Week 1

At the hospital

Braylin's newborn photos....

I promise to get on here and post some photos and a baby update soon. She had her first doctor's appointment Monday and we went back today -- will post an update hopefully later today. Trying to figure out this time management thing.... taking me some time. :) For now, click here to see a few photos from her first photo shoot.

Happy Birthday Braylin!!!!!

Braylin Paige Langham
born January 28, 2008
8:07 pm
8 lb 3 oz
20 inches long

The day came exactly 1 week earlier than planned! Originally scheduled for a Feb 4th induction, Braylin decided to make an earlier appearance. And thank goodness she did, considering she wasn't exactly a feather weight.

I worked Mon and Tues, so I ran by Dr. Gayle's office Tues afternoon for my 38 week appointment. I was dilated 1cm, Braylin had come down a good bit more, and my cervix was 90% effaced. I was so excited! Then came Wednesday morning around 2:30am.... I woke up with horrible cramping in my lower back. It was bearable, so I figured I would lay there and wait for them to go away. The cramping was only happening with a contraction, but my contractions were irregular. I assumed I would go by the office in the morning and get some pain meds to hold over the cramping. From what I could tell, I was only in early labor (which can last days) so I wasn't too concerned.

Then at 3:30 when I was having contractions about every 7 minutes or so, I decided to call the labor unit to get another opinion. Angela agreed that a warm bath, two Tylenol, laying back down on my side for a little while, and kick counts would be a good start. Long story short... I was still having cramping at 8:00 so I called the doctor's office and they said to come on in. After the monitor read contractions every 1-2 minutes and my cervix had changed to 2cm, Dr. Gayle said "today's the day!" So across the hall we walked to the Labor Unit!

It felt so weird being the patient! But I have to say that it was so much fun having "my girls" take care of me!!! At 11:00, Dr. Gayle broke my water and they started the Pitocin. By 11:30 I had my epidural and was ready for an exciting day. At 3:00, I was 10cm! I couldn't believe how fast everything had happened! But then the story changes a little.... :)

Dr. Gayle wanted me to labor for another hour or so to see if Braylin would open up my pelvis a little more. He gave the go-ahead to start pushing around 4:30.... I was in stirrups and pushing at 5:00... took a break at 6:45 because the little squirt wouldn't make her way under my pelvic bone..... Dr. Gayle started the fist-in-my-stomach fundal pressure at 7:30 (still feeling that).... and at 8:07pm Braylin was born! There were several times throughout the event I just knew Dr. Gayle was going to call a c-section, but he stuck with it and sure enough she eventually made her appearance. Needless to say, I was EXHAUSTED but it was all so worth it.

I promise more photos to come...... but here's 2 for now! Jen took over 300 photos in 2 days, so I have a lot to sort thru! :)

Counting down the days

I had my 37w 6d appointment today, and I can't believe how fast this pregnancy has flown by! No dialation yet, thinned out some more, and Braylin's continued to move down a good bit. So, looks like everything's moving along well. Though I was initially hoping I'd start dialating around this time, Dr. Gayle is out of town this weekend, so I'm relieved I don't have to worry about going into labor. :)

Work has been pretty busy on the labor unit, so after two straight 12hour days of chaos I'm starting to have a hard time walking the next morning. Round ligament pain... the joys of pregnancy. :) I'm so lucky though that it didn't start until now! I feel for those women who start having it a lot earlier. Now I'll have a little more compassion for the 25 weekers who come in complaining of it.... it's not fun! Everything has gone wonderful in this pregnancy, and I can't believe how fortunate we have been. I can honestly say I've enjoyed every minute of it. I've had a wonderful pregnancy with no complications or complaints. All we can do is pray that Braylin will be a happy healthy baby!

Only 12 more days until Braylin's (scheduled) birthday! Ahhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can HARDLY wait!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Gavin!

Gavin Christopher Lauzon was born Wed, Jan 21 at 12:08pm! Rebecca made labor look easy -- she started the morning worried she wasn't going to dialate at all, then next thing I knew Gavin's heartrate was having variables and she was complaining of pain, so I checked her cervix and sure enough she was dialated to 10cm and ready to push! However, there was no pushing to it! She was so funny, popping that baby out like it was nothing.

Thanks, Rebecca and Bryan, for asking me to be your nurse -- I had so much fun being a part of your special day!!! Unfortunately, I was busy with the delivery and baby that I didn't have my camera, so I'll have to wait until they send me a picture to post. Keep Rebecca in your prayers for a speedy recovery -- though labor was easy, she had some complications afterwards so she'll be spending some extra days in the hospital. Hopefully they'll be home by Monday. As for little Gavin....ADORABLE!!!!!!

Belly photos

I've never really thought pregnant bellies were that pretty; however, I look at them totally different now, thinking about what a joy it is to carry such a precious gift inside.

I had so much fun taking maternity photos last week. I'm so glad I changed my mind about having them taken -- I know it'll be a wonderful keepsake to have from this pregnancy. I can hardly wait to see all of the images! She posted a few on her BLOG just to give me a sneak peak... I'm so impatient though, I'm ready to see them all. And to take our newborn photos once Braylin's here!

Only 3 more weeks!

Had my 36w4d appointment today, and so far everything is continuing to go well! I totally freaked out when I stepped on the scale and had gained 4 lbs since last Friday!!!! Yes, that's correct. Four pounds in five days. But Dr. Gayle assured me it's mainly fluid and not to worry. I'm up to 19 lbs now total. Better slow down on the chocolate craving I have on a 24-hour basis. :) I really don't want an enormous baby!!!

Though I'm not dilated any at this time, my cervix has thinned out and Braylin has dropped a good bit. The doctor said we've made progress, so I guess we'll wait and get the next update at next week's appointment (next Friday). I can't believe only 3 weeks and she'll be here!!! I can hardly wait -- but 3 weeks seems forever away.

Also went to a breastfeeding prenatal course tonight and got so much info! I didn't plan on attending any prenatal courses considering most of it I know from working on the labor unit (tour of the labor unit, labor & childbirth, etc), but I didn't want to miss out on the prenatal-course-experience that most first mom's go thru -- so I decided I could learn some things from the breastfeeding course. And sure enough, I did! Though I know most of it will be "learn as I go", it was fun getting a bunch of pamphlets and info on feeding a newborn. Hopefully breastfeeding will be a success. Time will tell....

It's a date!!!

