We can bring him home

Well, we still have a lot more things we need for baby boy, but at least we could bring him home!  Ben put our stroller and carseat combo together and I just love it.  The little insert for the carseat for when the baby is small is so small!

I just can't wait to meet our little guy.  I'm 30 weeks now and feeling him kick all the time.  My belly moves around in weird ways and I'm starting to get some Braxton Hicks.  I'm thankfully still sleeping great - today I even took a 2 hour nap after my doctor's appointment.  I haven't done that in a while but it was glorious.  We've chosen our hospital and are about to look into taking some classes before the big day.  Its going to be an exciting and special next 2 months before he is born, but also a time to trust in God and lean on Him during this huge transition.  He is taking care of us and even in my little moments of panic or freaking out about all the unknown, He is with us and providing for us in ways we don't even see.  I am so thankful that we know the Lord and that we have the privilege of walking through life WITH HIM.

Got Cravings?

One of the questions I have gotten over and over is "So, have you had any cravings?".  I always try to think really hard about it but have to say, well no, not really.  But thinking back, I have had some different phases...and in my current state, I give into them in the name of pregnancy.  Most of them have to do with breakfast as that is when I felt the worst early on.

In the beginning, it was whole wheat bagels and cream cheese for breakfast, specifically those from Starbucks (who knew they had toasted bagels?!).  I discovered anew this breakfast food when I was in the "Please stop the car, I need to throw up" phase.   It was something hearty that filled me up and that I kept down.  Then there was eggo whole wheat waffles.  I ate those for a while and then one morning I ate them and they didn't stay down, and they weren't quite as appetizing anymore.  There are a few foods like that that will never be the same.  Lately its been muffins - whole wheat or fiber 1.  Dinners and lunch haven't changed too much and snacks are just more frequent.  In the beginning, my sweet tooth was temporarily absent and I wanted more salty carbs but oh man, my sweet tooth is back with a vengeance.

And finally, the craving of my life - grapefruit.  I have loved grapefruit since I was a little toddler.  My moms says I ate it as a little one without any sugar.  And oh I have loved them during pregnancy as well.  One week only, and oh what a great week, HEB had a bag of 5 grapefruits on sale for 97 cents!  I still think someone just marked it wrong, but they were delicious and I had a grapefruit every day.  Then my mom sent me home with all the grapefruits left from a box of grapefruits that my dad has gotten from a client every Christmas since I was in elementary school.  I hope baby boy will love them too!

Well folks, tomorrow, I am 30 weeks.  Yes ladies and gentlemen...10 weeks left.  WOW.  I am excited and anxious and nervous and so joyful all in one.  Today I bought the book "Heading Home with YOUR NEWBORN - from birth to reality".  Its interesting and witty and a good dose of reality!  This baby is comin soon!

Sweet Shower

The weekend before last, my sister threw me a shower with high school friends, family, and a few college friends.  It was such a sweet time with friends and family and everyone was so generous!  My sister, Anne, did an amazing job creating the owl theme with just enough owl and vintage and cuteness.  I just love her style!  My parents gave us our stroller and we got so many other great things that we need for our sweet boy.

Owl cookie favors 

Caleb's name banner...Did you know that is his name?  We are so excited for baby boy Caleb to come! 

Sweet friends 

Adorable little onsies.  They are so SMALL.  And soon we will have a little baby to put IN THEM.  WHOA. 

The group 

Lauren, Jamie, me, and Katie - my sweet high school friends.  We have so many pics of the 4 of us like this at all the events of our lives....7th grade concerts, prom, high school graduation, college, weddings, and now babies!  So fun.

Michelle and Katie - Aggie friends 

Family 

Cherish and Pat - Sister and Mother-in-law.  They are so great! 

Mom and our family friend Sandy 

The Hostesses, my wonderful sister Anne and my amazing mom.  I love you both!

4 cities tour: Part 2

City #2: Austin

After our trip from Houston to Dallas, we headed to San Antonio for a mini vacation, a mini baby-moon if you will, and stopped in Austin on our way down.  Our stop in Austin was for one specific purpose: Franklin BBQ!  In Texas Monthly, it was rated the #1 BBQ place to eat in the COUNTRY!  It started out in a trailer and just recently moved to its own permanent location.  We got there around 10am, waited in line until the doors opened at 11am, and then waited in line some more as people moved through until about 12pm when we got our food.  We got a little sampler plate - some lean and fatty brisket, some sausage and some turkey.  They had Dublin Dr. Pepper from the fountain (YUM!) and delicious sauces.  It was quite the delicious treat.  Afterwards (somehow) we ate ice cream at the Cool Haus traveling ice cream truck.  Needless to say, dinner was quite small.

 I really would have liked to take a pic of us in line but I felt a bit silly so I just took a pic of the line.  With our 2 hours in line, we became friends with the people right in front of us.  They took off work to come just to Franklin's.  

