I can't believe it!!!

I can't believe that I am just 2-3 weeks away from my life never being the same.

I can't believe that God chose me and has entrusted me with the most amazing responsibility and blessing... TO BE A MOM!!!

I can't wait to look into his eyes and know that he grew inside me for 9 months-10 to be honest!

I cant wait to feel a love like I never have before.

I can't wait to see Brad hold OUR son!

I can't wait to share our good news with all of our family and friends.

I can't wait to just know that feeling that everyone talks about. All I have ever wanted was to be a mommy and I can't believe that it is almost here.

I am blessed, honored, humbled, and thankful to my Lord and Savior for making every step of this journey possible. I pray that God gives me the wisdom to make choices for our family that make us examples to others.

THE COST OF A CHILD

I stumbled across this on another person's blog and thought I would share this with everyone:

The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140.00 for a middle income family.

Talk about price shock!! That doesn't even touch college tuition. But $160,140.00 really isn't that bad if you break it down. It translates into:

• $8,896.66 per year
  
• $741.38 per month
• $171.08 per week
• $24.24 per day JUST OVER A DOLLAR AN HOUR!!!

Still you might think the best financial advice is; don't have children if you want to be "rich," Actually it is just the oppostire if oyu ask me! I get to look forward to the following with my little boy!

Here is what I will get for my $160,140.00.

• Naming rights-First , middle and last name
• Glimpses of God everyday-my little boy is a gift from God!!!
• Giggles under the covers every night
• Butterfly kisses
• Endless wonder over rocks, ants, dirt and Nana/Gran's home-ade cookies
• A hand to hold usually covered with dirt, chocolate, or jelly.
• A partner to blow bubbles, play catch, and roll around in the dirt.
• Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said.

For $160,140.00 you never have to grow up.

You get to:

• finger paint
• carve pumpkins
• play hide and seek
• catch lightening bigs
• never stop believing in Santa Claus

You have an excuse to:

• keep reading the Curious George
• watch Saturday morning cartoons-this has never stopped Brad
• go to see Disney movies-these are better anyways!
• wish on stars
• You get to frame rainbows, hearts and flowers under the refrigerator magnets and collect spray noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.

For a mere $24.24 a day, there is no greater bang for your buck.

You get to be a hero just for:

• retrieving a frisbee off the roof
• taking the training wheels off a bike
• removing a splinter
• filling a wading pool
• coaching a baseball team that never wins but always get treated to ice cream regardless

You get a front row seat in history to witness the

• the first step
• first word
• first date
• first time behind the wheel

You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree-and if you are lucky-a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, and communications that no college can match.

In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!!

MATERNITY PICS

Baby Shower #3

I had a shower this past Sunday.  It was AMAZING!!  There were so many people that came-I was super excited.  Braden got so many things-he is going to look so cute in all his baseball outfits. He got a ton of things-baby lotion, shampoo, diapers, burp clothes, receiving blankets, diaper caddy, blankets, pillows, shoes, car seats, pack and play, everything-you name it Braden got it and what we didn't get we have gift cards to cover it.  Here are a few pictures from my shower well lots of pictures.

1 of 2 diaper cakes

Thanks LL!

Cindi made this for the front door

Lots of yummy food!!!

Baseball cake

PRESENTS GALORE!!!

My sweet hostesses

(pictured left to right)

Mary Beth, Laura Lee, Meredith, Cindi, ME, Kristin, Linda, and Magon

BRADEN'S NURSERY

Mary Beth and Magon made this CUTE sign for Braden's door-as well as some cute picture frames-they worked so hard on all of this-thank you!!!

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!  I have a very busy week this week.  More later!

WHAT AM I THINKING

I really thought I was 34 weeks last week-I was only 33.  So this week I am 34 weeks.  Here is a picture of my big WHITE belly.

I am so ready for Braden to get here.  He is moving like crazy-I think he is as excited about his nursery and baby shower as his mother. 

I have been horrible at posting blogs this month.  It seems like I am either working, too tired, or reading other blogs.  Everyone else's life seems ,ore interesting than mine these days.  

So what is on my mind this week:

I really have to get my house cleaned because Braden's Baby Shower is this Sunday HERE.  So his nursery has to be COMPLETE.  Meredith came over Monday night to finish up the scoreboard and it looks GREAT!!!  Here is what it looks like:

Tuesday night I stopped by Hobby Lobby to get Brad's gift from Braden.  This is really a ROUGH draft of what it will look like-I don't think he looks/reads my blog so I should be safe posting this- I really need to clean the glass so please do not pay attention-and the jersey is falling but I stuck it all in there just to see what it would look like.  I LOVE IT!!!

OUCH...(Braden kicks Mommy) so does Braden!!!

Wednesday-Brad worked and I had to be at work at 4:30am so I got to come home around 2pm.  I stopped by Macy's and bought Lane and Rylan some outfits for Christmas.  They were really cute.  But I think I might need to take Rylan's back and get a bigger size-I will have to ask Magon and LauraLee what size they will be at Christmas.  I am not good at this guessing size game-sure wish I knew what size I would be after Braden gets here-I am loving the new styles this fall/winter season.  Anyways-I also got Brad a present from me for Braden-the cutest little baseball outfit that says "I love my daddy!"  I will post a picture of that outfit later. Here is the scoreboard. 

