Bed Rest!

My day started out busy and is ending very slow! I headed to my routine ob appt. this morning and excited to find out if I am progressing. When my doc. measured me my stomach..I think it is called the fundal height...it really hadn't changed sincemy last visit 2 weeks ago. I have always measured right on track and so I guess this sent off a red flag. She wanted to do an ultrasound to check the fluid levels and eliza's growth. Those of you who know me know that have some serious ultrasound anxiety and normally Kev. accompanies me to any appt. where I get an ultrasound. I guess I just always fear that they will find something wrong with my baby! This is a fear that I have had to give to the Lord over and over...but the unexpected ultrasound today really paniced me.

Little eliza is def. measuring smaller by about 2 weeks. Her estimated weight was only 4lbs 9oz..so she is a peanut for sure! Her belly measured the smallest. I then had a Non-Stress Test..which I really think should be called a Stress Test. I hate sitting in a freezing cold room listening to her heartbeat on the monitors waiting for her to move so I can push the little button. I find them stressful. Thankfully she did great on the NST and I felt good about that. After that I waited again to see my doc. and she ordered me on strict bed rest. I can shower and use the bathroom but my life is taking a Major slow-down!!!

She feels that my placenta is not functioning as well and is not giving eliza as much nourishment as she needs. Bed Rest will optimize the blood flood from me to her. I will have NST twice a week and a weekly ultrasound. She said if at anytime these don't look good I will go straight from the doc. to the hospital...and to put my bags in the car! She is planning to induce me in 2 weeks if I haven't had her yet...wanting to give her some more time to grow and gain some weight but not wanting to wait too long with a not so good placenta.

I guess I should just expect some excitement in every pregnancy. They are the beginnings of raising a child which is always full of twist, turns and surprises.

As I sat in the ultrasound room today and watched her practicing breathing on the screen it made me want her so much! Not that we haven't wanted her from before she was conceived but for the first time I really felt like she needed her mommy! I felt a strong bond to her and pray that these 2 weeks go by so fast.

With each of my pregnancies I have felt that the Lord has given me a verse for that child. With eliza from early on my mind always went back to Ephesians 3:20 "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. " Eliza was a true gift from the start... the kind of gift that comes totally unexpected...a blessing given just 2 weeks after having a D &C ...when two people who had struggled in the past to conceive got pregnant without even trying...when the doc. couldn't even believe it herself...when I gushed blood at 5 weeks and was sure that we had lost her too...God did more and I know He has a big plan for her life.

If you think of us please pray that she will hang on and do some good growing! Please pray for my doc. to have wisdom and know when to induce me or when to wait. Please pray for ella who is having a hard time today understanding why mommy cannot hold her standing up...she keeps crying and saying, "mommy hold you stan up!" Please pray that I can lay and rest...something I am not good at!

September!

It's September and that alone just makes me happy! I guess most people have a season that they love and I have always loved fall! Unfortunately where we will it will still be a while before we feel that first cool breeze...but that is okay...I can dream.

I love so many things about fall. These are just a few!

I love a warm sweet pumpkin smell in my home! I have already started burning my fall candle! It just makes me happy!

I also love it in lotion. Fall is the only time of the year that this lotion works.

I am not a big football fan...but something about Saturday afternoon Clemson football games on TV just make me happy. It is a good excuse to make some yummy food and hang out with the family! Football just says fall!

I love Mums in the fall! I cannot wait to find two big ones to but on either side of my front door along with a pumpkin or two!

I am a little weird and enjoy watching the weather channel..esp. as the seasons begin to change! I love seeing what areas of the country are experiencing "cooler" weather! I also like watching it during hurricane season and tracking the storms. Kevin thinks I'm crazy!

Who doesn't love a great pair of comfy jeans on a cool day. I am sad that most of my favorite pants won't fit for a while. If you've ever had a baby you know what I mean. You feel so small after having a baby until you attempt to try on your old clothes...then reality hits.

The best thing about this fall will be another fall baby.

