let the games begin!

i thought it would be fun to start a little game so everyone could participate in guessing the baby's birthday, weight, length, etc. visit this website & play!!!

http://www.expectnet.com/games/babyhustad

i had a doctor's appt today & all is great. i'm feeling great & the baby is doing wonderful. it took the doctor a couple minutes to find the baby's heartbeat...not b/c there was a problem...but b/c she was moving around LIKE CRAZY. she was bouncing all over the place! it was almost as though she was teasing the doctor saying "you can't catch me!!!" erik & i joked that this was just a glimpse of what the next several years are going to look like...chasing this sweet little one around!

with erik finishing up his last weeks of school - we are in busy-mode. erik will begin training for a new job within the next week or so [a new restaurant that is opening here in seattle in december & he gets to join the new team in the grand opening] so our life continues to be a countdown. erik new job...thanksgiving....graduation....christmas....baby.

so in the mean time, that little bun just needs to keep cooking in the oven.

32 weeks

ouch.

dearest baby girl,

these games we are playing are not fun games.

1. i know you find enjoyment in using my rib cage as a jungle gym - but come on! stay out. pushing, kicking, punching, & sticking your little extremities in between my ribs is now off limits. thank you.

2. the cute hiccups you like to get are now limited between the hours of 9am-9pm. anything that happens outside of these hours will be considered a misdemeanor offense with punishment to be determined at the age of 16. [punishment possibilities: permanent curfew of 9pm. the loss of the privilege of driving. no cellphone].

3. i would also like to take the time to say thank you for the your spunky & boisterous demeanor. but, please...stop doing gymnastics on my bladder.

thank you for your cooperation.

love,
mommy

ps: i love you regardless.

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29.5 weeks

doctors appt today went great! baby girl's heartrate has slowed down from 170 beats/min to about 145 beats/min - which is normal & good! she has moved to the head down position [which isn't necessarily a permanent position yet] hence the rib kicking. baby girl is approximately 2.5 lbs & 15 inches long. mommy has normal blood pressure & has gained 20 lbs to date.

things are looking good - 10 [ish] weeks to go!!!!!

A word from daddy...

This is Erik here. Proud expecting father of a little baby girl.

Jess has been prodding me to participate in this blog for a while and I have been procrastinating because the task of talking about this experience is daunting. It’s hard to know how to sum up everything that’s on my mind. I’m obviously not as affected by Jess being pregnant as she is but I’m anticipating that my life will be equally affected. This baby consumes the majority of Jess’s attention and thoughts and I expect nothing less from her. Jess is a very selfless person who spends most of her thoughts and energy on her family and friends. She is going to be a great mom, she already IS being a great mom.

My subtle anticipation for the arrival of our daughter is much less obvious. I sometimes go in our nursery and look at all the cute little pink stuff that Jess has perfectly waiting in all the right spots. I look at the crib and think about how weird it is that a little human being is going to be sleeping in there soon. I look at the little booties and wonder how someone’s feet could be so small. I wonder what she is going to look like. It’s hard to imagine someone when they’ve never existed before, I can only picture the image of a baby’s outline usually with dark curly hair, but there is no face. I can’t wait to see my girls face. It’s hard to think about her at work or school when I don’t know what she looks like. I already know how much I’ll look forward to seeing her everyday.

I try not to believe much in fear or worry and I can say that I haven’t been overly afraid of this journey and what is inevitably in store. Most of life is challenging and I expect nothing less of raising children. I have received one of the most precious gifts in life of being raised in a loving family that depends on God and believes in integrity. If I can be as much like my dad as possible, my daughter will hopefully be as much like my sister Kinsey as possible, both of whom are some of the most loving and admirable people I know. I trust in the abilities of Jess to be the mom that God wants her to be, because of the character that she has and the family that she has had as an example. I know this will lead me closer to God. It has to. This world is too dangerous and painful for me not to trust that God is in control. Cars drive too fast and sickness arrives too swiftly. I cannot protect her from everything but I can trust that God has a plan for our lives and that is what is best.

I want to be a dad with passion, integrity and humility. My family needs me to be a man who will fight for them as well as provide for them. They need me to not only lead by teaching but by living. They need me to demonstrate what is important in life, and prove that I believe it by living for it. If I live for money, my daughter will live for money. If I live to glorify God and love others, my daughter will do the same. This is my greatest challenge. To live life with the right purpose and be willing to admit when I haven’t been doing that.

