Well here we are again, way behind and needing to catch up!  thanks Katie for the reminder, you keep me on track!  :)  Things are just wonderful and trucking along. I AM IN MY THIRD TRIMESTER!!!!!

 We had a doctor's appointment Friday and things went well.  I had to do my glucose test, which was not too tasty!  We will find out the results some time in the next week, so say a prayer that we pass that one.  But the best part of the appointment was that we got to see our little Lynlee girl and boy is she precious!  We could see her little feet and hands and that beautiful face!  She has her Daddy's little button nose!  It is a miracle how well you can see on the ultrasound these days.  The ultrasound tech said that she is 2lbs 7oz! She was moving around like crazy, as usual!  But it was such an amazing thing to see and it helped me get through the giving blood!  I also have to have a breast ultrasound next week, which is a little scary but I felt a lump and Dr. Tonkin wants to be sure. So say a prayer about passing that test too!  

We got a couple of pictures of Lynlee that I will post soon!  I just keep looking at them!  She really has already stolen my heart!  She is the cutest thing I have ever seen!  I can not wait to hold this little girl in my arms!  

We got registered for our childbirth classes, which I am really excited about!  It is a seven week course that will cover everything from relaxation and breathing to baby cpr and breastfeeding.  I think that it is going to be a great way for Michael and I to get ready for Lynlee and to get to know other parents going through the same things we are!  

I will post Lynlee's pictures soon and I am also excited that this is the last week of school!!!

Weeks 25-28 (month 6): Eggplant 

Let your spouse put an ear to your belly -- he might be able to pick up baby's heartbeat (no stethoscope required). Inside the womb, the formation of tiny capillaries is giving baby a healthy pink glow. Baby's also soaking up your antibodies, getting the immune system ready for life outside the womb. Eyes are forming, and baby will soon perfect the blink -- perfect for batting those freshly grown lashes.

Week 21: Banana 

Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for hydration and nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they've already experienced through amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you want your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch.

Michael's Big Daddy Night!

Michael felt Lynlee kicking tonight!  We are just thrilled!  I have been able to feel her for about 5 weeks but Michael has not had any luck... Until tonight!  She kicked about 3 or 4 times.  He was talking to her earlier, so I guess this was her way of talking back!  Oh my goodness I am just beside myself!  

We needed this excitement!  Things have been crazy at school!  My kids are getting fall fever or something! (If that even exists!)  My students have been getting in trouble for the silliest things and one of my homeroom girls stole my iphone yesterday!  We had to file a report, search everyone this morning, and then finally got the truth out of her.  The craziest part is that she felt the need to send inappropriate text messages to my family and friends!  So if you got a random inappropriate message IT WAS NOT ME! :)  But thanks to a lot of prayers, support from my coworkers and principal, the Fayette county sheriff,  and searching we got the phone back!  So things are looking up and the kick from our little girl was exactly what we needed! 

WAR EAGLE

What a wonderful weekend!  All I have to say is this girl is SPOILED!!! (But spoiled sweet!)  We had such a wonderful time looking through all the different vendors and their neat stuff.  We found tons of great jewelery, food, and of course BABY stuff!!!  We got Lynlee two of the cutest tutus that I have ever seen! We also stocked her up on cute burp cloths and bibs.  My most favorite find was a Lynlee picture that is so unique!  

We just had such a great time hanging out together and shopping!  It was a weekend that I will not forget!  Great memories with my Aunt Lisa and Grandmom!

Week 20: Cantaloupe

Baby's digestive system is busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion and dead cells), which will fill the first diaper after birth. And, speaking of the diaper situation... baby's genitals are now fully formed!

Thursday Doctor's Appointment

Michael and I had another doctor's appointment today and everything went GREAT!!!! We got to see Lynlee moving around and playing.  She is just the cutest thing we have ever seen!  She had her little hand by her face with her pointer finger and thumb up!  So sweet.  We also were confirmed that she is in fact a little girl!  We were also excited because our doctor was back from her own maternity leave.  She is SO wonderful and is such a great doctor.  She is so understanding and helpful, I think that she is just as excited as we are!  We had a great appointment with Dr. Tonkin and I am ready for a fun filled weekend at War Eagle with my Aunt Lisa and Grandmom Lynda!!!!