I went for my 35w6d appointment yesterday, and we scheduled the induction date! Yippy! Unless Braylin decides she wants to pick her own birthday a little earlier, we are on the schedule to be induced on Wednesday, February 4th. It was such an exciting appointment! I was keeping my fingers crossed he would want to go ahead and pick an induction date. Next week the doctor will start checking my cervix, so that should be even more exciting. For now, we're just thrilled to know that whether I go into labor on my own or we end up inducing, Braylin will be here by Feb 4th. Counting down the days....

Nursery photos

I finally got around to taking some pictures of Braylin's room now that it's complete! All we're waiting on now is a baby.....

It's 2009!!!

Can you believe it's already 2009?! It doesn't seem that long ago when we were anxiously awaiting the clock to turn 2000 on New Year's... time flies when you're having fun.

Hope everyone had a wonderful New Year's. I was honestly surprised I could actually stay up until midnight. Haven't done that in a long time! Our good friends Lisa & LJ came over with their 20-month-old, and I think they were shocked to still be awake at midnight too! :)

So here we go, into a new year... lots of excitement!
1. Braylin's birthday
2. My brother-in-law Ray will be starting his final year of dental school
3. Laura is getting married!!!!!!! Ahhh!!!!!!!!! Congrats Laura & Jack!!!!!! Looking forward to finding out when and where the wedding is going to be!
4. Mom & Dad go skiing without the kiddos... ok, that's not exciting for us. But they'll have a lot of fun with their friends.
5. Jay's cousin is getting married which means a Langham family reunion
6. There's plenty more, but I can't think of them right now.... we'll have to see what 2009 brings......

Merry Christmas

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I cannot believe it's already come and gone. I was off of work all week and this weekend, except for Christmas Day. I worked 7a-3p which is a short shift and I was looking forward to spending those Christmas Day hours with two other girls I really love working with on the labor unit. We pictured a calm Christmas on the labor unit with time to read and chit-chat.... but we were so wrong. I was excited to be assigned to the laboring patient that morning; however, that delivery turned into an emergency c-section. And with only three nurses, a c-section that needed to happen within three minutes of the Dr. calling it, seven scheduled NSTs, and four walk-ins with bleeding and pain, the labor unit quickly became mass chaos. Needless to say, 3 o'clock quickly arrived, none of us had eaten lunch, and not a single patient had been charted on. We were so happy to see the next shift arrive, and our group was out of there by about 4 o'clock. So there ya go... my Christmas Day! :)

We did Christmas with my family on Christmas Eve, and it was a lot of fun. Opened Braylin's gifts (she's so spoiled -- Santa came before she's even born!), our gifts, and then went home for a little while to get ready for dinner. Then had dinner at my parents with my grandparents and Uncle Dan & Tasha. We were so glad to have my dad's parents in town this year -- it was their year to go see my cousins in New Orleans, but we got to keep them here. This year was Jen & Ray's year to spend Christmas with the Jarvis', so they drove to Houston for the holidays. Sounds like they had a lot of fun too. We are looking forward to having them next year for Braylin's first Christmas!

I also put a picture on here of my dad's new addition to his flight equipment. Kobi is modeling them for you to see. Now Kobi, Izzy, or Buster can fly in the plane -- they have doggie ear-muffs to protect their ears. I know, it's crazy... but doesn't Kobi look so cute modeling?

After work, I ran out to my parents to pick up Kobi and give them another Christmas Day hug & kiss (they had already surprised me at the hospital that morning at 6:30am to tell me Merry Christmas and bring me a hot chocolate. It made my day and was a wonderful way to start Christmas.)

Then Jay & I went to his parents (they had breakfast and Christmas with his parents & brothers that morning) for me to open my gifts from them and eat some yummy chili his dad made. They gave Braylin an adorable onesie that says "My Grandpa drives a Harley" -- will have to post a picture of it. Too cute!

Today has been dark, gloomy and windy day, so I decided to spend the day cleaning house and trying to get most of the Christmas decorations put up. However, after several hours of house-work, my 34-week pregnant belly caught up with me and I was exhausted. Today was the first time it's really hit me like that -- short of breath, ankles feeling swollen, ready to crash on the couch and watch a good movie. So that's exactly what I did. :) Just enjoying the weekend.....

Yes, I have continued to crave sweets. One of my favorites is my mom's sugar cookies. Jen & I decorated them when they were home for Thanksgiving. We had so much fun -- brought back some wonderful memories!

Glider, glider, where are you?

Well, I finished the canvas for her room and hospital door after several weeks of trying to decide how I wanted it to look. It turned out really cute and looks so adorable hanging in her room. Also, I finished the drawings above the crib a few weeks back, and after having them framed at Michaels, they are finally hanging! They just really help complete the nursery, and I can't quit walking in there to look around. I can't hold back the smile I get every time I peek into Braylin's room. Now all we need is the glider (shipped this week, so hopefully it'll get here soon) and the nursery's complete!


Little miss Braylin is moving all around in this super tight basketball I'm carrying around. Sometimes I'll just sit perfectly still so I can feel her move. That has got to be my favorite part of pregnancy! Babies are such a miracle and an amazing gift from God. Another exciting addition to the pregnancy.... contractions!

The "fake" braxton hicks contractions, of course. I'm sure I'll feel differently when the "real" ones start on her birthday. But for now, my occasional contraction reminds me that my body is starting to get ready for delivery. It's so exciting! I've already confirmed with Dr. Gayle that he doesn't have any family vacations planned the end of January or beginning of February. :) I'm shooting for week 38 or 39. Though I love the February birthstone, I'd much rather induce earlier. :) Guess we'll have to wait and see which month Braylin decides she's ready to join us!

As for now, Christmas is here and I'm LOVING every minute of it!!!! It's been so dark, cold, and drizzily the past few days -- if I could just sit at home in front of the Christmas tree and drink my hot chocolate every day from now til Christmas, I think I would. I just can't get enough of this season!!!

Hiccups at 32 weeks

I've had a number of people ask me if Braylin has had the hiccups yet, and unfortunately I've had no idea what the hiccups even feel like. Until last night! Jay was feeling her move all around, and all of sudden she was in a steady jumping-like pattern for a little while. I'm assuming it was the hiccups -- or at least it was exactly what people have been explaining it's like! It was so neat! I don't know what gets into this little booger at night, but she almost always decides to dance around my belly in the evenings. I absolutely love it!!!!! It's the best part of being pregnant!!!!

