Griffin's Birth Story

*warning: lengthy post ahead!

On December 28, 2019, our third child, Griffin Jack Lowery, made his entrance into the world at 38 weeks 6 days. My initial goal when we found out we were pregnant and learned my due date was early January was just to make it through Christmas Day. And thankfully, he listened and cooperated!

The night of the 26th I did not sleep well at all. I just tossed and turned all night and could not get comfortable--which was not the norm. I had been sleeping great the entire pregnancy! Friday, December 27th, I just felt "off." I had lost my mucous plug on Christmas Day so I knew labor was more than likely coming within the next few days (Daniel was really hoping it happened before January 1st so we could get the tax credit lol).  I had no appetite, I didn't feel super well and starting about 1pm I had some pelvic pressure. I took a hot shower to see if that would relieve it at all and it didn't. 

A sweet friend of mine is a L&D nurse and I knew she was working (fun fact--I initially met her because she was my nurse with Holt) so I texted her my symptoms. I had never gone into labor on my own before! She advised me to come in and just get checked out. Of course, we had dinner plans with our BFF's, so I texted Kaley to let her know what was going on. We decided they would go ahead and come over to our house, the boys would stay with the big kids and she would go with me to the hospital and just see if anything was happening. 

4pm--I get into a triage room. My contractions are irregular BUT I was 3cm and 70% effaced (at my appointment on Monday I was only a 1cm and 0% effaced). I drink some ice water and we decide to walk the hallways for an hour. 

5:45pm--they check me again. Still a 3cm and 70% but baby has moved down and my contractions are in a consistent pattern of every 2-4 minutes. They decide to admit me, believing I am in early labor. I decide to walk some more. The doctor on call is Dr. Farrell--she was extremely nice and really cute! I am so thankful for God's provision in that a great doctor was on call and Audra was working! I call Daniel and let him know what's going on--he finishes packing stuff for the hospital and gathering things together. I also call my parents (the 27th is their anniversary) and Daniel calls his parents, so they decide to get their stuff together and head to Fort Smith. 

7:45pm--Daniel arrives at the hospital. Kaley went back to my house to wait with my kids until my in-laws could get there. I get checked again. I am almost a 4. Baby is more engaged in the pelvis. 

10:00pm--my parents arrived about 9pm. My Uncle Jim and Aunt Linda (the photographer)  and my grandmother made it about 9:45pm or so. I have been bouncing on the ball and my contractions have still steadily been coming every 2-4 minutes. So far I have been handling the contractions really well and haven't had to request an epidural yet. I get checked again and I'm 5cm and 75% effaced. 

Starting about 11pm, my contractions started spacing out and calmed down for a while--maybe a contraction every 15 minutes or so. We finally decided to try and get some sleep and I slept from 3:30-5:30am. 

6:00am--check me again and I'm still 5 cm. They decide to break my water and get me on pitocin to get things moving again. I request an epidural because I know what pitocin contractions feel like an I don't want to miss my window.

6:40am--get my epidural

7:00am---Audra is back for the day shift so I get to have her as my nurse!

9:00am---I'm a 7-8cm. Things are moving!

9:30am--8-9cm. Audra has another lady in labor needing to push so she turns down the pitocin in hopes of me stalling a bit.

10:50am---I am feeling pressure and like i need to push. I call Audra and tell her to hurry!

10:55am--Audra rushes in and calls the new on call doctor--Dr. Hill. 

10:59am--I start pushing. Dr. Hill asks Daniel if he wants to announce the gender.

11:05am--its a BOY! Griffin Jack Lowery is born---he has some good lungs and is absolutely perfect!

7lbs 3 oz
19 ¼ inches


We did not find out with this pregnancy whether we were expecting a boy or girl--our first surprise! And it was one of the NEATEST moments of my life! Daniel got to call out whether it was a boy or girl and it was just like nothing I had ever experienced. If we decide to have a 4th baby, we will probably keep it a surprise again! It's always emotional when your baby is born, but this one was a little more so due to the fact he was our rainbow baby. It was a really precious moment!

Griffin was born at 11:05am and our big kids came up to meet him about 2:00pm that afternoon. It was a precious time! They were pretty smitten with him from the beginning and were sad to leave the hospital without him, but we assured them we would be home the next day.

In true 3rd kid fashion, we didn't even decide on names until I was about 37 weeks pregnant. I think it was driving everyone else nuts more than us! We finally sat down and hashed it out one weekend in December--my parents had taken the bigs to Branson for the weekend with the rest of my family and we had an entire kid-free weekend---it was amazing!

Our boy name was pretty easy to agree on. Griffin had been on my list since college. It's just a name I came across and liked--it was different, not heard of often, very masculine sounding, and I loved the meaning--"fierce warrior." We also love to incorporate family names when naming our babies. Jack was my grandpa's name and means "God is gracious." I have always been very close with my grandparents and when Daniel joined the family, they treated him as if he was another grandson. So it was especially meaningful to both of us to use it. Boy name...done!

The girl name was much harder. We had a list of girl names but Daniel didn't really like any of them. So back to the drawing board we went! We finally found one we both liked and could imagine using if this baby ended up being a girl--Annelise. Annelise means "God pledged His grace" which we thought was especially fitting since this was our rainbow baby. It also incorporates family names--my paternal grandmother's name is Joanne, so we liked that it incorporated "Anne" from her, and Elise is a family name on Daniel's side. We both had already agreed on a middle name--Rose--after my maternal grandmother who's middle name is also Rose. So if Griffin had been a girl, his name would have been Annelise Rose. Maybe if we go for a 4th and it ends up a girl, we will use it then!

We got home from the hospital about 1:30pm on Sunday afternoon and my mom and grandmother stayed with us the first night to help with the big kids. They had decided that Monday morning they would take Holt and Evie back to Conway for the week to give us a chance to recover and just enjoy one-on-one time with Griffin. They left about 11:30am and at 12:15pm, my mom called in a panic. She told me that my grandpa Jack had died very suddenly that morning. I stood frozen for a moment before going into crisis mode and making a plan. The plan was they would pull off at Ozark, eat lunch, and Daniel would head that way to get Holt and Evie and bring them back home. Griffin had his first doctor appointment the next day, but as soon as that was over we would head to Conway to be with the family.

While we were shocked and obviously saddened about his sudden passing, God's fingerprints were all over the situation:

1) Griffin came on his own 8 days before his due date. In all reality, this shouldn't have happened. I don't have my babies early. If I had still been pregnant when he died, I would not have been able to travel for the funeral. Plus, since Griffin did come early, my grandpa knew he had a great grandson named after him before he died which I am so thankful for!

