30 Weeks & A Peek at the Nursery

Things are flying by so quickly now. I am headed home to visit family at the end of the week and Jordan will be arriving a week later. Our families have showers planned to celebrate baby girl's upcoming arrival. I am truly looking forward to seeing my family and our old friends one last time before we become parents. 

Here is a peek into our life as it slowly shifts in anticipation of our little lady. 

 This pink blanket was made for me by my Grandma Udry. Now our little girl can enjoy it. Baby girl's room will be soft shades of pink and peach with gray and cream blended in.  

Precious tutu from Paula Luebbert, our good friend's mom. I can't wait to see her in it.

A dresser/changing table already full of books and empty photo albums. 

My Grandma Ziegenbein already sent us a package full of sweet, girly clothes. This dress and cardigan is one of my favorites. I'm sure it will keep her both warm and stylish during the winter here in Florida. 

Soft, plush toys to entertain Baby K from my friend Caitlin and her husband. 

Baby's size: Last Friday, baby weighed 3 lbs 11 oz. 

 

Sleep: Waking all the time to go to the restroom. Leg cramps and "charlie horses" also jolt me awake out of nowhere. 

Maternity Clothes: Anything and everything I can get my hands on. My belly is much too big for my pre-pregnancy clothes now. 

Food cravings: Fountain sodas with a touch of caffeine to keep me going. 

 

Food aversions: None really.

 

Symptoms I have: We discovered at our last ultrasound that she is arching her spine into my ribs. Which explained the constant pressure and pain in my ribs! 

 

Doctor’s Appointment: I'm headed to the cardiologist this afternoon for an echocardiogram. My next OB appointment is on Wednesday before I head home for a few weeks. 

 

Movement: Constantly.

 

Belly Button: Out, for a long time now.

 

Gender: Girl!

 

What I’m looking forward to: Heading home to see family and friends before this girl changes our life forever!

 

What I miss: Energy! But I love my baby girl. She's worth it. 

Currently

Our baby girl has been waking me up with crazy kicking. It seems that she is lulled to sleep during the day while I'm awake and moving around. Come night time, she wakes up and has a little dance party in my belly. As if to remind me that she is there, and growing. Baby girl, you're all I think about. I haven't forgotten about you. 

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We are back home in Florida and it sure feels good. California is gorgeous. But, our life is here. And we missed it. 

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I'm enjoying reconnecting with Florida friends and meeting some new ones. I've been getting nervous about losing friendships when the baby comes, so I've been more intentional lately in my relationships. Here's to keeping good friendships going strong and developing new, meaningful ones.  

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I've been learning to rely on God more than ever before. The process of buying this house and moving has been a constant stress. God has really shown me how deeply He desires for me to cast my cares on Him rather than take them all on myself. He has provided more for us than we deserve and blessed us in ways that we cannot even explain. 

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Yesterday, we signed on our first home! After we make the move into the new house, I will share some pictures. 

I've been imagining our little family in that house for some time now. I can't wait to get settled in and begin working on our sweet baby's nursery. My mom is visiting next week to help out. I think she is just as excited as I am.  

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I've had some pregnancy blues as I've experienced my body changing. My grandma told me to embrace it and stop trying to wear my pre-pregnancy clothes. It just ain't gonna happen. 

You're right, Grandma. 

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How far along: 24 Weeks

 

Baby's size: Just over a pound (according to Baby Center). 

 

Sleep: Better when I don't exercise. Awful when I do. For the most part, I am sleeping plenty and enjoying it. 

 

Maternity Clothes: Oh yeah. 

 

Food cravings: Nothing specific right now. 

 

Food aversions: None really.

 

Symptoms I have: Sciatic back pain. Achy hips.

 

Doctor’s Appointment: Soon, I hope! In the process of switching from Tricare West to South. 

 

Movement: All night long. Even when it wakes me, I love feeling her kick and move. 

Belly Button: Out!

 

Gender: Little lady.

 

What I’m looking forward to: My mother's visit next week. I'm excited to share more about my pregnancy and the baby during her stay. 

