Nesting...

I have heard about pregnant women getting in the "nesting" mode before their babies come, but I had NO IDEA it was actually true!!! I am already a person that can't sit still when I'm at home and I always feel like I need to be cleaning, rearranging, or organizing something. But this "nesting" stuff is NO JOKE!

I've spent a few days getting my hospital bag organized (thanks to a few friends and their hospital bag lists), cleaning out cabinets, Addison's closet, and yes, the baseboards too. It has been insane! Here are a few pics of my "nesting" skills...

I cleared out the bottom two shelves in our kitchen for her bottles, formula, and anything else that needs to be stored in the kitchen. I hate clutter on the kitchen counters, so hopefully I'll be able to keep all her goodies on these two shelves.

I also cleaned out Addi's closet this week. I had to move a lot of her things into the closet in one of our guest bedrooms. I have a feeling after our shower this weekend, I'll need the extra room in her closet :)

David and I have been talking about where we can store some of Addison's items like swaddle blankets, onesies, socks, etc. because our changing table only has three drawers. He had this great idea of putting a small dresser (with drawers) in her closet. David got even more excited when he remembered that his childhood dresser was still at his mom's house. So we took a trip to pick it up, bought a sander, and some supplies and he plans to get to work on transforming  his old dresser into the perfect storage space for our daughter. Here is the dresser BEFORE the transformation...

He is going to paint it white and add some drawer pulls that match our changing table...I can't wait to see the finished product.

We are finally getting around to getting some of those necessity items that I know we are going to need and want once Addison arrives. Jilly and Pops blessed us with two items that we hope Addi will LOVE...

The Mamaroo...this is similar to what we had growing up that we called an infant swing. But, believe me, the technology on this thing is unbelievable. It sways, rocks, bounces, plays sounds, and even has a place to plug in your iPod...it's CRAZY COOL! I'm telling you, if they had one of these things in an adult-size, you would find David sitting in it watching football :)

We also got Addison's carseat...

It is gray and black (although with the carseat cover, it looks like it has a tint of purple). David plans to go next week and have it installed in his truck...so we will be ready to go if Little Miss decides to come early.

Addison's nursery is also starting to come together. I have been procrastinating like crazy to get her room together. I'm not sure why...maybe because I want it to be absolutely perfect?!?! I'm normally really good at making decisions and know what I like as far as room decor goes. But every single time I try to make a decision about Addi Kate's nursery, I get stuck. So far, we have her crib and changing table in her room. I have ordered the bedding, which should arrive next Wednesday...YAY!!! I also received this BEAUTIFUL piece of artwork from Small Words to display above her crib...

I'll show the entire canvas above the crib when her bedding arrives, but could you just look at that detail?!?!? Those hand-sewn beads are just the icing on the cake. I absolutely LOVE the way it looks above her crib and it is definitely the focal point of the nursery.

We also made a decision on the rocker/glider for the nursery. We purchased this beauty with the ottoman...

...and it should arrive within about two weeks. We could ONLY purchase it online, so I hope it matches the green accents in the nursery. We were able to sit in a few other similar rockers made by the same company, so we know it is definitely a comfy chair to rock our little angel.

And I couldn't end this post without a quick look at our little miracle baby...

This picture was from our 34 week ultrasound. It looks pretty similar to the picture we had last week too.  She has been head down, spine to my right, and facing toward my left for the past FOUR weeks. I think it's safe to say that she is snug as a bug in my tummy :) And I STILL can't get over the juiciness of those cheeks!

We have our first shower tomorrow and I'm sure the "nesting" will continue...stay tuned!

Never Forget...

As the Christmas holiday approaches, I can't help but be extremely thankful for the gift of life and the dream that has finally come true for us this year. Nevertheless, my heart still hurts for those waiting, longing, and praying for their own child.

I literally woke up THREE times last night with friends on my heart because I know exactly how they are feeling this Christmas Eve...alone, sad, heartbroken, and questioning why they were chosen to walk the path of infertility.

The holidays are a time we should experience joy, foster friendships, and make memories with family. But for some, it is the worst of times. I can vividly remember my own wishes for a Christmas miracle to only experience a huge NO the day after Christmas in 2008 after our first IVF and a miscarriage two days before Christmas last year with our fourth IVF. Those two Christmases were ROUGH for me, very ROUGH.

