Leah Grace is here!

Leah Grace Barnes

My niece, Leah Grace was born on Wednesday, October 27th at 5:04 EST at the Columbus Medical Center.  She weighed 7 lbs., 10 oz. and was 19 inches long.  She is beautiful and perfect.  She was sleeping so sweetly the whole time I was there for a visit.  Mark didn't know what to think about her.  He stared at her the whole time, and wanted to know where she was at all times.  I CANNOT wait to see him with his sister!

It just made things so much more real.  I am about to have two children, two little sweet lives!  My heart is so full of so many things right now.  As I am heading into my 3rd trimester (yes, it flew by!), I am anxious, excited, a little nervous, happy, tired...I could go on and on.  I am beyond joyful to be having another child, especially a little girl, but I am a little nervous.  I have been content up until now, but it's getting so close now I'm beginning to have overwhelming thoughts about delivery.  I know that I will be taken care of.  I know that God is here and has been.  I know that trusting in him will put my fears at bay.  I just have to keep telling myself that.  I know I've been through labor, but they are all different so I guess that's what makes it scary.  I'm also going to be at a different hospital.  I loved the Medical Center in Columbus and always thought that's where I would have all of my babies, but I know East Alabama is a wonderful hospital too.  I also love my doctor, so that helps a lot :)  I'm just feeling so many things, and it's exhausting.  I wish I could just turn my brain off!  ha!  Pregnancy is a wacky journey, but at least I'm lucky enough to be on this crazy ride :)  I wouldn't have it any other way!

27 1/2 weeks and growing!

I had my 27 week appointment this morning, and everything went great!  I had my glucose test, which is not my favorite but I passed with flying colors :)  I wasn't worried, but it's good to know that all is as it should be with my health and my little girl's.  Her heartbeat was 144, and I'm now on an every 2 week check-up schedule.  I weigh 128 lbs now, so that puts me at a total of 14 lbs. gained and 7 lbs since my last visit.  She is really starting to grow and last week my stomach hurt so bad from stretching.  My body is adjusting now though.  I'm feeling normal, just really big and pregnant.  Some days I can't wait to have my body back, but I'm trying to enjoy these last weeks of feeling life inside me.  It truly is the most amazing feeling in the world!  I am so lucky as a woman to experience pregnancy and birth.  So the days I don't feel comfortable or long to have a little belly again, I make myself think about how awesome this experience is and soak it up!

Here are a few pics since my last belly post:

24 1/2 weeks

26 1/2 weeks

26 weeks, 6 days

 My niece will be here tonight, so I'll be blogging about her in the next few days.  Her arrival is making me anxious for my little girl's, but I know she's not ready yet ;)  Happy Wednesday!  Can't wait for Halloween festivities this weekend!

pumpkin patch 2010

I love having family traditions, and one that I started every fall was going to the pumpkin patch.  Last year I took Mark with friends.  This year we went as a family and had fun, even though it was way too hot to be October!  We went to the pumpkin patch in LaFayette, AL, and it was really cute.  We rode the hayride and it takes you to an actual patch where you pick out your pumpkin.  Here are the pictures from our family trip.  I took Mark to another patch in Columbus, same as last year, with friends this past weekend.  I'll post pictures from that trip later.

Living room and kitchen pics

Here are a few pictures of our kitchen and living room.  I'm going to post the rest of the apartment later.  We haven't completely decorated our room yet, and of course I'll post more of the kids' room when we get Alyssah's stuff ready for her.  They are a little out of order, but you get the idea.  I haven't decided what to do with the wall space above the flowers by the tv.  I may wait til Alyssah arrives to hang more recent pics!

Fall decorations :)

I love our huge living room :)

2 1/2 years old!

Wow!  Where has the time gone?!  My sweet little boy is now 2 1/2 years old, and amazes me more and more everyday with how much he has learned in his short little life.  I still can't believe he will be 3 in March and be a big brother in January!  He is a great little helper around the house already, and talks about his sister all the time.  I have started getting more and more of her stuff out, and he asks all the time if it's for her.  I love how he already loves her.  It's going to be so sweet to see them interact!

His other milestones/likes as of now:
-His vocabulary is expanding everyday and literally repeats EVERYTHING we say!
-He is not completely potty trained, but is improving everyday.  He has a few (pee-pee) accidents here and there, but has yet to use the toliet for #2.  I know it will probably still be a while for that one.
-He still loves to play baseball, and is very good at catching.
-His favorite show to watch is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse still, but watches Barney and Dora at school.  He talks about those 3 shows all the time.
-He loves to watch Auburn and the Braves play, and always wants to know what is going on during the games.
-He is learning shapes and colors at school, and recognizes them when we are out places.

Those are just a few things that come to mind right now.  I have to say I'm a pretty proud Mommy :)

Fall favs!

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year for many reasons, but I just wanted to share a few with you!  When the weather starts to cool off I love snuggling up on the couch with a big bowl of homemade chili.  It's a prefect solution to the crisp, fall air!

Another favorite of mine is college football, more importantly Auburn football.  I shared in a post a while back how much I was ready for football, and it has been a great season so far.  We are doing so well, and I'm proud to say I'm an Auburn tiger :)

Fall leaves are one of the most beautiful sights.  I love to drive down the road and see all the trees starting to change colors.  God is a wonderful creator!

My most favorite activity about fall is going to the pumpkin patch!  It is especially fun when you have a child, and I love having this tradition with Mark.  Next year my little girl will be here, and I can't wait to take them together :)  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm trying a new pumpkin patch this year in Lafayette, AL, and I have heard that it is really cute.  Can't wait to go Saturday.  Hope everyone is having a good week.  Thank goodness it's halfway over ;)