Jess, I love you very much and I am so excited to build a family and a life with you. God could not have done a better job of finding my other half. Thank you for being a great wife and thank you for doing such a great job of being pregnant, even when she won’t get out of your ribs.

Baby girl, I love you very much and I am so excited to see your face and welcome you to our family. Your job is to just keep being little and cute and we’ll take it from there.


Erik

28. 5 weeks

3rd trimester

the start of 3rd trimester. yes! we spent some much needed time at home this past week. so wonderful. 3 days out at mahoney state park with the the hustad/lovelace/miller clan, a baby shower, & much needed time with friends & family. my parents were able to come visit us as well! my wonderful sister.in.laws threw for us the most wonderful shower!! thanks ash & kins. you two are the best! our baby girl got spoiled! we have the most wonderful family & friends! thank you thank you!

here are some pics of the nursery so far. its coming along.

my sister.in.law ashley took some fun maternity pics while we were back as well. here's just a glimpse...

the time is going quickly. i'm feeling the baby more & more each day. her little kicks are much stronger & my belly dances from side to side. her schedule is somewhat predictable now, which is pretty amazing. can't believe she will be with us in 3 months. :)

the countdown begins...

i may or may not have started freaking out this morning. i woke up to the baby kicking me & it hit me...

i have 3.5 months until i am a parent. a mother. a life giver. a comforter. a consoler. a sheer & utter MESS. yes - that's right. 3.5.

AHHHHHHHHHHHH!

its this weird countdown b/c i'm BEYOND EXCITED but also BEYOND SCARED to death. there is no way to prepare for this! the nursery is beginning to fill up with goodies & everytime i put something new in there my heart beats a little faster. its amazing the anxiety level that is crossed with complete joy.

*deep breaths

i have nesting fever every other day. i keep rearranging stuff in our house. my poor husband can't ever find his clothes b/c i keep rearranging our closet and dresser. he told me today that it took him 15 minutes to find a towel the other day. oops! sorry babe. but to my defense we have a teeny tiny apt that we are trying to squeeze a bunch of new things in to. such a crazy time.

----------------------

i never knew it was possible to love someone so much never having met them. i can't wait to meet you baby girl.

24. 5 weeks

giraffes and then some!

when erik & i first started dating he asked me to go with him to the zoo. i couldn't go with him b/c nebraska was hosting texas that year and no way could i miss that game. yes, i'm a good husker GO BIG RED! :) an inside joke started and we planned to help marty the giraffe escape from the omaha zoo [marty even sent erik a package on his bday of items to help with the mission]. the joke continued and when erik asked me to be his wife he gave me a stuffed giraffe.

so...with our beautiful daughter arriving in just a few short months...we are forcing her to like giraffe stuff. :) we just got our car seat & stroller in. [thanks g & j for the wonderful car seat!!] orange is my favorite color & it just happens to have giraffes on it. couldn't be more perfect.




here is the most adorable outfit i just bought this weekend. i'm thinking she will probably come home in this. i loved this outfit so much i registered for it in two other sizes! i refuse to let her grow out of it! :)

so the fun stuff is arriving! my wonderful friend janelle & her husband brian have been incredibely generous in letting us borrow some stuff from them. they have loaded us up on baby girl clothes & even a rocker/glider for the nursery. thank you jensens!!!

we are anxiously awaiting our trip home to nebraska for a week. we can't wait for the hustad/lovelace/miller weekend at mahoney. each family has certainly grown & will continue to do so! i'm sure b/w all the ladies we will have thousands of pictures! :)

a special week

a few short days ago i celebrated my 26th bday. what many people don't realize is that 12 days later i get to celebrate another just as important day. i'm adopted. my homecoming day [the day my parents held me in their arms & took me home] has always been a very special day. i'm blessed beyond blessed beyond blessed for the wonderful parents i have. i was reminded of the blessing of this quickly approaching day when reading my sister in law's blog. her son was also adopted. 1 year ago today. today is declan's homecoming day. although i love all my neices & nephews - i do feel a special bond with deckers b/c we share something many people will not ever be able to understand. being hand picked is priceless. such an amazing gift.


i'm so thankful for how my parents modeled what it means to sacrificially & unconditionally love their children. i'm amazed by erik's parents & how they raised 4 children to be God-fearing & loving individuals. of course this instills some confidence in how we will be as parents - but right now i feel mostly fear. a fear of messing up. we are reading all the parenting books & what not...but i am more thankful that the Lord has given us wonderful parents that we can turn to for advice. i know i was perfect child [ha!] so i'm sure our little one will be a princess just like me. :)

almost 23 weeks