It's Almost Show Time!!!

Well, here we are.  We have made it approximately 38 weeks and 1 day!!!  I cannot believe tomorrow is the day that I will finally get to meet my son!  I have been thinking long and hard about this blog post and wanted to make sure I got out everything I wanted to say.  So it may be long and winded, but this is great therapy for someone who is extremely emotional and hormonal!!! 

I really don't know where to start.  I have looked forward to this day since the day after Matt and I got married.  You know how that works...once one milestone has been hit you move forward to thinking about the next.  I never thought it would come so quickly though. I have so many different thoughts, anxieties, worries or concerns, just emotions in general running through my mind and heart.  Tomorrow will be bittersweet in many ways.  One...it will mark the end to an era.  We will no longer be Matt and Erin; we will be Mom and Dad.  I almost feel as though today was my last day as a kid, as the "baby".  Come tomorrow morning I will forever more be responsible for another precious life...that of my own "baby". And then let's not forget two...I am in so many ways ready to meet him and in some ways get him out of this body!  But in other ways, it is sad knowing I won't have that movement inside anymore or the violent kicks, punches, jabs, and flips.  As painful as some of them were, I cherished everyone.  I hate to see this pregnancy end.  I have been so blessed to have had as great of an experience as I have had and for that all the GLORY goes to GOD!  And as silly as it sounds, I feel like I could better protect him while he is inside my womb than I will be able to once he is in the real world.

On the other hand, like I said before...I get to meet my son tomorrow!  All the months of wondering who he would look like, if he would have hair, etc. will be answered.  And as this pregnancy journey draws to an end, the adventure and new journey of motherhood will begin.  I have totally prepared as much as possible...pretty much everything I have control over is ready for his arrival.  The bags are packed, his nursery is ready, the house is clean, and everything else is in place.  All we are missing is him, but in less than 12 hours even that element will have come full circle!

We are so thankful for wonderful family and friends that have supported us and walked with us through this life changing experience.  We love each and every one of you so much!  Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers tomorrow and the weeks to come.  God Bless!!!

Bad, Bad, Blogger

So...It has been an extremely long time since I last blogged.  Life has been crazy in general.  I have been to the beach three times, had 4 amazing showers, made trips to Texas, Tennessee, and Louisiana, and have had numerous doctors and physical therapist appointments.  Not to mention...I am still working and traveling with my job as much as possible before Brody gets here!  I am one tired mama!!!  Good news is...we only have a little over 5 WEEKS TO GO!  It is absolutely crazy how time has flown by!  I am really starting to get super excited and the anticipation is killing me.  I wonder what he will look like, who he will act like, how will Cooper react to him, what blessings the Lord has in store for him, what he will be when he grows up...I know, I know!!  I am rushing things a little bit!  I also wonder if I will be a good mom and if I can handle things with Matt being in school and away from us.  I am so thankful to have all the great help that I know we will be blessed with and already have been blessed with.  Doctor said at our appt. last week Brody is "pushing" 5 pounds already.  He is head down and ready to go!!!  Matt keeps reminding me that there is something the size of Cooper in my belly!!!  It is really weird when I think about it like that, but it is very true!  I just hope Brody isn't quite as hairy as Coop!  We still have 2 more weeks of childbirth classes, and I must say I have enjoyed going to them!  Things are finally staring to slow down for us though!  Between being gone every weekend the last however many, I am ready for a break and NEED one!  Brody's nursery is almost complete.  I just have to add finishing touches and put a few pictures in frames.  Speaking of pictures, I am hoping we can have maternity shots made this week or next!  I also still have to wash all of his "Hang-up" clothes or "Good" clothes.  All of his one-sies and sleepers are washed, folded, and put away.  I have started packing his bag for the hospital and probably need to start packing mine!  We are loading his car seat next week after my vehicle gets detailed and cleaned and putting all the mirrors and sun shades in both cars!  I have also been working in his baby book, and it is precious!!  Most everything is organized and sterilized, washed and dried, and put where it belongs!  I was starting to wonder for a while what I would do the entire month of July..but as time passes it is becoming much clearer.  SLEEP!  I am tired all of the time and naps have become my best friend.  I take one whenever I can!!!  I am so glad Matt is home this summer to help me and spend time with me like we haven't been able to do in a long time. It has been so nice!  However, it makes me sad in a SMALL way that we only have 5 weeks left together where it is just the two of us.  I know Brody will absolutely complete our family, and I am already overwhelmed with joy in even thinking about that...BUT...In the back of my head I do wonder how things will change and just how different things will be!  I am so thankful Matt is a Godly man that loves with all his heart, and I know as long as we keep the Lord in the center of our lives and HIS will for our family...He will see us through!!  My mom made a comment this weekend to me that really hit home the more I thought about it.  I have been saying for a year and a half now that it was totally the Lord's will for Matt to be ABLE to go back to school.  He has provided for us in ways I didn't know were possible and continues to do so each and everyday!  I cannot stress that enough...that this all is totally a GOD-thing!!!  I was talking to my mom on Sunday and sharing with her how much we had been given  through gift cards alone and her comment was this..."Erin, that is so wonderful.  It is totally a God-thing!"  Yes it is!  He is already providing for us for when Matt goes back to school and when we have an extra person to take care of and feed, diaper, and clothe.  We have been abundantly blessed by friends, family, co-workers, and church members!!  I cannot tell each of you how much we appreciate you and everything you have done to make this such a time of joy in our lives vs. the stress and worry satan would have liked for this to have been about.  It truly is a GOD-thing...so thanks Mom for the reminder of who to really give the thanks to!!!

