Dear Brooke Allen

After our little pep talk yesterday, you got a little antsy.

Luckily, your daddy was home last night to help me get through it. He's doing a Spanish class for work yesterday and today, so he's not on regular shift.

You scared him real bad.

We met at Taco Bell for dinner, and then headed to Publix for grocery shopping.

We were in the frozen foods when I felt the first few contractions. By the time we got to the cheese aisle, I was having to stop walking and breathe through them.

I told your daddy, "Get the ground beef - 93/7 - I'm going to the bathroom."

Once we got all the food in the car, we went home and he unloaded everything for me. I honestly don't know how I would have done this without him.

I laid on the couch and opened the app on my phone that times contractions. They weren't very consistent - 3 minutes apart, then 10 minutes apart, then 6 minutes, then 18.

But they HURT. They were so intense that I couldn't talk. I could only breathe.

Your daddy came over and rubbed my back for about 20 minutes and watched the contraction timer like a hawk. Then he said, "Do we need to call the doctor?"

"No, they're not close enough yet."

"How close do they need to be?"

"The doctor says 5 minutes apart, lasting at least one minute for one hour."

"Well, do I need to put the car seat in?"

"It wouldn't hurt."

So off he goes.

"I think I'm going to go ahead and install the extra base in my truck, too."

"That sounds good, baby."

Off he goes again.

"Do we need this yet?" holding the car seat for when you're bigger, still in the box.

"No, not until she outgrows the pumpkin seat."

"Ok then I'm going to put this in the garage."

"Ok. That's great."

"I'm going to put the stroller in the garage, too. We won't need that for a while"

"Ok, baby."

Then, he disappears into the nursery and doesn't come out for some time.

I pick myself up off the couch - no easy feat, mind you, because every big movement causes another contraction - and mosey into the nursery.

I find your daddy folding your receiving blankets that I had washed over the weekend.

"Hey babe, what are you doing?"

"I don't think you're going to make it to this weekend. We need to get things ready."

So I showed him all the things I had done in the nursery on Sunday while he was at work. He put together the monitors that I couldn't figure out while I folded all your little clothes that I had washed. He had lots of questions about what certain things were and how they worked - the Boppy pillow, swaddling blankets, scratch mittens, Nap Nanny.

His deer in the headlights look that he'd been sporting for a few hours began to wane as I sat down in your rocker and explained these things to him.

"Are you scared, Ben?"

"A little."

"There's no need to be scared. I don't know what I'm doing either."

Last night is possibly one of my favorite nights with your daddy of all time.

He cannot wait to be your daddy. He loves you so much already.

Moving On

I'm having a hard time distinguishing hormones from reality lately.

Probably because there's an extremely large baby in my belly who moves every time I do.

Hormones are a funny thing.

I had a *very small* emotional moment on Saturday.

We have been lucky with this training semester for Ben to be off on Saturdays. I love being able to spend that time with him.

We were out on Saturday running some errands - dropped my car off for a much needed oil change, had breakfast with his mother, picked up dry cleaning, and spent our gift cards at Babies R Us for the last few things we needed for the nursery. Then we treated ourselves to a nice dinner out.

It hit me that afternoon as we were driving to pick up my car.

Ben was singing along with the radio, and I was just sitting. We didn't really have anything to talk about, and that suited me just fine.

But, if we're not talking, then I'm thinking...

And I realized that this particular Saturday could be the last Saturday that Ben and I will ever get to spend together without kids.

I know that we'll have date nights and trips without kids because there are such things as grandmothers and baby sitters, but from the moment Brooke Allen is born sometime in the next few weeks, we will ALWAYS have kids. We will be parents. Forever.

It will never be just me and him again.

There is always going to be a carseat in the back seat. Our conversations will be filled with stories about the baby. We will never be able to take off for the day without loads of stuff and making sure we have enough diapers in the diaper bag. When we go out to eat, it will be 2 and a high chair.

I know I am going to long for the days when it was just us two. We've had three and a half amazing years of marriage.

There was the fun of signing the lease on our first apartment, and spending a year trying to figure out how to live together in 700 square feet. The arguments about the clothes on the floor and how to share chores and who took up more bathroom counter space.

There was the excitement of buying our first house and finding all the right furniture to make it "ours." How he humored me when I picked out the paint colors. Our terrible attempts at yard work and the supposedly "easy" plants that we managed to kill.

There was the fun of finding our first pet together and trying to raise her to be a good dog. We failed at that for the most part, but she's still one of the greatest things that's ever happened to us.

