Nate at 7 months!

Little boy, I cannot believe I am writing another one of these! It just seems impossible that you are 7 months old!

This month:

-You are wearing size 9 month clothes! Most of your 6 months stuff is too little.
-You are still in size 3 diapers.
-You are drinking 6 oz bottles about 4-5 times a day.
-You eat cereal and about 3 jars of baby food every day and you like everything!
-I am not sure how much you weigh or how tall you are, we go to the doctor in a week. I would bet you are getting close to 20 lbs.
-You have two bottom teeth.
-You are so close to crawling and love to play on the floor.
-You sleep mostly through the night, but usually wake up a couple of times.
-You love your Daddy and give him the biggest smiles!
-You can go backwards really well in your walker!
-You got a big boy carseat for Christmas!
-You still love Yo Gabba Gabba but also watch The Wiggles and Praise Baby.
-You sit up really well!
-You love to suck on lemons!
-You say "Momomomom" when you are sleepy or upset.
-You still jump in your jumparoo a lot!
-You are really starting to enjoy your toys!
-You are all boy and love to play and move! No sitting still for you!

I love you, my baby! Please don't grow up too fast, ok?

6 months...where did the time go?

My sweet sweet baby boy, how is it possible that you are already 6 months old. It seems like yesterday that we found out we were expecting you!

You are absolutely the sweetest baby in the whole world and I am so blessed to be your Mommy. You always are smiling and laughing and you bring so much joy into our lives!

This month you are:

-Wearing mostly size 6 months clothes, but they are getting a little tight.
-Not sure how much you weigh or how long you are (we haven't had that checked this month)
-Wearing size three diapers
-Eating 2-3 jars of baby food and 1-2 serving of cereal every day.
-Drinking 5-6 ounces every 4 hours or so.
-You haven't crawled yet, but are still scooting and rocking on all fours.
-Sleeping is a little better. You are only waking up 1-2 times at night, but once you wake up, it is really hard to get you to go back to sleep.
 -You go down every night about 8 and are up in the morning at 7.
-You nap 1-2 hours in the morning and 2-3 hours in the afternoon! Woohoo!
-You still LOVE your jumparoo and Yo Gabba Gabba!
-You say Dadada a lot! Mom is super jealous!
-You find it hilarious when Mom steals your paci. You take it out of my mouth, put it in yours, and laugh.
-You really love peek a boo
-You FaceTime your grandparents a lot and love to "talk" to them on the Ipad
-You can sit up now and can ride in the shopping cart and can sit up in restaurant high chairs!
-You love Laila and try to grab her or her toys all the time....she loves you too and I catch her trying to lick you when you are playing in the floor.
-You have your first tooth!
-You love looking at Christmas lights and Christmas trees and you loved meeting Santa!

I just love you, Nate, and I am enjoying every moment of being your Mom. Don't grow up so fast, OK?

5 months...a couple of weeks late!

I cannot believe how fast that last month went by. I completely forgot to update this for 5 month.

At 5 months you:

-Are in some 3-6 month and some 6 month clothes.
-Weigh 16.8 lbs and are 25 inches long. That is 55% for weight and 25% for height.
-Are in size three diapers
-Smile ALL the time and are just the happiest baby ever!
-Are eating 5 oz every 4 hours or so and eat 2 jars of baby food at lunch and 1 jar of baby food and a bowl of cereal at night.
-You LOVE to eat!
-Are napping better and take at least a couple hours in the morning and a couple in the afternoon.
-Night time is still hard for you and you are up several times (or more) every night.
-You are almost crawling and can scoot on your tummy.
-You are almost sitting up and can sit up for a few seconds before you fall over.
-You recognize Mommy and Daddy very well and smile really big when you see us.
-You are wearing a size 2-3 shoe
-You still love your Jumparoo and Yo Gabba Gabba and jump for probably an hour or two a day.
-You love pretty much all food, but especially mangoes, sweet potatoes, corn, and pears.
-You are very interested in toys and will grab them or roll/scoot to get to them.
-Still sleeping on your tummy and usually snuggle up with your stuffed lamb and go to sleep all by yourself at night and for naps. Mommy does rock you some, though, because I love it! 