Week 19: Mango 

Vernix caseosa, a greasy white substance made of lanugo, oil and dead skin cells (yum) now coats baby's skin, shielding it from the amniotic fluid. (Picture yourself after a nine-month bath, and the need for protection makes sense.) You might actually get to see the vernix at birth, especially if baby is premature.

Week 18: Sweet Potato 

Your fetus has become amazingly mobile (at least compared to you), passing the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking and swallowing. And, baby's finally big enough that you'll be able to feel those movements soon.

Long time No See!

AHHHH!!!!! It has been WAY too long since I have updated! Well a lot has happened and we are THRILLED to say that we are having a little baby GIRL!!! We were given the opportunity to go early to have an ultrasound! What a blessing that was because patience is not a virtue that I have, although I am learning! :)

In the ultrasound room there were a room full of excited and anxious onlookers.  My Grandmom Lynda, M

om, Dad, Aunt Lynda Gail, Granny Gwen, Jordan, Christy, Eric, and of course Michael were all there to hear and see the great news!  

At first, we just watched our little wiggly move, bounce, and flip around.  Then we saw that we had a baby girl coming our way.  At first I didn't really 

th

ink it was serious, then finally I asked her are you sure?  YUP, We have a little girl! Talk about a thrilled group!  

We had a birthday/Baby girl celebration later that night to tell everyone and announce the news!  

As for a name we have decided on Lynlee Harper!  Lynlee is after my Grandmom Lynda and my maiden name.  Harper is just a name that Michael really liked and suggested and I fell in love with it!  So we are excited to meet our Lynlee Harper C

hristie!

All I have to say is this little girl has more clothes then she will ever need!  She is going to be the most precious little girl!  We are beyond excited!  We have started working on Lynlee's nursery and it is a work in 

progress.  Michael has been putting together cribs, changing tables, couches, and bookshelves like crazy!  This is not going to be the typical ba

by nursery, but then again Michael and I do not have a typical style! :) 

I am going to do my best to keep the blog updated and all of you informed!  Here are a few pictures from the ultrasound and celebration!

Thanks for reading!!!

Week 10: Prune 

With bones and cartilage starting to form and vital organs beginning to function, baby is making major progress. Body length will almost double in the next three weeks, and arm joints are now working. (Soon, legs will too.)

Week 9

Week 9: Green Olive 

Your little embryo has now officially graduated to fetus-hood. Adding to the excitement, a Doppler ultrasound device might be able to pick up the beating heart. With basic physical structures in place and increasingly distinct facial features, baby is kind of starting to look like... well... a baby!

Today is our first ultrasound!!!! We are so excited!  I cannot wait to see the doctor and ask her the million questions we have! :)  My tailbone is KILLING me!!! I have no idea why and that is #1 on my question list.  I cannot wait to see our little baby!!!!

Love,

The Christie's

Things are good! I am so sleepy. My goodness i can't think of a time that I have slept this much, or wanted to sleep this much! I start back to school tomorrow! I cannot believe it is already that time again! But I am excited, this is going to be a great year! I have really run ideas for my kids and have gotten some wonderful ideas from a Angela, she is a friend that teaches 5th grade and is also expecting!!!! We are both so excited! Our little babies are going to be born around the same time!
One thing that I have noticed is my wandering mind! Good grief, I can barely remember my name! Hopefully it will get better, but I think I am going to have to resort to post-its on my purse! (Thanks for the tip Desi)
Well I am hitting the sack! Keep praying for our family!

Love,
The Christie's

Baby Update

Week 8: Raspberry

Your baby is growing like mad, putting on about a millimeter every day and continuing to straighten out in the trunk. Though you can't feel it yet, baby is moving those little arms, legs and (now only slightly) webbed fingers and toes like crazy.

So Far So Good!

Everything is coming along great!  Michael is out of town on his annual boys fishing trip and I am anxiously awaiting his arrival back home!!!  I miss him so much! :) We have our next doctors appointment on the 31st.  I am so excited!  That is when we will get to hear the heart beat and see the first glimpse of our little blueberry! I have been feeling great!  Other than being tired, I am doing great!  Thank heavens!!! I am trying to eat really healthy and eat several small meals throughout the day.  I am so excited and I know that our families are too!  I went to Jonesboro for the night and everyone is just thrilled and loves to talk about potential names and what they think the baby is!  I love everyones input and cannot wait to find out the sex!  Well I am hitting the sack! Good Night!

