September 1, 2009 - 31 Week Update

Welcome back Mrs. Miller!


















Today's appointment went so amazingly well that we actually celebrated with cake and ice cream! Although I was so super nervous to go today, I had a quiet sense of peace in my heart with a feeling that God had something really wonderful for us to hear today.

We went into our appointment with realistic expectations, but nevertheless, very hopeful. With a quick little prayer before our doctor came in, we felt ready to hear the news. Our doctor came in and after a very thorough examination, she was unable to find even the slightest trace of a tear! She couldn't even believe it herself! I knew this wasn't a medical thing, but a God thing. Hudson was stronger and healthier than ever, head down, and happy as a clam...all was right with the world! :-) The cherry on top was the news that all of my sugar tests came back great! WAHOO! My blood work and other tests came back really great with the exception of my iron being a little low due to the previous loss of blood. She sent us on our thankful way with a hug and an extra iron supplement. We smiled and held each other the whole way to the car that day. It had felt as though we had just won the lottery. Our son was healthy, mommy was healthy, and daddy was never so proud. God bless all of those seemingly endless days and nights on the couch and in bed. In hindsight, I realize that I would have stayed right there for the remaining 10 weeks without a single complaint if it meant our baby would have a safer and healthier beginning. Three weeks of bed rest seemed like such a drop in the bucket after thinking of special friends who had endured so much more. Though I never griped, there were definitely moments where I struggled to stay positive.

God bless Tiffany Anthony and her beautiful daughter Ciara for beating the odds after an extended hospital bed rest and countless prayers later. All mommies and daddies are heroes, but I like to think of mommy's like Tiffany as super heroes for all they have gone through for the sake of their children. Thank you for your kind thoughts and words of wisdom from your own experience to help us throughout our own.

Our doctor gave me clearance to go back to school as long as I took it easy and we were allowed (with caution) to take the little over an hour flight back to PA for our baby shower, photo shoot with Courtney, and family fun! I couldn't wait! So many things, so little time! First things first....first grade!

My long awaited return as my favorite alias, "Mrs. Miller" happened today...and I lived to tell the tale! My first week back to school was wonderful. Wonderfully exciting and wonderfully exhausting! My students were so very welcoming and so very curious about my "Santa Belly"! It will most definitely be a very exhausting, hectic, shoelace hanging, nose wiping, glue covered wonderful year! I'm already loving every minute of it. I'm so thankful to finally becoming a mom to my own child, but I am also so very thankful to be considered as a "mom" figure to an additional 21 children. It's days like today when a little girl said, "Mrs. Miller, you look like you probably smell really good!" and "Mrs. Miller, I can tell by your big smile and big belly that this is going to be a great year!" ...that make me realize I'm right where I'm supposed to be.

To round out week "31" we had an absolutely amazing visit with our friends and family and an even more incredible day as we celebrated Hudson at our first baby shower! The "specialness" kept on coming as we also had the honor of becoming clients of the very talented and gifted Courtney Katherine Weaver! Below are pictures of our shower weekend and of our maternity photo shoot!!

Of course we brought our Izzy Mae with us! She's not a big fan of flying home so this is Izzy with her daddy at the airport waiting for Aunt Heather to pick us up! Can you tell just how well her puppy powered anti-anxiety pills were working?!

Heather and I with dad and his corn stalks basking in his new found love for farming! lol

I have been crazy craving my hometown fav...Anchor Inn pizza! My dad had two big pizzas waiting for me when we got in! (One of which I ate by myself! I figured I might as well! Being pregnant is the best excuse for not sharing and getting away with it!




















Mom and I before the shower!













Gram, Garrett, and I

Aunt Heather, Mr. and Mrs. Lasser, and Gram Sherf

In the above pictures: Heather, Mom, Dad, and I/ Lots of wonderful gifts!/Heather-the lovely hostess/Heather and Mom getting the stunningly sandy centerpieces ready/Mercyhurst Loves/Katie and Charlie Grace/Bubby, Mommy, and Nana

Below are just a few of the gazillion pictures we took with our wonderful friend Courtney! She is such a gifted photographer! We had so much fun! Click here to check out more beautiful pictures on her photography blog!

We, as a family, are so very blessed to have shared this past weekend with our own families and friends! It truly was a weekend we will always remember and never ever forget!

Hudson's 31 week Update:

Your Baby: From this week on, your baby will continue to gain around ½ pound a week until shortly before birth (even though it may feel like a whole lot more with every step you take). Other highlights this week: Due to increasing space constraints, your baby's arms and legs stay drawn up close to the body now, known as the fetal position (oh, so that's where that name came from!). Plus, your baby can now process information from all five senses—so he'll be all set to smell the pureed peas, taste them, feel them as she mashes them into his hair, hear you crack up and then see the flash as you grab the camera to snap picture after picture. By now, your baby's lungs are the only system not fully mature. And by mature, we're not saying that the rest of your baby's systems are mature enough to be out past 10 PM with the neighborhood hooligan, just that his lungs need a little bit more time to bake before they can kick it in the outside world. Your baby weighs about 3½ pounds and measures a little over 16 inches, about the same length as that miniskirt you used to wear (and will again someday!).