I just love being your mommy, little man, and I am so blessed to call you my son! 

4 months old!!

4 months old...my baby is growing up so fast!!! How can it be possible that this little man is 4 months old.

My precious, Nate, at 4 months:

-You are wearing size 2 diapers
-You are wearing some size 3 months clothes, but mostly 3-6 months
-You are eating cereal every night and have tried: sweet potatoes, peas, apples, and pears
-During the day, you still eat 4 ounces every 3 hours or so
-You can roll over from any side now!!
-You have laughed out loud several times and it melts Mommy and Daddy's heart
-A couple of weeks ago, you weighed 15 lbs even and were 23 3/4 inches. I bet your 16 lbs or more now. 
-You jump in your jumparoo and watch Yo Gabba Gabba for about an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon
-You are napping better, but are not consistent about taking them
-You are going to bed around 8 pm and are getting up about 1 am and then again around 5 am. You are up every morning around 7:30.
-You love to give Mommy slobbery kisses!
-I think you are teething, because you can't keep your hands out of your mouth!
-You smile at everyone.
-You are noticing Laila more and more and like to watch her run around.
-You love going outside!
-You hate shoes and cry when I put them on you, but we are working on that.
-You love Daddy and will go to sleep for him better than anyone.
-You FaceTime a lot with your grandparents and love looking at the Ipad.

I love you more than I could ever imagine, Buddy, and I love seeing you grow into the sweet boy that you are! Hugs and kisses from Mommy! 

Nate is 3 months old!

I cannot believe my little man is already 3 months old. It seems like we were just bringing him home from the hospital!

I wanted to share about Nate at 3 months (mainly because I know I will forget if I don't write it down)

At 3 months,

-A couple of weeks ago he weighed 13.4 lbs and was 23.5 in. So I am guessing he is probably around 14 lbs now.
-He is eating 4 oz of formula about every 3 hours. We are officially done breastfeeding. Mommy is super sad about this and misses that time with him, but he was so over it and is much happier with the bottle.
-He is smiling like crazy, but I still cannot get him to belly laugh. Can't wait to hear that for the first time.
-He is really bouncing it up in his Jumparoo. It's amazing how strong those little legs are.
-He is having trouble sleeping right now and is waking up every couple of hours. We are trying a few things to help him sleep and are trying to encourage him to soothe himself back to sleep. It's been a long couple of nights for all of us.
-He is wearing 3 month clothes, but they won't fit probably much longer. 3-6 month clothes fit, but they are still big on him.
-He is starting to love watching TV. His favorite is Yo Gabba Gabba and will watch a whole episode while jumping in his Jumparoo.
-He has sat through a whole church service a couple of times! Yay!
-He hates this Texas heat. I do too!
-Laila and Nate are becoming such great friends. Laila has started really wanting to love on him. She wasn't too sure for the first couple of months, but now she is in love! :)
-He still LOVES bathtime!
-He is "talking" more and more. He has the sweetest little raspy voice.
-He had his first round of shots a few weeks back and did awesome. Only cried for a few seconds.

Mommy loves you, little baby! You are such a blessing to Daddy and I! :)

Daddy has left the building...

Actually, more like...Daddy has left the state! He left bright and early Monday morning to travel to Louisville, Kentucky with our youth group for Fine Arts. I am so happy that he is having fun, but I was so nervous about him going.

I was going to have no help with the baby for FIVE DAYS! Not to mention, I don't really have close friends here. I love my little man, but Mommy needs a break here and there and some adult interaction. And to top it off, we had a very rough first three days. Nate only slept a few hours each night and then was up all day with no nap. I guess he missed Daddy too. He was so tired and so cranky and I was so tired and so cranky.

I think we have turned a corner, though, (knock on wood!). Last night he slept most of the night and had a couple of short naps today. David comes back tomorrow night late, so I think we can make it! He may never be allowed to leave again!!!