 

What I miss: Working out without feeling awful afterwards. 

21 Weeks

21 weeks.

Over halfway there. I cannot believe that we are already this far along.

We're still in California. And, although I adore the weather and the mountains, I am ready to be back home. I miss cooking and baking, the comfort of my own bed and the Florida sunshine. The beaches here have their appeal, but nothing like the hot sand and warm air of the east coast. I guess I've finally become a true Florida girl.

Our baby girl is doing wonderful. I'm enjoying her little kicks and nudges throughout the day, reminding me that she is growing bigger and will make her appearance soon! My mom is coming to visit in October and we have plans to start registry shopping and designing her nursery. Things have become more exciting and the nesting bug has bitten. 

We've also settled on a name. It's a beautiful name that seems to fit this girl perfectly. Jordan loves it just as much as I do, which makes my heart swell.

 How far along: 21 weeks, 2 days

Baby's size: Last week, the doctor told me our baby is measuring about a week and half ahead in length. She definitely doesn't get that from me!

Sleep: Not too bad. I had been struggling with back pain a few weeks before, but I have found some more comfortable ways to sleep now.

Maternity clothes: In desperate need! I found a cute, cheap pair of maternity jeans a few days ago, but I am still in need of some tops and skirts.

Food cravings: Nothing ridiculous lately. Just hungry for anything :)

Food aversions: None.

Symptoms I have: Occasional back pain, some round ligament pain and weird pains at the top of my ribs.  

Doctor’s appointment: Friday morning will be my last appointment in California. 

Movement: Yes. And oh, is it the best feeling in the world.

Belly button: Almost completely out. 

Gender: Girl!

What I’m looking forward to: Getting back to Florida and seeking out a new OB. 

What I miss: Fitting into my clothes, haha! I'm seriously running out of options. 

A Very West Coast Birthday

Monday was my 22nd birthday. 


Jordan was excited that my birthday fell so close to the weekeend. And so, he dubbed our first weekend together in California "Mal's Birthday Weekend Extravaganza." 


Yes, an extravaganza. 


Simply put, I was treated like a diva/princess all weekend (and of course, Monday as well.) 
I chose every little thing we did starting Friday night and ending Tuesday morning. Jordan took care of the laundry and even made sure my birthday pie had pink candles to blow out on my birthday. Pretty fabulous.


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We hiked some of the trails on base Saturday morning. Such beauty. And gorgeous weather.


That evening, we drove to Santa Maria for dinner and a movie.


Sunday we went to church and had lunch in town. We relaxed that afternoon and enjoyed just hanging out together. 


It was so wonderful to take some time during the weekend to slow down and relax. Jordan gets up well before 6 every morning and doesn't return until 5. By the time we have dinner and he studies for quizes and tests for his class, it's almost time for bed. This course at Vandenberg was recently restructured to be more demanding and challenging. It feels a bit like senior year of college between the two of us. I'm overwhelmed at how intense my classes have become here at the end. And my course load is heavy. Add that to Jordan's intense schedule and demanding class and you'll get a pretty overwhelmed couple.


But, the weekends have been wonderful so far. Since I arrived in California, I have been working hard to get all of my work done by the weekend. (Tests, readings, discussions, papers and projects included.)Jordan has no obligations over the weekend, so we have been enjoying that time exploring the area and relaxing with one another. And that's the plan for the whole trip. 


I think it's a good plan. 

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[View of the mountains on the way to Santa Maria from Vandenberg]

This is the birthday dinner! Jordan had tri-tip and linguica, a Santa Maria speciality. With spicy homemade chipotle sauce, his meal was definitely a winner. I had a fantastic filet with a delicious Caesar salad with homemade dressing. 

   

We decided pie was the way to go for dessert! We could have simply ordered by the slice but we figured we would be able to eat on this all weekend (and we did.) So good! Chocolate cream pie. But, to be honest, my mother in law's is much better. 

This is my bump at 16 weeks (for the curious)

Its crazy what changes happen in just a few weeks!

