Major Milestone

Today I hit a MAJOR milestone. After 18 ultrasounds, 15 progesterone shots, 9 lbs and what I can only think is well over 35 (not at all an exaggeration) trips to the dr, I hit 30 weeks!!!!!!! YAY me!!!!! This has been an incredible journey thus far.

God in his pure graciousness has protected me and Lyla Jane tremendously. There have been so many ups and downs and all I can think is that God has this whole pregnancy in his hands and is in complete control of it. It seems so silly that I actually spent nights crying in fear of losing another baby. It’s amazing what Satan will use to turn your eyes off Gods greatness and shake your faith.

Now (and for a while now) I can feel the baby moving around in there what seems like constantly. What an incredible reminder of how awesome God is. Pregnancy amazes me start to finish. We have ALWAYS had a hard time getting pregnant and I think that people who can get pregnant (seemingly) at the drop of a hat, never really have to contemplate all the things that HAVE to go right in order to sustain a pregnancy. But, all-in-all, it has to do with one thing. God. God is the master behind all of it. No pregnancy is too tough or too “high-risk” for God.

God, in his infinite wisdom, has granted women the ability to create and carry a baby in their bodies. God, has allowed women the joy of feeling, for probably at least 5 months, their baby kick and squirm and even have the hiccups. In my opinion, no words can express the feeling of that baby moving around in there. There is no way to even do justice to it when I try to describe it to Jonathan. Putting your hand on my belly and feeling the baby kick does not even come close to comparing to the actual feeling of it.

We are so excited about this baby. Jacob picked her name out. Out of our list of 4 names he picked out Lyla Jane. However, I was talking to him the other day because Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper (from Blue's Clues) had a baby (Cinnamon), and I said “Jacob, Mommy’s going to have a baby” and he said “Oh no!” So hopefully he’ll like the baby better when she gets here. And when he feels the baby move, he asks if my tummy is hungry.

Jonathan on the other hand has maybe felt the baby move twice. Every single time the baby is moving I tell Jonathan to feel her…and she stops moving completely….every single time. So hopefully she’ll like him better when she gets here. :)

So as of right now, 30 weeks, my blood pressure is great, my weight gain is great, my blood sugar level is fantastic and really everything is looking wonderful. I am still on my restricted activity and still taking my progesterone shots, but, all in all, we’re having what seems to be a pretty normal pregnancy (with the exception of going to the dr once or twice a week…which is down from two to three times a week). We’re all hanging in there. I’m a bit uncomfortable and having some hard times sleeping but we’re hanging in there. Most importantly, Lyla is hanging in there and hopefully she’ll be hanging in there for at least 6 more weeks. (only 6 weeks….can you believe it?!?!?!?)

So, today I’m thankful for a loving, caring God. A God who comforts and protects. A God who gave me the ability, that so many woman don’t have, the ability to get pregnant and carry out a pregnancy (though I have some problems and need a little assistance). And a God who I know will work out this pregnancy out for His good.

Everyday Heroes

Let me preface my story with some recent background. Lately, Jacob has turned against his best friend (Handy Manny) and become enamored with Blues Clues. Everything is Blues Clues now. When we drive down the street, he is so observant and spots every single vet office because they usually have a paw print on them somewhere and he yells “MOM A CLUE!!! Do you see a clue?!?!” He puts books on the floor and sings “Blue ska-doo we can too” and does a flip onto the book. When the mail comes he screams “MAAAAAIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” (and does jazz hands, like Steve does when the mail comes on the show).

But, most importantly (pertaining to this story), he carries a notebook around with him where ever he goes now. All of a sudden he’s such high maintenance. He always loses his notebook or his crayon and we have to search around the house to look for it…and he’s getting specific as to which notebook he wants now. I’m telling you HIGH MAINTENANCE!!!

About 2 weeks ago Jonathan had a t-shirt on from The Disney Cruise we went on for our honeymoon. On the back, all the characters have signed their names. Pluto signed with a blue paw print (which brings up the ever-pressing question as to why Goofy can write his name but Pluto can only stamp a paw print…but that has absolutely nothing to do with this story). The kid went WILD!!!! “A clue dad you have a clue. Where’s my notebook….where’s my crayon?!?! Mom where’s my notebook.?!?!?!? There’s a clue!!!” So we quickly found his notebook so he could keep track of this clue.

Here’s where the real “everyday heroes” comes into play. Actually, I guess it would technically be "everyday heroines." The other day, we were watching Blues Clues together and the clue was a cup. Jacob had out his notebook and was scribbling in it (like he usually does). So I said "Jacob you have to draw the clue like Steve does." I figured I could draw a cup. So I said "Jacob look, watch mom draw it." So I took his notebook and I drew a cup. He was SO impressed. He clapped and screamed “Good Job Mom!” (which cracks me up every time he tells us “good job”)

At this point, I decided to show off a little and draw Periwinkle, the cat. She is, after-all, just a circle and some triangles. He screamed and jumped up and down…. “Mom you did it!!!! YAY Mom….Good job”

He then proceeded to ask me to draw Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper. After each one he got so excited that I did it. Then he asked me to draw Pail and Shovel. He screamed and yelled and jumped on me and gave me a hug. “You did it mom! Good job!” This was, by far, my proudest day as a parent. I was so excited!!!

So that day, I was thankful for EASY to draw characters, which made it possible to impress my son with my sub-par artistic ability. I am also thankful for a little man who gets so excited about little things. But most importantly, I am thankful for my son whose gift is obviously encouragement. I sincerely hope that as he gets older, he holds tight to that spiritual gift and continues to uplift people and brighten their day by making them feel better about even the smallest things they accomplish.

As a side note, he then asked me to draw Blue. BOMB!!!!! I have no clue how to draw Blue. I am still working on that one.