Coveting

This was one of my fears with starting a blog...waiting several weeks between posts. I mean, there's no law in blog-land as to how often you have to write, but it drives me nuts when friends wait months and months to update their blogs. I don't want to be one of "those."

Anyway, I find myself in a very covetous mood today. I'm jealous of all those around the country who are staring out their windows at a winter wonderland. Why isn't it enough that we, in SOUTH LOUISIANA, received snow in early December? Why can't I just be thankful for that and move on? Because we always want what we can't have! I'm also quite jealous of those in Maryland who have spent many minutes and hours holding my nephew! I see pictures, and I just want to be there too! HOWEVER, just this past week I booked a flight to Maryland to meet (and hold for hours!) baby CJ. I'll leave New Orleans on March 20 and spend the weekend with family...what a fun birthday present...thanks, Mom and Dad! And then the final point of jealousy...for today...why am I still feeling sick when (as of today!) the first trimester is over?! So many other women I've talked to (in an attempt to comfort me) have told me their stories of when their sickness ended...11 weeks and 2 days, 12 weeks on the money, etc. I mean, I know it could be much worse...however, I just want some relief. Okay--enough complaining for today.

Anyone interested in what type of fruit is inside me this week? The fun thing about a blog is even if you just answered "no," I can still post a picture because I can't hear you and it's my blog! :) So, drum roll, please...

Baby Bramlett is a lemon this week! I'm not really starting to show, yet, but I can definitely tell a difference in how my clothes fit...a bit of an awkward time in pregnancy! :)

Sorry this entry wasn't more uplifting and inspiring. Some days are just better than others, you know?! How thankful I am that the Lord's mercies are new EVERY morning! I pray His blessings and mercies on all of you today!

Deceiving

Since becoming pregnant, I've learned that in the medical world, particularly the prenatal world, timelines are not quite the same as they are in the rest of the working world. For instance, if a university is on a trimester system, instead of semester, there will be three periods of 12 weeks each when students take courses. Silly me thought a pregnancy, which supposedly is divided into 3 trimesters, would work in a similar fashion. I even found this definition on dictionary.com that supported my thinking...

trimester
noun
1. a period of three months; especially one of the three three-month periods into which human pregnancy is divided

I mean, I knew before getting pregnant that saying "9 months" is really a lie because one's due date is based on 40 weeks, which is technically 10 months, but for some reason I still thought the trimesters would be 3 months each...I don't know what kind of math I was doing at the time. :) All I know is that I was shocked this past Monday when the doctor nonchalantly mentioned that the first trimester would be over when I hit 14 weeks and I should definitely feel better by then. 14 WEEKS??? I've had the 12 week mark highlighted in my mental calendar as saying, "Morning sickness will end!" I'm 12 1/2 weeks now and it's obvious I'm still in that first trimester...if you know what I mean! Don't get me wrong, I know B.B. is going to be worth every bit of the nausea, weird dreams, constant hunger, exhaustion, etc. I'm just really ready to feel like myself again! And I think it's safe to speak for Daniel on this one...he's ready too! Thankfully, though, the sickness does remind me that all is well with B.B. In fact, according to babycenter.com, he is currently the size of a lime! Each week I receive an email from them updating me on the developments of the baby and comparing his/her size to some sort of fruit. I can't wait until next Wednesday when I will get an update and find out the newest produce growing inside me. For now, though, all this talk about fruit has gotten me hungry...plus it's been 30 minutes since my last snack...apple time!

Happy Hiccuping!