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Love to you all, 

Mal

  

The Golden State

California.
Such a beautiful place. 


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I arrived in Santa Barbara [early] Monday morning. My friend Caitlin picked me up Sunday afternoon as I was locking up the house. It was strange trying to shut our home down for two months. I wanted to be sure I unplugged all the major appliances and set the water heater to "vacation." I made sure all the windows were closed and that the ice maker was shut off. So many little daily details that I never think about. 


As we walked out to the car, I couldn't help but wonder how many more days we would be spending in that house...


I was grateful to have Caitlin take me to the airport. Not only was it super sweet and convenient for me, but it also gave us time to talk. I mean, two months is a long time to go without seeing one of your best friends! 


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The airport was a mess. I stood in the security line for what seemed like an hour. Ridiculous. Mostly due to the fact that they were doing full body scans. I started getting nervous the closer the line crept to the scanners, but I was waved through the regular line. What a relief.
Although, I'm sure I would be an exception. Baby on board and all. 


I didn't have time to grab a sandwich or anything before the flight [which left around 6:45 pm est] so I was kind of a grouch as we boarded the plane. I knew it was going to be at least a 5 1/2 hour flight and I was nervous that I would start getting nauseous without dinner. 


I was fine.


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After landing in San Francisco nearly 6 hours later, I was just ready for bed. [It was past midnight back in Florida.] But, I still had a quick 1 1/2 hour flight ahead of me. The gate for said flight was located down a locked flight of stairs, through the dimly lit parking garage and a short bus ride away. Once our plane pulled up the gate, we walked out in the chilly night air to board, celebrity style. 


This plane was nowhere near celebrity status. There were only 20 passengers and the plane was almost at capacity once we all boarded. Our takeoff was loud and rocky, almost as if the propellors could pop off at any moment.

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I landed safe and sound in Santa Barbara with my husband patiently waiting for me. Even though I was exhausted and in need of dinner, I couldn't help but smile in excitement at the new city in front of me. 

14 Weeks

14 weeks.

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Things have been crazy lately. 

Jordan has two months of space training in California. He flys out tomorrow morning. He was also offered another short-term job by the Air Force in L.A. starting in October. It could be a short three week trip or it could last two months. As much as we both think it would be best for his career if he goes, we have our reservations. Jordan really doesn't want to miss out on the pregnancy or our last months alone without a little one.

But, he still hasn't made a decision.   

As for baby, things are going well. I've kicked the majority of that awful, body crippling fatigue. However, it's been replaced by bouts of nausea. But for the most part, the second trimester has been much lovelier than the first. My energy is back during the day and I couldn't be more appreciative. 

How far along: 14 weeks + 1 day

Baby's size: Not exactly sure. I'll hopefully have another ultrasound at 18 or 20 weeks. Just a month or so away!

Sleep: Is lovely! I'm still exhausted in the evenings and I always want to sleep in. But the crazy tiredness is gone

...for now... 

Maternity Clothes: My clothes still fit fine. A few pairs of jeans and shorts are getting snug, but no maternity pants just yet.

Food cravings: Cool, icy drinks. Hawaiian shaved ice, popsicles, a huge glass of water. 

Food aversions: Not a whole lot. Some days there will be something that just doesn't sound good to eat, but it changes day to day.

Symptoms I have: Headaches.

Doctor’s Appointment: I have one scheduled for July 31st (16 weeks), but that may change if I am able to go to California with Jordan. Then I'll just have my appointment over there!

Movement: Nothing yet. I want to feel this baby move, but I know it's still early.

Belly Button: The top of my belly button has been different since about 8 or 9 weeks. It's already begun sticking out a bit.

Gender: Not sure yet. Hopefully we'll know in a month or so!

What I’m looking forward to: The next time we get to see our little one!

What I miss: Nothing right now. I'm truly enjoying this pregnancy. 

I do miss seeing my family. I wish I could share more of this with them.  

Baby News!

The news is finally out.

We're having a baby!

[First sonogram at 7 weeks.] 