32 week update from "What to Expect..."
This week your baby is tipping the scales at almost 4lbs and topping out at just about 19inches. And growing isn't the only thing on the agenda these days. While you're busy getting everything ready for baby's arrival, baby's busy prepping for that big debut, too. In the last few weeks, it's all about practice, practice, practice, as she hones the skills needed to survive outside the womb, from swallowing and breathing to kicking and sucking. And speaking of sucking, your little one has been able to suck her thumb for a while now. Ok, maybe it's not a survival skill, but it sure is cute! Another change this week: your baby's skin is no longer see-through. As more and more fat accumulates under the skin, it's finally opaque (just like yours!).

Sarah's Book List

Since starting work on the Labor Unit, I quickly found that I was being pulled back into reading again. On weekends where things are fairly slow on the unit, the girls usually pull out a good book, relax, and read. It's a great break from a wild work week since it seems to be baby season right now. Though I've always enjoyed reading while traveling or relaxing on the beach, I've never really been a big reader. Well, besides trashy romance books. But I must say... I am LOVING it now!

It started with Water for Elephants. Not usually my type of reading, but I must admit I thought the book was great. Very entertaining.

Then I moved onto The Shack. My mom had read it and said it was wonderful, and a few girls at work said they read the whole book in one day because they couldn't seem to put it down. So I joined in, and I must agree...... wonderful book!!!! I highly recommend it -- it'll really make you stop and think....

Next, I decided to read up on baby suggestions. I tried reading Baby Wise, but I must be too stupid for that book. It seemed way over my head, and I just wasn't enjoying reading it. So...I read another book that a friend had recommended (Thank you Tracy J! I totally agree with you...it's so much better than Baby Wise!). It's called The Happiest Baby on the Block, and I absolutely loved it! I recommend it to any new (or about to me new) mom. I had to mark some of the pages though in case I forget a few tips before Braylin comes. :)

Out of Africa is next on my list. Well, actually it's the book that the book club group from work is reading, so I thought I'd try it out. I'm trying my best to get into it. I might just have to give up and watch the movie. But I'll try to give it time...

And lastly, I'm starting Twilight tonight. Honestly, when the book came out like four years ago I had no interest in it. It was written more for teenagers, and vampires haven't ever really done-it for me. But now with everyone talking about how good the movie is, I started thinking... And then Julie at work could hardly sit still talking about how much she loved the book... So I figure I'll give it a try. I know, Jennifer..... you're disappointed that I'm giving in. But no worries... if it's a good one, I think I can bring you over to the Twilight side too. :)

Guess I better get this love for reading on a roll -- once Braylin gets here I highly doubt I'll have much time for the books!

Playing catch-up....

Oh my goodness time has flown by, and I am totally slacking on my posting! Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Ours was great...well, I spent mine on the Labor Unit (working -- not due to my pregnancy) but we had a good day. No babies born but several outpatients. Since none of us wanted to eat the lovely cafeteria turkey & dressing, we had Copelands for Thanksgiving. :) And thanks to Jen & Ray for running by and seeing me, we enjoyed my mom's pumpkin cake squares for dessert. Got to spend lots of time with family over the weekend. We had a great time with Jen & Ray in town, and they finally got to feel Braylin move! Yippy!

My other excitement for the week: Jay & I decorated for Christmas!!! I just couldn't wait. Wednesday before Thanksgiving was dark, cold and rainy, so we took advantage of being off of work and decided to go ahead and decorate. This is my favorite time of year.... if only this cold weather would stick around! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will.

So we are now in our 30th week of this pregnancy. I cannot believe it! I could go on and on about how thankful I am for Braylin and for such a wonderful experience this pregnancy has been so far. I have loved every minute of it (well, my feet hurt at night after a long day at work....but I turn that into a positive by getting Jay to rub them). :)

Third trimester, here we come!

We've made it to week 28 and still going strong! Had my appointment this morning, and it was so exciting! Well, drinking the glucose-orange-slice-drink wasn't thrilling but it wasn't as bad as I expected. Passed the glucose test with flying colors, so that was a stress reliever. Next came the scales.... I've gained 14 lbs since the beginning of the pregnancy. I know that's not much but it sure seems like a TON! So far I've been fortunate and haven't gained anywhere except belly -- but it's a heavy belly to carry around all day! :) Still have ten or so weeks to go, so I guess I better get used to adding the weight on.

Everything's right on track so far, and besides being exhausted after busy busy days at work I'm feeling pretty good overall. So thankful for that! Braylin's a busy bee in my belly -- as I'm sitting here typing, I can watch my stomach move around with every move she makes. I love it and can't help but smile or laugh every time she starts her wiggling.

The most exciting part is that I'll start going to the doctor every two weeks now!!! Ahhh!!!! That makes it seem even closer to delivery time. I was so excited when he said that. Time has just flown by!

More good news.... going to have an ultrasound done tomorrow. Can hardly wait to see Braylin! It's been so busy at work lately we haven't gotten a chance to do an ultrasound on the labor unit so I'm looking forward to it!

28 week update from "What to Expect When You're Expecting":
This week your amazing baby has reached 2.5lbs and may be almost 16inches long. Baby's skill of the week: blinking. Yes, along with the other tricks in a growing repertoire that already includes coughing, sucking, hicupping, and taking practice breaths, your baby can now blink those sweet little eyes. Dreaming about your baby? Baby may be dreaming about you, too, courtesy of the REM sleep she has started getting. But this little dreamer isn't ready for birth day just yet. Though her lungs are nearly fully mature by now (making it easier for her - and you - to breathe a little easier if she were born now), your baby still has a lot of growing to do.

Welcome to the world Elyse!

Well, if you already read the below post about Melissa, here's an update..... Elyse Suzanne Simmons is here! She was born at 5:09pm and weighs 6lb 9oz. I'm waiting for a picture, Laura! Hurry up and get there so we can see this little cutie pie! Three and a half weeks early, but Chris' text said that baby and momma are doing well. Yippy! Now they can come to Shreveport for Christmas so we can meet her!

Silent Labor, what?!

Ok, so I hope Melissa doesn't mind me telling this story...I know I'd be bragging if it was me! Though I can hope and wish and pray my labor goes like hers, I think she is just the lucky one-in-a-million.

We have some very good family friends, the Lewis', who we were always traveling with or having crawfish nights with since Laura & I were in elementary school. Oh the memories! Laura's sister Melissa and her husband are expecting their first baby, Elyse -- her due date is early December (I think around Dec 8th or so). So Melissa goes into her regular Ob appointment today and what-do-ya-know.... she's dilated to 5cm. Not 1 or 2 cms like most first timers.... FIVE!!! Yes previous pregnant ladies, it is true. Dilated to 5 cm and had absolutely no discomfort or pain. She had no idea! Now don't we all wish we could get to 5cm, be admitted to the labor unit, have an IV & fluids started, break our water, and still not need an epidural?! It's called silent labor, and I've only seen a few patients on our labor unit with this lucky streak. But being the smart thing she is, Melissa is going ahead and getting her epidural for when those contractions really kick in.