There were car purchases. Saturday morning donut adventures. Late night Wal-Mart runs. New recipes that he managed to eat half of before telling me it "wasn't his favorite." Fun nights with friends. Trips. Weddings. Joy riding. Thinking the bills wouldn't get paid. Times that they didn't. Times that they still don't. Job transitions. Broken police dreams. Arguments with words regretted. Lots and lots of laughter.

And that one Tuesday morning when I burst out of the bathroom door with the positive pregnancy test.

I know our life is only changing for the better, but I will miss these times when it's just me and him.

Because me and him is all we've ever known.

We've learned so much as we walked through the fire of newlywed bliss together. We're coming out the other side stronger and much better people. Because we did it together.

I know when we've got screaming babies, an unkempt house, and a stack of bills, I'm going to wish for the time when things were easier.

But I don't think I'll trade it.

37 Weeks

Brooke Allen Update!

How far along? 37 weeks. Although I measure 38, and I think that's what the doctor is going by. We had an appointment this morning, and the doctor said if there's no progress by next week, we're going to start talking eviction notices! There is no sign of dilation at this point. She's stubborn just like her momma...

Baby Bump? Humungo. Thebump.com says she's the size of a watermelon! I am IMPRESSED that I can still paint my toenails with a watermelon in my belly.

Maternity Clothes: Yep. I can't wait to fit in my old clothes though...

Weight Gain: Ugh...rapid? Haha...I've gained 3 pounds in a week. Mostly due to swelling...the leftover due to Girl Scout cookies.

Movement: Huge movements. She's head down for sure (doc confirmed that today), so I've decided she's breakdancing. It's the only explanation I have for her burrowing into my pelvis.

Cravings: I still love my cereal. But I've also been wanting burgers a lot. And cake. Heck, I just want to EAT!

Symptoms: Back pain. A little swelling after I get off work. Heartburn. Nothing spectacular.

Sleep: The same. Off and on.

Gender: It's a girl! Brooke Allen is her name!

Belly Button: Getting flatter by the second.

What I miss: Normal movement. Ben laughs at me and how difficult it is for me to roll over in bed.

Best Moment of the Week: It's always amazing to hear her little heartbeat on the dopplar at the doctor!

35 Weeks

Brooke Allen update time!

How far along? 35/35! That means, I'm 35 weeks in, and 35 days to go! I cannot believe I will be holding her some time in the next 5 to 7 weeks! AAAAAAAAA! We're going to the doctor again next week, and then I start going EVERY WEEK until she gets here!

Baby Bump? Oh yeh.

Maternity Clothes: Suprisingly, I fit into a non-maternity shirt today. I needed something red for an event for work, and this one fit! A little tight, but it works.

Weight Gain: 25 pounds still.

Movement: She's starting to settle. Her movements have slowed and they are BIG. I think she may be out of room.

Cravings: Cereal. I can't get enough Lucky Charms. Good thing Ben has moved to evenings so I can just have Lucky Charms for dinner and not feel guilty about it.

Symptoms: Back pain. Harder to breathe. Moving around like a beached whale.

Sleep: The same. Off and on.

Gender: It's a girl! Brooke Allen is her name!

Belly Button: Still there!

What I miss: My old clothes and my high heels. I wear the same thing EVERY WEEK. I want to be fashionable!

Best Moment of the Week: Prenatal massage yesterday. Ah.

Lately

We've been busy.

1. We are the proud new owners of this beauty.

And can I just tell you, THANK THE LORD ABOVE THAT THE TRUCK SEARCH IS OVER?

I mean, we've been talking about buying a truck for 2 years now. We've been to every car lot in Alabama. We've looked at websites. We've looked at Craigslist.

FINALLY, our friend Scott at CRM Motors found this for us.

It's extremely nice, though. It's exactly what he wanted, and then some.

And the smile on my husband's face was worth it.

*Note - When I say "we," I mean he. And me being forced along.*

2. This little pup, whose main goal is to distract me from everything I'm doing and trying to look all sweet and innocent in order to get me to scratch her tummy for hours.

Notice all the laundry around her.

She's so convincing.

3. Our sweet friends threw us a Baby Brunch! We had yummy breakfast food and got some adorable things for Brooke Allen, who will be making her grand entrance in 5 to 7 weeks!

The onesie says, "I love Daddy," which he is a sucker for. Yep. She has him wrapped already.

4. My Valentine showed up with these at my work. He even took me to lunch. What a sweetie! Not only did he earn brownie points with me, but with my whole office.

And I am a TERRIBLE Valentine.

First, I completely forgot to get him anything.