[And again at 12 weeks.] 

Isn't this baby perfect?

We are elated. My due date is January 18th, 2013. Which means I'll get to enjoy my enormous belly during Florida's beautiful winter. 

Currently: 12 weeks 3 days

Craving: Waffles. Jordan has been so amused with my random desire for these.

Feeling: Exhausted. The entire first trimester I have felt dead on my feet. Some nights I have gone to bed at 7 and proceeded to nap the following day. Thankfully, the second trimester is only three days away. Hurry!

Avoiding: Dirty dishes. The smell is enough to make me gag. Luckily, I have not had too many food aversions. 

Measuring: Not much. Though I know I am up a few pounds. My next doctor's visit is Tuesday and I get the full scale exam and lab work. Oh, joy. 

Looking: A bit pregnant. And bloated. My belly button slightly sticks out some days and goes back to normal others. I have to avoid any cutesy tight shirts in fear of looking like I've been throwing back the beers all summer.

Reading: Pregnancy blogs and "What to Expect..."

Enjoying: The ultrasound videos our friends Drs. Andy and Stephanie Goggin recorded for us. They invited us over this past Tuesday to do an ultrasound at their home. My parents and in-laws all came. It was amazing to see how much our little one had grown in just 5 weeks! Andy and Stephanie both assured us that our baby looks perfectly healthy. We heard that precious little heartbeat and watched as our baby stretched, kicked and moved around. One of the best experiences of my life.   

Looking forward to: Tuesday! I am so ready for the second trimester. And our next ultrasound. I can't wait to see if baby is a boy or girl. 

The Little Things

Yesterday, I wrapped up my finals for the first part of Spring term. After a three hour essay exam and a research paper, I was worn out. Jordan patiently stayed up with me, coming to my side whenever I needed technical help or a word of encouragement. He's pretty great like that. As I pulled the sheets up to my chin last night and soaked up the gentle breeze blowing through our bedroom window, I breathed a sigh of relief that I was one step closer to my Bachelor's.

When I woke this morning, I began mentally going through a list of things that needed to be accomplished around the house. My mind wandered to the next three classes I would be beginning in just a few days and that peaceful feeling I felt last night slowly began to fade. I felt anxious and unsettled. But, rather than spend my one homework-free day doing housework and preparing for my next classes, I decided that I would spend it doing a few productive things that I enjoy. 

After Jordan left for work, I headed out to the commissary to buy some groceries for the week. I had a few new recipes in mind, so I excitedly picked out the ingredients and purchased them. Lately, I have started to enjoy cooking and baking far more than I expected. I like to try new dinner recipes for the two of us and surprise Jordan with a sweet dessert after a long day of work. I also love being alone in the kitchen in the afternoons, baking and preparing dinner. Those few hours I spend cooking and baking help melt away the stress of classes and the anxiety I often feel when Jordan and I discuss his future plans in the Air Force. I try to soak it all up while I can as I know that years from now I will reflect back on my quiet afternoons in the kitchen and long for that peace and quiet.

My peaceful afternoon had me reflecting on the beauty of my life and the blessings I encounter everyday. My husband was at the top of the list, followed by my family and friends who are constantly encouraging me, whether it's through conversation or prayer.  

And even though school can be stressful at times, I am blessed to be attending a Christian university where my professor and classmates encourage my faith through our studies and discussions.

Reflecting on God's provision and protection in my life humbles my heart and reminds me of His great love. God doesn't want me to take on all the stress and anxiety I feel about our future and college alone. He wants me to lay my burdens at His feet.

Psalm 55:22 says, "Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken."

1 Peter 5:7:

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

I pray you cast your cares upon the Lord this week and look for His blessings in your life.

Even in the little things

like baking in the afternoon and a day away from the stress of college.