So now we sit and wait for little Elyse to decide to make her appearance into the world! I'm so excited for Melissa and Chris (and Aunt Laura and the grandparents) I can hardly stand it!!!!!! And since they live in Houston, all we little Shreveporters can do is wait on some pictures!!!!

Clumsy at 27 weeks

I seem to have become stupid as this pregnancy flies by. All of a sudden I'm having trouble thinking of words I'm trying to say, or I totally lose my train of thought in the middle of a sentence! What in the world?! For example, I typed the second sentence above and when I read over it I had typed "foods" instead of "words". I'm becoming stupid. Hopefully that'll disappear after pregnancy. :)

I'm so excited to report that I scheduled my maternity pictures!!! Yippy!!! I wasn't going to take any, but the girls at work continued to insist. Plus, I know two people who had them done and they were absolutely beautiful. So I figured I should take a few so I at least have this time saved as a memory. However, the negative side of having maternity pictures made.... I'm now stressing that my belly button is going to pop out and/or I'll have stretch marks by the time it's picture time. We don't take them until early January -- she wanted to wait until I am around 35 weeks. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed my belly continues to behave. And we tentatively scheduled newborn pictures!!!! Oh my gosh, I can hardly wait!!!!

Update from "What to Expect When You're Expecting..."
Your baby graduates onto a new growth chart this week. No longer will she be measured crown to rump, but rather from head to toe. And this week that head-to-toe length is a full 15 inches (more than a foot long!). Your baby's weight is creeping up the charts as well, coming in at just over 2 lbs. And here's an interesting fetal factoid: Your baby has more taste buds now than she will have at birth. Which means that not only is your baby able to taste the difference in the amniotic fluid when you eat different foods, she might even react to it. For instance, some babies respond to spicy foods by hiccupping. Or by kicking when they get that spicy kick.

Shower Pics

Here's a few pictures from the shower.... starting with me, my mom & the hostesses!

4 years together

Today is our four year wedding anniversary and what a wonderful one to celebrate! I am so thankful to have Jay in my life, and I have loved every day with him. Four years sure did fly by quickly. This anniversary is even better than ones before since now we can celebrate our little miracle together. We are both so excited to have Braylin on the way -- starting a family together is such a blessing. Tonight we're going to Tokyo for dinner (it's one of my favorites but we never go!) and then we can also count next weekend as an anniversary gift. We'll be in Dallas for a quick getaway trip. The King Tut exhibit is in Dallas until May '09, so we are so excited to be getting to go see that! It hasn't been in the U.S. since the '70s, so I'm ecstatic we are able to go.

Shower time!

Baby shower, that is. Six of my mom's closest girl friends hosted a shower this past weekend, and oh what fun it was!!! I cannot begin to tell you how much fun I had. The brunch food was absolutely delicious, and the decorations were so pretty & adorable. The "Braylin Paige" M&Ms in the booties and diapers were so cute. Braylin is a spoiled rotten little girl and she's not even born yet! We had a wonderful turn out and received tons of baby gifts. Thank you so much to everyone!!!!! And special thank yous to Mrs. Lewis, Mrs. Austin, Mrs. Davis, Mrs. Foster, Mrs. Olive and Heather for throwing such a special shower!!!

Jay was a little overwhelmed, I think, when I came home with a SUV full of gifts, but we are gradually getting it all put away in Braylin's room. Clothes, bibs, burp cloths, hooded towels, diaper genie, toys, diaper bags, peanut shell, and the list goes on and on and on. Of course I spent that afternoon washing everything in Dreft which was so much fun because then I got to look at everything again and organize her little drawers with her little clothes.

I am most definitely planning a photo shoot in the nursery tonight so that I can post pics of the nursery and some goodies we got! It is just all so very cute! For now, just give me a little longer.... I promise to post some pictures!

26 weeks

From "What to Expect...."

Next time you're browsing thru the meat department, pick up a 2-pound chuck roast just so you can get a sense of how big your baby is this week. (I don't really like that analogy -- I can think of a few things that sound better than a chuck roast baby.) Your baby now weighs about 2 lbs and measures in at 9-plus inches long. Another momentous development: your baby's eyes are beginning to open. The eyelids have been fused for the past few months so that the retina could develop. The colored part of the eye (the iris) still doesn't have much pigmentation, so it's too early to start guessing baby's eye color. Still, she is now able to see -- though there's not much to see in the dark confines of her uterine home. But with the heightened sense of sight and hearing that she now possesses, you may notice an increase in activity when your baby sees a bright light or hears a loud noise. In fact, if a loud vibrating noise is brought close to your belly, she will respond by blinking and startling.

Hello outside world

I know I have a lot of fun updating the blog every so often, but I have no idea who all is reading it! I've seen other blogs before ask for a "roll call", so let's try it. Several people have mentioned that they've been reading and getting occasional updates, but I had no idea! So come on everyone...let's tell who we are! I'd absolutely LOVE to know who's been keeping up with the blog. Pregnancy is so much fun when you have family and friends supporting you, so thank you to all who sign on to read our blog occasionally!!!!! You make this an absolute blast!!!!!!!

Baby's first laundry

I know, I know...it's only October. But we just couldn't resist the urge to wash some baby clothes in Dreft. At least if November, December and January are wild and crazy, Braylin will have clean clothes when she arrives! :)

My dad was in Nebraska this past weekend on a hunting trip, so I stayed with my mom Friday and Saturday night. I loaded up all of Braylin's clothes, gowns, blankets, etc, and into the washing machine they went. Since it's my first baby and I'm sure I have the overly-excited-jitters with all of this baby stuff, I bought the good stuff -- Dreft. I tried my best to buy the cheaper generic baby detergent brand, but I just couldn't do it. Maybe when I get ready to wash her dirty things EVERY DAY I'll give in. But for now, just let me do the crazy first-mom stuff. I'm sure I'll grow out of it in short timing :)

Nursery... in progress....

We are 25 weeks already! Can you believe it?! Time continues to fly by, and though I'm super ready for Braylin to get here, I don't want the pregnancy to end. It's been so much fun and so very exciting.

