Sailer's On Her Way!!!

Today, I visited my doctor for my 38th week visit....I know, it's getting close! Ironically, I woke up this morning at 6 a.m. with menstrual-like cramps, so I was VERY glad to already have this appt. set up.

All of my vitals were great....weight gain, blood pressure, all of that stuff. Then, we get to the exam, and to our surprise, I am 2 cm. dilated and 50% effaced! WOW! YAY! That was great news to me, b/c I am SO READY to meet Sailer. Next, we had an ultrasound to check my fluid levels and to get a reading on Sailer's weight. My fluid levels are wonderful, but Sailer is only measuring 6 lbs. 2 oz., which is a great size to me, but she is measuring "small" for her gestational age, so my doctor told Jason and I to go get lunch and to return to the office for a non-stress test just as a precaution to check fetal movement and contractions. So, off we go! We hurried to my mother-n-law's house, picked up Noah, brought him home, put him down for his afternoon nap, and headed to get lunch and back to the office....whew. I was exhausted and very emotional at this point....just the thought of meeting my daughter brought me to tears. I couldn't even call my mom...Jason had to do that.

So, the Non-Stress test confirmed that Sailer's movements are great and that she is just a "small baby," which is fine. She is still very healthy. Plus, it makes sense with how this pregnancy has gone so far....I weigh 18 lbs. LESS than I did with Noah at this point, so it's just been a "lighter" pregnancy overall.

The test also confirmed that I am having regular contractions....I had 7 during the 45 minute test alone! And, YES, I AM feeling each one...starting in my low back, and wrapping around to my belly.

Now, I am home...and TIRED. I am scheduled for another non-stress test on Monday afternoon, and I am scheduled for induction next Tuesday night....so the latest Sailer will arrive is next Wednesday, March 26th. :) The thought of being induced is a little scary to me, b/c I do not want any "intervention," but my doctor said that it is better NOT to go to term with a smaller baby b/c the the chance of having a c-section is higher, and the likelihood of having cord compression is higher, so I definately am all for the induction if it allows me to have a higher chance of a regular delivery. That was such an amazing experience, and I want that again! :)

So, we are assuming that an induction will take place IF I do not have her over the weekend....or tonight, for that matter!

So, that's the update! PLEASE keep us in your prayers! :) We are so EXCITED!

36 1/2 Weeks....

Just a quick update....I went to the doctor this morning for another check-up...this is really my 37 week visit, but since I'm not quite there yet, I call it my 36 1/2 week visit. Apparently, every week makes a big difference at this point....

The good news is that Sailer is considered "full-term" now, so my doctor told me that it could be "any day now." HOW EXCITING!!! Of course, I could go another 2-3 weeks, but just hearing the doctor say that gave me a rush! Her heartbeat was wonderful, and I had no weight gain...yay! My blood pressure was great, which has always been a concern for me since I had high blood pressure at the end with Noah. The Group B Strep test was negative, so I'm all set!

When I got home today, I had received some sconces that I had ordered for Sailer's room, so of course, that got me all excited too!!! It was a good day! Not to mention, Noah stayed with Dede this morning for a couple of hours and he stayed dry in big boy underwear.....YAY!! That was a big deal since it is harder for him to keep up with the potty training when he's away from home....as I'm sure it is with most other children as well.

Now, I am literally exhausted.....my energy levels are down, but my spirits are high! Please keep us in your prayers....:) Love You All! :)

36 Weeks!

Hi Everyone! So sorry...no pictures yet. We've had an incredibly busy last couple of days at our house, and Jason and I haven't stopped long enough to even get out our camera.

Just wanted to give a quick update....I went to the doctor yesterday for my 36 week visit, and all is great! Sailer is still head down, which is wonderful, and my doctor could even feel her head, which tells how low she is...yikes! Her heartbeat and movements are strong, and my body is preparing for labor, although I'm not really thinning out yet. I'm having major Braxton Hicks contractions though....in fact, I had them all the way to the doctor's office. My blood pressure was a little elevated for me, but the doctor said it was normal for this stage in my pregnancy. So, there ya go. Not much to report....all positive news and I'm as excited as ever to meet Sailer!

I can't wait to post pics of her room...my mother-n-law hemmed her drapes and hung them this week, and they are beautiful. They give the room a soft pink glow....they just bring all of the elements of her room together. I am still waiting on some accessories to arrive that I ordered, so it could be awhile before I post pictures. In the meantime, we are having FUN! And, Jason has joined in my last nesting phase....we're still doing little projects around the house and cleaning out our back garage. Let me just say that Jason is SO PUMPED to meet his little girl...let me tell you! That's all he talks about, and I feel so lucky to have a husband that is as excited as he is. He's pumping me up! Anyway, we have our bassinet ready, carseat ready, and I've gotten out the boppy pillow! I've also got my hospital bag packed, as well as Sailer's, so do you think I'm ready or what??? We'll see..when the time comes.

