Urgent Prayer Request

A friend of mine, Ashley Patterson, posted this urgent prayer request on her blog this morning.

"Is this one of the sweetest faces you've ever seen? This is Sullivan. his mommy, Kristie, sits at my MOPS table twice a month and also goes to our church. He is 2 years old and last week his parents took him to the dr. because he was having trouble with his vision. They immediately sent him to Children's Hospital and since then have found 4 malignant tumors in his little body. he has a rare type of cancer called alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. He can't see right now and only wants his mommy to hold him because that is his only comfort right now. It just breaks my heart. He has an older brother who doesn't understand what is going on right now either. Please add them to your prayer list as they begin radiation soon because chemo is not an option at this time. they are all physically and emotionally exhausted but are trusting in God as best they can. I just can't imagine. Please visit their caringbridge site with more updates.

I can't imagine what this family is going through at this time. Please pray for the healing of this baby boy, for his parents to be comforted, and for his doctors to have wisdom and knowledge of how to treat this disease.

Best Baby Basics

Babies, babies, babies - that seems to be a very popular topic for me and many of my dear friends these days. In my Sunday School class alone there are 6 ladies that are pregnant, and 3 that have recently had babies.

Now I have grown up around babies - my Sister has 4 of them - and I would say that handling babies comes naturally to me. However, each day I am beginning to learn that there is a HUGE difference in 'being good with babies' and being a good mother! So this past Saturday, I was thrilled to be invited to a "Baby Talk" Brunch where the 3 new mommies sat down and were very open with us about their deliveries, and mommy-hood. It was so fabulous - they gave us motherly advice and then told us about several products that they believed were true 'lifesavers" for them and their babies.

Needless to say, I left the brunch and headed straight to Babies R Us to change and add a few things to my registry.

So I thought today would be a great day for each of us to talk about the things we have either 1) heard were lifesavers, or 2) would recommend to any new mom.

The Best Baby Basics

The Sleeper Gown WITH ZIPPERS.
I know that snaps are easy, but zippers are a cinch! My Wal-mart has several different designs right now, so I went and stocked up on Saturday. These are really great for daddies, or at least I hear they are!

The Miracle Blanket
One of the ladies was telling us that she originally thought her daughter didn't like to be swaddled. What she discovered was that her daughter actually loved to be swaddled, but she had been doing it wrong. Well the Miracle Blanket solves that problem! To see this amazing product in action, check out the Miracle Blanket website.

The Sleep Sack
Another new mommy told us that her baby's nursery is one of the coldest rooms in her home. Well that is the same for Emmalee Caroline's nursery. This mommy said that it wasn't a big problem until her baby was old enough to kick off his covers during the night. The Sleep Sack was perfect for her. It giver her baby room to kick, but allows them to stay covered so they don't get too cold! I have 2 of these on my registry now!

The Swing
After the brunch, I ended up changing the swing I initially registered for. This is the actually swing I desire - for 2 main reasons: 1) it is battery operated and also power-cord operated. If baby wants to be in her swing 24/7, then she can, and I won't have to buy stock in Energizer! 2) there are two different swinging positions - front to back, and left to right.

And lastly, one of the greatest baby inventions of all time:
The Gentle Vibrations Nail File

Mommy #3 told us about this product and I think it is genius! For any parent, or soon-to-be parent, we have either lived a horror story about clipping baby's nails or at least heard a horror story. This is an electronic nail file that simply uses light vibration to smoother and shorten baby's nails with the emery board tip. They had this at my Babies R Us for less than $10. I have a feeling that this product saves babies and mommies lots of tears!

So now join me in the "Best Baby Basics" post today and link it back here! Let all the new and soon-to-be mommies know what you think are some of the best and essentials for bringing home baby!

Tomorrow's Blog

On Saturday, I went to a baby talk brunch with several ladies from my Sunday School class. There are currently 6 of us that are pregnant and three new mommies held a little brunch for us to talk about babies. One thing they did was take time to share with us some of the items that they couldn't live without - or things that their babies loved.

So tomorrow I am going to be hosting a blog hop about the best of baby basics. If there are certain items that your baby loved, or items that you felt were life-savers for you and your baby, post about it! New mommies want to know what has worked for you!!!!!

Hope to see you back here tomorrow!!!!!

SheShe Made Made My Day

Well the other day in THIS post, I listed some of my favorite baby shopping spots. SheShe Made was one of them. The owner, Ashley McWilliams, create bows, clothes and everything in between for your little ones. I had emailed Ashley awhile back and asked her if she would make a few gowns for me with some material that I had found.