Jay finished painting the nursery last weekend, and all of the furniture is in place. Well, all except the glider...it should be here in the next three or four weeks. Can hardly wait! I'm busy painting her letters to put above her crib and her canvas for the hospital door (and eventually nursery wall). I feel like my belly has shot out over night and I love it! It keeps growing and growing and growing and getting tighter (is that a word?) and tighter and tighter. People are definitely getting "pat the belly" happy -- I feel like everyone who walks up to me can't resist the urge to put their hands on my belly. Luckily I'm not one of those people who mind -- I absolutely love it! But I can definitely see how those of you who do mind the belly patting (during pregnancy, of course) couldn't handle it. :)

25 week update from "What to Expect..."
Baby's growing by leaps and bounds (and inches and ounces), this week reaching 9 inches in length and more than 1.5lbs in weight. And there are exciting developments on the horizon, too. Capillaries are forming under the skin and filling with blood. By week's end, air sacs lined with capillaries will also develop in your baby's lungs, getting them ready for that first breath of fresh air. Mind you, those lungs aren't ready for prime-time breathing yet - and they have a lot of maturing left to do before they will be. Though they're already beginning to develop surfactant, a substance that will help them expand after birth, your baby's lungs are still too undeveloped to sufficiently send oxygen to the bloodstream and release carbon dioxide from the blood (aka breathe). And talking about breathing, your baby's nostrils, which have been plugged up until now, are starting to open up this week. This enables your baby to begin taking practice "breaths." Your baby's vocal cords are functioning now, leading to occasional hiccups (which you'll certainly be feeling).

Already 24 weeks?!

Oh my goodness... time is flying by! We have been having so much fun getting Braylin's room ready. Jay painted last weekend, and Jen came to town and we did some nursery-shopping. Ordered the glider, and I can hardly wait for it to come in. I have my handy list going of what we have left to do, and I'm gradually checking things off! Though I am super ready for February to come, I wish time would slow down a little so I can soak up every second of this pregnancy. It has been so wonderful and before we know it, it'll be time for Braylin.

I think Kobi is preparing himself for our addition to the family. He spends a good bit of time in the nursery. I'm sure it's because he's ready for his little "sister" and not because it's the only big open floorspace in the house for him to throw his bones around on. We'll see how he does as we gradually fill the room with baby things and toys. For now we'll just let him keep thinking he's the baby of the house.

Going to the doctor on Wednesday for our 24w4d appointment. Can hardly wait! I'm really showing now -- enough that strangers are asking me if it's a boy or girl. And you know you're showing when your patients' family members are asking about the pregnancy, and you're wearing scrubs! I'm actually showing enough to tell thru my scrubs. It's so much fun! My maternity jeans finally came in today and I'm in love. I would wear jeans every day if I could, so I'm so excited that I found some absolutely adorable maternity jeans. I think I'll need several pairs....

Here's our 24 week update from "What to Expect..."
At a weight of about 1.5 lbs and a length of about 8.5 inches, your baby has outgrown the fruit references and is now the size of a standard letter (but would take a lot more than a standard stamp to mail). Baby's weekly weight gain is now about 6 ounces -- not quite as much as you're putting on, but getting a lot closer. Much of that weight is coming from accumulating baby fat, as well as from growing organs, bones, and muscle. By now, your baby's tiny face is almost fully formed, and achingly adorable -- complete with a full set of eyelashes and eyebrows and a good sprinkling of hair on that head (who wants to bet that Braylin doesn't have hair?). Is your baby a brunette or a blond? Actually, right now she's snow white, since there's no pigment in that hair just yet.

Braylin's Nursery

As I posted earlier in the month, I had picked out the crib bedding from Serena & Lily and was absolutely thrilled! That is, until I unpacked it from the delivery box. The bumper was so washed-out looking -- the lilac and green designs were so light that the bumper almost looked solid white. So, I sent it back and fell in love with another one.

I ended up finding it at Pottery Barn Kids, and I knew it was "the one" as soon as I saw it in their fall catalog. It's still the same color scheme, but the purples and greens are brighter and so much more fun to work with. The bumper is the quilted design on one side and solid green on the other, the crib sheet is the white with polka dots, and the dust ruffle (which barely even shows thru my crib slats) is purple & white check. I put some pics from their website, but it doesn't show it on the crib -- only a "big person" bed. And we won't be painting funky purple flowers on the wall like the bottom picture shows. :) Just solid light purple walls.

Braylin's 22 week photoshoot

14 ultrasound pictures later, here are the few that you can really tell what you are looking at . . .

First one: back of her head and her left ear.
Then, she's showing off her 22 week flexibility -- her leg is by her face!
The third one shows both hands and one foot by her face.
Then she decides to suck on her toes for a minute.
And lastly, her profile. I just love the profile pics!

A little kick for daddy

So we're sitting on the couch last night watching the Saints game, and Braylin begins moving around. (I'm sure it's because she was so upset that the Saints were obviously dominating the game but they just weren't reflecting that on the scoreboard.) I could look down at my belly and see it move! I was so excited, so Jay put his hand there but no movement....so we tried a little later (when it looked like the Saints just might end up winning) and still no luck. And then it happened -- Jay's hand was on my belly just waiting for a little movement and sure enough! It was just a little one-time kick but it was so exciting. Now we both can hardly wait for him to get to feel her again. What an amazing experience!

22 weeks

Update from "What to Expect..."

Forget about ounces, baby. This week, we're talking a whopping weight of 1 pound and a length of nearly 8 inches, about the size of a small doll. But your doll is a living one -- with developing senses, including touch, sight, hearing and taste. What's your baby touching? He or she may grab onto the umbilical cord and practice the strong grip that will soon be clutching your fingers (and pulling your hair). What's your baby seeing? Though it's dark in the uterine cocoon -- and even with fused eyelids -- fetuses this age can perceive light and dark. If you shine a flashlight over your belly, you might feel your baby react, perhaps trying to turn away from the "bright" light. What's your baby hearing? The sound of your voice and that of your partner, your heart beating, the whoosh-whoosh of your blood circulating through your body, those gastric gurgles in your stomach, the dog barking, sirens, a loud TV. What what's your baby tasting? Pretty much everything you're tasting.

One excitement after another

It sure seems like a lot has gone on since last time I posted! Where do I begin...