So, a vendor came in to bring us Krispy Kreme heart shaped donuts. I thought, PERFECT! Ben loves donuts!

I drove into Hoover on my way home. They were out of heart shaped donuts, but Ben really wouldn't care if they were specially shaped, so I got him a half dozen chocolate glazed.

When I got home, I put them on the counter with full intentions to put a bow and a card on it so when he got home from work, they would be waiting on him.

Yeh.

Brooke Allen decided I needed to go to bed.

I FORGOT TO MAKE THE DONUTS LOOK CUTE.

He got home and said, "Are those for me?"

I was so embarrassed.

He didn't seem to care though. There aren't any left.

5. My Valentine's date.

Oh, the joys of shiftwork. Ben had to work, so Charlotte and I had a romantic evening of Spaghetti O's, watching Dance Moms, and going to bed at 8pm.

She's just so dang cute.

Other happenings not listed/pictured:

Nursery is almost complete! I have to paint a canvas and get a rug, and then it's done! I PROMISE I will put pictures up soon. Maybe this weekend. I'm going to Target today to look at rugs.

We had maternity pictures made with T2 Photography on Saturday after our Baby Brunch. It was 40 degrees outside, and we did all of our pictures at Railroad Park in downtown. I thawed out on Sunday. I can't WAIT to see them! I will most definitely share the link when I get proofs.

We graduated from Baby Class! Whoop Whoop!

I think that's all. I have a RAGING case of Baby Brain (hence the Valentine saga). Tomorrow will be Brooke Allen update time! 35 weeks! I can't believe it!

Dear Brooke Allen,

Being pregnant is odd.

There are lots of things that happen in pregnancy that I just wasn't prepared for.

Yeh, I read a book. I frequently visit a website with message boards so we can compare "Is this happening to you" situations.

But still.

Someone should have warned me.

Like about the back pain. It sucks. All over.

Or that you wake up randomly in the night, not to pee, but to just lay there, wide awake, drenched in sweat.

The headaches of first trimester.

The anxiety of choosing bottles and nipples and formula.

How the baby runs out of room in your belly about 34 weeks in, but she's still growing, so the pressure HURTS every time I breathe or we hit a bump in the car.

Constipation.

Heartburn.

Seasickness.

The asanine things people say to you:

At 33 weeks: "You look like you're about to pop!"

*AWKWARD SILENCE AND STARING*

"Nope, still have about 7 more weeks left."

"Sleep now before that baby gets here because you'll never sleep again!"

So you're telling me there's a secret box somewhere where I can store up sleep now to use after the baby gets here? AWESOME!!!!!

"Oh you're pregnant? Let me tell you a 15 minute story about my daughter who they had to do an emergency c-section at 25 weeks and she and her son almost died. He spent the next 2 months in NICU and my daughter had to have a complete hysterectomy. Did I scare you? I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Are you going to get rid of the dog once the baby gets here?"

First trimester, can hardly hold my eyes open, and I'm struggling to keep from puking:

"OH I just LOVED being pregnant! I would do it ten more times if I could!"

Really? Could I punch you ten times in the face to make up for it?

And my all time favorite:

Toothless guy in the Publix checkout line points to a tabloid cover with emaciated Angelina Jolie on the cover saying 98 pounds and Pregnant.

"Good thang ya ain't that skinny. Too small ta be hafin a baby."

Geez, toothless guy! You really know how to make a girl's day!

There are times when I look down at my belly and actually SEE Brooke Allen rolling around in there. And it dawns on me...

SHE HAS TO COME OUT OF THERE.

Yes. A human. Growing in my belly. Has to come out. Large baby. Small space.

We watched the video. I understand the logistics. But how is this going to happen to me? My body is really going to do that?

My mind conveniently switches back to Genesis and the fall of man...you know, the part when God tells Eve that childbirth shall be a curse among women?

Eve just HAD to take a bite of that fruit.

I know, I know. Women have been having babies since the Eve had Cain and Abel. I get it.

But it doesn't mean it doesn't suck.

It doesn't mean that I've questioned whether I want to actually do this a few more times like Ben and I have planned.

It doesn't mean that I don't lay in bed and cry because I want to go to sleep and Brooke Allen is practicing her floor routine.

And then I see what is obviously a foot sticking out, distorting what used to be a fairly flat tummy like the movie Alien. So I push on it...and she kicks me back.

Then it all comes rushing back why I did choose to do this, and probably will do it a few more times.

Our BABY is in there. The baby that God chose for Ben and me.

The baby that I love more than anything I've ever loved before, and I've never even met her.

And I know that love will multiply by billions when I see her face for the first time.