2) It allowed us to have some of the tough conversations about death and what happens after we die with our children. We believe the Bible is absolute truth and we believe God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to earth,  where he died for our sins on the cross and was raised to life 3 days later, conquering death and allowing us the opportunity to live in heaven with him for all eternity. We also believe that you will not go to heaven after you die unless you believe in Him--John tells us in his gospel that Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." We were able to tell our children that even though we were burying Poppa Jack's physical body, he wasn't there anymore. Instead, we know he is with Jesus in Heaven, because Jesus lived in his heart and he lived his life for Him. On the night of December 30th (the day Poppa Jack died), Holt decided he wanted to ask Jesus to live in his heart and be the boss of his life! We rejoiced in this news and I know my grandpa would have been so happy to know Holt made such a wonderful decision!

3) My grandpa had been battling the beginning of Alzheimer's for the last couple of years. Even though we miss him terribly, the Lord was so gracious in that my grandpa never had to suffer in the later stages of Alzheimer's and he was in great physical health, up until the moment he died.

Needless to say, the first week of Griffin's life was very eventful. We are so thankful to have a healthy, happy baby boy join our family and can't wait to watch him grow!

We love you Griffin Jack! So thankful you're ours! 

Baby Lowery #3: 31 Weeks

I promise we are alive! It has been a crazy two months since I updated last. Sorry sweet baby #3!

Since my last update:

* we survived another Rhea Lana season! The Lord continues to sustain and provide and we keep marching forward trying to build this business. This was my smoothest and best event to date--all the praise hands! They told me when we initially bought the franchise that it would take (at minimum) 2 years before you feel like you start to turn the corner and they were exactly right. We were THRILLED to have met that first milestone in working/owning a small business!  It takes 3-5 years (with any small business) before you start becoming "successful" and we feel like we are on track with that timeline. We continue to be thankful for this company, the women I get to work with, and the opportunity to minister and serve other mamas as we are all on this journey called motherhood. We are also thankful for our INCREDIBLE support system that help make my events possible--my in-laws (and usually several friends and our church family) lovingly and graciously help my husband hold down the fort at home and take care of the kids while my parents drive all the way over and help me run the event (my Mom usually stays with me the entire 2 weeks). We know there is no way we could make this work without their help! We are excited for what's to come with the future of this business!

* when I got back home from Rhea Lana, Holt went on his first field trip! They went on Thursday so Daniel and I both got to go and experience the Wild Things Farm pumpkin patch with him and it was a blast!

*the kids and I took one last trip to Conway before baby comes. During my RL event, my sweet, precious Leadership Team surprised me with a baby shower and my mom gave me a prenatal massage as a gift--the trick being I had to go to Conway. Hallelujah! We drove down, I had my massage and we got to spend some quality time with my grandparents too before driving back home. From this point on, I'll be staying pretty close to home so I'm thankful we had the opportunity to go!

*Holt finished his soccer season playing with the green team

* we had our annual Fall Festival with our church on Halloween night. As usual it was chaotic and full of chili and hot dogs and way too much candy! Next year we will have another little Lowery with us to celebrate!

* this past weekend (as in yesterday), my parents took Holt and Evie to the Razorback game in Fayetteville and Daniel and I spent the day painting the nursery. The room has basically been white since we moved into this house 2.5 years ago and that was my one big project I wanted to complete before baby comes. We chose Sea Salt by Sherwin Williams as the paint color and I LOVE it! It's more of a light blue color with some green and gray undertones, depending on the light in the room. Perfect gender neutral color! All that's left is re-painting the trim and then decorating and getting it ready for sweet baby #3---we better hurry since we basically have about 2 months before he or she gets here!

Starting this week, I have doctor's appointments every 2 weeks which is exciting! We are in the home stretch and when I think about all the fun things we have going on over the next two months I know it's going to go so fast! I plan to decorate for Christmas soon so I don't have to stress over it and we can just enjoy the Holidays. My last appointment a couple of weeks ago I had another ultrasound to check on a couple things they couldn't see well at our anatomy scan. Everything checked out great!

This baby is seemingly much more chill and doesn't seem to move as often as my others. I'm hoping that means he or she will be really laid back and "go-with-the-flow"! Holt moved CONSTANTLY and still does outside the womb; Evie had specific patterns where she would be active for a bit and then slow down which is the same for her too. This one, I sometimes have to go lay down and count kicks just to be sure everything is ok. Although, usually at night it seems to wake up every so often and ROLL everywhere, which kind of tickles (I have an anterior placenta this time so I have quite a bit of cushion). We are so excited and getting anxious to meet this little one--and find out whether we are adding a sweet boy or girl to our family!

How far along: 31 weeks
Sleep: Still sleeping relatively well. I wake up every so often and have to switch to my other side but all in all I can't complain
Aches/Pains: My lower back--particularly my right SI joint--has been giving me issues the last several weeks. I am seeing a chiropractor this pregnancy which has helped tremendously and my husband has been helping massage it. I'm also trying to stretch more but goodness!
Food aversions: none really but more often than not, food just doesn't sound good and I have to make myself eat
Food cravings: Would you believe I'm drinking coffee?? CRAZY. I don't know if it's the cold weather or what, but I'm WANTING coffee. So strange because I didn't want it at all with my other two. I also go back and forth between craving salty foods and sweet foods--anything from sandwiches and mac-n-cheese to brownies and donuts. Not helping me figure out whether this baby is a boy or girl!
Gender prediction: I can honestly say I don't have a clue--100%. I'll admit, I was a bit prideful before getting pregnant. I mean, I've already had one boy and one girl and those pregnancies were vastly different so I just KNEW I would know, even though we weren't officially finding out the gender. But this baby has kept me on my toes! I have had things happen from BOTH my other pregnancies so it is totally throwing me off--which I secretly love because I truly love surprises and I think this will be one of the best ones I ever have! Not much longer and we will find out!

Baby Lowery #3: 23 Weeks

Quite a bit has happened since I last updated about a month ago.

The kids and I stayed with my parents the first week of August while Daniel was on a mission trip to Alaska. We celebrated Holt's 5th birthday with family and my parents took him on a surprise birthday trip to the Ark Encounter in Kentucky. They had a blast!

We all made it back home and had our 20 week ultrasound and doctor's appointment. We took the kids so they could see their new brother or sister. Everything checked out really good which we are so thankful for and no, we didn't even peek at the gender!

The next week, our A/C unit started having issues---with it being 115 degrees outside. One night we had a guy here fixing it until 10:30pm and then three days later it completely died. Absolutely no reviving it. I will say, it was 21 years old so we knew when we bought this house that we would be buying a new A/C unit at some point. Ugh. Adulting. We ended up staying with our best friends for four days (bless their sweet souls) while we tried to figure out which company and unit we should go with (way more complicated than we thought it would be by the way). We finally got our new unit installed and we were so thankful for cool air!