So, PLEASE...keep us in your prayers during the next couple of weeks...I go back to the doctor next Tuesday for another exam....I'll be checked every week now until Sailer comes. So, I'll do my best to keep you all up to date on my progress!

Love You All! :)

34 Weeks! WOW!

Here I am at 34 weeks....I'm getting pretty uncomfortable now, and Sailer is dropping more and more each week it seems. She is so much lower than Noah ever was....a completely different pregnancy than my first. It's been easier and harder in different ways, but overall, I am enjoying being pregnant, and I feel very special to be blessed with a smooth and healthy pregnancy. Not much longer now! :)

Special Moments From My Special Shower

Isn't this cake Beautiful? It was just as tasty!

One of my friends, Susan, made this blanket for Sailer's room...and she had not even seen my bedding yet! She's amazingly talented! I was so touched! Thanks Sue! :)
Uncle Chad helped Kristin pick out this special little bib that says, "I Love My Uncle"
This cherry denim dress was too cute! I wish I could show pictures of all of the outfits that Sailer got, but there are just too many cute ones. I'll just have to take pictures of her in all of them for you all!
My mom got me this pink and mocha argyle diaper bag that I had REALLY wanted! I love it! I can be super organized with this one!

A Visit From Sailer's "Big Brother"

After Noah's afternoon nap, Jason brought him by the shower to visit...and to open a few gifts of his own. He's so sweet...I felt really guilty about not spending that much time with him that day. As Sailer's arrival gets closer, I am having a hard time thinking about how I can continue to give him the attention he needs, while taking care of Sailer too.....it's hard :(

I LOVE Noah so much! :)
And, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Tricia and Tiff-Tiff too! :) They have always been so awesome and supportive of me!
My Mom and I....
Me with My Mom and Kristin....Two of my wonderful and fabulous shower hosts....I LOVE Ya'll for such a BEAUTIFUL and MEANINGFUL shower! At this point, my mother-n-law, Darlene had just left for the evening, so that is why she is not pictured, but she is SO IMPORTANT to me, and I truly LOVE her for all of her love and support surrounding our growing family!

Daddy's Little Sweet Pea :)

In case you can't quite make out the words on this onesie, it says, "Daddy's Little Sweet Pea." Yes....I managed to sneak this into Jason's Valentine goody bag. He said, "Sailer is going to wear this EVERYDAY!" He is all about his little sweet pea! :)

Happy Valentine's Day...From Sailer :)

Here are my special 3D/4D photos taken yesterday...aren't I a cutie? Mommy, Daddy, and Noah think so too! I showed them my beautiful face...chubby cheeks and all! Of course, they fell in love, especially my daddy! He says I already have him wrapped around my little finger....

Here I am bringing my hand up to my mouth....here, my facial features look just like my big brother Noah....even the ultrasound tech thought so!
Watch me yawn! I did this 6-7 times during the 40 minute ultrasound...you know, a girl needs her beauty sleep....hehe!
I can open my eyes and look for mommy, daddy, and Noah! Hey there! Can't wait to see you all! :)
See? I can also smile already...although my big brother thought I looked "sad" in this picture. I am a happy girl, and I am ready to meet you Noah!

~~Hope you all enjoyed these pictures as much as we have so far! We had the most amazing experience this time with our 3D/4D ultrasound. When we did this with Noah, my amniotic fluid was low, so it was a little more difficult to get some great angles, etc., but with Sailer, it worked out much better, especially b/c we had an amazing ultrasound tech that worked with her until she showed us all that we wanted to see. And, let me tell you...she has quite a little personality already! Here are some things that we learned from the ultrasound tech about our precious daughter to come~~

1. Sailer's current heartbeat is 136 beats/minute! Perfect!
2. Sailer has chubby cheeks and chubby hands....unlike her big brother, Noah! The tech seems to think that she'll be bigger than Noah. (Noah was 7 lbs. 2 oz. at 37 weeks)
3. Sailer enjoys sucking her thumb in utero.....oh goodness!
4. Sailer has long hair all over her head...we even saw it flowing in the amniotic fluid! The tech said she had "long flowing hair" already....how exciting! We'll see!
5. Sailer LOVES her umbilical cord, and played with it during most of the ultrasound. She even had it wrapped around her wrist....the tech said she was wearing it like a bracelet!!! Hey...it's never too early to start, huh?
6. Sailer is already in the head down position....perfect for another regular delivery....mommy is keeping her fingers crossed! Of course, the chiropractic adjustments will help ensure this position!

It's impossible to express just HOW MUCH we are so IN LOVE with Sailer already....yesterday just made it so much more real. We hope you all enjoy our pictures and will continue to pray for our growing family. This has definately been an extra special Valentine's for sure! :) Praise GOD!