So gladly, Brooke Allen, I will sacrifice my body, my sleep, and my emotions for you.

I would do it ten more times if I could.

Because I love you already.

33 Weeks

Well, we finally made it over the squash hump.

(thebump.com hasn't changed the fruit size in like, 3 weeks.)

She's now a HONEYDEW MELON!

No wonder I can't breathe.

33 weeks. 49 days to D-Date.

Will I make it all the way? We'll see.

Here's a few pictures from our shower hosted by our Sunday School class! Brooke Allen got some WONDERFUL things, which we are so grateful for, and we had such a fun night with our friends.

Her Activity Jumper...so cute!

Nap Nanny and changing pad

Funny story about these bibs...The one on the left says, "If you think I'm cute, you should see my dad" and the other one says, "My Mom is hotter than your Mom." Ben is notorious for registering for things behind my back, both on our wedding and baby registries. I turned around in Babies R Us, and these bibs, along with several others that say stupid things, were all scanned and Ben had a silly grin on his face...Our friends, Chris and Amanda, thought they were too funny and bought them for us. My poor child. :)

Oh, and Ben is holding the crib bumper. GASP. Yes, crib bumper.

On Sunday, Mom and I are headed to Jackson to have a baby shower with Ben's family. Poor Ben will be working, so he can't go with us!

We also have our maternity pictures scheduled with T2 Photography next Saturday!

Last night, I FINALLY finished the clean out of the nursery! All the CRAP is gone! We have a nice little pile of items to be picked up by the King's Home next week in the garage. I organized the desk in the guest room, hung pictures that were in the nursery on the guest room walls, and basically reorganized and redecorated the whole house (nesting, anyone?). Brandon and Bekah, two of our dearest friends, are bringing all Brooke Allen's furniture up from Mom's house today for us! I can't WAIT to put it all together! :)

OH! And we found a pediatrician! After a Facebook poll and asking for several recommendations from friends, we decided on Greenvale Pediatrics and Dr. Stone will be her doctor! They came HIGHLY recommended. I'm very excited.

And I feel very accomplished.

How far along? 33 weeks

Baby Bump? No kidding.

Maternity Clothes: Growing out of some...

Weight Gain: Still at 25 pounds. Maybe I've plateaued?

Movement: ALL THE TIME. She hasn't settled yet. I'd really like her to pick a good time to move head down permanently...

Cravings: This past week was Rice Krispy treats. Ros at work gave me one, and I've wanted one ever since.

Symptoms: Still with the back pain. Braxton Hicks. Can't breathe. Can't bend over. Haha.

Sleep: The same. Off and on.

Gender: It's a girl! Brooke Allen is her name!

Belly Button: Getting flatter by the day. I don't think it will turn outie though.

What I miss: Being able to do more around the house. I've always taken care of most of the household chores, but now I have to rely on Ben to vacuum, swiffer, clean the bathrooms, move heavy stuff...I had a minor meltdown over not being to do things a few days ago. I can't even give Charlotte her medicine for a spider bite on her belly (poor baby) because it's a steroid cream and I can't touch it. I DON'T LIKE BEING HELPLESS!

Best Moment of the Week: Finishing the clean out process of the nursery! YAY!

Dear Brooke Allen

Dear Brooke Allen,

You're almost here. I can't believe it.

I've been thinking a lot lately about all the things we'll need to do to provide for you. Not just with food, shelter, and clothing, but in life itself. Our home will be your classroom. Your personality will grow from what you learn from us.

I promise to make our home a happy home, brimming with love, imagination, and fun.

I promise that home will always be a place that you will feel welcome to be yourself. You will always be accepted and wanted.

I promise to tell you I love you every chance that I get. Life is too short to do otherwise.

I promise to love your daddy for the rest of our lives so that you will grow up in a home full of love and affection, and you will have an example to follow as you search for your husband.

I promise to read your favorite books to you at night until you can tell the story back to me without having to open the pages - and then we'll read them some more.

I promise to let you wear your princess dress to the grocery store.

I promise to pray for you as often as I can. I pray for you to be a strong woman with her own convictions. I pray that you will be compassionate and kind. I pray that you will always know love, whether you're receiving it from others or giving it away.

I promise to work hard every day at my job, so that you never have to go without.

I promise to make shampoo sundaes on your head in the bathtub.

I promise to provide boundaries so that you will have fun within limits.

I promise to let you learn from your mistakes.

I promise to make you peanut butter and jelly pocketbooks.

I promise to play with your hair until you fall asleep.

I promise to scare away all the monsters in the closet and under the bed.

