Moving In! 34 Weeks!

Audrey now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds -a cantaloupe - and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. You'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

WE MOVED!! What a time that was, but now we are here and are busy making this house into our home! It feels more and more like home everyday. One of the first things we (Daddy) did was put together Audrey's crib. I just couldn't wait another minute to have her bedroom set up and while the rest of the house is still very much incomplete, she has a room! Think it's a nesting thing? I will post pictures of the finished project soon!

The honey and I had an awesome date night - much needed after the big move - We went to eat at Bricktops (wish I had taken a picture of the dessert - best thing I ever ate - big skillet cookie with ice cream) and then we went to the Nashville Rising concert. It was tons of fun and filled with stars - Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Toby Keith, Jason Aldean,

and ZZTop was my fave!

Happy Birthday, Happy Shower!

Happy 28th Birthday to my sweet and wonderful husband! He works so hard everyday for our growing family -he deserves all the Mac n Cheese in the world! Yes, this is Justin feeding him his 47th serving of the cheesy goodness. I love my sweet honey more and more everyday! We have fun together each and every day and I can't imagine anything more fun than having a baby with him!

Our most awesome friends, the Elrods, threw us a birthday celebration/baby shower and it was most delightful - especially the food - mac n cheese, burgers, and strawberry cake with cream cheese icing - YUM!

It was so awesome to see all our friends under one roof! We are so thankful to have such wonderful people close by to us. What a special time it was and we felt so honored! We love you all!

The shower hostess, Missy, and I. Friends like this make life so worthwhile! She's been such an awesome friend to lean on during all the ups and downs of pregnancy - from all the indecisiveness, stress, cravings, potty breaks, and the SHOPPING! Not sure what I'd do without her!

I Will Carry You (Audrey's Song) - Selah

My sister-in-law Meg told me about this song a couple days ago - we listened to it in her car and pretty sure we were both fighting tears. I just couldn't stop thinking about it so I went and bought the cd and now I want to share the story. It's just amazing and so precious. It makes view pregnancy so differently and realize what I was put on this earth to do and the strength that God gives us. Can't wait to hold my sweet baby girl!

Their Story:

On January 7, 2008 we went in for a routine 18-week ultrasound for our fourth daughter Audrey. After a few minutes of excruciating silence, we were told that she was “incompatible with life” and that the recommended solution was termination of the pregnancy. We didn’t agree, and chose to carry her.

We decided from the beginning that we were going to make the most of the time we had with her; we even went to Disney World so the girls could show her Cinderella’s Castle. It was an incredibly difficult time as we balanced what we knew to be true from the world’s view with what we believed our Lord could do. We prayed for a miracle, and although it didn’t come in the form we had hoped, we do believe He gave us one. Audrey came quietly into the world on April 7th, and we got to spend over 2 hours with her before she went to be with the Lord. We prayed over her, sang to her, counted her tiny toes, gave her a bath, and passed her around to our closest friends and family crowded in the tiny hospital room. It sounds strange to say, but it was really a time of celebration. We loved her a lifetime’s worth in one day.

While I was pregnant, I wanted to write a song that described what I was feeling so we could play it at her memorial service, and our dear friend Christa Wells wrote it with us as Audrey kicked inside me.

It wasn’t written to be on a CD, and wouldn’t have been, if it hadn’t been for one cord that wasn’t plugged in correctly on the day that Selah happened to be mixing this record. Because of the delay, the record wasn’t sent away to be mastered, and in that gap of time, Amy and Allan suggested that we include this song. I cannot tell you the joy that brought me, to know that in a way we hadn’t anticipated, my daughter’s name and story would be shared in such a special way.

There is much more to the story, and if you are interested, you can read about it online at www.audreycaroline.blogspot.com . In addition, I am honored to be in the process of writing a book about our journey with B&H Publishing that is scheduled to be released in the summer of 2010.

