Greetings Trimester #3!

I guess there is a hot debate on when third trimester actually begins, but the 2 books I am reading (What to Expect when you are Expecting and Your Pregnancy Week by Week) say that 27 weeks is the mark! And we are at the mark! Crazy, but super exciting nonetheless. Bekham has been going nuts-o at night time. It is unreal. I think Nick may be getting tired of me saying, "Ohh ohh! Feel him now!" It must all feel the same to him, but each kick is so unique to me! And now, when he moves, I feel him on BOTH sides, which is also the coolest feeling ever! Ironically, his most active times are after 8 or 9pm. We could possibly have a baby that prefers to be active at night. This would be the complete opposite of his parents, but I'll allow it :)

Quick photos to share! One of my co-workers bought Bekham some bath accessories! This little bathrobe:

And this little bath/towel/washcloth set

I now have inspiration to do the boy's bathroom! Can't wait to get started on it. Not sure when that will be or where the money will come from, but i have the idea nonetheless!

One more photo to share! We added wooden stained knobs above the letters in the nursery. Gives it quite the finished look if you ask me! They probably don't look like much in this photo, but, in person, they make all the difference!

Well, my last picture might has well be grouped with the rest now! Here is the 27 week baby bump!

He is definitely growing, and obviously, so am I. It is time to upgrade to medium sized t-shirts. The smalls are just plain unattractive when I go to the gym. I'm sure people talk behind my back about how I need bigger clothes. Well I'VE CAVED. So gossip about me no more! Not much else to report from week 27. I have just a couple items on the list of things to do. I need to find a pediatrician- and visit for a consultation. I need to schedule a Hospital Tour in the near future. I'd like to get his bathroom ready, as stated above. I'm sure the next 12ish weeks are going to fly by before my eyes- especially once childbirth classes start up in October. Nick and I have an anniversary coming up as well. Hoping he has something planned for us .... I gave him the task of planning for this year. Crazy to think its our last anniversary as just the 2 of us. We also will be spending the long weekend at the beach. Another "last" for us. Next beach trip, little Bekham will be in the mix! He will likely have NO memory of the occasion, but we sure will! I'm not sad at all about these "lasts," its just weird to think about in that context!

Short and sweet this week! Loving you more than ever Bek :) Keep those kicks strong for us! I live for that feeling right now!

3D ... its not just for the Movies!

What a week! And only 14 more to go :) My mom is back in town from visiting family in PA. I am so thankful to have her back home. There's just something about knowing she is only a 7 minute drive from my house that is so comforting and safe! Of course, the first thing she wanted to do when she got home was hang curtains in Bekham's room. My mom seriously has more energy than I do! Even before I was pregnant this was true of her! Anyways, here are the pictures! I have decided, however, its impossible to photograph this room successfully. So, if you are able, I encourage you to come see this nursery with your own eyes in a couple of months. It's such a calming/relaxing room. I love walking into it, which happens multiple times in a day. I love sitting in the rocking chair whether I am reading, praying, or just staring at the walls.

It may be hard to tell, but the main fabric is a light brown/khaki with darker brown dots. Then there is a green stripe that goes along the bottom and then up the vertical. On the vertical stripe are 3 buttons covered in brown coordinating fabric.

I also felt the need to photograph the new toy chest for Bekham. We inherited this from his cousin, Jackson, and it fits quite nicely with the color scheme of the nursery!

Well, that's the extent of the nursery update! Back to the boy- he is a movin' and a kickin'! Its crazy now! I definitely felt him before, but now, there is just no denying his whereabouts. I usually get this real hard little lump to the left of my bellybutton, which I am convinced is his butt! I love it! I get some pretty consistent jabs to the right, up near my ribs, which I am convinced are fists! What I assume to be kicks are usually felt on my left. He is so fun to play with. I have found that if I just rest my hand on my stomach, he'll usually start up. I read somewhere that the baby can sense your heartbeat through your hand and since it matches what they are so used to, they will respond. On the other hand (no pun intended)- if someone else does this same gesture, the baby usually won't respond right away because it is a different heartbeat. I believe this to be true from some recent experiences. If Nick, or my mom, are patient, you can get some good kicks out of him. I, on the other hand, only have to wait a matter of seconds to get a little movement out of Bekham! I can't express the joy of that small connection I have to him already!

Moving on ... Saturday morning was a monumental date in the journey of this pregnancy. We got to do a 3D Ultrasound at a place called Baby's First Images. It was only a "Quick Peek" that lasted 15 minutes, but it was the greatest 15 minutes of my pregnancy! Both of my parents were able to come, Nick was obviously there, my best friend, Kelsie was there, and Nick's mom was also able to come! We had a party room :) When the appointment first started, we were in 2D- got to see the heart beating, which is always a great image, and then we got to hear the heartbeat, always music to a mother's ears! Not long after that, we shifted right into 3D mode. Here are just a few of the images that were captured. Luckily, we got a take-home DVD of the whole 2D/3D footage. I've already watched it 2 times and I tear up every time!

