Week 28- First Week of 7th Month

Today I had my 28th week appointment! I saw Dr. Stands today and he was just terrific! He was very nice and he answered all of my questions for this visit. I'm beginning to have indigestion (YUCK), some swelling-mostly when I'm working (I'm on winter break right now), and my belly size (just wanted to make sure that my belly isn't bigger than 28 weeks! Dr. Stands measured my belly and told me that I was measuring exactly 28)! He said that my belly size was perfect and right on target and even told me that I looked great!

I also took and passed the glucose sugar test with "flying colors" as Sharon, the nurse tech said. I was very nervous about this test in general even though my sugar has always been low, but when Sharon read my levels I was a happy girl! My hemoglobin was also great- Sharon said that I should not be tired since it was so high. I told her that I haven't even taken a nap in the afternoons since being pregnant- for one if I did I wouldn't be able to sleep at night and since I'm teacher I need lots of sleep!
Okay, okay the weight part- I've gained another seven pounds- for a grand total of 23.5 pounds. Now this does not upset me but I'm thinking that I'm going to increase my walking minutes to 30 minutes each day instead of just 20. I'll keep you posted on how this is working out for Caroline and her mommy!
At today's visit we were also able to record Caroline's heartbeat on the Build-A-Sound device from Build-A-Bear (I'll insert the build-a- sound device into the bear I make and forever I'll have Caroline's heartbeat)! In last month's blog I mentioned that it didn't record, but we have it now. I'm going to download it on my computer from the device, this will take out the static, and then I'll re-record it and then a friend and I are going to Build-A-Bear to make bears for our babies. I'm so excited. Now the trouble is- what name do I choose for the bear I make? I'm so excited and can't wait to do this!
This was the last visit for every 4 weeks! Now my appointments are scheduled every two weeks until I'm 36 weeks and then it'll change to every week! So my next visit will be January 14th!
I hope everyone has a happy new year! God Bless!

Merry Christmas!

We hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas! We sure are enjoying this day! Earlier in the week we had Thaxmas with my dad and stepmom and today we're headed to Orangeburg to spend the day with the Leviners. On Saturday we're headed to Chester to have Christmas with my mother and stepfather.
Caroline got so many things for Christmas- from books, to clothes and shoes, and even a rocking chair! We're so thankful to our family for thinking about her this Christmas. Next Christmas will be such a delight for me and Sam as well as our family! God Bless!
Caroline's Rocking Chair from her Nanny and PC!

Melissa and Sam

Sam's work held their annual Christmas party on December 22nd! This was a special party for me and Sam because I was presented with 2 pink roses- one for me and one for Caroline! How sweet of his company to think of us! We ate a very delicious meal and I enjoyed all the desserts!

Caroline's Blankie Buddy!

Here's Caroline's Blankie Buddy- monogrammed! We got it from a friend this summer- thanks Fran- and waited to have it monogrammed until we knew what we're having! I hope Caroline loves it as much as we do! Just like Raffee, this blankie buddy (we'll let Caroline name it) is waiting for her arrival and sits on my night stand!

Family Christmas Fun!