In the middle of the A/C saga, Holt started Pre-K at his new school, Grace Academy! Grace Academy operates as a classroom setting to help and come alongside homeschool families. They have classes Pre-K 3 all the way up to seniors in high school. They run a schedule of hosting school classes at Grace Academy on Tuesday and Thursday and then you homeschool the other days of the week. We are still undecided where we will put Holt for Kindergarten next year, but so far we have loved Grace Academy and his new teacher, Mrs. Chronister.

And now, Rhea Lana season is officially here and our life will be a little crazy for the next month or so. This will be my 4th event (crazy) and I am really excited about this one! We have had some changes happen since the Spring Event (due to the federal DC Circuit Court ruling back in June) which is adding a little more to my plate, but I think overall it's going to go really well!

How far along: 23 weeks
Sleep: I am still sleeping really well at night. Only having to get up for the bathroom occasionally and trying to soak that up since I know it's bound to change in the future.
food aversions: Not near as many! I'll actually drink a tiny bit of coffee now and food is actually starting to sound good
food cravings: Nothing super specific yet. At this point I'm just thankful that I'm actually getting hungry and food is starting to sound good. I usually have PB & banana toast or a protein bar for breakfast, usually a toasted ham & cheese sandwich (with extra pickles) for lunch and I'm doing better with cooking dinner again. I"m also loving dessert (and poptarts for a snack in the afternoon). I still just prefer to eat out at a restaurant, butttt since we just bought a new A/C unit, we are having to be pretty strict with the budget.
gender prediction: The last month or so I have really been thinking girl. But now I might be changing my mind again and thinking boy. haha! It's kind of comical because we truly have no idea. And when people ask us what we are having, we tell them we are going to be surprised, and the reactions are pretty funny!

Baby Lowery #3: 18 Weeks

Here we are at 18 weeks! Crazy to think we are almost halfway! Quite a bit has happened since our last update:

When I was 14.5 weeks I went to see my friend, Amy, who is an ultrasound tech. I hadn't had an ultrasound in about 6 weeks and I was dying to see my little one before our beach trip. ((P.S. it's SUPER FUN to have a friend who does ultrasounds)) I was in baby heaven for 20 minutes that day! We saw the baby move EVERYWHERE (and I was already feeling it), we saw the baby yawn, fold it's hands and cross it's legs. She measured everything and it all added up to our exact due date (way to go baby!) which is great news. We listened to the heartbeat and overall it was just the best 20 minutes of my day.

A couple of days later, our family loaded up and made the trek down to Florida for our annual beach vacation. My mom and dad take us and my sister and brother-in-law every summer and we all look forward to it! This year was by far our best trip yet. Holt and Evie LOVED it. We had to drag them off the beach to go eat lunch, they took awesome naps, stayed out late for dinner and had great attitudes (for the most part) the whole week. It was a lot of fun! Plus we celebrated 15 weeks with our sweet babe while we were there. As always, the week went way too fast and Holt asked on the way home if we could turn around and go back---I wish baby!

As soon as we got back, we had VBS at our church. A fun week for sure, but goodness we were all VBS tired (and I was also pregnant tired)! We are so thankful for our church and how well they love and serve our kiddos!

I also had a doctor appointment and it went wonderfully. Baby's heartbeat was 130 and everything measured right where it should. We scheduled the anatomy scan for our next appointment on August 21st and plan to take the kids with us then so they can see the baby---and yes, we will hold strong and NOT FIND OUT the gender, even during the ultrasound!

My 30th birthday was last Saturday, August 3rd, and my sweet husband planned a surprise party full of all the people I love. It was wonderful and a great way to enter a new decade!

Daniel left with a group from our church for a mission trip to Alaska on Monday, so the kids and I drove down to Conway to spend time with family, have one last summer trip before school and routines start back and we celebrated Holt's 5th birthday!

And here we are, 18 weeks along with this sweet babe in my belly and now we are gearing up for back to school and Rhea Lana's!

I was still nauseous for a lot of the day, which got really frustrating. The week we were at the beach I felt GREAT (so I guess I just need to be there 24/7) but since we have been back it has been a little rough. Food just doesn't sound good to me and I was having to force myself to eat. Blah. Maybe it's because this is my 3rd baby so I'm just naturally more tired than I was before? I don't know. But I'm just thankful to be feeling better in this 18th week and for a healthy baby so far!

how far along: 18 weeks 4 days
maternity clothes: absolutely! I have to say, it's nice to actually look pregnant earlier this time around!
sleep: going pretty well. some nights I sleep really hard and others I toss and turn all night. but i really can't complain!
food aversions: yes. no coffee. still kind of iffy on meat.
food cravings: well since most food in general just doesn't sound good, not really. But I prefer foods that aren't super heavy. last week we had greek chicken, lots of cucumbers and tomatoes, and I made a green goddess gazpacho soup which was delicious. I will still eat a cheeseburger, but even that isn't really doing much for me. I did have a DP every night of VBS to help me though!
started showing: I really am excited to be showing so early this time and actually looking pregnant instead of just looking like I ate too much!
gender prediction: lately I've been thinking more girl--especially since I'm still nauseous and not feeling super good. but honestly, I've had symptoms from both my other pregnancies so it's making it really hard to pinpoint one way or the other! Which really is fun because that means we will be 100% surprised at delivery!

Baby Lowery #3: 13 Weeks

Welcome to the second trimester! Yay!

Last week I started feeling a little better, but this week I'm feeling bad again. although, I'm trying to get off Diclegis now so I think that may have something to do with it. with my other two, I think it was week 14 before I could really tell a big difference. we will see! fingers crossed because we have plans with family this weekend and I would really like to feel better.

I went to see my doctor last Thursday (6/27) and I am praising God for a good report. I heard the heartbeat this time, although it took him probably a full 60 seconds before he found it. I was starting to get anxious, trying to breathe as he kept searching for it. FINALLY after what seemed like forever, we heard that sweet little sound. he told me he thinks baby is moving all over the place so that's why it took a minute to find it. another huge praise! I go back the week after we get back from the beach in July. my doctor is now the chief of staff at Mercy(he got promoted in the last year or two), so I really wasn't sure if he would keep me as a pregnancy patient or if he would pass me off to another OB in his practice (this was what we had discussed before my miscarriage). So far, he hasn't given any indication of passing me off and I'm continuing to pray for that. Not that I don't trust the other doctors in the practice, but Dr. Riche has been through two full-term pregnancies with me (and delivered both) plus my miscarriage and I just trust him wholeheartedly with this pregnancy even though I still get anxious.

Would you continue to pray with us for a healthy baby, healthy pregnancy, and healthy mama? On top of being a little anxious this pregnancy, this is also my first time to be a working mom (outside the home). I know God will give me the strength and time to accomplish what I need to, but I still worry about work/life balance and making sure everything gets done but that I also spend enough time with my family. Working on giving that to the Lord and trusting He already knows all of that and He has equipped me to handle it.

