12 Days, 10 Hours & 35 Minutes until our due date!!!!

I figured I would get one more last post in before Landon makes his grand entrance! Our due date hasn't changed; it's still March 6! I'm measuring on track, and he's probably close to 7 lbs, which is certainly bigger than I would have predicted.

The last few weeks we've been scrambling to finish up his nursery, getting all the many things together we need for a baby (boy do babies require a lot of 'stuff'), and taking educational classes. Matt and I are 15 hours more educated in child-birthing, infant parenting, CPR and breastfeeding than we were in my last post! Those courses were worth every single second, and it made us feel much more comfortable knowing a little bit more about what to expect and what to do! We learned everything from how to properly position him to breastfeed, to how to correctly put a onesie on a baby.

I'm going to miss my little baby moving around in my belly. I LOVE feeling him turning, pushing and kicking inside. It's just so precious. Even when it's a bit painful, I love every second. It's the one thing I'm going to hate to give up when he's born.

A few weeks ago, my sweet friends from Sunday School threw me a baby shower!  It was absolutely perfect! The cutest theme ever..."Mom to Bee"....thank you so much Katie, Brianne, Dawnetta, Valarie & Brittany for putting together such a lovely shower, you ladies are as sweet as honey! And thank you to everyone who came, you all made it such a special and memorable time in my pregnancy!

We just have a few loose ends left before he arrives...the rocker should be delivered this week, we need to put window treatments up, there are still some pictures to be hung in his room, I need to pick up his coming home outfit from the embroidery store and I have a little more reading to finish up. And I won't even start on how far behind I am on decorating the rest of our new home. But of course all those things are not necessities, so if he were to come tonight, I can finally, honestly say, WE ARE READY!!!!!!!!

It can be terrifying as a new parent to think about the world we're bringing our baby into. Although beautiful in many ways, sadly, this is a world full of suffering and tragedy. That reality can make any parent-to-be worry about their child's future. One of my favorite gospel songs brings great comfort to me through its lyrics. As the Gaithers perfectly put it when they were expecting:

"...But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He Lives!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know, I know, He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives!"

Ready or not, in 6 weeks he comes!!!!

So much has been going on! Let's see, we moved into our new home in early December, then the holidays immediately followed, and now we're in late January and can't believe how time is flying by. Pregnancy sure seems to go by much quicker in the 3rd trimester.

Peek-A-Boo
Just before Christmas, we went in for a 3D picture/4D video ultrasound. It was the most amazing thing ever. We saw our precious Landon, and even though he had his leg and foot in front of his face the whole time, as well as the umbilical cord in the way, we were still able to get a decent glimpse of what his little baby face looks like. Can't wait to kiss those cheeks!!! Here's our baby boy:

Home Sweet Home
We're loving the comforts of our new home! Probably the thing we love the most is that we are back in a one story! Our previous home was a 2 story garden/townhouse with ALL bedrooms upstairs. We were so frightened at the thought of carrying a tiny baby up and down stairs all day (and night). Just one less thing to worry about! Moving is overwhelming...getting things unpacked, ordering and waiting for furniture and putting our home together. I vow to never ever move again when pregnant. I can't do the things I want to do because of physical restrictions, and I'm so indecisive on EVERYTHING. I'm not use to that. I usually know what I want and have everything all planned out in advance. Not pregnant Julie...

Landon's Nursery
Speaking of indecisive, I completely changed the main colors of Landon's room to a simple white, light blue and gray color scheme. Originally I had all my bedding and stuff picked out, and it was going to be a robins egg blue. It took me to my 8th month of pregnancy to decide on his bedding. Luckily it came in a week later! Here's a peek at it, and I'm so glad we have it because the line is being discontinued. I was only able to order the bumper, sheet and skirt, but those were the only pieces I really wanted anyway. In case you didn't know, I learned the line that went along with my crib was discontinued the day after it was purchased. Yeah....for over a month after the order was placed, I was under the impression that we wouldn't be able to get the crib. Oh, and the first dresser we picked out was discontinued before we could buy it. And have I mentioned the play yard I want is also being discontinued? Discontinued, discontinued, discontinued. I'm so tired of hearing that word!!!

Landon's Crib! Thank you Mama & Daddy AKA Nana & Granpa!
Your grandbaby is going to have many sweet dreams in his handsome bed!

Landon's Bedding

The Rocker (except a gray and white pinstripe fabric)

As soon as I have more of the nursery put together later this week or next, I'll post pictures of the actual room. It's coming along perfectly!