2 months!!!

This is a couple of weeks late, but I wanted to share a little about Nate at his 2 month birthday!!!

My sweet baby boy,

-You weigh 11 lbs, 15 oz (we weighed you 2 days before the 2 month mark)
-You were almost 22 inches long!!
-You smile SO big at Mommy & Daddy when we talk to you (especially in the mornings!)
-You drink about 4 oz. of formula about every 3 hours or so. Mommy is still nursing you too, but it's not enough for you! You like to eat!
-You are sleeping from about 8:30 pm to around 7:30 am and you wake up 1 or 2 times during the night.
-You can coo and love to "talk".
-You are wearing 3 month clothing and most 0-3 months clothes fit you too.
-Your favorite time of the day is bath time!
-You get really fussy around the time Daddy is due home everyday and love it when he holds you
-You love sleeping on your tummy...I just had to get over this.
-You rolled over about a week after you turned 2 months. You can roll from your tummy to your back, but not the other way around.
-You love your jumparoo, johnny jump up, and bouncy seat most of the time. You are losing interest in your swing, but occasionally you will tolerate it! :)
-You want your paci at night or nap, but not as much during the day.
-You are drooling a lot. I really hope you aren't teething yet.
-You are becoming very clingy to Mommy and don't like it when I put you down or hand you to someone besides Daddy.
-You love the music at church, but once that is over, you fuss and Mommy has to take you out. I haven't heard Pastor Terry preach once since I had you!
-You HATE being hot and well, it's summertime in Texas! Our Jeep gets hot and you scream once we put you in the car.
-You play on your play mat a lot and try to grab the toys that hang down...you get them sometimes too!
-You are wearing a size 1 diaper, but I am about to switch you to a size 2 because you have been soaking through the size 1s at night.

I love you, my handsome little man! Being your Mommy the last 2 months have been such a dream come true for me! I love you, Nathan David Holley!!!

I am SO behind!

Ok, so I was supposed to be updating this blog. My baby is already two months old and time is just ticking away! It's not like anyone is reading this or anything, but I want to have documentation of our day to day life.

Well, since the last blog, we moved to an apartment close to the church! It's awesome! David gets to come home everyday for lunch and it only takes him a minute to get back to work.This is what you see when you walk in the front door! I LOVE the hardwood floors!

My baby will be 10 weeks old this Friday! He is growing so fast and seems to get cuter every single day. He can smile so big now and smiles at Mommy more than anybody...he smiles a lot at Daddy too!

Last night this little man slept from 8:30 until 5 am!! After drinking a bottle, he fell back asleep and slept until 8:30 am! Way to go, buddy!

Today was a lazy day for Nate and I. He took several naps and we just hung out here at home. David came home for lunch and got to feed little man and then even got to bathe him tonight. Nate loves his Daddy and was so happy during his bath. I love this picture of the two of them tonight!

After bath, Mommy fed sweet little Nate and got to cuddle him while he drifted off to sleep! I love this baby with all of my heart and I am so blessed to be his Mother. Goodnight!

Nate's Arrival!

I haven't updated in awhile, but that is because I have been extremely preoccupied! :)

I finally started having contractions Friday morning, May 25, exactly one week overdue. I woke up at 5:30 and instantly knew this was the real deal...I was in labor. They started out about every 10-15 minutes and were very intense. Within the hour, though, they progressed to about every 4-6 minutes. By 7 am, they were every 2-5 minutes and I could barely think straight. We decided to head to the hospital. Ouch, this was no walk in the park!

After arriving at the hospital, they hooked me up to the monitors and checked me and I was about 3 cm dilated. After calling in my doctor, they moved me into the labor and delivery room. My doc (who is just plain awesome) stopped by and saw the horrendous pain I was in and said  I could go ahead and get the epidural as soon as they started an IV and got a quick bag of fluids in me.