P.S. if you missed the story of our miscarriage, you can read it HERE


how far along:  13 weeks 1 day
maternity clothes: About 90% of the time
sleep: Still pretty good. I had a terrible time of insomnia last night for some reason and couldn't fall asleep until almost 2am. Thankfully that's an exception and not normal.
food aversions: Oh yeah. Still coffee and raw meat and most smells. Blah.
food cravings: anything sour. this week I picked up raspberry sorbet and it is HEAVEN. Still no major cravings, but cheeseburgers sit well. And obviously, Dr. Pepper.
started showing: oh yeah
gender prediction: Still think boy at this point.

Baby Lowery #3: 11 Weeks

Baby Lowery #3, our precious rainbow baby, is set to make his or her debut right after the New Year---our official due date is January 5, 2020. After going through a miscarriage at the end of February, our plan was to wait until later this summer to start "trying" for another baby to add to our family. Imagine our surprise when we were in Florida visiting my sister and bro-in-law in May and found out we were pregnant again!

*side note---it's very un-like us to have a surprise pregnancy. we are crazy planners and my other 3 pregnancies were planned pretty well. But it also makes this rainbow baby that much sweeter.

We plan to wait and find out baby's gender at delivery, which we have never done before and we are really excited for that experience! Our kids are CRAZY excited to add another sibling to our family. Holt is convinced it's a boy and Evie says it's a girl, but we are telling them that we will be happy either way ;) They talk about the baby almost every day and they ask to look at the app on my phone with all the videos on what the baby looks like this week. I'm going to be an absolute puddle once this baby is here and I see them with their new brother or sister. They are going to do so well!

I haven't been feeling the best so far this pregnancy, which honestly I am so THANKFUL for. Losing a baby changes your perspective on the first trimester morning sickness. I do ok in the mornings, I usually take a nap when Evie naps (and Holt has quiet time) but the afternoons are KILLING ME. It's been pretty rough. I actually started taking Diclegis a couple of weeks ago which is helping some. The key for me this time is keeping something on my stomach and Dr. Pepper (I swear it's the Magic Juice of pregnancy). Bless my sweet husband--he has picked up the slack without complaining! He comes home from work, cooks dinner, feeds the kids and puts them to bed. He's pretty much amazing.

I won't lie. after finding out we were pregnant again, we were excited but it was a very CAUTIOUS excitement. I walked around the first few weeks almost holding my breath because I was afraid of what that first ultrasound would show. When I started feeling nauseous I was so thankful, but I had that last time too so that didn't necessarily ease my mind. I didn't see my doctor until I was 8 weeks pregnant. Thankfully, we have a sweet friend at our church who is an ultrasound tech at a local clinic and she offered for me to come in and have a quick scan. We initially went in at 6 weeks and we could see the baby but it was too tiny to see if the heart was fluttering. We went back one week later and the whole time I just prayed. She started scanning me, we saw the baby, and IMMEDIATELY saw it's little heart just fluttering away. PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW. I cried. Tears of joy. Tears of relief. Tears of sadness for my other baby that I didn't get to see her heartbeat. Tears of thankfulness.

I saw my doctor at 8 weeks and we took the kids with us to our first appointment (the day after Memorial Day, during the Flood of 2019). We told them right before we left where we were going and the surprise and excitement on their faces is a moment I will never forget. We saw the baby on ultrasound again, saw the heartbeat, everything measured right on track for my estimated due date. It was a great day. I go back next week on June 26th and we continue to pray for a healthy report.

how far along:  11 weeks 2 days
maternity clothes: some. belly has most DEFINITELY popped out already.
stretch marks: I got a couple small stretch marks with Evie, and I'll be interested to see if I get any this time--especially since the belly is already out.
sleep: I've been sleeping pretty well. I usually nap when Evie goes down and then I'm still tired and sleeping all night. I'm ready for my energy to come back!
food aversions: ugh. most things. especially meat. gross. and no coffee again this go round.
food cravings: not necessarily a craving, but the only thing I have found that sticks with me is a cheeseburger with french fries. I have literally had Braum's for lunch every single day during the last week.
started showing: Yup. Embracing it, wearing some maternity clothes and honestly a little glad I already look pregnant instead of just looking like I ate too much
gender prediction: At this point, my initial thought is a boy. Just based off of the food that somewhat sounds good to me and the fact that I'm not crazy sick all day long like I was with Evie. But, who knows? I'll be interested to see if my prediction changes throughout this pregnancy!

Baby #2: 38 Weeks

Six weeks ago, our goal was for me to make it to 38 weeks and HERE WE ARE! All praise to our God for blessing us in this way! We are immensely grateful Evie has stayed put and continues to grow healthy and strong--in fact, every doctor appointment we have a small ultrasound and my doctor always comments about how well she is breathing and building up those lungs. Proud mama moment! Go baby girl!

So now I am off bed rest because sweet baby girl is welcome to come whenever she is ready…and mama is more than ready so here's to hoping she doesn't make us wait too long! Her daddy is hoping she comes May 4th for Star Wars day ("may the 4th be with you") and I have to admit that would be a pretty sweet birthday! But really, mama isn't too picky--just come on precious girl! We are ready to meet you!

Last week at my appointment, I was still the same--cervix still thick and dilated to a one. I also caught the crud from when Holt had croup so they gave me an antibiotic shot in my hip (OUCH) and I had to have a chest x-ray done to make sure it wasn't developing into pneumonia or anything. Thankfully it all came back clear and I'm MUCH better now.

Last Friday (April 29th), I lost my mucous plug (sorry, TMI) and since then she has definitely dropped and my contractions have felt much different. They have been located lower, kind of like period cramps, and have been quite a bit more intense--I've had to use my breathing techniques a few times. Here's to hoping they've been helping me make progress! I'm excited to see what we find out at the doctor tomorrow.

I have been MAJOR nesting the past few days. Now that I'm off bed rest and can actually do things, I've been cleaning and organizing full force. I never had this with Holt, so it's a new experience for me. It's crazy how you just have this uncontrollable urge to de-clutter and dust and vacuum and pick everything up off the floor and clean off your ceiling fan blades and just make sure your house is all neat and clean for when baby comes home. Thank you to my sweet husband for helping me with my crazy tendencies!

I also finished my last big project this week I wanted to accomplish before she arrives. I finished the wooden "E" to put above her crib and I am absolutely IN LOVE! I found the flowers at Hobby Lobby (when they were 50% off, score!), matching the colors and everything to her bedding, and then I hot glued them on! Super simple! My plan is for this to grow with her and we can use it as decor in her room for years to come. Now to just hang it up on the wall!