I promise to not only take you to church on Sundays, but to live church in our home, so that you'll always understand the grace and love of Jesus.

I promise to tell you that boys are silly and that you're too good for him when you come home with a broken heart.

I promise to turn off the tv and computer and make you go outside to play.

I promise to let you watch Cinderella as many times as you want.

I promise to teach you the value of money and the treasure in earning it for yourself.

I promise to write notes on your napkin in your lunchbox.

I promise that I will never be too busy to talk.

I promise that I will do my best to give you a little brother or sister that you can love and torture.

I promise to never stifle your imagination.

I promise to memorize all your baby doll's names.

I promise to protect you from all that I can, and teach you to protect yourself for when I can't.

I promise to teach you about GOOD music, which does not include Justin Beiber or Lady Gaga.

I promise to give you my honest opinion, from haircuts to boys to friends.

I promise to not let you embarrass yourself on American Idol if you sing like your daddy.

I promise to let you eat cookies and candy bars, but not before dinner.

I promise to encourage you to be YOUR best in everything, even if someone else is THE best.

I promise to not let you quit a sports team until the season is over.

I promise to be your best friend, even though you won't realize this until you're much older.

I promise to let you choose what college you want to attend, even if it is Auburn - but they must give you scholarship money for me to be happy about that. And if you decide not to attend college, I'm going to be ok with that, too, as long as you're doing what you love and it's not illegal.

I promise to do everything in my power to be the best mom I can be to you. There are going to be times that you don't like my rules or limits, but I promise to hold fast to them so that one day you will understand.

And most of all, I promise to tuck you in like a burrito and kiss your stuffed animals and you goodnight. Every night.

Babymoon

Ben and I took our baby moon last week.

A babymoon, you say?

Yes. A babymoon is a vacation you take before you have a baby. Kind of a second honeymoon/last chance vacation with just the two of you.

We wanted to get away from the stress of work and life and just enjoy each other. Taking a few days off to stay in Birmingham would do us no good. We would just be constantly thinking about what needed to be done before the baby gets here that we wouldn't truly enjoy it.

Yet another sign that this pregnancy is moving forward at a rapid pace!
And I was really bad about taking pictures on this vacation. Sorry.

We drove up to Gatlinburg late Wednesday night once I was through working.

And by late, I mean late. We didn't get there until almost midnight, which was 1am Gatlinburg time.

We did remote check in with our cabin rental company (highly recommended company), so all we had to do was find the cabin and punch in the key code. They said in the email, don't use your GPS to find your cabin.

It was dark, and I couldn't read the directions without turning on the cabin light and blinding him while he was trying to navigate mountain roads, so my genius of a husband put the address in the GPS system and said, "I guess we'll figure out why they say don't do that."

Yeh. We figured it out.

It took us down the complete wrong (scary, dark, twisty turny) road. No cell phone service. No lights. No road signs. Awesome.

I thought I was going to cry.

Finally, Ben backed up to the beginning of the road and followed the directions on the paper, which were super easy to follow and we found our cabin in 3 minutes.

Men.

Anyways, the cabin was delightful!

We had a pool table, a little kitchen, fireplace, and a loft bedroom. There was a hot tub on the porch and a jacuzzi in the bedroom, but those were not used.

At least not by me. Ben hopped in the jacuzzi on Thursday morning.

We crashed once we got there. It was a long drive.

We woke up the next morning to some storms rolling in, so we ate breakfast in bed, played a few rounds of pool, and had lunch. We ventured out to Pigeon Forge after we took our showers.

We decided we wanted to go to the Titanic museum in Pigeon Forge, but it was $30 a person! We said, thanks, but no thanks, and walked out.

$30 A PERSON! Ridiculous. And I love Titanic.

So we settled for a doughnut snack at Krispy Kreme and walked around the Tanger Outlets. Ben had lost a button on a shirt he'd brought to wear, so he got a new one at the Polo Outlet, and I forgot my jacket (pregnancy brain) so I got a new one at Gap.

We headed back towards Gatlinburg for dinner and ended up at the Hard Rock Cafe. Ben had a burger and I had a salad. So interesting, I know.

We were beat after dinner, and it was beginning to rain. We didn't want to get stuck on those scary mountain roads in the rain, so we headed back to the cabin. We watched American Idol on tv and fell asleep on the couch.

Hehe. So lame.

Friday morning, we had to check out by 10am, so we cleaned up the cabin and moseyed into downtown Gatlinburg. It was super touristy and funny.

We decided to go into the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum.