But because of prayer, faith, and encouragement from my family, I made it through those hard times. And thanks to God, this year will be the Christmas I've always waited for.

I pray for those still waiting (especially this holiday season), calling each of them by name, and asking the Lord to bless them with the gift of life.

I will never forget...

Chubby Cheeks, Reindeer, and Spit Up...

I wrote in a previous post that the bigger Addi Kate gets, the harder it is to see her profile at our ultrasounds. But I have to admit that our last ultrasound picture is probably one of my favorites so far...

She has the chubbiest cheeks and I can't wait to kiss all over them!!! I have probably looked at this picture at least a million times and am in awe that this sweet little face is something that David and I created. We can't wait to meet her.

Addison's closet is continuing to grow...well, her closet isn't growing, but the amount of clothes inside sure are :) I bought the cutest little reindeer onesie years ago...it was actually a newborn size. But after we discovered we were  pregnant, I realized that the onesie would never fit her. So I ended up giving the onesie to a friend for her baby to wear and enjoy this Christmas. So I have been on the search for another reindeer onesie to replace the one I bought and finally found one this past week...

I ended up getting it as a shirt with a lettuce edge and just love it! I can't wait till NEXT Christmas so she can wear it :)

And I don't think I ever shared the adorable burp cloth that Jilly bought for us...

Daddy DEFINITELY agrees and I'm sure he can't wait to clean up our little angel's spit up with this burp cloth :)

Baby Knight and Mommy: 33 Weeks

Baby Shower Invites...

We are blessed to be having FOUR baby showers for Addison Kate. We would have just been happy with one shower, but we are so thankful to be able to share the day with all our friends and family FOUR times in the upcoming months.

Our first shower will be here in Florida with friends and family. Our little cousin made the invitations and I honestly think they couldn't be any cuter...

She did an amazing job AND you should have seen how she addressed the envelopes...so creative! I wish I would have taken a picture before I ripped open the envelope to get to the invite...but trust me, the calligraphy and penmanship were over-the-top cute!

This shower will be the week after Christmas...we are truly blessed with a thoughtful family.

The Weeks are FLYING By...

This pregnancy is going by way too quickly...the weeks are literally FLYING by and we are at 32 weeks now!!! I haven't had time to take any good pictures of my growing belly, but now that I've started my Christmas vacation, I'll make sure I take time to post a new Baby Knight and Mommy.

We've had LOTS of stuff happen over the past few weeks. Here are just a few of the highlights...

We ordered Addison's crib bedding and I CAN'T WAIT until it arrives!! I have had these fabrics picked out for what seems like forever and couldn't wait to place the order...

The damask fabric and the pink balls are my two favorite selections!!

When I ordered the bedding, the company gave me the shipping date of January 11 (at the latest)...my heart literally skipped a beat when I realized how far away that date was :( I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they are able to finish it sooner and ship it out earlier than they estimated.

It is seriously getting harder and harder to get good ultrasound pictures as Addi Kate grows, but we were able to get this one at our 31 week appointment...

You can see her profile, nose, lips, and chin...her hand(s) are balled up under her chin. Sweet baby girl :)

I took this quick snapshot of my belly bump (really it's more like a belly mountain) at 31 weeks...we are still growing strong!

Aunt Lisha sent us a box FILLED with little goodies for our Sweet Blessing. This was just ONE of the outfits and ONE of the beanies she crocheted for us. I can't wait to play dress up with Addison :)

I purchased this little bow holder from Etsy and once it arrived, I realized that I probably need about 20 more of these holders :) This one only holds 8 bows...and my baby girl still has a drawer full of bows!!!

AunTee bought this dress for Addison to wear next Christmas and I literally cried on the way to work when I saw her text. Isn't it just the sweetest dress EVER???

We've started going every other week to our OB and every week to our High Risk Doctor. At our High Risk appointment this week our nurse reviewed our fetal heart monitoring results and shared with us that I was having contractions. My eyes literally filled with tears when I heard this because Addi needs more time to grow!! David calmed my nerves and told me to just wait until we had a chance to meet with the doctor and get all the details. The doctor checked my cervix and said that everything was fine and that I was just having Braxton Hicks contractions. She was surprised that I was unable to feel the contractions, but the doctor pointed out when I was having one and I realized that I HAD been feeling them all along, I just thought they were Addi moving around in my belly. So the doctor gave me orders to drink a LOT more water and to stay off of my feet as much as possible. I'm so thankful that I am on vacation so I can do just that!