How far along: 38 weeks 2 days
Sleep: I've had a few contractions wake me up off and on every night, but nothing consistent and I'm able to go right back to sleep.
Maternity clothes: I feel like I wear the same thing EVERY SINGLE DAY because only a few things fit. I'm so ready to have more options again!

Baby Lowery #2: 36 Weeks

The biggest news this week is that Baby Girl turned head down! We are so thankful! My prayer the last several weeks was that if she needed to be born by c-section for health or safety reasons, then I didn't want her to turn. However, if not, then I wanted her to turn on her own--without the doctor trying to turn her. (The second biggest news is Holt has the croup, poor buddy).

Essential oils are a big part of our life. My mom and I researched to see if there were any oils that supposedly helped turn babies in the womb. Turns out, there is! You layer peppermint and myrrh and rub in an upside-down rainbow under your bump (hip bone to hip bone). Lots of testimonials claimed rubbing those on for just a couple of days would turn a baby. It didn't hurt to try! We applied them Sunday night, Monday morning, and Monday night. I started having several contractions around 8:00pm Monday night, similar  to my experience when Holt turned. I think she must've turned while I slept during the night, but when we went in for our ultrasound Tuesday morning the first thing the tech said is "she's head down!"

The tech also measured her to give us an idea of how big she is. Thankfully she's not measuring near as big as her brother did! At 35 weeks, 3 days she is approximately 5 lbs. 11 oz. The tech told us that's right on average for her due date, hallelujah. At 34 weeks with Holt, he already measured 5 lbs. 13 oz.! She also got some great pictures--advances in ultrasound machines are so amazing! We saw that she has lots of hair (which is great because the heartburn is coming back!) and that she is basically Holt's twin! What do you think?

After the ultrasound we saw my doctor and got a great report. I still haven't made any progress which is great for now. He told me to continue bed rest until our goal, April 27th, and then at that point it would be fine if she comes so I can start doing things again! I've had some nesting tendencies this time, which has been driving me crazy on bed rest, so I will be super happy to finally be able to get some of that stuff done--I need to finish the "E" for above her bed (I'm going to hot glue flowers onto it), pack Holt's overnight bag for when we are in the hospital, and pick up a few last minute things for my hospital bag.

I still have contractions daily and they feel a bit different now that she is head down. Plus she is getting bigger everyday so I'm sure that's contributing to my contractions feeling tighter. We go back to the doctor tomorrow to see how things are progressing!

How far along: 36 weeks 2 days
What have I missed since bedrest: I miss doing things around the house, weird as that sounds. I feel so guilty just sitting while my husband and other family members come do household tasks. Don't get me wrong, I fully understand that I am the only one who can take care of Evie right now and she takes priority, but it has always been hard for me to ask for or accept help because I feel like I should just be able to do everything. Yes, it's pride talking. And I'm working on it. I really do appreciate the help!
Sleep: I've had more insomnia. Especially if I take a nap during the day, I can't fall asleep until 11:30-12:00. Once I fall asleep, I typically sleep great all night and I only get up once to go to the bathroom usually.
Food cravings: My appetite in general has dwindled significantly. Hardly anything sounds good. Every now and then, I'll be like "_____ sounds really good right now!" but not very often.
Best moment: D and I got to have a date night! Our church has childcare for Parent's Night Out once a month, so we took advantage! We only went out for a couple of hours but it was so nice to be out of the house---not to mention sushi and Target make for a great date ;)

Baby Lowery #2: 34 Weeks

Evie and her baby cousin, already friends in the womb!

We made it to 34 weeks with our sweet girl!

Things are going pretty well! I've seen my doctor twice since my last post. He agreed with my self-induced bedrest, and told me that limiting my activity was helping so to keep it up. My first appointment, they re-checked me (no change) and did another Fetal Fibronectin test which came back negative again. Evie was still breech, but that is probably a good thing because it prevents her head from putting pressure on my cervix. Everything checked out great and I was told to come back a week later.

Throughout the next week, my mom came for several days to help out. It's always nice to have your mama come! She was a huge help--she brought us freezer meals (which is a BIG timesaver and help for my husband) and helped with Holt and other things around the house. She came back for my next doctor appointment this past Thursday (03/31) and we got another good report! Evie is still breech, but I haven't changed at all and we got to look at her on ultrasound again. The NEATEST thing is we could see her breathing on the ultrasound--her little chest was just rhythmically moving in and out.

I'm still having contractions on a daily basis--anywhere from 15 to 30 a day (or more) depending on how active I am. Thankfully these are still Braxton Hicks contractions and are not causing labor to progress in any way. So why stay on bed rest? Because we don't want it to turn into labor, which it could at any point if I do too much or lift too much weight. So limiting my activity is more a preventative measure. We need her to cook in there for a few more weeks yet!

This past Saturday (04/02), my sweet friends hosted a "sprinkle" for Evie! A sprinkle is just a smaller version of a baby shower, usually for 2nd (3rd, 4th, etc) babies--since you already have the big stuff from your first baby, it's mostly just the practical stuff like diapers and clothes if you're expecting the opposite gender. A big plus was I got to see my cousin who is expecting her first baby and our due dates are only 10 days apart. It will be so neat to watch these cousins grow up together! The shower was so fun and so beautiful! It's WAY different this time expecting a girl--all the bows and gowns and pink! So thank you from the bottom of my heart---it was perfect (even though I took ZERO pictures)!

We had another appointment today (04/04) and she is still breech. My doctor had us schedule an ultrasound for next Tuesday (04/12) so we could measure her and also check amniotic fluid levels. If at that point she is still breech, we will be looking at the calendar and scheduling a time for me to come in and let him try to externally turn her head down. This is done down in Labor & Delivery (just in case something happens) and she will be monitored the entire time. I'm a little nervous because I've heard it can be uncomfortable for the mama, but I think it's worth it to at least try and avoid a c-section. If for some reason it's unsuccessful, we will be looking at a c-section (unless she turns right before D-day, which could happen).

At this point, our goal is to keep her cooking until 38 weeks. Once we reach that point, I'm taking myself off bed rest and baby girl can go ahead and grace us with her presence anytime she wants!

How far along: 34 weeks 2 days
Sleep: I'm still sleeping very well. Some days, especially if I take a nap, it takes me a long time to fall asleep--closer to 11:30pm--but I think that's due to the fact I'm not as active right now.
Food cravings: Even though I haven't had one in a few weeks, donuts. Oh, and Lucky Charms. The past couple of weeks, we bought the "family size" box and I've had at least one bowl after Holt goes to bed.
Movement: She has been getting the hiccups! This is so fun for me because Holt never got them one time (unless it was during the night and I was sleeping so I didn't' feel it).

Baby Lowery #2: 32 Weeks

Well, we started week 32 off in the hospital. Awesome.

Let's start from the beginning….

