BHI bound...

Today, we are heading here.

To the place we said 'I do.'

Beautiful Bald Head Island, for 4 days, just the hubs and I.

Can't wait.

Bald Head Island, how I love thee.

iphone photo dump friday.

happy first day of fall, xo.

13 weeks!

Today, I am 13 weeks pregnant with the little peanut. I am thankful to be out of my first trimester and am also thankful to be feeling better than I did last pregnancy (so far, atleast!). I had a doctor's appointment last Friday and everything looked great! Heart rate was 160, which makes me think girl. Sweet Jesus, help us. All these women in this house! Whew.

The morning sickness has actually tapered off this time around, which is very unlike last pregnancy. With Saylor, it lasted all 40 weeks. I had a rough few weeks of it from around weeks 6 - 11, but it seems better. I, of course, still have plenty of moments and still take zofran daily, but I am certainly thankful this time is a bit better. That kind of sickness, combined with a 10 month old, that might just do this momma in ;).

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along:  13 weeks

Total Weight Gain/Loss:  no gain yet

Maternity Clothes:  No maternity clothes yet.

Best Moment this week:  It seems like I am feeling baby move, although I feel certain it's too early. Not sure, though.

Gender:  Don't know yet, but I'm thinking girl

Movement: On Monday morning, I woke Sean to tell him I thought I was feeling the baby move, but I'm not exactly sure

Food Craving:  Cheese, oranges, grape juice

What I miss: Sleeping without crazy dreams!

Sleep:  The dreams have been crazy this time around! I wake up in the middle of the night all the time!

What I am looking forward to:  Watching my belly grow, finding out the sex, getting nursery ideas!

Belly Button:  In

Stretch Marks: None yet. 

Symptoms:  A little bit of nausea, headaches here in there, crazy dreams!

10 months!

Happy 10 months, sweet Saylor! 

And at 10 months we found out just how difficult it would be to get you to sit still for a picture :)!

We had better luck in the front yard...

I cannot believe how big you are getting and that we are 2 months away from your first birthday. That doesn't even seem real to me.  You are growing so much and are so interested in everything around you. You love to play and are very serious about your toys. You sit quietly and work hard to figure out just how things fit together and how to make things work. You are so smart :)! 

You are such a joy to be around and light up all of my days. I miss you after you have gone to bed at night. I can't wait to see your sweet smile first thing in the morning.

You are a wonderful sleeper and we are so thankful! You go to bed at 8 each night and get up between 7 and 7:30 each morning. You take 2 naps during the day... one around 9:30am and the other around 2. You usually sleep about 2 hours. You absolutely love your blanket and have started toting it everywhere you go. 

You are still taking 4 bottles of formula each day and no longer will eat any baby food. You love to feed yourself and enjoy everything we give you. We haven't found a food yet you don't like! 

Your schedule looks like this:

7:30 am - 8 oz bottle

11:30 am - 8 oz bottle with rice cereal

1 pm - yogurt and protein/fruit/vegi

4:00 pm - 8 oz bottle

6:30 pm - protein and fruit/vegi 

(or whatever we are eating for dinner. We have started giving you whatever we are having for dinner in small pieces and you always really enjoy it)

7:45 pm - 8 oz bottle before bed

You are such a sweet, happy girl. You are still a little ham and love when people talk and smile at you when we are out places. You are a snuggle bunny in the mornings and like to ease into the morning like your momma ;)!

You are still not crawling, but seem to have decided you are good scooting around. You are pulling up on things and then aren't quite sure how to get back down. You haven't figured out that you need to move your feet when pushing things, ha! With mommy being prego and quite sick, however, this immobility is a huge blessing! We are definitely not pushing you to walk anytime soon ;)!

You have found your voice and constantly jibber jabber as if you are having conversations. You say "mama," "dada," "uh oh," and "bye bye." You say many other things that sound like words but we can't quite make them out yet. Speaking of finding your voice, you like to sing... :)

You love animals and are always looking for the kitty or the dogs while at home. When we go places you are enamored by people's pets. Your daddy said the other day that maybe you'd be a vet when you grow up! 

You love playing with Chloe and especially love bath time with her. You get excited when you wake up from your afternoon nap and see she is home from school. 

I would guess you weigh about 20 pounds! You wear size 3 diapers and mostly 9 month clothes. We are in a tricky clothes phase... 12 months are too big and 6 months are too small. For fall clothes, I have been getting 12 months so you'll have room to grow into them. 