The sign, and these two random men.  I did not realize they were in my photo.  It kinda looks like they are posing but I do not know them at all!

City #3: San Antonio

We finally got to San Antonio (after a brief stop at the San Marcos outlets) around 3pm.  We have done all the traditional San Antonio sights many times before so this trip was more for relaxation than anything else.  We stayed at the Ruckman Haus bed and breakfast in the Sun Room.  We actually spent a lot of time in the gorgeous room just reading, watching tv, and relaxing.  The breakfast was delicious and was so filling we really didn't need lunch and the two owners, the Ruckmans, were so nice and friendly.  On Saturday, we went out to the La Cantera Resort where I spent the day being pampered at the spa and Ben golfed.  We ended the day with a nice dinner on the river walk.  So fun and relaxing!

Reading - I pretty much started and finished the Hunger Games this weekend.  Soooo good! 

Let's call this the belly shot, vacation style!  25 weeks

 Walking up to the amazing sun deck on the top of the house...

The beautiful sun deck - on Friday when we got there, I spent the afternoon reading and napping up here.  I was even visited by a squirrel! 

More sun deck...with a view 

Self portrait! 

And from the top of the stairs

City #4: Houston (Katy, HOME)

We ended our tour of Texas at our home in Katy.  It was nice to be home after 4 days of traveling.  The cats were happy to see us and I have spent the day reading and napping with them snuggled up next to me.  

4 cities tour: part 1

We realized as we were heading back to Houston from San Antonio after going through Dallas and Austin that we have traveled to 4 of the major cities of Texas in 4 days!

City #1: Dallas (Allen then Richardson) for Keith's wedding (my brother)

Belly shot, wedding style - 24 weeks! 

I wore this dress to my rehearsal dinner and it still fits!  (ha, its stretchy)

Traditional self photo, waiting for the wedding to begin 

The Happy couple - Keith and Marisela - plus the rest of the Pulliam family

The Coopers and the brand new Pulliams 

My brother and I

The wedding was beautiful and sweet.  It was great to see my brother so happy.  Keith and Marisela make a wonderful couple!  

Next up, Austin, San Antonio, and Houston

21 and 23 weeks

So I've gotten a little behind on the belly shots.  It seems that every time I think to take one, I've already changed into comfy clothes or PJs and who wants a picture in those?!  Anyways below are the standard shots.  I've added a comparison photo in the same shirt (I saw Jana do this on her blog) and it makes me realize how much I've grown and how I really wasn't that big when I thought I had grown so much.  I'm sure I'll feel that way in a month about the size I am now.

16 weeks

21 weeks

23 1/2 weeks

I'm still feeling good and sleeping well.  I definitely feel bigger but not huge.  My sweet kiddos tie my shoes for me and pick up things off the floor.  I can still do it but they love to help and its not so easy anymore.  I still feel queasy after a big meal but gum helps.  I don't have any consistent swelling, just now and then my hands feel fat but then they return to normal soon after.  I don't know what causes it.  

Sweet baby boy kicks all the time and I can feel him now throughout the day.  In our 20 week sonogram it was so fun to see him kick on the monitor as well as feel it.  He is growing normally and perfectly they said and we are so thankful.  4 1/2 weeks until my 3rd trimester!  I can hardly believe it.   

2011 in Pictures

Goodbye 2011 and Hello 2012!!!  This is the year our baby boy will be born in.  This is the year our family will go from 2 to 3.  This is the year that...the Hobbit comes out!  Haha and so many more important and not so important events.

Without further ado, I bring you the highlights of 2011 in pictures!

February 2011, I went to San Fran to visit the now Lindsey Adkins

Spring Break - March 2011 - Coopers and Kalinkes (my sister and her family) go to Lockhart and surrounding areas and had 3 BBQ meals in one day.

April 2011 - Coopers come to visit for Easter.  Lynn's hair is REALLY long.

June 2011 - Last minute trip to Jamaica with friends

July 2011 - Coopers x3 go to Gulf Shores Alabama

For some reason, Ben and I are the only ones who decided to do the prom pose.  

July 2011 - Wedding #1 - Lindsey Bunker and Ben Adkins in San Fran!

July 2011 - Ben and Lynn go to San Francisco and Napa.  The Napa trip ties with Seattle for #1 vacation together.

September 2011 - Labor Day weekend - Coopers and Coopers go to Vickburg to help move his grandparents to Tupelo.  I was secretly about 4 weeks pregnant here but no one but Ben and I knew!

September 2011 - Happy Birthday Ben!  @ Brenners Steak House in Houston

September 2011 - Foster the People Concert with the Mortons (also secretly pregnant here)

October 2011 - Wedding #2 - Jamie Bruchan and Eric Shing

November 2011 - We find out that we're having a BOY and the planning begins!!!

2012 is going to be one of those crazy transitional changing all the time years.  But we are so excited for these changes (and a little nervous...) and thank God daily for his blessings and faithfulness to us daily. 

And don't worry...a Christmas post is coming.