I've been having Braxton Hicks off and on for the past couple of months, but nothing super regular until a few weeks ago. But we just stay so busy I haven't really been paying attention to just how many contractions I was having. I knew I was having probably 5-10 good ones a day, so I brought it up to my doctor at my 31 week appointment. He told me it was normal for me to have BH earlier than my last pregnancy due to following a busy toddler around and it's my second pregnancy so my body has already done this. However, he checked me just to make sure I wasn't dilating or anything---and I wasn't, but my cervix was already soft. It wasn't anything to freak out about, but he told me I needed to start taking it WAY easier (which is super hard for me in general, let alone add in taking care of a toddler too). So, this last week I really tried to be conscious of not lifting Holt unless I had to, not vacuuming, limiting my activity, etc.

Last Thursday afternoon, we headed to Conway to take some maternity pictures with my aunt. It was so much fun and Holt had a blast since we took them outside! Friday morning, we took Holt to get his 2nd haircut at Pigtails & Crewcuts (a kid's salon) and it was an AMAZING experience! He got to sit in a little airplane and he got to snack on Nilla Wafers and they blew bubbles so he wouldn't cry. And the end result was fantastic--he looks so handsome! And so much older! Anyways, after all that, my mom and my grandma and I went fabric shopping for the bumper in Evie's crib. We expected it to take a couple of hours BUT we found everything we needed within 45 minutes. That right there was the Lord's provision because He knew what was about to go down. Once we picked out the fabric, I was supposed to get my haircut, but my precious hairdresser's little girl got the stomach bug, so I just went and had someone wash and style my hair instead. While I was there, I had 6 contractions within an hour. I knew the rule of thumb this early in the 3rd trimester is if you have 4 in an hour then call your doctor. My doctor's office was already closed for the day, so we called Dr. Cole in Conway (my mom used to work for him as his nurse) and let him know what was going on. He advised I go home and take Benadryl to stop contractions, lay down, and monitor he contractions for 2 hours. I took Benadryl about 2:30pm and then laid down until about 4pm.

When I got up, contractions started coming every 2-3 minutes. By 4:45pm I had been having at least 10 contractions so we called Dr. Cole again and he told us to go up to Labor and Delivery and let them check everything out. We got there about 5:15pm and they hooked me up to the monitors and had me put on the gown and everything. Evie's heart rate looked great and she seemed to handle the contractions beautifully (even though she made it known she did not like being squeezed all the time--girl was moving all over!). Even laying down, I was continuing to have contractions but they spaced out to about 5-7 minutes. The nurse (Sally) ran a couple of tests: 1) to check and see if I had a UTI because that can cause contractions  2) Fetal Fibronectin test---basically it tests a protein that lets them know if I'm currently in active labor or if I'll go into labor within the next 2 weeks

She also checked me to see if the contractions had been doing anything…and they were. She told me I had dilated to a 1. They decided to let us wait there another hour so we could wait on the test results and also so they could check me again at the end of the hour to see if I was progressing anymore. At my next check there was no change (thank goodness) and the Fetal Fibronectin had come back negative (yay!). I continued to have contractions the whole time we were there, but I felt so much better knowing I wasn't in active labor and that Evie was doing ok. Finally, the UTI test came back negative and we saw the doctor on call (Dr. Gullic). He told me I could go home, but to be sure and call my doctor on Monday to let him know what all was going on and that he may put me on medication to stop the contractions and/or bed rest.

So, all weekend I've just been resting and the contractions have gotten better. As long as I'm sitting or laying down, contractions are very few and far between. As soon as I stand up and go anywhere, I usually get a contraction. I called my doctor first thing this morning (and of course he is on vacation because it's Spring Break) but the doctor on call wanted me to come in and have an ultrasound to check my cervix. My cervix is not shortening or effacing at all, but you could see where I have dilated a little bit. PLUS, we found out Evie has now turned breech! That stinker! She has been head down the entire pregnancy and now all of a sudden she has flipped. So we will see if and when she flips back. I have an appointment scheduled with my doctor on Thursday morning, so I'll update more then!

We also got to see Evie's sweet little face at our ultrasound (no complaints here!) and we both think she is going to look JUST like her big brother! I just wanted to kiss all over those cheeks!

Let me take a sec to brag on my husband a bit too---he has completely taken over….Holt, the house, AND still working full time. He hasn't uttered one complaint and has been so sweet and supportive of me just resting and taking care of myself and Evie. This could be a long 5-6 weeks for him, so please pray for extra strength and endurance. I am so blessed to be married to him!

How far along: 32 weeks
Sleep: Still sleeping wonderfully. I know this is a huge blessing to be sleeping so good throughout pregnancy--not everyone is so lucky.
Food cravings: Oh donuts. Let's just assume I could eat a donut at any second of the day. Pretty crazy it's been my one kind of constant craving this time.
Movement: The past few days especially she has been moving like crazy! And it's to the point now my stomach "rolls" with her movement and looks like a little alien is trying to break out. It is so cool because my stomach never did that with Holt since I had an anterior placenta! I could watch it for hours just in complete awe.
Rings: I put my rings back on! After 5 months, it's kind of weird to have them back on but it is so nice! So far, no blisters so I'm hoping I don't have to take them back off.

Baby Lowery #2: 30 Weeks

The big 3-0! It's kind of surreal to be at this point in pregnancy. It's like all of a sudden, WHAM! It hits you just how close you are to holding that precious new baby in your arms---and you also realize how much you still have left to get done before D-Day. Yikes!

I've started getting my rear in gear the past couple of weeks because ready or not, Baby Girl will be here SOON! I bought her crib at Rhea Lana's (oh my goodness I'm in love) and we ordered her bedding last week! My parents are gifting it to us and I absolutely can't wait to see it all put together. We ordered it from Caden Lane (which I actually found on Pinterest) and ended up getting the dust ruffle, crib sheet, and blanket pictured below. We are having a different bumper made because I wasn't crazy about the one they paired with it. I chose the turquoise and coral theme because the colors complement what is already in the nursery (since she and Holt are sharing a room) and I love how feminine the floral pattern and ruffles are! Above her crib, we are going to order a large, 30 inch wooden "E" (off Etsy) and then I'm going to go to Hobby Lobby and find some coordinating flowers to hot glue on it. I'll be sure to post pictures of everything once it's all put together!

Evie's crib! 

Bedding 

I've also started washing the clothes I've gotten for her and hope to have those hanging in the closet within the next few days. THAT really makes it real to see those little clothes hanging up! Goodness having a girl is such FUN! Washing all the little dresses and leggings and all the frills and cute little prints. Yesterday, as I was sorting out Evie's clothes, Holt was watching and kept saying "clothes." So I said, "yes these are Evie's clothes" and he quickly responded with "Evie!" MELT. MY. HEART. Now he just goes around and says "Evie, Evie, Evie"---I can't even imagine once she is here, how my heart will just burst to see Holt with her. 