You're my little angel, sweet girl. Each night I sing Amazing Grace and You are my Sunshine to you before you go to bed. You look up at me and watch me sing to you. It melts my heart. When I lay you in your crib, you grab hold tight of your blanket and put your paci in. I twinkle the little lights on your chandelier, which always makes you smile. I kiss you goodnight and tell you just how much I love you. I then head downstairs to my room and watch you on the monitor, as you turn on your tummy, and drift off to sleep. I love spending every day with you, watching you learn, watching you grow. You are such a special little girl, Saylor, and I am so blessed to be your mommy. We love you, tink tink.

 You are smart. You are beautiful. You are loved. 

Love you forever, Say. Happy 10 months!

Prego #2, the details...

That's right, we are having another baby! Saylor and Baby B will be 16 months apart. Whew! Baby B is due March 28th.

We found out we were pregnant July 25th, right at the end of the 4th week. I stopped on my way home from running errands that day and bought a pack of 2 tests. I had a feeling I was pregnant, but took both tests just to be sure. Here was my confirmation:

Sean had no idea I thought I was pregnant or that I was even buying a test. When he came home from work that day, Saylor had on this shirt...

It was quite funny, actually. Sean came in and I was holding Saylor. I told him to take a look at her shirt. He was confused and didn't understand why she had that shirt on. After laughing and telling him to think about it, he was surprised and excited. He couldn't believe it! We went out to celebrate that night :).

Morning sickness started in the 5th week this time around (much earlier than last time). Praise God the first trimester is coming to an end (I am currently in my 12th week). I have been quite sick, although a bit different, in comparison, to my pregnancy with Saylor.

Unfortunately, I am pretty much sick all day. I am on both Zofran and Phenergan, although neither seem to be helping too much. I had my first appointment on August 17th and I was 8 weeks. They did an ultrasound to confirm my due date and everything looked great.

I will be heading back to the doctor this week for my 12 week appointment. We are excited and feel so blessed that the Lord has given us this gift! What a joy it is. We love you sweet baby B, and are praying for you. 

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 

-Psalm 139: 13 - 14

I will never forget.

I was one of the few people that didn't know right away. I didn't watch the first or second plane hit live. I had no idea until almost 3 hours later.

I was a sophomore at Appalachian State and had a world history exam that day. I headed to the library very early that morning and found a quiet, back corner to study. I stayed in that corner until my exam at 11am, thus completely unaware of the morning's events. As I headed into class, I heard the buzzing of other students, tears, and the unknowns. Our professor came in and cancelled our class and sent us all on our way.

I remember so vividly being confused. I walked across campus back to where I lived with my sorority, and walked in to a lobby full of very scared girls. And there we sat. All day. Long into the evening. Staring at the images. Scared, unsure, praying, and making phone calls to everyone we loved.

It is a day burned deep into my memory. And today, the emotions I felt were raw. They were real. They stirred inside me and churned at my core. At first I couldn't pin point what it was that brought the emotions back so fierce and then it hit me. I am a mom. 10 years ago, I wasn't, and although it affected me deeply, it affected me even deeper today. I sat in church this morning, surrounded by local service men and women in uniforms, singing Amazing Grace, and watching the images on the screen, and my heart broke in two. It's not just about me anymore. I have littles to protect. Littles who will grow up in this same world that I did. How do we protect them? How do we teach them about this world? The good, the bad, and even the evil.

I was reminded of our mighty Lord. He was there in 2001. He was in the towers that morning. At the pentagon. On United 93. He was with all of us, as we watched the images and held on a little tighter to those around us. He was there. And today, He was there. Wrapping His arms around each of us as we prayed and sang of his grace and mercy.

And that's what we teach our littles. About life. About love. About holding on to those we love a little tighter. About the way our nation joined together and became more united that day. About the brave men and women who gave their life for people like us. And about a God who never leaves us, despite it all.

I am proud to be an American.

My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love, Amazing grace

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God, Who called me here below
Will be forever mine
Will be forever mine
You are forever mine

- Amazing Grace (my chains are gone) 

A little bit of (big) news...

Saylor's going to be a big sister! Coming March 2012, to a Branch household near you.... 

iphone photo dump friday.

can you tell we had a low key week? lots of catching up around the house and plenty of snuggle time with my sweet girl. We are off to the beach! Happy Labor Day weekend, friends.