1) First, I'll start with the fact that I have been feeling baby Langham a little more now. When I say "a little more" that's exactly what I mean... though it's been exciting, I want to feel her more often! It's been fun at night to lay down and try to feel the little flutters, but I'm ready to feel her move during the day when I'm not expecting it. (Someone be sure to remind me of this post when she's kicking my ribs in a few months.) I have to admit that it's probably not good being an L&D nurse while you're pregnant -- I tend to worry more than I should. Everyone keeps telling me how they felt their baby move around 16 weeks, and here I am at 20w5d and still barely feeling her. So, leave it to mom.... I'd go a day or so and not feel anything and then start worrying, so my mom surprised me with a rent-by-the-month doppler. Isn't that hysterical? She rented it this month, and I figure by next month I'll be feeling baby more so we can quit the rental. :) But it has been so much fun letting my family hear the heartbeat!

2) Another fun baby adventure...registering! Jay and I went to Burlington last Friday to start putting some things on a registry, but unfortunately their system was down. So we'll have to do that one another time. However, my crib mattress came in at Ladies in Waiting yesterday, so my mom & I went and picked it up while she was out running around in the SUV. Crib mattresses are larger than you think! And while we were there..... I decided to go ahead and register! I figured Jay wouldn't mind if I registered at that particular store without him. It was so much fun!!! I can hardly wait to register some more!

3) Next on the baby adventure list: We picked a name for baby girl Langham! After hours and hours of playing with baby name books and baby name websites, Jay ended up being the brains behind our name decision. He pulled both the first and middle name out of thin air, and for the past few weeks we've been testing it out. We even spent last Friday night throwing out other names, but we both just kept going back to this one. So here ya go...We've had fun calling her by name instead of "it" or "baby" -- she finally has a name!

Braylin Paige Langham

4) I ordered the crib bedding! So excited and can hardly wait for it to come in. I know, I know...it's only September, but I can hardly wait to see how everything looks together. Still need to pick a wall paint because the current wall color doesn't do much for the bedding I chose. But here are my pattern colors. I need Aunt Jennifer to hurry up and make a trip up here to help me with her niece's nursery!!!!

5) Today's baby update: We had our detailed anatomical ultrasound this morning, and everything looked great. The ultrasound tech measured the fluid levels, measured the organs and bones, confirmed again that it's a girl, and said Braylin looks good and healthy! She weighs 15 ounces. Now we'll just keep watching her grow each month!

20 weeks

We're half way thru! I can't believe how fast time has flown by. It seems like it wasn't too long ago that we found out we were pregnant, and now look at us.... twenty weeks along! We go to the doctor on Thursday for the anatomical ultrasound. So excited about that! The ultrasound tech will do a detailed ultrasound to make sure everything is looking good at this point. They let us bring a VHS tape and DVD disk to put in the ultrasound machine to record it all, so I'm thrilled about that! What an awesome thing to have recorded!

Here's the 20 week excerpt from "What to Expect When You're Expecting":
You've got a baby the size of a small cantaloupe in your melon-size belly this week, about 10 ounces and 6.5 inches crown to rump. Your ultrasound this month should be able to detect whether your baby is a boy or a girl (it's a girl!). And oh girl, that baby has been busy. If you're having a girl, her uterus is fully formed, her ovaries are holding about 7million eggs, and her vaginal canal is starting to develop. (I'm skipping the "boy" information.) Luckily for your baby, she still has plenty of room in your womb, which means there's plenty of space for twisting, turning, kicking, punching, and even an occasional somersault. If you haven't felt these acrobatics yet, you almost certainly will in the coming weeks.

Baby shopping....I can't seem to stop!

It's so crazy how knowing the gender makes it all seem so much more real. I admire those who wait to find out at delivery if they're having a boy or girl, but God just didn't give me that quality of patience. It's been so much fun knowing what I'm shopping for!

Spent Friday with Jay running around to a few baby stores, then Jay had to go paint a room at his parent's house so I joined my parents and we went & played at Burlington. We had fun figuring out the stroller travel systems -- glad my dad was there to figure out how they work! For those of you with babies, what type of stroller did you end up getting? I'm trying to decide between Graco and Chicco.

Then I spent Saturday with Jay's mom running by Ladies in Waiting and Carter's. We had a fun day and came home with lots of baby clothes. All of which happen to be pink. :) My mom had been to Toy Fair that day, and she couldn't resist the urge to buy -- so baby girl Langham got even MORE clothes that were adorable! I've had so much fun going in the nursery and looking at it all!

Looking forward to my fabric swatches coming in the mail tomorrow so I can finalize my crib bedding pattern. Hope it's as cute as the magazine/website shows! It's so nice having a sister who's a designer -- makes this nursery decorating so much more fun!

IT'S A GIRL !!!!!!!!!

We had an ultrasound today, and it's definitely a GIRL!!!!! We are so excited. I apologize in advance that this is short & sweet, but I'm working this weekend... so just got home a little while ago, calling family, grabbing a bite of supper and having to get to bed early to start an early work day tomorrow. But I'll post a better one tomorrow night or Monday. We are just so so so excited!!!!! Time to work on names and start buying pink stuff. :)

Saints Baby

My mom gave Jay this adorable burp cloth just in time for the big game last Sunday. Isn't it adorable?! I'm sure it brought the team good luck since they happened to pull thru at the end and beat Tampa Bay. Whether it's a boy or girl, baby Langham will drool black and gold.

(FYI: she got it from The Monogram Pear)

I felt Baby Langham!

The day finally came! I have been trying for a few weeks to really try and feel baby Langham move around, but I just wasn't having any luck. Until two night ago. I was lying in bed reading my new book and what-do-ya-know... I felt a little flutter. Then yesterday evening I felt an even more apparent movement. Unfortunately it's still a little too early for Jay to get to feel anything, so for now I just have to try to describe it to him. But for those of you who have had babies, how in the world do you describe it?! It's such an unbelievable feeling. A little flutter here, a little turning feeling there...whatever the case, I am so excited!

More exciting news: a friend of mine, Rebecca, found out yesterday that they are having a boy, which officially means that the Chinese Calendar was wrong. :) Congrats Rebecca and Bryan!

We are in the 5th month now! Time is flying by! Now for my weekly update... here's the 18 week info from "What to Expect When..."
At 5.5 inches long and about 5 ounces in weight (as much as that chicken breast you're having for dinner but a lot cuter), your baby is filling out nicely and getting large enough that you might even be feeling those twists, rolls, kicks, and punches he or she is perfecting. (yippy! I can feel that now!) Another set of skills your baby is mastering now is yawning and hiccuping (you might even begin to feel those hiccups soon). And your one-of-a-kind baby is truly one of a kind now, complete with unique fingerprints on his/her fingertips and toes.