Mallory 

New Year, New Friendships

Lately, I've been feeling pretty lonely. My days are filled with homework, housework and lots of free time. I am so grateful that Jordan's work allows for me to concentrate on school, travel with him and visit family rather than being tied down to a job. But often, I feel lonely without the daily love and support that comes with having good friends close by. But being away from family and old friends so early in our marriage has been great for our relationship. Don't get me wrong, I love my entire family and savor every moment I get with them when we have the luxury of visiting Illinois or when they visit us in Florida. And nothing can replace old friends who have made major impacts on our lives. But the distance between us and what we know as "comfortable" has created a different kind of bond between the two of us. Having family so far away has forced me to rely solely on my husband to provide the love and comfort my family and friends once did. Our relationship has grown much deeper and intimate these past few months as the two of us adjusted to military life together and a brand new life away from everything we once knew. I am so grateful that God brought us to this base and blessed Jordan with a job that allows us to live the way we do. Each day, I see a new piece of His plan for us here and our future together.

Being away from friends has also brought me closer in my relationship with Jesus. Whenever I have felt lonely with Jordan away at work and no Florida friends to speak of, I would talk to God and tell Him how much my heart ached to feel so lonely here. I knew the answer was to first find comfort and peace in my relationship with Him. I continued to be honest in my prayers to God, asking for the right friendhsips to reveal themselves. I knew that if I sought God and found the cure for my lonliness in Him, He would bless me with friendships that would challenege and grow my faith.

Weeks turned into months and I did not see even a glimmer of hope for friendship. But my prayers continued and I began to pray that I would be an encouraging friend when God brought the right girls along. I prayed for God to change my materialistic heart into a content one that embraced every blessing in my life. A few weeks after I changed my prayer to be in His timing, I was invited to hang out with some military wives. I was so excited to meet some girls my age who understood military life. I had a blast getting to know some of them, but the close relationship I was hoping for just wasn't there. I still stay in touch with a few of them and enjoy hanging out with them when we get together. But I had a feeling that God was going to bring around a different friendship for me. It was hard believing that as I watched these girls share the friendship I so desperately wanted for myself.

That same week, a girl responded to a post I made on Patrick's Facebook page expressing the same desire to meet some Air Force wives who live in the area. We messaged back and forth about ourselves a bit, then made plans to have lunch the following week.

After meeting Caitlin, I was blown away at how perfectly God works when we share with Him the desires of our heart. The two of us couldn't stop sharing how much we had in common and how desperately we were seeking a good friendship. I knew God had orchestrated our meeting as Caitlin opened up about her relationship with Him, her thoughts on religion and all the questions she held.

I am so excited to see where God takes our friendship. I know both of us are having a blast getting to know each other more and having a girl friend to share all the things our husbands try so desperately to understand. God provides the desires of our hearts when we first acknowlege that He is the only one who can fulfill every desire of our heart.

More to come,

Mallory

Winter in Florida

Wow, it has been quite some time since my last blog. I'm sure our busy lives are to blame.

In December, we had a house full of visitors ranging from childhood friends to our immediate family. It was a hectic month, but we appreciated the company of friends and family as we continued to adjust to our new home.

Last week, we took a quick weekend trip to Illinois to celebrate the marriage of my cousin, Erica. We had a great time at the wedding and enjoyed relaxing and catching up with our family. In a few weeks, my parents plan to visit us (again) and my Grandma will come for a bit in May. June will be another busy month as we look forward to having the Kirk side of the family down to explore Florida with us, then another trip to Illinois at the end of the month for my brother's wedding.

January was a bit of a rough month for me. I had carpal tunnel surgery on my right hand and, two weeks later, turned around and did the same on my left. I was pretty wiped from having surgeries so close together and feeling useless while my hands were bandaged and healing. But as February crept closer, the pain subsided and I was grateful to have two strong hands back. 

That's all the news from the East Coast. Our life is beautiful, blessed and full.

Love, Mallory

Our last few months. In picture.

Jarod and Jordan during Jarod's visit with us 

Me and Marissa at dinner 

The Ziegenbein family visiting during the New Year

Jordan and I at Universal Studio's Islands of Adventure with the Ziegenbein's

Jordan and Silas throwing snowballs in Illinois

Our beach :)