The object/curve on the left side is actually his knee. They are both tucked up and he apparently holds his hands by the sides of his face with his wrists in a floppy position. I can't wait to photograph him when he makes his grand entrance to see if he snaps right back into this pose!

Now, don't be too grossed out, but the "pillow" on your right is my placenta. Yes, it blocks out a good portion of his face. Not so happy about that, but, hey, this thing is keeping him alive! It can be wherever it wants! The Ultrasound Tech was able to confirm that it is on top of my uterus. Too much detail?

I look at these pictures non stop. I am just amazed at the technology of 3D. I still don't feel like I will ever know what to expect when he finally gets here, but this is as close as it gets! Many that attended the ultrasound thinks Bek looks like Jackson (my brother's son). Personally, I think this child has no resemblance to anyone I know! I'm sure a lot can change in 14 weeks, especially when he starts packing on the baby fat! We will just have to wait and see I suppose!

I wish I could have a 3D image of him 24-7. I just want to know what he's doing in there! I'm sure its no party in such a confined amount of space, but, I just want to watch him stretch/turn/jerk himself around when I feel those strong movements. Bekham, I just want to glimpse into your little world more often!

And in conclusion, my verse for Bekham this week is one of my favorites of all time: "Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity" -1 Timothy4:12

15 weeks to go!

It's much more fun to talk about how many weeks we have left now! Only 15 weeks- technically 14 weeks 5 days to go! Yes, that still sounds extremely long to me too, but really, it all starts to pick up steam from here. Once Labor Day comes, I can see the months of September and October flying by as the entire month of October, we have committed our Saturdays to Child Birth Classes! I also will start to have bi-weekly doctor appointments which means the end is in sight as well! I just need to get through the month of August and I feel like I'll really be closing the gap between now and November 25th! 

This boy is growing and he is active! So active! I can pretty much feel him all the time except of course when he is in his little sleep cycle. I just love it. Some nights I'll be laying in bed and I'll just feel him shift to one side and my stomach will get SO hard. It's unbelievable! My stomach is definitely pregnant, which, I know I waited forever for. The only downside of this was the fact that I was running out of clothes. I pretty much cycled through the same 5-6 stretchy shirts that I had. Don't get me wrong, I love them, but I needed variety in my closet! This weekend was splurge time. I hit up Old Navy and Gap and walked away feeling rejuvenated about my maternity wardrobe. It was honestly hard to be excited about my pregnancy, and feel attractive during my pregnancy, when I felt so limited by what I could wear. Nick didn't quite understand this, but, I think he does now! I came home from that shopping spree a new woman. I did have one horrible experience at Izzy Maternity. I don't really want to go into the details, but, I don't recommend shopping there. I take that back, if you want a man to shop for you while you just stay in the dressing room, go ahead. If you want to pick through racks or select your own style, FORGET IT. I was so irritated the entire time. I eventually told a half-lie to get out of there. Oh, I also forgot to mention, the average price of the items they brought me... $85. Seriously? For one top? That amount ended up landing me 8 tops at Old Navy!

I don't have too much to report in nursery-news. As you know, most of it is complete! The curtains that my mom has been slaving over should be ready to go up next week, so stay tuned! They are adorable, but I'm pretty biased to my own taste! There should be more than a few photos going up next week! That's all I'll say for now! Speaking of photos, here is my 25 week 3 days shot (in new maternity wear!) I'm sure all of you are sick of seeing my bathroom by this point, but no one is ever home to snap these for me!

I did start reading a book called Baby Makes Three. I highly recommend this book for any new mom. My friend had mentioned it to me at lunch last week and I went ahead and followed her advice and purchased a used copy from Amazon. It talks about preserving your marriage through parenting and the author is a wise, wise man! I am trying to talk Nick into reading parts of it with me, but.. I'm pretty sure I'll be doing all of the reading solo. And I quote:

Me: "Do you think you know everything there is to know about parenting without reading a single book?"

Him: "Yeah. What do you think people did in the old days before they wrote books about this stuff!"

I honestly had a hard time arguing with him on that one! A somewhat valid point! But, personally, I want to be the best wife and the best mom that I can be, and for me, that translates to reading books and seeking wise counsel. I'll share any and all insight I receive from reading the book. I have already gotten about a quarter of the way through and underlined just about every line on some pages. It's just so good! Last night's focus was building and creating a legacy for your children. What parts of your own upbringing do you want to "leave behind," and what parts to you want to "pass along to the next generation." It talks about the big ones like holidays and birthdays, but also the little ones like, not watching TV during mealtime etc. I'm big on tradition- so- I warned Nick, this week we would be making a list of all the things we want to be intentional about when raising Bekham, and any future babies. Sounds silly, but, if you don't make the list now, and be intentional about the items on the list, life can just slip by and your good intentions will go with it.