Feeling GREAT

Heather gave me "The Pregnancy Book", and I've had so much fun reading thru it. It's right-on with how I'm feeling starting month #5. Several people told me that you feel like your old self again during the second trimester, and it's so true! I have way more energy than I did, I'm not having to eat every hour to fill my tummy, no more headaches, and the list goes on. I feel great! Now if only I could kick this sweets craving I have at all hours of the day.

The book starts my next chapter with the title "The Fifth Month - Obviously Pregnant". And that's so true too! Or at least I feel like it. My clothes are sticking out over my pregnant pooch, and I love it! I think I'm moving on past the "is she pregnant or just ate a gigantic meal?" phase and moving into the "I think she's pregnant" phase.

The Monogram Pear

We have some friends, Katie and her mom Kak, who started a fun business! If you're looking for some really super cute monogrammed things, be sure to check out themonogrampear.blogspot.com. I've already had way too much fun picking out stuff for baby Langham! They've got some adorably creative things.

17 Weeks with Nursery Furniture

So it's only Sept 2nd, and we already have our nursery furniture!!! I know, I know... it's a little early. But once we picked out what we wanted, the lady at the store said it was a popular design and may take longer than usual (12 weeks or so). Four weeks later, our furniture is in! I have to say, however, that I absolutely LOVE already having it in the nursery. I cleaned it all up a few nights ago and started putting some things away, and now I can't quit going in there and just sitting on the floor to stare at it all. Can hardly wait to get bedding and other baby stuff to fill it all up!

Also, for all of you Kobi lovers out there, I have good news. Mom, Jen and I plugged in the CD player in the nursery yesterday and turned on the "Dog Meet Baby" CD. After a few sniffs and paws at the player, the baby sounds didn't even bother Kobi. Matter of fact, he ended up curling up on the floor by the CD player. So I think there's hope! :)

I cannot believe how much I'm starting to show! It sure seems like in the past week my belly has really started to shoot out. I LOVE IT!!!! I just wish I could feel baby move! I keep trying and trying but just can't seem to feel her/him yet. I'm so ready to feel that first flutter!

Here's our 17 week post from "What to Expect When You're Expecting"
Take a look at your hand. Your baby is about palm-size now, with a crown-to-rump length of 5 inches and an approximate weight of 5 (or more) ounces. Body fat is beginning to form, but your little one is still quite skinny, with skin that is practically translucent. This week, your baby is all about practice, practice, practice in preparation for birth. One important skill baby is sharpening now: sucking and swallowing - to get ready for that first (and second...and third) suckle at breast or bottle. Your baby's heart rate is regulated by the brain (no more spontaneous beats) and clocks in at 140 to 150 beats per minute (roughly twice your own heart rate).

Breaking the news to Kobi...

For any of you who haven't had the pleasure of meeting Kobi, you are truly missing out. At least that's what Kobi and I think! :)

Kobi is definitely one of the most spoiled rotten dogs you have probably been around. Jay makes fun of his weekly "schedule" (doggie daycare on Mon & Tues, G&G on Wed, my parent's house with their maid on Thur, home on weekend), but Kobi thinks it's wonderful. However, I must admit that he does kind of have a grumpy side. Not a mean side, just a grumpy side. He tends to pout a lot and growl a lot when he gets jealous. So, needless to say, we had to find a little way to "break the news" to him about this little baby that's on the way.

TaDa! Dog Meet Baby to the rescue. Though Kobi wasn't nearly as excited to see his gift arrive in the mail today, I certainly was. We are going to start with the basics.... baby sounds. Crying, cooing, whimpering, starting to cry, screaming, etc. I figure we'll start with the simple baby sounds, and then gradually work our way to baby smells, and finally the baby! I'm hoping for positive results... so wish us luck. :)

Shy baby

We had our 16week 4day appointment today, and we got to do another ultrasound! I'll start out by saying "No - we do not know the sex of the baby yet", but it was so neat seeing our little one flipping around. The appointment was for measuring and doppler, but I used my sweet voice and got Dr. Gayle to go ahead and take a peak. After 20 minutes of ultrasound time, still no luck... baby Langham was a little too shy to show his/her privates. Dr. Gayle tried three different times, but still no luck. Looks like we're not suppose to know yet!

Despite that, Dr. Gayle did a full ultrasound so we could see everything else. We could see.... the stomach which means no swallowing atresia or fistula problems, 4 chamber heart which means no septal defects or valve disorders, ocular lens which means eyes developed properly, counted the extremity bones so no malformations there, looked at fingers and toes which means no webbing, umbilical cord connected properly with two arteries and a vein which means oxygen and nutrients are flowing properly, and lips and gums showed no cleft lip or palate. So to sum it all up, so far everything looks great! We had already decided we'd do the quad screen (bloodwork) today just for precautions, but it made me feel good to know Dr. Gayle isn't too worried about that coming back with any problems after seeing the ultrasound. Hopefully everything will continue to go great!

Throughout this whole "evaluation" as baby moved around and changed positions constantly, he kept looking to see if just maybe we could see some private parts, but no luck. Baby loved leaving the umbilical cord between its legs. Jay and I LOVED seeing baby Langham move around all over the place. Dr. Gayle kept laughing because the little booger wouldn't stay still. He/she finally went into a sleep cycle, but that only lasted a few minutes. It was very entertaining! I've posted all three ultrasound pics from today -- the top one is a close-up, the middle is my favorite, and the bottom one is baby sucking his/her thumb. Isn't that neat?!

16 weeks and larger clothes

Well, we've reached the 16 week mark! I can't believe how fast my tummy has started to show baby Langham just over the past week or so. Had so much fun this weekend at the Boardwalk in the baby stores. My mom and I couldn't hold back and had to buy a few little baby gowns. Then we made our way to the store Motherhood so we could purchase a belly band. It's my new favorite clothing item! Since most of my pants won't button, I'm loving being able to wear my pants unbuttoned with the band over them instead of moving straight into maternity clothes. Since everything still fits great except thru the belly, so this band is coming in handy.

Here's my weekly update from "What to Expect..."
With a whopping weight of anywhere from 3 to 5 ounces and a crown-rump length of 4 to 5 inches, your baby is growing up fast. Muscles are getting stronger (you'll start to feel movement in a few weeks), especially the back muscles, enabling your little one to straighten out even more. Your baby-to-be is looking more and more adorable, with a face that has eyes (complete with eyebrows and eyelashes) and ears in the right spots. What's more, those eyes are finally working! Yes, it's true: Your baby's eyes are making small side-to-side movements and can even perceive some light, though the eyelids are still sealed. Your baby is also becoming more sensitive to touch. In fact, he/she will even squirm if you poke your belly.