For sometime now Sam and I have wanted to attend the Wednesday night church services at our church, but because of work, etc we were unable. So last Sunday I noticed in the bullentin that there would be a "Family Christmas Fun" time for tonight. So we decided that we wanted to go and it would be our chance of finally getting to go on a Wednesday night. Well tonight we got the chance to go for some Family Christmas Fun! The set up was this- eat dinner and then choose from a host of different activities and sessions to attend- we were excited!
So as we're eating and more and more people begin arriving, Sam looks at me and says, "we're the only ones here without children." I look around and see this to be true (however all the evening's events were in the Children's Ministry Building) and I'm not making the connection yet that this event was for children and their families. I noticed an older couple and point them out to Sam- they of course do not have children. So we finished up eating and then began to plan our sessions- I chose- family portrait, live nativity- yes with a real camel, sheep, baby, and more, craft on making your own nativity set, and Christmas caroling. So we head off for the first session- family portrait- we're still not noticing other childless couples, but we keep moving around to the different sessions. Finally, before we conclude our first Wednesday night church event we head to the "make your own nativity". As we're there we're noticing that at every every table there's a family and yes with CHILDREN. We didn't leave because we were in the middle of gluing baby Jesus down in raffia for straw on our manger scene. As we're gluing in the front of the room another family decides to join the craft and they head straight for our table- a woman announces- that tables taken for a family of two! I started laughing and told Sam to hurry up we'll glue/make/fold the rest of the nativity scene at home. So we leave- we get as far as the hallway and this girl- about our age- asks us if we had a good time and I laugh and tell her we did but we believe that we came to the wrong event. She laughed and said that it was fine and that at least we got to tour the new children's building- which by the way was very nice (she even commented on the arrival of our baby as to make us feel better about coming). So we head home laughing all the way. When we got home I went straight for the fridge where I post all the church's monthly events from the bullentin. The evenings event read "Children's Ministry Family Christmas Fun"! I told Sam what it said and we began to laugh hysterically and he said from now on he'd be in charge of the church event nights!
Oh, well we had fun-but the Sunday bullentin just said "Family Chritmas Fun"! The best part was we never once felt out of place and all the people were so nice to us!
Happy Holidays!

Caroline received her very first Disney World gift today! A former Leviner's Lamb, Griffin, along with his parents Wil and Rachel and oldest brother Trayton, brought back from Disney World a special pink Minnie Mouse hat with Caroline's name embroidered on the back! This was such a special treat and I can't wait to take Caroline's picture with it on!

24 Weeks

Here's my belly at 24 weeks! I can't believe I'm already this far along. I've been doing very well and I'm feeling fabulous! Caroline is beginning to be very active and I'm feeling her move more throughout the day instead of just in the mornings and nights! Its such a wonderful feeling and now Sam can even feel her move!
We've started cleaning our her room and getting paint swatches so we can match it with her bedding. I still have no idea how I want her room- stripped, polka dots, one color above the chair railing and one below. But I know that it'll come together. We're super excited about becoming parents and we know the Lord is going to bless us in so many ways!
16 weeks to go! Thank you for your continued prayers!
Love and Prayers,
Melissa and Sam

23 Weeks 6 Days

Today I had my 24th week appointment! It was very exciting- I got my application packet to fill out and return ASAP for my "admission for pregnancy" before I deliver as well as the wonderful Glucola to drink for my 28th week appointment for my glucose test. When Dr. Holladay took one look at me today he said that I was blossoming very nicely (I took this as a compliment because I'm so proud of my growing belly)! The rest of the appointment was very quick. First, I was weighed- I've gained not only 8 pounds but 8 and half pounds this time. I was shocked at the fact that I gained 8 pounds during last month's appointment and now 8.5 this time- for a grand total of 16.5 pounds. Dr. Holladay wasn't concerend but told me to partake in Yoga for pregnancy (I didn't do Yoga prepregnancy but I'll give it a try pregnant- this should be very interesting). I asked about walking- again- I wanted to make sure it was safe for Caroline and he said that I might feel aches and pains but she won't! When I got home from the appointment, feeling guilty, I took a 20 minute stroll in our neighborhood. It was actually very nice although the weather was chilly- this I didn't mind so much. I tried to promise myself that I would try this walking/yoga thing- at least if I'm thinking about it I won't feel so bad then for tasting that Tastefully Simple apple dessert in my fridge (Yum! Yum!).
For the rest of my appointment Dr. Holladay measured my belly which he said was perfect- 24 centimeters and I got a flu shot (never have I had the flu but taking the shot while pregnant would be just an extra precaution).
The highlight of my visit was when I had the chance to record Caroline's heartbeat! A teacher friend of mine, Lynn, gave me this Build-A-Sound recorder from Build-A-Bear. This makes it possible to record the baby's heartbeat and have it inserted into a Build-A-Bear for Caroline. In this way I'll always have her heartbeat! Before leaving the nurses said that if it didn't record this time then next time they'll hook me up to a different machine and can get a better recording for me. Well, I was disappointed when I tried to replay it for the nurses and it wouldn't work. So I'm going to have to get a new recorder and hopefully during my 28th week appointment we'll have a recording of her heartbeat!