Bowling & Babies

The sure fire way to feel a little bit like a kid again. 

Even if you break your fingernails instead of breaking a score of 100.

We think babies can sense & talk to my baby. Weird? No, cute, right?

And our girl will be…

Little miss will go by the name of Emma Joy Edwards.

Emma : all consuming, whole, complete

Joy : great pleasure & happiness, jubilation

She will be all consuming happiness, which explains exactly how we feel about her!

As a red-blooded woman, I have had a list of future children names going since I was about 5 & learned what it meant to play “house". That list has evolved over the years & many names have been cut from the list. Some because I just didn't like the sound of them anymore or (because I’m a teacher) I know a child with that name & it just makes me “cringe” a little at the thought of naming my little after them. My husband, however, has not had a list going for all of his life. Of course we've talked over the past 9 years  about what we would name our children, but when the time finally came to decide on one name, we could not agree.

Prior to finding out the gender, Mike loved the name Bailey. I was not entirely on board but would be happy to settle on that if it was the only one we could agree on. When we had our first check between babies legs & it came back not 100% one way or the other, we quickly agreed on a name for a boy & were hesitant to declare Bailey as a name for a girl.

Then we had our 100% guarantee that baby was a girl! While we were sitting in the room waiting to see my midwife afterwards, we were contemplating names. I was reading them from the wall filled with Christmas & birthday cards from previous patients & M was reading names off of his phone. We kept saying no to all of them. And some even made us stop & wonder what in the world goes through a persons head when they choose a name for a child. Seriously. I can’t handle the strangeness of some of them.

After about 10 minutes of this, M said the name “Emma”. We both looked at each other, tilted our heads to the side, & said “Emma'” at the same time. I was smiling ear to ear & M had a giant grin. We said it a few more times & agreed we loved it. But he kept on reading some to me & we went about our appointment.

When we announced baby was a girl, everyone kept asking about a name. We knew Bailey was completely out of the running and Emma was the number 1 but we wanted a middle name before we shared it.

Yes, that’s how we came to our decision, via text. Aren't you glad I didn't relent & let M pick pollen?! I've got a wise guy for sure! But, the softness I've seen in his heart since starting this parenthood journey...wow. 

Simply, wow.

I know it would have been pretty exciting to keep her name a secret until the day she was born, but clearly M & I aren’t up for keeping secrets for months on end again, since we kept our pregnancy a secret for 3 months! We are fresh out of will-power & we aren’t the least bit upset about it! We love that my sisters & our friends kids can now start calling Emma by her name. And it’s so amazing to hear my hubby tell Miss Emma good morning & good night, so much more now that she has a name!

We can pray, not just for our baby, but for our Emma Joy & that, my friends, is an incredible feeling.

Baby E. 22 Weeks

{Actually 23 weeks today}

Baby E’s Stats

Baby: About the size of a papaya or the length of a spaghetti squash! She’s starting to look like a miniature newborn & her teeth buds are forming!

Sleep: Still not great. I’m just getting used to it at this point. I always wake up on my back & then it’s near impossible to find a different position that’s comfortable.

Clothing: Everyone told me I “popped” this week. I have no idea what they mean, since I've been feeling popped for awhile! I’m starting to wear belts with everything so that there is some shape to my outfit/body.

Food Cravings/Aversions: Nope! I’m beginning to wonder if I’ll actually have a so called “craving”..

Symptoms: Still having back/butt pain, but at this point I’m learning to deal with it. I think it’s my work chair that’s causing a lot of it.

Movement: All the time! I actually saw my stomach completely distort on Saturday. It was weird & exciting all wrapped into one. She’s still stubborn though, when anyone tries to feel her or see her, she freezes up.

Doctor’s Appointment: This week!!

Gender: GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are overcome with joy! If you missed our announcement, you can see it here. And I know you're all bugging me for a name! She has one & most people in our life know it! I'm working on a post to share it, promise!!

Best Moment of the Week: Baby girl went to her first play! 3 of my Glow girls and 1 of my Pearls were in the production of Annie. It was an amazing show, filled with talent. E was doing flips and kicking the whole time!

Thoughts: I’m losing my belly button!! It’s getting shallower and darker..such a weird sight! A friend from high school gave me a few maternity tops & I’m so thankful! Those things are expensive, so I’ll take any free that I can get! I wake up everyday shocked that we are one day closer to meeting miss E! I can’t believe that I’m over halfway there!!!

Friday's Letters

Dear Self, you really have a warped idea of “big” don’t you? You seriously thought you were huge at 15 weeks? Pshh, girl. You were tiny. Take a look at yourself when you were 21 weeks! You see that? It’s a belly. And it’s here to stay. It means baby girls is growing! Dear Husband, you are amazing. That is all really. When you smooch my belly and tell our little bit how much you love her, I have to fight back tears! I’m a little nervous about these “air jordan booties” you are pushing me to get, but I’ll probably relent & give in because you’re just so stinkin in love with our little that I can’t tell you no. Dear Butt, I won’t be upset if you stop aching. Really. I promise, there will be no hard feelings. Dear Little Sisters, sorry little miss didn’t feel like sharing her moves with you. I think she likes playing tricks when people try feeling her. I promise she was doing flips right up until you put your hands on my belly. Dear Peanut Butter Fudge, OH MY GARSH. I should have gotten more than a 1/4 pound of you. I think I’ll cry when I finish the last piece. Dear Maternity Leggings,  I love you. The end. Dear Work Chair, you hurt. Please see “dear butt”. Dear GLOW/Pearls, I can't wait to watch Annie tonight & have lots of good treats at our Pink Party! You girls bring serious joy to my life! Dear Baby Girl, mama is so excited to meet you! Only 17 weeks left!! Time is flying by & before I know it, I’ll be holding you in my arms & stealing kisses every chance I get!