Our Fabulous Austin Baby Shower
I absolutely had hostess with the mostest...times 6! We had a wonderful baby shower on January 5. Since Matt and I don't get to see everyone too often, we wanted a guys and gals shower so he could see everyone too. It was so special, and we cherished every single moment with family and friends who we won't be seeing for a while. Leila, Nikki, Amber, Susan, Kara and Tavia---I can't thank you all enough for such a beautiful, thoughtful event! The food was catered and amazing! Fajitas were the main course and they were oh so yum! The stuffed mushroom caps were pretty amazing too! Here are some shower detail pictures. The girls knew I loved classic baby things (rocking horses, antique baby carriages, baby blocks, nursery rhymes, etc.) and just look how they brought it all together.

Amber's super talented mom made the cake(s), little baby blocks that spelled out "BABY"

BEAUTIFUL Silver Urns!
I couldn't get enough of the decaf pomegranate iced tea! Delicious!

Amber made (very time consuming) baby carriage sugar cookies.
These were seriously the most addicting cookies, ever!
She obviously gets her baking talents from her mom :)

Look at Landon's new rocking horse! It was the one from Restoration Hardware that I obsessed over!
Thank you Leila! Best gift ever! So precious!

Leila & Tavia made the cutest favors filled with animal cookies!
There was no leaving this party hungry!

As if Amber didn't already out-do herself with the cookies, she made cake pops too!!!

A burlap wreath was placed on the mantle, and is now placed on Landon's nursery door!
Nikki, I love that you remembered how much I love burlap.
I wanted burlap in Landon's room somehow and now it is! It's just PERFECT!!!!

All the special little details, courtesy of the lovely Amy & Bleu Print Shoppe!

As you may have seen in the previous pictures, Leila painted nursery rhymes and they were placed throughout the clubhouse! They made the shower absolutely adorable!

Everyone left a picture and special messages in a Polaroid guest book!
It's been so much fun to look over and read!

Our lovely hostesses: Leila, Kara, Nikki, Susan, Amber & Tavia
Matt and I can't thank you enough!

Nephew Jonah turns the big ONE!
A very special event is coming up...my nephew's 1st birthday party is this Saturday! Matt and I are heartbroken that we can't make it. It's in Dallas, and we can't exactly make that kind of trip this late in pregnancy. Isn't he the most precious little thing?!!!

Jonah has brought so much joy to our family this last year, and we look forward to this new year and our baby Landon joining him! I love that they'll be cousins so close in age. Many, many wonderful times are ahead! One last picture from our Austin baby shower...children are certainly a blessing!

Cheers to 2 Years in The Natural State

I moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas two years ago today! Matt had already been up here for a month at that time. While our first 18+ months here seemed like the longest time in my life, it was filled with constant prayers, and one June morning I woke up and it's seriously like God had given me an immediate change of heart. How does He do that? Still shocked. I love my ATX, and nothing compares. BUT...I must say, this place is special, and it's where the Lord placed us. I trust in Him, and He has made me glad!!!

Growing our fruits of Love, Joy & Patience!

WILL WE EVER MOVE??? Oh how we hope and pray to be in our house by Thanksgiving, which sounds far away until you look at the calendar and realize that we're suppose to be eating turkey and dressing one week from today. With the timing of our move, a Thanksgiving with the entire family just isn't going to happen, but when we see them at Christmas, it's going to be even more special this year! So a combination of random things set back our move-in date and we are cutting it close to be in next Wednesday. The alternative? Oh, possibly take-out served on Chinet instead of China, and a cardboard box re-purposed for our Thanksgiving Day table. Ok, I'm exaggerating a little, we'd certainly make Thanksgiving Day Brunch reservations somewhere, but seriously the past month we have been eating our dinners on paper plates and using cardboard boxes for tables. We've been practicing lots of patience lately!

Well, we may not be moving right now, but baby Landon sure is!!! Matt felt him for the first time on Tuesday, October 30. Matt described it as a very gentle or faint movement when he had his hand on my belly....but just several nights later, on Thursday, November 1, Matt once again was trying to feel Landon and felt a strong kick!! Since then, he's felt stronger and more rapid movements. It's just such a blessing to share that with Baby's Daddy! The common word that Matt routinely uses to describe Landon moving when he has his hand on my belly: a loud, joyful, "WHOA!!!"