Worth the $15 a person? Not so sure. But I was with Ben, so that didn't matter.

$30 a person is totally different.

After the museum, we were hungry for lunch and went to Pancake Pantry!

This place is TO DIE FOR. Ben had eggs, bacon, and pancakes, and I had an omelet with pancakes. It is seriously the best breakfast place in the world.

My mouth is watering thinking about it.

After Pancake Pantry, we decided to just head on back to Birmingham, so we waved goodbye to Gatlinburg and headed south.

We had such a fun time just relaxing with each other. We didn't have an agenda. We just went when we wanted to go, and stopped when we wanted to stay. That's our kind of vacation.

It was nice to get away and relish our last few quiet moments as a couple before our life becomes hectic. Ben was still asleep one morning as we laid in bed in our cabin, and I was able to snuggle up next to him, place my hand on my belly, and praise God in the silence for the many blessings in my life, pray over my sweet husband, and pray for our sweet baby.

It may not have been much of a vacation, but it was one of the best times I've ever had.

31 Weeks

31 weeks!

O.M.G.

Every week gets closer to when I will hold my little girl.

Every week makes me feel so unprepared.

Things we have done to prepare so far:

arranged childcare, which I am SUPER SUPER SUPER EXCITED ABOUT, but I can't tell you yet...it's a secret!

painted the wall

registered (!)

bought a mobile for the crib

Ben's mom is having a rocking chair recovered to match the room

furniture has been purchased

began taking birth/parenting classes at the hospital (hysterical)

booked the babymoon

Things we have yet to do:

get the furniture from my mother's garage

finish the wall

put together the nursery

paint all the stuff I want to paint for the nursery

pack the bag

take the babymoon (NEXT WEEK!!!!!!!!!!)

Ok, so it doesn't sound like a lot, but I am way overwhelmed with the nursery thing. I just want to get it done sooner than later, in case Brooke Allen decides to make her appearance a little earlier than expected.

I may or may not have had an emotional breakdown over this earlier this week.

Thank goodness for a more than sweet husband who brought me a bag of Hershey Kisses and a sweet card to make me feel better. :)

Bright news:

We have our first baby shower tomorrow night! Our sweet Sunday School class is hosting it. I cannot forget my camera tomorrow night! We will have lots of fun, I'm sure.

Ben's family baby shower is on February 5th in Jackson. Unfortunately, Ben will be working, so I'm going by myself! But it will be a wonderful shower with lots of love on our new baby girl...since there hasn't been a baby girl in the family in YEARS. They are very excited to buy PINK! Brooke Allen will have lots of boy cousins to make her tough. That's a good thing.

How far along? 31 weeks. I can't believe it!

Baby Bump? Growing every day!

Maternity Clothes? Even some of those don't fit anymore...

Weight Gain: 25 pounds as far as I know, but I go to the doctor on Monday morning, so we'll see.

Movement: Still as crazy as ever in there! I can tell body parts that are sticking out. I know where her foot was the other day, and then her head poked out. I am terrified to report that her head is square just like her daddy's.

Cravings: Still on the soft serve ice cream thing. It's very dangerous that there is a yogurt store in the complex I work at.

Symptoms: Getting harder to breathe. She is all up in my business.

Sleep: Still not sleeping through the night, but I'm coming to terms with the fact that I'm never going to sleep through the night again.

Gender: It's a girl! Brooke Allen is her name!

Belly button: Starting to flatten out. This is quite a feat. I have a deep belly button.

What I miss: Being able to walk at a normal pace. Pretty sure I'm starting to waddle.

Best moment of the week: Figuring out what was a foot and what was a head, albeit the infamous Parrish Blockhead. Let's just hope that Parrish Blockhead is covered in red hair.

30 Weeks (and 100th post!)

Today marks that I have been pregnant for 30 weeks!

WHAT THE HECK?!?!?!?!?

10 more weeks (give or take) until we see our little girl's face live in living color!

I can't believe it is so close. I feel so unprepared. There is still stuff in her room that needs to find a home. However, we did get the wall where the crib will be painted and I've started on the tree mural. I have to do one more coat and it will be done. And somehow we've got to figure out how to get all the furniture for the nursery from Mom's house to our house...yeh...haven't worked that detail out yet.

I'm hoping to knock out the second coat and organizing all the junk on Sunday while Ben works. I've got to stay motivated!

How far along? 30 weeks. 70 days away from her due date!

Baby Bump? Oh yeh. I can't wait to NOT feel like the side of a house again.

Maternity Clothes? Yep.

