I am looking forward to:  My second baby shower is coming up on December 3!!  I am so excited to see everyone and celebrate my baby boy! 
How's that scar looking? It's gonna be a doozy at the end.  It feels really hard...I just don't see how it can stretch more than it has already.  But, I don't care! 

Belly Button: Pretty flat now.

 

Right now, I am still in Dallas for Thanksgiving Break.  Just for fun, here is a picture of Otis.  Do you see that long string of drool hanging off his mouth?  That's because he was watching Charlotte eat her peanut butter sandwich :)

And here is my beautiful niece who turned 15 on the 22nd.  She's way taller than me and oh so stylish!  I just can't believe she is growing up so fast!  Charlotte LOVED being with Alexandra. 

29 weeks!

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 29 weeks, 3 days (in the picture)

Size of baby:  Pearce weighs about 2 1/2 pounds, about the size of a butternut squash.  He is a little over 15 inches long from head to heels. 

Weight gain:  I'm up about 24 pounds so far...geeze, that seems like a lot! 

Maternity Clothes: LOVING them.   
Gender: BOY!  Pearce Matthew

Movement: YES!  He is moving SO much.  He doesn't roll around as much now...it's mostly like little kicks and stretches.  Sometimes his little jabs catch me off guard because they are so strong.  I can feel more little parts from my stomach now.  I just absolutely love it when he gets the hiccups which are quite often.   

Sleep: I have to get up several times to go to the bathroom, but I can always go back to sleep.

Symptoms: Reflux....YUCK!  I've been experiencing a little bit of heartburn, but not too bad.  I think the cankles are here to stay!  I've been pretty tired lately, too.   

Cravings:  Really just food.  But, I do feel like I get fuller much faster.  I guess my stomach is starting to get cramped. 

What I miss:  Honestly, nothing.  I am just so thankful.   

Best moment this week:  Knowing I am officially in the THIRD TRIMESTER!!!  Also, when I walked into Starbucks, a man held the door for me and said "Come on in...both of you."  Ha! 

What I am looking forward to:  Getting the window treatments attached to the window as well as the hutch on his changing table.  Then, just putting finishing touches on his nursery. 
How's that scar looking? It's gonna be a doozy at the end.  It feels really hard...I just don't see how it can stretch more than it has already.  But, I don't care! 

Belly Button: There is still a slight indentation, but it's pretty much flat now.  Chris saw it last night and was totally surprised, maybe slightly grossed out that it was flat :)  I kept trying to get him to touch it because it's so smooth and he said NO WAY...ha!