So that's all for today. A rather short post, I know. I could keep writing if I thought you cared about where we ate this weekend or what we did, but that's not too important anyways! Just happy to report that Bekham is growing, he is active, and we are anxiously anticipating his arrival!

Drum Roll Please... He has a Name!

Well, this post will most likely be the most exciting until the baby is born! Thanks to the help of my Mom, again, we have just about completed the nursery! All that's left are the window treatments! Obviously we are not stocked with diapers, wipes, a changing pad etc., but- those are minor details. All major components are in place and they are wonderful. I am obsessed with his room. Before I get there though, I must tell you/show you what we scored at the All4Kids Consignment Sale. The best purchase of all- coming in at only $100- the rocker below! This is the most comfortable chair in our house. I prefer to sit here now when reading or lounging. So does Nick!

We also got clothes, another baby bathtub for him, before he grows into the whale bathtub, some toys, a little puppy dog learning toy which I love, also pictured below. We got bottles, books, a dishwasher contraption for the pieces and parts of his bottle and more. As you can see below, we took a laundry basket to collect goodies along the way. And let me tell any of you who have never done this before- THIS WAS THE NORM. We were not the only ones lugging a laundry basket! I saw worse! These moms are SERIOUS about these sales! And now I know why!

Well, moving on, Mom and I have been collecting letters from Hobby Lobby that spell out the name of this baby boy. We finally got all 6 of them by Thursday and were able to modge podge (sp?) selected scrapbook paper onto the letters to create the look we wanted. Without further ado, the name of this new Sharp addition is....

Bekham. Yes, as in David and Victoria. But no, he is not named after the family or because we are huge soccer fans. We like it for its uniqueness! My Mom had also ordered our bedding last week and it arrived Friday afternoon. Of course, who can really wait to open that up and put it all on the crib? Not me....

I just love that monkey :) Here is full view of the crib with his name. I didn't realize how washed out this picture was- sorry! I'm sure there will be more to come though!

Well, after getting this much done, Mom and I couldn't stop ourselves from putting the dots on the accent wall. We were supposed to wait until this Wednesday, but whats 3 days going to hurt? This activity was a BLAST! I loved these dots! 

Here's a corner shot so you can see the contrast of the green wall

Well that about sums it up in pictures! We had so much fun. Nick ended up cleaning out his closet last night so all baby toys, clothes, etc. are stored in the closet, where they should be! We are so ready for you Bekham! 16 weeks early, but who's counting?

Not too much else to report. He has been quite active. Feeling him move now is normal. I do get stressed out if I haven't felt him in awhile, but usually by the end of the day, I've felt him move at least once. I went to the doctor today and crazy enough, we need to plan to take our Hospital Visit within the next 4-5 weeks! I can't believe its already time for that! In fact, after my next appointment (28 weeks)- I start going every 2 weeks! I can't believe that either! We are nearing the third trimester and final stretch of this pregnancy. It's gone slow at times, but I have a feeling all that is about to change! The other neat thing I found out today is that if we take an empty toilet paper roll/tube, Nick can put it against my stomach and hear the baby's heartbeat! I want to try that later this week if he's willing! Obviously I won't be able to perform this task, but it will be cool for Nick! I also got to talk to the doctor (who was actually a mid-wife at this appointment) about natural birth (no epidural). She actually had 2 of her 3 children naturally and had some really good advice to give me to prepare. Obviously I have a lot to learn, which is what child birth class in October is for, but- I already feel like I can start working on some of the techniques she mentioned. This has just been a fun week. That's all I can say. We also got to add to his clothes stash thanks to Anita :) We are pretty much set through about 9 months! So thankful for that!

Well Bekham, we are so anxious to meet you! 16 weeks cannot come soon enough for us! Your room is ready, though you probably won't be sleeping in there right away! We love you so much and cannot wait to lay eyes on your precious face!

"Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord Himself, is the Rock eternal." -Isaiah 26:4

His Crib is Here!

Another eventful week in the life of this baby boy! And he doesn't even know it! Well, actually, the week itself was quite normal (work every day)- but the weekend was full of activity! Last week, while Nick's mom was in town, we all went to Buy Buy Baby and she purchased our crib and mattress for the boy! SUCH A BLESSING. It is part of the same set as the dresser, so the room just looks PERFECT. I am so grateful for the generous hearts of our family and friends during this time in our lives. The nursery is essentially finished. We obviously have some dots to put up. We need to put his name above his crib. We need to stock the drawers with diapers, wipes, creams, etc. BUT- all furniture is in place! Here is a quick picture of the assembled crib. My husband was kind enough to help put this together with me yesterday. I tend to rush through directions, so we had to screw and unscrew quite a few times, but he didn't complain at all. I love him! You can't tell in the picture, but the crib sheet is ALREADY on the matress :) Yes, I will wash it before he arrives. I will not let my baby sleep on a crib sheet that has accumulated dust for 4 months. Please.