And as you've just read, we picked a name...Landon Garrett Hutchins...Landon is just a name we happen to love. We felt it was strong and masculine, and certainly not a name that's overused.  I only know of 2 other Landons. We feel there are so many baby names that sound "cute" when they're little, but we tried to pick a name that our little guy will love once he's a grown gentleman! And looking at the top 25 baby boy names, we love soooo many of them, but we don't want Landon to be like the name Brandy was when we were growing up. I remember in 5th grade having 4 Brandys in my homeroom class, and many more in my grade. Matt's middle name is Garrett. So there you have it...Landon Garrett Hutchins. Perfect!

I've been trying to put the style of his room together. I'd describe my style as clean lines and transistional. So, for Landon's room, it's really no different. The walls are light gray above a white railing and dark gray below. Linens are robins egg blue and white, solid patterns. The crib...I've picked 2 and they both haven't worked out (either of stock or discontinued when ordered). But I can tell you it will be a very dark cherry or an espresso. The rocker is going to be a neutral color armchair-like rocker with beautiful sleigh rockers on the bottom. Either will go with the the Pottery Barn Wingback or Charleston....or a similar look from somewhere else. His dresser... I haven't quite figured it out yet. I doubt it will be the same color as the crib. I want them to compliment each other, but not be all matchy-match. We'll see how that goes. I'm probably leaning toward a white distressed look. I ran across some wire storage bins at a local store that look just like the ones at Restoration Hardware Child. So I plan to stuff them with plush animals, storybooks and anything else pretty and baby-like!

Yesterday was my 24 week appointment with the doctor. I got to drink the sugar water for glucose testing. I chose the fruit punch and typically I enjoy juice but that stuff burns going down the throat! As long as I don't get a call in the next week, we're ok, and my next appointment will be at 28 weeks. Doc did a belly check, listened to the heartbeat and answered some questions I had for him. Also, Matt and I each got vaccinated with the tdap shot. I'm surprised that's not a vaccine more regularly discussed during pregnancy. It's super important for pregnant women.

This last weekend we traveled to Austin. Here's a picture we took in the photobooth at Nikki and Adam's gorgeous wedding. It pretty much sums up our life right now....full of love, and full of crazy!!! No matter what may be making our lives crazy or weighing us down, it's never as important as our faith, family and our health. We pray God will bless us and our family with these, and help heal loved ones surrounding us who need healing whether it's spiritually, emotionally or physically!

Our life right now: full of love, and full of crazy!!!

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 
Philippians 4:6-7

It's a Boy!!!

I T 'S    A    B O Y !!!! 

You can watch our very active baby boy! 

Here's our sonogram from this glorious day at 18 weeks:

(video 1 of 2) http://youtu.be/mVAjNO5ay4I

(video 2 of 2) http://youtu.be/IeHrqdySEeU

 

Baby Moves, Belly Grows & House is in the Home Stretch!

Shame on me for going all of September without a post. Before I catch you up, I'm busting at the seams to post about the most special feeling in the world!

Baby Moves & I Feel It!!!
This morning, I unmistakeably felt Baby kicking and moving! I've read online that you can feel a baby move as early as 16 weeks. While I experienced interesting feelings in my tummy the last few weeks, I couldn't be sure if it was Baby or something else...until around 10am this morning! Of course I had a few happy tears then shared the news! Matt who was in a meeting negotiating a contract, saw my text, and excused himself immediately to call with excitement asking what it felt like. Then I told a few family members and posted it on FB for everyone to know!

September Catch-Up
September was crazy busy with 2 fun visits to Austin visiting friends, going to a wedding and then hosting my dear friend Nikki's wedding shower! The second trip I drove, and I pledge never to do so alone while pregnant EVER again. But...It was worth it because I was able to see family in Dallas on my way to and from Austin. My little nephew Jonah is growing leaps and bounds, and he was certainly the perfect end to my trip as I headed back to Arkansas.

We had one visit at 14 weeks, to the doctor for a blood panel and to hear the heartbeat again. I wanted so badly to have an ultrasound and see Baby. The good news is that we finally see Baby and will learn the gender in just 5 days....on 10/10 at 10am! We had our last ultrasound at 10 weeks and Matt and I are anxious to see how Baby's grown.

