Celebrating My Husband

Today was Demetrius' 30th birthday! He finally caught up with me (I am 6 months older than him...I tease him and say instead of a cougar I am a puma) =) Unfortunately I had to work today, so I didn't get to spend all day with him =(, but we did have good report at my OB appt and I treated him to dinner to a fancy restaurant. ( He was also treated to 2 dinners total in the same night by my dad and his uncle--he is blessed!) The restaurant was nice and intimate. In the back of my mind I was thinking "I hope this is not our last "official" date before our sweet baby girl arrives" Hope not! If so, we will bring her too! =)

I cannot believe we have literally known each other half of our lives (we met when he was 14 I was 15 ). It is just amazing to me and I am so thankful to God. I wanted to do something spectacular for his b-day but due to my limited mobility I had to be creative close to home...it came to me that I would celebrate something about my husband for 7 days leading up to his birthday. It turned out very nice...I celebrated him in prayer, in love (our love), the kid in him, just because, the man he is, his Mississippi roots, and fatherhood. Each morning he either received a small gift, a song, a message (w/scripture), or a meal...everything correlated with that special day. I enjoyed making him feel special because he truly deserves it!

I love you dear!

His yummy b-day cake (cookies and creme filling)

Thanks Christian!

Week of Blessings

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows James 1:17 (NIV)

We were blessed to have some wonderful pleasures this week. Yesterday was our appt with the perinatologist. We were blessed to see our sweet little girl again. She is almost 3lbs and a ball of energy! =) The doctor said she is quite the runner. =) I can already tell she is going to be on her own terms. He spent quite a bit of time trying to get her to move her arm away from her face...she would NOT do it....needless to say he gave up. We were able to see the tip of her nose and her lips...she doesn't appear to have the infamous Carter bottom lip...D said she appears to have my lips...we shall see. =) Her weight and measurements are on target for my due date...so we are thankful for that...she is a joy and we haven't even met her yet! (D is soooo ready to spoil her I can tell)

Hopefully she won't be mad at mommy...but here is her pic confirming again that she is a girl! (She definitely has strength in those legs!)

Here is her lips and the tip of her nose...she kept that arm up the whole time...maybe that is a comfortable position for her =)

We were also able to celebrate my dad's 58th birthday on Monday (I am sure he won't mind me telling his age). It was a wonderful time! My dad was very appreciative of me getting out of the house...it was definitely no biggie b/c eating doesn't require standing (and I definitely can eat!) Some people don't know but I do have another brother...my dad has a son from a previous relationship...unfortunately we did not grow up together and I probably can count on my hands how many times I can remember seeing him. This pregnancy ( D says I blame everything on the pregnancy--LOL!) has me in a very reflective mood lately...but I think that is a good thing. I had the idea to invite my brother Damien to dad's dinner...I called him up and the rest is history... We both surprised my dad and I really think you couldn't get my dad off of the cloud he was floating on =) (Dad has already planned the next outing---it involves sitting and food so it works for me =) I really look forward to more times like these! =)

My dad is a great person...he hardly ever meets a stranger...he has been teaching/coaching for soooo long (hasn't retired yet!) that I think he knows everyone in the state of Arkansas! He has an awesome growing relationship with God and I think in his eyes I will always be his little girl =) He is your gardening guru...such a lover of nature! I am thankful for him... Love you dad!

Dad, Damien, Myself (I look huge!)





Top: Alvena, Damien, Marsela, Demetrius

Bottom: Daddy, Me (I look huge!)

Its Official...We are in the 3rd Trimester!

I was exactly 28 weeks this past Friday...Each week and each day is definitely a milestone for D and I...and we rejoice in each of these milestones. We had a doctor visit this past Tuesday and things went well...I took the wonderful (insert sarcasm) glucose tolerance test (checks for gestational diabetes) and I passed that. It actually wasn't as bad as I thought the only problem was getting through the day without eating carbs...I had meat and water for lunch (everything we could possibly think of to eat has carbs veggies, fruit...you name it I couldn't eat it )...but again everything went well. We have another appt this Wednesday (I think we silently both hold our breaths before each appt) but we are trusting God.