Well the gowns came in yesterday and I have to tell you that it just made my day! They are so adorable and Ashley has exceeded my every expectation. She was even able to make a few coordinating burp clothes for me.



Go check out the SheShe Made website and see the great things she can create for you too!!!

Some Southern Cookin'

So this weekend, I was in the mood for some delicious southern cookin'!

Saturday night, Brant and I have tried Paula Deen's Orange Glazed Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Mashed Sweet Potatoes with a Kick. Both were absolutely DELICIOUS! The sweet potatoes left me wanting more just because of their flavor and the meat was so yummy. I will definitely make these again.

On Sunday, we had some good friends over for lunch and I made Rachel Ray's Chicken and Peaches. I had seen Rachel make this on her 30 Minutes Meals show one day this weekend when we were iced in. It didn't necessarily sound great, but it looked divine! So I tried it and it was absolutely fabulous! I really think this might be one of my new favorites. You can use any fresh peaches - since you are cooking them, they don't even need to be ripe because cooking will bring out the natural flavor. I served this with roasted new potatoes and green beans...a true southern meal!

Now I just need to finish my menu for this week! What's on your list to make???

Snow Days

LET IT SNOW LET IT SNOW LET IS SNOW!!!

The weathermen predicted we might get 1-3", in actuality, we received about 5" - which is crazy for North Texas! Some areas received as much as 8". The bad part is that the snow covered up all the ice, which made it a bit difficult to drive.

Here's a few pictures of the snow at our house.
(the front of our house)

You can see how thick the snow was in these two pictures.

This is our porch table...look at how high that is!!!!!

So what do you do when you're stuck in the house???

You relax in your favorite chair!

You sit by the window and wonder what the white stuff is!

You play in it!!!

Sit by the fire!

Work puzzles!
(even with missing pieces)

Or you just sleep...like this pup!

(I got busted taking his picture)

What did you do this week???

Personality

Well if in-utero movement is any indication of personality, then I have a feeling Ms. Emmalee Caroline with be ALOT like her father - calm and laid back. Every 2-3 hours I might feel a little movement and a kick or two, but that's about it. Now she does have a sassy side to her, just like her Mama, but those "episodes" are few and far between. Maybe she will be just a calm as this picture, or at least I pray she will be!

Like much of the nation, we here in North Texas have been iced in for a few days. I am finally back at work today, but only because of a husband who drives a big 4x4, off-road-type of truck and who graciously drove me in. But the past two days have been spent working from home, watching movies and TV w/ the hubs, cooking and getting some things done in the nursery. I also might have found a few great online boutiques for baby clothes!

• Born Fabulous

(I am LOVING this little outfit - I definitely think this belongs in her closet!)

• Stoller Blanket Mom (an Etsy store)

(This is who I bought EmC's John Deer dress from and definitely plan on a few more purchases - Great stuff for GREAT prices)

• SheShe Made

(LOVE, LOVE, LOVE her stuff! She is making Em's coming-home-from-the -hospital outfit!)

• My Miracle Baby
• Hollywood Kids
• Bella Jake Designs - Cute, Cute, Cute dresses!
  

Pregnancy Update - 28 Weeks

So this weekend, my Sister (who is an amazing photographer - here is her business Reflections by Amanda Rooney) did a maternity photo shoot with Brant and I. I really wanted to post a few more pictures for you, but Sister says I can't until she has them all edited! But today, she posted this picture on her site for the I Heart Faces weekly contest. The only requirement- a HUMAN face - so how perfect is this little human's face?

As of today, I am 28 weeks along - Officially in my third trimester! It is crazy to think that I am 2/3rd through my pregnancy. It has gone by so quickly.

Here is what is going on with Baby Girl.

Size of the baby: She is 2 1/4 lbs and almost 15" long - about the size of a Chinese cabbage.
Total weight loss/gain: 24 lbs - although my scale only says about 20! The dr. is now monitoring my weight closely only because I didn't gain anything the first 4 months!
Maternity clothes: Just tops. Most of my pants still fit with the help of the belly band.
Gender: It's a Girl! Emmalee Caroline Williams
Movement: Feeling it all the time and loving it. She gave Brant a good kick a few weeks ago - it was his first real time to feel her. Now he feels her quite a bit. She is still very calm, but has more power to her punch!
Sleep: I'm sleeping pretty well - no complaints here!
What I miss: Being about to move around freely - I can't bend down very well, I seem to literally roll myself out of bed, and I can't clean my house very well b/c it hurts my back!
Cravings: Not really craving anything.
Symptoms: a BIG belly
Fun Facts: Emmalee is growing beautiful, long eyelashes and her eyesight is developing.