Belly is Bigger
A bittersweet (but far more sweet) part of this whole thing is the transformation of my body. I'm going to have my work cut out for me in the gym come next Spring. I can't eat enough food!!! And I'm not proud to say what things I LOVE right now...things that I maybe treated myself to only a handful of times per year before pregnancy... Hamburgers, mac-n-cheese, mashed potatoes, tacos, burritos (like Free Birds or Flying Burrito style), pizza and high calorie breakfast foods. Bring on the eggs, sausage and biscuits!!! Fruit is great too! I have to MAKE myself eat vegetables unless they're hidden in a tasty burrito as mentioned, or like the tortilla soup I ate for dinner last night. I go through gallons of orange juice, and drink tons of decaf tea at home. My body wakes me up fairly often at 5am starving and I can't sleep until I eat a bowl of cereal....then I go back to bed......and have Breakfast #2 several hours later. Doc told me right before we got pregnant in early June that I needed to gain weight. Oh how I've done so. My 14 week doctor visit showed I gained 20 pounds since early June. THAT'S DEVASTATING!!!!

Obviously Baby is getting bigger because my tummy sure is....

With a growing belly, comes a ton of shopping because nothing fits. Now typically, I'd be all excited about such a glorious event, but shopping has been a pain in the neck. Cute and stylish maternity wear is soooooo hard to come by. Why can't there be more designers who make clothes that make you feel good about yourself during a time when you need it most? So. Very. Frustrating.

House is on the Home Stretch
We move in a month! Our home has come a long way! So last week we had our driveway, sidewalk and patio extension poured. The trim guy is currently in there cutting and installing closet and pantry shelving, trim, crown and the mud bench this week. Next week (weather pending) we get irrigation and landscaping outdoors and paint on the walls indoors! Very few items are left that I can think of including...hardwoods, carpeting bedrooms and installing plumbing and light fixtures! And that's just about it! We're still scheduled for an end-of October or beginning-of November move-in.

A few pictures of the home's progress...

Blessed
Matt and I are humbled and thankful for every blessing that has been poured on us. So many things have happened to us this year, as they do each year, that shows the Lord's very evident work in our lives. I pray as Baby is formed by our loving Father in the womb that He would prepare us for parenthood and bless us with a healthy baby who will grow to love and serve Him boldly.

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. 
Psalm 136:1   

New Baby Coming & New Home Coming Along!!!

There are so many incredible things happening in our life right now! I'm excited to begin sharing updates on this blog, and also excited that it will be a journal for me to look back on and read in the future!

Matt and I learned we were expecting Baby exactly 9 weeks ago, on Sunday, June 24. I had took a pregnancy test that morning and the result looked negative. The whole day, I had this strange feeling in my lower stomach and it just nagged on me to test again that evening. To my surprise and delight, this time I saw the positive reading!!!! I shared the news with Matt and began crying. He was in shock! It's been a tough secret to keep for over two months and today we finally shared it with our Sunday School class, then "the world" via Facebook. So the news is officially out!!! I had a postcard made with our announcement that will go out to family and a few close friends this week! My sister-in-law did our photo shoot for our announcement picture and it couldn't have turned out more perfect!

Here's pictures from our first sonogram (at 7 weeks)....and a picture of our pregnancy announcement!!!

The sweetest thing I've ever seen (so far).....At our last ultrasound (10 weeks), Doc showed us how much Baby had grown, and we saw Baby moving around like crazy in my belly!!! Matt pulled out his phone and shot a short video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HfDZvLp-30&feature=youtu.be

The sweetest thing I've ever heard (so far)......Just a few days ago, we had a 12 week appointment and heard Baby's heartbeat for the first time. It was just thumping away!! There's nothing in the world that can compare to the sound of hearing your baby's heartbeat for the very first time!

Our next appointment is at 15 weeks!

Our home is coming along much quicker than I imagined. After living in Fayetteville for two years, and lots of prayer, we know this is the right move for us. Don't get me mistaken...we eventually would LOVE to be living in Texas, and more specifically Central Texas, but the Lord has other plans for us, at least for the moment. Matt's company is rapidly growing and we're excited about his career's future. There's no way we'd walk away from the blessings it's brought us right now. I'm blessed with the opportunity to be a housewife and stay at home mommy, which is the most important job in the world! And from what I hear, also the hardest!!!

So our home is in one of Matt's neighborhoods that is in a very desirable part of town, great schools and many, many wonderful families live there. I couldn't be more thankful to bring Baby home to such a wonderful place! They broke ground on the house in mid-June, and we're expected to close in late October. They'll be sheet-rocking later this week. It's almost surreal watching it all come together. The brick was dropped off several days ago! I'm really excited about the exterior because we chose Texas limestone that is coming from Central Texas! A little touch of home in our new home :)

Here's a picture from several weeks ago!

In a nutshell, this is all that's going on in our life right now! It's so exciting and certainly overwhelming at the same time! Getting ready to pack up your house for a move, and planning for a new baby sure keeps us busy...and happy!!!!