38 weeks

I will let the pictures speak for themselves......

Is this really my body?!?!?!

Sugarland comes to Charleston

We had a great night out with friends this past week to see Sugarland in concert. The rain was intermittent early in the night, but we stayed dry through the concert and enjoyed ourselves very much! I thought maybe all of the dancing and standing would put me into labor, but no such luck! However, that was probably a good thing considering I was the DD and would have had to drive myself to the hospital ;)

Trying to stay dry during one of the rain showers.

Great friends......Emily, me, and Christina!

Putting ear plugs on Baby Girl so she doesn't arrive with damaged hearing!

Waiting for the crowd to clear before we exit....a FUN night, but my feet were hurting by the end of it all =)

Fun in the sun and the ninth month...

Late in the day last Saturday we enjoyed some time at the beach. It was beautiful. We love living in Charleston and will definitely miss the ocean whenever we move.

Race keeps a close eye on Andy as he flies the kite.

Molly Paige loves on here daddy for awhile.

Molly Paige decides IOP should be a nude beach and tries to take off her cover-up.

We have arrived at the end...well, the beginning of the end, if you will. We are 36 weeks preggers, thus beginning our ninth month. The strain of pregnancy has begun to show itself at times through such things as swelling in my feet when I over-do things, an increased need for naps, and interrupted sleep habits for trips to the bathroom. However, it is still a miraculous adventure and I am thankful for every minute of it. Baby Girl is head down and ready for the big show, which makes us very happy. We have toured the hospital and gotten back into our Bradley classes. Everything seems to be coming together....now we just wait.

reunion week...

Andy arrived home last Sunday from deployment. I do not have any pictures of us from that day because my camera battery was dead. Just know that the reunion was joyous and worth the wait. I love deployment homecomings not only because they have always brought my husband back to the USA, but because of all of the other reunions that I get to see. There is nothing better than watching a small child run up to their parent and witnessing the first embrace they have had in months. It always brings tears to my eyes. At the baseball game....happy anniversary to us =)

Our week has been full of reconnecting with one another and with friends. We spent our anniversary at the Riverdogs baseball game with good friends. No romantic dinner, you ask? Well, friends are a huge part of our life and it has been a long four months since we have been able to do "couple things" with them.....we can have a date night anytime, so the choice was easy for us.

Some of the guys...after many beers....

Andy has also been working on house projects to play catch up as well as to get ready for Baby Girl. The most exciting being her new closet!!!! It didn't look too difficult (from my view in the rocking chair) and the end result is fantastic! Hooray for having a husband home so he can get busy on his 'honey-do' list =)

Organization has entered our life in the form of Baby Girl's new closet!!

March of Dimes

Mom plays "grandma" and pushes the twins!

A few weeks ago I participated in the March of Dimes along with my mother and a group of friends. I became involved with this after our godchildren were born at 28 weeks. They are now healthy and active 2 year olds and the money that March of Dimes raises each year undoubtedly played a role in saving their lives. More recently, as you all know, the triplets were born at 30 weeks and they had a long stay in the NICU. Brady's life may have been short, but prior research on saving premature babies kept him with us for those precious 13 days. I encourage you to find your local March of Dimes (also called March for Babies) and participate next year! You can also make a donation to this cause through their website if you missed the walk this year.

Grace and Grant (our godchildren) enjoy their hotdogs after the walk.

It may seem like a cause that has no impact on your life, but you never know what the future may hold. Andy and I had no knowledge of this program and now over the last 2 years we have had premature births affect our 2 godchildren and our most recent nephews and niece. Five babies in 2 years....that is enough to make me a supporter!

Visiting with Matt and the his twin girls after the 3 mile walk.

3 years together!

Written May 6th (our anniversary), but not posted until the day after.....

Today marks a special celebration for Andy and me. Three years ago we were married at our church, Grace Episcopal, in downtown Charleston. We knew that we loved one another then, but we both agree that we were naive as to how much our love would grow as time passed.

We have been through a lot of great times and some sad times over the past three years, and at each and every moment I thank God that Andy is by my side. As we begin this next year of our marriage, which may be the most eventful thus far, I thought it would be fun to reflect back to the beginning.....enjoy =)

On bended knee....what a fantastic memory!

A day at the beach for Baby Girl

Both my mom and Andy's mom visited this past weekend!! I like to think it was because they knew I needed some TLC, but it was mostly to help organize baby gear! I suppose the time where everything is "about the baby" has arrived and I should get myself accustomed to it.

Andy and I have always said that we are blessed with amazing friends here in Charleston, and this weekend proved that fact for us again. We celebrated Baby Girl with a shower at the beach and it was fabulous! Christina, Katie, Emily, Vanessa, and Kim all played hostess for the shower and it could not have been more perfect. I am very thankful for the time and energy they put into making the day so special for me as we paused to celebrate the miracle Andy and I have created together. What a great day!

We have such great friends!! How blessed we feel.

I say HOORAY for special friends ;)

Is this a baby shower or a beer fest?!? The ladies get serious during a game!

Reading a sweet letter from Andy's mom about the rocking chair she gave us (it was hers as a little girl and Andy used it as a little boy) How special that Baby Girl will now get to use it.

One of the many silly facial expressions Kim caught on my camera! Apparently, something was very amusing ;)

Mom is drinking a beer?!? I have NEVER seen her drink a beer in my entire life! I guess having 4 new grandbabies in the same summer has gotten to her a bit!

Vanessa and I have been friends since freshman year at Purdue (10 years ago!!). I love that she lives here in Charleston and we can continue to share our big (and little) life moments with one another!

Nana gives Baby Girl a love touch for the camera!