Bigger and Bigger and Bigger....

But that's what I'm supposed to be doing, right {getting bigger and bigger and bigger, that is}?! It's crazy to see the changes through pictures ~ especially in just the last month. I can definitely tell she is growing ~ her movements feel SO much different now ~ no longer just kicks here and there ~ lots of other noticeable movement. Still loving it, though! Ready to meet her, but terrified about delivery ~ hopefully that fear will pass soon. ;) I'm 31 weeks along ~ only 9 more weeks til the due date... {and have gained 16 pounds as of now, since I know you wanna know! Got a feeling the holiday eating will get me this time around, though!}

Our "Family" Photos!

We had these made the day after Thanksgiving ~ I was 26 weeks along that day. Most of you will get one in your Christmas card ~ I'm still working on finishing those. Not entirely procrastination, so much as just a lot of stuff going on. I'm currently battling an upper respiratory infection and an ear infection, so I'm finishing this and going back to the couch!

Room Update

We are slowly but surely adding some stuff to the room. My sister-in-law found the bedding at Goodwill ~ needless to say, it was quite the deal! I hated registering for such expensive bedding anyway, but Justin REALLY is partial to what we had registered for. So he won't let me take it off the registry, but the truth is he just doesn't like pink!! Will someone please let him know we are having a girl!

A Belly Picture

You asked for it! 26 weeks and counting....

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Love you!

100 Days

Today I am 25 weeks and 5 days pregnant! Only 100 days left until my due date ~ everyone says it is flying by ~ everyone but me, that is. I have to say that I LOVE every moment of this ~ I love waking up in the morning to her gymnastics routine and I love watching it again late in the evenings. Justin has really got to see and feel a lot in the last week ~ he is like a small child in his amazement. Too precious. It helps a lot, too, that he has been going through his ob/gyn stuff in paramedic school, so he has a lot more appreciation for what I am going through, especially physically.

But time seems to be creeping by. Everyone tells me to enjoy this time while it lasts ~ "you can't send her back after she's here," they say ~ but I have wanted this my entire life ~ all I ever wanted was to be a wife and a mother ~ and I am so anxious to meet my baby girl!

I went to the doctor last week and had my glucose tolerance test. I hear women all the time say that is just terrible to go through ~ not for me ~ I chugged the sweet as could be kool-aid tasting concoction in less than 2 minutes ~ and I passed the test, thank goodness. But the nurse called the next day and said my iron is too low. So I'm taking iron supplements in addition to my prenatal vitamin now. It seems to be working ~ I'll leave it at that! :)

Okay, so everyone keeps asking me why I haven't put up any pictures and how much weight I've gained. As of last week I have gained 14 pounds, and I haven't put up any pictures because I haven't taken any yet that I am willing to share with everyone. Only ones for me to see and look back on ~ I'll do some soon, I promise. Justin and I took some while we were in Pigeon Forge the last couple of days, but for some reason none of them turned out ~ but I will do some more soon!!

Well I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving ~ Justin is on shift tomorrow and I have to work, also, but you gotta work to buy diapers, right?! I'm thankful for all of you every day of my life ~ don't need to set one day aside to pig out and tell you all that! I love every one of you and appreciate everything you have done for me {for us}. *Much love always*

The "Nursery"

Slowly but surely we are pulling Harper's room together. We have her bed & dresser / changing table, and the room is painted a very bright green! It may be a little too green, but Justin did a wonderful job, and I'm not going to complain about anything! And he picked out the letters to put on the wall {I know they are crooked in the picture ~ we fixed that!!}, which we both think looks very cute.

Can't wait to see what it's going to look like when we actually have the mattress and the bedding.

New Beginnings

I am starting this blog mainly for family members and those otherwise closest to me that I want to share this joyous time with.

As you know, or else you would not be here, Justin and I are expecting our baby girl sometime in February of 2008. My actual due date is February 29th, but we all know how that goes ~ could be sooner, could be later. Either way, we are VERY excited and VERY much anticipating her arrival.

We chose the name Harper Ryne mainly because I loved it & Justin didn't argue with me when I told him! I really just wanted her to have a different name from everyone else ~ someone once said that if you could hear someone saying "appearing live on stage tonight" after the name, then it was a keeper! And we all know I've been a Cubs fan since birth, so the Ryne is really because I love Ryne Sandberg and it's also a very different name.

So this is just the start of this blog. I anticipate adding pictures of her room and, yes, even my big ol' belly! Looking forward to sharing this with you guys and hearing your comments, advice, etc. MUCH LOVE TO ALL OF YOU!!