Addison...do you have any idea how many lives you have changed? You are one LOVED little girl!

Favorite Pictures...

I just had to share two of my favorite pictures I've taken these past few weeks. This Christmas is definitely going to be one of the most special Christmases ever!

I originally took this picture because I was so excited to receive my Christmas Cinnamon Britta Beads Necklace...

But after looking at the picture later, I was overwhelmed with thankfulness for the bump below the beads. Oh what a gift you are Addison Kate!!!

This second picture is one that I've dreamed of for YEARS!!!!

It makes my heart swell with gladness and my eyes fill with tears every.single.time I see those three stockings!

What I Learned...

I have been thinking about all the traditions and memories David and I will make with Addison once she arrives and every single thought makes my heart want to pop with excitement.

I have a few things that I've dreamed about for years...like tucking her in bed each night and making sure she knows that we love her more than the world, having a Mother-Daughter date to see the Nutcracker each Christmas, carving a pumpkin at Halloween and dipping Easter eggs in dye, and spending countless summer days in the pool, on a boat, or at the beach.

All of these ideas got me thinking about the traditions my parents created with me. But more importantly, the memories that I have of our times together and  the special things they've taught me throughout my life. Here are just a few that I can think of right now...

1. When I would get frustrated with the world or people in my life, my dad would ALWAYS tell me..."It takes ALL kinds to make the world go 'round." Although I dreaded hearing this statement from him (especially when someone hurt my feelings or I had a bad break-up), I know it's true and I now accept the fact that God created us differently for a reason...we all have different views/perspectivies, unique characteristics, and  a variety of backgrounds and experiences.

2.  One of our Christmas family traditions is to ride around town all together to look at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve. We usually take a big truck and  ride around with blankets and hot chocolate and admire all the outside decor our neighbors have displayed. Then we come home and play a competitive board game of some sort (and when I say competitive, I mean COMPETITIVE). Good times!

3.  My mom always taught me to NEVER lift my eyebrows while putting on mascara...she said, "it causes wrinkles on your forehead." I know this is a silly one, but I honestly think of my mom every.single.morning when I tilt my head back (instead of raising my eyebrows) and apply my mascara. And you know, mom knows best, because I'm proud to say, there are NO wrinkles on this 39 year old's forehead :)

4. You can always "take one more step." This was a constant phrase my dad would tell me when I played softball growing up. And although he intended it to mean that I literally could have caught the ball if I would have taken one more step, I have used this phrase in MANY areas of my life.

5.  I can honestly NOT think of any event that I did growing up or as an adult that my parents weren't proudly sitting in the audience. From twirling as a child, to dancing in high school, to playing in softball tournaments all over the United States, to my first school performance as an assistant principal...my parents were always there to support me.

6.  Helpful hint from MoM...make sure your baseboards are always clean, especially in the bathroom. The bathroom is the one place that your houseguests have time to sit (without an audience) and can observe how clean you really are.  This one makes me laugh out loud, but I can honestly say I probably have the cleanest bathroom baseboards in Florida!

7.  Love notes were (and still are) definitely my family's love language. I would get the sweetest notes on my napkins in my sack lunches from dad or find a hand written message on the paper on the coathanger when mom would organize my weekly football dance costume in high school. I still get special messages from them from time to time, although now they mostly come in the form of text messages or emails...regardless, every single one is special to me.

8. Another biggie for me was being careful with who you trusted with secrets. My mom always told me growing up that she was the only person I could trust with my biggest, deepest, darkest secret and know for CERTAIN that it would never be shared with anyone. Now that I'm older, my list of those I can trust has expanded (well, by two people...my husband and my best friend), but she was right and I know still today that I can share anything with her and feel comfortable knowing that she would go to the grave with my secret before sharing it with anyone.

I know this is a long post, but I wanted Addison to know just how MUCH David and I are looking forward to starting special family traditions and creating memories with her when she gets here. I just pray that we will be the best parents and role models for our baby girl. And I look forward to the day when she can look back on her life and appreciate all the things we did as a family together and hear about the things she learned from us. 

30 Weeks...

I woke up this past Thursday with this in my car...

Such a sweet note from my hubby reminding me of just how blessed we are!!!

Kicking...

I debated on whether or not I wanted to post this video, but I really want to document this pregnancy and be able to share all the fun memories with Addison when she is born.

