The Home Stretch...

I just passed the 28 week mark, which means I am beginning my third trimester. This pregnancy has flown by. I am truly looking forward to meeting our little girl, learning her personality and watching her grow. The nesting phase has hit full force...

I guess most people feel more confident with their second child and I must say that I will definitely have more appropriate expectations of this baby. I usually don't say that I have "regrets" about things, but I do regret not allowing myself to enjoy Jayden's baby days. I was so worried about regulating him and getting him to conform that at times I missed out on just enjoying him. I just worried about too much like a lot of first time moms do. I think I will do a better job about being flexible now that I know how fast they grow up.

Practicing with Pink

Demetrius helped Shane feed the girls while LaJuan was working one day. We decided that he looks good in pink...good thing since he will be having his own little pink princess in two more months. I thought this picture was hilarious with Demetrius using LaJuan's pink nursing pillow and holding Jocelyn in her favorite position...the football hold.

My Little Man

I just really loved this picture. Jayden is getting so big. He looks like he could be starting Kindergarten any day now.

Making Room for TWO!

After much effort on Mom's part, we finally got Journey's crib together. The room looks great! I never imagined I would be putting two babies in one room, but here we are!

Here is a picture of Journey's crib with her new bedding, baby doll and her monogram picture for the wall.

Journey's cradle...thanks Parks family! Jayden looking very proud of his crib!

A Visit from the Family!!!

My Mom and Angela came for a quick visit to bring Journey's crib we had purchased before we left Mobile. We had a great time together!

My Gram bought these "cool" shades to protect my eyes from the sun.

Jayden and "TT" hangin' out on the swing.

A Weekend with the Girls

1st Time for Everything

Looks like we might have our first case of pink eye. Jayden has been in the church nursery and to the pool this week so there is a great possibility he has bacterial pink eye. Waiting for the doctor to call us back. This may be our first round of antibiotics...

We are praying that we can keep it contained so that we don't all get it. Definitely don't want the babies or me to get it since I'm pregnant.

Any suggestions for prevention and/or ways to help keep it from spreading would be graciously welcomed!

24 Week Picture...Taken a Few Weeks Ago

This picture was taken when I was in Mobile. I was 24 weeks along. I've been trying to take pictures every two weeks so I can compare them to the ones I took when I was pregnant with Jayden. I'm 26 weeks now but I haven't taken a picture this week. This one will have to do for now.

Our First Visit "Home"

Jayden and I flew to Mobile a few weeks ago. We had such a great time with our family and friends. We went to the beach, out to dinner, on play dates and we even got to visit Grace.

Jayden was pretty excited to see my mom (gram) and Demetrius' sister (TT). We thought he might be shy with them at first because he hadn't seen them in over a month. But, to their enjoyment her held his arms out to them immediately. He had a blast.

Thanks to our Dad for the fabulous dinner on the Causeway. YUM!!!

My mom's twin brother and his family and my grandmother all came for the week. We enjoyed seeing everyone and catching up.

Had to include this picture just because I think exemplifies Jayden's personality. He is so happy and ALWAYS on the go. He knows how to have a good time.

Two Years Ago

It was just two years ago that we lost our first baby. I was 12 weeks pregnant and felt like I could breathe easier knowing that I "made it" through most of the first trimester. I remember feeling relieved that I would not have to experience the heartache of losing a baby like so many of my close friends had. I remember thinking that I could not relate to them in their sorrow. I did not know that I was days away from joining together with them in the grief that only an expectant mother full of expectation for her child's future could know.

I just put a new song on our playlist called "Held." I remember listening to this song and understanding how it felt to be held when something so sacred was torn from us. It was really such a sad time and also a time that brought Demetrius and I together as we learned how to love and lose, how to grieve and how to trust the Creator of Life even when it hurt.

It is truly amazing to see how our family has grown in so many ways (including size) in the past two years. It is an understatement to say that we are so thankful for life and for breath and for a loving marriage and for children and yes, even for sorrow and suffering.

House Cont'd

We found out last night that the guy who was going to buy our house got out of his contract due to interest rate increase over the weekend. So, we are back at square one. It's getting harder to trust that our needs will be met although we know this is the truth. Please pray that our house would sell by the end of the month. THANKS!

HOME FREE...almost and other updates!

We have a contract on our house in Mobile (thanks to Nick and Brandon for the beautiful job in the yard). We are super-excited. Please pray that everything will go as planned and we can close the deal by August 21st.

As for our house situation here, we just found out that we can go before the code enforcement board to "plead" our case. Please pray for favor!

We are still trying to work out the medical insurance stuff too. We are covered for now but we are hopeful that we can find another provided for MUCH LESS per month!

My parents flew Jayden and I home to visit and we had a blast. We went to the beach, pool, out to dinner and had a great visit with family and a few friends. Lots of cute pictures to come once I get them from my mom.

Demetrius is about to start his second week of class. He loved his first class that he finished last week. We just had a cookout yesterday and met lots of new "potential" friends.

LaJuan and I have enjoyed getting to know one another better but we are still missing our friends in Mobile. It gets rather lonely at times not knowing anyone else. Come visit us somebody!

Thank you baby girls for the PRACTICE!

Everyone wonders how their first child will react to having a new little one in the home. So, instead of us having to wait to find out, we have been able to "practice" letting mommy and daddy hold another baby (babies). Jayden definitely didn't like it at first but now he loves the girls. If he sees us holding one of them he runs up with a big smile on his face (half way hidden by his paci of course). He lays his head on Gabbie or Jocelyn's lap, which is his way of "kissing" or showing affection. He has even spontaneously kissed their feet. I'm sure it will be a little different when he realized "our" baby is "ours" and that mommy is not giving our baby back. But, hopefully we have begun the transition to big brotherhood.

Friends!

I'm a little late posting but we had a visit from Shane's brother Brian and his crew....they stopped in for a few hours to enjoy the babies and catch up. Everyone had a great time!

Jayden and Andy

The Boyz (Alex and Demetrius) and the babies!

Linus aka Super Man

Linus....I mean Jayden has become quite attached to his silky blue blanket...I mean cape. He drags it around everywhere, much like he is walking a dog. When he does this we ask him, "Jayden are you walking your blanket?" He proceeds to give us that sweet smile from behind his Paci and continues "walking" his blanket. I have started pulling it over his shoulders to make a cape and he really loves it. He then turns into Super Man and walks around in circles proudly holding his "cape." So, his two newest nicknames are Linus (from Charlie Brown) and Super Man!