15 weeks

I cannot believe how fast these first 15 weeks have flown by! They have been so much fun and so exciting, and baby Langham is growing fast. I'm kind of in that "have a belly bump but looks more like fat than pregnancy" phase. I love having a little belly bump but I'm so ready for it to "look" like I'm pregnant -- I know people who see me in public are thinking I just finished a huge meal and/or need to be getting some serious exercise. Still haven't taken a belly picture yet -- we keep meaning to but then we forget...and then another week's gone by! For those of you who have been reading my weekly updates from my pregnancy book... I thought we had officially moved out of the produce section, but it looks like week 15 is a navel orange (I'm not exactly sure the difference in a navel orange and a regular orange, but I'm sure my smart big-word sister will let me know). So here's this week's excerpt from "What to Expect When..."

Your baby, who measures 4.5 inches this week and weighs around 2 to 3 ounces, is about the size of a navel orange (Jen, please call me and explain). Looking more and more like the baby you're picturing in your dreams, his/her ears are positioned properly on the sides of the head (they used to be in the neck), and the eyes are moving from the side of the head to the front of the face. By now your baby has the coordination, strength, and smarts to wiggle his/her fingers and toes and even suck a thumb. But that's not all your baby can do now. He/she can also breathe (or at least make breathing movements), suck, and swallow -- all in preparation for the big debut and life outside the womb. And though it's unlikely that you'll be feeling any movements from your little one this week, your baby is certainly getting a workout -- kicking, flexing, and moving those arms and legs.

14 weeks... & another ultrasound!

Yesterday I was at work, and a few of the girls kept trying to get me to let them do an ultrasound on me. So, being the weak person that I am (and the extremely excited pregnant person that I am), I gave in! The only ultrasound we had was at 7 weeks, and though I was going crazy to do another one, I didn't want to risk finding out the sex without Jay there. So I made a deal with the girls...if they could definitely tell, I didn't want them to tell me but I'd make an appointment at Dr. Gayle's so we could look again and Jay could be there. But despite the fifteen minutes of picture time, baby Langham wasn't ready to show his/her true colors. Guess we'll be waiting a few more weeks.

I have to admit, it probably didn't help that every time I looked at the ultrasound screen, an extremity would go flying across the screen and I'd start laughing uncontrollably. I tried looking away, but I kept picturing the right arm swinging towards his/her head like he/she was scratching it -- which led to more laugher. Then he/she kept kicking it's feet out, and I don't know why but it was just all so funny to me! It was so neat seeing all of that move for the first time! I can hardly wait for Jay to see all of the movement. I find myself throughout the day looking down at my belly bump and picturing that little baby moving so much inside. What an amazing thing!

From "What to Expect..."
Beginning in the second trimester, fetuses (like the children they'll eventually become) start growing at different paces, some faster than others, some more slowly. Despite the differences in growth rates, all babies in utero follow the same developmental path. This week, that path is leading your baby - who is about the size of your clenched fist - toward a straighter position as the neck is getting longer and the head more erect. And on top of that cute little head, your baby might actually be sprouting some hair. Eyebrow hair is also filling in about now, as is body hair called lanugo. Don't worry, it's not permanent. This downy coating of hair is there to keep your baby warm for now - like a furry blanket. As baby fat accumulates later on in your pregnancy, most of that hair will be shed - though some babies, especially those born early, still have a temporary fuzzy coating at delivery.

60 years of marriage

Last Saturday evening, we had a surprise anniversary party for my grandparents. 60 years together! Isn't that wonderful?! My dad's brother and wife came in town from New Orleans along with two of my cousins AND Jen & Ray. My other set of grandparents were there, and as the main surprise, my grandmother's 2 sisters came in town from Waco, TX. My parents had planned a big dinner at The Mabry House, complete with a wedding cake and an unbelievable scrapbook that my mom put together for them. It included pictures from when they were first dating, their houses they lived in over the years, their churches, pictures from their boys growing up, their grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and kept going all the way until now. It was so much fun to look through, and it brought back wonderful memories from our trips to Houston to visit them. One of the neatest things was the box of cards they received. My parents had sent out letters to their friends, family, etc letting them know about the upcoming 60th anniversary, and asking if anyone wanted to send a card. They received over 60 cards and letters for my grandparents to read. What a special gift! Congratulations Grandmother and Grandaddy Gene!

Last week of 1st Trimester!!!

I loved this week's excerpt from my pregnancy book. It says...

As your first trimester comes to a close, your fetus (who seems to be working its way thru the produce section) has reached the size of a peach, about 3 inches long. Your baby's head is now about half the size of his/her crown to rump length, but that cute little body is picking up steam and will continue growing overtime (at birth, your baby will be one-quarter head, three-quarters body). Meanwhile, your baby's intestines, which have been growing inside the umbilical cord, are now starting their trek to their permanent position in your baby's abdomen. Also developing this week: your baby's vocal cords (the better to cry with...soon!).

working.... then resting

I had to spend today recuperating from the three 12-hour shifts I worked during the weekend, but it was well worth it. A good excuse to stay inside out of the heat. It was so nice finally working full time on the Labor Unit. Had several babies over the weekend, but most of the excitement came from the swarm of pregnant women who came in swearing they were in labor but actually just needed water! What is up with people thinking drinking two bottle waters a day is enough hydration? Even if you're NOT pregnant, I sure hope you drink more water than that! So, here we had a floor full of women (who are already dehydrated somewhat due to pregnancy) who swore up and down they were drinking tons of water -- but when asked how much "tons" is, I had to hold back laughter. Was a very good weekend though, and I learned a lot!

When I read the pregnancy books and hear people talk about when they were pregnant, it's so exciting. But it just really hits home thinking about everything that goes on in the development of that baby. We were talking on the Labor Unit over the weekend how we don't know how anyone can have a child and not thank God every day for such an awesome miracle. No matter how many births I watch or assist in, I still get chill-bumps every time a child is born. Even after a baby has fully developed in its mamma over those 40 weeks (that's a miracle in itself!), the turns and twists it knows how to take so perfectly during labor and delivery is just simply remarkable. Scrubbing in to assist the MDs in delivery (while I was nurse assistant) allowed me to learn the delivery process up close & personal -- now I get to be the nurse and focus on the mom & dad. I love being a part of someone's "best day of my life" experience.

I LOVE MY JOB!!!!!