Well this weekend we went to visit my mom's family in Shreveport, which is where we took the maternity pictures. Downtown Shreveport has some GREAT old buildings and structures. I can't wait to see how some of these pictures turned out! We came home Saturday night, went to church yesterday, then came home and cleaned house. It was such a gorgeous day that I went out into the garage and finished painting, destressing and putting the crystal knobs on EmC's dresser. Then I started painting the crosses for a project I am doing in her room. Well lets just say that bending over for 2 hours painting crosses is NOT good for a pregnant woman's back! Today I am feeling the pain. But, I am happy to say that her room is coming almost quite nicely and I can't wait to show you pictures of the finished product!!!!

Well, as most of you in the nation are probably preparing for, we are in for some nasty cold weather the next few days. Stay safe...and WARM!!!!

Adoption Storeis

Adoption - it was a word that became regularly spoken in our home not too long ago. After struggling for almost 2 years to have a baby, Brant and I began to wonder if the Lord had chosen adoption as our path to become parent.

I think that adoption stories are some of the most encouraging, inspiring and amazing stories. It still amazes me how God prepares the hearts of adoptive parents.

If you have an adoption story, I hope that you will share, or have shared, it on Kelly's Korner blog today. It all about adoption. Post your story on your blog, then link it back to Kelly's. Regardless if you have a story to share or not, I hope that you will read the stories that have already been posted today. I promise you that they will bless your heart in ways you never fathomed.

Working 9 to 5...

I can't believe than in about 3 months, I will be a mother. It's the job I've always wanted and always dreamed of. I will be completely responsible for the health and well-being of a precious baby girl - all of her care rests on me, and her daddy!

But just like 65% of mothers today, I will work outside the home. I would love to be at home all day with Emmalee Caroline, but it put a huge financial burden on Brant and I, and I truly love my job. So I am now in the position of doing one of the hardest things I've ever done - I'm searching for the "perfect" person to care for my child.

Here are my "desires" for a caregiver.
- I desire someone who has a certified center in their home.
- I desire someone not more than 10-15 minutes from either mine or Brant's office.
- I desire someone who absolutely loves and adores children, especially babies.
- I desire great references.

But that's it - that's all I want and all I can think of.

So this is my plea to working mothers, and fathers: What kinds of questions do you ask a caregiver? What things should I look for in touring different homes or places? How many children is too many children? Let me know your thoughts on this one. As a first-time mommy, I need all the advice I can get!

Easter - UPDATED

So Ms. Emmalee Caroline's due date is Monday, April 25th. I'm not going to lie - I hope she is here approximately 2 weeks before that. My reason - I WANT TO DRESS HER UP FOR EASTER! I just can't wait to put a sweet little dress on her with a little sweater and bow (or hat) in her hair...I want it so badly I can just taste it!

So in my desire to have her here before Easter, I need to actually be prepared for the event, namely, I need this baby to have an Easter dress! So today during my lunch break, I might have done a bit of online browsing. And found these sweet little outfits. The problem is, the one that I like the most (the first one), the smallest size is 3-6 months. I need it in newborn or 0-3! But nonetheless, here are my findings!

I found these first two on Amazon. I think I might get her the second dress for the summer just because it is so adorable. Our church has baby dedication on Mother's Day, so this might just be her dedication dress.

UPDATE: Both pictures are linked to Amanzon, but you can also search "Bonnie Baby" on Amazon.com and you will find a TON of precious, precious outfits and dresses! I think I might go crazy!!!

On Saturday evening, we had dinner with our friends the Butlers and the Lawrences. The Butlers are expecting their first bundle of joy March 28th. I have a feeling Little Miss Emmalee Caroline and Little Miss Baylor Madelon are going to be great friends. Well I got to peek into Baylor's closet and I felt like a horrible mom. I think Em only have about 7-8 outfits...Baylor has a closet FULL! Granted, Leslie didn't go buy all of them - a dear friend of hers has a toddler and she was born in the spring...so all of the clothes were perfect for Baylor. But still, I realized how little of a wardrobe my baby has, and that is just unacceptable.

So, while I was Easter dress shopping, I did a little "regular" shopping as well. I went to Etsy and found this!!!!! Ya'll, I just couldn't resist!! Her daddy is going to kiss my feet when he sees her new dress!!!!!

Ok, now you can't tell Brant because it's a secret that she is getting it. If you know my husband at all, then you know he loves John Deer. He is a turf manager and rides John Deer tractors all day long - he absolutely loves them. So for his baby girl to have a John Deer dress is going to rock his world. I guarantee that if the two of them have a daddy/daughter date, he will make sure she wears this.

