I almost forgot, IT'S A GIRL!

We found out at our ultrasound on September 12, 2012, that our baby is a little girl. From this point forward you may hear me refer to her as "Little Miss".  I know many couples choose to wait and find out the gender at birth, but I wanted to know and am happy to know.

I will refrain for the time being about getting on my soapbox about too much pink, oversized hairbows, etc. Nonetheless, I'm most excited about having a healthy baby, but after 3 younger brothers the thought of being around a baby girl EVERY DAY has me feeling overjoyed!

Breastfeeding & Parenting: Making It Work Conference

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending a wonderful conference hosted by La Leche League of St. Louis. The conference was titled Breastfeeding & Parenting: Making It Work.  I learned SO much and feel empowered to follow through with my decision to breastfeed my child even though I know I will be returning to work. There was actually an entire breakout session on Breastfeeding & Working that I learned so much from.

The conference was filled with women (and their children) at all different stages of parenthood: pregnant, mother of 1 newborn, mother of several young children, and mothers whose children are grown, but they could provide so much insight on how to make this natural art of feeding and caring for our children possible in the real world. God designed women to be the natural habitat of a baby beginning at conception. After (hopefully) 40 weeks, maybe more, of carrying the child in the womb the mother's body still has everything the baby needs to adjust to life on the outside.

This is not to say that fathers are unimportant, because their love is equally important. And fathers can bond with baby by holding them, rocking them, bathing, burping, etc. I have just over 10 weeks left until the expected arrival day of our baby girl and I will continue to read and educate myself on how to meet her physiological and emotional needs in those first few hours, days, and weeks to form a secure attachment just as God works to form a secure attachment with each of us.

A Beautiful Sunday

This past week was rather long with both Dave and I catching a season changing cold/allergy problems, so today I want to just thank God for the beautiful Sunday. Last weekend we were able to celebrate Lucia Buyle's 1st Birthday on Saturday and catch the Ram's Home Opener on Sunday. Today (after chores yesterday) we are home from mass, brats are cooking, the Ram's game on the TV, and the only other thing I need to get done is delivering my little brother's birthday card.

P.S. Happy Birthday to my brother Joe!

Make Room for Baby...or at Least Build a Bed

This weekend Dave and I accomplished A LOT to make physical room for baby. My wonderful mother purchased the crib/changer combo that we registered for and brought it to our house on Thursday evening. On Saturday our friend Marco helped Dave take our old dresser to St. Vincent De Paul and then Dave began to assemble the crib. I would be lying if I said the process went smoothly. Cribs should not be a two person job to assemble because at 6.5 months pregnant I am NOT much help. I did my best to try and help, but thankfully the Buyles came over and Kenny helped Dave finish.

Fully Assembled! Just needs a mattress and sheets.

Close up of the front of the changer section-a shelf on top with 2 drawers below.

The side has an open shelf and a rolling hamper basket below.

I added this picture to show our new chest of drawers in matching espresso!

This week we also bought an (almost) brand new car. We bought a 2011 Kia Forte, so we are a 2 car household again after 1 year of only 1 vehicle.

2011 Kia Forte

Both cars-2011 Kia Forte and 2005 Ford Escape (aka Cookie Mobile)

Back seat has plenty of room for a car seat-part of why we chose this car.

The beginning of sleepless nights

I've been blessed lately to feel my sweet little baby moving more and more, but Sunday night began my struggle with trying to sleep and sweet little baby wanting to play. I went to bed around 11pm and by 12:30am was awakened by kicking, hard kicking. I got up used the restroom, said a quick prayer, and tried to go back to sleep. I got short bouts of sleep from then until 2:45am and by then I was completely uncomfortable with the gymnastics show happening in my stomach. I got up, went to the recliner, and started looking up online if there were any suggestions.

I found a lot of empathy, but not many practical solutions other than try to keep the baby active during the day by pushing on your stomach and shining a flashlight. At 3:30am I returned to bed because baby seemed to have settled down some. From 3:30am until 7:30am when the alarm clock when off in anticipation of my dad and little brother coming up to visit from Scott City I slept, but would wake up approximately every 30 minutes.

I'm happy to know my baby is healthy and moving, but I really hope he or she gets her days and nights straight. Until then I will continue to "try and keep my baby awake during the day", pray to our Blessed Mother for strength, and look forward to our child being on the outside where Daddy can be more help. Although last night before I went to bed Dave told the baby, "It's time to go to sleep, good night," kissed my belly and I got 2.5 hours of sleep before being awakened. And many fewer interruptions after that.

Making Room for Baby

Tonight I worked on clearing out clutter from our office so that my sewing desk can be relocated from our bedroom area to the office thereby making more room for baby's furniture. I organized by large collection of children's books, recycled old notes from college classes, chose some books to donate, and more. I still have more to do and that reminded me of all of our spiritual lives. Dave and I are adding to our family and have to make not only physical room for this baby, but emotional and spiritual room for raising this child.

This quote particularly touched me today "Marriage is an act of will that signifies and involves a mutual gift, which unites the spouses and binds them to their eventual souls, with whom they make up a sole family - a domestic church."-Blessed John Paul II

We (Dave and I) are called to be an example of Christ's uniting love to the Church. What a responsibility. Which leads me to another quote "To maintain a joyful family requires much from both the parents and the children. Each member of the family has to become, in a special way, the servant of the others."-Blessed John Paul II

I don't yet completely know the ways our lives will change, but even during this pregnancy the ways we express love to each other has grown. We are learning to serve each other as spouses so we can prepare ourselves for the task of serving one another in our shared responsibility as parents and to be a servant for baby. I'm sure our house will never be completely 'ready' for this baby or any future children just as our hearts and minds may not be ready either. Still I will work a little each day to prepare myself body, mind, and soul for the great task of raising my child and helping them to reach heaven one day.

And so I pray: 

O good St Gerard, powerful intercessor before God and wonder worker of our day, confidently I call upon you and seek your aid. On Earth you always fulfilled God's designs, help me now to do the holy will of God. Implore the Master of Life, from whom all paternity proceeds, to render me fruitful in offspring, that I may raise up children to God in this life, and in the world to come, heirs to the Kingdom of His Glory.  Amen.

25 weeks pregnant-random thoughts

Today marks the 25 week marker. That means only 15 more weeks to go until the expected arrival date of our first born. Last night I was putting different commitments onto our calendar and realizing how quickly the next 15 weeks will pass (or so it seems). I laid in bed last night feeling our little one flipping and kicking about and being amazed at God's great design plan. I pray that between now and December I am able to pray often to prepare myself to become a mother. I have found great inspiration in reflecting upon The Blessed Virgin Mary and her model of how to be a mother, I aspire to be more like her each day. More thoughts to come later, but these are the few things swimming in my head right now.