Iuka Showers!

We had a whirlwind of a weekend in Iuka last weekend.  We had 2 showers--one on Saturday at Rebecca Skinner Gray's house and one on Sunday at Mt. Evergreen UMC.  I am so lucky to be from a town like Iuka.  I haven't "lived" there (except for summers while I was in college) in 11 years and when we get to Iuka, it feels like I never left.  Ryan and I drove to Enterprise, AL Thursday night to break up the trip a little.  Ryan's mom, our sister-in-law, Stephanie, and niece, Libby, flew into Birmingham on Friday.  How sweet of them to make the trip to Iuka to be at the showers?! A trip to Iuka is not easy or convenient (especially a quick weekend trip) and we soooo appreciate them going out of their way to be there for us at this special time! Ok, I'm not going to ramble on about the showers.  But, I really want to thank Lori Beth Rhodes, Rebecca Gray, Brooke Gentsch, Lisa Locke, DD Lambert and Paula Moore for everything they did this weekend!  We are so blessed to have friends and family like all of you!

Here are some pictures from the showers--

Sweet messages to baby Huntley

Everyone made a prediction...

Some I appreciate, some I don't!! HA!

Everyone picked napkins according to whether they thought the baby would be a boy or girl...

I picked girl...Nikki picked boy

My aunt, Lisa, Nikki, my grandmother, Beebs, me, Kinsley (she got off work early and was able to stop by) and my Mom

Lori Beth (due Feb. 1st), me (Oct. 4) and Erin (due Dec. 7th)

 I want to say something cheesy about being best friends and sisters.  But, I won't.  Nikki and Rebecca have always told us that Big Sisters rule, little sisters drool.  Looks like the Big Cousins will rule!!!

When we got back to the lake, I had to get everything back out so Ryan could see.  We are soooo blessed!  So much good stuff!  I just cant wait to use it all!

Shower at Mt. Evergreen (there aren't as many pictures here, mainly because I am NOT very photogenic at the moment :)

 Mrs. Huntley was very sweet to get my mother a Grandmother gift. 

 Me, Stephanie, Mrs. Huntley and Libby

I came home and got everything out for Ryan to see :) 

Thank you to everyone! 

And just a few more pictures from the weekend:

Hope everyone has a great week!

3rd Trimester...ALREADY??

I can’t even begin to believe that I am 29 weeks. Only 11-ish weeks left. I know everyone says that towards the end time seems to creep by…but, so far time has FLOWN! I am still feeling great. In the past week or so, I have had some back pain and a little pain under/below my stomach. But, all things considered I have absolutely nothing to complain about. I feel so fortunate and so blessed with my pregnancy so far and I pray that I continue to have a healthy pregnancy for the next 11 weeks. Ryan and I have a few things that we need to do over the next few weeks—like pre-registering at that hospital and signing up for childbirth classes. I’m curious about what people think about childbirth classes. We get VERY mixed reviews as to whether or not we should take them.

Over the last few weeks we have been touring childcare centers. Ugh. I hate the thought of it. “Hi, you are a stranger. I don’t know you at all. Will you take care of my baby for 40+ hours each week?” I will say that I have really liked all of the places we have seen, but that only makes me feel a little better about it. Sorry to be griping about this, but it’s just honestly how I’m feeling about it right now.

29 Weeks!

Due Date: October 4, 2011
Size of the baby: Baby Huntley is about 2.5 pounds and around 15 inches long, the size of a butternut squash. By the look of my belly, I’m thinking more along the lines of a large spaghetti squash.
Weight gain/loss: I went to the doctor last week and had gained 6 pounds. So far, I’ve gained a total of 21 pounds. The doctor also said that my belly is measuring right on target, not too big—not too small.
Maternity clothes: Well, I’m starting to outgrow some of my clothes that I’ve been wearing. Some of my dresses are too short now, unless I’m wearing leggings or something. A lot of my non-maternity tops don’t completely cover my stomach anymore, either. All pants are maternity—and even some of those are getting a little tight. I don’t own any shorts (that fit). I’m not big fan of shorts to begin with, but I have tried on a MILLION different styles and I just can’t do with this stomach.
Gender: We won't know until the baby makes his or her grand appearance!　Most people seem to think the baby will be a girl.
Movement: The baby has been moving around a lot more in the last couple of weeks. I still don’t think it qualifies as “a lot.” But, I am feeling something a few times everyday. I read in one of my pregnancy apps that starting at 29 weeks that I need to start counting kicks. If I don’t feel 10 kicks in 2 hours, then I probably need to call my doctor. Please. I don’t even feel 10 kicks in 1 day. I’m not going to call my doctor about it. She knows this baby doesn’t move a lot and she’s ok with it and not concerned at all. So, neither are we (me or Ryan J ). On a more positive note, Ryan got to feel the baby move a week and a half ago, 7/7/11. It was around 5am one morning and I woke him up so he could feel it. He was thrilled to say the least. So thrilled that we went to Orlando that weekend to buy furniture for the baby’s room—I think it made everything seem A LOT more “real”! Isn’t he going to be a great dad!!