On a different note, after my last doctor's appointment, I ended up having to go back for a 3-hour glucose test (yuck). My levels were just a TAD high (my number was 147 and they don't want it above 135) so they wanted to double check. Luckily, I passed! Yay! I go back this week for another checkup and after that, I start going every two weeks. 

I've been having some Braxton-Hicks off and on--nothing regular on a daily basis, but they seem to increase when I workout, especially when walking. Baby Girl has also been stretching a lot more--I guess she is starting to run out of room in there! It's been a fun game to try to guess which body part she has sticking out. Haha! I'm also carrying her lower than I did Holt, which is kind of nice because my ribs aren't taking a beating--yet!

How far along: 30 weeks
Maternity clothes: Yes and No. I try to work with what I have--leggings (and jeggings), dresses, fleece pullovers, maternity shirts. My tummy is starting to get too big to fit into my t shirts anymore so I guess I get to start borrowing the hubby's! Who would've thought I would be needing to wear short sleeves in February? No complaints here!
Sleep: Whew! Third trimester weariness has definitely set in! Last weekend, I took a 2-hour nap each day (Fri-Sun). It's getting to the point that if I don't nap when Holt does, I barely make it past 7 or 8 pm. It is somewhat discouraging for me to be SO exhausted because I feel like it's harder for me to keep up with everything around the house, but my husband gently reminds me that this is normal and it's best for Evie and me that I rest when I need to. Nighttime sleep has been AMAZING too.
Food cravings: Donuts still. YUM! Other than that, nothing really sounds good most of the time, so I'm still just kind of eating because I have to. Maybe that's a good thing--it's helping me with not gaining a lot of weight!
Food aversions: None right now. Sometimes it's just that in the moment, something in particular doesn't sound good.
Movement: She has some days where she is WAY more active lately! Mostly just stretching and poking out her back or a knee or something like that. Nothing painful (yet) and she isn't up in my ribs like Holt was. I thank God for every single kick and stretch though!

Baby Lowery #2: 28 Weeks

3rd trimester.

Wowza! It just completely snuck up on me. All of a sudden here we are with 12 weeks (or less) to go until our sweet little Evie makes her arrival and we become a family of four. My planner-self is freaking out because I'm not anywhere near ready--but I did go to Rhea Lana's last weekend and I bought a BEAUTIFUL white Jenny Lind crib for a STEAL (those things retail for $400 and up, so no way could we afford one at full price) and I couldn't be more excited about it! Definitely not what I was initially planning but now I can't imagine anything different. Since Holt's crib is convertible (even though we don't have any of the parts to convert it) we plan to just take the front off and make it a toddler bed once he is ready. But no rush there! My mom and I shopped at Rhea Lana's for six hours and we were exhausted, but found some amazing deals---I got Holt completely outfitted with clothes and shoes to last into the fall, and of course we bought Evie some clothes and shoes too (some for this summer, but most for next spring and summer). It was so much fun! Now to get everything washed and organized!

The week leading up to heading to Conway for Rhea Lana's, Holt had an ear infection and started antibiotics and I got a sinus infection and had to start antibiotics. Having a sinus infection while pregnant is no fun--I couldn't sleep well because I couldn't breathe and I had headaches from all the pressure. Blah. Thankfully, we are both all better and back to ourselves.

Last Thursday, I had my glucose test (yuck) and even though I am not showing any signs of having gestational diabetes, my numbers were just a tad high. The limit they set is 135 and my number was 147. So, I have to go take the 3-hour glucose test tomorrow (Tuesday) and I'm kind of bummed about it. I cannot eat or drink anything after midnight tonight or all throughout the test tomorrow. Pray for strength and stamina for me and also for me to pass the test! Other than that, baby girl checked out great last week---heart rate was good, she's is measuring on target, and we are just trucking right along.

How far along: 28 weeks 2 days
Stretch Marks: None--yay!
Sleep: Awful while I had the sinus infection, but back to normal now!
Food cravings: Donuts. Y'all. I could eat multiple donuts on a daily basis. Yum!
Food Aversions: Not necessarily aversions to anything in particular, more just that sometimes I don't feel like eating. Especially at lunch.
Looking forward to: Getting organized and ready for Evie's arrival!

Baby Lowery #2: 26 Weeks

26 weeks---TWO weeks from the 3rd trimester. Freak out mode has officially commenced. This pregnancy has absolutely flown. At this point with Holt, we had his crib and dresser and bedding picked out and we had registered and had baby showers on the books. That's also when we headed to Florida for my sister's wedding (take me back!).

The good thing is, this coming weekend I'm heading to the Rhea Lana's sale in Conway--I'm hoping to find a convertible crib, possibly a dresser, maybe some bedding if I just love it, and of course looking at the clothes (for both my babies). Maybe I'll feel better after that.

This week has been a doozie. Holt got sick last week with congestion and coughing and drainage and then it turned into an ear infection. He has been on antibiotics and is thankfully on the mend now. But, now I have a pretty severe cold--which is AWFUL when you're pregnant. I can't take any meds (although I do have my oils which are a big help) and I can't breathe, so sleep is awful. Yuck.

However, last week was AWESOME. I got to cash in on my Christmas gift from my hubby and had a girl's weekend, kid-free. We went shopping, got our nails done, watched girl movies, and slept in. I told him I needed that for part of my Christmas every year. Lol

How many weeks: 26 weeks 3 days
Maternity clothes: I got to buy some new ones on my shopping spree last weekend! Not to mention the most comfortable shoes ever, even being pregnant---TOMS desert wedge. Life. Changing.
Sleep: The past few days it's been awful. I can't breathe through my nose so I have to sleep in not-so-comfortable positions (I can't sleep on my back anymore) and I wake up off and on. Ugh.
Movement: Little sister is still not as much of a mover as Holt was, but that doesn't bother me.
Food cravings: Donuts. I had to resist buying a dozen sprinkle donuts (my FAV) for $2.00 yesterday at Walmart. Ugh. The struggle is real!
Food Aversions: None right now

Baby Lowery #2: 24 Weeks

Oh my goodness. Has it really been a month since I last updated? Sorry sweet baby girl!

Let's see, what all has happened? We found out Baby is a GIRL!! Our sweet Evie Elizabeth will be gracing us with her presence this spring! You can read ALL the details, including how we chose her name HERE

We celebrated Christmas with our families---it was a whirlwind, but it was SO fun with Holt this year! It's weird to think that next Christmas we will have a 2 year old and a 7 month old…CRAZY! Plus, my husband hit Christmas OUT.OF.THE.PARK. this year with my gift---I get a girl's weekend complete with shopping, my nails done, and some sweets from Bliss cupcakes. PLUS, he is taking Holt to his parent's house for the weekend so I can truly relax. He got MAJOR brownie points! 

