Baby Charlie 4D Pics

We went today for our regular OB check up and sonogram. We were very lucky to not only have a regular sonogram, but the guy gave us some free 4D pics!! Here are few for everyone to enjoy. I'll write more later, but he looks very healthy and we could even see him swallowing the amniotic fluid. The last picture is with his hand in front of his face! ("no more pictures please") He already weighs 4 pounds and is right on schedule. Carson and I were both so excited to see him today!! We already love our little Charlie so much!! Look at those cute cheeks...

30 weeks pregnant was a good week!!

We have lots of things to praise the Lord about from last week:
1.) Carson got a job!!!!
2.) I graduated with my Masters in Nursing!!!!
3.) Charlie is growing well!!!!

Carson accepted a job at Compass Bank as a "preferred client officer." He will pretty much be doing the same thing as his previous position at Bank of America, managing high net worth clients. It sounds like it will be worth the wait for this job because he'll be doing what he is more passionate about. They asked him when he would like to start so he said the Tuesday after Labor Day.... so he could go fishing with his dad in Colorado and then we could make a trip down to Kerrville to visit his family before Charlie arrives. Until then I'll be working 2-3 days a week, studying for my boards and getting ready for Charlie to arrive!

Friday, August 14th I crutched myself across the stage and finally graduated from UTA! Yippee!!!!!!!!!!! Still doesn't feel real that I actually finished. Maybe after I take my boards I will feel that full sense of relaxation. Here are some pics from graduation and a little fiesta cookout we had Saturday night at our house. It was a great week and weekend of celebration!!
I'm sticking my belly out a little, but it's pretty much that big! Baby Charlie is really growing...WHOA!!!
Just a little snap shot from the Graduation Fiesta at our house. Carson cooked up some yummy food as always!

We went to the OB last week and I measured exactly 30 weeks. That means he's growing well and the Dopplar indicated that his heart rate is good and strong. I have been able to manage my blood sugars very well on my new diet plan. The only reading that was a little high was the morning one. She wanted it to be less than 90, but mine was about 105-110. So she started me on some insulin at nighttime. I was a little upset at first until she reassured me that this was extremely common to give myself a very small amount of insulin at night because there was nothing I could do to prevent it. She simply said my pancreas just can't keep up while I'm asleep and because my numbers are just a smidge too high, we need to keep them down so that Charlie doesn't take them in and put on too much weight! Pretty much after he's born I won't need insulin anymore and my body will go back to normal... which was very reassuring. For now, the little monkey in my tummy is doing well! The one exciting thing about this whole gestation diabetes thing is I get to have extra sonograms!!!!! I'm actually going to have one on Thursday and we can't wait to see his little hands, feet, and sweet face. Don't worry if I get a good picture I'll post it on here!!

Thank you everyone for the millions of prayers that have been lifted up for our little family of three over the past 8 stressful months. We felt them and are extremely happy to report ALL of the good news from last week! Praise Jesus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pregnancy update...

Well, I'm sure you read from my previous post that I officially have gestational diabetes. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this, I'll fill you in on how my life has changed. When I first found out, I was fully aware of what gestational diabetes is and what all it entails... so I received the call at work and cried for about an hour. Now I'm over it and have moved on to accept that this only going to be for the next 10-12 weeks until Charlie is born and then I'll be back to normal. This new change is going to be worth it once I see little Charlie's sweet face! I was just bummed out that I now have one more thing to add to the list! Carson and I now joke that with a broken leg, trying to finish up grad school, Carson not having a job and now the diabetes... that HAS TO mean that Charlie is going to be the easiest baby in the world OR the next time we have a baby has GOT to be easier that this pregnancy! Like my parents always say... "this too shall pass."

I've been to the diatician and have my glucometer to check my blood sugars (four times a day), so now its almost a routine. Basically I have to eat a certain amount of carbs, proteins, & fats everyday. And eating very few sugars... which you KNOW is hard for me!! I'm being very strict on the diet though because I don't want Charlie to weigh like 12 pounds!! That would not be fun for me :) Carson is being so sweet and supportive, helping think of creative meals to keep my blood sugars down. I just love him!

Charlie is still extremely active and wild in my belly though, kicking me so much that sometimes it hurts a little. Carson is so cute about kissing my belly everyday and talking to him. He calls him "Squirt" and tells him how much we already love him. We both are extremely excited!