UPDATE: I also found matching shoes for the John Deer dress!!!!!

Well I hope each of you had a great weekend.

What's in a Name?

Today Kelly's Korner is sponsoring the second Show Us Your Singles. Although I don't have a single to "show" you, I did just want to tell you a little more about Caroline, of the sweetest ladies you'll ever meet (and one that Kelly already told you about).

During my years at Dallas Baptist University, I knew "Caroline in Texas" and we actually had several classes together. I knew Caroline to be this fun, outgoing young lady who always had a smile on her face and wore the cutest outfits! It actually wasn't until I found her on the "blogsphere" that I truly got to know her heart.

Now, to tell you more about Caroline, I'm actually going to tell you about my own daughter (well, unborn daughter), Emmalee Caroline.

Emmalee's name came to be because my husband loved the name "Emily" and I loved the name "Caroline". I decided to spell Emily a bit differently, and when it came down to it, Emmalee Caroline had her name. Although I love the name Caroline, there was much more to why I chose that as my daughter's middle name (although it would have been her first name if I had it my way...but the hubs had to have some say - she is his daughter too).

At the beginning of my pregnancy, I wondered what kind of life I would want for my child. The kind of life I would want for them is simple - a life filled with the King! If there is anything I could hope for my daughter, it would be that she would one day fall so in love her Savior that a passion and desire for Him consume her life. I pray that she knows the sacrifice that He made for her, and that she is a daughter of the Most High King; that she is compassionate and loves others more than herself; that she has a hunger for the unsaved and a yearning to save them; that she will want Him more than anything else on this earth; and of course that she would overflow with southern hospitality and charm!

It was that night, as I thought about what I wanted for my child, that I knew that if she was a girl, her middle name would be Caroline. You see, I know a woman whose life it exactly what I wish for my child - the blog world knows her as Caroline in Texas. If you want to know Caroline, then know that she is exactly the woman I pray my daughter will become. She is a woman of grace, passion, amazing artistic abilities, but most of all, a child of the King. It has been such a blessing to get to know her more over these past several years, and I pray that my Emmalee will one day meet the woman who gave her the name, Emmalee Caroline.

Praying for Growth

Today, Brant and I had another sonogram of Ms. Emmalee Caroline. Originally they were fearful that I might have placenta previa, but thankfully, the placenta has moved up its position and is no longer a concern.

They did, however, determine one other area of concern. Most babies have 3 blood vessels in the umbilical cord. Emmalee only has 2. We were told that most often, this would accompany a birth defect or problem; however, Emmalee is showing no signs of any birth defect. The doctor assured Brant and I that if there were a defect present, we would already see it on the sonogram - and her sonograms look great! The doctor is hoping that this is just an anatomical variant - basically, a freak thing, but that Emmalee will be fine. However, some studies show that a 2-vessel cord, without any other defect present, can affect the baby's growth. As of today, Emmalee is growing wonderfully - completely on target. However, knowing that the most crucial development is toward the end, they will be monitoring her growth very carefully from here on out. If at 36 weeks, she is low on the growth scale, they will induce labor at that time.

It's almost funny - I have been so worried throughout my pregnancy about something happening to her. I feel like I waited and prayed for so long, that this sweet baby girl is just too good to be true. Well today the Lord certainly reminded me that He is still in control and that just because she is in my womb, that does not mean she is mine yet...she is still, and will always be, His child.

So today, Brant and I, again, placed full trust in the Lord, knowing that He will knit her little body together exactly as it needs to be - after all, He is her creator. We pray that she continues to grow and develop, and, whether delivered pre-term or not, that she is a strong, healthy baby.

This is a close-up of our sweet baby girl's face this morning.

Thinking of Having Children

My dear friend Lindsay sent me this hilarious email today. I'm beginning to rethink having children...oh wait...I already got on that roller coaster!

11 Step Program for Those Thinking of Having Kids

Lesson 1
1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.

Lesson 2
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.
Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.

Lesson 3
A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive)
Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.

Lesson 4
Can you stand the mess children make? To find out...
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?

Lesson 5
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.
Time allowed for this - all morning.

Lesson 6
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

Lesson 7
Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.

Lesson 8
1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.
You are now ready to feed a nine-month-old baby.

Lesson 9
Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. I know, you're thinking "What's Noggin?" Exactly the point.

Lesson 10
Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.

Lesson 11
Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.

What do you do...

...on a sick day????

Well I did what any other expectant mother would do - I played with baby girl's growing wardrobe and matched it will all of her bows!!!!