After Christmas, we were home for a week to unload everything Christmas, unpack, do laundry, and then repack. Daniel and I had the opportunity to go to Colorado with my grandparents and aunt, uncle, and cousins---so we had to pack for us, but also pack for Holt to stay with my parents for the week. Daniel has wanted to go to Colorado and go skiing since we got married, but the chance has never presented itself until now. Since I'm pregnant, I did not ski. Instead, I hung out with my grandparents and we went shopping and rested, which was nice. Holt had a great week away from us and I'm not sure who had more fun--him or my parents!

As soon as we got back from our trip, I started Holt in Mother's Day Out at our church. He goes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9AM-2PM and he does pretty well. So far, he has yet to take a nap longer than 20 minutes, so I'm praying that changes VERY soon, but they just rave about how wonderful he is and how he just talks up a storm to everybody so I'm glad my little social butterfly is enjoying it. 

As far as this pregnancy goes, it has really been fabulous. Since it was SO different from Holt's at the beginning, I figured that in all likelihood I wouldn't enjoy this pregnancy as much. But I'm so glad to be wrong! The only complaint I have about pregnancy in general is just how TIRED I am after doing so little. It is so frustrating, but I just have to remind myself that my body is literally working 24/7 at making a little human. One other complaint I have is that my legs have been itching like crazy the last few weeks. They only itch from the knee down to my ankle and I don't have hives or anything, so I know it's just dry skin, but oh my goodness it is annoying. It itches like I have mosquito bites all down my legs and no amount of scratching helps. I just try to keep lotion on at all times and when I take a shower, I exfoliate after shaving with a sugar scrub. 

I went to the doctor last week to check up on little miss and she checked out beautifully. Her heart rate was good and strong and she was moving everywhere! Surprisingly, she is head down (go baby girl!). This is new for me because Holt was breech up until he turned around 34 weeks or so.

People have been asking what our plans are for her nursery. As of right now, we plan on her and Holt sharing a room. I just don't want to give up my guest room yet, especially since all our family lives out of town. We really enjoy having people stay at our house so I don't want to give that up until I absolutely have to. She will stay in our room for at least the first month anyway and Holt is a SUPER heavy sleeper (the other night I tried to wake him up two different times to give him medicine…and nada) so I think he will adjust pretty quickly. We plan to get a convertible crib, move Holt to that and then put Evie in his current crib. I'll be looking for bedding for her that's girly but still complements what we already have in there.

It's funny the differences in expecting your first vs. subsequent children. At this point with Holt, we already had his crib and dresser and we were picking out fabrics for the bedding and curtains. I have nothing for Evie right now (except for a few clothes and a new baby k'tan carrier) but strangely enough I'm not stressing about it…yet. 

How far along? 24 weeks, 2 days

Maternity clothes: For sure! 

Sleep: Overall really good. Our heat vent is right above our bed, so I can get somewhat stuffy during the night, but it's not terrible. Plus I have two fans going, so it helps. I've also been better about going to bed more on time. 

Movement: Absolutely! So far, she seems to not be as big of a mover as Holt was. Also, since she is already head down, her movements are in different places than last time--much lower as opposed to higher with Holt. 

Food cravings: I still just want to eat out all the time, but I'm doing a little better. I have really been wanting donuts the past couple of weeks. No, I haven't had them yet, but I foresee some in my near future. Also, weirdly enough, I've been wanting hot dogs (the good kind). We had all beef hot dogs with slaw and baked beans for dinner last week and I ate leftovers of that probably 3 more times. I've also really wanted raspberries, or anything with raspberry filling, and cereal. 

Food aversions: Nothing really at this point. Although sometimes I don't realize it until it's right in front of me. 

Baby Lowery #2: 19 Weeks

This is our last post without knowing if we are expecting another precious boy or a sweet little girl! I am so excited I can hardly stand it!

We go in for our ultrasound on Monday (the 21st), but we won't find out until Tuesday night at our gender reveal party. This is my favorite ultrasound of all time---an entire 30-45 minutes of just looking at your baby, head to toe. It. Is. Heaven. We tell the ultrasound tech we don't want to know right away and give her the number to call our bakery so she can tell them whether to use pink or blue icing. I LOVE surprises and I want everyone to see our faces when we find out what we are being blessed with, so this is the perfect way for us. It is absolute TORTURE to wait those 30 hours or whatever, but is beyond worth it.

What are your guesses???

Most people think it's a girl, and I'll admit I'm convinced it's a girl in there too. HOWEVER, I've had a few friends lately who have experienced completely different pregnancies and they are expecting another precious little boy…..so we will see! Either way we will be so happy! P.S.---still no names.

*Check out Holt's 19 Weeks blog HERE*

DO NOT FORGET-----we are LIVE STREAMING the reveal!!! So, no pressure, but if you would like to tune in, then here is what you need to do:

1) Download the Periscope App
2) You will have to sign in using 1 of 2 ways----either with a Twitter account or your phone number
3) Search and follow @DanielHLowery
4) Turn on notifications so that it will beep to let you know when we are broadcasting
5) Be sure to tune in TUESDAY, DEC. 22 around 7:15-7:30pm so you can see what we are having!

Other than being tired, I have felt pretty good the last couple of weeks. It's been a busy time finishing up shopping (thank you Amazon prime) and wrapping gifts and getting everything ready for Christmas but we have been enjoying it! Holt is too little right now but by next year I'm hoping to start an Advent tradition as a family---any suggestions of great Advent books for littles would be appreciated! I hope all of you have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful time celebrating our Savior's birth with family and friends!

How far along? 19 weeks
Maternity clothes: My GAP PureBody shirts came in and they are luxurious---don't mind me if you see me in the same two shirts 24/7.
Sleep: Once I finally fall asleep, I sleep good, but lately I just haven't been getting tired until around 11PM or later--which is VERY unusual for me. I am NOT night owl by any means---usually by 10 (if not before) I am out. Maybe a little bit of pregnancy insomnia? I don't know.
Movement: So thankful to say YES! It isn't very strong yet, just little flicks, but oh how I relish those little baby kicks.
Food cravings: I honestly just want to eat out for every meal. I rarely find something in the house that sounds good to eat, so I have to make myself eat. I would LOVE to go eat sushi, waffle house, a really good ribeye steak, panera bread, olive garden…..ANYWHERE! Oh and donuts and orange juice----I have REALLY wanted donuts and I drank an entire carton of OJ by myself this week….and BRAUM's frozen yogurt with heath bar (which my hubby was so sweet to go get for me the other night).
Food aversions: Meat. I think it's a texture thing. Sometimes it just makes me gag.
Looking forward to: FINDING OUT THE GENDER!!