32 Weeks! Yeah!

Wow...how I've popped out there! He, He! Last Thursday, I visited my doctor for my 32 week visit....it was a super short visit..nothing much to report, except Sailer's heart tones are perfect and I am doing great! The doctor will not start checking my cervix for any progress until 36 weeks, unless I have any concerns before that time.

Because I am carrying much lower this time, I have thankfully avoided much of the reflux that I had SO BADLY with Noah. But, carrying lower does have its disadvantages....as you can imagine. I have also started having some mild nausea in the evenings, pretty similar to my 1st trimester, but not NEARLY as bad. Other than that, I cannot complain at all.

We spent the majority of the weekend painting Sailer's room and ordering the rest of her bedding and accessories so that we can decorate during Jason's next "off period." I had a FABULOUS prenatal massage on Saturday, and I cannot tell you guys how much that helped me relax....I needed that, so thanks to my wonderful parents for keeping Noah on Friday night, and to my wonderful husband for having daddy time with Noah so that I could get a little pampering.

It's getting close and I am getting more and more anxious everyday. PLEASE pray for us and for a smooth transition for Noah. There is NO DOUBT in my mind that he will do wonderfully...he is such a sweetheart. :)

Natural Pregnancy Shots :)

This past weekend, Jason wanted to take some "organic," as they call it, pregnancy pictures of me for an album that we are working on. We are planning on hanging some of these in Sailer's room. Of course, I didn't want to include them all, but here are a few....:)

Want To Know A Little About Me???

1. I am 29 weeks old...in gestational age, that is!
2. Last week, I developed eyelashes!
3. I once caused mommy to eat 4 doughnuts and drink 1 gallon of Orange Juice in 1 day!
4. I've been able to hear mommy & daddy talking for weeks!
5. I have hiccups almost Every Single Day!
6. My mommy is writing this b/c it's a gloomy day and she is thinking about me....:)

28 Weeks....Entering the 3rd Trimester!

Yeah! I made it to 28 weeks! I have to say....I am shocked at how fast time is flying by! To give a quick update....I had a pretty rough start to the New Year...I came down with the FLU 2 days after Christmas, and it lasted for almost 11 days!! Ugh. To make matters worse, Noah was also sick with a virus during that time, so we celebrated the new year in bed....literally. Poor Jason. He was AMAZING though.

So, now, we're doing much better....I had my glucose test and PASSED...YAY! Then, I visited the doctor for my 28 week visit this morning, and all is wonderful with little Sailer! :) I really enjoyed hearing her heartbeat today....it sounded so much stronger than last time. She is definately getting bigger....an average baby at this stage is about 3 lbs. and up to 15 inches long! I had some concern about tightening in my belly, but after checking me out, my doctor said that all is great....the cervix is still thick and tight, so that's great news for me!

Can you believe that it is now time for me to visit the doctor every 2 weeks??? WOW! Can't believe it! This will surely make the remainder of my pregnancy pass by quickly....I'm really starting to feel the pressure of "Is everything going to get done?? Blah, Blah, Blah." So, PLEASE keep me in your thoughts and prayers for the next 12 weeks..I'll need it!

Here are some belly shots taken this morning before I left for the doctor...my belly is getting big, huh??? Whew....except, I STILL have not unpacked my maternity clothes from my 1st pregnancy yet. I'm carrying Sailer so differently, I'm beginning to wonder if I will ever get in my maternity clothes. That's fine by me! :) He, He!

It Feels Surreal...

Here I am at 26 weeks....approximately. Can you believe it? 14 weeks left!
On Christmas Eve, Granmama and Poppa got me 2 pairs of Mom & Tot socks....how cute!!! A pair for me and a pair for Sailer....I LOVED IT!!! Can't wait to see her little feet! :)
The Most Precious Gift....a gorgeous whisper pink dress for our Sailer....given to me by my mother and father-n-law. What a surprise! Along with this precious dress was a pink pearl bracelet with Australian crystals, a dainty burp cloth & bib, a blanket, and the softest baby pink giraffe to lay beside her sweet face...I already have it pictured. It really got me....it was a VERY emotional moment to say the least. How I've waited for this moment for SO long, and still, it feels surreal.

25 Weeks...and Counting!

I know...I am behind on posting....this Christmas season has been CRAZY with our family. So, now, it's 3 days before Christmas, and I am finally getting some time to give an update. And, sorry, no pictures just yet. I'm sure I'll get plenty with my family this week, so I'll post a belly pic then! :)

I am feeling pretty good....just getting a little tired and weary...not sure if it's this busy season or the pregnancy, but I am tired. I've been going to bed late and getting up early. Plus, we've had birthdays to celebrate, Christmas parties & events, and Noah's school has kept me busy the last couple of weeks. No wonder I'm tired!