Happy 31st Birthday Kevin

Today is kev's 31st birthday! It was so funny a few weeks ago we were watching the Tour de France and they mentioned that Armstrong was 36. This was surprising to me because it seems like he should be a lot older than us. I told kev that he was only 5 years older than him...and he looked at me funny. He said no six years...i am almost 30. Evidently we didn't do enough celebrating last year because he really though he was about to turn 30. I am sad that we are both almost out of our 20's. Time just goes way to fast. I wish we were 23 or 24 again!

I know I have said this before on my blog but God really gave me a wonderful husband. I love so many things about him. We truly are a case of opposites who compliment each other well. I need him for so many reasons: he takes care of bills, makes the phone calls that I put off, he is super out-going and has no trouble carrying on a conversation with ANYONE, he fixes things that I break, takes care of our cars and yards, and is frugal and disciplined.

Kev is such a good daddy. He loves his little girl more than anything. He takes such good care of her when he watches her alone and I never have to worry about them. I can't wait to see how little eliza melts his heart too. I know it won't take long.

Happy Birthday Babe, I love you so much!

Shower and etc.

35 weeks 1 day

This past week the sweet girls in my Sunday School class threw me a baby shower for eliza. It was so sweet...esp. since they just did this two years ago for ella. For second showers we usually go to a restaurant and have a girls night out plus the goodies and cake. I love showers like this because you don't feel on the spot opening gifts and who doesn't like a night out with friends. I got so many cute things for eliza and I was excited to have some "shower pictures" for her scrapbook...too bad her mommy cannot take a decent pic. Seriously!! In every action shot I am making some crazy face (I left those out by the way)!

I didn't realize that ella was coming down with yet

another stomach bug! Thankfully I haven't taken it yet!

I am now almost 36 weeks and feeling both ready and anxious at the same time. My body screams...we gotta get this baby out and my head says...life is about to take a major change. I feel a lot more prepared this time around as far as some things...nursing, general care for a baby, what to expect,... etc. but yet more realistic too. I can just picture myself in the middle of target with ella trying to jump ship from the stroller and eliza screaming and me in a hot flash...and it's enough to think we need a few more weeks! I cannot wait though to see what she looks like! That is such a fun part of having a baby...seeing it for the first time. I also cannot wait to have ella come to the hospital and see her. Don't worry I am very prepared for her to a) not be at all interested b) want to hold her and kiss her immediately and think she is her mommy or c)get angry at mommy holding her and be ready to send her back! All three options would totally be possible for her, but I just can't wait to see my two girls together.

Last night I completed my many many sewing projects. I seriously have sewn almost everyday this summer. I have made bedding, tons of curtains, pillows, matching jumpers for ella and eliza, burp cloths, pants for ella, 2 slings, 2 nursing covers, and etc. I have never been so glad to put that thing away with my many projects completed. I don't plan to sew again for a long time!

Tonight I am off to hear Beth Moore at our church's live simulcast! I am really looking forward to it. I really could use a renewal weekend spiritually. The two or three weekend events that I have attended before have always really spoken to my heart at very different times in my life. I am looking forward to what the Lord has for me this weekend and praying for some revival in my heart and life.

Remembering!

I have sat at my computer today and had two good cries. Earlier this morning I read the blog of kelly's friend katie who lost her beautiful baby girl Reese Catherine just a few days ago. I watched the beautiful video and cried like I haven't in a long time. Then this afternoon Kelly posted Angie Smith's video with her baby Audrey. I cannot help as I sat and watched and felt eliza move and wiggle be overcome with thankfulness, fear and remembrance. It wasn't so long along that Kevin and I were in the midst of our grief. I am so thankful that those intense seasons of grief do pass and the Lord once again brings joy and hope to lives. I cannot imagine going through a loss without the Lord in one's life.

Today I took ella to have her picture made. I figured it would be the last time I will probably ever take just one child to have their picture made. She did so great! So much better than she did in the spring. She acted so much more mature. She sat and said cheese...and I wasn't chasing her all over the studio. While I looked at the pictures she was content to play with the legos they had there! When I viewed the pictures I couldn't believe how much older she is looking. So much more like a little girl. When I got home I replaced her Christmas picture in our room with her new one (in which she is raising up one side of her dress and has both arms in the air!) It was too cute and totally captured my ella at this age. She still looked like a baby in her Christmas picture but not anymore. Time does go fast!