Brody's cake from my work shower on June 9!

I will try to keep this updated a little better, especially prior to his arrival!  Thanks for all the prayers!

A Great Weekend!!!

This weekend was fabulous!  We had our first shower in Baby Brody's honor, and we were blessed with the presence of family and friends!!!  Below are a few pictures from the shower.  Aunt CeCe did a great job and a special thank you to Becky, Melody, and Michelle as well as Claire for making everything so PERFECT!!

A frame that Robert and Claire made especially for Brody!

These were the cutest cupcakes.  The shower had a bluebird/chick theme.  The cupcakes had cococut used as the nest and three little chicks on top!!  Thank goodness there is really only ONE chick in this NEST!!!

These gifts were purchased specially for Brody's dad....can't you tell!!!

This was our wishing tree.  As guests came in they wrote their wish for us on a tag and hung it on the wishing tree!  We had some of the best advice and well wishes!!

Favors for guests were "Peeps"!

This is what we ended up coming home with this weekend!  Truly blessed...TRULY!

One of my favorite gifts from Saturday...Brody's first pair of boxers!!!  They are so cute and tiny!!

After we left the shower, my mom and I drove to Oxford to meet Matt and my dad.  They went to the Red/Blue game that morning, and we met them for the baseball game against Kentucky that afternoon!  We almost froze to death!!!  I miss Oxford so much, and it was great to get to spend some time up there with Matt and my parents.  Hotty Toddy!

This was a happy Big Daddy bought for Brody at Rebel Rags!  Love these sweet shoes!

We left Oxford Saturday night and went to my Mammaw and Pappaw's house to spend the night and visit with them. Eric and Julie also came up!  Sunday morning we had breakfast and then headed back to Oxford for a little while before starting back to Jackson.  Matt had a lot of studying to do.  

I go back to the doctor for a check-up on Wednesday.  I will be 25 weeks pregnant!!!  Crazy how time is flying by.  Brody will be here before we know it, and I can't wait.  His crib came in this morning and bedding should be in by the end of next week!!  I will post pictures of his room then!  Below is a belly pic at 24.5w!  And YES...my belly really is THAT BIG!  He had the hiccups for the first time this morning, and it was the sweetest feeling!!  I am so in love with this little guy already!!!



It's A BOY!!!!!!