I never posted a picture of the super cool crutch covers I bought, so here's a picture from the internet:I love them! I even ordered some for my brother-in-law, Andrew who just had ankle surgery. Don't worry I ordered him dark green since he's about to go to Baylor at the end of this month!

Speaking of Carson, we have great news!! He has a second round interview on Monday at 12:30pm!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yippee!! If you read this before he interviews, please send up lots of prayers. He is very excited about the job and they sound very interested in him too. It seems like a great fit for him. We've been praying very hard about this job too, so we'll keep you posted. Lots of big things this next week: Carson's interview on Monday, I finish up clinicals on Thurday, and then graduate Friday night! I'll be sure to post some pictures of me walking across the stage 30 weeks pregnant on crutches!!!!!!

Ashley's shower (29 weeks pregnant)

My friend Debbie & I hosted a baby girl shower for our sweet friend Ashley at our house on Sunday. Ashley already has a 14month old son and is now expected a little girl in September, so we threw her a shower to get some cute litle girl stuff!! I was expecting to be off my crutches by now, but obviously I wasn't so Carson helped me set up the decorations the night before. :) So not only does he cook, clean, drive me around, basically do everything for me.... he also helps me decorate for baby showers! But working together, Debbie, Jacqueline, Carson & I were able to get everything ready for the shower! It turned out to be a great party.

I had to show off these cute cupcakes that Debbie & I made for the shower! (The white petals are from cut up large marshmellows, then edible sprinkles painted on them, with lemon drops or junior mints in the middle!) Everyone said they were yummy but I couldn't eat any because I now have gestational diabetes. I still had fun making them!

Two of my favorite people: Ashley & Debbie. We've been in the same small group for 4 years and have all grown so close. We're all pregnant too... me: 29 weeks, Ashley: 35 weeks, & Debbie: 16 weeks. Can't wait for all of our babies to play together!

Prayers for a friend

Last week I found out some horrible news. I've been tearful and had an upset stomach just thinking about it. As you all know, I work on the oncology floor at the local children's hospital as a nurse and our worst nightmare became reality last week when one of my fellow nurse co-workers received the news that her son was diagnosed with leukemia. She is also a friend outside of work and I've been helping her study while she attends nurse practitioner school too (she's a single mom). She was scheduled to graduate next summer, but unfortunately has to take off time from school to care for her sweet son, Austin, who will have to be home school for at least 1 year. He will receive treatment for the next 3 years though!!! They have started this website to inform family and friends about his status. He started chemo last week and is responding very well to so far... praise Jesus! If you want to read more about his diagnosis and treatment and even post a message to Austin, go to:

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/austin31

If you would like to add them to your prayer list at church or send them a card, their home address is:

Kristen & Austin Douglas (her older son's name is Dalton)
4633 Cripple Creek Rd.
Haltom City, Texas 76137

Their biggest need right now is prayers and more prayers!! They are all firm believers in Jesus and have hope that He will heal him! Everyone has asked me how they can help, and of course prayer is the biggest thing right now. Any kind of gift card for restaurants that deliever/pick-up would be greatly appreciated too since they will be in and out of the hospital/clinic for the next 3 years... I'm sure cooking is the last thing she wants to do.

Thank you so much! Other than that we're having a great week. I go back Wednesday for my second glucose test and I'll keep you posted on those results once I hear... I sure hope I pass!! I ordered some really cool crutch covers that I'll have to post a picture of too. They've saved my armpits :) Very soft and make crutching much easier. Speaking of, prayers for my brother-in-law tomorrow too. He's having a minor ankle surgery tomorrow and then will be on crutches for 6 weeks as well (even when he starts at Baylor later on this month). What's up with this family and our injuries? Crazy!! Hope you're having a good week too.