Weight Gain: 25 pounds. Yep. And I probably gained 5 more at lunch today. Ben took me to the Pizza Hut all you can eat buffet. He thought that was hilarious.

Movement: OMG YES. She should earn her college soccer scholarship now. And she has discovered my ribs.

Cravings: Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and soft serve ice cream. Not together.

Symptoms: Still the horrific back pain. Now I wake up at 3am every morning. I go potty and so does Charlotte, and I usually do a crossword puzzle or two and try to go back to sleep around 4. Charlotte really seems to enjoy this time with me. And my left leg and foot swell. Just the left. Odd.

Sleep: See above. The actual sleep is restful, at least.

Gender: It's a girl! Brooke Allen is her name!

Belly Button: Still there.

What I miss: Being able to ride in a car comfortably. I can drive fine, but riding is not fun.

Best moment this week: Starting on the room for reals. Ben got the wall painted last Friday and I worked on the tree mural for most of the day on Saturday. I'm really starting to see what the room will be like, once we get the furniture in there. She's going to love it!

Dear Brooke Allen

Dear Brooke Allen,

2012 has begun, which means big changes for our family.

In 2012, we will go from being a family of two + dog, to a family of three + dog.

We've been pretty ordinary up to this point.

Just a husband, a wife, and a dog.

Now we'll be a daddy, a mommy, a baby, and a dog.

You are going to change EVERYTHING about our ordinary little life.

Not that I am complaining. I am so ready for you to change everything.

But your daddy and I sometimes forget how big these changes are going to be. For example, we were talking the other day about trips we'd like to take, things we'd like to purchase, and the time and money to do those things.

Then it dawned on us...oh yeh...we'll have a baby to figure out with all this. This means no spur of the moment trips, no easy planning for quiet nights alone, no going to concerts or out with friends (unless there's a babysitter of course).

Once you join our family, our every moment is going to be consumed about what's best for YOU and not what mommy and daddy want.

To be honest, Brooke Allen, you already consume my thoughts. I think about you all the time.

I mostly think about you because you remind me to think about you while you stick your long toes in my ribs.

But I do. I think about you all the time. I think about what you'll look like and what your personality will be like. I make plans for your room and our schedules. I go over the pros and cons of making your baby food about 100 times a day. And I DREAM of what it would be like to be a stay at home mom with you, but I reality check myself quickly when I think about how fast the bank would foreclose on our house...

Then I think about life next year, when you'll be walking and saying words. And then in five years when we take you to kindergarten. And then in 15 years when you start talking about cars and boys. And in 18 years when we drop you off at your college dorm.

I think about what good friends we will be as you get older. I'll teach you how to love shopping with me and GiGi. I'll teach you about make up and hair and how to be a lady. We'll put you in ballet classes or cheerleading, and of course, softball. Daddy says no pageants, but we'll see about that.

I think about how you are going to be Daddy's princess. He is going to adore you, and you will have him wrapped around your little finger. He is going to dance with you, and let you put lipstick on him, and make him play dolls with you. Then he's going to embarrass you at your first Homecoming dance by making sure he's dressed in his police uniform when that little boy shows up nervously on our front step.

Brooke Allen, you are going to completely change our lives. But you are going to complete our family. Your birthday is going to trump all other favorite days of mine. I can't wait for the nurse to lay you on my chest and kiss those toes that are poking me all day long. I can't wait to see your daddy's face when he holds you for the first time.

Your first breaths, your first cries, the first time you open your eyes.

These little things are the big things that will complete my heart.

Christmas Day!

I can't believe Christmas has already come and gone. With our focus being so much on Ben's graduation and the baby, I feel like we really didn't have time to enjoy the season as much as we usually do!

It just means I'll leave my Christmas tree up a little longer this year...

We started last week by going to Jackson for a few days. I don't have any pictures of that, but we had a blast with Ben's dad, Robbie, Will, and the rest of the family. We went to a Mississippi State basketball game one night and we were able to see *most* of the family before we left.

When we got back into town on Friday, Mom met us in Birmingham, and we headed over to Ms. Brenda's for Christmas with her. She was going to Jackson the next day, so we did our Christmas a little early.

Ms. Brenda gave me this beautiful bird house that matches the colors of the nursery. I can't wait to find the perfect place for it! She also gifted us a drawing of our house. Since it is our first house, I will always treasure that special gift! We ate a yummy dinner and enjoyed each other's company!

Mom and I were able to play on Christmas Eve. We worked a little in Brooke Allen's room by hanging up all her clothes and throwing out some more junk hiding in the room. We went to the grocery store to prepare for the week and waited for Ben to come home from work. Once he was home, we went to dinner, and then Mom and I set out for Huntsville.