This post is dedicated to the day we told our parents, friends, and family what we are having.  But...first I will tell you a little about the day that Matt and I found out we are having a BOY!!!  I was 17 weeks pregnant exactly and actually felt the baby kick for the first time that morning...twice!!!  It was amazing!  I set my appt. at 2:00 on Wednesday afternoon so Matt could come back to Jackson to be with me when we found out. After basically 27 years of waiting to know what my first child would be, the moment came when the ultrasound tech asked if we saw "it".  All we saw was a white and black screen and had trouble making out anything...much less "it".  Then she announced that it was indeed a BOY!  Matt kept asking her, "For real?" over and over.  She said she was sure!  Then we saw "it" and thus Brody Aaron Cliburn in that instance became part of our family and part of us!  What a moment!! I was an emotional basket case and Matt was in total shock.  We just both knew that it was a girl.  Maybe next time though!!!

Moving on, we kept it a secret from everyone until that following Saturday.  This was DNow weekend and I had 10 girls at our house staying so the day was crazy to say the least.  I had That Special Touch bake a cake for the reveal and my parents, Matt's parents, and my grandmother came and met us at Mugshots for food and then of course the reveal.  The rest is just pictures of the day with a little commentary on the side!  Hope you enjoy as much as we did!!

The other side of the cake had our girl name on it.  If the inside was a white cake, then it was a boy and if it was a strawberry or pink cake, then that meant girl!

This is our parents getting ready to cut the cake.  We let all four of them cut it at the same time.  It was truly priceless seeing the looks on all their faces!

 

You can't really tell by the picture but my parents where almost tearing their side of the cake apart trying to see if it was white or pink!

This is my favorite picture of all time!  As soon as my dad saw that it was white, he started screaming (and I mean screaming) "It's a Boy! It's a Boy!"  Everyone in Mugshots was staring!!  It was totally awesome to see his reaction and everyone elses on camera!  This pic pretty much sums it up!

The inside of the cake!

Matt's mom and my Mawmaw sharing excitement!

Brody got a special present that day for his room which we are doing in lambs!!  It is a rocker!

As you can tell, the day was full of excitement!!!  I go back this Wednesday for my 21 week check up and we will have another ultrasound done then.  I will post a picture of that later on.  The rest are a few belly pics from 19 and 20 weeks!  He is as big as a banana this week weighing in around 10 oz and around 7 inches long!!

19 weeks

20 weeks

A Long Week!! And Month for that Matter!

So I know I still haven't posted about what we are having and the reveal.  Well... It's a BOY!!!  Brody Aaron Cliburn will be arriving the end of July/early August, and we have been working hard getting ready for his BIG DEBUT!!  I will do a seperate post of the reveal, but those pictures are on another computer.  Soon...I promise!

This past week was Matt's Spring Break.  It was so wonderful to have him home for an entire week!!!  I put him to work though as soon as he arrived back in Jackson.  We worked last weekend on painting the nursery and refinishing and antiqueing Brody's furniture.  Well...Matt did the painting in the nursery and I worked on the furniture outside where things were ventilated. 

This is the before of his dresser...and this is the after!!!

I haven't had a chance to take a picture with the new hardware, but it looks awesome!!!

This is the before of the cupboard that we will use for books, toys, etc... and the after!!!

You can also sort of tell what the paint looks like in his room.  Looks even better now with the chair rail up!!!

These are the adorable frames I bought and painted/distressed! There are 3 that are just alike that will go above his dresser.

My parents came up this past weekend and helped us with some other things like putting up his chair rail, the cornice board, the changing table topper, curtains, his mobile, etc.  I am not going to post pictures of this stuff until later down the road when we have a crib and bedding.  But let me just say, his room looks incredible!!!  My dad did an AMAZING job constructing the cornice board, changing pad topper, and hanging the chair rail...So thanks BIG DADDY!!!  Needless to say...I am exhausted!  But I'm so excited about how it looks and even more excited about being done, at least with the big stuff!