Everything is becoming more real...If I don't feel Nyla kick by morning I start to get a little worried...and Demetrius will ask me "have you felt her kick today?" I enjoy that feeling even if she is doing a 2-step on my bladder =) I will admit that I am getting a little nervous...my type A capabilities are kicking in...there is so much that I want to do/need to do...a few people have asked about the nursery...unfortunately nothing is in there except a chair and a few clothes that we have purchased...but I have told myself that I will not panic as long as I have a bassinet (she will sleep in our room for awhile---since her room is on the other side of the house), a car seat (hospital will not let us leave without it), and some clothes and a few essentials...decorating the nursery will come in due time when I am able to do more. Of course D will do what I need him to do, but I want to be apart of it =)

I did get to make something today for her room...my mom was gracious enough to wheel me around wherever I wanted to go on yesterday...so I was able to pick up a few things at Hobby Lobby (it really is nice getting out =). I saw something on a show the other day and I thought it was really cute and would give her room a little character =) I bought some letters that spelled her name but instead of them being just plain white I added some dark purple and lavender flowers (her nursery will be shades of purple---I understand it is the new pink). At first I was getting a little annoyed b/c the stencil was not staying in place, paint was dripping, (thankfully her name is 4 letters) and the 2 shades of purple were bleeding onto to each other, but as I got toward the end I perfected it and was a little bit proud and less annoyed. =)

I hope my Nyla likes it...mommy is ready to meet her sweet little girl! (of course we are in no rush we want her in there as long as possible =)

Mother Knows Best

In honor of Mother's Day, I thought it would be nice to talk to my mom about her pregnancies...it was really nice to to hear about her experiences from 36 years ago (my brother Garrick) and 30 years ago (me -Jaz) =)

1. How long have you been a mother? How many children do you have?
36 yrs. 11 months......I have 2 children (Garrick and Jazmin)

2. When you found out you were pregnant with your children how did you feel?
Happy

3. Did you have any cravings? If so, what were they?
Not really...I liked everything...nothing unusual...I would treat myself to a good hamburger and chocolate shake on the weekends.

4. Did you have any complications with either of your pregnancies?
My daughter came 5 wks. earlier than the due date...premature.

5. Did you use cloth or disposable diapers? If so why are why not?
I used both with my 1st baby but disposable with my 2nd baby...disposable were more convenient because I was a working mother.

6. Did you breastfeed? If so why or why not?
I did for awhile...but stopped because my babies needed to be fed more than my milk would provide.

7. Were you a stay at home mom or did you work full time? If you worked full time who kept your children?
I was a working mother...I worked full time...my family helped keep the babies and daycare.

8. Did you register for gifts for your baby shower. Did you have a baby shower?
No I did not register for gifts...yes I had a baby shower.

9. What type of parenting skills did you learn from your mother that you used in raising your children?
Training and disciplining early, spending quality time with my children, being supportive and encouraging...loving them and making sure that they knew it.

10. What was your hope for your children as they grew up to become adults?
My hope for my children is that they would have happy lives, be productive citizens, loving God and living a good fulfilling life.

11. Do you have any grand kids? If so how many?
Yes, I have 2 and one on the way.

12. How do you think women being pregnant now has changed since you were pregnant (ex. baby products, organic, breastfeeding, what you can eat vs cannot eat)
I think women being pregnant now are more aware and more concerned about baby products, more aware about safety issues, more in touch with their bodies, more informed and more knowledgeable about pregnancy and pregnancy issues, such as nutrition, the environment,anything that would affect their pregnancy. Also I believe the that pregnant women today aren't as modest about showing their bodies as women were in the past.



13. Words of advice to you daughter as she prepares to welcome her little girl.
Be the best mother you can be, let your daughter know that she is loved and you be there for her as much as possible. Teach her everything she needs to know how to be the best individual she can be, be responsible, independent. Help her in every way you can to let her know that she can count on you. Be a good role model for her. Teach her to love God and to know Him...above all, as the Bible says,"train her in the way that she should go."


I am so thankful for my mother...she is one of my best friends. I believe I shared this on last mother's day blog but my mom and I talk a minimum of two times a day (Demetrius calls them our "gab fest") I enjoy our "gab fest" =) She is a wonderful encourager, a lover of God, she always knows the right things to say at the right time, and mostly she is a praying mother. She has always been very supportive of my brother and I and will do whatever she can for us. You always hear about people talking about a mother's love...I definitely can say I have experienced a mother's love.


I am fortunate to have her on this pregnancy journey with me... I am usually sharing with her all of the new things I read about...what I can or cannot eat, what the baby should be doing now, and just all the wealth of information I seem to find while reading everyday (my brain should be fried by now)...one of our conversations she said "there is so much information, I didn't think about any of that stuff...I guess I was just pregnant!" =) That is why a part of me wonders that we came out fine should all of this "can" or "can't" do be such a big debate at times...oh well I will just remain prayerful and know that God will give me discernment.




I love you Mom! I am thankful and prayerful that Nyla will get to experience what you have and are allowing me to experience. (My mom will be Nyla's sitter --we hope!=) )

Happy Mother's Day!