9 Weeks to Go!

Hi sweet baby girl!

Momma is 31 weeks! That means you are 31 weeks old, and we will get to meet you in about 9 weeks. Your Daddy and I couldn't be more excited. Everyday I feel you rolling around in my tummy, I get more and more eager to hold you on the outside! I can feel you doing summer saults, and can see your little feet and arms pushing out of my belly when you move. Even Daddy can see it now since you're so active! Our OB says she likes you because you're a very active little baby. When we had our last appointment she said you were still looking good to come on Christmas Day! I'm sorry in advance if this ends up being your birthday, there's not a lot we could do about it. But I promise we'll make your day as special as we can!

We're getting everything ready for you to come. We're taking a birthing class in a couple weeks to get ready for labor, and a car seat safety class too! We have your doctor picked out and I'll go meet her in a couple weeks too so she'll be ready to come and visit you in the hospital when you're born. All of these things just make us more eager for you to get here. We're having so much fun preparing for you. Here are some pictures of your room. Daddy and I are just about finished. We just need to get you some blinds in your room, and we're done!

 Here's your door!

One of your walls...

Your window valance

The rocker we'll use to help you get to sleep! And a blanket that I crocheted for you last weekend. Only took me three days!

Your shelf with stuffed animals and your books

A tree that Daddy and I painted on your wall

And a caterpillar that Daddy painted climbing up the tree. He's one of my favorite parts about your room

This is your flower patch and the family of bees...

A Daddy Bee...

A Momma Bee...

 and a little Baby Bee! (That's you!)

 

a pretty tree with polka dots (because Daddy says, "every little girl needs to have polka dots!")

Here is the inside of your crib

Here is your bedding. It took us a long time to find it, but we finally found one we loved, and matched your room. We hope you love it too!

A little pad that will help you stay laying on your back

Some of your stuffed animals. If you're anything like Momma, you'll always have a bed full of them

 Your butterfly wall. Your Dad and I painted a whole trail of butterflies

These are a couple that Momma painted

 Your mobile. You'll probably be watching this a lot. It plays music too!

Your bird picture. This came from Aunt Sheadra

Your toy box, already full of toys for you!

A closet full of clothes! Thanks to two Grandmas, Aunt Sheadra, and a few things we picked up, you have plenty of clothes, and a great big bag downstairs that won't fit you for another6 months. You are a very lucky little girl!

All of your blankets, burp clothes, and wash clothes

Bunches of diapers...again thanks to Aunt Sheadra!

The cutest little socks ever!

Your little organizers filled with socks, shoes, bibs, hats, hair bows and all your other accessories!

This one might be my favorite butterfly on your butterfly wall

 ...or maybe this one  :)

We hope you love your room! We can't wait to have you in it! Less than 9 weeks to go, we hope it flies by!

Love you Emma Bean,

Momma

Daddy writes again

HI BABY, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND CAN'T WAIT TO MEET YOU. TODAY WE WENT TO THE DR AND GOT TO HEAR YOUR HEART BEAT AGAIN. YOU WERE FUNNY CAUSE I DON'T THINK YOU LIKED THE MONITOR BECAUSE YOU KEPT TURNING OVER TO GET AWAY FROM IT. WE RECENTLY FINISHED YOUR ROOM AND NOW HAVE ALMOST EVERYTHING WE WILL NEED WHEN YOU GET HERE. YOUR MOM AND I PAINTED YOUR WALLS WITH FLOWERS AND TREES AND BUTTERFLIES. I REALLY HOPE YOU LIKE IT. I'M EVEN RESERVING A SPOT ON THE WALL FOR YOU SO THAT WHEN YOU'RE A LITTLE OLDER YOU CAN PAINT TOO. YOU CAN PAINT OR DRAW WHATEVER YOU WANT. I SOMETIMES WONDER WHAT THINGS YOU WILL LIKE TO DO. MUSIC, ART, SPORTS OR MAYBE SOMETHING ELSE. I WILL MAKE SURE YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO THESE THINGS. YOUR MOM IS ABOUT 6 AND 1/2 MONTHS ALONG NOW AND I'M ABLE TO REALLY FEEL WHEN YOU KICK NOW. WHEN YOU START KICKING, YOUR MOM PUTS MY HAND ON HER STOMACH SO I CAN FEEL YOU KICK AND MOVE. I LOVE YOU BABY AND WILL WRITE YOU AGAIN SOON. LOVE DADDY

Hello beautiful Emma!