Sleep: I'm still sleeping pretty good. I’m having crazy dreams. Crazy, crazy dreams. If I have seen you, talked to you, texted you, facebooked you, emailed you, if you are pregnant and recently had a baby and/or someone that I went to high school or college with—then it is VERY VERY likely that I have had a dream about you in the last month or so. I get up an average of 3 times per night to go to the bathroom, I get a little short of breath if I lay on my back and I’ve had a few cramps in my legs. I’m having a little, just a little, trouble finding a comfortable position when I try to go to sleep.
What I miss:  My thighs not rubbing together?
Cravings: Snow balls. Yum. I want one now.
Symptoms: HEART BURN. Weight gain, crazy dreams, itchy belly, leg cramps, etc.
Best moment of the week: Ryan getting to feel the baby move! 　Here is a picture from July 14^th. I was 28 weeks, 2 days:

　
What’s been going on since the last update:We went to Iuka for the 4^th of July. It was a great trip. We were only there for 3 days—but, it was such a relaxing weekend it felt longer. We did the Lomenick “Race up Heart Attack Hill” 5k while we were in town. We both had to walk it…me because I am gigantic and Ryan because he had a bum toe. He hasn’t played soccer in a while…think years…and started playing again. He came home from his first game bleeding and limping. Ha! Here is a picture of the safety patrol that followed us the whole way (yes, because we were last!). Beebs and Lunar—I’m not sure which of them has more stories to tell!!! They only asked me 25 times over the 3 miles if I needed water or a ride. Ha!

We were also surprised with a baby shower during our annual Bryant/Dexter Christmas in July party. They DEFINITELY surprised us—considering I didn’t even shower and wore my swim suit and cover up (for the record, the cover up NEVER comes off). It was so sweet of them to do that for us and we got LOTS of great stuff.

I know I’ve said it before, but I don’t feel like I can say it enough—Ryan and I are both blessed with incredible families…immediate and extended. Here is a picture of all the “kids” that were there (most of them can’t even be considered “kids”). Kaylee, Kelsey and Kyndal Shea, Jayden Jones and Devin and Collin Dexter aren’t in the picture (but surely Jayden, Devin and Collin wouldn’t have been forced to be in that picture…my cut off for the kid picture is graduating high school). I wonder who will be holding Baby Huntley in the picture next year!!

Like I mentioned earlier, we made the trip to Orlando for furniture for the baby’s room. Hello, IKEA!!
We loaded up with everything we needed.

I do LOVE Ikea, but I do not love the thousands of pieces that have to be put together. I guess that’s why I don’t put it together J. I just watch, take pictures and go buy snow balls for everyone. When we got home that night (I thought it was night--but it's clearly still very light outside in this pic), Ryan’s parents came by to help us put the night stands together.

Ryan’s brother, Brad, came by on Sunday to help with the dresser/changing table. Mr. and Mrs. Huntley came by, too. While they moved furniture from the baby’s room to the other guest room Mrs. Huntley and I went to Target for a bed skirt. Here is another picture of the furniture assembly.

　
The Huntleys ordered the crib for us and we put it together last weekend. All the furniture is set up and ready to go! Pictures are coming, but the bedding doesn’t come in until August L and I want to hang a few things on the walls first.

Hope you all have a great week! Please continue to pray for us!

Update on my previous prayer requests: Logan got a good report from his doctor.  Will and Lori Beth are having a baby!!!  They found out right before they found out he was leaving.  They are thrilled, to say the least!!  I seriously could not be more excited for them!!! Please continue to keep all of them and the Boyetts in your prayers.