Love,

The Christie's

Baby Update

Week 7: Blueberry 

Baby's brain -- both hemispheres! -- is growing fast, generating about 100 new cells every minute. Arms and legs are emerging as joints start to form, and a permanent set of kidneys (baby's third!) is now in place.

Thanks to my Kenya Team!

I am so excited and filled with joy!  I just told everyone in my Kenya Team family about our news and the amount of positive feedback, prayer, and joy has really made my day and it is only 9:30!!! I am so blessed to have met such a wonderful group of people!  I cannot wait to see all of them again!  I appreciate the prayers and the excitement!  We have shared an experience that will forever be a part of our lives and I am thankful to have made such wonderful rafikis (friends) in the process!

mapenzi,

Britney

Baby Update

Week 6: Sweet Pea

Growing like crazy, baby is starting to sprout eyes, ears, nose, cheeks and chin. Those little hands and feet- still webbed like paddles- might wiggle by week's end, the heart is beating (almost twice as fast as yours!), and blood is starting to circulate.

We got home from the Spring River safe and sound! Surprisingly with very few injuries, which is always a plus! We had a great time! We told all of our friends our big news Friday night when we were all sitting around the fire eating dinner. They were all very excited and celebrated with a champagne toast. (I sipped on some yummy sparkling grape juice!) We were excited to tell everyone and share our big news!

The day on the river was fun but a little rainy. We still had a blast and all made it down the river in one piece! :) We ended up at my parent's house Saturday night, I guess we will make that an annual event as well! ;) Can't wait for next year!

Love,
The Christie's

Headed to the Spring River!!

We are headed to the Spring River today to share the wonderful baby news with a big group of our closest friends! We are so excited! We know that our friends are going to be so excited and supportive! I cannot wait to tell, I am about to bust! (not my belly bust, the baby is just the size of an apple seed!~ Bust more like with excitement!) So far things are going great! I am trying to eat several small meals throughout the day, trying to keep that morning sickness away! Michael is being so helpful! He has been reading a Daddy book that gives him all kinds of great tips about the pregnancy! He is making sure I drink my orange juice and milk and keeping the crackers handy! What a wonderful husband! :) So far I absolutely love being pregnant! (That may change when I am the size of a house but we'll see!) :)
Keep praying for our family! :)

Love,
The Christie's

Our First Post

This our first experience in blogging but we feel that it is a fun and exciting way to keep everyone up-to-date with our new family news! We are so excited about the new future addition to the family! Please keep us in your prayers! We are so blessed to have such amazing people around us and we are so excited to share our experiences! YAY BABY!!!

I found out the I was pregnant while in Africa! Throughout the trip, several of the team members and I had gotten very close and they were making jokes if we saw anything baby related! We would all just laugh when we saw storks and they would say it was a sign and it was for the baby! Not knowing that I really did have a little baby inside me! Everyday that went by and "sign" that we encountered it became more and more real that I may really be pregnant! I had such a mix of emotions. I was THRILLED, but scared at the same time. While this was somewhat scary to think that I was on the other side of the world with this amazing miracle inside of me, it was not until I got home that it was confirmed and the true excitement set in! The doctor reassured me that all of the meds that I had been pumping in my body, not knowing I was pregnant, were all perfectly fine! That helped to set my mind at ease and made way for sheer excitement for me and Michael!

How I told the Proud Daddy!

I got home Sunday evening and held it in until Monday at lunch! I wanted to take an American test before I got Michael's hopes up. Sure enough the test came back positive so I knew that I couldn't take it any longer, I had to tell him. I drew out an old looking treasure map that had different points of our journey together. At the end of the map it had "New Baby". He was reading along and got to the new baby part and just stopped. His eyes lit up and said "Seriously?!" I was excited to say "YES! WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BABY!!!" He was so thrilled! He wanted to hear all about how I knew and I showed him my test from Africa, test from Amsterdam, and test from the US. Words cannot explain the excitement that we both felt.

We are so blessed and excited to grow our family! Love,
The Christie's