Most importantly for you once you read these messages is to know how much you are already loved. I realized tonight especially just how much you are wanted and have been LONG AWAITED.....how much we are excited to meet you, to hold you, play with you, and snuggle with you. Know how many people already love you! You have an amazing family and I can't wait for you to meet them. I can guarantee you will never want for anything, and you will never be denied love. We are all here to protect you and care for you. That is what a family does. There are lots of babies in the world who don't have the love that you will, but we will raise you to know how important love is, and how much you should scatter your joy all throughout your life. We will teach you a lot about joy. I have so much of it in my heart, I have to give some away, and you will too. Your Dad and I will teach you how to laugh and play and experience life to fullest. And most importantly, we will teach you about the God who gives us this joy! Know that I pray for you, little one, to be healthy and strong, to be protected by your angels all through your life, and that you would grow up to be a strong young woman who knows what she deserves, and is a shining example of what a Godly woman should be to all of the women around her. We will teach you to love and respect yourself and others unconditionally, and to love and adore God above all else.

We have so much fun waiting for us....so hurry up and grow!

Love, Momma

Emma Joy!!!

Oh so much has happened sweet little one! I am 6 months along this weekend, and am growing by the day! It is hard to believe so much time has passed, and that in just 3-4 short months we will get to see your beautiful little face.

Very exciting news!! We have finally decided on your name. We had about 3 names that we really liked...we thought of naming you Lily, and Daddy really liked the name Isabella (because he wanted to call you "Bella") In the end, I wanted your Dad to pick your name. I heard that in African cultures, the dad always picks the name and surprises the mom with it when the baby is born. I couldn't quite wait that long, so I let your Dad make the decision, but I also made him tell me because I was dying to know!! I suppose he picked your first name, and I picked your middle name. He was having trouble deciding the middle name, so I helped him out a little.  :)   Now we know that instead of just calling you "Baby" all the time, we can now call you, Emma Joy Pyatt. Our sweet little angel finally has a name, and I love everything about it. I love that Emma is a sweet, soft, feminine name. It absolutely reflects the beautiful little girl, and the beautiful young woman I know you will become. And the middle name, Joy, is obvious....we know you will bring us joy when we meet you, as you already have ever since the first day we knew you were going to be a part of our lives. We are blessed and joyful to have you in our lives, and wanted your name to reflect that!

Lately, you have been rolling and kicking, and moving pretty regularly. Your kicks are hard enough that Daddy was able to feel them. I couldn't wait for the moment when he could feel just a little of what I have been experiencing, and just about 3 weeks ago, he felt you kick for the first time. I cried because I was just so excited to share the experience with him! I knew the moment he felt it because his eyes lit up big and bright, and he was in love! I have tried to get him to feel your kicks several times since then, but a lot of times, as soon as you feel his hand on my tummy, you suddenly become very still! Something must be very calming about Daddy, so let's hope that works when you are fussy and crying too! :) You like to move a lot when I first lay down, either on the couch to watch tv after dinner, or when I am just getting cozy and comfy in bed. You LOVE to move then, but it doesn't bother me too much. If you get too rambunctious when I am trying to sleep, I just rub my hand back and forth over my tummy, and it seems to put you right back to sleep.