I don't really like to post bare belly bump pics, but this video is just so incredible to me!

We finally caught Addi Kate kicking on video and I have probably watched this video a MILLION times :)

Please ignore all the little dots on my belly, I am still giving Heparin shots and unfortunately, each little needle stick causes a little red dot. Be patient and you'll be able to see her move and kick a few times after I adjust the camera...

Just AMAZING!!

Baby Knight and Mommy: 29 Weeks

Good Mail Day...

We had a good mail day today!! Look what came for my Addi Kate today...

These items all came from my friend Mary Kate. I remember reading her blog and watching her journey to have a baby YEARS ago!!! And now she has boy/girl twins that are just A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E.

We will be ordering Addison's crib bedding this week...finally! Her nursery is slowly but surely coming together.

28 Weeks and an OCD Mommy...

I need to get back to doing my Baby Knight and Mommy posts, but I haven't taken any belly bump pictures lately. So I made a promise to myself to do my best to take one for next week at 29 weeks.

We hit the 28 week milestone this past Thursday...only 3 more months left!!! Where in the world has the time gone?!? Addison is still in the breech position, but we still have plenty of time for her to move into the head down position. The skin on my belly is stretched to the max and so tight that I honestly can't believe that we have three more months for her to grow. I read that babies grow 1/2 a pound a week for the last 10 weeks...which means she could gain at least 5 more pounds and Addison is ALREADY 2 pounds. So I think we are in for at least a seven or more pound baby...WOW!

I've been busily getting ready for our baby girl and my OCD is off the C.H.A.R.T.S.

I honestly hope that my OCD chills out when she gets here, because not only am I driving David nuts, but I'm actually driving myself a little crazy too :)

We attended the Parenting Class at our hospital and learned a lot of things...some of the lessons involved how to change a diaper, how to swaddle, and how to bathe your baby, and we also learned about the importance of keeping track of when she sleeps (and how long), how much she eats, and when she potties,  so we can report this to our pediatrician in her first few visits. So what else would a true OCD mommy do? Create a notebook with spreadsheets to record all these important moments of course!!

Here is Miss Addi Kate's notebook!

 I also found this adorable Etsy site that creates personalized Eat'n and Sleep'n logs...so I ordered one that looks like this...

Cute...but way over-the-top, huh??

I also ordered some dishwasher safe labels from this Etsy Site to put on Addison's bottles that look like this...

All of these items were less than $15 and will be SO worth it when our girl gets here.

I also finally added some baskets to our changing table and I love how it turned out...

I saw on several sites, like Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware, how they put jars next to the changing  pad with cotton balls, Q-tips, etc. and I found some jars that looked perfect with our table.

We're getting ready for our baby girl...even if I am a little (or a lot) on the OCD side :)

27 Weeks and Big Milestones...

This was a HUGE week for us and Addi Kate.

First, Addison got to vote...

Well, she didn't really vote, but her Mommy did :) This is a picture of us before we hit the polls on Election Day.

We also hit a major milestone this week...we are now 27 weeks pregnant (starting the third trimester).

I think the highlight of the week though was having our 4D ultrasound this morning. This sign greeted our family as we walked in the door...

We had a lot of our family there to share this precious moment with us and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

I haven't shown a bare belly shot before on the blog, but here is my belly all jellied up before the ultrasound...

Our girl did NOT want to show us her sweet little face today. For the most part she had her hands and feet covering her face like this...

 But I really didn't mind :) I could stare at this picture ALL DAY LONG. I just love her sweet little hands, fingers, feet, and toes.

We did manage to get a few of her face at the very end of the ultrasound. Look at those cheeks!!!!

It is amazing to me how you can really see some of her features. I think she looks a lot like her Daddy...especially her nose and mouth.

It was also a very emotional day...in a good way.  I was so overwhelmed with gratitude, thankfulness, and awe by this ultrasound that I just cried my little eyes. And it's funny because typing or saying how thankful I am for this baby seems like SUCH an understatement...she is the biggest and best gift I've every received in my entire life. I am so sad that the majority of this pregnancy is over because I have enjoyed every single moment of it. Although I know once Addison is born I will be even MORE overwhelmed with gratitude, thankfulness, and awe.

I don't have any idea what I did to deserve this sweet little girl, but I'm so glad God chose me to be her Mommy.