While this song was written for our daughter, it is also dedicated to all of the mothers and fathers who have been where we are, and we pray that it ministers to you and gives you hope that defies the pain. Selah has also recorded a “boy” version of the song in honor of Elliot Skaggs who passed away three weeks after Audrey from a very similar circumstance. That version can be downloaded from ITunes if you wish to hear it.

We will forever be grateful to Jesus, Who gave us the chance to carry her.

We did, and we still do.

Audrey, you changed everything. We miss you more than I could try and express, but we know you are resting in the arms of our Father, and we eagerly await the day we will see you again. We love you. - Angie Smith

My Birthday/33 Weeks

Happy Birthday to MEEEE!!! I had an awesome birthday this year! Evan got me this yummy ice cream pizza.

It gave us a sugar overload with one small sliver (the pizza was sent directly to my nephews and niece the next day and they of course loved it). My sweetest sister came to visit from Arkansas with her hubby John. Alli and I got fabulous facials and manicures to be fresh for our dinner at The Melting Pot! And then, the next day we ate brunch at the Cheesecake Factory...how much better can it get!?

We went to the midwife a couple days ago! Everything appears great and on track! I've gained about 25 lbs so far and they said she was most likely going to be a small baby - which of course gave me the green light to buy some teensy clothes! She does not like to hold still for them to listen to her heartbeat so the midwife grabbed onto her little booty and held her still! It was so funny - she just kept wiggling to get away from her! I asked when it was safe to deliver at the Birth Center and she said at 36 weeks - WHOA! that means if she comes any time after 3 weeks from now she will be ready and pretty much done baking and safe to deliver naturally! What a reality check and the nesting is in full force! Ready to move into the new house and get her bedroom all set up! The house is 99% complete and we are waiting for all the paperwork to go through and will close and move in the next couple of days! I just can't wait to sit in her room in the comfy chair and read her some books and patiently wait for her to arrive!

What We've Been Up To!

Well I'm now 33 weeks along! Can't believe how fast time is going by!

This week Audrey weighs a little over 4 pounds (PINEAPPLE) and has passed the 17-inch mark. She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a cone-head like appearance). These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as her brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

We just returned from an awesome trip to Myrtle Beach, SC with some great friends (Brett & Missy)! Got some much needed rest, sun, and yummy seafood!

We played lots of putt-putt! I'm really stepping up my game with all the practice! I've been only a few strokes away from beating Evan. Think the belly actually helps my strategy which is: no thinking, no aiming, no measuring - just whack it!!

Been spending lots of time resting and taking naps...Ahhhh...which usually also involves cuddling with my furry children! Both of these activities will probably be very lacking after Audrey gets here so I'm trying to enjoy as much as possible!

We saw a beautiful rainbow! It was definitely the biggest one I've ever seen and I couldn't even get the other half in the picture. There was even the start of a double rainbow that doesn't show up in the picture.

Evan, Brett, Missy, and I went to the Renaissance Festival a few weekends ago! We spent the day eating, people watching, and figuring out a way to budget our money to get more eating done! Ummmm a fried snickers was the best thing I've ever eaten! I was actually hoping it was going to be disgusting so that I would never want to eat that heart attack on a stick again but of course that ooey gooey goodness was oh so delightful and I've had fond thoughts of it ever since! However, I believe one per year will have to do if I want to keep my arteries open. We also ate some corn on the cob like ye olde wenches but missed out on the turkey legs since they were sadly sold out :(

Evan and Brett did some bow and arrow shooting!

New Pregnancy Adventures:

Belly Button: Gone

I can still paint my toenails and shave my legs!! I did have Evan tie my shoes the other day though!

Lots of baby hiccups

Maternity clothes officially fitting and some even getting a little snug: gained 25 lbs so far!

Feels like I'm breathing through a straw...squooshed lungs

Feels like I have a full tummy faster...squooshed stomach

Tired of going, going, going...squooshed bladder

Craving: fruit (peaches mostly), ice cream, & cereal