2+ Months Out

Hey folks, its been a while since I (Jermaine) last wrote.  Lets see, we had a garage sale a couple of weeks ago. It went very well, we were able to get rid of some things/junk (my stuff).  During the garage sale I did the unthinkable... I sold my PlayStation.  I know, I know, crazy right?  When I sold it to some dude he asked me what I traded up to.  I replied with a smile, "fatherhood".  We found a glider at a store in Jackson (Cullen's Play Pen) for $300 and thought we could purchase it with the money from the sale.  Profits from the sale only came to $260 which was good, but a little short of our goal.  Upon getting to the store we found that the price of the glider had dropped to $250, SWEET!  The Lord has provided once again.

Rach is now 30 weeks pregnant and looking more radiant each day.  Being pregnant does her well, I married a beautiful woman.  School has started back, which means she is very busy and thus very tired at the end of each day.  But no worries there are plenty of massages being given out here.  Keeping the back and feet in tip-top shape.  On the bright side she is blessed with a smaller class this year, only 19 kids.

28 weeks

We have had two weeks of birthing classes.  You would think they would want to ease us into the whole birthing thing.  Maybe just talk about labor and the different stages, especially during the first class.  Not a chance, the video they showed hid nothing during an unmedicated birth.  Wow, what a process.  It is cool how the female body adapts and adjusts to accommodate the different stages and phases of the birth process, but wow.   Week two was better, but I'm starting to wonder if there is some unmedicated birth agenda going on.  All the labor videos have been without medication, why not show us some were the lady is drugged up?  Show us the alternative to all the pain and suffering.  Or maybe they are trying to scare us into using the meds, if so its working on me.  Not that that matters since I will not be the one delivering GC. I am busy working on my "Ring Of Fire" speech, Rach isn't to keen on the idea but we'll see.

I definitely enjoyed our week at Carillon Beach.  What a great time with family and friends.  Thanks to all for the good times and the wonderful baby shower that was thrown for us.  The gifts were great, but just the fact that you all thought of us was amazing.  A special thanks goes out to GC's awesome aunt for orchestrating it all, thanks Ellen.  Can't wait for next year when GC can enjoy the beach.  Here's a look at some photos taken on the beach. Again, thanks Ellen.

We are also excited for our friends Michael and Miriam who got engaged (finally).  Looking forward to the reception, I mean wedding.  Sadly we may not make the ceremony, it all depends on GC.  Funny how this kid is already planning our lives for us.  Anyhow, congrats again and best wishes with all our love.

Summer

Today is three months from our due date!!  I will be 27 weeks tomorrow- almost in the third trimester.  I had a check up and my glucose test this morning.  Everything was fine, praise the Lord!  That glucose test was no fun.  You have to drink this drink an hour before they take your blood.  I thought I was going to get sick on the way over to the doctor!  Now I will start going to the doctor every two weeks.  


These are belly pictures from a while ago that I haven't posted:

22 Weeks

25 weeks

Jermaine has been getting ready for GC!

J holding our niece Madyson

Trying on the baby carrier

We went to the beach last week with family and friends.  It was such a fun time.  They threw us a surprise shower!!  It was so much fun and I was completely surprised!!!  It took a few seconds to realize why they were yelling "surprise" when we walked through the door.  I suddenly realized that this baby will be here soon!  We were truly blessed with some wonderful gifts for our baby.  Now we need to get the baby's room organized so we can start putting this stuff away.


We also threw my parents an anniversary party for their 30th anniversary!!  We played the "newlywed game" which was lots of fun.  Too funny- my dad named more members of their wedding party than my mom did!  Here are some pictures from that evening:

 

I also got to go to New Orleans for a few days and spend time with my mom and sister.  We spent all day searching for fabric to use for bedding and curtains.  It was pretty unsuccessful.  Very disappointing since I was planning on mom making these things for baby's room.  I can't find any bedding that I like!

Half-Way There

We can't believe that we are already half-way through the pregnancy.  I am 21 weeks now.  The baby websites say that GC should be around 10.5 inches long (wow!) and about 12 ounces.

19 weeks

We went to Babies R Us yesterday to start registering.  Slightly overwhelming!!  I just can't understand how a tiny baby could "need" so much.  And we aren't finished.  We're still trying to decide on some other things.  Jermaine has been reading Baby Bargains and researching the best products, so it's been quite a task to decide what we want.  This book has been wonderful, and right up Jermaine's alley.  It rates tons of baby items based on quality, price, etc.  I highly recommend it!  Thanks Erica for telling us about it.

We had our mid-pregnancy ultrasound and check-up at 18 1/2 weeks.  Baby was moving around like crazy and would respond to the ultrasound tech when she pushed on my stomach.  I just loved seeing our baby!  She checked all body parts and said that everything looked good.

GC's profile

I am loving feeling baby move!!  It's such a great feeling.  Jermaine has felt GC move a couple times now which is really fun.

Jermaine and I went to Disney World with my family for a week.  We were so exhausted after this trip!   But it was such a great time.  We also got to see our good friends Taylor and Jeremy.

Disney

Sea World

Father's Day is in a week, and I can't wait to give Jermaine his first Father's Day gift- it's awesome!!  We'll post pictures after he opens it.

Mother's Day

Wow, what a time since our last post.  Rach is now 16 weeks pregnant, 16 weeks!  Time is flying by and GC (game changer) will be here before we know it. Of course being the preparedness freaks that we are, we have almost none of the things needed.  Fortunately we did find a crib at an amazing price so we can check that of the list.  Only 999 to go!  It was already put together, but unfortunately would not fit through the bedroom door.  It only sat in the living room for a couple days until we got it in the room.

Our neice Madyson Lynn Cooley was born on April 28th!  What a wonderful bundle of joy she has been not only to Corey and Mallory, but the whole Cooley family.  We pray that she continues to be healthy and grows into the girl and woman of God she was created to be.  I got to hold her yesterday.  I figured I needed to practice- and why not try it with a kid that's not mine.

Here is our first ultrasound picture for those who haven't seen it.  This was at 6 weeks, so baby has grown a lot since then (they are now the size of an avocado).  We go back to the doctor on the 23rd for another ultrasound to check the organs, etc.  This would be when we find out the sex, but we're not going to.  

Here are some belly pics:

13 weeks

16 weeks

On Mother's Day we thank God for our wonderful mothers and realize what a blessing they are.  I know Rach is thankful for the opportunity to be a mother soon.

Expecting

We are expecting our first baby in October!!!  We are filled with so much joy and excitement.  This is an answer to many prayers, and we give God all the glory.

As of today I am 13 weeks, and feeling much better this week.  The sickness was not too much fun, and I am praying that the 2nd trimester will be all the wonderful things that I hear it should be.  Jermaine has been doing such a great job taking care of me, doing laundry, dishes, cleaning, etc, etc.  He's going to be such a great dad!  I look forward to seeing him with our child.

It has been so much fun surprising people with our news!  Everyone has been so sweet, supportive, and loving.  It is such a blessing to feel that this baby is already loved by our family and friends- amazing!

We will try to keep this updated, although the real reason we started it was to keep everyone updated on baby!