It felt like hours later, but I finally got the epidural and hallelujah, it was a miracle! The pain vanished and I was able to relax and enjoy the process. Dr. Schwope came back in right after and I was already 5 cm. She said she was going to go ahead and break my water, but for some reason it wasn't there anymore! It broke without me knowing (maybe in the bathtub?). We never figured out how that happened.

My contractions never really showed up very well on the monitors, but I kept dilating really quickly and the baby did great through the whole labor process. They never had to give me Pitocin or anything, my body did it's own thing.

By 4 pm, I was 10 cm and ready to push. David was right by my side and watched our baby enter this world a little after 5 pm. They put him right on my chest and his Daddy and I joined him on his first cry. It was so amazing to see his tiny little face looking back at us. Love at first sight!

He weighed in at 8 lbs even and 18 inches long!

After getting love from all of the grandparents we got to settle into our room for the night. He stayed in the hospital for three nights because they had to run a culture on him to make sure he didn't need antibiotics (precautionary because we didn't know how long my water had been broken) and because he had a mild case of jaundice. Luckily, they let me stay with him even though I was technically discharged after two nights.

Monday morning, May 28, we took Nathan David Holley home!

We are enjoying him so much! He is the best gift and our greatest blessing! Stay tuned for more updates! :)

Today is My Due Date!

And yet...no baby! Ugh, I didn't think I would make it to this stage of the pregnancy. I really thought he would be born a week or two early, maybe that was just wishful thinking. Now, everyday is just pure torment. I feel so uncomfortable and miserable and I am just so ready to feel contractions. But, everyday goes by and NOTHING!

To top it all off, my doctor thinks he might be getting big. So, on Tuesday, we have another growth scan. If he isn't really big they are thinking of possibly letting me go as far as Memorial Day without inducing me. I will be like 10 days late! OMG. I can't imagine doing this for another 10 days.

Anyway, David's parents, brother, and Grandma are here and have been since Monday. My parents are coming Sunday! It's no nice to have them here and it's a wonderful distraction, but I want them to be able to spend time with Nate before they go home! Everyone say a little prayer that he will be healthy (first and foremost), average weight, and come really soon! Thank you!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to my mom!!!!

And my mother in law!!!


I thought I might be able to have my baby in my arms by Mother's Day. However, I don't think that's going to be possible today! But, I am one day closer. I cannot wait to become a Mommy! I love you, baby boy!

One More!

...week, that is until our baby boy's due date! I am so excited and cannot believe the time has finally come! Woohoo!!! I thought I would share a picture from his 4D ultrasound. I love the cheeks...and this was at 28 weeks, so I am sure he has filled out a bunch more since then.

Technology is just amazing!

We are all doing well. Just trying to pass the time and yet still soaking in the little time we have left together before we become parents. David's family is coming into San Antonio on Monday and will be here through the birth of the baby. I am excited to see them and welcome the distraction. Lately, I have been so bored and counting every hour of every day while David is at work.

I will keep updating as much as possible! Hope everyone has a blessed weekend!

Patience is a Virtue...

We are trying to remain patient and enjoy the last few weeks (or days) until we become new parents. It will never be just me and my husband again! Our doctor said to go out to dinner or a movie as often as possible until our little one arrives. The movie idea is out because sitting for two hours straight is just too uncomfortable for me right now. I shift around enough at church and that's only about an hour.

We did go out last night to eat. There is this YUMMO restaurant here in San Antonio that has delicious burgers, fresh cut fries, and other simple, but cravable food. I was totally in the mood for a good hamburger. It was fun and a fairly cheap date.

Then, we headed to Target. I needed to find a few things we needed for the baby and I wanted to do some walking. I walked about 4 laps around the perimeter of the store as fast as I could. My husband was cracking up at me, I was booking it around the store. He could barely keep up with me. Don't mess with a mamma on a mission!