Happy Friday friends!

Update : My Word

I think it’s high time I give an update on my word for 2013. I chose the word trust; which means as a noun assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something and as a verb to place confidence {in something}. I, clearly, have chosen to place my trust in God.

In an attempt to keep this little online journal of mine on the honesty up & up, I’ll share how I’ve really been doing with this. Not just the way I wish I was doing.

I have struggled.  I have been selfish & doubtful. I have, more times than I like, depended on myself instead of God. I have grown frustrated with where we are & let my own negative thoughts dictate how I look at a situation.

We are still living with my in-laws & I can’t even say I see a light at the end. Mike hasn’t found a job that will provide more income. We haven’t found a place we can afford. {mostly because I haven’t looked because it just ends up making me sad to look & see all of the places we can’t afford} Sometimes I wonder what lesson I’m supposed to be learning. I mean, I clearly have developed A LOT of patience over the past year and 4 months. But to say I have gained a peace over where the Lord has us right now would be a lie.

There are times I feel as though I should get myself another job. A part time one that would bring in extra money. On top of full time teaching and working at the church I don’t exactly know where that would fit in, but I question if I’m doing enough to get us out of the situation we are in. It’s frustrating to just simply not know. Which I’m learning is a HUGE place God brings us to. A place of simply not knowing. How else would we learn trust?

Not to say that life has been awful. We paid off our final credit card two weeks ago!! And the very next day the door on our car broke. Of course Mike figured out how to fix it, but that didn’t excuse the anxiety that built up in my heart about having to pay for a repair if he couldn’t. It’s as if we make progress & then something sets us back.

We are declaring God’s promise over our lives. That He already has our story written. That He already knows where we will be in June when baby e comes. And what job Mike will be working. And what our finances will look like.

I know all of that. I know that God provides.

I just hate that in my own selfish human nature, I can’t rid myself of worry and distrust. I said I wanted to trust more and feel secure. I wanted to doubt less and stress less.

Have I done that?

Simply put, no.

I think that’s why God offers grace. We aren’t perfect. We don’t always have it together. We aren’t always confident in trusting.

But what we are, is a child of the most high. The creator of all.

So being 2 months into this year & my commitment to trusting, I’m continuing to grow. I’m pressing on with this word.

I’m making a daily effort to rely on the promise that when I trust in God, nothing is impossible.

Baby E. 21 Weeks

{I think I’m just going to be a week behind throughout this whole documenting process :)}

Baby E’s Stats

Baby: About the size of a pomegranate! Little miss is spending her time sucking her thumb, opening her eyes, and jabbing mama!

Sleep: Not a whole lot. The body pillow is pretty much just in the way & I toss and turn so much, I hate having to worry about moving it with me. I’m up about every 2 hours, just to look at the clock, roll over, and pray I fall back asleep.

Clothing: Hello bump. Everything is continuing to get tighter & my budget for clothes that fit is also getting tighter. So if you see me on Monday, don’t be surprised if I wear that same outfit 3 days later.

Food Cravings/Aversions: Not this week!

Symptoms: Still having back/butt pain, but at this point I’m learning to deal with it.

Movement: Baby girl is a mover & a shaker!! I can sense a little pattern with her movements now. And she only moves when I’m sitting down or standing completely still!

Doctor’s Appointment: Next week!

Gender: GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are overcome with joy! If you missed our announcement, you can see it here.

Best Moment of the Week: Starting our registry! Mike & I went to Buffalo on Valentine’s Day to get it started! It was so much fun to spend the day with him & shop for Miss E.

Thoughts: The baby registry is hard work! I think we walked around for 15 minutes before we actually started. Just kind of wandering & wondering where to even start! There is so much STUFF! I can’t even handle it. We put some of our bigger items on there, but as we were driving home I realized all of the little things that I definitely forgot! Luckily I can update it through the websites! Also, Mike just continues to blow my mind with how much love he already has for our daughter!!! I’ll say it a million times over, I love that man!

This Is My Proof.

{Aunt Lexi is so relieved to finally be free from this little secret keeping business!}

{me too!}

that little baby girl Edwards will be surrounded by love.

Does it get any better than having so many God loving girls already completely in love with your child?

No. It doesn’t.

P.S. I know some of the pictures are blurry. You try capturing 30 girls jumping up and down!

P.S.S. Did anybody notice the mile wide smile Lexi has in the first few pictures? She knew what was coming!

No Doubt In My Mind...

that this guy will be an excellent daddy.

There’s also no doubt in my mind…

that this little girl will have serious withdrawals once baby Edwards is here & she has to share her precious time with one of her favorite guys.