Baby Knight and Mommy: 26 Weeks

Boo!!!

Addison got to wear her first Halloween costume this week...

Happy Halloween from Addi Kate!!

Baby Knight and Mommy: 25 Weeks

More CLOTHES and Our Registry...

I know what you are thinking...does this baby girl need any more clothes?!?!?! I am actually starting to think the exact same thing :) But it was a good mail week for Addi Kate and I wanted to share a few things that we'll be adding to her wardrobe...

I found these adorable plastic bibs on Etsy and couldn't resist. Most of the bibs we have are cloth, so I know these will come in handy when she gets messy.

Aunt Lisha crocheted this hat and I can't wait to put it on Addison's little head...

Aunt Lisha will be making a few more and will hopefully sell them on Etsy soon. So let me know if you are interested...she's working on some Christmas ones too.

Jilly (my mom) found these A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E. squeaky shoes and ordered a pair for her grandbaby... 

These shoes are so cute that I can hardly stand it!!!!

D'ma (David's mom) bought Addi Kate a few outfits too. This one is Daddy's favorite...

It's her first hoodie...perfect to hang out with Daddy and just girlie enough for Mommy :)

I've GOT to slow down on the clothes, Addison won't be able to wear them all if I don't chill out...or I'll be changing her clothes two or three times a day.

We also hit a HUGE milestone this week...we completed our baby registry. I literally cried through the entire church service this weekend, just thinking and praying about how thankful I was to be able to actually register for our baby. Which explains why I look like a mess in the picture below...

We registered at Buy Buy Baby and Pottery Barn and it was SO much fun! The first time we went into Buy Buy Baby, we were both overwhelmed with ALL the items to get for the baby, so I asked several of my friends that have had babies for ideas, recommendations, and must-haves for Addison.

I made a list and checked it off as we went through the store...it was definitely a time saver and made our registry experience so easy.

We felt like we were buying a car when we got to the stroller and carseat aisle...there were SO many to choose from.

But we relied on the expertise of friends and picked out the perfect combination for Addi Kate.

Again, this was another memorable week of our pregnancy and I can't express how grateful I am to have such a blessed pregnancy and perfect baby. I hope one day that Addison will know just how much we prayed for her little life and I promise to never let a day go by without thanking God for this miracle.

Baby Knight and Mommy: 24 Weeks

Baby Knight and Mommy: 22 weeks

Tiny Dancer...

We had a very important ultrasound today. One that I want to make sure and record for Addison to read when she's the prima ballerina for one of the most prestigious ballet companies in the world!

All kidding aside (well, I'm not really kidding, but I do hope she enjoys dancing as much I do), let me explain what happened at our appointment.

Last month at our ultrasound the doctor had a hard time seeing Addi Kate's right foot. She was sitting Indian-Style and no matter what the doctor did, Addi refused to show her right foot. The doctor was very concerned about this and started telling us that there could be a possibility that she had Club Foot. I shared with the doctor that when I was a baby I was extremely Pigeon Toed and my parents put braces on me in the hopes to correct it. I wasn't really all that concerned at the time...after all, I overcame the Pigeon Toed-ness (is that even a word????) and am proud to say that I have a Bachelors Degree in Dance.

We were a bit put-off by how insistent the doctor was about Addison having a Club Foot and all the things we would have to do if this were the case. Keep in mind, this was NOT our OB...this doctor is just one of the many at our High Risk Facility and we had already heard from several friends and family that the doctors here do not have the best bedside manner.  In my mind, I kept thinking that having a Club Foot is not a life-threatening illness and as long as Addi was healthy, that's all that mattered. But I'm not going to deny the fact that I become overly protective of my baby girl and prayed and prayed and prayed that not only would she remain healthy but that at our next ultrasound she would have a perfect leg and foot.

God never disappoints.

Addi Kate was far from shy this ultrasound and showed off her pretty legs...

And if that isn't the most PERFECT right foot, I don't know what is!!!

We were also able to get a little grin out of our girl (look at those chubby cheeks)...

But this picture is by far my favorite to date...

She just looks like the sweetest little angel I've ever seen :)

Addison weighs approximately 1 pound and 4 ounces and her heart, kidneys, and brain look absolutely perfect.

I cried tears of joy today as we watched our little miracle baby dance around in my belly. She is definitely our Tiny Dancer...so bring on the dance lessons and ballet slippers!!