By the end of it, I was exhausted and ready to come home and put my feet up. I had some Braxton Hicks contractions off and on all night, but nothing too painful or exciting. Darn! My doctor said I look awesome and she isn't sure that I will go into labor this week, because I am not swollen or anything. She also said that she is going to be out of town the weekend that Nate is due, so that kind of stinks. I want her to deliver him, but I am sure the other doctors in the group are just as capable. Trying to just keep trusting God that everything is going to work out beautifully!

I think it would be awesome to have this baby before or on Mother's Day, but who knows? I technically  have 10 more days until my due date and she won't induce me until I am a week overdue. So, we could still be waiting for awhile.

Today, I am just relaxing. The weather is yuck and I am keeping busy with laundry and small chores around the house. Most everything is clean and in order, but it could always be better.

Hope everyone has a blessed day!

38 Weeks & Counting!!!

This was me at 37 weeks....

And this is me one week later at 38 weeks!

Is it just me or did I grow a lot in one week! I wonder how much bigger I will get by the end of this week! :) Bring it on...the bigger I get, the sooner Nate will be ready to make his appearance! Right?

Everyone at church is giving him a pep talk to try to coax him out, but so far, nothing! I feel occasional Braxton Hicks, but nothing to get excited about. He is still really high and hasn't dropped yet, so hopefully that will happen very soon. Next week is Mother's Day and I would LOVE to be a mother by then, but not sure that will happen.

This week has been pretty good, though. I am not really sleeping good, so I nap a lot and that makes the days go by pretty fast. On Friday night we went out with some friends. The guys went to see The Avengers and the girls went to get a mani/pedi! I have the sweetest friend who treated me to both and just spoils me all the time. They are moving to Alaska in about a month and I am going to be so sad!

Here is a pic of me getting my toes done! 

Can't wait to become a Mommy! Come on out, Baby Nate!

Ready for Him to Come Out!

So....Pregnancy is getting old, people. I really need Nate to start thinking about coming out of me. Don't get me wrong, it hasn't been bad the whole nine months. It has been challenging at times, but not miserable. The thing is that now I have a 6-7 lb baby moving around on the inside of me. It's very hard to sleep, move, or just have the energy to get out of bed in the morning.

And, I am getting so anxious to meet this little man that I have been carrying all of these months. I want to kiss his little face and stare into his tiny eyes. I am so ready to become a Mommy. I can't believe how much I already love this baby and I know that love is going to grow by leaps and bounds when I lay eyes on him for the first time!

Several people that I know have had their babies this week and I am trying not to feel jealous! Our time is coming soon...patience, Jess, patience!

The car seat is installed, the house is clean (FINALLY), and my bag is packed for the hospital! All we are waiting for now is for our little miracle to decide it is time! I am due in about 2 weeks...how crazy is that?

First Post!

Hello to all!

This is the first post that I am doing on my new blog! I wanted to go ahead and start a new one because so much is changing in my life and I am ready to focus on being a mommy. I am really going to try my best to keep it updated so that family and friends can stay up to date on our growing family. I promise to post lots of pictures & videos of little Nate for his Nonnie and Grammy (ok, and for everyone else as well)!

Well, as of today...I am 37 weeks, 3 days pregnant! I had an appointment today with my doctor (seeing her every single week now) and Nate is doing great, just no signs of him wanting to come out yet. She told me that if I am still pregnant at 41 weeks she will induce me, so I technically could be pregnant for another month. Are you freaking kidding me? Ugh...Nate, say it isn't so? Hoping he decides on his own to grace us with his presence and sooner rather than later!

I am feeling so blessed! Every single test or check up we have had...our baby is always perfect. No problems at all during this pregnancy. I have felt great and he has done great. After we miscarried last May, pregnancy terrified me. I was so afraid to get attached to this baby growing inside of me because I knew how it felt to lose one. But, it was impossible not to grow attached and I just had to rely on God to get me through and He has. I know that this little one has a great destiny and God is going to use him for His kingdom. I am trying not to stress about the timing of the birth, God is in control, I am not.

Thank you all for coming along with us and keeping track of this pregnancy through photos, status updates,   and Facebook comments. Nathan David Holley will be here soon! WOO-HOO!!!!!!