Baby A's first Concert

Baby A got to experience Rascal Flatts in concert last weekend. They are her mommy's favorite country band and it felt like she was dancing in my belly, so I think she is going to be a big fan of country music!
Our seats were super close to the band.....box seats. We actually worried they might be too close for baby girl's ears. We got the tickets at the very last minute.......as my good friend, Andria's sister and her husband got the tickets through his work, but her husband hurt his back just before the concert and they were not able to go. We had run into them at church that morning and she happened to think of us. Thanks Tammy!

This picture is during my favorite Rascal Flatts song............Bless the Broken Road. This was our "first dance" song at our wedding reception and the song in our wedding video.

Girlfriends

This week I have been incredibly grateful for my girlfriends. I can't imagine my life without the dear friends I have made since moving to Houston 8 years ago. I don't know if it is the hormones of my final days of pregnancy or the fact that 3 friends came over on various days to spend time with me or that God is showing me how truly blessed I am to be surrounded by wonderful Christian girls, but I am so THANKFUL!!!

I had 3 special visitors in the last week. Cassie spent an afternoon with me and it was so fun to catch up with her........and enjoy lunch and gelato at Black Walnut Cafe. Breezi (my best friend from Tulsa) got to spend an evening with me........we enjoyed dinner at Lupe Tortillas (my favorite Mexican Restaurant) and visiting about the first years of marriage and the excitement of baby girl's arrival being so close. Debbie came over to have dinner with me and we spent the evening chatting like we did in the old days. It was such a treat to have these sweet friends spend time with me.

I also got to see my "Sunday Brunch" girlfriends at Chrissy's baby shower last weekend. I am always so happy after spending time with this group of girls.......they are just so much fun and we always have great times together.

Maternity Photos

We used our new camera to do a maternity photo shoot..........I am 36 weeks pregnant in these photos. We've made it to 37 weeks and are counting down the weeks until we meet our baby girl! Then we will have a new little subject to photograph.

Clint's friends together again

Clint & I went to Stephen Driver's wedding in Houston this weekend. It was like a reunion of Clint's friends. They were all in a small group together back in their single days at Second Baptist. It was a beautiful wedding and we had a great time catching up with everyone! Brad, Eric, Derek, Jeff, Al, Jeremy, Stephen, Wayne, Kevin, and Clint

The group with their wives.

Derek & Laura are dear friends of ours. They are expecting their third little boy.

Bed Rest

I have spent the last 8 days on bed rest.........with bathroom and meal privileges......and I gave myself Blockbuster and Target privileges because I was going crazy in this apartment. Clint has been in Victoria finishing up his rotations.

How I ended up on bed rest.......Last Wednesday, I called my doctors office because my stomach had been rock hard for 4 hours.....like a constant contraction and I wasn't feeling the baby move. They wanted me to come in immediately. I was so afraid that something terrible was wrong with our precious baby girl. Clint was 2.5 hours away in Victoria, so I just cried a little and prayed that God would protect her.....and drove to Texas Women's Hospital in Houston. Upon my arrival, they did a stress test on me and baby girl and she was fine.....healthy heartbeat and active. However, I was contracting consistently at 5 minute intervals. Which is why my stomach was so hard and I couldn't feel her moving. The doctor put me on Albuterol to try to stop the contractions and a regimen of bed rest to try to keep this baby in until 37 weeks. At that point she was 34.5 weeks and they were afraid she would end up spending time in the NICU.

Here are picture of what the last 8 days have consisted of for me.

This couch has been my home.........I spend all of my time on the Internet reading blogs & checking emails.........or reading magazines. (Yes, that is a Women's Health.........I kept my subscription coming during the pregnancy, so I could stay motivated to start running again after baby arrives and loose the baby weight!!! I am SUPER ready to get started)
I have watched a number of movies. This is only part of my movie collection.......which consists of mostly romance movies, dramas, and a few comedies. Some of my favorites are Pretty Woman, My Best Friends Wedding, The Notebook, PS I love you. I am sucker for girly movies......and a hopeful romantic at heart.

This is our new camera. A Canon Rebel XSI..........we are going to use it to take picture of baby "A" when she arrives, so I had time to read the instruction manual and figure out that I will mostly be using the automatic settings, because programming is WAY too confusing for me.

I went back to the doctor today and although I am still supposed to take it easy and keep my stress levels low, I am not on strict bed rest because baby is now at 35.5 weeks and not looking like she will make her debut in the next week, so the doctor is fairly confident we will make it to 37 weeks....or more. Thanks for keeping me and baby girl in your prayers!

Nederland Baby Shower

Clint's family gave me, baby & Clint a wonderful baby shower in Nederland. It was a good old fashioned baby shower in his Auntie's home with cake, punch, nuts, a chocolate fountain...........and lots of friends & family.

Clint & I in his parents backyard before the shower.
The cake

The hostesses - Tabetha (Clint's cousin's wife), Melissa (Clint's sister), Me, Aunt Chrissy, Auntie Glenda, (Not Pictured: Allison)

We received so many gifts, I thought I might never finish opening them. It was so fun though to see all the sweet baby stuff. Baby girl got a number of beautiful blankets..........and this adorable stuffed bunny.

Polly & Wayne (Clint's parents) got us Pampers and our Graco Sungride 32 car seat.

Auntie Glenda made baby girl two beautiful quilts. I love the thoughtfulness and time that goes into handmade gifts. Auntie was also the chief of shower planning and she did such a great job!

Faith and Kate were my little helpers.......they carried all the gifts around for the ladies to see. That is Mamaw in the background. She is our only living grandparent and we love her!

Here is Polly talking to her tennis friends.

Clint's cousin Emma and her daughter, Katy brought baby Jack. He's a doll......and will be a great playmate for our baby. Faith is Tabetha's little girl.

So many of Polly's friends from church attended. I think we had around 30 guests.........and with so many years of mothering experiece in the room, I got lots of much needed tips and advice!

Look at all the gifts! Our baby girl is so blessed to have so many people that already love her.

Thank you to all of our dear friends and family that have showered Clint, me & baby girl with more gifts and clothes and blankets than she could ever need. We are truly blessed.......and so very thankful! Love you all.