27 weeks belly growth & nursery update

Yep, here's my HUGE belly! I'm still on crutches and can only put minimal weight on my leg, so I carefully balanced myself to take this picture without crutches to get a good belly shot. Our little Charlie is still very active!! Oh- something to pray about is I failed my first glucose test and have to go back next week for a 3 hour test. I really hope I pass the second one because if I don't then I will be diagnosed with gestational diabetes (pregnancy diabetes). I do have a sweet friend, Katie, who has had it with both of her pregnancies and she has been very encouraging about the whole thing. Maybe the Lord was teaching me to eat a little better too!! :)
Here is the beginning of Charlie's nursery, very exciting!!!!!!!! I keep walking by his room and it feels so much more real now that there's a crib in there, I'm just imagining his little body laying in there... sleeping obviously :) I just ordered a rug so I will post pictures once it arrives and we add more to his room.
I painted the letters and I must give Carson credit for coming up with the idea to hang them off of a fishing pole. I think it turned out very cute! We've had the glider/rocker for about a year but I'm sure that thing will be worn to death over the next couple of years/kids. Don't worry it's super comfy.
Didn't know if we would have room or money for a changing table, so we just used an old desk! What should I hang above the changing table?
We bought the dresser when we purchased the crib and they're both beautiful! Then Carson and I went to this cool store in Fort Worth called Old Home Supply and found this neat wooden fish. We wanted to hang it all the wall above the dresser but that may not be an option because it's very heavy! There's Charlie's diaper bag hanging on the bed too. Since we live in a cozy 2 bedroom house, we left the double bed his nursery (on the right) for guests/parents who come to visit. Don't worry... if you come to visit us we will put Charlie in our room (in his playpen) so you can the whole room to yourselves!! :)

Happy 4th of July and Happy Birthday to me!!

We had some good times last weekend for the 4th and then on the 5th, 6th, & 7th for my birthday! If you know me at all, I love to drag out my birthday celebration for at least a week... this year it was ONLY 3 days. (Actually bday on the 6th) But all celebrations were fun and I loved every minute. Yeah for fun friends & husband! Thanks too for all the bday wishes via mail, email, phone calls, texts, Facebook, etc.

For the 4th, we enjoyed a beautiful (but SUPER-DUPER HOT) day with our friends Ashley, Zoli & their little son Mac at her parents' lake house. I was pumped to get in the pool again!! We (Carson, Charlie & I) enjoyed floating around just talking with friends. I say that because Charlie was kicking a lot before and after I was in the pool but VERY calm when I was floating around. Here's our little family of 3, enjoying our non-alcoholic beverages :) (Sorry for flashing my stomach to the world, I guess Charlie wanted to be in the pic too!!!)

Two pregnant chicks enjoying the shade! I took my brace off so it didn't get all nasty and sweaty! The scarring on my leg is so minimal... check it out. I go back next week for x-rays, wish me luck!!

After a little time in the sun, we headed to our 2nd party at our sweet friends, Megan & John Branagh's house. It was bittersweet because they are moving to California in August, but we really enjoyed time with good food and great friends. After dark, we all drove over and enjoyed some AWESOME fireworks at Colonial Country Club! I have never been that close to fireworks in my life. Very beautiful and of course they threw in a Michael Jackson song with the traditional patriotic ones :) Here we are after the show.
Sunday (the 5th) I enjoyed a lovely time out to eat with the girls! We hit up Mi Cocina and then some of us went to Central Market afterwards for some gelato!! In the words of one of my friends, "that sounds like a great birthday celebration for a pregnant chick!" And of course it was so fun!
Kat, Megan, Kelly Kay, me & Emily
Ashley, Esther, Katie, Debbie, me & Sara Beth

What's humorous is there were 10 girls there and 7 of them were pregnant!! Seriously!! Thanks girls for making my birthday a joyful celebration.

Proof that I have trained Carson well: Monday (my bday) I woke up to Carson singing me happy birthday with a candle stuck in a donut with a kolache to enjoy for my birthday breakfast... Soooo yummy, then I hung out with a friend all day. Since I'm on my crutches all of the time and can't drive... we had some fun girl time together doing what we wanted to do!! We went to two girly stores, ate lunch from a girly deli and even watched a girly movie. I was... needless to say... a happy GIRL!! :) To top off the fun day, we ordered pizza and made our husbands watch The Bachelorette on TV with us. Ashley even gave me a little piece of birthday cake with another candle in it... I got two wishes that day!!

Then on Tuesday, after a long day at clinicals, Carson and I went out to eat to celebrate with just the two of us. I slowly began to realize... Whoa!! This was my last birthday EVER with just Carson... with out having a child in my life. Very exciting but very overwhelming thought! CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!

Other than that, it's been a great week. I finished my very last TEST for school today which was an awesome feeling! Now all I have left is to finish my clinicals, one day of class and then graduation on August 14th. YESSS!!! I still can't believe I've been doing this for 3 whole years, time flies when you're busy.

Carson is still hanging in there looking for a job. He had some really good interviews this past week... so keep sending those prayers up the Lord!