Anyway, I recently had my 24 week doctor appt., and Sailer is measuring perfectly, although I am still very small for this stage. My belly is still not really in my way, which is hard to believe, but....hey! Who's complaining about that??? My due date is remaining the same for now....April 5th, so we're just truckin' right along. Noah and I have been talking more and more about "sissy," and he thinks that she is also in his belly.

Meanwhile, I have been nesting like Crazy for over a month...washing my fine china, cleaning out & organizing my closet, organizing my jewelry cabinet, and cleaning out Sailer's room as we prepare to start painting. I have ALWAYS got a project in the works....did I already mention that I'm tired?? He, He.

Anyway, my next step is my glucose test, which will be performed next week, so please keep our family in your prayers.....also, pray that I can slow down a bit....half the time, I don't even act as if I'm pregnant.

I hope you all enjoy this wonderful holiday season and that you are all safe! Thank you all for your sweet emails and BEAUTIFUL Christmas cards...I've enjoyed receiving those so much! :) Love You All!!!

~~Jesus Is The Reason For The Season~~

Baby Love...at Christmas Time!!!

Last night, Jason and I went to our LifeGroup Christmas Party, and it was wonderful....we had the pleasure of meeting our two newest members of the group...baby Lindsey and baby Luke! They are both roughly 2 weeks old, and of course, I was all over little Lindsey. It felt so good to hold her! I was imagining holding Sailer and looking at her precious little face.....Now that Lindsey and Luke have arrived, there are 4 babies on the way! Whew! Something is in the water in our class, don't you think?
My 1st Banana Pudding....we only brought a little bit home..it turned out really yummy! :)
Isn't this tree the most adorable and precious tree ever? Our hosts for the party have 2 girls...Eleanor and Clare. This tree was in Clare's room...she is almost 2 years old. I instantly loved it! It is sitting on her dresser and it illuminates her entire room. Clare's mom, Meghan, did an extraordinary job decorating both girls rooms, so I was inspired all night. It was so good to be with all of the amazing women in our class...of course, all we did was talk about our children!

21 Weeks...Growing & Growing....

Here I am at 21 weeks! I am feeling my best right now....I've been sick once over the last week and that's it, so YAY!!!! Sailer is moving more and more, although her movements still do not even compare to Noah's boxing and karate chops in my belly! She is sweet and subtle...my precious little angel!

Our Princess Has A Name!

We would like to officially announce our daughter's name....Anniston Sailer Pendley. We are so excited about this name! She will be called Sailer. I heard this name awhile back, and Jason and I fell in love with it. We have spent the past few days pondering over first names, and Jason came up with Anniston, which I LOVED instantly! It is so nice to finally refer to our daughter by name......our little precious Sailer. We love her!

A Princess For Our Family :)

Here "SHE" Is!!! Yesterday, Jason, Noah, and I were given the most wonderful news!! We're having a girl!! 100%...no doubt about it!!! A couple of you have asked over the last couple of weeks what I thought it was going to be....I have to honestly say that I have known it was a girl for the past 4-5 weeks...but, it has been very difficult with not knowing "for sure." There are mostly boys on Jason's side of the family, and we were beginning to wonder if we'd ever see a little girl. Believe me, our boys are precious enough, but isn't it wonderful to be given the best of both worlds? I am Overly Excited! A funny story....it took the entire 30 minute ultrasound to confirm that it was indeed a girl. Why?? She had her legs crossed just like a little lady...It was hard to wait for the final word, but it was quite funny to see her act in that way. I cannot WAIT to meet her!!!

Here's the proof.....nothing between the legs...I'll let you figure this one out for yourselves...:)
Here's her face looking right at you....kinda scary at first, but that's just the way ultrasounds look!
Her perfect little footprint....all five gorgeous little toes!

It's Daddy's Turn....

Last night, for the first time, Jason got to feel Baby Pendley move! He loved it! Right now, Baby Pendley only really moves when I'm sitting down watching TV at night...isn't that funny? I guess that's the only time of day that I'm actually still for a few minutes. I think it's so important to share as many pregnancy moments as we can with our men b/c they miss out on so much by not being able to carry the baby. Of course, some things they'd be happy to miss out on...:) Good or Bad....I personally love it all, and I feel privileged that I am able to carry a child of my own.

Baby Pendley's First Flutters :)

Well...baby Pendley is definately making its presence known! So Exciting! About 4 days ago, I THOUGHT I felt that first little flutter, but it was SO SO subtle. I knew it could be possible since I first felt Noah move at 17 weeks, but I still needed some convincing. Then, sure enough, over the next 2-3 days, I felt more and more little thumps and flutters....mainly all in the same area, so I knew it was my little bambino!!! :) I just love it! It is just one of the most magical and amazing feelings that a mom-to-be can experience. Now, I am wondering more and more....who are you in there?? He Or She??? Only God knows!!!