We also have been working very hard on getting your room painted, and decorated, organized, and all ready for your arrival! Daddy and I painted your walls a pretty light green, almost yellow color, but the best part is Daddy's drawings all over your walls! (I helped a little too, but trust me, your Dad is the TRUE Artist!) When the room is all finished, I will put some pictures up, but just know that you will have the cutest, sweetest room a little girl has ever had in her life!! You have the most beautiful pictures of butterflies, amazing trees, flowers, and a big, cute caterpillar which I love! Daddy also painted a little bee family flying around in the flowers. There is a bee that looks like, me, you, and like your Dad! We have a cute little rug with butterflies and a lady bug, and we just bought some pretty purple butterfly bedding for your bed! You will have butterflies everywhere, I hope you like them!! Also today we bought your stroller after LOTS of thought and reading reviews and test-driving lots of strollers in the store. We wanted you to have something very safe and cozy, and that was easy for us to open and close. I think we found all of those things, and can't wait to get it in the mail and put it together.

We are so much closer to having everything ready for you Baby Emma, and we hope you will like everything we have made for you. Can't wait to meet you!!

Love, Momma

I can see them now!

I SAW the first little kicks of yours just moments ago sweet baby. My tummy jumped just a little when you kicked me. Your kicks are getting stronger so I know that you are getting bigger now! I love this idea because it means I am getting closer and closer to meeting you. I think tomorrow your dad will be able to feel those little kicks too, and I can't wait for that. Ever since I felt you kick the first time, I have wanted him to feel it to. You're pretty amazing, even though you are still so small. I love you baby, happy 21 weeks!

-Momma

Flower for Baby Girl...

The very first blooms on our beautiful flowering tree showed up yesterday! (on the day we found out you were a sweet baby GIRL!) That's no coincidence...I am convinced they were just for you, little girl. This tree can never match up to how pretty you will be, but it gave it a good try :)

MY BABY GIRL

TODAY YOUR MOM AND I FOUND OUT YOU ARE A LITTLE GIRL AND I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER. YOUR GRANDMAS AND AUNTS WERE ALSO THERE TO SEE YOUR ULTRASOUND AND SEE THAT YOU ARE A GIRL. YOUR MOTHER AND I HAD A FRIENDLY BET GOING AND DEEP DOWN I KNEW THE DR. WAS GONNA SAY YOU'RE A GIRL BUT STILL BET YOUR MOM THAT YOU WERE A BOY. I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL I GET TO  HOLD YOU AND SPOIL YOU. THE ULTRASOUND IS WHAT THE DR.S USE TO LOOK AT YOU WHILE YOU'RE STILL IN YOUR MOMS BELLY. ITS VERY COOL. WE WERE ABLE TO SEE YOUR HEART BEAT AND SEE YOU MOVE AND YOU WERE EVEN KICKING YOUR MOM AND WE WERE ABLE TO SEE THAT. I'M REALLY PUMPED TO BE HAVING YOU AND THAT YOU'RE A GIRL. I CAN'T WAIT TO PAINT YOUR ROOM AND GET GIRL STUFF TO FILL IT. I HOPE YOU LIKE BUTTERFLIES. I LOVE YOU AND WILL WRITE YOU AGAIN SOON. LOVE PAPA

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

God has blessed us over and over again with this healthy happy pregnancy…………….. and now with the news that our little one is a sweet BABY GIRL! We're both ecstatic!!

"A daughter is a bundle of firsts that excite and delight, giggles that come from deep inside and are always contagious, everything wonderful and precious and your love for her knows no bounds."-- Barbara Cage 

 "A daughter is a miracle that never ceases to be miraculous...full of beauty and forever beautiful...loving and caring and truly amazing."-- Deanna Beisser

Little Runaway!

You just get to be more fun all the time, little baby!