Of course it is propped up on those boxes so it will look better once all of that is off of there.  I just don't want to open anything before my next shower in case I need to take anything back and exchange it.

Then I headed to another store-K-MART-I know who goes there anymore.  Well I just wanted some cheap towels and a cute lamp that I saw in the sales paper the other day.  So I am thinking of putting it on his changing table-what do you think?  Aren't you glad I didn't major in decorating!!!  I also bought the curtain rod for the valance-it is also the burnt nickel color. This weekend I will get pictures of the FINISHED nursery and post. 

Thursday Brad will be at home-getting the yard work done and hopefully cleaning off the sidewalk/front steps.  They need pressure washed something serious.  But if it rains like it has every day for the past month then it will not get done.  

Friday I go back to the doctor.  I am sure I gained at least 4 pounds-Braden has really been making me eat BAD here lately.  Brad says I don't eat enough-Saturday I thought I was going to pass out-all I had eaten was pancakes that morning after the Race for the Cure and it was going 5pm.  But when I eat I feel like I eat too much and then I feel miserable.  Speaking of food-Friday might Meredith is coming over to get started on some of the food for the shower.  She better not leave it here-haha!!  I plan on cleaning the bathrooms-who else DESPISES cleaning the toilets and showers?  As crazy as this sounds I have been showering in one of the guest bathrooms upstairs- because I am too lazy to squeegee the master bathroom once I am done-it is all glass-plus who wants to look at a BIG FAT pregnant girl-YUCK!!!  Anyways-I have to clean all of them Friday night-that is my number one chore.

Then Saturday is the floors-I need to sweep all the floors and then mop them-I use hot water and vinegar.  It cleans so well and no it does not make my house stink.  My Mom and Maw-Maw are coming over Saturday afternoon to help hang up the paintings and do some last minute things.

Sunday is MY SHOWER!!!! I can't wait!  I promise to get lots of pictures this time.  Ok so more LATER!!

ALL PICTURES

34 weeks

FRONT VIEW

34 Weeks

SIDE VIEW

SOCK MONKEY

DIAPER SHOWER AT 119

Shower at Highland Lakes

FROM AUNT MERE MERE AND UNCLE LEE

MOBILE FROM AUNT MA MA AND UNCLE CHAD

3 months, 6 months, 9 months

Clothes

Bath tub- toys- Boppy

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

EYES OPEN

Braden with his mouth open-

He had the hiccups-trying to get rid of them.

ALL SMILES

ITS A BOY

31 WEEKS

RAIN DELAY

I wanted to let you all know if you are checking my blog for my 4D pics I am having a "rain delay". I can't scan them right now-I AM TOO TIRED!  I hear the rain and think it is best at the time for me to go to bed.  So tomorrow check back with me for some pics and if I figure it all out maybe a video.  NO PROMISES!!!

Here are the stats:

Mommy  - 30 weeks and 5 days

- Gained 22-23 pounds

- Blood pressure around 110/60 every day

- Walking/exercising as much as possible

Lil Boy Braden - Measuring 27-28 weeks

- Weighs approximately 2.5-3 pounds

- Mommy's nose and Daddy's lips

- Cute little monkey toes

- Heart rate in 140s

- Has hiccups at least 2-3 times per day

- Head down facing mommy's spine

- Well lets just say he is still a BOY!!!  He has his boy parts!!!  

- Like his Daddy-took a nap through 4D pictures even after being poked

Here is a picture of a picture for you to enjoy for the time being.

Psalms 102

Church was AWESOME!!!  We sang so many great songs!  

God is Here; Victory in Jesus; I've got peace like a river; and many others.  

Go read Psalms 102- it is really long but you have go to read it.  

Here is a poem I found online.

VICTORY

The gift of God is laughter

For it shall carry you through

Both in times of joy and sorrow

Trials and triumphs too.

So when the road is long

And the load is hard to bare

Just look up at the stars 

And remember that He cares.

And nothing that this world gives out

Is beyond his tender reach

For He controls all things

And trials are meant to teach.

So instead of tears shedding

When trials come their way

Learn to laugh in the Lord at satan

and to him to say

I have the victory in Jesus, satan

This trial is crafted for me to win

And although you mean it for harm

God's just using you to teach me how to lean on Him.

So hit me with your best shot, satan

And when you think you've scored

You'll look to find me standing even 

stronger than I have ever stood before.

Because praise be to the Father

And glory to His name

I will dwell among his words

And His promises I will claim.

See the victory is mine, satan

for the battle has already been won

honor, glory, and power to the living

Gods only Son!

Have a WONDERFUL Sunday!!!

NEXT PAINTING SESSION

This is what I want to paint next...  It is a present for someone very special!!!  

Time to cook some dinner-we are having steaks and baked potatoes.  Oh and I think I may grab something sweet-I am having a severe sweet tooth today!!!  Brownies anyone?  We will see!