Is "hiccuping" a word? I'm not real sure about that, but hopefully there won't be any grammar police officers reading this. :) This morning Daniel and I went for our 12 week appointment. Technically, I won't be 12 weeks until Wednesday, but Mondays are the days my doctor sees patients so there ya go. We actually saw the Nurse Practitioner this time, and I really liked her! She attempted to hear Baby Bean's heartbeat with a small, hand-held ultrasound machine, but when she couldn't find it with that she moved us down to the regular ultrasound room. We weren't supposed to have another picture ultrasound until 20 weeks, so this was a real treat! If you remember, my very first post had a picture of B.B. at 7 weeks 5 days. He/She literally looked like a bean. Today, we saw B.B. moving around like crazy! We could see the tiny arms flailing, we heard the strong heartbeat, and the NP even said B.B. had hiccups at that moment. Now mom, if this isn't a child of Laura (Henage), I don't know what would be! For those of you who don't know me as closely as my family, I am the queen of hiccuping (there's that word again!). During my baby dedication when I was just a few weeks old, I hiccuped through the entire ceremony. So we at least know that B.B. will be like it's mother in the hiccup department. Now I'm just wondering if B.B. will have a strong, South Arkansas accent like it's father... :)

He's Here!

I'm proud to announce that at 10:20 pm last night, CJ entered the world! He's 6 lbs 11 oz and 20.5 inches long.

Now, I am in no way bias, but is he not the cutest thing you've ever seen?! I mean, he just has the most adorable face! How I wish I could be there to cuddle with him and gently rub those sweet cheeks! I love him already! Here are a few more pics of the fam with the newest Henage...

Mama and baby

Proud papa

Grandpa Henage with his first grandchild

Grandma Henage with her new favorite bundle of joy

Now, all that's missing is a picture of CJ with his favorite aunt! Don't know when that will come, but never fear, he WILL grow up knowing how much Aunt Laura loves him!

Come on, CJ!

So apparently our nephew is so comfy and content in his mother's womb that he does not want to grace the world with his presence! CJ (Michael Chad Henage, Jr.) was due to appear Wednesday, and since nothing was happening with my sister-in-law's body, they decided to begin inducing last night. As of noon today, CJ was still right where he wanted to be. He's already showing signs of being a Henage...stubbornness! We are known for being stubborn, and I sure hope this isn't the beginning of another stubborn Henage man! :)
I prayed and prayed that CJ would come while Daniel and I were in Maryland celebrating the holidays, but no such luck. This is definitely a time when I HATE being so far from family! I've always been the type of person that wanted to be right in the middle of all the excitement, and this is certainly no different. I want to be sitting in the waiting room when Chad comes out to announce his healthy son was just born! I want to hold my favorite nephew (yeah, he's the only one I have so far...) just minutes after he let out his first cry! I want to take my own pictures of the new family! Oh well...just my selfishness speaking. All that really matters is that Jill has a healthy delivery with no complications. The days will soon come when CJ and Baby Bean can play together while proud parents and aunts and uncles watch with smiles. Those will be special times, and I can't WAIT for them to arrive!

New Year, New Blog

Happy New Year, Everyone! I'm not sure how many "everyone's" there will be out there reading this blog, but I like to hope that there will be at least a few people interested in what's going on in Bramlett world. :) I've been thinking about starting a blog for several months now, but just never took the time to actually do it. I figured since it's a new year, with new beginnings, now would be the perfect time to take the plunge!

The most excitement we've had this holiday season was finding out there's going to be an addition to our family! Baby Bean Bramlett (as I affectionately refer to him/her) is 11 weeks and should be greeting the world at the end of July. We can't wait to meet the one God is forming inside my body! We know he/she will be created in HIS image, so no matter the sex or if the hair is curly or straight, our baby will be beautiful! In about 8 more weeks we'll be able to find out if it's a boy or girl...definitely looking forward to that day! As far as how mama's feeling, I keep reminding myself it could be a lot worse! I have been nauseated, but no where near the point some of my other friends were. I eat every 2-3 hours and that helps a lot. Our next doctor's appointment is this Monday at 8:30 am, so I'm sure I'll have an exciting update to post afterwards. For now, though, I think I'll leave you with a few verses from one of my favorite Psalms (this Psalm has come to mean even more to me since I found out I was pregnant), Psalm 139.

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;

you formed me in my mother's womb.

I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking!

Body and soul, I am marvelously made!

I worship in adoration—what a creation!

You know me inside and out,

you know every bone in my body;

You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,

how I was sculpted from nothing into something.

Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;

all the stages of my life were spread out before you,

The days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day.

Psalm 139:13-16 (Message)