Wes and Dervon's flight came in at 8:53pm on Christmas Eve. We were so excited to see them!!!!!

Christmas morning came, and Ben was at work. So we decided to go to church on Christmas morning. It was pretty awesome to worship our Savior's birth actually on Christmas Day.

After church, we headed home for lunch and played a game of Uno to kill the time before Ben got home from work. When he finally did get home, we pretended it was Christmas morning - complete with pajamas!

No, these weren't all for me. Most were actually for Brooke Allen...

Charlotte started out the gift opening with a rubber chicken from her MamaSyl. It squeaked REALLY loudly and she REALLY liked it...

...and it was subsequently accidentally kicked under the chair by her Uncle Wesley until gift opening was over.

Brooke Allen got more presents than anyone on Christmas morning. Her dad just so happened to open the Bama gift...haha...a Bama onesie and some Bama hairbows. PERFECT! Roll Tide, Daddy!

She also got her very own Polar Express book and bell to read every Christmas. It just so happens to be her Mom's favorite Christmas story also... Her other presents included a piggy that vibrates, and some cute little sleeper outfits from the Florida Thorntons.

My sweet husband bought me a new watch. I was easy to shop for since we picked it out together...

Mom gave me a sewing machine to make Brooke Allen all those cute little outfits! Wes and Dervon gave me a sewing accessory kit with lots of thread, scissors, measuring tape and lots more.

Ben got a new Garmin from me, a History DVD from Wes and Dervon, and a new video camera from Mom so he can record all the cute things his baby will do in the next year.

Wes got a DVD and book from me and Ben, a book about India from Mom (they're going on vacation there this spring), and a Florida Gator duffle bag from Dervon.

Dervon got a Hello Kitty makeup brush set from us, diving lessons from Wes, and a spice rack from Mom for their new apartment they are moving into next month!

Wes gave Mom a Willow Tree statue with a folded flag in honor of Granddaddy, and I painted an old window with an American flag. Mom is very patriotic. :)

Next, it was time for stockings!

These goobers bought each other the same card...meant to be? I think so! :)

And then the guys modeled some goodies from their stockings, as they usually do...while actually wearing the stockings...They both received claws and spy glasses.

But the best gift of Christmas is spending time with family.

After gifts, we had breakfast...for dinner. French toast, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, fruit and yogurt. It was quite yummy!

Then we gathered around the table to play Apples to Apples. Lots of laughs with this game!

It is so hard to believe that this is our last Christmas as a family of two and a dog. Next year, sweet little girl will be joining us. As much as I love the way things are now, I can't wait to share Christmas with my children - buying gifts, watching their excitement on Christmas mornings, taking lots of pictures and videos, having our very own family traditions, and most importantly, sharing the REAL meaning of Christmas with them - the birth of Jesus and how He changed everything.

26 Weeks

I am an awful, awful blogger. Things have been messy lately (ie - work, my house, my desk...life in general) and I haven't had a few minutes to blog! Right now I'm working my two hours on the switchboard at work, so I get a few minutes to do this.

BROOKE ALLEN UPDATE!

How far along? 26 weeks! Holy cow! 98 days away from my due date. She will be here so soon! She's the size of an eggplant. Crazy!

Baby Bump? You betcha! Mom took this picture last weekend when she was here for Ben's graduation. Yay!

Maternity Clothes? Yep.

Weight Gain: You aren't going to believe this when I tell you - 20 POUNDS. I can't believe it either. However, my back and my shins believe it - terrible back pain and I'm pretty sure I have shin splints from holding up this extra weight.

And all the goodies we've been getting at work are NOT HELPING! I have to go for my sugar test the day after Christmas. I need to start being good. But there are cookies and cakes and chocolates...

Movement: All the friggin' time. At first it was cute, but sometimes, it's really annoying. She's big enough for me to feel her individual toes.

Cravings: French fries. Salty and warm french fries.

Symptoms: BACK PAIN. I couldn't do anything but lay flat in the bed last night. I need to make another massage appointment.

Sleep: Eh. I wake up at 4am for no reason. Whatever. It is what it is.

Gender: It's a girl! Brooke Allen is her name!

Belly Button: Still there.

What I miss: Laying on my belly. I want to so badly since my back hurts, but I can't. Grrrr...

Best moment this week: Last night, I was feeling so bad because of my back and Ben came in to rub my back, and then he rubbed my belly. It was too sweet and I love how he's really getting into this whole baby thing! He loves to talk to her. I can't wait til she starts to recognize his voice!