Now you are kicking a little more often. We were watching Captain America in the movie theater on Saturday and at the end of the movie when the final music came on loud, you started kicking me like crazy! That was really fun because it was the longest I've ever felt it. I wondered if you heard all that music, but your Dad thinks you really liked Captain America like him.  :)

Another funny thing you are doing lately is running away from our heart monitor! We like to listen to your heart beat and make sure you're okay. Before we could just listen to it for a long time, but now suddenly, we'll be listening to your heart beating and then we hear all these crazy sounds and it's gone. It took me a little bit to figure it out, but we realized you must be flipping or turning over and getting away from the heart monitor. We heard it really good yesterday. You moved so much that the heart monitor made a really loud sound in your dad's ears. That was pretty funny. You got him good. And at the same time your dad jumped, I felt your little kicks in my belly right where he was holding the heart monitor. I think that was the coolest thing you've ever done. You have no idea but every little movement like that just makes everything so much more real to us! You're still so tiny in there, that there are times it is hard to believe I am really pregnant. Not when I feel those little kicks though. There is great big life inside your little tiny body, and I am so thankful for all of those little moments with you. :) I love getting to know you, little one. We get more and more anxious everyday for you to be in our lives (on the outside) all the time. As your dad says..."Hurry up and GROW!" We want to meet you so badly.

...Only 8 more days and we know if you're a boy or a girl! We have been waiting for this appointment for so long, it's hard to believe it is really almost here. I didn't have too strong of feelings about whether you were a boy or girl at first. So many people insisted that you are a boy, I kind of went with that for awhile. (Your Aunt T is convinced you are a girl, she was the only one! )  Your Dad is convinced that you are a boy, and he is sticking with it. Until recently I didn't realize it, but in every little daydream I have about you and our life with you, I have been imagining a girl. I picture you when you're a baby, I picture first your Christmas, I picture you when you're 5! And always, you are a girl   :) I didn't realize that at first, but I suppose my Mother's Intuition was kicking in more than I thought! Plus, the other night I had a dream about you and you were a girl. Now I am sure that's what you are. Your dad and I are ecstatic no matter what you are, but now we have a little competition to see who's right. You'll get to know this about us. We both like to be right  :)  Our baby doctor has officially sided with me. She says mom's feelings are usually right. 

No matter what, the wait to meet you will still feel like forever, but know that once we have you in our arms we're never gonna let you go! We love you sweet baby.


-Momma

First Little Kicks!

Hi Baby,

I am guessing you were trying to say hello, because a week ago Sunday, (the day I reached 15 weeks) I felt your first little kicks. Let me tell you, it was amazing! Unlike anything I have ever felt before. It was like you were tickling me on the inside of my belly. What a cool feeling. I have felt it once more since then, and now not much since last week. I know you're doing well and getting strong though, because we have a heart monitor for you now. It helps us to hear your little heart beat, and we just can't get enough! We listen to you almost everyday (and sometimes more than once!) A few nights ago I just laid on the bed and listened to your little heart beating and wooshing...such magic! I knew you had a strong heart. :)

Only 3 more weeks until we know if you are a little boy or little girl. The anticipation is killing us, but I rest in the faith of knowing that no matter what, you will be a little angel. Can't wait to start our life with you!

Love, Momma

Strong Heart

Hey little baby!

Your Dad and I went to our last doctor appointment at 13 weeks and we got to hear you heart beat again. The doctor said that at 13 weeks we may not be able to hear the heart beat very well, but as soon as she listened to my tummy, we heard your strong little heart right away! She said, "I like this baby already." It's such an amazing little sound. I know you'll have that strong little heart your whole life! I think that is such a good sign that your little heart is already strong. That is so important. Your dad and I love to listen to it, 163 beats per minute. Your little heart races right now!

How are you feeling today? Momma's feeling pretty tired these past couple of days. Tomorrow is the end of 15 weeks with you inside my tummy, and it's all happened pretty fast! I'm also feeling tightness in my stomach, right about where you are. I guess that means that your growing and stretching right now, and I can certainly feel that. Our book says you're about the length of a softball now, which is crazy! I can't believe how big you're getting.

Every day I try to push around on my tummy a little bit to see if I can feel you kick. I know it's kind of early, but I don't want to miss your first little movements inside me. I have been waiting to feel your kick for a long time now, so get going! I am hoping it will happen any day now... Also, we have our ultrasound appointment set for August 3rd. This is the appointment where we'll get to find out if you're a boy or a girl. We're dying to know! We have so much decorating to do, and we want to buy you clothes, and we have just been waiting and waiting until we know what you are. Just wait, lots of people already love you and want to spoil you.  :)
This next month while we wait for our appointment is going to feel like forever, but it's worth the wait.