While we were there ella made friends with a little boy who was probably three or four. I sat there and watched them play and thought about what it would be like if Samuel were there with us. I know ella would love him like crazy and I am sure he would be a good big helper. I can hardly picture myself having a son that age. It is hard to understand the why things like this happen but I can say that God is good. Almost four years down the path and our lives are full, happy and restored. I know there will always be a missing place in our little family...a place that only a one precious little boy could fill...but we are thankful for the healing that has come to our hearts.

Eliza Anne's Room

My go, go, go mode finally caught up with me! I haven't been as tired as I was this past weekend in a long time. I remember when my younger sister jess got married about a year and a half ago, I was trying to keep up with all the wedding festivities, do the flowers, entertain, take care of a five month old...and I got so worn out that I kept telling my mom that something was wrong with my eyes! Seriously it felt like my eyelids were so heavy that I couldn't see right. Well, I once again reached that point on Sat. Saturday night we had a little class Sunday School Party at our house and at one point I felt delirious trying to carry on a conversation. I was trying to focus but had not a clue what the conversation was about...hopefully no one could tell! Needless to say I am slowing down and have been enjoying some down time.

Eliza's nursery is now done except for adding in a little rocking chair that kev is painting and a little pillow I am sewing. I am really happy with the final result! It is a bright and happy room that she can def. grow with! I tried to take good pics but the lighting is so dark in so many of them..so some of them are hard to see the coloring correctly.

The view from her door..the coloring looks most accurate in this one!

Crib and bedding!

Initials and crib

Frames 40% off at AC moore's, left over fabric, 1 sheet of poster board,

and left over paint from the room for the letters.

A sideways view of inside the crib!

Garage sale lamp spray painted and re-covered in coordinating fabric.

All the pink frames used to be old black ones we had around our house...they were

easily spray painted!

Target bookshelf!

My quilt! I am very happy with the final result!

Our Craigslist armoire re-painted! The frame on the left was a team effort.

Kev cut it out of wood and I painted it.

It is much lighter than this

My curtain!

Doesn't ever little girl need some bows???


Hope you enjoyed it!

Almost done!

I seriously have been going like a whirlwind. I am about to drive myself and my family crazy! I guess they call it nesting...seems like I've been nesting for a while now...I think it is more like losing your mind. For example...we have lived in this house for almost 4 years and the only curtain in the entire house was ella's. It never cost me a minute of sleep! After making eliza's I began to think about curtains! I scored some awesome Pottery barn panels at a garage sale a few weeks ago! I got six 84 inch panels that match my house for 25 dollars. This worked well for two windows but we didn't have enough for another room. SO what does Julie decide to do....make them! I have been sewing curtains like crazy! In fact every room in our house has curtains except our master bedroom. The kind lady at the fabric store told me that it would be 50%off just on Sat. so I of course decided to wait till Saturday! I found some fabric that I loved 7 yards total on the clearance table this week for $2.99 a yard! I used it to make 6 panels for our family room. I have also made curtains for our Frog (finished room over garage) and our spare bathroom!

I just want to add here that curtains are really really expensive! I decided to look at Target the other day just to price them because I am so ready to put my sewing machine away...but they were $29.00 per panel..which means $59.00 per window plus the cost of the rod! Several of our rooms have three windows each! Whew!!! Now I know why we haven't had curtains for the 6 years we've been married. I have found once again, that I can save a lot of money by making things myself. I also have found out why things cost so much...they take a lot of time and work! For example, I originally began making eliza's bedding to save money. After making it I told Kevin it I were selling it I'd sell if for twice as much because it was so much work!

I have gotten great deals on my curtain rods at Ross. I got most of them for $7.99 each which is by far the best price I have found. I also have used some upholstery tacks to hang a few curtains. You can do a lot with them (they just leave some holes in the wall...esp. if you have to re-adjust the curtain a few times...shhhh!) As always I am looking for the cheapest way of doing what I like and as always it has required lots of work.

The nursery is done! Praise the Lord! I have worked so hard! I will share the pics tom. and share the budget friendly ideas I used! Check back...and don't tell me if you hate it! :)