I should mention that when we went to pick the crib up on Saturday, we almost walked out of the store with a MORE expensive crib as the guy that was bringing it out to our car had NO idea what he was doing. AND we almost landed a second crib mattress. Good thing we are honest people. He may have lost his job. Or maybe not, but I don't think they'd be okay with him handing out expensive cribs and free mattresses. I could be wrong. We were at the store almost an hour just trying to pick the crib up. This was only after we spend a good hour at AT&T getting me a new phone. My battery had been lasting all of 45 minutes off the charger. It was ridiculous. It was at this store that I was told I don't even look pregnant. Those are offensive words at this stage in my pregnancy. I guess wearing a baggy t-shirt doesn't help, but still. Moving on!

Friday night we celebrated our nephew, Adam's, 1st birthday. Saturday morning was full of errands (as described above) followed by a game night with our Small Group that evening. OH- also- there was a grand opening of a Whole Foods near our house, so we stopped by there for TONS of free samples. I love that place! We scored some natural peanut butter (you grind peanuts while you are in the store to make your own peanut butter). A jar of pickled onions (canned in Charleston South Carolina!) Some popcorn, some 3 cheese pretzel crisps. Some fresh GA peaches. I think that might be about it. We could have spent $100 in there but sneaked out only spending $20! Sunday morning finally arrived, which was BAPTISM Sunday! I really hadn't been nervous about the occasion until I got up to the baptismal pool area and realized there was a risk of slipping and falling into the pool! Luckily, no horror stories to report! It was a wonderful experience. God has been so faithful in my life and the family and friends that were there to support me have been so instrumental in my life. It was awesome to see how many people came out to be there to witness the event. My prayer is truly that God was honored and glorified above all else, and that maybe there was 1 person in the audience that could relate to my story and possibly make a move towards their own public declaration of faith in Jesus! I was also so blessed to have been baptized by a family friend (once high school teacher), Bryan Apinis. He has been such a solid source of wisdom, support, and advice to Nick and I ever since he married us. I have so much respect for Bryan and his wife Kathryn and the way they raise their family. I was so thankful that I could be baptized by someone who knew me, and knew my story, and was part of my life.

After Church, most of my friends and family were able to come to breakfust/brunch! We gave this local cafe-Cuzi Fresh Cafe- some serious business! The food was delicious but you could tell they don't usually see this kind of crowd! I wanted to share some pictures of my support group. My life has been so changed by each one of these people:

The Wright family. Missing Miss Lauren Wright herself, but, Kelsie's parents have been like a second family to me. All throughout high school and college, their home felt like my home. Kelsie has, and always will, feel like a sister to me. She also gave me a cross charm to commemorate my Baptism. I just love her so much! I'm pretty sure this baby will know her voice just as well as he knows his own mother's.

My "Married No Kids" Small Group! Love them too! We haven't even been together a year, but I have developed relationships with some of these girls that will last a lifetime (I hope!) They were all MORE than willing to get up at 9am to be there for me. Such sweet friends. Even Amy, a girl from our last small group, came out to support me! God has truly blessed us with loyal friends. I could not ask for more!

And finally, my family! Pretty blurry, but iphones can only do so well in my opinion. Jackson even sat through my baptism before being escorted to Waumba Land. So glad he could be there! My brother and sister-in-law were able to come, with their son Kyle as well! I love how supportive my family has always been, and will always be. Dad doesn't like to be in pictures, but he was present for both the baptism and the breakfast :)

For any who would like to see it, my Mom uploaded a video of my baptism. Keep in mind, yet again, it is only iphone quality! Watch my Baptism Here

So after breakfast, a trip to the grocery store and crib assembly summed up the afternoon. I went to a bridal shower for one of my friends Marissa, which was wonderful. I am so happy for her and was glad to be able to see her as she now lives in Seattle. And we all know I don't like to fly and can't really travel much anyways! Here is a picture that is actually at 23 weeks 3 days. Probably one of the last weeks I can pull off this pre-pregnancy dress. Its already extremely. Add a belly and we are talking t-shirt.

My verse and my prayer for the boy this week is that he would be obedient to the Lord as he grows up. I read about the Armor of God this morning in my quiet time and thought it would be perfect as a prayer for the boy for this blog post:

Ephesians 6:10-17


Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.