Well I better go get to bed. It's late and I'm starting to get the giggles (This usually happens when I get really tired) and I'm not making much sense. I love you sweet one, sleep tight!

Love, Momma

Belly Pics!

Hi Baby,

I wanted to show you a couple pictures of you inside my tummy!

This is me and you at 10 weeks..

 

This is me and you at 11 weeks..

 And this is us at 13 weeks! Something happened on the day I turned to 13 weeks, and all of a sudden my tummy got a LOT bigger! It pretty much happened over night!

...and a picture of Daddy at 13 weeks. So silly!

Tonight we looked at car seats and strollers for you. We found some we really liked that look very safe and have nice handles that will make it easier to carry you. Your room is really starting to look nice too. Once we know if you're a boy or girl, we'll decorate for you and make your room really special. You're going to love sleeping in there! Your Dad is going to paint pictures on the wall for you that match your room, and we're going to hang curtains so it stays dark enough for you to sleep. All of your furniture, except for a dresser (we're still looking for a dresser for you) is already in your room. All the room is missing...is YOU! I can't wait to see you swinging in your little swing, snuggled up in your bed, and getting your diaper changed on your changing table. It's all getting ready for you! Sometimes, I turn your swing on and play the music so it feels like you're really here. Time is going by pretty fast, so i know you'll be here before we know it. Can't wait to meet you baby!

Here are some pictures of your room so far..

Love, Momma

Fun Pictures

Hi Baby,

Here are some fun pictures I wanted to share with you.

This is a picture of 5 pregnancy tests I took to be completely sure I was pregnant!

 This is Daddy's excited, yet sleepy face when I woke him up at told him at 6:30 in the morning that he was gonna be a Daddy

This is Momma's excited face the morning we found out about you!









and....a few pictures of the furniture we bought for your room.

Your new room

Brent: Last week your mother and I cleaned out the second bedroom for you. Two days ago your grandpa, mom and I bought you a crib and brought it home. It was a lot of fun being able to put the crib together. It's a great feeling to have a room designated for just you and I can't wait to find out if you're a boy or a girl so I can paint the room and get the right colors for you. I love looking in your room and seeing the things we already have for you, even though it's not much yet. I sometimes like to go in your room and imagine what it will look like when it's finished and wonder if you'll like the things we put in it. I can't wait to meet you baby or babies so hurry up and grow. Your mom and I have a doctors appointment in three weeks and we will get to hear your heart beat for the first time. I'm so excited. Our first appointment was yesterday and it was with a nurse who asked us a lot of questions about our mothers and fathers and about our health. You are almost 7 weeks now and not very big at all yet. Your mom has been craving jolly rancher candy and we think it may be you who likes them so much. I love you baby and its late and time for me to go to bed. Good night.

Love at First Sight...

I have been thinking about one of the most amazing parts about having a baby. Getting to experience love at first sight. See, with family, you love them because they are your family You love them deeply, for all of your life. With your husband or wife, you learn to fall in love with them as well. It takes time for deep, real love to set in. And when it does, it is truly amazing! I have experienced family love, falling in love...and now, I will get to experience love at first sight. I can't imagine what it will be like, but I know that it will be one of life's true miracles to fall in love the moment we see our little baby(s). What an amazing day that will be!

My Hopes For You...

Wendy: Oh little baby...you are so so small, yet you are making me so very tired! I am up much of the night, unable to sleep, thinking about the baby, wondering you're okay! When I lay on my belly, I wonder if I'm squishing you or anything. Kick me if I am...Then the next day, I am tired all day. Then at night, awake again...you're preparing me for what's to come, aren't you? I am so excited for my belly to get big. I think everyday about the little fun things that will start to happen. I can't wait to feel the baby kick. I won't even mind too much when my bladder gets stepped on.