So an update on the baby... He is perfect!  Growing like a weed in his Mommy's belly.  He is approximately the size of a large mango this week at 6.5 in long and weighing about 10 oz!!!  I am 19 w 5 d as of today.  This is a huge week for me being that it marks the half-way point!  Twenty weeks!!!  BUT...It's also a very emotional week as well.  Tomorrow, March 15 was my due date with our first baby that we lost back in August.  I can't help but think about what that baby would have been like, or if it would have been a boy like his brother or a little girl.  One thing is for certain though.  I think there is zero coincidence that my due date with baby #1 and my mid-pregnancy milestone with baby #2 fall within 24 hours of each other.  No coincidence at all.  Just reassurance from MY GOD that HE IS IN CONTROL OF EVERYTHING in my life BOTH GOOD AND BAD!!! And that He makes all things work together to bring happiness and joy to His children!!! AMEN!!! I will post belly pics next time I can load my camera onto the computer.  And for those wondering...YES!!!  He is moving up a storm.  Even waking me up in the middle of the night already!!!  I love feeling those kicks and punches!  Such an incredible feeling.  Thank you Lord for blessing me with Brody!!!

BIG Week and an Update!

Well...So far I have been a terrible blogger!  I am going to make this short and simple though because so much is going on this week and I know I will want to write about it later!!!

Not only is DNow this weekend, but Wednesday is the BIG DAY!  We find out what BABY CLIBURN is!  A boy or a girl?!?!?  I will post about the BIG REVEAL hopefully Sunday afternoon.  We are not going to tell anyone until Saturday when we can tell our parents. 

I promised last post to put up a pic of the baby.  This picture is from our 10 week ultrasound.  The baby is waving in the picture.  Such a little miracle!!

As of today... I am 16 weeks and 5 days.  The baby is about 5 in long and weighs about 5 oz or is the size of a TURNIP!  What an odd comparison of a turnip to our baby!  HA! 

This picture was made at 15 weeks 2 days and it is amazing to me how much bigger my belly is now than it was a week and a half ago!!!  Sorry!  I don't have a pic of my belly today! 

Well, I think that is about it for now.  I WILL post again at some point this weekend.  Please be in prayer for this weekend as Disciple Now is taking place.  Matt and I have opened our home to some of the students at CBC.  I am so excited about this venture, but Satan is at work trying to kill, steal, and destroy before the weekend even begins.  I know this means the Lord must have BIG THINGS in store!!!  My prayer is that every single person involved, both students and adults, will have a revelation in Christ and give our lives to HIM FULLY!  Please pray with me this week and this weekend!!! 

Have a Blessed week!

Our First POST...Our First BABY!!!

WOW!!!  I really don't even know how to begin this post or our blog for that matter!  I have been wanting to start blogging for a while now.  I just haven't for some reason.  Well, I have the perfect reason to start now!!!

WE ARE EXPECTING!!!  Matt and I are expecting our first child to arrive on or around August 3.  We are so excited!  I am currently 13 weeks and 5 days as of today.  This has been a pretty great pregnancy so far.  I haven't really had any morning sickness or anything like that.  My biggest problem has been fatigue!!!  I am slowly but surely begining to get some energy back.  The past few months have been a world-wind for us.  Matt started Nursing School at USM two weeks ago, and he is living with my parents during the week and comes home on the weekend.  He studies all the time and I am so proud of him already!!!  Between him leaving for school and my hormones...I have been an emotional basket case!!!  I find myself crying all the time over the silliest things.  Welcome to pregnancy I guess.  We truly feel as though this baby and everything else going on in our lives right now are truly the works of the Lord.  Things do not become orchestrated and inter-woven like this without him!  I think the hardest thing I have struggled with so far is letting go of my control issues and giving him everything we have...this baby, our marriage, finances, and my sanity! Ha!!  HE IS SO GOOD and I TRUST HIM!!!

I will keep everyone updated as we go hopefully at least once a week.  I will also post ultrasound pics as soon as I can scan and get them up!  Until then, please keep us in your prayers!!! GOD BLESS!

This weeks BABY STATS!!
13 w 5d (2nd Trimester)
Baby is as big as a Lemon (3 in, 1.5oz)
I have a tiny baby bump, and all of my pants are too tight!  Starting to wear some maternity pants.
We find out in 3 weeks and 2 days what we are having...And YES...I am counting down the days!!!