I wonder what you'll look like. I wonder if you'll get my eyes...we hope so! And I hope you get your dad's smarts, and can put things together really well, and that you have a great faith and a deep love for your family. I hope you get my love for music so I can teach you to sing and play, and we can make music together! I hope you get both of our love for people and desire to serve others. We both love to do that, and I hope you're okay with the fact that we like to invite people into our home and share with them. Sometimes more people than should even fit in our house! I hope you have a strong belief and confidence in yourself, and you know how special you are right from the beginning. I hope that you walk through every season of life with a deep joy in your heart that can only come from God. I hope that you will learn about His love very soon.

You're going to be the luckiest baby in the whole world. so many people are already in love with you, and would do anything for you. you have a couple of really cute cousins that can't wait for you to get here...and even now are hoping that there are MORE than one of you. You have two grandmas and a grandpa that just can't wait to meet you. You're gonna have a great life. I know, because we have a great life, and we're bringing you into it to share all of the goodness with you. I love you little one.-Momma

An Introduction to New Beginnings!

Wendy: On Saturday, April 9th, Brent and I received incredible, amazing, and almost impossible news...that I am pregnant!!! I say almost impossible, because even now as I write this nearly a week later, I am still not sure I believe it. I wanted to create a blog where I can track our thoughts, feelings, and exciting stories along the way. I don't ever want to forget this journey that we have just started, and I want our future little one(s) to know how much we love them and care about them before we even get to meet them. They could never know how excited we are right now!

Just a little background...
Brent and I have been trying to get pregnant since September of last year. Right around our first anniversary as husband and wife, something clicked with both of us. We knew we were ready to be parents, and it is strange, but true to say that we have felt very strongly that way ever since the day we had our first good conversation about it. Due to some "woman" complications, (that's all I'll say for now...) we knew we would need some assistance and went right to the doctor to get some help. After many labs, an "analysis" for Brent, and an HSG (dye injected into the uterus) for me, we were able to start the hormone process to see if we would be able to conceive. It got to the point where it seemed more and more "wrong" to not actually have children. Like something was missing in our lives. After a couple of tries with the hormones, to my amazement we actually got pregnant! It has been tough waiting and waiting, but we know that many have waited much longer than us. We are so grateful for God's will in our lives, and the tiny little miracle forming inside my body right now. It seems so impossible...

 Here are my stats today: I am 4 weeks and 4 days along. I so far have not gained any weight...thankfully...and am not feeling too much "different" yet, other than being much more tired than usual. Specifically, I am going to bed 1-2 hours earlier, and though I fall asleep okay, I can't stay asleep all night. I find myself awake, thinking about the baby.   :)

We have been reading through books, websites, and anything else "baby" we can get our hands on lately. My favorite thing to do now is to look at the pictures of the growth and development of the baby. I am sure this won't get old no matter how far along I get. I will be 5 weeks this Sunday, so we were taking a look at that picture. Amazing...The picture of 5 weeks (gestational age), and it's already taking a "baby" form. Though a little funny looking, and only about 1/17 of an inch long, our baby is already growing a brain, spinal cord, backbone, and lots of other pieces of the central nervous system. Here is a picture of little "Junior" now.

Pretty crazy... I told Brent it looks like I had an affair with a sea horse   :)   The days will never go by fast enough until I can hear the baby's heart beat on an ultrasound, or feel a little flutter or kick inside my belly. I can't wait to feel that...i have wanted this my whole life! I really want Brent to feel it too, I know he'll just be amazed..

 I know that I will love being pregnant. I've dreamt of being a mom, and having a man who loved me to be the father of my baby. I can't express how lucky I am that I now have both of these things in my life. It is miraculous!

Brent: I can't believe that I'm gonna be a dad. It's a great feeling to know that in 8 months I'll get to meet my baby(s). Time can't go fast enough and every day I think "I wish I could meet him or her now." Every day seems like a lifetime when you want something so badly and can't have it yet. It's truly a miracle and I'm still in shock that it's finally happening.